Edinburgh airport taxi drivers jobs to go after black cab rule change

08.08.05

One hundred private hire drivers or more face losing their jobs this Christmas, when a ban on black cabs at Edinburgh Airport is lifted. All 300 drivers currently working at the airport will have to reapply for their work permits when the system is changed on 01.01.06. The drivers have been told that many of them will be out of work as there won't be 300 permits issued then.

Under current rules, black cabs are allowed to drop off but not to pick up at Edinburgh airport. Passengers who want a taxi from the airport are forced to use private hire cars regulated by Onward Travel, who have the airport contract. The 300 private hire drivers pay Onward Travel £245 a month for a permit, and Onward Travel pay £99 of this to BAA.

But in January next year a black cab rank will be introduced at the airport, running alongside a private hire stand operated by Onward Travel. At that time, the drivers will need to reapply for their permits.

Even those who do get a permit are worried there may not be enough work for them to make a living, if black taxis allowed to work at the airport then prove popular with travellers. Many drivers have already found other jobs because they are worried they won't be able to get a permit or make a living.

One private hire driver said: 'We have been told that our contracts are finished at the end of the year. They say we can apply to the private hire company for jobs. It's clear there are not going to be enough for everyone, but they won't tell us exactly how many there are going to be. We feel we've been treated with total disrespect and we don't understand why they've felt the need to do this.'

A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: 'After a long consultation, we have decided to open up the airport [to black cabs]. We were never going to please everyone in the taxi trade. The drivers' contracts will expire at the end of December 2005 and the new system will come in. There will be a black taxi rank and a private hire stand - and it's inevitable the number of private hire permits will be reduced. Our business is customer service and we want to provide the best service possible.' he added.

Onward Travel declined to comment.

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