Post by acnedriver on Mar 9, 2023 7:17:20 GMT
Edinburgh airport: Taxi services from airport to be provided by private hire company Capital Cars under new deal
The new deal has sparked fears that there will be a lack of available black cabs from the airport.
Taxi services from Edinburgh Airport will now be provided by a private hire firm after previous operator City Cabs lost out on the contract.
From April 14, Capital Cars will provide both the black cab and private hire operation at Edinburgh Airport after a joint bid by black cab companies was rejected. The move from two operators to one single company will see Capital Cars – which currently only provides private hire vehicles – managing the airport service for the next five years. It’s understood they will need to recruit black cab drivers, who are largely self-employed, but the move has sparked fears about a lack of available black cabs for those with disabilities.
A spokesperson for Edinburgh cab branch of Unite said: "Our big concern is that there will be a lack of available black cabs and these are crucial for peak times, families and larger groups and for people with disabilities or mobility issues. It will go from hundreds of black cabs to a handful or a dozen if they are lucky. There’s a real danger then that disabled people and particularly those that use wheelchairs will struggle to get accessible transport from the airport.
Airport chiefs said the change will allow a ‘closer working relationship’ and that the deal would ensure "a steady supply of vehicles for passengers.” An Edinburgh airport spokesperson added that they were confident that Capital Cars could deliver on the deal to provide a mix of both black cabs and private hire vehicles and stressed that the tender process had been ‘stringent'.
/www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/edinburgh-airport-taxi-services-from-airport-to-be-provided-by-private-hire-company-capital-cars-under-new-deal-4055768
The new deal has sparked fears that there will be a lack of available black cabs from the airport.
Taxi services from Edinburgh Airport will now be provided by a private hire firm after previous operator City Cabs lost out on the contract.
From April 14, Capital Cars will provide both the black cab and private hire operation at Edinburgh Airport after a joint bid by black cab companies was rejected. The move from two operators to one single company will see Capital Cars – which currently only provides private hire vehicles – managing the airport service for the next five years. It’s understood they will need to recruit black cab drivers, who are largely self-employed, but the move has sparked fears about a lack of available black cabs for those with disabilities.
A spokesperson for Edinburgh cab branch of Unite said: "Our big concern is that there will be a lack of available black cabs and these are crucial for peak times, families and larger groups and for people with disabilities or mobility issues. It will go from hundreds of black cabs to a handful or a dozen if they are lucky. There’s a real danger then that disabled people and particularly those that use wheelchairs will struggle to get accessible transport from the airport.
Airport chiefs said the change will allow a ‘closer working relationship’ and that the deal would ensure "a steady supply of vehicles for passengers.” An Edinburgh airport spokesperson added that they were confident that Capital Cars could deliver on the deal to provide a mix of both black cabs and private hire vehicles and stressed that the tender process had been ‘stringent'.
/www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/edinburgh-airport-taxi-services-from-airport-to-be-provided-by-private-hire-company-capital-cars-under-new-deal-4055768