The Inverness Taxi and Private Hire Car Association has slammed the council claiming it is continually issuing full taxi licences, but that it is doing nothing to provide more spaces on the ranks making it near to impossible to make a living.

And there are claims that traffic wardens operating in the city centre are getting heavy-handed with cabbies who are unable to get on the ranks.

The association told the Highland News that it has been liaising with various council departments about the situation but added if no action is taken by the local authority, cabbies may resort to holding protests.

If this happens, they will be following in the footsteps of their colleagues in Dundee who held rolling protests as part of a similar dispute with their city authorities.

Mark Williamson, chairman of the association, said: "Since October 2006, we have been liaising with Highland Council. This is simply due to there not being enough full-time taxi rank spaces in the city centre as a result of the over provision of taxis operating in Inverness.

"I have highlighted to the local authority that this issue alone is adding to the congestion in the city, forcing taxis to have to constantly drive round until a space eventually becomes available. In order to tackle this problem, more strategically placed ranks are required to help ease the congestion, not to mention the environmental impact in addition."

He added: "Liaison with the Highland Council on this issue is currently ongoing. The majority of drivers agree that there is extreme over-provision in the amount of taxis plying for hire on the city streets. They feel that it is undoubtedly getting harder to make a living with more and more licences being issued by the council on an annual basis.

"Drivers feel that a limit on taxi licences being issued is long over due, this also would reduce congestion.

Members of the association want to see these matters resolved in the near future. If, however, drivers feel no further action will be taken by the council to address these issues, they may well consider resorting to the kind of active protests which are currently happening in Dundee."

Chris Mcewan, a driver with City Taxis, said: "The council just keep on granting full taxi licences, but they are not actually doing anything to give us more spaces.

Taxi driver Chris McEwan who is unhappy with the amount of plates being issued. Gary Anthony

"The traffic wardens are on our cases every two minutes. I was almost booked in Margaret Street. I pulled into the loading bay at the end of the taxi queue and the warden started taking down my details.

"I saw one warden threaten to book about eight or nine taxi drivers who were trying to get into the queue for the rank. We are getting grief left, right and centre."

He added: "I really think having a strike is something we should do to make the council sit up and listen. It is more and more difficult to make a living, there are guys just driving round in the hope they will get a space.

"The council are effectively taking money out of our pockets to line their own. They must gain so much through doling out all these licences."

Peter Corbett, councillor for Inverness Central and chairman of the area licensing committee and board, said: "The issue of over-provision hasn't come up since I have been in post, however, I know that is has been discussed before and I am more than happy to meet with the association on this matter.

"I can sympathise with their point. There are other cities that have a fixed number of taxis operating and I don't see why we can't do that here."

He added: "I would hope that the taxis do not strike as they provide a valuable service and I hope they will continue to provide that."

c.doughty@highland-news.co.uk

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