Complaints about York Taxi and PHV drivers range from taking pictures of child passengers to slammin

A Freedom of Information request has revealed complaints made against taxi and private hire drivers in York have been on the rise over the past few years. Issues raised include drivers being aggressive towards cyclists, refusing lifts to disabled passengers, and allegations of bad parking or driving. Details of the FOI, which were published in the York Mix, revealed City of York Council received 154 complaints in 2016, 319 in 2017 and 277 last year.
But more than half of the complaints made ended up being against drivers registered with other local authorities who drove into York for trips. Accusations against drivers ranged from serious allegations of violent behaviour or a driver taking photos of a woman’s children and posting them on Facebook, to lesser issues such as drivers slamming doors or arriving early. There were also complaints of discrimination, with drivers refusing disabled passengers or charging extra to carry wheelchairs. Hackney driver and spokesman for the united trade group, Tony Green, said that he wants all customers to have a positive experience and that even one complaint should be considered one too many. Mr Green added that there are usually up to 60 out of town drivers (those licensed by other authorities) working in the city at any time, and said the proportion of complaints is much higher for vehicles from other areas. Matt Boxall, Head of Public Protection at the council, has assured that they take safety extremely seriously and their enforcement work will continue in co-operation with North Yorkshire Police and Licensing Officers from other authorities. He added: “We review every single complaint and take a proportionate response in line with our enforcement policy.” He urged people to report any complaints to public.protection@york.gov.uk.
Image: Source; Geograph
Image: Author; Roy Hughes