Taxi drivers threaten to strike over parking ticket (From This Is Local London)

Taxi drivers threaten to strike over parking ticket

8:30am Monday 21st May 2012 in Where I Live By Jade Coulon

CHILTERN taxi drivers have threatened to strike over an "unfair" parking ticket given to a driver parked in a taxi rank.

250 taxi drivers working in Amersham, Chesham and the Chalfont’s have warned they will strike if a parking penalty issued to Munir Ahmed is not cancelled.

Mr Ahmed from High Wycombe said he was stood just metres from the taxi rank at Amersham train station where his Volks Wagon Passat was parked, when he was issued a £35.00 penalty.

NSL Ltd took over on-street parking enforcement from Chiltern District and Bucks County Councils on February 1.

The shocked drivers of the district believe the private company are just looking to make money by issuing "unfair" tickets.

A spokesman for the Chiltern Taxi Drivers Association (CTDA) said: "This parking issue is becoming a major controversy. This company seem hell bent on making money since they bought the contract from the council and this unfair ticket is an example of this."

NSL have refused to refund Mr Ahmed because only taxis that are plying for trade should be in the rank.

Anne James, Network Resilience Manager for Transport for Buckinghamshire said: "The taxi driver had left his vehicle unattended in a taxi rank; the rules state that taxis must always be occupied by a driver and be ready for hire when in a taxi rank."

But Mr Ahmed argues his taxi’s light was left on and he was stood close by, available for hire. CTDA have also raised concerns that the ticket suggests drivers doing an eight to ten hour shift are expected to sit in their car without a break.

250 of the 300 drivers operating in the area have signed a petition asking the Chiltern District and Bucks County Councils to support an appeal, with the threat of a strike if not.

CTDA said: "They (Chiltern District and Bucks County Councils) have closed the door on our face and the drivers feel like there is no other option but to strike.

"Now innocent people are going to suffer. All those people getting off the trains in Amersham won’t be able to get a taxi home."

Update: Mr Shah has asked the BFP to clarify that he stood alongside the taxi as the parking ticket was being issued.