Banning private hire pickups on The Strand is leaving drivers out of pocket, says GMB.
GMB union, representing thousands of local Private Hire drivers, is calling on Derby’s decision makers to urgently U-turn on a night time ban on drivers collecting on one of the City’s busiest streets.
Currently Derby’s private hire taxi drivers are barred from entering The Strand after midnight, despite it’s location at the heart of the city’s night time economy.
This is forcing drivers to wait and collect revellers on the adjacent Cheapside Road, underneath the trees of the grade 2 listed Saint Werburgh's Church.
Drivers are furious after being left with hefty clean-up costs, resulting from bird poo landing on customers and their vehicles as they collect passengers.
Craig Thomson, GMB Organiser, said:
“Banning private hire vehicles from collecting passengers on The Stand is causing havoc for Derby’s drivers.
“It’s forcing them to wait on Cheapside, under the branches of what has already been called Derby’s dirtiest tree.
“This dirty detour leaves drivers picking up a hefty clean-up bill and vehicles plastered with bird poo.
“The choice is simple, chop down the grade two listed tree or listen to passengers, businesses and drivers and let private hire drivers collect on The Strand”.
