Epping Forest District Council is proposing to increase taxi tariffs to help drivers with the cost of living.
The council is undertaking a consultation which proposes new prices for taxi journeys.
The consultation has been extended from the required 14-day consultation period to 31 days to allow sufficient time for any responses to be made and considered.
The consultation runs from Friday 1 December to Sunday 31 December 2023. Council officers will be liaising directly with taxi drivers, taxi companies, and town and parish councils.
The proposed new charges, once agreed, will start from Wednesday 28 February 2024.
The current tariffs have not been updated in nearly ten years. They were last reviewed in 2018 but no increases were made.
Since the current fare tariff was agreed in 2014, fuel prices have increased, and the cost of living continues to rise. Taxi tariffs need to reflect these costs to provide an adequate salary for drivers, and support taxi operators to continue providing a vital service.
Councillor Ken Williamson, Portfolio Holder for Regulatory Services said: "We understand everyone is feeling the impact of the cost of living and that increasing the price of another service may seem unfair.
"However, by doing so, we are helping to make sure the service continues across the district.
"Our taxi fares have not been changed in nearly a decade. Having an appropriate tariff means that the taxi industry remains economically stable, with a higher possibility of attracting new drivers and expanding the service.
"This benefits both the trade and the public as it is more likely drivers and taxi companies will stay in the district."
To see a summary of the new tariffs go to the taxi tariff consultation page here: https://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/licensing/taxi-tariff-consultation/
For further information or to make comments on the proposed increases contact the Licensing Team:
The consultation closes on Sunday 31 December 2023.
A cabbie says he’s endured ‘months of trauma’ after a customer smashed up his cab.
The Lancashire Post reports that Aminur Rahman, from Chorley, said he felt “vulnerable” and “helpless” during the incident in May when Jack Hardacre smashed a hole in the cab’s plastic screen, causing £300 of damage.
Mr Rahman said Hardacre, 28, started throwing punches at the screen after changing his mind over where he wanted to travel to.
Hardacre, from Walton-le-Dale, pleaded guilty to the criminal damage offence on October 20 – the day of his trail at Burnley Magistrates’ Court, but was found not guilty after trial of common assault.
He was sentenced to pay compensation of £320 and costs of £200.
Mr Rahman it was “an extremely frightening experience”, adding: “When the incident took place, I did feel vunerable, and not going to lie, helpless.
"The trauma takes a few months to get over it, it’s not easy.”
Mr Rahman was supported in court by the recently-formed Chorley Taxi Association (CTA)
Shaz Malik of CTA said: “When a taxi driver encounters an altercation with a customer, they must be cautious in their actions and words.
"Taxi drivers often feel afraid to take any action, fearing that they may lose their licence as a result.
"Having a violent or aggressive customer is every taxi driver's worst nightmare. It can result in abuse, racial abuse, physical harm to the driver, or damage to the vehicle.
"These situations usually arise because the customer refuses to pay their taxi fare.
"I strongly encourage all taxi drivers to report any such incidents to the police. While the process may be challenging and time-consuming, it is important to take legal action to prevent these crimes from happening again to other taxi drivers.”
He added: "Taxi drivers have rights, and they can refuse service if they feel threatened. Racially abusing a taxi driver, damaging their vehicle, or assaulting them is offensive and against the law.
"Taxi drivers provide a service and should not be treated as human punch bags just because you are paying for their services.”
Transport Secretary Mark Harper has set out the allocations of an £8.3 billion long-term plan, enough to resurface over 5,000 miles of road across the country over the next 11 years. It’s one of the key cornerstones of Network North to improve journeys for all.
Across England, local highway authorities will receive £150 million this financial year, followed by a further £150 million for 2024/2025, with the rest of the funding allocated through to 2034.
Each local authority can use their share of the £8.3 billion to identify what local roads are in most need of repair and deliver immediate improvements for communities and residents.
This is divided as:
£3.3 billion for local authorities in the North West, North East and Yorkshire & Humber;
£2.2 billion for local authorities in the West Midlands and East Midlands;
£2.8 billion for local authorities in the East of England, South East, South West and, for the first time in eight years, London.
