The possible future of Dundee’s taxi trade has been shown to councillors as an industry official criticised proposals that could make all cabs in the city wheelchair-compliant.
Graeme Stephen, chairman of the Dundee Taxi Association, has again hit out at plans that could see drivers forced to convert their vehicles after a proposal was put forward at a licensing committee meeting earlier this year.
Mr Stephen admitted that he continued to be baffled by the actions of the committee, who have insisted that a full consultation would be conducted on the controversial plan should it go forward.
As councillors gathered at Dundee City Council’s contract services depot on Monday to view disabled-friendly vehicles, Mr Stephen said any attempt to force cabbies to convert existing or buy new vehicles would be unfair.
He said, “I just think the whole idea is very bizarre. It would be a huge expense for the drivers and these converted vehicles only do around 24 or 25 miles to the gallon.
“It would be bad for Dundee as well, as these cars tend to get serviced in Glasgow, which would lose garages in Dundee hundreds of pounds. I pick up around four or five disabled passengers a week and at the moment they transfer to the car and I put the wheelchair in the boot.”
Keen to emphasise that Monday’s viewing was merely a fact-finding exercise, licensing committee chairman Rod Wallace reiterated that a full consultation will be held if the committee decides to proceed with the proposal, adding, “We’ve been offered the opportunity to see the kind of taxis that are available.
“Some are already on the roads at present and we’re just trying to find out what they offer.”