Private hire drivers waiting for work at Manchester Airport have been accused of parking for hours in residential streets and in some cases defecating in gardens.
The issue was raised by Councillor Tim Whiston during the council's neighbourhoods and environment committee meeting held on 4 March.
Concerns were raised that many of the drivers waiting for jobs are licensed by other authorities, making enforcement impossible for compliance teams.
Private hire drivers have been accused of parking on residential streets rather than in short stay car parks at the airport due to parking fees.
On top of the complaints surrounding drivers using gardens as loo areas, according to Councillor Whiston, some drivers have been accused of threatening and abusive behaviour towards local residents.
Manchester City Council have handed out leaflets to local residents encouraging them to approach any private hire drivers parking outside their property to advise them of allocated waiting areas inside the airport, but Councillor Whiston said: “This week I’ve had two residents on two separate roads telling me that taxi drivers have been defecating in the streets and people’s gardens blatantly and in broad daylight.
“Private hire cars are coming in from outside of the city, not licensed in Manchester, and are littering and waiting on our streets for hours.
“There’s a waiting area for private hire taxis at the airport so there’s no excuse for it. This is a major issue.
“Either residents are threatened by [the drivers] or by the time they’ve [produced the leaflet] they’re away in the car.
“There needs to be patrolling there and maybe even just cameras to catch them in the act.”
Councillor Whiston has now called for tougher enforcement to put an end to the ongoing feud between drivers and local residents, but stressed unless councils are given the powers to enforce local licensing laws on drivers licensed by other authorities, enforcement would continue to be a challenge.
Image credit: Pixabay
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