On Monday 26 June, Eastbourne Borough Council’s licensing committee agreed to go out to consultation on its plans to change its licensing guidelines for taxi operators, which include a significant change to accessibility.
According to the Sussex Express, at the moment, any new vehicles being put forward for use as a hackney carriage have to be wheelchair accessible to be considered by the council.
The council is proposing that it removes it this requirement.
The committee heard the change is being considered for broadly two reasons. Firstly, because the relatively high cost of wheelchair-accessible vehicles has been ‘a barrier’ to new drivers entering the trade.
Secondly, a concern that such vehicles may not be suitable for all disabled passengers.
This latter point saw some support from Cllr Hugh Parker (Lib Dem), who had some personal experience to share.
He said: “My late wife was completely wheelchair bound, so she needed a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.
“But she had MS, so it developed over time. When she was able to walk a wheelchair-accessible vehicle wouldn’t have been any good to her, because she couldn’t have got into the passenger seat, because it was too high.
“So that proves your point. We need a variety of disability-available vehicles, because disability is such a broad brush; it covers mobility, it covers sight, it covers hearing, it covers special needs, mental capacity if you like.
“It covers a variety of things and I think the transport that is offered by taxi and private hire needs to reflect that.
"It’s too easy to go for a wheelchair-accessible vehicle and then find that 50 per cent of the people that it turns up for can’t even get into it.”
The committee also heard how recently introduced legislation means all hackney and private hire drivers have a duty to carry disabled persons generally and provide mobility assistance, whether or not they have a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.
Even so, no decision will be taken until the results of the consultation are assessed.
The consultation is set to run for six weeks and will seek views from the trade, other organisations which operate in the district and the public more generally.
An operation to clamp down on unroadworthy taxis and private hire vehicles found a third of them to be ‘dangerous’.
The Redditch Standard reports that tests were carried out on vehicles in Redditch on the night of Saturday 1 July, by officers from Worcestershire Operational Patrol Unit and the county’s Regulatory Services (Trading Standards).
A total of nine cars were inspected and, police say, three were found to have ‘dangerous defects’.
Among them was a fuel leak and two drivers were reported for tyre offences.
All three cars were handed prohibition notices meaning they cannot be driven until the defects are corrected.
One other driver had to remove his illegal window tints as they were deemed too dark, impinging on the motorist’s visibility.
Source: https://redditchstandard.co.uk/news/three-in-nine-redditch-taxis-deemed-dangerous-after-checks/
Increased taxi fares in the Weymouth and Portland area could soon be introduced – after only one public objection was made to the proposals.
DorsetLive reports that a Dorset Council licensing sub-committee unanimously backed the new charges at a meeting on Thursday afternoon, 29 June.
Portland councillor Susan Cocking said she had no objection to the rises, expressing sympathy for local drivers who she said were seeing the same sort of increases in most things, as everyone else.
Weymouth Cllr Brian Heatley said his only worry was that the rises, which he had calculated as being between 3.2per cent and 5 per cent, would not be enough with official inflation running at 8.7 per cent.
The new rates, to be introduced during July, will see the two-mile payment rise to £7.60, similar to neighbouring areas, apart from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, where the two mile rate is £8.20.
The agreed increase will add 20p to the first mile and 10p to each subsequent mile – although taxi drivers can decide to charge less if they choose to.
Fares for the Weymouth and Portland area were last altered in April 2022, along with changes for the rest of the Dorset Council area.
A report to the committee: “The Weymouth Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Association have requested a further small rise this year, as they believe that smaller annual increases are accepted by the travelling public better than infrequent larger ones.”
Most of the hackney carriage operators who responded to the proposals when they were first suggested backed the increases, although one argued that many clients will not be able to afford the higher fares.
Source: https://www.dorset.live/news/dorset-news/increased-taxi-fares-could-set-8572615
Residents in and around Telford are being asked if they think CCTV would help them feel safer in taxis.
The Shropshire Star reports that currently Telford & Wrekin Council has a voluntary CCTV policy in place for taxis and secured some external funding to launch the pilot scheme.
To date, 25 licensed vehicles have been fitted with CCTV as part of the completed pilot scheme.
Going forward, the unit cost is approximately £800, payable by drivers.
However, the the council is now considering making taxi cameras mandatory and has launched the survey to find evidence to help decide if mandatory CCTV in taxis could improve overall safety.
