New talks in bid to halt taxi strike

Jan 18 2008 By Tony Deeley

A CRUNCH meeting next week could decide whether or not hundreds of late-night revellers in the Black Country are hit by a new taxi strike.

Club-goers in Wolverhampton were left stranded on the streets at the end of last year after all 111 black cab drivers serving the city called a series of strikes in a dispute with the council.

At one stage the cabbies had threatened to continue their action over Christmas and the New Year period but decided against it pending talks. They are angry at an alleged lack of enforcement action by the council against illegal pick-ups by private hire drivers which, they claim, are taking away their business.

The cabbies, who belong to the Taxi Owners Association, claim the private hire drivers are coming into Wolverhampton from neighbouring areas, particularly during busy weekends, and "ranking up" to attract custom.

They are also irate at having to pay higher licence fees than black cab drivers in neighbouring authorities.

The council has pledged to step up the level of enforcement action against the pirate operators and to investigate the fee levels.

Shiva Misra, the solicitor representing their interests, said the cabbies were to meet city council representatives on Wednesday evening for an update on their complaints and warned that unless they received satisfaction further action was likely.