Bay cabbies hit back at their critics in the council
CABBIES have hit back at claims they are breaking parking rules by saying there are not enough taxi rank spaces in Torbay.
Hackney cab drivers working in Torquay town centre yesterday said a promised council crackdown is unfair.
Torbay Council licensing officer Steve Cox has said 'rude' cabbies would be hauled before the committee if they did not stop parking in bus lanes, clogging parking spaces and abusing traffic wardens.
But cab drivers say they have no alternative but to break the rules because there is not enough space for them at the ranks.
The Herald Express spoke to taxi drivers working by the harbour and at the GPO roundabout on Fleet Street.
Michael Franks, who has worked as a cabbie for 27 years, said: "It is probably true some break the rules. But if you have a couple of hundred guys there are bound to be some who try it on a little bit.
"The fact is there are not enough ranks."
He said weekends see hundreds of people pour out of nightclubs looking for taxis to take them home.
"The police are happy to have all the nightlife here because it makes it easier to control, but Saturday is a big problem. When buses are finished there is not enough space at the rank so we tend to park outside Debenhams."
Councillors have complained about the attitude of some cabbies to traffic wardens.
Taxi drivers and their companies have been written to warning them that officers are gathering evidence. One councillor, Alan Faulkner, has called for rank spaces to be taken away.
Jimmy Kelly, a cab driver at the GPO rank, said: "I think that is unbelievable. What are we supposed to do? You can't expect us to drive around all day.
"November is the worst month for us so we tend to get a bit of clogging at the rank. But it's no use being rude to wardens, they've got a job to do and are pretty good."
Darian Davies, a cab driver for 40 years, said: "I don't think the cab drivers are rude to traffic wardens. You take a chance on parking illegally to get a chance of work."
He said too many private hire taxis had been given licences which meant Hackney cabs were often left waiting around for trade and squeezing on to ranks.
Another driver said claims by Cllr Christine Scouler that Hackney cabs were using street parking bays in Preston were wrong.
"Those are private hire cars, not Hackney cabs," he said.
Cabbie Shazad Ramzan said: "There is definitely not enough space and the council should make more for us. To say spaces should be taken away is crazy. We just want to earn a living."
Torbay Council provides about 32 spaces after midnight, this drops to 23 spaces before midnight.
A spokesman said: "We will continue to work with the taxi trade about rank space.
"However, it must be understood that there will be conflicting demands on the harbourside, with residents, taxis, buses, businesses, disabled space and loading bays all competing.
"There simply isn't enough space for all, so a compromise has to be reached."
6 Comments
by Anon, torquay
Thursday, November 26 2009, 8:55AM
“How rude!!
what on earth does the size of a cabbies belly have to do with being rude and parking illegally!
My dad is a cab driver, a blue plate, and has been for around 26 years now, he has big gut, and yes he site in his car all day. He has painful ankles from a childhood injury and struggles to walk but he still manages to help with shopping and open doors.
Im enraged that some idiot would consider writing on here about the weight of taxi drivers, completely out of order and completely off the subject!
Yes some drivers, mainly red plates flout the rules, but as said before on many occasions they need to as there are not enough spaces for them to work from. As for being rude, I personally havent met many rude drivers, if they were rude they wouldnt get any business and since the recession there isnt much business to be had.
Stu”
by Dave, Paignton
Wednesday, November 25 2009, 7:35PM
“Taxi-drivers have a different Highway Code to other drivers For example," vehicles proceeding along a main road must give way to taxis entering that road, from a side road."
I am sure everyone must be aware of this ruling.”
by SamSam, Torbay
Wednesday, November 25 2009, 2:46PM
“Why are the vast majority of taxi and bus drivers overweight....I have often wondered that...is it due to the vast amount of time they sit on their backsides reading newspapers at the taxi ranks. Does the lack of exercise also effect the control of the steering wheel, their stomachs get in the way of manouvering. I suggest they get out of the cabs more often to let their passengers out in a courteous manner, you know the old fashioned way, when they opened the rear door for the safety of the passenger and also they could collect the fare, with a courteous tip of the cap, they all wore caps at one time. Now they let you put your own luggage in the boot, lean around from the driving seat and collect the money and also expect a tip. How lazy is that.
Bring back the old days when proper black cabs were used and the drivers wore a uniform and had manners and took a special driving test. It would appear the only test they take is in rudeness and honking their horns when they want to move up a place on the taxi rank, they also have a special sign language, does two fingers mean they have two passengers and when they raise their middle finger only does that mean they have one passenger....just wondered.”
by Ant, Paignton
Wednesday, November 25 2009, 1:39PM
“Not enough ranks or too many taxis ?
The latter, I think.”
by phil, tq7
Wednesday, November 25 2009, 10:14AM
“there is a certain red plate company who's drivers are so rude in every way that you could be driving down the road and one would pull out and you wouldn't even need to see the number on the side to guess which firm it was. they also love to park on school markings at school time,pull out in front of you at roundabouts etc etc etc. i also see more than 2 parked on barton rd. more that 2 is classed as a rank and red plates can't form a rank.”
by Julian, Torquay
Wednesday, November 25 2009, 9:51AM
“Michael Franks. Try looking at yesterday's news. The Story was about cabbies being RUDE! not about spaces. You are trying to side step the issue and playing the victim card. Bleh!!
As said yesturday. The real issue is taxi driving antics. They think they can stop and wait were they like and pull out when they like. Excuse me you are not above the law!”