Sheffield councillor thanks black cab who saved her when 'stranded in snow' facing £30 fare for short journey
and live on Freeview channel 276
Councillor Karen McGowan, chair of the licensing committee, said the trade helped her on two recent occasions when private hire cars – who are part of companies like Uber and City Taxis – skyrocketed their prices.
She gave her thanks at the end of a meeting in which the committee agreed to increase fares for black cabs, also known as Hackney carriages.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdCoun McGowan said: “I want to express my thanks to the Hackney carriage trade. I personally have had two experiences recently and they have provided a really good and fair service.
“One was in November when we had the snow and the bus strikes and I came back on the train from York. The trams had stopped, the buses were on strike and I stood in the taxi rank at the train station for more than two hours.
“We had private hire companies charging £30 just to get to Lower Manor and when I finally got (a black cab) taxi I got charged the normal rate and I was just so grateful that he got me through the snow and got me home.
“The second was on New Year’s eve, I booked a private hire taxi from the south east of the city to the Sheffield Wednesday ground, it was 7 o’clock at night when I booked it and automatically got charged £25 to book it.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"It took that then I got charged £23 when I got there but when we came out at half past one in the morning which I class as unsociable hours… I didn’t go straight home, dropped someone off at Shirecliffe, and I got charged less than £20.
“It was cheaper to go home at half past one in the morning and not directly in a Hackney than it was in a private hire car direct from my house to the same venue.
“So I just wanted to say, you do offer value for money and thank you for that. I hope the members of the public appreciate the service you offer.”