TEWKESBURY:
People are being asked for their views on the licensing of taxi drivers in Tewkesbury. The council says driv- ers deliver a good and safe service but it wants to make sure this continues and as a result is consulting on two policies.
The first looks at ways to deal with applicants who have previous criminal convictions and the second dis- cusses when it is appropriate to sus- pend, revoke, or refuse to renew licences.
Licensing committee chairman, Councillor Bill Whelan, told the Gloucestershire Echo: “We want to make sure that the taxi and private hire services in Tewkes- bury borough are safe and reliable.
“These two policies will allow a robust system to be put in place, ensuring that public protection con- tinues. “We would really like to hear from the public on this matter. Their opinions are important
KIRKLEES: PENALTY POINTSAND STARSONTHE CARS
Taxi drivers and coun- cillors have set up a special group to clamp down on rogue cabbies.
But the new penalty points system could go alongside a reward scheme named Stars on the Cars to recog- nise good drivers. Kirklees Council’s Licensing and Safety Panel decided to investigate bringing in the system to weed out bad drivers.
The proposal would work like the penalty points system for motorists, with any cabbie who collects 12 points in a year facing a month-long suspen- sion. If they got another 12 points with- in a year, their licence would be revoked. A blueprint drawn up by Kirklees officers ranks 30 offences according to their seriousness. Twelve-point offences, which would see a taxi driver immediately fac- ing a month-long suspension, include driving without a licence and driving without insurance. Several councillors spoke in favour of the plan at last month’s- committee meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall.
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Kirkburton Conserva- tive Cllr Adrian Murphy said: “I’m all in favour of a points system. The majority of taxi drivers are good but we need this system for the rogue drivers who give the rest a bad name.” Cllr Derrick Yates said: “If drivers obey the rules they won’t pick up any penalty points. We want our drivers to be the best in the country.” But Labour’s Cllr Cath Harris told the meeting that there had to be a carrot as well as a stick. She said: “This system could be read as draconian. What do we have in place that recognises that most taxi drivers are law- abiding?”
Licensing officer Cath Walter revealed that the council was draw- ing up plans for a reward system similar to the Scores on the Doors hygiene certifi- cates given to takeaways.
She said: “Drivers who meet certain criteria could be awarded with stars which would be included on their door signs. It would be Stars on the Cars rather than Scores on the Doors.
“It would be a reward programme for taxi drivers who operate in a lawful manner.” Two councillors opposed the penalty points system, saying it wasn’t used by any other council in West Yorkshire.
Amjad Nadeem, secre- tary of Kirklees Hackney Carriage Association, also spoke against the plan. He told the Hudders- field Daily Examiner: “Between 95 per cent and 100 per cent of drivers would oppose this system. We’re going to end up wast- ing our time with appeals for someone who’s not wearing appropriate clothing.” Mr Nadeem said that the only answer to rogue drivers was more inspectors. He said: “We need more enforcement officers to catch the people who are causing prob- lems. Better enforce- ment would eliminate the five per cent of problem drivers.” The committee agreed to set up a working party to draw up a penally points plan for Kirklees. The group will include four councillors and four taxi drivers.
ROUNDTHE.. CALDERDALE:
VIEWS SOUGHTON LICENCE APPLICATIONS
and will help shape the final documents.” The authority already has a policy for deal- ing with applicants with criminal convic- tions but the aim is to make it clearer and more consistent. The policy on what cir- cumstances are necessary to suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew licences will be a new one that, the council hopes, will give residents more confidence that only suitable drivers are licensed.
CABBIES FACE PARKING BAN
A new traffic order to prevent taxi drivers parking in Brighouse town centre will be ready for public con- sultation later this year. The order will ban pri- vate hire or hackney carriage vehicles taking up free spaces on main streets in the town between 8am and 6pm Monday to Saturday. It would cover Com- mercial Street, King Street, Bradford Road, Park Street, Market Street, Bethel Street, Thornton Square, Briggate, Gooder Street, Lawson Road and Mill Lane.
The proposal has been put forward to Calderdale Council and will be ready for public scrutiny in May or June for people to raise any objections. The new traffic regula- tion was approved by Calderdale Council in
December last year following complaints that large numbers of cabs were taking over free parking spots. Cllr Colin Stout said on some occasions taxis from Kirklees and Bradford had even been coming into the town and parking to wait for business. “This is a problem that has been getting worse for years now,” he told the Brighouse Echo. “It is getting ridiculous, I’ve seen about 40 at a time alone. It means shoppers are not able to park in the town and it is having a real effect on our economy.” Brighouse ward coun- cillors have been pushing for the order to be implemented as soon as possible and hoped it would be ready for consultation at the end of January. But they have been
told the council has to submit a separate traffic order for each street which has resulted in a delay. The ban would apply to around 100 free park- ing spaces in the town centre and around the town’s bus station. There are 150 taxis operating from eight different companies in Brighouse with more than 700 taxis licensed in Calderdale.
Cllr Stout (Ind, Brig- house) said: “We are not wanting to deny anyone the chance to earn a living or deny anyone a taxi service. We are wanting to free up these spaces.” It is being strongly opposed by local taxi firms who say they are being punished for Calderdale Council’s mistakes in allowing too many operators to set up in the town.
NORTH EAST LINCS: FOOTBALL SHIRTS BANNED DURINGWORLD CUP
A new dress code for hackney carriage and private hire drivers is about to become com- pulsory,
banning
sportswear - among other clothes - and anyone flouting the rules faces losing their licence. However, scores of drivers gearing up for the World Cup say they should be able to show their support for the England team. While rules are rules and, on the whole, a new dress code would be welcomed by many wanting to see smarter drivers, local residents are asking if the rule should be bent just this once to buoy the community spirit the international event inspires.
Driver Simon O’Neill, 38, told the Grimsby Evening Telegraph: “I think it is a disgrace. We are supposed to
be self-employed. We should be allowed to wear what we want so long as we are clean and tidy.” Fellow driver Shaun Drury, 43, said: “It is petty. I am not a mas- sive football fan but for those who are, what harm is there in wear- ing the strip?
“The new rules would be okay if it was a Gov- ernment-run service like they have in Tener- ife, where they pay for a uniform, but we are all self-employed.” The chairman of the Hackney Carriage Association, Dave Atkin, said the rules, which were approved last year by North East Lincolnshire Council’s Community Protection Committee and came into force on April 1, excluded sportswear.
He said that while England strips were
not specifically banned the new code has to be obeyed. He said: “There was a working group set up to discuss various aspects of the job, including qualifica- tions, ages of cabs and dress code. “Rather than intro- duce a uniform, it was decided to exclude clothing such as flip flops, ripped jeans and sportswear. We are trying to improve the image of taxi driv- ers.”
The chairman of NELC’s Hackney Car- riage Licensing Sub- Committee, Cllr John Fenty, said: “We are looking to improve the service and encour- age more people to use the facilities taxis provide, and as such I would have thought it would enhance the business opportunities for drivers.”
PHTM APRIL 2010
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