We’ve already confirmed £5.5 billion up until 2024/25, which includes the £200 million announced by the Chancellor at the Budget in March.
The £8.3 billion nationwide boost comes on top of that and extends until 2034, providing long-term certainty to local authorities and helping to prevent potholes from coming back in the future.
The funding also comes on top of the local transport, road and rail budgets allocated at the last Spending Review and in addition to what local authorities were already expecting for the next decade.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “For too long politicians have shied away from taking the right long-term decisions to make life easier for hardworking families - tackling the scourge of potholes being a prime example.
“Well-maintained road surfaces could save drivers up to £440 each in expensive vehicle repairs, helping motorists keep more of the cash in their pocket.
“This unprecedented £8.3 billion investment will pave the road for better and safer journeys for millions of people across the country and put an end to the blight of nuisance potholes.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Most people travel by road and potholes can cause misery for motorists, from expensive vehicle repairs to bumpy, slow, and dangerous journeys. Our £8.3 billion boost to repair roads across the country shows that we’re on the side of drivers.
“Today’s biggest ever funding uplift for local road improvements is a victory for all road users, who will enjoy smoother, faster and safer trips - as we use redirected HS2 funding to make the right long-term decisions for a brighter future.”
This £8.3 billion boost is particularly important when considering that, according to a survey from the AA, fixing potholes and investing in roads maintenance is a priority for 96% of drivers. These funds can also help boost road safety and encourage active travel, as smoother road surfaces will make it safer and easier for cyclists to use roads with greater confidence.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Drivers’ biggest bugbear of all is the poor condition of local roads, so the fact the Government has found a significant additional pot of revenue should give councils the certainty of funding they need to plan proper long-term road maintenance, something we have been calling for many years.
“We hope local authorities will use the money in the most effective way possible by resurfacing the very worst roads, keeping those in reasonable condition in better states for longer through surface dressing, and filling potholes as permanently as possible wherever necessary.
“This should in time go a considerable way to bringing our roads back to a fit-for-purpose state and saving drivers hundreds of pounds in the process from not having to fork out for frustrating repairs to their vehicles.”
To increase transparency and ensure the £8.3 billion leads to an increase in the number of roads being resurfaced, local authorities will be required to publish information on their websites on a regular basis explaining how they are spending the funding in their area.
The measure is a key part of the Government’s Network North plan, with money redirected from HS2, instead going to improve the daily transport connections that matter most to people.
It builds on tough regulations announced in April this year to crack down on utility companies causing pothole pain with botched streetworks, through stricter inspections and costs for the worst offenders – backed by further measures in our Plan for Drivers announced just last month.
These include £70 million to keep traffic flowing, updating 20mph zone guidance for England to help prevent inappropriate blanket use, and measures to speed up the rollout of electric vehicle charging.
Edmund King OBE, AA president, said: “So far this year The AA has attended more than 450,000 pothole related breakdowns. The damage caused can be a huge financial burden for drivers but is also a major safety risk for those on two wheels.
“The £8.3 billion plan can make a considerable difference in bringing our roads back to the standards which road users expect, especially if councils use the cash efficiently to resurface our streets. As well as safer roads, eliminating potholes gives confidence to people wanting to cycle and instils pride of place within local communities.”
Network North will see £36 billion invested in hundreds of transport projects and initiatives across the country, and includes the extension of the £2 bus fare cap in England to the end of December 2024, as well as over £1 billion to improve bus journeys in the North and the Midlands.
Taxi fares in Guernsey have gone up by nearly 8%, with a ride costing at least an extra 30p per mile.
ITV News reports that the new rate comes in from today, Tuesday 28 November after being agreed by the Environment & Infrastructure Committee as well as the Guernsey Taxi Drivers Association.
The percentage increase was chosen to reflect the rising rate of inflation between June 2022 and June 2023.
E&I says the changes will mean a two-mile journey during the day will now cost islanders £8.70, an increase of 60p from the previous charge.
While in the evening, a five-mile journey will cost £23.10, an increase of £1.80.
Source: https://www.itv.com/news/channel/2023-11-28/guernsey-taxi-fares-rise-nearly-8
A taxi driver banned by a council from displaying a flag of the Cross of St George on his vehicle has lost his appeal – and his MP is now calling for councillors to change their rules.
