Kirklees taxi drivers call strike

Apr 23 2009 By Barry Gibson

THOUSANDS of bank holiday weekend revellers in Huddersfield face a long walk home after taxi drivers announced plans for a strike.

Private hire and Hackney cab drivers across Kirklees have agreed to take action on Friday, May 1.

The move, sparked by anger at council licence cost increases, could seriously disrupt what should be a busy night in Huddersfield town centre at the start of the May Day Bank Holiday weekend.

Drivers announced the strike plan yesterday to oppose Kirklees Council’s rise in taxi licence fees.

Huddersfield Hackney carriage driver Makhan Singh said taxi drivers were fully behind the strike.

Last week the council’s Cabinet decided to increase the annual charge for driver licence renewal by 62% from £37 to £60. Licences for Hackney carriage cars will rise from £106 to £135 a year and for private hire cabs from £125 to £135.

Private hire company’s operating licences will rocket from £53 a year to £380.

The strike move comes after taxi drivers’ representatives met council officers at Cleckheaton Town Hall yesterday morning.

Amjad Nadeem, secretary of Kirklees Hackney Carriage Association, was at the meeting. He said: “Talks have broken down regarding the licence increase. The council refused to accept our objections.

“We walked out of the meeting and we’re planning a 24-hour strike for May 1.”