Cardiff Local Guide A guide to all Things Cardiff
Taxi drivers operating from Cardiff Central train station could be sent on training courses and given branded uniforms in an effort to impress business people.
Nigel Roberts, Cardiff Business Council chairman, wants to ensure visitors’ first impression of the capital is always a positive one.
Under Mr Roberts’ plan, any cabbie who rejected the idea could be banned from picking up fares outside the station.
The idea has been welcomed by businesses and taxi drivers alike.
Mr Roberts, who is already in discussions with Cardiff council about a new taxi standard on both sides of the train station said: “Taxi drivers have a critical role to play in the marketing of the capital, particularly with potential investors, as they are often the first point of contact for visitors.
“We want to give all taxi businesses the opportunity to apply to be on this upgraded service to pick up customers from outside the station.”
The business council’s chairman said it would provide training and potential uniforms to all taxi drivers participating.
On the uniforms, Mr Roberts said: “We haven’t really considered this in detail, but it could be some branding on a shirt like welcome to the Cardiff Capital City Region.”
“We would pay for the uniforms and the training courses. In return we would insist that all vehicles are in pristine condition.”
Mr Roberts said that taxi firms or cab owners which didn’t take up the offer of support shouldn’t be allowed to pick up customers from outside the station.
Senior partner with legal firm Capital Law and chair of the Welsh Government’s external advisory panel on financial and professional services, Chris Nott, said: “I absolutely agree with and support what Nigel is trying to do. I just don’t understand why this issue has not been addressed before as the standard of some of the taxis outside of the station has been a matter of concern to the business community for sometime.
“What I have learned over the last two to three years is that when decisions are made on inward investment projects then chief executives or chief operating officers only make one, or at most two, visits to locations being considered.
“So their experiences of a particular city very much has a material effect on their final decision.”
Director of CBI Wales, Emma Watkins, said: “This is just the sort of issue that the Cardiff Business Council should be looking at. I believe that the smarter taxi operators would jump on this business opportunity to become a market leader.
“My personal view is that the quality of some taxis in the city can be improved. I was surprised when I returned to Wales at the standard of some of the vehicles.
“While we rightly focus on improving the key transport gateways into South Wales, like the railway, Cardiff Airport, and have pressed for a new M4 Relief Road, we have to remember that the first impressions that people, especially potential inward investors into Cardiff’s financial and professional service sectors, is just as important. People will talk about the goods things, but they will also talk about the bad things.”
Taxi driver Karen Evans, who generates around 70% of her income from passengers from Cardiff Central, said of Mr Roberts’ plans: “I think he is absolutely right as we do play an important role in terms of the impression people get of the city.”
The taxi driver of six years said she would have no issue with undergoing additional training.
She added: “I was tested for my licence, but that was more about directions. However, especially now it is a little bit quieter in the summer, our vehicles are often checked by council officials.”
Cardiff Business Council (CBC) has a mandate to represent the views and interests of the private sector, as well as other stakeholders in the Cardiff city region.
As well as supporting the economic development of Cardiff and the capital region, it will also contribute towards the marketing and promotion of Cardiff and efforts to attract inward investment projects.
