INSTITUTE OF LICENSING

The MP for Eltham has written to the Transport Minister urging him to take measures to save taxi drivers from "financial ruin".

It has been reported that Clive Efford, MP for Eltham, said in his letter that, whilst he supports the Government's Covid-19 lockdown, the measures have "severely impacted the livelihood of many self-employed people" who are currently in financial hardship and face ruin.

Mr Efford recommended in his letter that emergency interim payments are made, wages are supported straight away and running costs such as licence plate fees and rental fees are suspended.

Finally, he said: "Even more importantly, the Government must look to the taxi industry as part of the solution to this crisis, not part of the problem" proposing that taxi drivers should be sub-contracted out to perform a number of tasks, including transporting patients to and from emergency appointments, delivering shopping to the elderly and transport NHS and care staff to work and testing centres.

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