"We are being taken for granted": Leeds taxi driver strike action as anger at city council intensifies

Drivers are protesting Leeds City Council' s Suitability and Convictions Policy, which has been in place since February 2020.

Leeds Private Hire Drivers Organisation (LPHDO) is calling for the strike, following a demonstration at Leeds Civic Hall earlier this week.

Anger stems from the taxi drivers feeling they are being unfairly prejudiced by new rulings that could see them lose their licences over minor offences.

Speaking to the YEP LPHDO Vice Chairman Zahir Mahmood expressed his feeling that cab drivers are taken for granted.

"We are being taken for granted but the problem in Leeds is the council and the regulator can get away with anything while the taxi driver can't get away with even a minor thing.

"If I have an argument on the road with someone and they make a complaint against me then I get suspended straight away without any follow up."

For Zahir this puts taxi drivers in an impossible situation as they are forced to put up with many drunk customers.

"We are dealing with drunkards and people who have been taking drugs they get in our car and we are on the front line." he explained "Some can become really quite nasty but if we say one thing back then we are held to account. Are we just supposed to let a customer do what they want?"

Discussions have been ongoing between the two sides for three years with the council hoping the LPHDO will reconsider.

In a statement provided to the YEP Coun Debra Coupar said:

“We have been made aware of the proposed strike action on Monday by the Leeds Private Hire Drivers Organisation (LPHDO). Our priority is to minimise the impact of this proposed action especially on vulnerable adults and children as much as we can, and to make sure everyone who may be affected is aware of the situation and any potential disruption, with solutions being identified where possible.

“We would ask the Leeds Private Hire Drivers Organisation to reconsider their planned action, and continue their dialogue with us over the proposed accumulation of minor motoring convictions criterion of the suitability policy in order to achieve a positive outcome for all parties.”

But for Zahir he feels the council have not listened to their concerns and promised action will continue until the issue is resolved.

"It will continue until they sit down and actually listen to us." he said "We have been in dialogue and are starting to sound like a broken record now. Three years later and unfortunately nothing's been done. This council has let us down."

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