"Staggering number of Wolverhampton taxi drivers exploiting loophole to work in Coventry"

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"Staggering number of Wolverhampton taxi drivers exploiting loophole to work in Coventry"

Postby dutchman » Mon Oct 16, 2017 10:56 pm

Council bosses have revealed the staggering number of Wolverhampton taxi drivers operating out of Coventry

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A meeting between senior Coventry politicians and Wolverhampton councillors took place to tackle the influx of Uber cabs operating out of Coventry using Wolverhampton licenses.

Following the two hour meeting, greater co-operation between the two councils was agreed upon, with Cllr Innes saying: “The meeting was pretty frank at points.

“Wolverhampton City Council admitted that they license 241 taxi drivers with addresses in Coventry. And they acknowledge these drivers work in the Coventry area, and not Wolverhampton.

“As Wolverhampton is granting licenses to taxi drivers that it will be up to Coventry City Council to manage on a day-to-day basis, the fees paid by Coventry taxi drivers are essentially subsidising Wolverhampton’s taxi office.

“I explained this subsidy is not acceptable, and Wolverhampton City Council has agreed to provide enforcement of Wolverhampton-licensed taxis in Coventry.

“Wolverhampton City Council has also agreed to contact their Coventry-based taxi drivers with any messages Coventry City Council needs to communicate. We need to issue messages to local drivers on a variety of occasions through the year, eg when there is a big event in the city, or when there are major road works.

“Wolverhampton council has also agreed to ask Coventry-based applicants to consider choosing to license in Coventry instead.”

Coventry South MP, Jim Cunningham said; “The issue of Uber operating in our city has been raised with me time and time again. It’s vital that our taxi drivers are not undercut and that the process they go through in terms of getting a license is not undermined by drivers being able to by-pass this process.

“It was useful to hear about how Wolverhampton operate and I’m grateful to them for meeting with us. I’m delighted that working with the council here in Coventry that some progress seems to be being made although it is actions not words that will make the difference.”

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Re: "Staggering number of Wolverhampton taxi drivers exploiting loophole to work in Coventry"

Postby dutchman » Thu Oct 19, 2017 11:03 pm

Black cab drivers hit out at Wolverhampton licensed Ubers for taking business

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Coventry licensed cab drivers slammed Uber for taking their business at a meeting today as Coventry City Council vowed to campaign for safe professional taxis in the city.

Black cab drivers in the city say Uber drivers undercut their prices and do not have the same standard of safety checks that they do.

Coventry licensed cab driver Mohammad Amjad said: “Uber are undercutting our prices. These people are forcing us off the roads.

“A driver might be refused a license in Coventry, but easily get one from Wolverhampton. But Coventry City Council don’t have authority over outside vehicles.

Ashwani Lakhanpal, another Coventry licensed cab driver, said: “We have to go through vigorous checks to get a taxi license from Coventry City Council. But any Tom, Dick and Harry can get an Uber license.

“We want the council to ban Uber drivers from operating in Coventry.”

Cab driver Harvinder Gata-Aura added: “There are regulations on how our licences are displayed. Uber drivers may not have them displayed as well which puts the public at risk because drivers cannot be quickly and easily identified.”

Councillor Jayne Innes, cabinet member for city services, slammed Uber’s business model and warned people in Coventry of the dangers of using a cab licensed outside the city.

She said: “The effect of Uber operating in Coventry is that our black cab drivers are losing work.

“Uber has an incredibly aggressive business model - they undercut existing services and then put up their prices. Uber fares will surge during busy events like games at the Arena, whereas black cabs have agreed fares.

“We have a gold standard black cab taxi service in Coventry that ensures we provide the very best for the people of Coventry.

“We expect all drivers to have a good standard of English, superb knowledge of our roads and training in child exploitation and disability awareness. We are also one of very few authorities that test all their vehicles every six months.

“When drivers get their licences elsewhere it means that all these things we set out are not abided by and we don’t have any enforcement powers over them.

“I would encourage people in Coventry to always choose a Coventry licensed cab because it’s a much safer choice.”

