Taxi drivers in Cheltenham could join council working group.

NEW working groups could be created in Cheltenham to consider the town's taxis and licensing policies.

Cheltenham Borough Council wants to get cabbies on board as it looks at the way private hire and taxis are regulated.

It comes as licensing bosses are thinking of introducing a scheme to make taxis painted identically when cars are replaced by drivers.

Councillors will decide on Friday, April 5, whether or not to set up three working groups, with one looking at vehicle licensing, driver licensing and licensed operators.

Officers of the council hope to set up the groups by May and they will consist of six trade representatives, including both taxi and private hire licence holders, three councillors and two officers.

If the proposal is given the go-ahead, the council will be writing to taxi companies and drivers to invite them to join the committee.

Di Mitten, of Central Taxis in Royal Well Road, said it was not the first time the council had tried something like this – and it had been unsuccessful in the past.

She said: "This has all been tried before and not been successful.

"I guess there are different people involved so we will just have to wait and see, but they are always doing things like this.

"I am not sure whether we would be part of it or not, I guess we will have to wait and see.

"Taxis are faced with hundreds of problems at the moment – I just don't know where to start.

"There are so many taxis on the roads, the fees are extortionate and they can dictate to us what we can and can't do."

Another taxi driver, who did not wish to be named, said: "It would be good to get more of a say in the future, but it's been tried before and it doesn't work.

"Personally I think it would just become a talking shop.

"With the recession the way it is we haven't got time to be sat around chatting as we need to be out on the road earning money.

"But it is important we have a say in licensing for the future as it sometimes it has felt like people are making decisions in their ivory towers.

"Personally I would like to see less taxis on the road as more licences mean less cash for us all, so hopefully people will push for that."

In his report, council officer Louis Krog said: "To permit as many trade representatives to contribute directly to the working groups, an individual will only be permitted to sit on one working group thereby allowing opportunity for up to 18 individuals to participate."


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