100 taxi drivers protest against Gloucester City Council plans to make them retake driving tests

Around 100 Hackney Carriage drivers were in attendance at Gloucester City Council's licensing and enforcement committee last night to protest against plans to make them retake their driving test.

The Gloucester Hackney Carriage Association was out in force and queried the plans at the meeting, stating their disgust at the plans.

The plans mean taxi drivers must be retested every 10 years at their own expense, which could cost up to £112 per test.

Chas Rodgers, a member of the Gloucester Hackney Carriage Association, said: "I have been driving for over 41 years and to say I am no longer competent in my job is ridiculous.


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"This change has already cost one man his job and thousands of pounds."

The drivers did question the change in the meeting but as it was deemed not in relation to the agenda they were not given a response on the night.

Following the public questions the drivers left and held an open air meeting on the steps outside Gloucester City Council.

Nunu Miar, of Five Star Taxis, said: "If the doctors can go on strike over changes to their contract, I don't see why we shouldn't do the same."

As the issue was not related to the agenda Gloucester City Council could not discuss the matter.

However, in a previous statement Lisa Jones, Gloucester City Council's food, licensing and markets manager, said: "We changed our policy following a request from the hackney carriage and private hire trade to replace the Gloucestershire Road Safety Assessment with the DVSA.

"Many councils require taxi drivers to take some form of test to ensure they meet the standards to deliver an important service to residents safely.

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 LEICESTER mayor Sir Peter Soulsby is to remove taxi ranks outside the railway station as union bosses have warned they will "step up" their protests in the on-running battle over a new cabbies' misconduct scheme.

The city council and the RMT union, representing 325 city hackney drivers, have been locked in a dispute for weeks.

It has seen cabbies carry out three rush hour go-slow convoy protests around the city causing widespread disruption and congestion.

Sir Peter warned the protesting hackney cab drivers he would strip them of privileges and end "special considerations" granted to the trade if they persisted with the actions


Now Sir Peter told the Mercury he will remove the experimental ranks near the station - one of the busiest areas for trade for the hackney cabs.

Two cab spaces on Slate Street and part of one rank, with two spaces, on Conduit Street will be removed.

The council needs to give seven days notice before it can start work but will then reinstate the previous double yellows on Conduit Street and single yellows on Slate Street.

Sir Peter said: "The drivers have no particular right to taxi ranks. We grant them as a privilege."

The mayor said he would pause any action on tightening restrictions on the age taxis need to be withdrawn from service and ending the "artificial" cap on the number of drivers' licences granted.

RMT regional organiser Ken Usher said: "So the mayor wants to widen this dispute to affect the travelling public and visitors to the city (by removing ranks outside the station)

"Our beef is not with the citizens of Leicester but the mayor wants to spread this out."

Mr Usher said the union could "step up" its campaign.

He said: "We could hold a protest every day."

He also said the RMT could ask other unions, through the Trade Unions Council, to disrupt council services by raising their own grievances in a co-ordinated way.

He said: "There are unions which have issues with the council - entirely separate to this - which are on the back burner but they could turn the gas up on them"

Mr Usher said RMT also had contacts in the higher echelons of the Labour Party who could bring pressure to bear on the mayor.

He said he would discuss with local RMT members any further action in terms of protests.

On RMT member told the Mercury this could include protests in the morning to affect the school run and a static demonstration outside City Hall.

Mr Usher said further disruption could be avoided if the mayor agreed to negotiate over the disciplinary scheme, in force since December 1, but he said Sir Peter was being obstinate.

He said: "I will meet him any place, anywhere and any time.

"We could go for a cup of tea and get this sorted.

"We don't want to be treated like scolded children."

Sir Peter said: "There will be no negotiations over what is a perfectly reasonable and fair scheme.

"What part of "No Chance" does he not understand?

"I would be very surprised if anyone at the TUC has any sympathy with the taxi drivers.

"I would be equally surprised if anybody high up in Labour Party would have any sympathy.

"The idea they could go and find some else's shoulder to cry on there is strange."

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