Go Carz taxi drivers refuse to pick-up customers in working conditions and fares row

A troupe of private hire drivers working for Wolverhampton's Go Carz decided to collectively take their allocated day off in response to 'issues' within the company.

The move was organised by ex-employee Puneet Vashisheh, who claimed he was stuck off from work on Monday just for raising concerns that drivers 'cannot survive'.

He said: "Every single driver is having the same issues every day. So we decided, why don't we all get together and share our problems."

Mr Vashisheh said a group of disgruntled taxi drivers called for a meeting with managing director Carl Windlay and presented him with a list of daily issues at Union Street's Novotel on September 5.

The 35-year-old claimed a promised follow-up meeting to discuss ways forward never happened and decided to rally together fellow drivers, launching a WhatsApp group to unite hundreds of colleagues.

Drivers then agreed to take their 'log off' day together in protest but Mr Vashisheh was later suspended for leading the social media group and causing 'disruption', he said.

The Tettenhall Wood driver added: "After the meeting, we heard nothing. We had no choice to have a log off day. We are feeling like we are working for charity. We feel like we are begging them. It's horrible."

Mr Vashisheh claimed drivers are left with as little as £30 a day after working across the city for up to 12 hours, with low base fares and mounting outgoing costs to blame.

He said little is left in the pockets of private hire drivers after facing charges for maintaining and servicing their cars, along with operator and council fees, insurance and road tax.

he said drivers are also faced with unruly and abusive customers, with some fearing for their life when they collect a customer.

Mr Vashisheh, who worked for the company for six years, added: "It's terrifying. We are risking our lives."

But area director Cindy Wilday said Mr Vashisheh was asked to leave the company after reviewing a serious complaint from a customer and insisted the majority of drivers were not planning to join the 'log off' day.

She claimed he had 'incited tensions' between drivers and said threats towards the managing team had been made on the WhatsApp group.

Ms Wilday added: "He does not actually represent anyone from the company anymore. Our drivers are very upset about this.

"They just want to get on with their jobs. They love working for the company. Drivers come to us and speak to us. We have an open door policy. We look after our drivers."

She went on to say the list of 24 issues raised at the meeting will be addressed by the company, which serves 35,000 customers each week, including prices of journeys outside of the city.