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Re: "Staggering number of Wolverhampton taxi drivers exploiting loophole to work in Coventry"

Postby rebbonk » Fri Oct 20, 2017 9:34 am

Maybe had our own black cabs provided a decent and reliable service Uber wouldn't have been able to gain a foothold in the city?

I regularly used to use black cabs to get to the railway station of even to Birmingham airport. The number of times that they didn't turn up was staggering.
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Re: "Staggering number of Wolverhampton taxi drivers exploiting loophole to work in Coventry"

Postby dutchman » Fri Oct 20, 2017 3:10 pm

rebbonk wrote:Maybe had our own black cabs provided a decent and reliable service Uber wouldn't have been able to gain a foothold in the city?


Oh, they would Rebbonk.

I've seen the methods they use to force down fares and no professional driver can possibly compete. Most Uber drivers are working for less than it costs them to operate their own vehicle.
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Re: "Staggering number of Wolverhampton taxi drivers exploiting loophole to work in Coventry"

Postby dutchman » Thu Oct 26, 2017 5:39 pm

Wolverhampton council boss hits back at 'fake outrage' Coventry politicians

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A war of words has erupted between councillors in Coventry and Wolverhampton as the row over Uber licensing in the city reaches boiling point.

Today, a top Wolverhampton councillor hit back at “fake outrage” Coventry politicians and said that the authority was only interested in preserving its “long-standing cosy relationship” with the hackney carriage trade.

It came after Coventry councillor Damian Gannon accused Wolverhampton of handing out Uber licenses "like sweeties".

Wolverhampton City Council’s Cllr Alan Bolshaw, chairman of City of Wolverhampton Council’s licensing committee, said: “The attitude of some Coventry politicians towards the issue of private hire licensing is getting tiresome.

“I’m afraid my patience has run out with those who are cynically trying to drag the reputation of City of Wolverhampton Council through the mud to further their own agenda.

“I think it’s about time someone called out the motivation of these people who are hiding behind smoke and mirrors. The reality is that there is a long-standing cosy relationship between Coventry City Council and the hackney carriage trade and preserving this relationship is what this is really about.

“Of course the hackney carriage trade, which has been protected in Coventry for so long, doesn’t want competition. They are doing everything possible to try and stifle competition which is simply not on because it is the people of Coventry who suffer.”

Cllr Bolshaw said Wolverhampton was doing nothing wrong in giving out licenses to drivers.

He said: “Surely Coventry councillors should be welcoming the fact that 240 jobs have been created in their city due to the private hire licences we’ve issued?

“It is galling to hear the fake outrage voiced by certain individuals in Coventry who know full well that we are doing nothing wrong here in Wolverhampton. All we are doing is following the law which allows taxi drivers and operators to choose where they get their licence.

“Frankly, this smacks of sour grapes. Coventry know that our systems and processes are modern, efficient and far superior to their own. This is why drivers choose to come to us. People are trying to make out that our standards are lower than Coventry’s, but this is absolute nonsense.

He added “Nobody is fooled into thinking that the Coventry opposition is about safety – this is about protectionism and perpetuating the status quo to the detriment of customers.

“You only have to look at the comments left by residents on the Coventry Telegraph website to see that they welcome competition and want that choice.

“I hear people talk about the supposed ‘gold standard’ of black cabs in Coventry. If that were true, people would have nothing to worry about from increased consumer choice and competition. The bottom line is that the time has come for those who are peddling myths and playing dirty tricks to be honest about their motivations and stop using City of Wolverhampton Council as a scapegoat."

Cllr Gannon said: "Ideally, the taxi trade should be accountable to Coventry residents so if you drive a taxi in Coventry you should be accountable in Coventry.

"At the moment Wolverhampton are exploiting a gap in the licensing regulations to make as much money as they can and that is just plain wrong. Treating taxi licensing as a cash-cow undermines local democracy, it undermines public safety and it undermines the ability of taxi drivers to make a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.

“But we also need to accept that the trade has changed and companies like Uber are not going to go away. We need a better way to ensure that they can operate in a manner that delivers an accountability, public safety and fair wages. Council’s should not be pitched against each other in a race to the bottom of licensing regulations.

