TAXI drivers could be forced out of Newcastle’s Central Station after police were called in to investigate a £126,000 missing cash riddle.
Officers were brought in after Newcastle Taxi Drivers’ Association fell behind on the money paid to rail operator East Coast in order to have exclusive rights to the city’s most profitable taxi rank.
Police have arrested the association’s former business manager Anil Murwaha.
But as their investigation continues, hundreds of drivers face being barred from the rank if they don’t meet a timetable set by the Government-owned East Coast.
Some 220 drivers have received letters from the nationalised firm telling them that their association has failed to pay the two instalments of £68,000 and as a result, unless the association pays up, those drivers will have days to find more than £700 each in order to continue to use the station rank.
Drivers have hit out, saying they have receipts proving they paid the association and arguing it would be wrong to make them pay twice.
But East Coast bosses said the publicly owned train firm has a duty to protect taxpayers’ investments.
Pervez Khan, on behalf of the association, said it simply did not have the money to pay.
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