ROUND THE COUNCILS HARROGATE:
GUERNSEY: NORTH YORKS KNOWLEDGE TEST
Harrogate taxi drivers may be required to have knowledge of Skipton and Ryedale, under proposals being considered by county council bosses. The local knowledge test looks likely to be adapted, a meeting examining a move to create the country’s largest single taxi zone has heard. Under proposals put forward, the new North Yorkshire Council would create a single licensing policy for hackney carriages and PHVs in the entire county. It would mean drivers in Harrogate could operate anywhere in North Yorkshire, whereas they are currently restricted to the Harrogate district. Councillors examining harmonising taxi services heard the DfT believed abolishing the seven zones would cut dead mileage and boost customer choice. Currently, the district and borough councils all have a knowledge test restricted to their areas, and it is unclear how much knowledge a Selby taxi driver would need to have of villages in the Yorkshire Dales. Officers leading the proposals said they were examining how the knowledge test could be applied across North Yorkshire. However, the proposals have been criticised by some local drivers. Councillors were told taxi drivers in Harrogate in particular had formed “very vociferous” views over the proposals, which also include not setting a limit for the amount of taxis that can be licensed. Since North Yorkshire County Council launched a consultation over the proposed changes in October, many taxi drivers have criticised the plans, saying they could be the straw that break’s the camel’s back after suffering a loss of trade due to covid and high fuel costs. Richard Fieldman, who has operated his cab in Ripon for 28 years, told the Stray Ferret previously that the planned changes would see drivers “swamp” areas during the busiest times of day. Mr Fieldman said the move would see quieter areas deprived of taxis during the busier times. He said: “It will mean that any taxi can work in any area. “You are going to have swamps of taxis in busy areas at busy times. That in itself brings chaos.” A consultation into the policy changes is open until January 19, 2023. You can have your say here:
https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/hackney-carriage- and-private-hire-licensing-policy-consultation
66 MORE TAXI LICENCES ISSUED
42 new taxi permits have been issued since September in Guernsey - vastly exceeding the amount approved in 2020 and 2021 combined. A number of people holding Bus or Private Hire Public Vehicle permits have also requested variations to their permits to allow them to drive taxis as well, meaning there could soon be a further increase in the number of available drivers. This comes after a shortage of taxi drivers caused issues for locals and visitors alike, with hoteliers saying guests were unable to make their way between the airport and their accommodation, and vice versa, and residents saying it was “impossible” to book taxis during peak times. A review of the taxi industry was released in the autumn and it confirmed many deficiencies within the existing system which are now being addressed. It found a number of issues within the industry including the age of drivers - with many nearing retirement, the lack of drivers, and the number of licensed taxi drivers currently not working. Some of the specific concerns raised through the review were the difficulties in booking taxis to serve passengers at the airport and harbour, and the inability to be able to ‘flag’ taxis down at either site. The review made a number of recommendations: • issuing more taxi plates, including around 20 immediately;
• removing minimum mileage requirements; • considering compensation of current taxi plate holders;
• speeding up the process of issuing licences to prospective taxi plate holders and slimming down the ‘knowledge test’ which is part of the process;
• various changes to the tariff structure but no overall reduction in tariffs;
• requiring drivers to be linked to a recognised ‘booking entity’ which allows bookings through the web or an app. The first recommendation listed has now been tackled with the 42 new Taxi Public Service Vehicle permits being issued. The Driver & Vehicle Licensing department said this has been enabled by a simplified process introduced in response to the Taxi Review. Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, President of the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure praised the new drivers for taking on the role.
JANUARY 2023 PHTM
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