The public consultation started on Friday 30 June, and will run for eight weeks.
It comes as a result of industry standards set out by The Department for Transport (DfT). The DfT’s view is that “the use of CCTV can provide a safer environment for the benefit of taxi/private hire vehicle passengers and drivers,” and has asked councils to consider demand locally.
No funding announcements have been made by the DfT.
Deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for homes & enforcement, Councillor Richard Overton said: “Safety of the people who live and work in Telford is paramount and CCTV may offer benefits for both passengers and drivers – but only if its something people think is necessary.
“Reported incidents involving Telford & Wrekin Council licensed taxis is low and CCTV is one tool we could use.
"As a collaborative council, we won’t proceed with any decisions until we have spoken with taxi users, owners and drivers to see where the evidence leads us.
“I would urge as many people as possible who have any involvement with taxis, to complete the survey, so we can make an informed decision.”
Access to the survey can be found at telford.gov.uk/cctvsurvey
Stevenage Borough Council is asking local residents and taxi drivers whether they think fares should go up.
According to The Comet, the authority is holding an annual consultation, with respondents invited to give their views on three different options.
Two of the options would see fares rise, while the third would keep fares at the same level.
Option one is to leave the minimum fare - currently £3.60 - unchanged, but to increase the mileage tariffs by 10 per cent at all times of the day.
For journeys within Stevenage, this would mean an overall fare increase that is below the rate of inflation, which was measured at 8.7 per cent in May 2023.
Option two would see a larger increase in fares, with a 10 per cent increase in mileage tariffs accompanied by a 20 pence rise in the minimum fare, to £3.80 from £3.60.
The third option would leave both the minimum fare and the mileage tariffs unchanged - making trips more affordable for customers, but meaning that drivers would receive a real terms cut in their income.
A journey of three miles - for example, from the railway station to St Nicholas Park - would currently cost £9 when taken between 6am and 11pm.
Under the proposed options, that journey would now cost £9.60, £9.80 or £9 for options one, two and three respectively.
Residents and drivers have until Thursday, July 6 to submit their responses on the council's website, ahead of the council implementing the agreed tariffs on July 20: https://www.stevenage.gov.uk/licensing-and-registration/taxis/taxi-fares-and-tariffs-consultation-annual-review-2023
Source: https://www.thecomet.net/news/23628742.stevenage-borough-council-asks-whether-taxi-fares-go/
Police have stopped a private hire driver who was driving the wrong way on the M1 close to Junction 8 at Hemel Hempstead.
Newcastle City Council is set to introduce strict new measures to tackle illegal and inconsiderate parking near Newcastle International Airport.
West Mercia Police is appealing for information following a rape that took place in Malvern's Priory Park early on Sunday, August 4th.
Glasgow taxi users could be facing a near-10% fare increase and extended night-time charges.
At least 14 cars have been damaged since June, with drivers suffering financial loss and emotional distress.
The attack happened at around 12.45pm on Etruria Vale Road, Stoke, when the victim, driving a Toyota Avensis, was punched in the face by one of the men.
Cumberland Council has taken decisive action to protect public safety by revoking the licence of a taxi driver charged last week with a serious racially aggravated offence.
A historic bridge has been closed indefinitely after an Uber car became wedged on Saturday morning.
A local councillor has sparked a debate on passenger safety after claiming that using locally licensed taxis is safer than hailing an Uber.
A taxi driver was attacked and subjected to racist abuse after two brothers refused to pay him up front.
Christopher Hilling, 64, admitted to engaging a child in sexual activity at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday 8 August.
Abdigani Ebrahim, 38, of Grangetown, admitted charges of affray and criminal damage following the incident in Northcote Street, Roath, last July.
The crackdown targeted drivers operating across council boundaries to ensure public safety and compliance with regulations.
Lucio Valentino relies on his six-year-old Border Collie, Pixel, to help manage his mental health conditions, including depression and personality disorders.
Taxi drivers across the Fylde Coast are set to receive a briefing note aimed at clearing up confusion over out-of-area private hire vehicles.
Police are appealing to find a taxi driver who may have "vital clues" about the murder of Ryan Passey seven years ago since he was fatally stabbed in a Stourbridge nightclub.
A joint operation by Hull City Council, Wolverhampton Council, and Humberside Police has uncovered a number of safety issues with taxis operating in the city.
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.