Or go up a couple of strata: suppose the company has 1,000 cars on the fleet and would currently have to fork out £350,000; if the fleet size grew by one vehicle the following year, the company would have to pay £700,000. This is Monopoly money! – nothing short of ridicu- lous. And of course if the fleet size reduced, TfL has stated that there would be “no guarantee” of a refund on the five-year licence during its existence. Oh, and any company declaring these changes would have to re-apply for a new licence, with all the inherent jumping through hoops and additional expense.
This is serious dough, no doubt about it. The exact direction of attack on these fees cannot be discussed openly at this time as it is sub judice; however, suffice to say that every conceivable angle has been considered. The main fact is that, as of 18 March, there are 2,382 private hire operators licensed by TfL, and the majority of these companies cannot/will not be able to afford these vastly inflat- ed licence fees.
Several questions arise out of all this: firstly, is TfL using these highly inflated fees to reduce the London private hire market by financially crowding them out? Is this approach considered to be a restraint of trade? Was this reformation of fees properly consulted upon throughout the industry? Was any evidence produced by TfL that this enormous increase to their licensing budget is required/necessary/justified? All these questions and many more will be going under the microscope later this month… that is, if the fund- ing is in place for the applicants.
One very solid message came from last month’s LPHCA meeting: Addressing the operators who are already members, if each of them were able to bring in just one other operator to become a member, that would double the membership and give the organisation even more clout when lobbying Government and the Mayor for further reform - and increase the fighting fund as well.
Think about it: that idea could apply outside London as well. There are so very many aspects of this industry that desperately need changing. There are efforts being made to accomplish this via a Task
and Finish Group working with the Department for Transport – of which group both Steve Wright and myself are members. Take our word for it: there are people listening, there are reports being com- piled for the Transport Minister as to which direction this programme of reform might best benefit the entire industry.
But we need more support behind us in order to create the impact we believe is so very necessary. That means more members joining our associations: both the LPHCA and the National Private Hire and Taxi Association. Face it: Would you relish the idea of paying these horrendous London-style licence fees in Birmingham, Leicester, Brighton, Coventry, Liverpool, Manchester? – never mind the more rural areas. It could conceivably wipe out the entire private hire trade nationwide.
Whatever you may think of the figureheads at the forefront of our trade associations, you must consider the future of your own busi- ness. That means putting your hands in your pockets and supporting this immediate cause this month… the alternative does- n’t bear thinking about. Too many firms have already folded; we have no intention of doing this, and we don’t want you to have to do the same.
Tell you what: why don’t you come to the PHTM Expo at Arena MK on Wednesday and Thursday, 9 and 10 May? You can discuss all these issues and many more with the people who’ve been involved in the hard graft behind the scenes. We may have a result of the TfL Judicial Review by then… hopefully it will result in a win for the LPHCA and a defeat for these inflated operator fees, as there is so very much at stake.
If ever there was a time to “Stand up and be Counted”, this is it. If you feel strongly enough to want to get involved, join either of these associations, or to make a donation to the current fighting fund to combat inflationary London licence fees, you know where to get in touch.
Until next time, sayonara.
APRIL 2018
9
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