Taxi Driver Online

That's two chaotic fare-setting meetings in a couple of days now


Taxi fare rise decision is delayed after 'unclear' proposal causes confusion

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... d-16945987

No-one seemed to know exactly what was going on at the licensing meeting

Chaos and confusion marred a meeting to decide taxi fares in Wirral last night, as no one seemed to know what the proposed changes were.

The licensing meeting was being held to determine taxi driver union proposals to bring in a regular annual fare rise.

Derek Cummins, chair of the Unite Wirral taxi branch, said that under the current system taxi fares stay the same for a long period and then rise sharply - which causes anger for drivers and customers.

Mr Cummins suggested that instead the licensing committee should approve a proposal to increase fares steadily, based on a formula used by Transport for London (TfL).

However, council officers thought the proposal, submitted by Mark Hazlehurst, a colleague of Mr Cummins, was simply for a 3.6% fare increase from November 1.

A bizarre exchange followed, in which an email sent by Mr Hazlehurst to Wirral Council - suggesting he had made an error in his proposal - was presented to him.

Mr Hazlehurst admitted his email caused confusion as to the nature of the proposal.

Conservative Councillor Ian Lewis said he did not feel able to make a decision on the fare increase given the confusion.

The committee agreed to defer a decision on the matter until a clearer proposal was put forward.

Measures to make it easier for taxi drivers to pass their assessments were also discussed.

Mr Cummins said that when he sat the knowledge test for drivers, candidates were given a map and told to go away and complete the exam, with little advice on how they should prepare.

Labour Councillor Tony Norbury wanted assurances that applicants sitting the knowledge test were given as much help as possible to pass.

Council officers assured the committee that assistance and mentoring was provided and informed those assembled that 60% of Wirral taxi drivers pass within their first two attempts.

A time limit of six months from the start of the application process for a taxi driver to complete their assessments and paperwork needed in order to get their license was also agreed.

Recall that last year there were mega percentage rises after none for seven years or so, so the proposal this year is presumably intended to avoid that scenario happening again. But obviously it's all gone a bit pear-shaped.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=32992

Don't forget that the fare review in Melton has had to be resubmitted due to mega cock ups in the reports.

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politics in this country really has reached the stage where it is a joke

I think we need to make politicians take training courses and do NVQ/BTEC in how to be a politician because lets face it there are a great many who are completely incompetent both in local and National government

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Things seem to have calmed down a bit in the Wirral


Catching a taxi in Wirral is about to get more expensive

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... e-17258391

Trade unionists argue that the price rise is needed to keep up with expenses

Taxi fees [fares?] in Wirral are set to rise by an average of 3.6%, after the Unite union's proposal was accepted last night.

For a typical five mile journey, you can currently expect to pay £10.59, but after the changes go through the same journey will cost £10.90.

Derek Cummins, chair of the Unite Wirral taxi branch, told Wirral Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee that most taxi drivers want small, inflation-based rate rises, but there would always be “factions” who did not want to see any rise at all.

He said: “I’ve been a cab driver for 40 years. Every time there’s been a rise, there have been people who say it will kill the trade. These people who object with the way forward have no constructive way forward themselves.”

He added: “Everything is going up; Council Tax, taxi licenses all go up.

"I recommend we pass the 3.6% rise, but what we want to establish is inflation-based rises.

“If inflation is 0.7%, then that is what the rise will be and if inflation is 23%, then it [the rise] will be 23%.”

The issue prompted chaos at a meeting in September - when the union brought two different proposals for fares causing a row with council officers.

Mr Cummins said: “You will never satisfy everyone in the trade, but somewhere along the way you have to make a determination.”

Labour councillor Tony Norbury said the trade needs to come together and put a recommendation forward to the council, so that the current uncertainty and factionalism is avoided.

In September’s licensing meeting, it was unclear whether taxi drivers wanted to set their own rates or be tied to a Transport for London formula.

Mr Cummins nodded along to this suggestion and after Tory councillor Andrew Hodson, chair of the meeting, signalled his agreement, the council's policy was amended so that each year the JCC’s [a meeting of taxi drivers] recommended rate increase will be put forward for consideration.

Fare rise here not particularly interesting, more the question of representation and procedure etc.

Nothing particularly new as regard the latter either, but interesting nonetheless.


Councillors approve rise in Wirral taxi fares

https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/1818 ... axi-fares/

Taxi fares in Wirral are set to rise after union plans were voted through last night.

A rise of just over 3% was approved by Wirral Council’s licensing committee despite a petition signed by 51 taxi drivers objecting to the rate rise.

After last night’s vote, the fare increase will come in from March unless it is thrown out by the council’s cabinet.

A normal 10-mile journey on the day rate will cost £19.00 under the proposal, up from £18.40.

The same journey on the night rate – from 10pm-6am – will cost £24.20, 80p more than the current rate.

Those against the proposal said a rate rise would see black cabs lose out on trade to private hire vehicles.

One letter sent to the council, who would not give the person’s name, read: “I think that a further increase, no matter how small, is not in the best interest of the trade in general.

“We are slowly losing more and more customers to the private hire sector and this increase will only compound the problem.”

Another taxi driver argued more members of Unite the Union, which represents Wirral’s hackney carriage drivers, should have been involved in making the proposal.

The letter read: “This proposal is again from a small minority of union members, who attended a meeting and voted for this proposal.

“I am led to believe that there was less than 10 people present at the meeting and cannot understand why as a member of the trade myself that this can be put forward without all members being balloted.”

Derek Cummins, chair of Unite’s Wirral taxi branch, said every member had the opportunity to go to the meeting and it was their choice whether to turn up or not.

He added that for the last 30 years he has seen drivers protest every time a rate rise was proposed.

But Mr Cummins said that if fares were frozen every time someone objected “we’d still be running around at 50p a mile.”

For Mr Cummins, further fare freezes are not “economically possible.”

Only one comment on the Globe's website:

Is there anyone on this planet who thinks the RMT would oppose a small fare rise, like the numpties who opposed the Unite proposal?

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IDFIMH

http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/ttresponse.htm https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Derek%20Cummins

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!