Shropshire Council is set to give the green light to a significant increase in taxi fares across the county. 

The proposed changes, which will be discussed by the council's licensing committee next week, would see daytime fares rise from £1.80 to £2 per mile, with night rates increasing to £3 per mile.

The "flag and first mile" rates would also see an increase of 50p to £6 during the day.

Hackney carriage fares haven't risen since 2022, but were revisited this year following a request from a black cab proprietor.

A consultation held in July garnered support from the drivers who participated, although some expressed concerns that the proposed maximum fares were still too low given the rising costs of fuel, repairs, and the overall cost of living.

Shropshire Council's licensing committee report states that the proposed fare increases are "fair and reasonable" when considering the rise in fuel prices and the cost of living.

The changes are expected to help cab drivers offset some of their increased costs without pricing themselves out of the market.

The recommended increases are scheduled for approval at the Shropshire Council's strategic licensing committee meeting on Wednesday, October 9.

If approved, the new fares would take effect on October 17.

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A Derby woman who robbed a taxi driver and sped off in his cab through the city centre has escaped an immediate prison sentence.

However, her accomplice and boyfriend has been jailed for an unrelated attack.

The incident occurred on the night of October 6, 2023, when Lizzie Smith and Jake Sutherland hailed a taxi outside the Stratford Haven pub in West Bridgford.

After demanding the driver's money, Smith took control of the vehicle and drove away at speeds of up to 50mph, with Sutherland and the victim still inside.

She jumped several red lights and at one point collided with another taxi.

The taxi driver was subjected to a terrifying ordeal, including being repeatedly punched and strangled by Sutherland.

He managed to escape the vehicle at a red light, and the pair were later arrested by police after they tracked the vehicle using ANPR .

Smith was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, ordered to carry out 200 hours’ unpaid work and was disqualified from driving for two years.

Sutherland was given a five-year jail term for his involvement in the robbery and a separate assault on Smith.

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Wolverhampton Council has issued a staggering 8,563 new taxi licences in just five months this year, more than 30 times higher than other Midlands authorities.

The GMB union, which uncovered these figures, warns of a "flooded marketplace" that is driving down earnings for drivers.

While Birmingham, a much larger city, issued only 277 licences, 94 licences were issued in Walsall, 76 in Leicester, and 27 Coventry, in the same period.

Wolverhampton has become a magnet for taxi licence applications which the council suggests is due to longer processing times and higher fees elsewhere.

The GMB's research, which contains figures for 16 licensing authorities in the West and East Midlands, reveals that up to 96% of licences issued by Wolverhampton in the 2023-24 financial year were for drivers who live outside of Wolverhampton.

GMB Organiser, Kate Gorton, expressed concern about the impact of this influx of licences on drivers' incomes.

She said: “We’ve got one council essentially issuing licences for the rest of the whole region.

"More and more drivers report a flooded marketplace is pushing down income" and they are finding themselves "waiting for longer between jobs.

The union has called for greater standardisation across licensing authorities in terms of fees, processing times, and driver tests.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham previously raised concerns about the high proportion of out-of-town taxis in his region, suggesting that safety checks might not be as stringent.

A spokesperson for Wolverhampton Council defended its practices, stating that it cannot refuse applications that meet the requirements.

"It is illegal for licensing authorities to impose a limit on the number of private hire licences it issues.

“As a council, we support further standardisation, however, legislation is required to introduce any changes and the council is not in control of this."

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Pendle Borough Council is exploring the possibility of revising its taxi licensing policies to implement stricter standards for vehicle ages.

In an effort to improve overall vehicle safety and standards, the council's Taxi Licensing Committee has been tasked with forming a working group to examine the age-related policies of other local authorities.

This initiative comes in the wake of ongoing discussions and debates surrounding the best practices for enhancing taxi and private hire services in the area.

Recent spot checks conducted by the council revealed "unacceptably high failure rates" among taxis, leading to recommendations for stricter regulations, including mandatory mobile phone app usage for inspections and driver training.

The Taxi Licensing Committee is currently working on an action plan that includes addressing issues such as vehicle accessibility for disabled passengers, enforcing licensing rules, driver training, installing CCTV in taxis, and exploring options for ride-sharing and separate fare payments.

Earlier this summer, the committee also considered a minor amendment to the council's taxi licensing policy regarding the reinstatement of licences for drivers whose previous applications have been refused or revoked.

The proposed change would introduce more flexibility for re-applications, allowing them to be considered under certain circumstances.

The decision to suspend or revoke a driver's licence is currently delegated to a senior council officer in consultation with the committee's chairman.

The original policy required a waiting period of 12 months before drivers could re-apply. However, some councillors advocated for a more nuanced approach, allowing for exceptions in cases where the driver's circumstances warranted it.

While the council's officers and some councillors expressed satisfaction with the existing system, they acknowledged the potential benefits of a minor adjustment. The taxi committee supported the minor change which was fed back to the full council.

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Motorists across the UK can breathe a sigh of relief this October as a new set of regulations aims to make parking fairer and less stressful. The biggest change? A mandatory 10-minute grace period! Under the Private Parking Sector Single Code of Practice, those pesky fines for going a minute over your paid parking time will be a thing of the past.

This new code, developed by the British Parking Association and the International Parking Community, promises greater transparency and consistency for drivers.

Here's what you can expect:

• No More Minute Madness: The 10-minute grace period means you won't be fined if you dash back to your car just a few minutes late.
• Appealing Your Fate: A new Appeals Charter will give drivers a clear path to contest parking charges they believe are unfair.
• Uniformity is Key: Private parking companies will have to follow the same set of rules, making things less confusing for motorists.
• Clear Signs, Clear Minds: Signage on private land will be standardised, helping you understand parking restrictions easily.
• Protecting the Vulnerable: Don't worry, the new code won't make it easier to abuse disabled parking bays or park selfishly.
• Keeping Costs in Check: The maximum parking charge remains capped at £100, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.

Private parking companies had to implement the new single Code on 1 October, with existing sites needing to be updated by December 2026.

The new sector Code can be downloaded here: https://shorturl.at/QaymR

Meanwhile, Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver Labour's first budget on October 30 with many fearing that fuel duty will be one of the areas used to tackle a "£22billion blackhole" in the finances. A 5p per litre fuel duty cut was introduced by then-Chancellor Rishi Sunak to deal with high petrol and diesel prices following the war in Ukraine.

In March this year, Jeremy Hunt extended the cut by 12 months as drivers still needed the support. However, some believe this will be scrapped in the budget, especially as fuel prices have recently dropped to their lowest since 2021.

Other motoring experts have raised concerns that a pay-per-mile road pricing system could be introduced. However, this is unlikely to be in place soon even if approved.

Finally, drivers in Jersey will see changes to medical licensing requirements on 5 October. These changes align with UK and EU regulations and affect when drivers need medical certificates, licence validity periods, and how some medical conditions, like poor vision, epilepsy, and diabetes, are handled. For more details, visit the Jersey Government website: https://shorturl.at/lRlth

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