Court reprieve for Birmingham Airport taxi drivers

Jun 18 2009 by Paul Suart, Birmingham Post

More than 250 taxi drivers were back on the ranks at Birmingham Airport last night after winning a High Court injunction.

Members of the Birmingham and Solihull Taxi Association (BASTA) lost an airport contract earlier this month to rival firm Passenger Transport Services (PTS) despite serving the terminal since 1951.

But now an injunction permits BASTA members to work from the airport until contractual matters are resolved in the High Court hearing scheduled for between July 13 and 17.

The news came as former drivers from BASTA, who joined PTS so they could continue to operate from the airport, said they had been threatened physically and their vehicles sabotaged.

According to sources, at least ten cabs working at the airport had been vandalised and there had been threats to drivers.

A source close to the airport said there had been a dozen attacks on drivers who had switched to PTS ranging from paint stripper thrown over cars to brake cables being cut and windows smashed.

One former BASTA member, who did not want to be named, said his taxi had been damaged and he had received “aggressive” text messages.

“Since I signed to work for PTS my taxi has been attacked, scratches on the front and sides and a wing mirror kicked off.

“I’ve had aggressive text messages and many drivers have said similar things,” he said.

The majority of the 240 PTS drivers left the airport yesterday as BASTA drivers returned to the terminal.

Earlier this week a newsletter was issued by the Friends of the Hackney Carriage Drivers in Birmingham and Solihull naming all the BASTA drivers who had joined PTS and calling them “selfish scums”.

No one from the group has been available to comment.

BASTA chairman Irfaan Ahmed said the association was not responsible for the newsletter or the alleged incidents, which have not been confirmed by the police, and claims the High Court injunction was a “victory for the people”.