Taxi Driver Online

New laws for Liverpool cabbies - including a BAN on hated up front charges

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... g-14866166

Council crackdown after Echo campaign

Liverpool's black cab drivers could be set to come under a new set of rules that would include a ban on charging customer's upfront - an issue that has been repeatedly raised in the city.

The council's licensing committee will consider creating a number of new byelaws for black cabs at a meeting next week.

Drivers would be stopped from demanding any kind of upfront payment from passengers travelling in Liverpool or that end within four miles of the council border.

The planned move from the council comes after a campaign by the ECHO which highlighted how a number of black cab drivers are continuing to demand large fares from customers ahead of journeys - rather than using the cab's Taximeter.

As we have always pointed out - the majority of drivers in the city operate very well - but many drivers agree they are being let down by the minority.

And it appears the council have listened to these concerns.

Other new laws planned

Along with the clamp-down on charging up front - the council is planning to bring in a number of other new by-laws for cabbies in Liverpool.

Passengers could get increased rights when it comes to paying, with all drivers that have a card machine required to use it if asked.

Customers who want a receipt would be backed by a new by-law which requires drivers to give one if requested.

The use of e-cigarettes by drivers will also be banned under one of the new rules.

And wheelchair users would be the beneficiary of a rule requiring all drivers to be fully aware of how to use the wheelchair ramp in their cars, as well as other features.

The proposed rules are specifically for Hackney cabs, with private hire taxis subject to their own set of rules.

Once debated at a meeting next Tuesday the rules would go to the full council to be voted on.

It comes as Liverpool council continues a crackdown on black cabs and private hire taxis which flout rules, with prosecutions of individual drivers continuing.

Trade problems

The ECHO has been covering some of the problems with the taxi trade in the city for some time.

As we have said, we know that the majority of drivers operate professionally and treat customers well - but a number of passengers have come forward with stories of over-charging, cherry picking and charging large fares up front.

This has been particularly prevalent during football matches, where it has been reported that fans - often from foreign countries or different cities - have been charged extortionate fares before even getting into a cab.

Our reporting led to Mayor Joe Anderson committing to increasing undercover operations by the council during football matches in an attempt to catch drivers acting badly in person.

And now it would appear that the council wants to go a step further and introduce a range of specific new by-laws to tackle the issues affecting the trade.

There are two different issues here that are being confused:

1 A deposit on the fare

2 Overcharging/off the meter fares

Let's hope the council has a better handle on the issue than the article seems to suggest.

We don't pick up customers we don't know from out of the town but still in the borough without payment up front because we have had so many wasted journeys when the customer has not been there when we arrive.

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Grandad,
To support my charity text MAYORWALK to 70085 to donate £5

Or that end up to 4 miles outside the borough border,

Think they should look at the Act,they cannot set rules for outside Council boundaries.

Under what law are they banning Ecigs?

common decency !!

otherwise known as terms and conditions

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Taxis Are Public Transport too

Join the campaign to get April fools jokes banned for 364 days a year !

This is what happens when council react to scare stories in the press.

A pigs ear of policies that will not address the issues.

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IDFIMH

Be interesting to see if the Secretary of State signs off on the proposed Bylaws.

At least they are trying to do things using Bylaws rather than enforceable "Policies" as Plymouth are attempting.

Once a Hackney leaves it's own Licensing Authority area the fare does not have to be "on the meter", so that one is surely "repugnant to the law" and so will not make it to Bylaw.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

Doesn’t it require an Act of Parliament to change by-laws?

(The answer to my question is yes, by the way)

So not that easy, not just a signing off by the Secretary of State. And he may have just resigned.

Costs a council a considerable sum of ratepayers money to re-write by-laws in England and Wales.

And I would be all for stopping taxi drivers in this country from demanding payment up front, if bus companies, train companies, airlines, concert venues, etc. Were also banned from demanding payment up front.

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Former taxi driver

By-laws are changed by repeal or addition and the Secretary of State ssigns them off,this is already allowed to take place under the Act of Parliament insitu.

The answer to your question is no.

Section 236(7) Local Government Act 1972 gives the Secretary of State power to confirm or refuse Bylaws which are submitted to him. Confirmation depends on validity. In confirming a Bylaw, the Secretary of State is not purporting to give legal effect to something which would not otherwise be lawful.

That is an extract from DfT Guidance Note and Model Hackney Bylaws 2005.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

They need a law to ban something. Does it still effect your asthma

Taxi drivers fear new laws could create a 'robbers' charter' for fare dodgers in Liverpool

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... s-14893479

Cabbies think they could become victims of crime if council proposals come in to force

Taxi drivers are worried new city-wide rules could create a 'robbers' charter' for fare dodgers in Liverpool.

The council's licensing committee gave their support to new byelaws that are being proposed in an attempt to bring in more modern regulations for cabbies.

But some drivers have said a proposal to completely ban upfront charges for passengers travelling in the city could encourage those who might want to exploit the changes.

Eddie Wiles, of Liverpool Electronic Taxi Union, raised concerns about passengers in the city knowing that drivers wouldn't have powers to demand any money upfront.

He said: "We do not want a robbers' charter.

"We do not want every scally in the city coming up to us and saying 'Well they can't demand upfront payment from us'."

However Liverpool council licensing officers said the new laws were necessary as some customers had been asked in the past by drivers to hand over belongings like their mobile phone as collateral.

Other new byelaws up for debate at this morning's meeting were plans to force all taxi drivers with a card machine into taking payments by card if the customer requested to do so.

There are also more specific rules brought in to ensure that drivers are fully trained in using facilities in their cars designed for wheelchair users.

And councillors proposed setting up a working group to make sure cabbies remain fully aware of how to use these.

Currently, new drivers have to be trained in the use of tools like the wheelchair ramp but there is no requirement for refresher training.

Having been backed by the licensing committee, the proposed byelaws will now go to the full council for the next stage of approval.

In Sefton the journey has to be 4 miles over the borough boundary before you can negotiate a price (before you set off).

BUT is that legal or an illegal T & C ?

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