BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN: TAXI CHECKS SUSPENDED
MoT and supple- mentary tests for taxis and PHVs have been suspended. According to the Lancashire Tele- graph, any vehicle proprietors who wish to renew their HC and PHV licences will be able to apply for a special dispen- sation from Black- burn with Darwen Council to allow the licence to be exten- ded for three months. No fee will be charged for this. The specialist tests are normally carried out at the council’s motor vehicle ser- vice station (MVSS). Borough environ- ment and opera-
tions director Martin Eden said: “Due to the Covid-19 emer- gency, MVSS staff will not be carrying out testing of HCs and PHVs due to safety concerns for the staff involved and the taxi drivers. “As there will be no mechanism to carry out the checks required, in order to allow the trade to continue operating, a short-term exten- sion of licence will be made available for those who re- quest it. “All applicants for the dispensation will be advised of their duty to ensure their vehicle is safe, with
ROUND THE COUNCILS DUDLEY:
VEHICLE TEST DATES SUSPENDED
information provid- ed on the checks they should carry out as issued by government.”
Mmmm… In our ‘league table’ of councils that are acknowledging the hardships being suf- fered by licence holders at this time, this ouncil is definite- ly one of the “good guys” (see also our Covid lockdown fea- ture this issue). Every local authority has the option to extend licences temporarily without charge under these circum- stances; some are doing so, others are not. Thank you, Blackburn – Ed.
Dudley Council is to allow extensions to vehicle test dates for taxi drivers with existing MoTs. Halesowen News reports that the decision means that if a driver is due their annual vehicle inspection by the council’s licensing team it will be deferred for three months providing they have an exist- ing MoT and no other matters pend- ing.
Council chiefs say this will reduce the need for drivers to have to present vehicles and reduce unnecessary social contact. Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dud- ley’s cabinet mem- ber responsible for taxi licensing said: “This is just one of the many measures we are taking as a council to help safegua rd the health of our resi- dents and staff,
while also helping to support local busi- nesses in these challenging times.” The suspension came into effect on Monday March 30 and officers will be contacting firms over the coming weeks to confirm how the temporary scheme will work. Licences can still be suspended or with- drawn if drivers break any other terms of their licens- ing agreement.
HARROGATE: TAXI DRIVERS DENIED FARE INCREASE
Taxi drivers in Harro- gate have been de- nied a fare increase after a lead council- lor said it would be asking customers to pay over the odds during the coron- avirus crisis. Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing and safer communi- ties, Cllr Mike Chambers, signed off on the decision not to give cabbies an increase from the start of April. However taxi drivers – who had been pushing for a 2.94% hike – said a fare increase is just what they needed to help them get through the virus pandemic. Kevin O’Boyle, own- er of Central Taxis, and the longest licence holder in the district, said in a message to the council: “I am a little disappointed to say the least regarding
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your decision to not give us a fare increase. “Due to the present climate, this is exactly what we needed. A little help is better than no help at all.
“During the past weekend I know of one driver who worked on Saturday night and earned £4.10 for a six hour shift. The average was £25 for a 12- hour shift. This will only get worse.” Summarising the decision not to increase fares, a council spokesman said: “With the on- going outbreak of the Covid-19 pan- demic impacting on all areas of society and business we have decided not to increase taxi fares. The position will be reconsidered in six- months’ time.” In a decision notice, Cllr Chambers also
said the move not to increase fares had been reached whilst taking into account the current reduc- tion in fuel price – which in some areas have seen their biggest weekly fall since current records began. Also, Cllr Chambers concluded a fare increase would have an unfair impact on wheelchair users who are currently facing a shortage of WAVs in the district. Mr O’Boyle said cab- bies have seen a big decline in business as people follow government advice to stay at home unless journeys are essential, but added his taxi firm was managing to survive on bookings to supermarkets and hospitals. The fare rates will now be reviewed by the council in September.
MAY 2020
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