Women-only taxi service plans rejected by Glasgow City Council
Rosy and Pink Cars was set up to allow females in Glasgow to feel safer when using a private hire car.
Last updated 11th May 2019
Plans for a female-only taxi company to run across the city have been refused by Glasgow City Council.
The hearing on Thursday saw Councillors vote against the plans to launch Rosy and Pink Cars, which they labelled to be "discriminatory towards men".
The firm, which was set up by Margo Welsh, was intended to "provide comfortable transport for our grandmothers, sisters, mothers, aunties and children".
However it was rejected by Glasgow City Council, after finding it breached the conditions of a driver's licence.
The conditions state that a driver of a taxi should not refuse to drive a passenger to any place within the licensed area.
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: "Members of the committee were concerned this application was discriminatory in nature.
"Among other issues, the committee was also not satisfied by the explanations from the applicant and their representative about how the service would be managed to avoid it being considered discriminatory.
"All decisions by the committee are based on the individual merits of each and every case and every applicant is given as much time as they need to present their case.
"It is a standard practice for licensing applications to be scrutinised and robustly questioned by committee members, particularly if there are concerns about an application."
Margo Welsh, director of the taxi firm, has disputed claims her company is discriminatory and says she just wants women and children to feel safe when getting a taxi home.
She said: "I'll be starting a petition in the coming weeks. I just don't understand why they are so against it, why did they find it so offensive?
"There were a lot more men present in the meeting on Thursday, I don't know if that's why."
When asked if she'd be willing to change the plans and allow male passengers, she said:
"The whole point is for the safety of both the driver and the passenger.
"I'm open to negotiation but it's always going to be a female driver, I just don't understand why it's been rejected."
Margo plans to apply to other councils across Scotland in the coming weeks.