REFLECTIONS ON PHTM EXPO - A WELCOME RETURN
Last month we had the absolute pleasure and delight of returning to the PHTM EXPO in Milton Keynes, which was sadly missed last year due to Covid restrictions. But it was finally back this year and boy did it come back with a bang!!
We of course had our stand, manned by our very own Karen Barlow, Colin Dodds: Board Member for Edinburgh, Steven Toy: Board Member for Cannock Chase, Abdul Khay- al: Board Member for Oldham and myself as Director NPHTA.
We were inundated with enquiries and visitors: existing members coming along to chat and catch up and many new members signing up. It was amazing to finally be able to have a face to face meeting, an informal chat, and to see you all again!
SEMINAR - CHANGE IS COMING: KNOWLEDGE IS KEY
I hosted a seminar on recent effects, and upcoming changes to our industry, with panellist speakers including: Sam Harrison from Joint Air Quality unit (JAQU)
Sam gave an excellent presentation on the Clean Air Zones (CAZs), where they are, what their aims and objectives are, recogni- tion of the fact that our industry is very much affected, but is in fact part of the solu- tion, not a part of the problem.
He also made it very clear that the department recognises the efforts being made by our industry to assist and support in the cleaning up of our air, and the problems it is facing.
Paul Elliot from the Department for Transport (DfT) - sadly no online picture to show!
Paul joined us remotely via Microsoft teams (eventually as it created its own technical difficulties). One of those difficul- ties was the fact that when the audience was asking questions, they did not hold the microphone up, so Paul couldn’t really hear them very well, but we got through it.
I asked him if there were any additional changes to look out for in the near future, over and above the recent Statutory Standards that came out last July. Paul reminded us all to please look out for a new consultation due out very soon, which seeks views and opinions on new Best Practice Guidance which is looking towards National Standards.
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John gave an excellent update on what is happening within Transport for Greater Manchester, (TfGM) with upcoming changes to Minimum Licensing Standards and CAZs.
Recognition of the cross-border hiring issue
was acknowledged and recognised. As a result, the CAZ is being introduced in 2022 for any taxi or PHV that is NOT licensed by one of the ten greater Manchester councils, whilst those that are locally licensed have been granted a twelve-month exemption from the CAZ charges until 2023.
Mike Smith, Licensing & Community Safety Lead at Guildford Borough Council - IoL member.
Mike gave us an update on the adaptations implemented to support our members through Covid, and of course how the Statu- tory Standards have been implemented within Guildford Borough Council.
Tim Scrafton, independent electric vehicle (EV) consultant.
Tim explained to us the changes that are coming regarding battery range improve- ments as well as a rolling out of higher capacity charging points, including letting us know that in the very near future, Tesla charging points will be made available for
any EV owner to make use of. Some very important improvements which may very well
OCTOBER 2021
Paul then attended in person on the second day, which was very much appreciated and welcomed.
We can only echo Paul’s request, please, whenever there is a consultation, local or national, please get involved! These consultations are asking the views and opinions of you, the driver, the professional, they do not understand how our industry actually works in practice, and if we don’t let them know, they never will. This is the whole purpose of consulta- tion, they may appear to be a box ticking exercise, but the reality is, they are rarely responded to enough.
YOUR VIEWS MATTER, YOUR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE IS SECOND TO NONE, SHOUT ABOUT IT, TELL THE WORLD, RESPOND TO THE CONSULTATIONS.
John Garforth, licensing manager for Oldham and Vice Chairman of the Institute of Licensing (IoL)
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