Taxi drivers across Watford will stop working tomorrow night, after warning many workers are “on the verge of bankruptcy”.
Drivers are furious Watford Borough Council has begun issuing Watford plates to Three Rivers drivers.
And despite talks with the council, members of the town's Hackney Carriage Drivers' Association have decided they will stop work at midnight on Saturday night/Sunday morning.
They believe up to 60 new licences could be handed out before their next meeting with Watford Borough Council on April 20, by which time they claim many drivers could be “finished”.
Shafiq Ahmed, acting chair of Watford's Hackney Carriage Drivers Association, said: “This is not a protest. We're self-employed and we're not working. No-one is listening to us. This is the way the majority of drivers feel.
“In this recession, we just want the local authority to show some common sense and stop issuing licences to Three Rivers drivers.
“The fact is this council has in the history of Watford destroyed the taxi situation. This has been going on for ages and now salt is being put in the wounds by fastracking Three Rivers drivers into Watford. This is an injustice.
“People are not using taxis so how can they give drivers more problems?”
Watford Borough Council confirmed they have been informed that some licensed taxi drivers have decided not to work tomorrow, after midnight. A representative said: "We have met with them very recently, and reports will go to Licensing Committee for April."
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