Almost a third of licensed taxis in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area are unlikely to comply with European exhaust emission standards.
According to the Bournemouth Echo, BCP councillors have turned down a plea from the trade association to relax the council’s rules – although a review is to be requested for the new council to look at after the May elections.
David Lane from the BCP Taxi and Private Hire Association told councillors at a meeting on Thursday 9 March, that unless the requirement to meet the standards were relaxed he feared it could result in many drivers being forced to leave the trade because they would not be able to afford to buy newer vehicles.
The licensing committee meeting heard that 304 of the 938 BCP Council-registered fleet are thought to currently not comply with the Euro 6 emissions standard, mainly because they are older than when the exhaust levels were introduced.
Most of the committee members were against relaxing the need for licensed vehicles to comply with the standard – saying it would undermine BCP’s commitment to climate change.
Committee vice chair Cllr Toby Johnson said: “It would be a detrimental step to move it back any further.
"It would be a retrograde step for a council trying to be at the forefront of the climate change agenda.”
Others said they would like to see the current age restrictions on vehicles changed, replacing it with a mileage limit, and more done to encourage wheelchair accessible taxis, only two having been registered in the past year.
Cllr David Kelsey said he would like to see many of the hackney carriage and private hire policies reviewed given that most of the rules had been in place since before BCP Council came into being.
Committee chair Cllr Judy Butt agreed to call for that review with the committee voting to keep existing policies in place for now.
She is also to ask the council’s highways team to review the adequacy of taxi stand provision across the area after an informal audit found some possible shortcomings and places where new ranks might be provided.
Cllr David Brown asked for that review to also look at taking action against cars, other than taxis, parking in areas allocated as taxi stands or ranks.
He said the problem had been highlighted around the Dolphin Centre at Poole where members of the public had used taxi areas to park so they could go shopping – depriving the taxi drivers of the spaces allocated to them.
He said, on occasions, it had let to altercations with enforcement action needed by parking wardens to protect the spaces for their proper use.
Source: https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/23379585.fears-bcp-taxi-drivers-leave-trade-exhaust-rules/
Liverpool police stopped a private hire vehicle and reported the driver after he was seen driving the black Volkswagen with a frozen windscreen and only a small section of the windscreen clear.
The private hire vehicle was pulled over on Kensington in the early hours of on Saturday 11 March, as the driver was not able to see the full road ahead clearly.
Merseyside Police said in a tweet: "There was no way the driver of this private hire vehicle could've had a full view of the road.
"He was stopped on Kensington after he was seen driving around with a frozen windscreen and reported for the offence."
A Glasgow cab driver has said sorry after failing to admit he was convicted for a speeding offence to licensing officials.
The Glasgow Times reports that Zafer Orak was fined £130 and got three points on his licence in 2019 for driving at 43mph in a 30mph zone in the Rutherglen area during September 2018.
While the 43-year-old was recently applying for the renewal of his private hire car driver’s licence, police informed the licensing and regulatory committee about his record.
Chair councillor Alex Wilson, SNP, asked him why he had not mentioned the conviction during his licence renewal application or notified the licensing department about it.
Saying he had made a “mistake”, Mr Orak said: “I apologise, I’m sorry.”
When asked why he was speeding, he said he was running late.
Councillor Wilson said: “You are a private hire driver. Regardless of whether you are late you don’t speed around the city.
"You could have crashed your car or caused an accident.”
He warned Mr Orak he has a “lot of things to learn” if his licence is granted.
After leaving the room to consider the case and a number of others, councillors decided to grant Mr Orak’s licence but issued a warning about his future conduct.
Wolverhampton council is helping to protect licensed drivers by providing personal safety alarms in every vehicle and safety guides for every driver.
According to the Express and Star, the Secured by Design alarms, part of a national police security initiative, have a powerful 140 decibel siren and will help drivers raise the alarm if they feel threatened or unsafe.
The alarms will be rolled out across the council’s fleet of 20,000 licensed vehicles as drivers attend their annual inspections.
To offer further protection, the authority’s regulatory committee has approved the option of installing driver safety enclosures which separate drivers from passengers.
In addition, the council has worked in partnership with West Midlands Police to produce a ‘Safety Tips for Taxi and Private Hire Drivers’ guide.
The guide gives helpful information about subjects such as vehicle condition, accepting and collecting passengers, best ways to communicate and what to do if a problem arises.
