Wolverhampton cabbies 'aren't very good at driving' says Telford councillor
Taxi drivers from Wolverhampton “aren’t very good” and don’t know their way around Telford, a councillor has claimed.
Councillor John Thompson, a member of Telford & Wrekin Council's licensing committee, praised those licensed by other local authorities but said drivers from the city “need better training” before travelling north-west into the borough.
The council's customer and neighbourhood services chief Angie Astley said cabinet member Richard Overton had met with Wolverhampton Council’s licensing chairman to argue they should adopt similar standards for licensing taxi and private hire drivers and operators and encourage the installation of CCTV in vehicles.
Earlier this week the Telford and Wrekin Licensing Committee approved a new draft of the “safe and suitable person” guidance which will undergo a 28-day consultation and, if adopted, apply to all new and applications and renewals.
Councillor Charles Smith said Telford & Wrekin was “upping our standards”, but asked: “Are the other councils doing the same?”
Ms Astley said the council is continuously lobbying the Government to produce uniform standards across the country, but acknowledged “that change isn’t going to come overnight”.
She added: “The cabinet member, Richard Overton, did write to the chair of licensing in Wolverhampton and did have a meeting last week to ask them to adopt similar standards.
“We are about to do the same with Shropshire.
“The conversations with Wolverhampton are also along the lines of encouraging their drivers to adopt CCTV.
“We haven’t had that conversation with Shropshire, but we will.”
Councillor Thompson said drivers licensed by Shropshire or Telford and Wrekin are “very good”, but added: “The ones I see from Wolverhampton don’t know ‘the knowledge’, they aren’t very good at driving, and they aren’t a credit to the other drivers.
“When the sat-nav goes down, they might contact the operator who might help them, but they don’t know the area at all.
“They need to get better training before they come to Telford and Wrekin, because that’s what the customers expect.”
Chairman Liz Clare said: “They’re coming over and they don’t know the area. You say ‘I want to go to Lawley’, or Leegomery, and they look at you gone out.”
The draft ‘safe and suitable’ person standards document proposes lengthening the period convicted criminals are barred from being granted licenses and defines a safe and suitable person as “honest and trustworthy; not abusive, violent or threatening; a competent and safe driver; conversant with the area that they are working in, to ensure passengers are carried economically; able to communicate effectively with passengers and read, speak, write and understand English, and in good physical and mental health.”
Wolverhampton Council has been approached for comment.
