End of the line

GROUND to a halt . . . managing director of Borough Taxis Fazal Rahim (right) with unhappy staff

MORE than a hundred cabbies at two Oldham taxi firms have been left with nowhere to go after a telecoms company crashed — leaving no landline for customers.

Borough Taxis, of Middleton Road, Royton, has five office staff and 110 drivers. Another 30 drivers have been hit at Crompton & Royton Private Hire.

Global Telecoms & Technology, of Bury, collapsed on Wednesday, leaving phone lines dead and both businesses floundering.

Borough’s managing director Fazal Rahim said trade had been devastated.

He added: “We had five phone lines — two went down on Wednesday morning, the rest failed at 4.30pm. I have been trying to get new lines set up with British Telecom ever since. Our business depends on calls coming in.”

BT had promised to get new lines set up within 48 hours. But despite numerous e-mails and frantic mobile phone calls, it will now be at least Tuesday before Borough is re-connected.

“Telephones are our lifeline. We have regular contracts for schools and hospital patients,” added Mr Rahim. “But this is totally out of our hands. We are virtually at a halt. Our drivers are really worried.”

The lines affected are 0161-628 7777, 624 2448, 633 2468 and 624 2524, plus the faxline 633 6033.

Drivers are still working at Borough’s ranks in Oldham town centre and Royton, but the business is struggling to operate with two mobile phone lines — 07941-662 982 and 07941-662 331.

Crompton & Royton Private Hire manager Ray Smith said all four of its office numbers were out of action.

He added: “This is unprecedented. I had to buy a mobile and print leaflets which the drivers have been handing out to pubs in their own time.

“They are not earning at the moment and have families to support.”

Crompton & Royton’s mobile number is 07971-583 844.

Global Telecoms closed with the loss of 100 jobs after a winding up order was taken out by a main supplier.