 Taxi drivers say they have not received any complaints |
Taxi drivers in Leicester have reacted angrily to plans to introduce an English language test. The city council wants to use the tests as part of the overall licensing exam to make sure drivers can communicate effectively with passengers.
But drivers, represented by the RMT union, said the extra tests were unnecessary as they had received no complaints from customers.
The council said plans for the language test were at an early stage.
Ongoing research
Most of the 318 hackney cab drivers in Leicester are from the Asian community.
Kashmir Singh Gill, of the RMT Union, said: "What do we need an English test for? The people who are already drivers, they know Leicester very well. They don't need any tests at all.
"When a customer comes to you, what do they normally say? They just say the name of the road. Who cannot understand that?"
A council spokesman said: "Councillors have asked officers to look into the details of a possible communications tests for drivers.
"Research will be carried out over the next few months."
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