CASH NO LONGER KING!
WOLVERHAMPTON CABBIES WILL BE PROSECUTED FOR NOT OFFERING CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS
Black cab drivers in Wolver- hampton who don’t offer contactless card payments as an option - or try to add a surcharge to the fare - will face legal action, the city’s licensing boss has warned. BirminghamLive reports that the council approved the compulsory requirement of contactless card payments within all hackney carriages on January 19 this year. Athough most proprietors and drivers had already complied, licensing manager Greg Bicker- dike said a few were yet to provide the service and the council had received several complaints from customers.
In a report to the council’s regulatory committee, he said: “It is proposed that the HCV licence conditions be updated. This will facilitate enforcement against non-compliant proprietors. “It is unlawful to impose surcharges on customers for using consumer credit cards, debit or charge cards, electronic payment services such as PayPal or similar non-card methods such as mobile phones. Customers should not be charged any more than the amount which is displayed on the meter or the agreed fare. “This does not apply to transactions using a corporate or
business credit card. “As all hackney carriages licensed by Wolverhampton are wheelchair accessible, this leads to a higher proportion of disabled people using them. Disabled people are vulnerable to contagious diseases and the requirement for con- tactless payments was introduced on the recommendation of Public Health,” he added. The council is also set to approve a consultation on hackney carriage and private hire licensing requirements and guidelines. The regulatory committee was to discuss approval of both matters on Thursday 29 September.
COLCHESTER TAXI DRIVERS COULD BE REQUIRED TO ACCEPT CARD PAYMENTS
Taxi drivers may soon be required to accept card payments as well as cash after complaints from passengers have forced council bosses to consider a change in policy. According to the Daily Gazzette, Colchester Council’s Licensing Committee was to meet on Wednesday September 28 to debate over whether Colchester taxis should be fitted with machines which accept electronic forms of payments. If councillors decide they would like to alter the licensing policy, there would first be a six-week consultation period before any changes come into effect. According to the council bosses, the requirement is being considered following complaints of
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some licenced vehicles being unable to accept card payments. Should the change be approved, licence holders would need to purchase an electronic device, which could cost in the region of £100, within three months. It is also anticipated each transaction would also incur a charge of about 1.6 per cent. The council would also need to fork out about £1,000 on stickers for its fleet of vehicles which would inform passengers of its card payment capabilities. In the agenda for the licensing committee’s forthcoming meeting, a spokesman said: “Many drivers and operators already make provision for electronic payments. “But there is disparity across the
trade which is causing problems for customers and compromises the principle the taxi at the head of the rank takes the next fare. “The refusal of fares by the driver at the head of the rank because they are unable to take card payments is another source of complaint to the council. “The council has committed to keeping the licensing policy under review to ensure it remains fit for purpose and is responsive to the changing licensing environment. “Card payments have become the norm for a large percentage of the population. “It is [therefore] considered the requirement to have card facilities should be included within the policy, subject to the outcome of the consultation.”
OCTOBER 2022 PHTM
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