ROUND THE COUNCILS READING:
PRESTON: COST OF GETTING TAXI TO RISE
Reading Borough Council has ap- proved plans for a fare increase put for- ward by the Reading Taxi Association. GetReading reports that the fares will in-
crease by 3.75 per cent on average, and will only affect rides between 6am and 10pm - as taxi drivers said the nighttime fare was “sufficient for the
BOLTON: DRIVERS TRAINED TO SPOT SIGNS OF ABUSE
Three quarters of Bolton’s taxi drivers have signed up to a new scheme aimed at training them to spot signs of human trafficking and CSE. It teaches drivers how to respond if they feel like some- one might be at risk. So far, according to
the Bolton News, 1,480 licensed dri- vers in Bolton have booked onto a course from an over- all total of 1,900. The course launch- ed in Bolton last year and is free for all existing drivers who sign up before June 2020.
Bolton Council aims to make the training compulsory. Other topics cov- ered in the training include disability awareness training, driver and passen- ger safety, and recognising indica- tors of concern and types of abuse.
time being”. The proposals will go out to public consultation for 28 days for people to let the council know their views on the changes.
FUNDING FOR NEW TAXI DRIVERS
Preston City Council has teamed up with a training provider to provide training for applicants want- ing to become a taxi or PHV driver in Pre- ston. Preston requires ap- plicants to attain a BTEC Level 2 VRQ - Introduction to the Role of the Profes- sional Taxi and Pri- vate Hire Driver - which requires ap-
plicants to attend a five-day course and take a local knowl- edge test. This partnership has allowed the council to access funding that could reduce application costs by between £300 and £450 per person. The council is now assisted by the provider to deliver regular induction sessions for anyone
interested in becom- ing a licensed driver. The first of these new induction ses- sions was held on 23 January 2020 when 19 people attended to receive informa- tion about becom- ing a professional driver, funding op- portunities, the appli- cation procedure along with under- taking English and maths assessments.
HARROGATE: TAXI FARES SET TO RISE
Taxi fares are set to increase in Harro- gate - a move which would make it the 21st most expensive local authority in England and Wales according to PHTM’s league tables. The Harrogate Ad- vertiser reports that a public consulta- tion was underway until February 13 fol- lowing the proposal to increase taxi fares
by 2.28 per cent from April, which was agreed by Cabi- net Member for Housing and Safer Communities, Cllr Mike Chambers. The proposed rise, was calculated using the Hackney Car- riage Fare Review Formula. The proposed in- crease would see the flag fall for a journey in the day-
SOLIHULL: NEW TESTS TO PROTECT PASSENGER SAFETY
Solihull Council’s licensing committee has approved a new policy to bolster passenger safety. According to the Solihull Observer, the new rules were agreed at a meeting on February 12. The council stated: “It is vital that we only grant a licence to those who are fit and proper. We have the ultimate test
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that if it were our son, daughter or other relative using a Solihull licensed taxi/PHV driver, that we would be happy for that person to be driving them.” Licensing officers launched a review of taxis to keep up with advice issued by the Local Gov- ernment Association which had called on councils to strength-
en taxi legislation to improve passenger safety following the proliferation of app- based
PHV
companies. The council’s last taxi licensing review took place in 2010, when the DfT pub- lished best practice guidelines, but the LGA warned that over the last decade legislation has be- come outdated.
MARCH 2020
time rising from £3.30 to £3.40. The cost of taxi licences could also be set to rise by ten per cent in the financial year 2020/ 21 to “maintain a balanced budget” for Harrogate BC, according to the report. The proposal would see an in- crease of £23 per year for a vehicle licence renewal.
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