EAST STAFFORDSHIRE: CHANCE TO PICK YOUR TOP CABBY
East Staffs Borough Council has launched its annual award scheme to salute the private hire and taxi trade.
The Derby Evening Telegraph reports that customers
are asked to vote tor the
driver and company they feel is the best in East Staffordshire. Workers in the trade can also vote for their colleagues in a new driver’s driver of the year category.
The winner of each class will get an award
ROUND THE YORK:
EXTRA TEST IDEA CABBIES
and be spared their licence fee. Voting slips will be entered into a draw and the winner will receive a £20 taxi voucher. To vote, call 01283 508505 or email licensing@eaststaffs-
bc.gov.uk
EPPING FOREST: CRACKDOWN ON UNLICENSED CABS
Council officers, sup- ported by police, are posing as passengers as part of a clampdown on unlicensed cabs which are believed to be on the increase. The authority has warned that criminal records checks are unlikely to have been carried out on illicit cab- bies, who may pose a risk to the public. A council spokewoman
told the Epping Forest Guardian: “Unlicensed drivers or drivers oper- ating outside their licence will face enforcement action and possible prosecu- tion by the council.” Legitimate taxi firms say the growing num- ber of unlicensed cabs is threatening their livelihood. Phil Hup- son, from Lawlors in Epping, said: “Outside
Club 195 I know that a lot of the vehicles are unlicensed. It means that the driver won’t have had a criminal record check, so it’s dangerous.” Paul Nelso, director of Sadlers, said: We all pay a lot of money for a licence and it needs to be monitored more - especially when they are ripping people off.”
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New taxi drivers in York may be asked to take an extra test to ensure that their skills behind the wheel are up to scratch.
If approved, the driv- ing standards assessment - specifi- cally tailored for the taxi trade - is expected to be introduced next April, although those who already have a taxi licence will not need to take it.
It has been proposed because of the recent influx of drivers from overseas who gained a driving licence in their home country but have not passed a UK test, and because of what City of York Council has said is “a rise in the number of drivers accumulating nine points or more on their driving licences”.
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) exami- nation will assess the particular skills need- ed to drive a taxi safely, including awareness and antici- pation, correct use of speed, passenger safety and comfort and dealing with wheel- chair-bound members of the public.
In a report which went before a meeting of the council’s licensing and regulatory com- mittee, the authority’s licensing manager, John Lacy, said: “In most areas of profes- sional driving, a test is completed to show the suitability of the appli- cant in that field of driving. Hackney car- riage and private hire drivers are the only group of professional drivers in the country
who are not required to pass a further national driving stan- dards test before they are allowed to carry passengers.” Both York Private Hire Association and York Taxi Association have backed the plans, saying the extra test could also be enforced when disci- pline or complaints matters arise involv- ing drivers. “We want the highest possible calibre of driv- ers in York and to provide reassurance for passengers - the aim is to raise the bar for those seeking a licence,” York Taxi Association secretary Graham Phillips told the York Evening Press. Council officers are recommending the policy for approval.
NORTH SOMERSET: KNOWLEDGE TESTS FOR TAXI DRIVERS?
Taxi drivers across Weston are to witness another review of an unpopular system. Last year North Somer- set Council revealed it was going to revamp the way cabbies across the district operate but drivers were left fuming about the changes the unitary authority want- ed to make.
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Officers brought in a set of measures includ- ing a new taxing system and vehicle specifications. But driv- ers said the increased costs involved with the changes could spell financial disaster for them. Now, after a year of trying the new legisla- tion, the council is reviewing some of its policies again. Last year the authority decided against knowledge tests, but is once again consid- ering them and officers are also look-
ing at reintroducing an annual licence, rather than a three-year one, and changing vehicle pre-licensing proce- dures.
A report due to be pre- sented to the council’s planning and regulato- ry committee said: “North Somerset is unique in the Greater Bristol area in not adopting a knowledge based test for new pri- vate hire driver licence applications. As a result the authority has experienced an influx of out-of-district appli- cants.”
The report added that cabbies have raised concerns over having to buy three-year licences even if they are approaching retire- ment age or do not know how long they will continue driving. Applicants also expressed concerns that many post offices are not familiar with the
new taxing process. Rob Rowe, who has owned Apple Central Taxis in The Centre for 20 years, told the Weston and Somerset Mercury: “A private hire knowledge test is not really necessary as all companies train their drivers to a rea- sonable standard very quickly,
“There is no mention of capping the number of applications for pri- vate hire or hackney licences.
“I suppose it may be illegal to implement this but the town has reached saturation point and if there is an influx of driver applica- tions from outside the district it will only com- pound the problem.” The report asked for authority for officers to carry out consulta- tions with licensees and interested parties prior to any further policy changes.
PHTM OCTOBER 2009
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