Taxi drivers vow to fight Heathrow minicab plan

LONDON (Reuters) - RMT union leader Bob Crow was meeting black cab drivers at Heathrow on Thursday to co-ordinate opposition to a plan by airports operator BAA to allow privately operated taxis to operate at two terminals.

BAA is to start a six-months trial with private companies Addison Lee and One Transport at terminals 3 and 5 this year which would allow them to operate from reserved bays and from a central booking booth in the car park.

Minicabs already drop off and pick up passengers at Heathrow but they have no official presence on site and pay car park fees if they have they have to wait.

BAA says the move is designed to give passengers more choice in choosing taxis.

But Crow has called the experiment potentially "disastrous" for the licensed taxi trade.

He said in a statement: "This plan to deregulate the traditional taxi rank system at Heathrow is a kick in the teeth for those thousands of men and women who have spent years doing the knowledge and who now find that they are being squeezed out by minicabs."

"If this system, which makes a mockery of the pre-booked status of minicabs, is introduced at Heathrow there is little doubt that it will be rolled out at other airports.

"The consequences would be disastrous for the licensed cab trade."

Crow vowed the licensed drivers would not give in without a fight.