Council crackdown on cherry picking Taxi drivers, saying it can put people in vulnerable and dangero

Gwynedd Council are warning taxi drivers not to “cherry pick” jobs and have said they run the risk of having their licence revoked if caught doing so. The clampdown comes as more and more people are likely to require the services of taxi drivers over the festive season. According to the North Wales Chronicle, the council has stressed the importance of assuring everyone has access to a reliable taxi service which will get them home safely. Complaints have been received by the council about drivers who are refusing some of the more “local fares” in hope of nailing a longer, more profitable, fare, which according to the council, can leave some people, especially women, in vulnerable and dangerous situations. Councillor Dafydd Meurig said: “This illegal practice not only endangers the safety of customers but also undermines the efforts of private hire and taxi drivers who work hard and operate within the law to deliver a high-quality service in Gwynedd.” Council members have said that the majority of taxi drivers act in an honourable way and follow the trades rules and regulations. If a taxi driver is plying for hire with his light on, they are not allowed to refuse a job because the journey is not considered long enough. The council is asking anyone who experiences this unlawful act to take a picture of the registration plate or taxi licence plate, along with the location and time and send it to the licensing authority.