According to the Shropshire Star, John Brockhurst, a taxi driver and military veteran from near Market Drayton, was told to remove the flag, along with a Union Jack and regimental logo, from his hackney carriage back in October.
The decision, from Shropshire Council, was because the authority said it did not comply with the advertising policy that hackney carriages must not feature any "symbols, flags or emblems".
It has now emerged that Mr Brockhurst, who runs Basil's Taxi, has lost an appeal against the decision.
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan said she has now written to Shropshire Councillors asking them to change rules which ban the display of national flags – including the St George’s Cross and Union Jack – in taxis across the county.
The MP has pointed out that the council's own policy says the Union Jack should be flown "on a daily basis unless otherwise directed" at council buildings.
In her letter to Shropshire Council Mrs Morgan says: "I am writing about Shropshire Councils’ flag flying policy which has impacted constituent and veteran, John ‘Basil’ Brockhurst, who runs 'Basil's Taxi' in Market Drayton.
"Basil prided himself on displaying the St George's Cross and the Union Flag on his taxi to pay tribute to the regiment and country he served for 40 years.
"He also used the flags to mark out his taxi among others, so that customers could spot him easily.
"Unfortunately, under the latest policy for carriage and private hire vehicles, the council have contacted John to ask him to remove the flags because they no longer comply with the policy which now prevents drivers from displaying any advertisements which include political symbols, flags, or emblems.
"I have recently been informed that Basil has lost his appeal with Shropshire Council.
"I am sure that you will agree that a Union Jack and regimental flag cannot be considered political statements, not least because Shropshire Council itself rightly flies the Union Jack in front of all council buildings.
"The council’s own flag-flying policy rules that the Union Jack should be “flown on a daily basis unless otherwise directed” on these buildings.
"I am writing today because I strongly feel that this policy should be changed and this wrong put right.
"As members of Shropshire Council it is within your power to ensure that this happens."
French taxi drivers are calling for government compensation after suffering significant revenue losses during the Paris Olympics.
Coventry city centre has introduced a new taxi marshal service aimed at improving safety and efficiency for late-night revellers.
A court heard harrowing details of the moment a drink-driving uninsured motorist killed three people in a 90mph crash.
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans was amongst the thousands who enjoyed the Battle Proms at Highclere Castle on 3 August.
Swindon residents could be facing a hike in taxi fares from October after councillors gave the green light to a £1 increase in the standard fare minimum charge.
Ricky Harold, a 20-year veteran of the town’s taxi trade, was parked in a lay-by when his vehicle was struck from behind by a black Audi A2.
Chinese automotive giant Geely has deepened its commitment to the UK electric vehicle market with a £120m cash injection into London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC).
North Tyneside Council is facing a backlash over plans to increase taxi fares by 6.3%.
Nazim Asmal preyed on his victims after nights out in Preston and Darwen, driving them to secluded spots before carrying out horrific sexual assaults.
Newcastle is set to see a surge in pink taxis driven by women as part of a new initiative aimed at improving passenger safety.
An unlicensed taxi driver who picked up two vulnerable women in Aberdare has been ordered to pay nearly £1,500 in fines and costs.
Cleethorpes taxi drivers are breathing a sigh of relief after council enforcement officers cracked down on vehicles illegally parked in designated taxi ranks.
A Barry man has avoided jail after launching a drunken attack on a taxi driver who refused him entry to his vehicle.
Jersey’s taxi service is in crisis, with driver numbers plummeting by more than a quarter since 2014, a new report has revealed.
On Wednesday 27 July, more than 300 vulnerable youngsters were taken on an all-expenses paid trip to Southport.
Taxi drivers in the town will be able to charge passengers more following a decision by the borough council on 31 July.
A taxi driver has been sentenced to a community order after admitting causing the death of a pedestrian by driving at excessive speed.
A joint operation by council, police, and DVSA officials has seen three taxis taken off the road in Oldham due to safety concerns.
Taxi drivers licensed by Mid Sussex could soon be forced to accept card payments, following a surge in complaints about cash-only services.
Two men have avoided immediate jail time after a high-speed race left a taxi driver with serious injuries.