Councillor Phil Page, chair of Wolverhampton Council’s statutory licensing committee and regulatory committee, said: “We deal with licences for a lot of taxis in Wolverhampton and the safety of both passengers and drivers is our top priority. Everyone has a right to feel safe in a taxi.
"As a licensing authority we constantly review driver and passenger safety and ways this can be improved.
"Providing personal alarms is a great initiative to reassure and protect our drivers.
“Being a taxi driver is a very important job as so many people rely on them for getting to appointments, travelling to work or enjoying leisure time.
"For this reason, I am also pleased that we have worked with West Midlands Police to develop a helpful guide full of useful pointers to make journeys safer and more comfortable for everyone.”
The driver safety advice guide is free and available to download at wolverhampton.gov.uk/licences/taxi-licences
A taxi driver who refused to take a disabled passenger has had his Hackney Carriage licence revoked.
The Stratford-upon-Avon Herald reports that Christopher Parker, from Shipston, was reported to Stratford District Council for refusing to take a fare from a man who was in a mobility scooter.
The 69-year-old, who was in his Hackney Carriage vehicle, had been available for hire at a taxi rank in Stratford town centre.
The district council said Parker, who had been a licensed Hackney Carriage driver since 1991, had received a considerable number of warnings and had previous action taken against him.
Following the latest complaint, the council’s licensing panel ruled he had breached his duty under s165 of the Equality Act 2010, which requires drivers of a wheelchair accessible taxi to carry a wheelchair user, and Section 164a, which imposes a duty on drivers to provide reasonable mobility assistance.
Cllr Christopher Kettle, legal and community safety portfolio holder at the council, said: “Under the Equality Act, licensed taxi drivers using accessible vehicles must not discriminate against disabled passengers and they should also give them assistance when required.
“Actions such as these is inexcusable and certainly not the high standard that we expect from our licensed drivers who all undergo disability awareness training to ensure they are aware of their legal obligation.”
Cllr Chris Mills, the licensing panel chairman added: “Taxi drivers hold a position of trust and have a duty of care, and when drivers fail in this duty we have no hesitation in revoking their licence.”
Parker can appeal against the decision to a magistrates’ court.
A private hire driver was found asleep in his vehicle in the middle of the road, prompting concerns for public safety.
A private hire driver who continued to work despite having his licence suspended, has been prosecuted by Oldham Council.
The Hinckley Area Taxi Association has proposed new tariffs to Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, which could make the borough's taxis the most expensive in Leicestershire.
Shaun Meenan attacked the teenager, who was a stranger to him, both in his vehicle and then in her home after gaining entry under false pretenses
Hillingdon Council launches consultation on PSPO to prohibit PHVs and taxis from waiting in residential streets around Heathrow Airport.
A taxi driver was left shaken after being robbed and assaulted by a knife-wielding passenger in Gateshead.
The proposed changes,which are set to be discussed at the licensing committee this week, would affect fares during weekdays, evenings,weekends, and festive periods.
A 71-year-old taxi driver has had his license revoked by the Stratford-on-Avon District Council due to public safety concerns.
Wolverhampton taxi drivers are set to be given powers to record audio in their cabs if they feel in danger following a spate of attacks.
Residents of Stirling are being invited to have their say on plans for a new taxi rank in the city center, as the local authority looks to address a growing demand for taxi services.
As of this year, only 278 licensed taxis are in service, significantly lower than the government's goal of 310.
Over 200 children from across England suffering from chronic or life-limiting conditions experienced a dream come true this weekend, thanks to a heartwarming initiative by London's black cab drivers.
Residents are being encouraged to participate in a consultation on proposed new taxi charges.
Taxi drivers at Bristol Parkway railway station are expressing frustration over a subsidised bus service that they believe is cutting into their business.
A year after the removal of a taxi rank due to lack of customers, Ipswich Borough Council is proposing to introduce a new five-place rank on Key Street.
A taxi driver who had his licence revoked following allegations of posting offensive material online has been given the chance to reapply.
The Glasgow Low Emission Zone (LEZ) has shown initial positive results in reducing air pollution, according to a new report.
Colin Aylward, who lives in Chittys Lane, Dagenham, captured the shocking incident on his home security system.
Independent Councilor Dave Patrick warned that the proposed increases would make Fenland one of the most expensive places in the country for taxi travel
Bleed kit charity, RAPAID, has already installed over 5,000 kits in UK cities in a bid to put emergency bandages in permanent circulation so that they are on hand whenever needed.