Mick Tostevin, now JTDA treasurer and secretary, made the comments after Deputy Kirsten Morel suggested the age of taxi drivers could be a factor in fewer vehicles operating between the late evenings and early mornings, leaving a ‘gap in the market’ for illegal taxi services such as Jersey Lifts – a Facebook group which offers transport in exchange for cash.
Figures obtained by the JEP showed that there are 82 taxi-badge holders under the age of 50, but just one of those is aged under 30. There are 116 between 51 and 60 years old, 123 between 61 and 70 years old, and 50 who are over the age of 71.
Mr Tostevin said: ‘Most taxi drivers are self-employed and many have given many years of loyal service to the industry. Like a lot of self-employed people it is very difficult and getting harder to survive on just a States pension and so many have to continue working.
‘Some of the older drivers are the last ones still working late at night and also covering the very early morning work to the Airport, and it is unfair and unjust to pick on someone because of their age.’
Earlier this year, the Jersey Taxi Drivers Association and firms Yellow Cabs, Citicabs, Liberty Cabs and Domino Cabs sent a joint letter to the late Home Affairs Minister Len Norman expressing their frustration over illegal lift services in the Island, and accused the government of failing to support the industry.
Mr Tostevin said: ‘What we see on a nightly basis is that taxis are struggling to access the limited amount of rank spaces available, especially as the rank in Library Place is mostly just a daytime taxi rank and most people use the Weighbridge taxi rank at night.’
Deputy Morel also said it would be difficult to dissuade Islanders from using Jersey Lifts, as it ‘offers a service that people like and value’.
However, Mr Tostevin said: ‘We quite often get passengers stating that they have paid more in a Jersey Lift.’
He added that drivers sometimes faced ‘very drunken and abusive passengers’ that had discouraged some from wanting to work at night.
‘It seems that taxi [drivers] are treated as second-class citizens,’ he said.
In response to Mr Tostevin’s comments, Deputy Morel said: ‘I think it is excellent that taxi services offer a means for Islanders to continue working into their retirement years – the low level of income that characterises many pensions makes this an important option.’
He added: ‘However, I urge the Infrastructure Minister [Kevin Lewis] to work with the industry to find ways to enable younger drivers to enter the profession, as this may play a role in filling the gaps in the market that are being filled by informal lift services. I think it is also important that the minister ensures there are sufficient taxi rank spaces in town to enable drivers to be available at times of peak demand.’
