PROTEST
PLIGHT..PROTEST PLIGHT..
CABBIES PROTEST CONTROVERSIAL BOURNEMOUTH CHRISTCHURCH AND POOLE COUNCIL POLICY PLANS
Controversial plans to lift a cap on the number of cab licences issued in Bournemouth and Poole have passed the final hurdle. The Bournemouth Echo reports that BCP Council approved new taxi policies on Tuesday 23 February, despite concerns about the effect they will have on the viability of the profession. An attempt had been made by some opposition councillors to delay the decision with calls for more information to be provided, but this was defeated. The policies, which were unanimously approved by the council’s licensing committee earlier that month, set out the requirements for taxi drivers operating across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. They include a new white colour scheme and a vehicle age limit. But the most controversial element is deregulation in Bournemouth and Poole. No such limit is in place in Christchurch. The council said this would open up the profession with the council having a waiting list of more than 300 people. The change is to be undertaken over five years with annual increases in numbers to ease the transition. However, taxi drivers have heavily criticised the move saying it will impact their livelihoods. On Saturday, 20 February, hundreds of cabbies, from all three boroughs, gathered in Bournemouth to protest. They then drove into the town centre in a convoy to highlight their opposition. “This decision will impact on the travelling public and on the livelihoods of the many taxi and private hire companies,” Kevin Diffey, the chairman of PRC Streamline Taxis said. “We are horrified at the proposals and frankly scared of the effect it will have on our companies.” And Paul Sondheim, the treasurer for Bournemouth Station Taxi Association, called on the council to defer the decision due to be made at its full council meeting. He said: “Our demonstration today is regarding the new Taxi and Private Hire Proposals which were decided at the Licensing Board’s meeting held on 4 February. Various petitions have been presented and speakers from the trade who attended that meeting were allotted just over five minutes a piece to voice their concerns over these new proposals.” Councillor Vikki Slade proposed the vote be postponed so more information could be provided but her suggestion was defeated in a vote. It was instead agreed to adopt the policies that had been approved by the licensing committee. Committee chairman Councillor Judy Butt, cited the example of one person who had been on the waiting list for a licence in Bournemouth since 1993. She said taxi drivers “understandably wanted to maintain the status quo” but said the restrictions were preventing people who wanted to move into the industry. Concerns had also been raised that the dress code could
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discriminate against people wearing certain religious clothing but Cllr Butt said exceptions could be made in cer- tain circumstances. Having been approved for adoption, the new policies will come into force in April. The number of hackney carriage licences issued will now gradually be increased “with the clear aim of a total removal of limits” in 2025, the justifica- tion being that scrapping the cap would improve standards.
RESPONSES FROM THE TRADE NPHTA member: Kevin Diffey - Director, PRC Streamline Taxis
The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council hasvoted for congestion, increased air pollution and chaos in the Taxi service. The taxi trade was unable to take part in the consultation with the licensing committee directly as all the representa- tion went through the licensing officer who said that they would express our views at the meeting, which clearly did not happen. As a result, licensing staff have lost the respect of the taxi trade. They have deprived the plate owners of their investment in their taxi businesses, losing large sums from their pensions. There was no discussion about the three choices put before the committee which were: 1. to leave things as they are with three taxi zones 2. to regulate Christchurch to bring it in line with Bournemouth and Poole
3. to deregulate and loose the three zones. In the regulated areas there is a balanced number of taxis and private hire vehicles which ensures that there is except- ionally good service provision across the area, with the majority of Christchurch taxis working as private hires in Bournemouth and Poole. All this will change. The number of private hires will collapse as they convert to taxis. The
MARCH 2021
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