Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers oppose penalty point scheme

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0rgvkk7qy1o

Plans to introduce a penalty point system for taxi drivers has been met with opposition from the sector.

The scheme would see Cumberland Council penalise drivers for not complying with their licence, smoking in their vehicle, playing loud music and not displaying the correct signs, among other offences.

The local authority launched a consultation on the plans earlier this year and its regulatory committee is now considering amendments in light of feedback.

One response said the scheme was "completely unnecessary" and would lead to an "excessive amount" of time being spent dealing with complaints.

A report prepared ahead of the regulatory committee meeting on Monday said "the majority" of those responding called for the scheme to be scrapped.

The council wants to press ahead with implementing a penalty point system, but highlighted some areas for amendment and the need for more details on procedures.

Its proposal was based on the scheme introduced by the now-defunct Carlisle City Council, which was merged with Allerdale and Copeland councils to form Cumberland Council in 2023.

Threat of complaints

One response to the consultation said the penalty point system did not give "any space for human error".

"Small issues that can easily be ironed out in a matter of seconds or minutes should not impose the threat of penalty points or revocation of operators' licences," it said.

They added the "threat" of points may deter drivers from being open with licensing staff, while they preferred to work "hand in hand".

Another response raised concerns about the potential for "vindictive" complaints about competitors, "with the intention of putting other operators or certain drivers off the road".

One response was in favour of the scheme, but said it would only work "as long as there is someone to enforce it".

Hundreds sign petition

Some amendments to the original draft have already been proposed, including the requirement for drivers to adhere to a dress code and restrictions on licensing cars older than 10 years.

The committee will be asked to approve the amendments next week, with a view to considering a new version of the penalty point system in January.

About 100 people had attended consultation events and responses sent to the council included one from a trade association with 150 members.

A petition with 1,500 signatures could not be considered as part of the consultation, the authority said, as petitions were dealt with through a different process.

However, an update on its outcome would be given at the January meeting.

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IDFIMH

Taxi drivers have huge concerns over new council guidelines

https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/2471 ... uidelines/

COUNCILLORS have a agreed a number of changes to a proposed policy which regulates taxi drivers in the Cumberland Council area.

Members of the council's regulatory committee met at Allerdale House in Workington on Monday (November 11) to consider the draft Cumberland Taxi and Private Hire Policy 2025.

It was recommended that they agree the amendments to the criteria consulted on and added by officers which included removing the upper age limit for vehicles.

During a public consultation period, which was extended, the plans proved controversial with drivers and operators due to a penalty point system which would see drivers penalised for not complying with their licence as well an extensive dress code.

Members heard that the text of the dress code have been greatly reduced and further work will be carried out on reviewing the penalty point system before the draft policy returns to the committee for final approval in January next year.

During the meeting the public gallery was packed with taxi drivers some of who had submitted questions to be asked during the public participation part of the agenda.

Speaking after the meeting Christopher Bray, the secretary of the Hackney Carriages and Private Hire Association of Carlisle, said the committee seemed uninformed and did not know the rules and regulations of taxis.

He added: "I can't see what difference it has made today, none whatsoever."

He said he was pleased the age limit had been removed and added: "The age limit had to be lifted so we have got some kind of result because at the moment the white cars, or saloon type taxis, have got to be three years or under to be licenced."

Mr Bray said that he felt the draft policy could mean the "end of the road" for some drivers in Cumberland and added: "Without a doubt. We just can't compete."

Jill Perry committee chairwoman councillor (Bothel and Wharrels, Green Party) said they were hoping to get the right policy in January.

She said: "We've listened very carefully to the taxi drivers concerned . We extended the consultation period because it was felt that we were being too speedy with it.

"A number of questions were withdrawn because we had addressed the issues in the course of the meeting so I am happy that we have listened where we can and we will get a good policy in January."

Who would have thought?

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IDFIMH

Only a couple of months ago, but I have zero recollection of the stuff above, even though I posted one of the articles...

But this is Captain Cab's domain, so there are other threads on this, but this is the latest one.

And presumably CC has gone on another sabbatical from here for who knows how many years

But this is all very procedural, and other than the stuff about watering down the dress code and penalty points, and the legacy zones, not really much of substance here...


Proposed regulations on taxi drivers to be discussed by council

https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/2488 ... d-council/

A PROPOSED policy which regulates taxi drivers in the Cumberland area will be further examined next week.

Members of Cumberland Council’s regulatory committee are due to meet at Allerdale House in Workington on Friday (January 31) from 10.30am.

Members of the committee previously agreed a number of changes to the Cumberland Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy 2025 at an earlier meeting in November last year.

At the meeting it was recommended that they agree the amendments to the criteria consulted on and added by officers which included removing the upper age limit for vehicles.

