Mayor Joe Anderson backed claims that taxi giant Delta is unfairly “saturating” Liverpool and taking a living away from city-registered drivers as the row over the firm’s expansion appeared to escalate this weekend.
Liverpool’s Mayor spoke out after a protest from hackney cab drivers brought traffic in the city centre to a temporary standstill on Friday.
The black cabs honked their horns and used a loudspeaker to shout ‘Joe must Go’ to show their anger about a situation they believe the Mayor has failed to deal with.
It follows the decision of Bootle-based Delta Cabs – which has more than 2,000 registered drivers – to open a Liverpool office at Brunswick Dock, as exclusively revealed by the ECHO last week.
For many years, Liverpool cabbies have been angered by Delta drivers registered in Sefton crossing the border to pick up jobs in the city.
Now campaign group the Liverpool Taxi Alliance claim they were kept in the dark by the council while behind-closed-doors meetings were being held.
But reacting to the protest, Mayor Anderson said: “Liverpool licensed taxi drivers are angry with Liverpool Council who they blame for the difficult financial times they face as a result of the increase in private hire business from outside of the City.
“They also cite the opening of a Liverpool office by a company that has saturated the City taking their living away.
“I have on many occasions expressed my anger at the lack of a legal route open to the Council to stop what I believe is totally unfair to Liverpool registered cabs.
“I have given evidence to the Law Commission supporting the Liverpool cabs and expressed clearly my views. The Government, by continuing to push through its unwanted and damaging Deregulation Bill, is clearly to blame, but I fully understand the anger they feel and will work with them to do all we can to help.”
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/city-cabbie-booked-enforcement-officer-8243393
Comment; to @Riaz2907. I am aware that Manchester Council's Leader is Richard Leese. However I do doubt that you will receive permission to have a sign saying " Get Dick out" displayed in your Cab.
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