Portsmouth City Council is taking steps to improve accessibility for disabled residents by reviewing its taxi and private hire vehicle licensing policy.
This follows a motion from Councillor Charlotte Gerada and seconded by Councillor Yinka Adeniran, highlighting the limited availability of wheelchair-accessible taxis, particularly during peak times.
Currently, there is no requirement for private hire vehicles to be wheelchair-accessible, resulting in only 35 (3%) of Portsmouth's 1,160 private hire vehicles being able to accommodate wheelchairs.
This shortage disproportionately impacts disabled residents who rely on taxis for transportation.
The council's review aims to identify ways to increase the number of wheelchair-accessible vehicles available in the city.
This would create a more inclusive transportation system for all residents.
Additionally, the review recommends further investigation into best practices outlined by the Department for Transport and potential changes to licensing policies.
The recommendation will be discussed by the Licensing Committee next week.
The council is also working on a business case to explore funding options for wheelchair-accessible taxis in Portsmouth.
Cumbrian taxi drivers are fighting back against proposed licensing changes they fear will cripple their livelihoods.
Cumberland Council, formed by the merger of Allerdale, Copeland and Carlisle councils, is consulting on a new policy set to be implemented next April.
The proposals have sparked outrage among drivers and owners across West Cumbria.
A key sticking point is the age limit for taxis. Under the new rules, only vehicles under ten years old would be eligible to operate as private hire or hackney carriages.
Tanisha Dobinson, who runs Stainburn Travel in Workington, estimates this would affect a staggering 90% of cabs in the former Allerdale and Copeland areas.
"These vehicles pass strict tests every four months," argues Dobinson. "Suddenly, they're not good enough? Replacing them with new cars is simply unrealistic in today's economy."
Dobinson fears the policy could force 250 taxis off the road and cost up to 15 drivers their jobs. She warns this will worsen the existing shortage of taxis, impacting services like late-night rides, assistance for the elderly, adult social care, school and NHS transport.
The proposed code of conduct has also ruffled feathers. While drivers support measures related to safety and passenger well-being, they object to the suggested dress code and behaviour protocols.
"We're not in a big city," says Dobinson. "These rules feel completely out of touch with our rural reality. Who dictates what I wear at 3 am behind the wheel?"
The ban on eating in-vehicle for both drivers and passengers is another point of contention.
Drivers with medical conditions such as diabetes highlight the safety concerns of working long hours without sustenance.
The council, however, maintains these changes are necessary to ensure passenger safety, accessibility, and environmental efficiency. It emphasises that the consultation is open for feedback, and the final policy will be shaped by responses from drivers and the public.
The council also clarifies that the suggested age limit is just a proposal, and the consultation aims to gather feedback on all aspects of the policy, including dress codes.
Cumberland Council encourages everyone to participate in the consultation, as only these responses will be considered when finalising the new policy.
The official Cumberland Council consultation can be filled out here: https://shorturl.at/xg1Hy
Bolton taxi drivers are urged to sign up for free safeguarding and disability awareness training before the deadline on October 31st, 2024.
The training is set out in the Department for Transport's Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards, introduced in July 2019.
It was particularly encouraged by disability rights groups who advocated for better accessibility in public transport.
"There's still over twelve weeks to go to sign up and get the online training completed," said Councillor Sue Haworth, Bolton Council's cabinet member for regulatory services.
The free training covers recognising signs of abuse, human trafficking, and best practices for safeguarding vulnerable adults, children, and young people.
Originally planned for completion by the end of 2023, only around a third of Bolton's roughly 1,500 taxi drivers had finished the programme by then.
As a result, the deadline for free enrollment has been extended to October 31st, 2024.
"Drivers who are left untrained after this date will need to pay a charge to complete the mandatory training when renewing their licences," explained Cllr Haworth. "It's much better to take advantage of the free offer now."
The council transitioned to online training in March 2022 due to Covid-19 restrictions. Email reminders were sent in 2022 and 2023, and taxi trade representatives have actively encouraged drivers to participate through WhatsApp messages.
Cllr Haworth expressed gratitude to Bolton's taxi trade representatives for their continued support in promoting the training programme.
A Conwy Council governance and audit meeting on Monday 22 July, revealed a critical failing that allowed a taxi driver whose licence had been revoked to continue transporting children to school.
Councillor Tom Montgomery raised concerns about "safeguarding issues" affecting school taxis during a discussion on internal performance.
