Taxi drivers 'robbed of livelihood'

Chairman of the taxi driver association Steve Vollrath says his members are not happy.

"The general feeling is that they have put up with 18 months of hell and they never know whether they are going to have a taxi rank one week or not."

Independent taxi driver Dave Smith says his income has dropped as much as 60 per cent and he is taking under 20 some days.

The problem is partly caused by taxi drivers competing for too few designated rank places and not helped by other road users believing they have the right to stop or park there.

Taxi drivers are defending their living and when it is pointed out to other drivers they are being selfish parking on places taxis have to pay yearly to maintain, they are subjected to a mouthful of abuse and threats.

Taxi drivers lost seven places to the Devonshire Square "balls up" and were promised permanent replacements in Devonshire Road, but these have received objections from traders.

Now to add further salt in their wounds, Dave and his colleagues have received a letter from leader of Rother council Graham Gubby calling for their support on the town's regeneration plans.

Councillor Gubby refers in the letter of his respect for them as "service providers" which has really rankled Mr Smith who feels it is the same authorities who are making their ability to provide a service to the community almost impossible.

"How can we provide a service if the allocated spaces are taken away from us or blocked by road works or inconsiderate road users?"

In his letter Cllr Gubby writes:"Most, if not all of you live and work in Bexhill or Rother and therefore have a vested interest in proposals for the town."

"More importantly to me, you have contact with many hundreds, if not thousands of our residents in the course of your work and that many of you have discussed the town with your passengers.

"I know that as professionals you have pride in Bexhill and I am sure would wish to see the right decisions being taken for the long term economic benefit of all our residents.

"This in turn helps the business community, the overall economic regeneration of the area and therefore in particular yourselves."

He included with the letter a copy of the consultation booklet Bexhill-on-Sea: The Next Steps to ensure that they were "as well informed as possible when discussing the future of Bexhill with your passengers".

The letter came in the same week a presentation meeting to selected taxi drivers on regeneration arranged by the leader was cancelled.

Mr Vollrath said a lot of drivers were up in arms that the authorities were doing nothing but run their business into the ground and yet were asking drivers and their customers for support.

"We pay 160 a year per car for the licence etc and part of the agreement is that they provide spaces to park."

Nobody seemed to be able to make a decision as to where the spaces in Devonshire Road should be sited, so they were kept on temporary six month orders.

Since the recent resurfacing work, the ranks have been reinstated outside Boots (four) and opposite by Lloyds Bank (three). But, although markings on the road denote the spots as taxi, there are, as yet, no posted signs on the pavements to back these up legally.

Mr Vollrath's view was the rank should run from Parkhurst Road to the bus stop in Devonshire Road, so it would keep all the public transport together on one side and the public would know where they were and hopefully stop them parking on the taxi rank.

Drivers have also claimed the rank at the top end of Parkhurst Road is being monopolised by the adjacent Parkhurst Taxis. The rank should be for use by all taxi drivers.

Some drivers also pay 200 a year extra for rights to ply their trade from the rail station where they do not have access to toilets or a cafe.

A county council spokesman said: "The layout for taxi ranks is unchanged from that which existed before the recent highway improvement works took place. The missing signs adjacent to the taxi bay will be put out by our signing contractor within the next week.

"In the longer term the county council is working with Rother District Council to review the layout of parking in this part of Bexhill and the public will be consulted in due course."