Pink Ladies fear council vendetta

THE owners of Warrington’s controversial cab company Pink Ladies, launched with the help of former Atomic Kitten and Queen of the Jungle Kerry Katona, fear they are being victimised by Warrington Council after receiving a Government backed licence to keep their business on the road.
Pink Ladies have received a Section 19 permit from the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), which provides a range of licensing, testing and enforcement services to help ensure roadworthiness standards.
But co-owners Andrea Winders and Tina Dutton fear there is still a council vendetta against them, claiming council inspectors are now querying the validity of the registration.
Earlier this year Warrington borough council brought a successful case against the owners when the town’s magistrates upheld the council’s claim that they were operating an unlicensed private hire company. They were ordered to pay more than £5,000 in fines and costs.
The two founders and owners were both found guilty of not holding a private hire operator’s licence; operating (at least) two unlicensed private hire vehicles; and employing a driver who did not hold a private hire driver’s licence.
Andrea said: “Since the inception of Pink Ladies we have always known that the service was different to taxis and have been searching for a way to trade within the law that suited the organisation and would give the potential to have a national, roll-out with one standard.
“We have always been a members club, and it is the club that has been granted the section 19 permit, to transport its members, and complies with several of the required elements. This means that we are under the control of VOSA, and must adhere to strict vehicle checks, including daily inspections and 10-weekly “MOT-style” servicing.
“We have over 15,000 female members in Warrington, including all ages and abilities, and it has been the members that have been most affected by the council’s legal action.
Some of our most vulnerable and isolated women have had funding for Pink Ladies withdrawn by the council, and many others have telephoned in tears each time a report is in the news, fearing that the service will be stopped.
“The frustration and stress that this case has put on the company, its employees and directors is immeasurable, and the cost to the public of the council’s action against Pink Ladies now stands at over £28,000 to date, not including the internal council costs of officers and solicitors, all for a service that was acknowledged by council representatives as being “laudable”.
Andrea said that in licensing with VOSA, after extensive research, Pink Ladies hoped that a line could be drawn under the whole dreadful saga, but claims the council is determined to “cause trouble” with officials apparently now checking the validity of their registration with VOSA.
“Where is it all going to end? How much more of the public’s money is going to be spent trying to close a service that is needed in the town?
“Personally I feel victimised, as if there is a vendetta against Pink Ladies.
“However, in summary, we are pleased that we have found a section in which we fit, and look forward to continuing well into the future. Let’s hope the council sees sense now, and starts to work with Pink Ladies.”
A spokesperson for the council said: “We are currently in dialogue with Pink Ladies Members Club regarding their recent announcement that they are now a community transport provider operating a ‘not for profit’ company. We are pleased that they are now operating within transport legislation and are now subject to a independent regulatory regime that is designed to safeguard the interests of their passengers.”