Scottish Labour leader has demanded
urgent financial aid for cabbies who have lost work during the
Covid19 pandemic.
Mr Leonard has called on the Scottish and UK governments to
step-in to help taxi drivers whose bookings and fares have been
squeezed due to Covid.
He said: “Taxi drivers have been extremely supportive in efforts
to control and suppress the virus, by ferrying Covid-positive
patients to and from hospitals at great risk to themselves.”
However, drivers have been contacted by test and protect and told
to self-isolate, with a loss in incomes, but still facing
substantial vehicle and licensing costs, said Leonard adding:
“There is so little financial support available to them.”
In letters to Finance Secretary and Chancellor Leonard warned that cabbies could be forced out of
business due to gaps in Covid compensation business schemes.
Taxi drivers are not covered by Universal Credit or legacy
benefits, and do not qualify for the relief for businesses
announced by the Chancellor.
Cabbies are also ineligible for the Scottish Government’s £500
self-isolation support grants.
In his letter to Forbes, Leonard said the Scottish Government
should agree a comparable scheme to the £19 million support fund
for taxi drivers in Northern Ireland.
Drivers who have been available for work since the start of the
pandemic receive a one-off payment of £1,500 under the Northern
Ireland devolved administration’s scheme.
“I would hope you would create a similar package of support for
those in the industry in Scotland,” Leonard said to Forbes.
Leonard called on the Chancellor to change the rules to give
cabbies access to the Treasury’s business grants scheme and its
‘Business Bounce Back Loans'.
“Can I request that you refine the criteria for these schemes to
enable taxi drivers and private hire drivers to access this
support," Leonard said.
The Chancellor should also make it easier for cabbies to claim
the Employment Income Support Scheme and intervene to stop
finance companies from charging cabbies a premium for this,
Leonard added.
Chris Elder, a taxi driver from Dundee, backing Leonard's call,
said: “Cabbies have been the unsung heroes of
this pandemic, but have been forgotten about by the Scottish and
UK governments.
“Many of my colleagues placed themselves at real risk earlier
this year, so we could get desperately ill people to where they
needed to be.
We'd do the same again if it was needed, but it's not right that
cabbies are excluded from support going to other businesses.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
Letters to Forbes and Sunak attached
