Lewes District Council has caused controversy after voting to increase taxi licensing fees by a staggering 60%, a move a local councillor warns will cripple the trade.

The decision, made at a full council meeting on 4 March, will see the cost of a three-year hackney carriage/private hire/dual driver’s licence rise to £472.50 (from £315) sparking outrage among drivers already burdened by rising costs.

An annual hackney/private hire vehicle licence will cost £308 (from £205), while fees for various tests will also increase drastically.

Independent Councillor Sean MacLeod of Newhaven North condemned the hike, highlighting a 110% increase in fees over the past six years. "It’s staggering considering that we have asked taxis to install CCTV and there are so many things they have to spend money on," he stated.

"We’re hammering them but they’re getting nothing back. Licensing is increasing but meters have only gone up once in that time."

MacLeod further lamented the growing disconnect between the council and taxi drivers, citing the removal of a direct phone line to licensing officers. "I think there is a growing sense of disenfranchisement," he said.

He also pointed to the decline of the hackney fleet, now numbering just 89 drivers, compared to the influx of private hire drivers, primarily due to services such as Uber.

"Four taxi drivers have already told me they are going to call it a day following the increase. It is just absolutely killing the trade," MacLeod warned.

The council, however, defended its decision, with Councillor Roy Clay, speaking on behalf of the licensing committee, emphasising public safety.

"Our main priority is not just covering the cost of administration with these fees, but the main priority is the safety of our public," Clay asserted.

"They go to extraordinary lengths and spend a hell of a lot of time putting in work that’s not really appreciated by the public." Clay also thanked officers for their "hard work" on the study.

MacLeod disputed the council's justification, particularly regarding CCTV. "The council doesn’t hold any data. The data is held by the company that installs the CCTV and the council approach them and ask if they need footage," he argued, undermining the claim that the fee increase was necessary for enhanced safety measures.

The motion passed with two abstentions. 

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Taxi licence fees in Shropshire are set to rise following approval by the council's Strategic Licensing Committee on 5 March. However, the new fee structure has drawn criticism from operators, who argue that renewal fees are unfairly higher than those for new applications in certain categories.

The approved changes mean that operators with up to 31 vehicles and one base will pay £417 for licence renewals, up from £371, while new applications in the same category will cost £375, up from £328. This discrepancy has prompted a strong reaction from at least one private hire operator.

"I honestly don’t care what the actual cost of any licence is but having a higher cost for a renewal of any licence than for a new licence doesn’t make sense," stated the operator in a letter to the council's licensing department.

They questioned the explanation that the difference was due to the higher volume of renewals, arguing: "There are surely many more renewals than new applications, therefore the cost per licence would be cheaper for renewals?"

Mandy Beever, transactional and licensing team manager at Shropshire Council, addressed the committee, explaining: "Within that process, the renewals have an extra stage because we send a renewal pack out to trade. So that’s an extra cost."

She also stated that: "we are allowed to charge extra fees to offset surplus and deficits within the renewals which aren’t attracted in the new applications. That is why renewals are slightly more expensive than new applications."

Beever further clarified that the overall taxi licensing department was "slightly in deficit," partly due to legislative changes extending operating licences from three to five years, which reduced the frequency of fee collection.

"Fundamentally, the council reduced the number of fees coming through," she said.

Despite the operator's concerns, the committee approved the report, implementing the fee increases.

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Taxi drivers at Sheffield Station are in an uproar over East Midlands Railway's (EMR) proposed changes to alleviate traffic congestion, labeling them "completely unfair."

The plans include a 30% reduction in taxi permits, a 65% increase in annual permit fees to £1,140, and alterations to drop-off and parking areas.

"This so-called ‘solution’ is turning our livelihood into a rat race, pitting driver against driver instead of working towards a fair and balanced system," stated Nouman Khan of the Sheffield Taxi Trade Association, reflecting the drivers' frustration.

Hafeas Rehman, chairperson of the association, added: "We call upon EMR to do the right thing by allowing all permit holders to renew and freezing the permit fee until a plan is actually implemented."

The proposed changes, detailed in an internal EMR document, come after months of complaints about gridlock.

In October, black cab drivers staged a payment strike, refusing to renew their £700 annual permits. Now, EMR plans to reduce the number of permits from 250 to 177, convert a taxi rank into a drop-off zone, and close the public short-stay car park.

EMR's head of stations, Mike O’Callaghan, defended the proposals, citing the removal of the Cross Turner Street taxi rank as the reason for the permit reduction.

"We recognise that this change may create difficulties for drivers, and we are committed to reviewing the number of permits available once the planned improvements are complete," he said. He further stated that private hire vehicles will be re-routed to Cross Turner Street.

Addressing the fee increase, O'Callaghan explained that revenue generated is returned to the Treasury. "Revenue generated by EMR was returned to the Treasury rather than being ring-fenced for specific purposes."

He also stated that: "Regarding the staff car park, this parking is provided for EMR, Northern and TransPennine Express staff under commercial agreements, particularly for train crews who rely on it as part of their shifts."

The new permit process is set to begin on 6 April, and EMR has announced they will offer 15 minutes of free parking at the Q-Park multi-story car park.

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Four taxi drivers in Shipley have had their licences suspended following a joint operation between West Yorkshire Police and Bradford Council’s taxi licensing team on Friday, 7 March.

Officers conducted a series of stops and inspections of taxis in the area.

"A number of taxis were stopped and examined by the licensing team," stated West Yorkshire Police. "Out of the taxis stopped, four had their taxi licences suspended until they could provide proof any issues raised had been rectified."

The operation focused on ensuring compliance with licensing regulations and vehicle maintenance standards.

In addition to the suspensions: "General advice was given to a number of taxis drivers in regard to vehicle maintenance before starting their day."

The suspended drivers will now be required to address the identified issues and provide proof of rectification before their licences are reinstated.

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A 64-year-old taxi driver, Robert Lenox, is facing charges of drink driving following a police stop prompted by community reports. 

Lenox was apprehended on Thursday, 6 March, after officers acted on information suggesting he was driving under the influence.   

"Officers stopped Lenox in his vehicle... and he was arrested on suspicion of drink driving after failing a breathalyser test," confirmed a police spokesperson. 

The arrest followed "reports from the public that he had been driving whilst intoxicated."   

Lenox, of Alton, has since been formally charged and is scheduled to appear at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on 20 March.

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