PROTEST PLIGHT
NORTH NORTHANTS COUNCIL DEFERS REPORT ON CONTROVERSIAL TARIFF AFTER MEETING WITH CABBIES
A controversial decision which would raise the maximum taxis can charge in North Northamptonshire was deferred at the council’s Executive meeting on the morning of Thursday 16 June. NorthantsLive reports that taxi drivers in Corby had threatened to strike if the plans go ahead. North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) plans to harmonise the four taxi zones in the area under one tariff and one zone. However, for many zones, the tariff would see a rise in fares and many cabbies fear a fall in trade. On May 9, NNC’s Licensing and Appeals Committee recommended that tariffs should be increased for each zone to a new harmonised fare structure. The new proposed maximum fare was placed at £6.80 for two miles. The new fare was based upon taxi fare rates in Kettering, which already charges premiums and the extra charges that the harmonisation would bring into all zones. However, other zones like Corby and Wellingborough charge less than Kettering. Corby taxis currently charge an aver- age of £4.90 per 2 miles and had put in a request for this to be raised to £5.60. The proposed £6.80 unified rate would be an increase of 39% and the local
Smithers, Leader of the Council, said: “I have listened and con- tinue to listen to those affected by the rec- ommendations that were in Item 6 of today’s Executive agenda. “This is clearly an important decision for lots of people and the council and therefore I have decided to defer the item to ensure that
Taxi,, Minibus&Fleet Insurance Specialists
Ta Fleets ro from just two vehicles 01527 757 585 a 12 t
www.coversure.co.uk/r edditch/commercial-motor
hackney cab drivers fear this will be too much for their customers and they will lose trade. On May 30, Corby’s hackney owners held an emergency meeting and agreed to consider strike action over these plans. Neil Reilly, Secretary of NPHTA member, Corby Hackney Own- ers Association, said: “We’re desperate. We don’t want to strike, we don’t want to go down that channel. “We’re actively protesting at the minute, but whether that could lead to a strike is a very distinct possibility. We’ve done an online survey of our members to make sure we have their backing and it’s overwhelming.” NNC were documenting the Executive meeting on Thurs- day morning live on Twitter. Just five minutes after the meeting began at 10am, it tweeted: “The Leader of the Council and the Executive have deferred the report on the hackney carriage fare tariff to allow further consideration of all the information.” In a statement released later, Cllr
myself and the Executive have as much information as possible and that we make the right decision for North Northamptonshire. “I offer my apologies to anyone who has attended today in relation to this matter.” The statement continued: “The council will consider the next steps and will make a statement in due course on how it intends to proceed.” After hearing the executive’s decision, Corby Taxi Owners Association thanked them for “agreeing to look again at its new fares policy.” Mr Reilly said: “We met with the leader, chief executive, and the chair of licens- ing on Wednesday with members of the trade from East Northants and Wellingborough. “The councillors were told the new pol- icy was not workable and not right for the thousands of people who would need to pay inflation-busting fare increases. “The joint trade owners from across North Northamptonshire will be meet- ing soon to start discussing a way forward. We want to sit back down with the council to look at how we can work together on this policy. “We would like to thank the great Corby public for their continued sup- port and Corby councillors for being there with us.”
JULY 2022
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
