Derby taxis descend on council HQ in dispute over licensing.

Drivers are furious over the council’s plans to ban older vehicles on Derby roads, says GMB.

Almost 100 Derby Private Hire Taxi drivers joined a union rally outside Derby City Council this week, in the ongoing campaign against the authorities plans to slash the licensable age of vehicles from 15 years old to just 5 for new license applications.

GMB, representing thousands of private hire taxi drivers, raised the alarm that licensing changes could risk putting drivers out of business.

The events come after Derby’s private hire drivers called on Conservative Chair of the City’s Licensing Committee, Cllr Alison Holmes, to reverse the decision.

Craig Thomson, GMB Regional Organiser, said:

“This rally has sent a clear message that Derby’s Private Hire Drivers will not be ignored.

“We all want a greener city, but these plans put all the burden on the working people of Derby.

“There is a real sense of outrage over this decision, which threatens putting drivers out of work.

“The Conservative Councillors in charge of the City’s Licensing Committee are pushing policies designed to make Derby greener, but will only result in local people being poorer”.