IN THE NEWS
WOLVERHAMPTON CABBIES PROTEST RETRAINING RULES AS COUNCIL DEFENDS SAFETY MEASURES
Around 100 private hire and taxi drivers staged a protest at the University of Wolverhampton Science Park on Monday 3 March, opposing new council regulations that mandate retraining courses for drivers licensed before 2019. The drivers object to the assess- ment process, which, if failed three times, could result in a year-long licence suspension. Wolverhampton Council has responded, emphasising its com- mitment to passenger safety. “City of Wolverhampton Council is com- mitted to the safety and wellbeing of passengers who use taxi and private hire vehicles licensed by us. “All customers should be reassured
that drivers are up to date with a range of important topics,” a council spokesperson stated. Drivers have voiced concerns regarding lengthy wait times for test appointments as drivers are applying from all over the country. They also deem the £50 assess- ment fee “unfair,” though they’re willing to participate in refresher training courses without a formal exam. The council counters that the training covers vital areas: “Drivers who need to update their training are being asked to attend a one- day course, which covers areas such as disability awareness, county lines, child sexual exploitation awareness, face-to-face
English
assessments and customer safety.” The council defended the fee and the regulations, citing government recommendations for refresher training every three years. “The Government has recom- mended refresher training every three years. This course has under- gone a full consultation with the trade and was approved by the council’s regulatory committee in July 2024,” the spokesperson said. They also asserted that despite the £50 fee, “the council’s application fees remain low compared to other authorities.” Affected drivers are being notified of the training requirement during their licence renewal process.
SHEFFIELD CABBIES BLAST UNFAIR RAILWAY STATION CHANGES AIMED AT GRIDLOCK
Taxi drivers at Sheffield Station are in an uproar over East Midlands Railway’s (EMR) proposed changes to
alleviate traffic congestion, labelling them “completely unfair.” The plans include a 30% reduction in taxi permits, a 65% increase in annual permit fees to £1,140, and alterations to drop-off/parking areas. “This so-called ‘solution’ is turning our livelihood into a rat race, pitting driver against driver instead of working towards a fair and balanced system,” stated Nouman Khan of the Sheffield Taxi Trade Association. Hafeas Rehman, chairperson of the association, added: “We call upon EMR to do the right thing by allowing all permit holders to renew and freezing the permit fee until a
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plan is actually implemented.” The proposed changes, detailed in an internal EMR document, come after months of complaints about gridlock. In October, black cab drivers staged a payment strike, refusing to renew their £700 annual permits. Now, EMR plans to reduce the number of permits from 250 to 177, convert a taxi rank into a drop- off zone, and close the public short-stay car park. EMR’s head of stations, Mike O’Callaghan, defended the prop- osals, citing the removal of the Cross Turner Street taxi rank as the reason for the permit reduction. “We recognise that this change may create difficulties for drivers, and we are committed to reviewing the number of permits available
once the planned improvements are complete,” he said. He further stated that private hire vehicles will be re-routed to Cross Turner Street. Addressing the fee increase, O’Callaghan said: “Revenue gener- ated by EMR was returned to the Treasury rather than being ring- fenced for specific purposes.” He also stated that: “Regarding the staff car park, this parking is provided for EMR, Northern and TransPennine Express staff under commercial agreements, partic- ularly for train crews who rely on it as part of their shifts.” The new permit process is set to begin on 6 April, and EMR has announced they
will offer 15
minutes of free parking at the Q- Park multi-story car park.
APRIL 2025 PHTM
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