"Coventry students allege widespread taxi malpractice"

A survey of 500 students at Warwick University alleges widespread malpractice, including refusing short fares, discriminating against the disabled, and sexism.

Warwick Students’ Union has now joined forces with Coventry City and Warwick District councils to work with taxi companies to improve the service.

Coventry South MP Jim Cunningham and Warwick & Leamington MP Chris White are backing the campaign.

The survey was carried out at the end of August and returned 492 responses.

It focused on taxi refusals and the reasons given, but also raised wider issues surrounding student safety.

More than 23,000 people study at Warwick University, with 6,000 living in Leamington and a further 6,000 in Coventry.

According to the results, 51 per cent of refusals happened in Leamington and 38 per cent in Coventry.

A statement from Warwick Students’ Union said: “In Leamington, it is common that students have to walk home in the early hours of the morning because taxis refuse to take them, putting young women in particular at risk.

“In Coventry, young people were also refused taxis over short distances, again putting young people - especially women - at risk.

“Other reasons for refusals included being unwilling to take disabled students.

“In both locations, it is evident that taxis refuse short journeys in order to wait for more lucrative long distances.”

One female respondent said: “I was walking through campus to Westwood at 4am after the bus dropped me and my friend off at main campus and a taxi drove past and shouted ‘sluts’ to us. It was quite frightening.”

And another respondent said: “Black cabs from Warwick campus have refused to drop me off at my house in south Leamington; they drop me off 15 minutes’ walk away by the church in Leamington. This has happened several times.”

WUSU’s Rob Ankcorn, leading the campaign, said: “By refusing short journeys, taxis are putting all young passengers, not just students, in danger. We appreciate that not all taxi companies can be tarnished with the same brush.

“We are working closely with the council and local politicians to stamp out this behaviour.”

Marianne Rolf, of Warwick District Council, said: “We are extremely concerned.

“When any such practise is reported to Warwick District Council, it is fully investigated and appropriate action taken.”

Take the numbers of the taxis concerned then their licences can be revoked

Coventry taxi drivers defend themselves after students hit out over safety fears



Taxi drivers in Coventry have defended themselves following claims they are giving students a poor service.

Warwick University Student’s Union has claimed cab drivers in Coventry and Leamington are guilty of routine malpractice, as the Telegraph reported yesterday.

A survey claimed taxi drivers were regularly refusing to take short fares, refusing to drop young women at their front doors, and discriminating against disabled students.

The Students’ Union Sabbatical Officer Rob Ankcorn even accused taxi drivers of putting young people in danger.

But Tommy Sandhu, chairman of the Coventry Taxi Driver’s Association, said: “We’ve not come across any issue prior to the consultation or from security.

“The survey is very vague - we don’t know whether it’s pick ups or taxis being flagged down.

“We are working with the council - our drivers do understand the nature of this.”

Mr Sandhu suggested Leamington taxi drivers had a case to answer, and highlighted the report’s focus on Leamington-bound fares.

“We will highlight the issue with our drivers, but obviously Leamington will need to do the same.”

“We urge students who receive discrimination or bad service to complain directly to the council about specific cases, because we don’t want all our members to be charged.

“Some 99% of all our drivers would never do something like that. We absolutely condemn discriminatory behaviour.

“The only reason we refuse fares is if the students get quite rowdy. We queue at Warwick University so it’s unlikely refusing short fares would happen - we cannot just refuse people on the basis of short fares. The taxi drivers behind the one in front would be having a word.”

drivers defend themselves

You can't defend the indefensible!

The only way to deal with this is to take the cab number and report them to the badge issuing authority. - It might also help to picture the driver at the time because taxis are sometimes 'shared' by drivers.