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Re: "Staggering number of Wolverhampton taxi drivers exploiting loophole to work in Coventry"

Postby dutchman » Wed Nov 01, 2017 7:11 am

Uber driver Sayfullo Saipov behind ‘cowardly act of terror’ in New York killing eight people

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A man in a rented van mowed down cyclists and pedestrians in New York killing eight people in what the city’s mayor called ‘a particularly cowardly act of terror’.

He careered down a popular cycle path a few streets from the World Trade Centre memorial injuring at least 11 people.

The 29-year-old driver, named by authorities as Sayfullo Saipov, was shot in the stomach by police and arrested after jumping out of the van with what turned out to be a fake gun in each hand and shouting ‘Allahu Akbar!’

The suspect, originally from Uzbekistan, has a Florida driving licence but may have been living in New Jersey.

Uber confirmed that Saipov was one if its drivers, and the company said he passed a background check and had been actively driving on the platform for more than six months.

He has since been banned from the Uber app.

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Re: "Staggering number of Wolverhampton taxi drivers exploiting loophole to work in Coventry"

Postby dutchman » Wed May 23, 2018 3:43 am

Taxi dispute heats up after Coventry cabbies protest in rival city

Around 50 black cab drivers from Coventry travelled over to Wolverhampton last Wednesday, where they were joined by fellow drivers from across the Midlands.

The common issue that these drivers have surrounds the taxi licenses being handed out by City of Wolverhampton Council to drivers who are going on to operate out of neighbouring cities - such as Coventry.

Indeed, operating on Wolverhampton licenses is the loophole used by Uber drivers in Coventry - as the council here has not granted Uber a license to trade in Coventry.

And Coventry's black cab drivers believe that it is their wallets that are being hit by this, as Wolverhampton licensed drivers are taking fares in Coventry.

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Re: "Staggering number of Wolverhampton taxi drivers exploiting loophole to work in Coventry"

Postby rebbonk » Wed May 23, 2018 10:37 am

Over the last month or so I have noticed a lot of vehicles with Uber stickers locally. I really hadn't noticed many before.
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Re: "Staggering number of Wolverhampton taxi drivers exploiting loophole to work in Coventry"

Postby Melisandre » Wed May 23, 2018 11:02 am

i noticed the one who lives on Longford Rd has changed from the black taxi to Uber I see a lot over Keresley Green area too.
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Re: "Staggering number of Wolverhampton taxi drivers exploiting loophole to work in Coventry"

Postby dutchman » Thu Dec 20, 2018 12:22 am

Coventry council grants licence to app-based taxi service - after campaign against Uber

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COVENTRY council granting a licence to an app-based taxi service is a welcome change of direction after leaders’ long campaign against Uber, opposition councillors claim.

The council’s licensing and regulatory committee yesterday granted a private hire licence to eCars – which can be booked on apps on people’s mobile phones.

Committee member Councillor Tim Mayer (Conservative) said it was a departure from the Labour-run council “blocking progress in the taxi industry”.

Labour councillors have campaigned against the out-of-town licensing of app-based Uber taxis seen on Coventry streets – mainly by Wolverhampton council – which they accuse of undercutting Coventry council-licensed black cabs.

Uber has long contested claims it cuts corners on passenger safety, training, driver checks and other regulation, and it has proved a popular cheaper service with customers across the country.

The campaign was until recently spearheaded by former city services cabinet member, Councilllor Jayne Innes.

Coun Tim Mayer said: “This has opened the door to more companies like Uber and Ola being allowed to apply for a private hire operator’s licence in the city.

“I am really pleased that the ruling group have finally performed this welcome but embarrassing u-turn on their previously confused position.

“This is a good move that may encourage more people to leave their cars at home.”

The chair of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee, Labour councillor Christine Thomas, said the council changed its licensing policies earlier this year to enable it to embrace new technology.

She added: “We were delighted to approve the application from eCars. They had applied for a licence earlier this year which we could not approve until we had updated our policy to allow approval of app-based private hire companies.

“We were very impressed by eCars who already operate out of Birmingham Airport.

“As a committee we all wish to see new technology embraced, and that’s why the licensing policies were updated.”

Under new changes, passengers can also pay fares using contactless and card payments.

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