It is one of the ironies that where shops and other services can adjust prices on a daily basis, the hackney carriage trade has its wheels locked in to ask for permission to review fares.
Nonetheless, it can still be a long process which includes setting up a fare review and looking at the different tariffs, get- ting the trade reps to agree, meeting with the Licensing Chair and licensing officers before putting it to a full Licensing Committee, and then advertising it for objections where even one objection can upset the timetable. Because of this process it looks like any changes will not take effect until April 2022, although I am going to push for an earlier date.
The biggest obstacle which I never look forward to is the process of getting it approved by the council, which in our case is down to our Licensing Committee which, as standard, is made up of local councillors. I do have to state at this point that we are extremely fortunate in that we do have a good working relationship with our council, which I know is not the case in other areas. I am not saying that we always get our own way, but we always have the opportunity to have an open dialogue with the council - even if some of them think: “Oh no, Andy Peters again...”
I fully accept that councillors are given this task by default as a duty so they have no choice in this. But, I have always stated, and with great respect, that it is ironic that the income of local cabbies can be dictated to by butchers, bakers and candle stick makers. Effectively meaning that a councillor, who may be an estate agent, for example (God bless them) has a say in what a taxi driver is allowed to earn. But of course that is how it is all around the country.
At this point I have to reminisce on when years ago in my very naive days (very different from now where I no longer suffer fools gladly) I was first involved with the fare reviews back in the 80’s. I felt like I literally had to go cap in hand to the council with the supportive evidence of where the cost of a loaf of bread and potatoes had risen... and I am not joking about this! I had to deal with one councillor, now long gone, who was retired from a high position of public service and probably on a very fat pension, who thought that 10% or £1 was 1p, I kid you not! He could also not understand why the meter didn’t go up in penny units, I kid you not again! And who regarded the request for a fare review as if I had asked for permission to dance naked on the town hall steps with only a mayoral gold chain to keep me warm. Now there’s a thought for my last day of driving a cab...!
DECEMBER 2021
However, there has been a dramatic change in how people are charged cab fares here and all over the country, with Uber’s brilliant strategy of ‘Surge Pricing’ or rather what it refers to as ‘Dynamic Pricing’ and people have fallen for it because Uber is ‘Hip & Trendy’. Try introducing that to pubs! In sunny Brighton & Hove, the Uber fares are very compara- ble with the local rates so there is no way that Uber can even suggest that they are cheaper here which they may well do elsewhere. It’s probably because they wouldn’t get the local drivers if they charged less than the local rates.
But wouldn’t it be great if legislation was changed that allowed hackneys to also have surge pricing when it rains, or the trains are up the spout, or the first sign of a snowflake. That’s a real snowflake and not what the term refers to now.
Of course this would never happen, although I might suggest it at my meeting with the Chair of Licensing to see what the reaction will be. I know that the stock answer will be along the lines of: the public has to be protected from taxi drivers charg- ing too much and don’t forget the little old ladies who have to get to the doctors once a month. I have longed battled with councillors who regard the taxi trade as a local charity.
We all know that surge pricing is here to stay thanks to Uber and local private hire companies are looking at this because the dispatch software companies have now built this into their systems. So where Uber was once the exclusive com- pany introducing surge pricing this will become the norm in the private hire industry. Please note that I am not saying this is right or wrong but where does that leave the hackney trade that can only charge what the butchers, bakers and candlestick makers allow?
However, back to Christmas and despite being a renowned humbug I do have to confess that I actually enjoy the day sit- ting around the table with the family and thinking about family members that use to be there and being grateful for what I have. And joking every time about when my dad set fire to the table cloth, two years in a row when firing up the Christmas pudding (which was caught on cine film) in the days when mum had to boil it for eight hours.
So, whatever your beliefs are and however you regard Christmas, I very much hope that you have a safe one and make a few bob to cover the ‘Kipper Season’. And if you don’t know what that is - look it up....
Andy Peters Brighton & Hove Cab Trade Association
info@bhcta.co.uk
facebook.com/groups/bhcabta
www.bhcta.co.uk @cabsbrighton
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