ABERGAVENNY Taxi Firms feel they’re being given a raw ride by Monmouthshire County Council who they claim are awarding lucrative school transport contracts to taxi drivers who live and work outside of the county.

The disgruntled cabbies claim MCC are awarding the contracts to taxi firms from Torfaen and Gwent simply because they are cheaper.

Robin Evans who owns Avenue Taxis told the Chronicle, “It’s all about undercutting. Firms from outside of Monmouthshire are being awarded more and more contracts simply because they can afford to keep their prices lower.

“It’s an absolute farce! Even though MCC is under a legal obligation to let firms from outside of Monmouthshire bid on contracts to take Monmouthshire children to Monmouthshire schools, you’d think the authority would have a sense of loyalty to businesses who live and work inside the area.”

Mr Evans is not the only taxi driver who’s aggrieved by MCC’s policy of hiring firms who are based outside of the county.

Nigel Webb who is employed by Fast Cars said, “The cream of the school run contracts are slowly moving out of town as MCC are giving the bulk of contacts to out of town firms. It’s like they’re selling their own down the river just to save a few pennies.

“I know a local taxi operator who bid for 20 school run contracts and didn’t get one. Now we wouldn’t have any beef with MCC if those contracts went to other Monmouthshire firms but they’re not.

“I don’t think any other council would treat their own in such a despicable manner.”

Mr Evans agrees and believes MCC’s policy demonstrates a clear lack of support on their behalf. He has also accused the authority of short-term thinking.

“It’s driving me crazy! Would any other authority apart from MCC allow outsiders to undercut their own taxi firms?

“We feel betrayed and to my mind it’s really short-term thinking. I’ve missed out on a total of 14 bids this year and I’ve already had to let one driver go as a result.

“Drivers from outside of the county do no live in Monmouthshire, they don’t pay council tax and do not put money back into the local community.

“This policy suggests a lack of vision and cohesion on MCC’s behalf. Have they thought about what happens when it snows? Not to mention the unnecessary contribution to the carbon footprint that employing taxi drivers from outside of the county entails. It’s a joke! Every morning on my street a taxi from Blaenau Gwent and a minibus from Newport turn up to take local kids to local schools. Can anyone tell me what sense on God’s green earth that makes?”

An MCC spokesman explained, “When the council awards school transport contracts it has a duty under the Public Contract Regulations 2015 to ensure that all opportunities are open to all suppliers, irrespective of where they are based.

“Consequently, the council is obliged to ensure that it awards contracts in line with the criteria specified within the contract and is unable to restrict bids from outside the county. On the same basis, Monmouthshire’s taxi firms are at liberty to tender for contracts offered by other councils and we are unaware of any local authority that is able to confine bids to those from within its borders.

“The council seeks the best value for money when awarding contracts and in line with this policy we have hosted several ‘meet the buyer’ events to increase competition for route in an attempt to reduce the overall expenditure burden placed on already stretched budgets.

“Furthermore, it is untrue to say that our school taxi contracts have always been awarded to firms from Monmouthshire. A number of contracts have been won by firms outside the county in the past.”