He revealed that a taxi driver, whose licence had been withdrawn by the council's licensing committee, was able to continue working "possibly for years" due to an licence not being surrendered.
This oversight resulted in a driver with a revoked licence being entrusted with the safety of children.
The nature of the driver's licence revocation raises further questions about the potential risk posed to children.
Cllr. Montgomery highlighted that a promised report from the council's cabinet members explaining this lapse in procedure had not been delivered since December 2021.
Conwy's transport manager, Andrew Dawson, acknowledged the error as "human error" and assured the council that procedures to verify driver licences have been significantly tightened since the incident.
He clarified that these checks apply to drivers directly employed by the council's school transport programme.
Cllr. Montgomery said he would pursue the matter outside of the meeting.
Worcester City Council is seeking public opinion on a proposal to make safeguarding training mandatory for taxi and private hire drivers.
This training aims to equip drivers with the skills to identify and respond to passengers who might be vulnerable or experiencing abuse.
The council hopes this will reduce the risk of harm to children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
The plan outlines refresher training every three years, coinciding with license renewals.
“Taxi drivers are crucial for Worcester’s transportation network,” said Cllr Richard Udall, chair of the licensing committee.
“Equipping them with the latest safeguarding knowledge is vital for everyone’s safety.”
The council welcomes feedback from taxi drivers, private hire operators, and various community groups, including those in transport, welfare, and business sectors.
Night-time economy representatives are also encouraged to participate, as taxis often play a role in getting people home safely.
The proposal comes after the DfT issued new statutory guidance to taxi and private hire licensing authorities in 2020.
To have your say, visit www.worcester.gov.uk/voiceit.
The closing date of this consultation is 12 September 2024.
The council’s licensing committee will review the results in October, with a potential implementation date of January 1st, 2025.
Ways of increasing the amount of wheelchair-accessible taxis across the city are set to be explored to make it easier for those who need one to get one.
Cumbrian taxi drivers are fighting back against proposed licensing changes they fear will cripple their livelihoods.
Bolton taxi drivers are urged to sign up for free safeguarding and disability awareness training before the deadline on October 31st, 2024.
A Conwy Council meeting on Monday revealed a critical failing that allowed a taxi driver whose license had been revoked to continue transporting children to school.
Worcester City Council is seeking public opinion on a proposal to make safeguarding training mandatory for taxi and private hire drivers.
A proposal to increase driver, vehicle and private hire operator licences was discussed on Friday 19 July 19 at Sheffield City Council’s waste and street scene committee.
Through this collaboration, FREENOW willl provide additional benefits giving drivers up to 25% off pay-as-you-go rates across the entire bp pulse electric charging network and discounted fuel at all UK bp branded sites.
Wakefield Licensing, working alongside West Yorks Police Roads Policing unit, NPT, Off-Road Bike Team, Police Intercept Team, DVLA & DVSA, held a Partnership Day of Action at Thornes Park.
A pilot emissions reduction grant scheme providing financial support for hackney carriage drivers to upgrade to cleaner EURO 6 and fully battery powered vehicles has been launched.
The ride-hailing giant has submitted an application for an operator licence to Darlington Borough Council, with a decision expected in August.
Darlington could soon see Uber cars on its streets after the ride-hailing giant applied for a licence to operate in the town.
Stratford-upon-Avon District Council has revoked the licences of two taxi drivers following a series of speeding offences.
A Northampton taxi driver has been found guilty of trafficking cocaine between his home city and Milford Haven.
The move comes after concerns were raised by the taxi industry about the rising cost of purchasing new vehicles.
Guide Dogs charity has asked licensing authorities in England for their support in sharing guidance on the law on carrying guide or other assistance dogs with all taxi and private hire operators.
Reading Taxi Association (RTA) chairman Asif Rashid has slammed Reading Borough Council's proposed phase-out of older petrol and diesel cabs by 2028, calling it a financial burden for drivers.
Dorset Council is poised to review taxi fares across the region, excluding Weymouth and Portland which have separate regulations.
A North Belfast man, Ruairi Fintan Muldoon (31), has been sentenced to 12 months in prison with an additional 12 months on supervised release for a botched attempt to rob a taxi driver.
Passengers are been invited to take part in a survey aimed at finding out if the taxi trade in West Suffolk is accessible to all.
A Glasgow man, Darren Gray, 31, launched into a verbal tirade and racially abused a taxi driver on Paisley Road West on August 19th, 2022.