Taxi Driver Online

Drivers left fuming over taxi licence pricing hike
source: http://www.thisischeshire.co.uk/


TAXI drivers are infuriated that some have seen their annual licence fee rise by 300 per cent this year.

An operator’s licence for one car cost £25 last year, but in 2010 taxi drivers face paying £100 – a 300 per cent rise.

But anyone who wants contracted work from the council as an individual – such as taking children to school – must have an operator’s licence.

It has left taxi drivers angery at the charge, which they see as an added tax on getting work from Warrington Borough Council.

One driver, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “The council is ripping off the town’s taxi drivers. It has sent us all letters informing us that it has increased operating costs by, in one case, 300 per cent for an operator’s licence for one vehicle.

“The drivers can’t do anything but pay it.

“This is its way of supporting the taxi trade through the recession? It’s a joke and unjust.”

Meanwhile, a driving badge for a taxi driver will go up in April from £28 to £72.

But then drivers also need to consider adding and extra £5 for a DVLA check an a £5 administration charge, making it £82 in total.

A further £5 charge has been added for administration for a Criminal Records Bureau check.

The taxi driver added: “It’s like they are playing Russian roulette with people’s livelihood.”

Barry Eaton, passenger transport manager for the council, said: “The council is required to recover all costs in relation to Hackney/private hire driver, vehicle and operator licensing to ensure none of these costs fall to the council tax payer.

“Some fees have not increased for several years thanks to the careful management of previously accrued reserves of licensing monies.

“Additionally, we have also increased enforcement activities to ensure that passengers receive a good standard of service and that guidelines are met.

“These increases reflect the costs required to administer the service and care has been taken to ensure that fees do compare with other local licensing authorities.”

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

thats cheap compared to many councils !

my CRB was £36
and licence £97


still it all helps to keep a few useless twits in a job with a good set of benefits / pension and so on - so i am only too happy to pay.........


NOT !

£100 ffs I will take 2, ours has been over £170 for the last 10 years

Some folk don't know when they are well off.

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Grandad,

It is cheap compared to most,but! how does a whooping 300% rise get justified. I feel that they should justify it, if only to stop them doing it year on year...............Once they start!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

Maybe you've been getting ripped off

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Love to know how that concurs with Manchester-v-King.

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IDFIMH

Anyone fancy a bit of overtime to beat the recession

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

Or they are catching up with the real world

There used to be a post on the main page of tdo showing all the fees and drivers badge prices and how long they ran for the whole of the UK but Alex has not put it back up on the new home page
well out of date now but it could be updated

Are you volunteering?

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IDFIMH

Well done, Skippy. A man with community spirit; I like that.

Derby Hackney
BADGE £138 a year
CRB £36 every 3 years
VEHICLE LICENCE £117 a year

The County Council don't charge for CRB for the school contracts though.

100% illegal.

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IDFIMH

On what grounds?

This could be interesting.

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Grandad,