ROUND THE COUNCILS SKIPTON:
FIRST TAXI CHECKS UNDER NEW COUNCIL
Police and council officials have done routine stop checks on licensed taxis in the Skipton area for the first time since North Yorkshire Council took over the responsibility from Craven District Council. Working alongside North Yorkshire Police’s roads traffic team, hackney carriages and private hire vehicles locally were stopped and checked by the council during April. Former borough and district councils have routinely carried out regular operations, but these were the first checks since the launch of the new unitary council for North Yorkshire on 1st April 2023. The checks included ensuring all vehicles were roadworthy and had the correct vehicle and driver signage and documentation. The joint operations allow checks to be carried out on all taxis and private hire vehicles travelling through a specific area to be checked irrespective of their licensing authority. North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for managing our environment, Cllr Greg White, said: "The safety of vehicles operating across the county, and those driving them, is important. "It reflects well on the taxi trade in the Craven area that no major concerns for North Yorkshire licence holders where found. "We will continue to carry out these operations to ensure standards remain high, and I would like to thank the team for their hard work and North Yorkshire Police for its support." No formal enforcement action was required as all vehicles checked had the correct documentation and signage. However, during the operation one taxi licensed by a neighbouring authority was caught in Skipton doing speeds in excess of the 30mph speed limit. Sergeant Pete Stringer from North Yorkshire Police said: "It is important to ensure the safety of everyone using the roads and we will continue to work alongside the council to make sure taxis using the road network are safe." Since the launch of North Yorkshire Council, a single hackney carriage and private hire licensing policy for the county has been introduced. The new policy incorporates the Department for Transport’s taxi and private hire vehicle best practice guidance and statutory standards, to ensure that the
58 GUERNSEY: E&I’S MEASURES HAVE IMPROVED TRADE
An independent report produced last summer for Environment & Infrastructure concluded that the industry was ‘not fit for purpose’ and required ‘radical change’. But according to the Guernsey Press, the Taxi Drivers’ Association believes that measures introduced by Environment & Infrastructure in response to the report are delivering improvements for passengers, taxi companies and drivers. E&I has issued 90 new permits in the past seven months since making changes to the licensing regime. “Prior to this change, the process for obtaining a public service vehicle licence was time-consuming and costly and it meant that potential drivers were faced with costs and lengthy waiting times before they could start earning a wage,” said Nicki Bessin, who leads the association. “The removal of the island knowledge and driving components have meant the onus has been placed on the employer to train newly-qualified staff. “The result of this decision has meant an initial flurry of new drivers to the industry, which has seen benefits in a number of areas.” Ms Bessin said more taxis were now available for locals and visitors, queues at the Weighbridge rank have been reduced, especially late at night on weekends, and companies and individuals with taxi plates were finding it easier to recruit drivers. But she acknowledged that some experienced drivers felt they had lost out under the new regime. “There are a number of drivers who may be adversely affected by the new measures, particularly those who work the taxi ranks, as they will now be faced with additional competition,” she said. “While we will always struggle to please everyone, I think most people will agree that the measures are a step in the right direction.” The association was formed last year to replace the fractured Taxi Owners’ Federation, following another recommendation in the review commissioned by Environment & Infrastructure
JUNE 2023 PHTM
public continues to be provided with safe and accessible vehicles. It also provides a coherent regulatory framework for the trade across the county.
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