During a public consultation period, which was extended, the plans proved controversial with drivers and operators due to a penalty point system which would see drivers penalised for not complying with their licence as well an extensive dress code.

Members heard that the text of the dress code have been greatly reduced and further work will be carried out on reviewing the penalty point system before the draft policy returns to the committee for final approval next week.

On Friday it is recommended that the committee:

- approve the amendments to the policy to take effect from April 1;
- approve the advertising policy to take effect from April 1;
- approve the penalty points scheme to take effect from April 1;
- approve the commencement of public consultation on the retention of three controlled licencing districts and proposal for the abolishment of the three legacy controlled licensing districts and the creation of one controlled licensing district for Cumberland.

The report states: “The committee also made decisions on the age of vehicles and the testing requirements and agreed that section two, the penalty points scheme, should be reviewed by officers and brought back to the Committee in January 2025 for approval. Officers have amended the policy in line with the decision made at the committee.”

According to the report the review of legacy conditions and approval of Cumberland wide conditions raised the question of a single Cumberland area for the administration of hackney carriage and private hire functions to operate across its whole area.

It adds: “The legacy areas of Allerdale, Carlisle and Copeland had previously resolved to adopt Part II of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and operated as controlled districts for the administration of hackney carriage and private hire functions.

“Consultation on the Cumberland wide Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy was specific to the content of the policy and not the creation of a single Cumberland single controlled district/area for the administration of hackney carriage and private hire functions.

“Consultation on a Cumberland single controlled district/area for the administration of hackney carriage and private hire functions is recommended and detailed in section three of this report.”

Not really skim reading stuff that, even for trade anoraks like me, so I wonder what the average reader of the News & Star makes of it all?

Also interesting is that they've got a photo gallery of 12 images, but I didn't feel the need to include any of them here - talk about generic photos of council buildings and taxi roof signs

(The 12 thumbnails should be visible in a row near the bottom of the screen...)

https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/2488 ... /#gallery0

Some reasonably interesting discussion about the penalty points system here...

I'd forgotten about the proposed ban on drivers eating in their car, which was in an earlier thread - presumably that's been dumped, but it's not entirely clear from this...


Consultation launches into bid to standardise taxi rules across north and West Cumbria

https://cumbriacrack.com/2025/02/01/con ... t-cumbria/

A 12-week consultation will be held over how taxis in north and West Cumbria are licensed.

Currently, taxis in the Cumberland area still operate under licensing districts of the former Allerdale, Carlisle City and Copeland authorities, which means the rules and tariffs are different for each of them.

The consultation will ask operators and drivers if the status quo should remain or if it should be replaced with a Cumberland-wide licensing policy.

Members of the council’s regulatory committee met at Allerdale House in Workington on Friday (January 31) to approve the Cumberland Hackney Carriage and Private Hire policy 2025.

The draft policy caused outrage when it was initially published, with operators fearing for their livelihoods due to strict regulations over dress code, eating in their vehicles and a penalty points system for breaches.

The new policy includes much reduced dress code regulations than those which were originally proposed as well as a fixed penalty scheme for breaches of vehicle licence conditions such as failure to have a valid MOT test.

Members agreed that no more than 12 points must be accumulated for the length of the licence: three years for drivers and five years for operators.

Members were told that officers had used a template points system which had been adopted by other councils across the country.

Councillor Trevor Allison (Dalston and Burgh, Conservative) said it seemed okay because at the end of the day a senior officer would have the final say on the penalty points.

And Councillor Sam Pollen (Egremont, Labour) agreed because it was about protecting drivers and added: “Looking at that it seems robust enough because there’s an appeal process.”

A licencing officer questioned why it must be a senior manager to make the decision, rather than a line manager, and he said when he first joined the council, penalty points were being thrown around like confetti which could hit drivers further down the line if they dropped a clanger.

He said they were not given out lightly and added: “It can stand scrutiny without a senior manager making a decision.”

Cllr Allison said: “The system has to be robust enough to deal with malicious complaints.”

The licensing officer said the council employed competent qualified licensing officers and Cllr Pollen said he felt made them perfectly able to make a decision.

When asked how many points he had given out or appeals there had been he said there had been two appeals and there were a total of 10 points from three cases in a two-year period.

He said the points system was a useful tool and councillor Jill Perry (Bothel and Wharrels, Green Party) said it was protection of the drivers by weeding out those who were not complying with licence conditions.

It was agreed that a senior officer could make the decision, rather than a senior manager, and that the points should last longer than one year to act as a deterrent when they agreed the policy which takes effect from April 1.

They also agreed to form a working group to look at the responses.

So a licensing officer is basically slagging off the recommendation.

That's a first for me.

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IDFIMH