CABBIES SEE RED OVER PLAN TO PAINT TAXIS BLUE

CABBIES SEE RED OVER PLAN TO PAINT TAXIS BLUE
 


10:40 - 09 April 2008


Taxi drivers in Bristol are threatening strike action after being told they will have to respray their vehicles dark blue.

The new uniform colour scheme for the city's Hackney cabs is one of several measures agreed by a city council committee yesterday.

It prompted a mass walkout of more than 100 cabbies at the Council House.

Drivers accused councillors of ignoring their views on the proposals, which also include restrictions on vehicle advertising and imposing a limit on the mileage and number of years taxis can be used before being replaced.

The new rules would be phased in over three years for existing Hackney drivers but come into effect from the beginning of next month for new licensees.

Hackney carriages are allowed to ply for trade at ranks or be hailed in the street, while private hire cars must be booked in advance.

The council's public safety and protection committee considered three colours for the new livery - light blue, dark "Bristol blue" and a New York cab-style yellow - although they had not seen the images before the meeting.

Councillor Chris Davies felt the light blue was too similar to "Bath blue" while Councillor Ron Stone said the yellow was "hideous".

Drivers said respraying the city's 712 taxis could cost £2,500 each, meaning a total bill of almost £1.8 million.

Private hire vehicles will not be allowed to display the colour, as the intention is to create an easily recognisable city taxi image, similar to the London black cabs.

Drivers asked for longer to make the changes but the committee only granted a year more than the 24 months originally proposed.

Other changes to the fleet need to be made within eight years, again, only a year longer than the initial proposal. They include that all taxis must be no more than 10 years old, must be purpose-built, have wheelchair access and only "reasonable" mileage on the clock.

The changes would come into effect on May 1 for all new licensees.

Speaking before the meeting, Martyn Lawrence of trade union Unite, which represents some drivers, said the time restrictions were not long enough.

He said: "We believe some of the suggestions are nothing short of ludicrous and ill thought out. There must be no upper age limit on any vehicle - it must remain a business decision, not a policy decision.


"Bristol would very soon find it has no taxi fleet at all."

Councillors were booed during the discussion and committee chairman Clare Campion-Smith warned drivers who continually interrupted could be removed.

After councillors voted on the time required to make the changes, Taxi Club Association member Shafiq Ahmed led a mass walk out to shouts of "strike".

He said: "It's obvious our considerations aren't being taken into consideration."

Speaking outside the council chamber, Mr Ahmed said: "We don't think it was a fair and open meeting. We will now seriously consider industrial action that will have an impact.

"We wanted a minimum of 15 years to make these changes.

"It's one thing for these people to make these decisions but we are at the sharp end of their policy."

Mr Lawrence said: "This committee has completely failed to listen to the trade's views or take into account the huge financial burden these ill thought out decisions will place on taxi and private hire operators.

"And what exactly do they hope to achieve? Absolutely nothing, a pretty looking taxi fleet with no one to operate them.

"This is not democracy, this is a dictatorship."

Some drivers said the choice of blue as the colour for the Hackney cabs was insensitive to the divisions between Bristol's football fans.

Frank Clark, 42, a taxi driver and Bristol City fan, said: "I do a lot of trade from Bedminster pubs, and this could cause me so much trouble.

"Some of it will be jovial but other people, who might be a bit drunk, could give me abuse."

A city council spokesman said: "Bristol blue is the colour most associated with Bristol - and it is not the same colour as Rovers blue, it's darker."