Council Awards More Work To Ban Bid Taxi Firm

Glasgow City Council has given more work to a controversial private taxi firm, despite being in the process of trying to ban it.

BBC Scotland has learned that Network Private Hire has successfully increased its share of a contract ferrying disabled children to and from school.

In April, the council denied Network an operators licence after police argued it had links to organised crime.

The company is appealing the decision and is entitled to continue trading.

Glasgow Council has streamlined the amount of school runs it funds from 2000 to 1400, and invited taxi firms to bid for the work.

Glasgow Taxis, the main hackney operator who had the majority of the contract until now, is the biggest loser, being outbid on about 60% of its original share.

‘Increased share’

Network and several other taxi firms including Southside cars will pick up a significant amount of the work.

Network was already on the council’s list of preferred suppliers before the licensing board’s decision to deny its operators licence. But the decision to award extra work to the company took place recently.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council confirmed that Network had increased its share, but refused to say by how much.

The spokesman said: “Network Private Hire has a contract to provide taxis for council business which predates the recent decision of the Licensing Committee to refuse a licence for their booking office.

“This decision is now subject to appeal and therefore Network Private Hire is legally entitled to continue trading while that appeal is pending.”

Network’s licence was denied after police lodged objections linking the firm’s handyman James Baxter to allegations of a shooting incident and witness intimidation.