Drivers concerned over taxi licence shake-up in East LindseyCONCERNS have been raised about the possible impact changes to a licensing policy could have on local taxi services.
East Lindsey District Council is currently holding a consultation on a series of proposed changes which it believes could improve the standard of service offered to local people.
Chairman of the Skegness Taxi Drivers’ Association, Darrell Blackburn attended a meeting of the town council’s business and resources committee to discuss the consultation with members.
Mr Blackburn said: “Basically, we are thinking some of these things they are proposing are good and some not so good.
“There is broad feeling that a lot of this is going to be bad for us. One of our main concerns is the penalty points system.”
He highlighted one policy suggestion that drivers could be liable for points if they refused to pick up a fair without a reasonable excuse.
Councillor Dick Edginton said: “Using the analogy of a public house licensee, a licensee can refuse to serve someone and it would seem to me a licensed taxi driver should be able to do the same.
“I would think an experienced taxi driver has a sixth sense and can tell someone that is likely to be troublesome.”
Concerns were raised by councillors that if new policy additions had a cost impact on the taxi driver this could push up fairs for customers.
Councillor Mark Anderson said: “We have got to make a service which is fit and proper but also affordable.
“My main concern is not just taxi drivers but the people who use them, the vulnerable and the elderly. Could we be pricing them out? There’s got to be balance.”
Although Skegness has the highest number of taxi drivers in East Lindsey, the town council’s comments may not be taken into consideration.
The deadline for responses is December 2 but the council will not be able to submit its comments until after the next meeting on December 7.
ELDC rejected a request to extend the deadline because of the tight timescale in which a report is due to go before the licensing committee in December.
The council’s comments will be presented as a supplementary to the report but it will be up to the committee whether it chooses to consider them. An ELDC spokesman urged taxi drivers to make sure they submit any comments they on the proposals directly to the authority for consideration.
source: http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/Drivers-concerned-taxi-licence-shake-East-Lindsey/story-13910787-detail/story.html
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