LOCAL FARES
Back in April I reported on our first hackney carriage Fare Review since 2019 (fares of which the three main companies have always charged because they run a mix fleet of hackneys and private hire vehicles, which has also meant the public knew where they were with the local fare structure).
At the time I stated that we were on course for a 3.5% increase, which took months to put together and it was only due to a last-minute amendment, supported by two friendly councillors, that we got 5% based on the shooting up of fuel prices and the CPI. And we only got that on a 6/5 vote!
Well, things have moved on since then, for both fuel prices and the CPI, and we are now pushing for another Fare Review which in all my years in the trade has never happened before - but then we are in very different times.
I remember years ago having to go cap-in-hand to get an increase after at least three or four years without anything extra and having to submit how much bread and tyres had gone up!
However, it looks like the council may not be so resistant this time. Maybe this is because I am very straight talking and challenged those councillors who voted against our last review, but I don’t care nowadays - you have to take me as I am. Too long in the tooth and all that. One difficulty is that over the years our ‘cab-educated’ trade friendly councillors move on, so it becomes increasingly difficult to have continuity in trade matters with the council. And of course, you get Licensing Committee councillors who stand in to deputise for a regular LC councillor who knows nothing about the trade and regards us as local charity, quoting people in deprived areas of the city affording a cab, but completely forgetting that cab drivers also live in these areas.
What’s interesting is that whilst Brighton & Hove normally hovers around the 10th or so position in the PHTM National League Table, we have dropped right down to 26th even though our last
PHTM SEPTEMBER 2022
Fare Review was in April. This is because other licensing areas appear to have been far more sympathetic to their respective local trade’s needs.
Our latest Fare Review is being initially appraised at the end of September at a specially convened Trade Forum meeting, which ironically Uber has the right to attend. But because of the procedure of having to go to a full council Licensing Committee this won’t officially be presented until October and probably only implemented in November.
FAKE CAB DRIVER CAUGHT
On Friday 29 July, officers supported by Brighton & Hove CC Taxi Licencing, team were out conducting checks in the city and a fake cab was stopped with the driver and found to be an ‘unlicensed taxi driver’ and not covered by any insurance policy at all?
The driver was reported for driving offences and is now under investigation for being an unlicensed taxi driver. So well done Brighton & Hove Licensing and Sussex police for catching this driver and vehicle!
And as I have stated many times before, we are now back to pre-1976 due to the Deregulation Act 2015, which I predicted, as before we could keep an eye on who was in the city and what they were pretending to be. But now there is no chance of doing this ever again.
Thank you Baroness Kramer - your legacy truly lives on….
Andy Peters Brighton & Hove Cab Trade Association
info@bhcta.co.uk www.bhcta.co.uk
facebook.com/groups/bhcabta @cabsbrighton
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