it myself. This was not because I am against card readers as I have used one for several years, but more about hav- ing ever increasing conditions of licensing applied to the trade. In a representation to the Licensing Committee at the time I shared this concern but also added that it was hoped that drivers would see sense and have card readers on a voluntary basis. Consequently the proposal was turned down.
However, times change, and unfortunately whilst we have many drivers who do have card readers, we still have issues at the ranks where customers have trouble finding a car that takes cards, which is disappointing. So based on this, the trade reps agreed that now is the time for card readers to be a condition on licence. Yes, we do know that at times the signal can be bad and there can be other issues, how- ever in all the years I have been taking cards this has rarely happened. Additionally, any out of town trips are paid up front. Interestingly, this condition cannot be applied to the private hire trade and also can only be applied to the vehi- cle licence. Effectively it is down to the proprietor of the vehicle to ensure that any driver of the vehicle must pro- vide the facility of a card reader. Fortunately there is no condition that restricts the choice of the card reader unlike in London and as I understand in other areas.
ENFORCEMENT
In December, the licensing officers, DVSA along with the Sussex Police carried out an enforcement exercise stop- ping licensed cars in the city. Forty-two cars were stopped, the vast majority of these were Brighton & Hove licensed cars, and probably due to the fact that both the local hackney carriages and private hire cars have fixed liv- ery and are easily spotted. Some out-of-town cars were also stopped which included ones from, Adur, Chichester, Lewes and Southampton.
The majority of the vehicles were compliant, which is good news considering the majority of the vehicles stopped where Brighton & Hove ones, and only one of those had a delayed notice put on it. However, two Southampton cars were given immediate prohibition orders and this abso- lutely demonstrates how cross-border hiring simply does not work! There is no blame here on Southampton licens- ing, but when a licensed vehicle predominantly works some sixty-miles away from local enforcement the farcical fallout from the 2015 Deregulation Act demonstrates its major downfall. Are you reading this Baroness Kramer? Probably not...
The local trade fully supports these joint operations but we have made the point at a local trade forum meeting
MARCH 2022
with the council and also via Jackie at the licensing meet- ing that it is very unfair that the majority of vehicles stopped were locally licensed ones, which is presumably because these are easily spotted, compared to the out-of- town ones. This is especially relevant to the TfL cars that are predominantly working here which carry no markings other than a small roundel in the front and rear windows, and are also working under different legislation i.e. the 1998 London Private Hire Act. Fortunately, licensing has acknowledged this imbalance. We have offered help in future operations as we can spot an out-of-town unmarked private hire from two miles away, well not quite, but you know what I mean. In fact pretty much any Prius in the city can be guaranteed to be a TfL PHV, so that is big clue!
Lastly, and as an addition to a previous rant that I have had on the use of magnetic door signs/rear licence plates. We had to report a Portsmouth private hire driver who was working here for removing the vehicle livery. To give Portsmouth licensing its due, this was acted on very quick- ly and I was told in a phone call follow up that the driver was not aware that the vehicle had to have the council repeater door signs on when working out of town? How this was deemed logical is beyond me... and he was given a warning. This demonstrates how ridiculous magnetic door signs are. I know the argument is that the car can then be used for private use but I’m afraid that doesn’t wash with me when my car has to have its boot and bon- net sprayed aqua and livery and plates are permanently fixed as it is with our private hire cars. As far as I am concerned once a cab is licensed it remains licensed throughout its licensed period and only a licensing offi- cer should have the power to remove licence plates and door repeater plates.
And judging by the photo of the Chichester private hire that predominantly works here you can see what I mean!
Andy Peters Brighton & Hove Cab Trade Association
info@bhcta.co.uk
facebook.com/groups/bhcabta
www.bhcta.co.uk @cabsbrighton
77
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
