PLAYING FAIR

A garage owner is furious that Derby City Council has taken away a quarter of his livelihood. For just over 10 years Walpole Motors, in Chandos Pole Street, has had a contract with the city council which meant that the centre was a specified station for testing taxis. To be licensed by the council, taxis have to undergo a test similar to the standard MoT test, but more rigorous, every 12 months. But now this status has been taken away from Walpole Motors.

Director Tony Hart claims he has been victimised for no good reason and says he will lose out on about £25,000 of income a year. His other income comes from performing general repairs and MoT tests on private cars. Mr Hart applied to renew his licence to test taxis for the council last autumn, as he has to do every two years. But council inspectors visited his premises and decided they would not renew his licence unless he installed a second hoist, a ramp which lifts vehicles to allow easy access for inspection and repairs.

Mr Hart has been using one hoist for testing taxis for about 10 years with no problems so he was baffled that the council should suddenly enforce this condition, particularly as he does not have the room for a second hoist, which would cost him £20,000. His challenge to the decision was thrown out by the council's licensing and appeals committee in January. Michael Foote, the council's director of corporate services, explained that the authority felt that when existing tenders came to an end, testing stations needed to be improved, with the decision being taken by the council's licensing appeals committee.

Many of the city's taxi companies are placing petitions in their offices demanding that the contract is awarded back to the firm.

Mark Keenan, manager of Western Car Company in Osmaston Road, said, "We don't understand why it's happened after 10 years."

Kevin Blackshaw, director at Intaline, in Midland Road, said, "We're very unhappy with this decision. We've used Walpole's for many years and never had any problems."

Gary Matkin, director of Chads Cars in Wiltshire Road, said, "From Walpole's point of view it definitely seems unfair seeing as they have been doing it for 10 years."