A BODY that represents taxi drivers and an MP have called for more support for the industry in Bolton.

The Bolton Private Hire Association as well as MP Yasmin Qureshi and Bolton Labour councillors all say drivers have not received anywhere near enough financial support over the pandemic from Bolton Council.

A spokesman from the Private Hire Association told The Bolton News: “We are in discussions with the council at the moment over financial support but it’s been very slow.

“The pandemic has been here nearly a year and we’ve not received support yet.

“The government has been putting pressure on councils to offer support, which has been done in places like Bury, but Bolton hasn’t been given anything yet.

“With there being no entertainment business at the moment, late night bars etc, the night drivers are really struggling and trying to pick up business during the day, which just makes it harder for everyone.

“It’s been a massive struggle for all drivers just trying to provide a service to the community.

“We have no choice but to continue to work in lockdown despite less demand, taking people to hospitals and care homes when they don’t feel safe taking a bus, it’s a risk for us too.

Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi is calling on Bolton Council to offer more support to taxi drivers, with the Bolton Labour group of councillors also backing these calls.

She told The Bolton News that she had been contacted by many taxi drivers who had been hit especially hard by empty towns during Bolton’s long lockdown affecting their trade, with a lack of support packages from the council.

Akhtar Zaman, deputy leader of Bolton Labour Group, said: “I have raised this issue with the council various times to no avail, and the drivers must receive the same amount of financial support which is being offered to others who are self-employed."

A spokesman for Bolton Council said: “It is very clear as a sector, the taxi trade has suffered considerably during the pandemic.

“The council is currently working with representatives from the trade and drawing up proposals through the ARG discretionary grant for taxi drivers, which we hope to finalise and make available in the coming weeks.”