IoL - ALL THINGS LICENSING OTHER BUSINESS


Article by Mike Smith, Senior Specialist for Licensing and Community Safety at Guildford Borough Council and Vice-Chair of the Institute of Licensing, South East Region.


Please note: this article represents the views of the author which are not presented as the views of the Institute of Licensing.


I have to remind myself that it is only a month since my last article detailing important changes in terms of The Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Safeguarding and Road Safety) Act 2022 and The Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022.


However in that time the Prime Minister has resigned, the process to replace him is well underway, and the temperature has risen to a record of over 40 degrees.


At the time or writing, the summer holiday season has just begun and everyone is fully aware that we are currently in the midst of a heatwave. It is to be hoped that in what are times of unprecedented heat, there are some positives for the industry as customers set off on their summer travels or head out for refreshment in the hospitality sector and seek a taxi or private hire vehicle home after enjoying themselves.


The industry was once again put into the national headlines with the BBC Panorama investigation into ‘The Uber Files’, which detailed high level lobbying by the company across the UK and Europe. PHTM has covered the topic elsewhere in this issue.


DfT TAXI AND PRIVATE HIRE STATISTICS


In addition nationally, although perhaps not grabbing as much attention as The Uber Files, the Department for Transport has also published its annual taxi and private hire statistics. This statistical release presents information on hackney carriages and private hire vehicles in England and also includes new, experimental statistics on the fuel type and age of taxis and private hire vehicles.


The full report is available at:


https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/taxi-and- private-hire-vehicle-statistics-england-2022


PHTM has produced very useful infographics in this issue to illustrate the statistics, see pages 6-7 or click here.


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Locally, I have been busy in Guildford with a recent fare increase, consulting on revised fees and making a minor change to the council’s licensing policy with respect to ‘privacy glazing’ all within the last month. Certainly, I will be looking forward to the good weather extending for a couple more weeks whilst I pitch my tent on a family camping holiday.


GUILDFORD FARE INCREASE


Guildford last reviewed taxi fares in 2019, with intended reviews in 2020 and 2021 not taking place due to the council focusing on responding to the Coronavirus pandemic and restrictions considerably reducing the available work for taxis. However the much noted increase in fuel and other costs meant that it was important to review fares so that drivers can recover their costs and be able to provide the service.


Naturally the Council consulted upon changes to the fare table and received a small number of objections from the trade to the proposed increase, mainly on the basis that the fares would be too high. There was not however a consen- sus from those objections as to what the fares should be.


The consideration of the objections outlined that the council’s adopted fare calculation methodology indicated that this rise was needed due to increased costs incurred by the trade and less mileage completed, meaning that costs are recovered over fewer journeys, putting the price per journey up.


As I wrote about in April’s edition of PHTM, Guildford has an adopted methodology for setting fares and there was a concern that if the methodology were not followed, any other increase would mean that the trade was not able to cover their costs, and may have to work longer hours in order to do so, potentially placing themselves and others at risk.


Whilst the concerns from a small number of the trade around the new increased fares were acknowledged, the fares are however the maximum which may be charged. This means that whilst the trade cannot charge more, they are perfectly entitled to charge less than the set fares should they wish to.


Upon implementation of the fares it was good to get out to see the meter agents in action and I also headed to the ranks to check that all members of the trade were aware of the new rates.


AUGUST 2022


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