ROUND THE COUNCILS NEW FOREST: PROPOSED CHANGES TO POLICY
Proposed changes to New Forest District Council’s taxi licensing policy will force drivers out of business, one cabbie has claimed. The district council is currently running a public consultation into the changes, which cover the application process, ages of vehicles used, DBS checks, and signage. Taxi driver Philip Bristow from Ringwood, who operates a wheelchair accessible London cab, estimated it would “wipe out” 75% of taxis in the town area, due to the increased costs. One planned change relates to the age of vehicles – all petrol and diesel cars must be less than five years old at the initial time of licensing. All hybrid vehicles must be less than seven. Further changes would come into effect on 1st January 2026, when it’s proposed that only vehicles less than ten years' old will have licences renewed. Fully electric vehicles would be exempt. “If these new proposals are implemented it would require small operators like myself to invest not only in a new vehicle but a new disabled vehicle – which costs around £80,000,” Philip explained. “I wouldn’t be able to carry on. You would never recoup that kind of money.” He pointed out that while all hackney carriages that are licensed must be wheelchair accessible, private hire vehicles are exempt from the requirement. He added: “Ironically the small operators are the only ones currently operating WAVs – many of the larger firms don’t have a suitable vehicle in their fleet. “A direct result will be no disabled accessible vehicles operating in the area.” A report to NFDC outlining the changes said: “This is to ensure that NFDC does not have a policy favouring vehicles older than other neighbouring authorities [and] assists our clean air strategy and climate change targets in relation to emissions.” It will also “maintain” a professional fleet for local customers and visitors to the area. “This is the first major review of our taxi policy for some years and will incorporate revised statutory guidance, together with increased checks on drivers to ensure their continued fitness and propriety,” it continued. If the new policy is approved, six-monthly DBS checks will be carried out instead of the current three-yearly ones.
PHTM APRIL 2024
A dress code could also be introduced to promote a “professional” image, which the council says
is
particularly important due to the area being a tourist destination, and card machines should be available to “ensure that travelling by taxi is easier and a more attractive option to customers”. The technology will also improve safety for drivers as they will carry less cash. Self-adhesive identification signage to the rear passenger doors could also be introduced in order for passengers to identify vehicles more easily. The consultation ends on 15th April and can be found here:
https://www.newforest.gov.uk/article/3478/Taxi- and-private-hire-policy-consultation
WAKEFIELD: INCREASE IN VEHICLE AGE LIMITS
Councillors have voted in favour of increasing the age limit of vehicles operating in the Wakefield district. The permitted upper age limit of diesel and petrol vehicles registered with Wakefield Council has been increased from 10 to 12 years. The authority’s licensing committee also agreed to increase the limit for multi-seater and wheelchair access vehicles from 12 to 15 years. Battery electric vehicles can operate up to 20 years old. An interim extension was agreed in September following pressure from driver groups calling for changes to ease financial pressures on cabbies. The decision was made following a consultation between January and February this year. A report said: “Responses were, overall, in favour of an increase to age limits, with a number of comments requesting limits beyond those proposed.” Out of 397 people who responded to a questionnaire, 72% were in favour of an increase to 12 years for diesel and petrol saloon vehicles. A total of 83% were in favour of increasing the age limit for wheelchair accessible and multi-seater vehicles to 15 years. Some 77% agreed that hybrid vehicles should also be licensed for up to 15 years. Last July, drivers demonstrated outside County Hall ahead of a full council meeting. Members of Wakefield Drivers Association (WDA) called for the local authority to ease a number of restrictions similar to neighbouring local authorities. Councils in Leeds, Calderdale and Kirklees have all amended vehicle age policies in the past year.
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