Bus depot taxi drivers call for respect amid parking issues

TAXI drivers based in Omagh town centre are calling for urgent action to address serious concerns about their working conditions and how they are facing daily verbal abuse and threatening behaviour.

It’s an area which has been used for taxis for more than 40 years. There are currently 13 designated spaces for drivers, who service both the wider Omagh town area and surrounding rural communities.

But the the drivers operating from there are now highlighting a series of problems, including poor parking, verbal abuse and a lack of respect from motorists, inadequate signage and a failure to enforce parking and traffic regulations.

They have told the UH this week about their fears of being physically attacked by angry motorists and that someone could be badly injured if health and safety measures are not taken to address the problem.

Aidan Mitchell has been operating from the Bus Depot for more than two decades. He said colleagues have been verbally abused and threatened on a regular basis, and that their calls for action have gone unanswered.

‘Getting worse and worse’

“The abuse we’re facing is getting worse and worse. We’re facing foul language, aggressive behaviour and even threats of physical assault nearly every day,” he said.

“Other motorists are completely ignoring the fact that the taxi rank is solely for taxis. They drive straight through the middle of the rank, they’re parking in our spaces and there’s nobody around to enforce the regulations.

“We have to ask them to move on, and that’s when the verbal abuse happens. It’s a total disgrace some of the language that drivers have to hear. You go over with a perfectly legal and pleasant request for someone to move on and we face a tirade of cursing. There have been assaults as well. A number of years ago one driver was punched through the window of his taxi and never worked again.”

Mr Mitchell is calling for both Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and officials from the Department for Infrastructure to meet with taxi drivers and put in place measures to address the problems being faced by them.

signage

He said the signage at the taxi rank needs to be improved, and wants to see more regular patrols by traffic attendants in the area of the Bus Depot.

“No taxi driver should have to undergo the stress, verbal abuse and threatening behaviour which we are being forced to face,” he added.

“This is an issue which needs to be addressed urgently.”

Taxi driver, Martin Slevin, said they were coming into work knowing that there is always a chance that they will be physically or verbally abused.

“I’ve been told that I can’t park in the taxi stand. The same people are coming in day and night to park illegally on the stand,” he added.

“It seems to me that some people have no regard for the job that we’re trying to do. We are just trying to earn a living and what’s happening here is undermining our role.”

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council said that the Department for Infrastructure is responsible for taxi policy and legislation, and any enquiries regarding the taxi rank in Omagh should be directed to them. Meanwhile, the Department for Infrastructure were contacted for comment, but had not provided a response at the time of going to press.