Taxi Driver Online

Taxi de-zoning considered in North Northamptonshire area

Plans for a review of the existing taxi zones in the North Northamptonshire Council area will be discussed by the authority’s Executive next week.

If recommendations are approved a consultation would then consider whether the four current zones should be retained or replaced with one zone for North Northamptonshire.

When North Northamptonshire Council was formed, for the purposes of taxi licensing, the previous former authority area zones were retained: Corby, East Northamptonshire, Kettering and Wellingborough.

Each zone continues to licence its own taxis and drivers as well as operate to the byelaws currently in existence for that former area. It also means that a driver and vehicle wishing to operate across the whole of North Northamptonshire would need to obtain four licences.

Now we have one Council area it makes sense to review the legacy systems that we have in place and consider whether one zone for the whole of the area would be best.

There are many advantages to operating with one zone and it goes alongside what the Department for Transport recommends. However there are a number of important considerations that need to be taken into account, so it’s essential that we carry out a thorough consultation process.
Cllr David Brackenbury, The Council’s Executive Member for Growth and Regeneration

Current thinking suggests that there are advantages to having one zone in that taxis could ply for hire across the whole area, which would reduce travelling costs as taxis could operate in the town at the end of a journey rather than returning to base empty.

This would allow them to be more competitive, efficient and environmentally sustainable due to the potential for fewer empty journeys.

Additionally, the Department for Transport recommends the abolition of zones for the benefit of the travelling public. One zone would also allow the trade to respond flexibly to changes in demand across the whole Council area.

Adopting a one zone policy would raise some considerations such as the potential need to review the existing knowledge tests which all drivers must complete as well as paying attention to areas where there is currently a limit on the number of licences available.

We are one authority area and we need to continue our work to align our services in this way – as it makes it less confusing for residents and also more efficient to run.

We do recognize though that this needs to be done carefully with consideration to all of those involved and this piece of work does just that.
Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of the Council

The proposal follows the alignment of taxi tariff of fares in November 2022 and implementation of one Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy covering the whole of NNC’s area on April 1, 2023.

If the decision is to progress consideration of the removal of the zones at this time, then a 12-week consultation process will be undertaken with the trade, partners and travelling public.

Once the consultation process has been completed, the responses will be referred back to the Licensing and Appeals Committee to determine next steps, before final consideration by the Executive.

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IDFIMH

I don't know M youre supposed to be on holiday relax and leave the site to it's own devices for a few days


NN covers a pretty large geographical area I'm not sure the drivers will be keen on de-zoning

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

I suspect the drivers currently working in the quieter areas will be in favour, and the drivers working in the busier areas will not be in favour.

But I suspect it will be one big zone where everyone can work and rank where they think best.

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IDFIMH

No what will happen is the Corby firms will take over

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Have your say.

https://www.northnorthants.gov.uk/news/ ... -de-zoning

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IDFIMH

you know as well as I do that the descision is made and the "consultation " is done afterwards just to make it look like they were listening

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Taxi drivers say new North Northamptonshire zone is unworkable



Hackney carriage drivers claim a new enlarged taxi zone would be unworkable because they would struggle to learn all the streets.

In North Northamptonshire there are four taxi zones that cover the former council areas - Corby, Wellingborough, Kettering and East Northamptonshire.

Talks have begun on whether to keep the four zones or replace them with just one zone covering the whole area.

North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) said it "made sense" to look at it.

Neil Reilly, a taxi driver in Corby since 2013, said he already had "a detailed knowledge of Corby" but warned that "to do the knowledge test of North Northamptonshire" meant having to memorise a "vastly massive" area covering 382 sq miles (989 sq km).

He said: "There's no way that we're going to possibly know all the independent parks, streets, nooks and crannies of East Northants, Wellingborough, Kettering."

He said the geographical knowledge test needed for a licence was "just not going to be passable".

There are 228 hackney carriages licensed in North Northamptonshire, with half working in Corby.

Taxi driver Ian Robb said: "There's absolutely no logic to it, whatsoever.

"You don't have a streets test in a certain zone, expand the size of the zone and then expect everybody to be able to work in those areas.

"It's just farcical."

David Brackenbury, the council's executive member for growth and regeneration said: "The proposal is to remove the former authority area hackney carriage zones and to replace them with one hackney carriage zone for North Northamptonshire.

"It makes sense to look and consider whether this a viable option, but there are also a variety of elements to consider and to do this - we need the views of residents and stakeholders, including those who use taxis and drivers."

The council said current government guidance advises against the continuation of hackney carriage zones to remove any confusion for customers and to increase efficiency.

The consultation will run until 24 January.

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IDFIMH

we have never been "zoned" here as such but as a rule drivers work whichever of the four towns they are based in although increasingly they are are working other towns because work is poor locally.

especially night time as many of the pubs have closed and people just don't go out on the town any more.

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

a new update after plans passed by council

Note we have more than one thread on this story so I just picked one to attach this to but it sounds as though the trades gripes were ignored in the end. What a surprise a council not listening becaause it isn't in keeping with their plans

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2q0nwe60yyo

A proposed change to taxi zones in North Northamptonshire has been approved.

There are currently four zones that cover the former council areas of Corby, Wellingborough, Kettering and East Northamptonshire.

A consultation ran, external from late 2023 to early 2024 on whether they should be retained or replaced with a single zone covering the whole of North Northamptonshire.

Hackney carriage drivers have claimed a new enlarged taxi zone would be unworkable because they would struggle to learn all the streets.

Of the responses to the consultation, 54 agreed with the proposal to create a single zone while 143 disagreed.

At a meeting of North Northamptonshire Council’s executive on Thursday, David Brackenbury, executive member for growth and regeneration, said: "I do understand the concerns of the trade, I do understand the special status that Corby has... I know Corby has always tended to be a black-cab town.

"This is about de-zoning... The knowledge test is not part of the discussion today. That will come to a future meeting."



Neil Reilly said the knowledge test for the whole of North Northamptonshire would put cabbies off

There are 228 hackney carriages licensed in North Northamptonshire, with half of them working in Corby.

Neil Reilly, a taxi driver in Corby since 2013, said: “Most drivers in the Corby area are due to renew their badge next year.

"Many are approaching or past retirement age and have no interest in renewing. The costs involved in getting a badge, on top of the knowledge test, is putting drivers off applying.”

Taxi driver Ian Robb addressed Thursday's meeting and said: "I find it very difficult to say anything positive... You've ignored our representations... The consultation clearly shows there is no desire to de-zone but you intend to go ahead anyhow."

The four current zones will be scrapped and replaced with a single zone from 1 April 2025.

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector