Cabbies' opposition to jobs drive

Cabbies' opposition to jobs drive http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7037495.stm

Demonstrators say the scheme allows unfair preferential treatment

Cab drivers have protested against plans to give help to women and ethnic minorities entering the profession.

They said moves to offer language, numeracy and childcare support for those taking the Knowledge exam was preferential treatment.

But supporters of the scheme, supported by the London Development Agency (LDA), said greater diversity was in the long-term interests of the profession.

Members of the London Cab Drivers' Club (LCDC) demonstrated outside the LDA.

The Knowledge, introduced in 1865, involves remembering every street within six miles of Charing Cross and takes up to three years to attain.

'Backward approach'

"Most people have had to do the Knowledge in their own way," said Alan Fleming, from the LCDC.

"A lot of people have actually done it while looking after a family or paying their mortgage. I think it's quite an unfair system that certain parties should be singled out for preferential treatment which is what this is all about."

Mr Fleming also labelled the scheme "patronising" towards the groups it was actually trying to target.

Official figures show that only 5% of London's black cab drivers are from ethnic minority communities, and 1.6% are women.


Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, accused the LCDC of demonstrating a "consistently backward and short-sighted approach" to improving the taxi trade.

"The project simply aims to support people from communities that are under-represented in the industry, as they undertake the arduous Knowledge process, so that over time London will have a taxi trade that looks more like its population," he said.

"This will make London an even more attractive place to companies around the world whose business we wish to attract."

He insisted there would be no compromise over the knowledge qualification process which would remain vigorous.

Campaign to open up cabbie sector

Women and ethnic minority communities are being encouraged to pursue careers as taxi drivers. A project to boost gender and ethnic diversity in the taxi trade has been launched by the mayor of London.

Language and numeracy support and childcare provision for those taking the Knowledge exam are among the new services being offered. Only 5% of London's black cab drivers are from ethnic minority communities, and 1.6% are women.

Launching the programme with the London Development Agency, Mayor Ken Livingstone said the black cab was a London "trademark". He said: "This project will help address the barriers to employment that currently exist for women and people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to participate in this important part of our city's life."

Vivienne Hayes, of the Women's Resource Centre, welcomed the initiative to promote women's employment in a "predominantly male arena". "Women in London will no doubt be pleased to see an increase in female taxi drivers," she said.

The Knowledge, introduced in 1865, involves remembering every street within six miles of Charing Cross and takes up to three years to attain.