Wycombe's unsung heroes: The taxi driver

Stopping for a moment to admire the delightful perfume I realised that it was coming from the magnificent flowers in the old library gardens.

They really are a sight to be seen and surely the best and most fragrant display ever put on there.

Just as yours truly started walking down the High Street past the taxi rank I heard someone call out “Hello Mr Ivor”. I looked up to see one of the drivers beckoning me over for a chat.

Some people think its easy being a taxi driver however it's a very difficult and demanding job.

My friend told me how he spends most of his time sitting in the taxi rank waiting for a customer and when he does get a fare it may only be a short distance away. A few minutes later he is back at the end of the queue in the rank again.

When you look at the taxis running around the road of Wycombe they are always nice and shiny indeed most of the drivers take pride in the cleanliness of their vehicles.

My friend said that his car is cleaned and washed every day which can be quite costly.

Some of the customers can create quite a mess in the back of the cars especially the late night revellers who may be the worse for wear.

All it takes is one person to make a mess in the back of the taxi and the driver can be off the road for the rest of the night with no earnings until the car is cleaned.

The other week while on one of my lunchtime walks yours truly got caught out with my walking disorder in the street. Unable to get back to work under my own steam I called for a taxi and within a few moments the car had arrived and yours truly was being whisked back to work post haste.

In my opinion the taxis are a very useful service.

Personally I think taxis should be able to use the special bus lanes for example the one on London Road so they can nip through the traffic rather than being stuck in the jams with the rest of the cars.

With my detailed knowledge of Wycombe I have often thought of stepping up the career ladder and becoming a taxi driver however the cost has always deterred me.

Did you know the yearly fee charged by the Council to license a vehicle under six years old is £222 and on top of that it's £217 for a three year combined Hackney carriage/private hire drivers license?

For those interested the costs I have included further details in the “related links” section.

The taxis of Wycombe are a key part of Wycombe’s transport network and what’s more they can take you and your shopping right to your door rather than to the nearest stop like the buses.

Next time you see a taxi standing on the rank or running around streets just think of the heroic drivers and try to consider what vital role they play for the people of Wycombe.

What do you think?

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