More black taxis planned (From Warrington Guardian)

More black taxis planned

TAXI drivers and the borough council are to enter into talks about the proposed increase in black cabs for the town.

Warrington Taxi Drivers' Association, responsible for hackney cabs, has called a meeting with licensing officers to discuss a number of issues.

Proposals laid out in the council's best value review of passenger transport facilities include considering the de-restriction of hackney carriage licences by removing the upper limit on vehicles if there is a demand for it.

This follows a report released by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), which made recommendations about ways to provide the best deal for the travelling public.

Eddie Eves, spokesman for Warrington Taxi Drivers' Association, said: "The suggestions are not compulsory, so councils have a choice whether to implement them or not.

"However, we need to know things like, if another 300 hackney cabs were to be introduced to Warrington, what implications would it have - for example, would we need more taxi ranks?"

He added that the meeting was good news for cab drivers.

He said: "We believe we should have regular meetings to discuss things with the council. We would also like to have round the table talks with private hire drivers as the trade isn't that different."

The meeting, which could also be attended by representatives from the Transport and General Workers' Union and GMB, should take place this month.

Barry Eaton, passenger transport coordinator, said that it was hoped a liaison group including all stakeholders such as hackney cab drivers, private hire drivers, union representatives and people with disabilities, could be developed to discuss issues in the future.