Is it time to Pony up? AND - Private Hire price wars!!

So here it is again - will the "pony" receive it's trap or not? The jury is still out. More to follow. On a seperate issue, does this sound familiar?

Private Hire Drivers to stage go-slow protest through Sheffield
Private Hire drivers are to stage a drive-slow through Sheffield tomorrow in protest at cab firms’ pricing policies.
Up to 50 Private Hire cars will converge in Woodbourn Road, Attercliffe, at 11am, before driving slowly through the city centre and then back again.
Mohammed Yasin, chairman of the Sheffield Private Hire Drivers’ Association, said 1,400 self-employed Private Hire drivers in the city are being caught in rival firms’ price wars.
“Fuel prices have rocketed sky-high,” he told The Star.
“But we are not allowed to change our prices.
“We are all self-employed and pay companies a weekly fee for them to take bookings.
“They set the prices we charge - and the prices have not changed since 2009.”
Unlike Hackney cab drivers, private hire drivers cannot carry passengers that have not pre-booked.

They rely on firms such as Metro, Sheffield City Taxis, Mercury and Abbey for their bookings.

Mr Yasin said: “There is a price war going on in Sheffield and it is being fought at the drivers’ expense.