MPs support Sheffield taxi drivers who say trade is "on its knees" since Covid-19

Sheffield MPs have asked railway bosses to stop charging taxis to wait at the station after drivers said the trade was "on its knees" following coronavirus.
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Drivers need a permit to enable them to work from the station taxi rank and they pay East Midlands Railway an annual fee of £618 to ply for hire.

The renewal is due this month and drivers asked if their permits could be extended until December without charge but EMR has refused.

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MPs Clive Betts, Olivia Blake, Gill Furniss, Paul Blomfield and Louise Haigh have written a joint letter to EMR saying: "You will recognise that Covid-19 has meant that the business of taxi drivers has suffered substantially with the reduced footfall from Sheffield station a significant contributory factor.

Picture of the taxi rank at Sheffield railway station taken in July 2020Picture of the taxi rank at Sheffield railway station taken in July 2020
Picture of the taxi rank at Sheffield railway station taken in July 2020

"In recognition of this we understand that taxi drivers requested to EMR that their permits be extended without charge until the end of December 2020.

"We were disappointed to be told that EMR have refused this request. As train operators have been in receipt of government support during this crisis, surely it would be right to extend your support to taxi drivers. We hope you will reconsider your decision and grant and extension."

Driver Ibrar Hussain, who is also GMB taxi branch secretary, said people couldn't afford the renewal.

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"Work is dead at the station, the trade is on its knees. The GMB is asking for fees to be deferred until we get back to normality as drivers are struggling financially. We are in unprecedented circumstances and I hope EMR understands our request."

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