search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
state of the taxi and private hire industry, with a view to putting for- ward recommendations for serious reform of the legislation and statutes that govern the industry.


Chaired by Professor Mohammed Abdel-Haq, the group comprised ten other stakeholder representatives, of which only five are related directly to this industry: Mick Rix of the GMB, Helen Chapman of TfL, Steve McNamara of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, Steve Wright of the Licensed Private Hire Car Association, and yours truly.


Quite frankly I considered it both an honour and a privilege to have been included in this group, and faced the challenge with much enthusiasm and expectation… at least initially. We met on some ten occasions – not, I hasten to add, within the initial time frame due to ‘circumstances beyond our control’ – and heard oral evidence pre- sented by literally dozens of industry stakeholders. In addition, written submissions were considered by all present, including the able officers and administrators from the Department for Transport who hosted these meetings.


As most readers will now know, a report was published by Professor Abdel-Haq in September 2018 summarising the outcomes of these deliberations, and presenting 34 recommendations to Government by way of potential reform to both the legislation and existing statutes. We’ll not list them again here, as we’ve published them in depth in PHTM over the ensuing months.


The Government responded in February 2019, approving the major- ity of those recommendations and heartily endorsing the report and its contents. But there the brakes were slammed on… you know what’s coming… because there could be no new primary taxi/PHV legislation considered during Mrs May’s Parliament due to Brexit.


OK, so we took that on board. But as I’ve said before: the vast majority of those recommendations could be progressed and taken forward without the need for primary legislation. Sure, we’ll have to wait for such regulations to go for minimum national stan- dards… but in the interim we could at least have fulfilled two of the


recommendations: that of a new Best Practice guidance document, and the Statutory Guidance – which underwent extensive consulta- tion last spring - being proposed to cover the safeguarding and overall public safety aspects of our industry.


Where are they please?


On more than one occasion I asked why the Best Practice and the Statutory Guidance could not be put forward as one set of guid- ance points in one document. Well, the answer was somewhat nebulous… something about the Best Practice dealing with the ‘nuts and bolts’ aspects of the trade (such as licensing and enforce- ment, vehicle specification etc), whereas the Statutory Guidance must relate strictly to the safeguarding and safety side of things.


I still believe that if the two were combined, more licensing author- ities would take notice of their content – rather than, as has often been the case in court – dismissing the Best Practice as “only guid- ance, not law”. Anyway, councils are being advised that in relation to the Statutory Guidance, if they do not adhere to those principles they had better have a damned good reason why not.


QED! That’s what I’m on about: why should that level of heft not be put behind the Best Practice as well?


And where are they please?


There is enough uncertainty around the place, what with vehicle proprietors not knowing which vehicle(s) to invest in, whole dis- tricts not knowing what is going to happen with their air quality schemes, councils jumping the gun and bringing in a raft of local reforms which no doubt would have to change once anything hap- pened nationally.


Let’s see some action with these Government-recommended guid- ance documents. It’d be a start. I believe in starts…


Until next time, sayonara. The complete insurance package for


private hire drivers and operators. 


Designed to keep your business running with a like for like replacement vehicle including licensing and plates.*


 Ask us about protected No Claims Bonus and multi vehicle discount.


 


FEBRUARY 2020


BREAKDOWN COVER · LEGAL EXPENSES · PERSONAL ACCIDENT GAP COVER · LIABILITY · CYBER COVER · PUBLIC & EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY to speak to our private hire insurance experts.


*Terms and conditions apply.  and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. (local call charges apply)


15


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112