Sheffield’s black cab drivers are celebrating a major victory after East Midlands Railway (EMR) reversed its controversial decision to slash taxi permits and increase fees at Sheffield train station.
The original proposals, announced in March, aimed to reduce the number of taxi permits from 250 to 177 while hiking annual fees by a staggering 62%, from £700 to £1,140. EMR argued the changes were necessary to tackle ongoing “gridlock” and “traffic chaos” outside the busy station.
However, the plans sparked fierce backlash from the city’s taxi community, who accused the rail operator of unfairly targeting hackney carriages. In protest, drivers launched a payment strike in October 2024, refusing to renew permits until the situation was addressed.
Hafeas Rehman, chair of the Sheffield Taxi Trade Association, confirmed that drivers have now ended the strike and paid their outstanding fees following EMR’s U-turn.
“We’re pleased. Hackney cabs are not the cause of congestion at the station,” Rehman said, welcoming the decision as a fair and sensible outcome.
Although EMR has abandoned the permit cuts, other traffic management proposals remain under consideration. These include:
- Closing the public drop-off zone and reserving it for private hire vehicles only
- Converting the public short-stay car park for blue badge holders and contractors
- Allocating the space directly in front of the station exclusively to black cabs
- Reviewing the future of the staff car park on Turner Street
A spokesperson for East Midlands Railway confirmed ongoing talks:
“We are currently working through a revised scheme with the council and taxi driver representatives. More information will be shared once timescales are finalised.”
The development marks a rare and decisive win for local taxi drivers, who argued that their presence at the station is vital for passengers and not to blame for the area’s traffic issues.
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