Shropshire Star

Too many cabs in Shrewsbury, says taxi group

Taxi drivers in Shrewsbury claim there are too many cabs on the streets of the town - and are calling for more stringent tests to be introduced to safeguard passengers.

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They say that Shropshire Council is issuing Hackney cab licences to too many applicants.

Former boxer turned taxi driver Roddy Doran, 43, from Shrewsbury, who is spokesman for the Shrewsbury Drivers Taxi Group, said: "There is a massive influx of taxi drivers in this county and the Shrewsbury Drivers Taxi Group Association wants to see a more severe approach.

"Shropshire Council are giving too many licenses out to taxi drivers, and it's also the cheapest place in the country to get one.

"The knowledge test should be a lot harder because at the moment a 10-year-old could pass it.

"You need to know Shrewsbury street by street but we have taxi drivers here from all over the world who don't know where they are going."

He also said that taxi drivers in the town needed to undergo strict criminal background checks to ensure they are safe to transport their clients.

He added: "There needs to be enhanced CRB checks because you're vulnerable when you're getting into a taxi drunk after a night out.

"They need to be checking throughout the night to see if the driver is who he says he is on his badge.

"We think that customers are at risk because there are no council enforcements.

"It's got to the stage where I am really worried that I can't make a living any more because of the influx of drivers in Shrewsbury.

"We want it stopped now because it's gone through the roof. I've been a taxi driver for 15 years and I have a family to look after.

"The situation is barmy and we aren't getting anything in return anymore.

"We've already gone to Shropshire Council and explained that it is getting impossible for us to make a living because there are too many drivers in a small town. We have a dangerous job because you don't know who is getting in the car with you anyway. We are just trying to earn a living and the council could not care less."

A spokesman for Shropshire Council said: "Shropshire Councils Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Policy is currently out for consultation, giving the opportunity for the trade to make comments on the existing policy and request any amendments.

"We have also carried out a series of Taxi Forums across the county, to give the trade an opportunity to feed into the consultation, and to encourage them to send in their comments during the consultation period."

As a boxer Mr Doran was unbeaten in his first 11 professional fights from 2001, winning nine of them.

That record included winning the British Boxing Board of Control Midlands middleweight and super-middleweight titles.

He stepped up to have three cracks at WBF titles - the final one against Coventry-based Halder in June 2005.He then retired.

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