Bet the areas where hackneys aren't WAVs are delighted with the proposal.
And I wonder if the Mayor will just make things so much easier and recommend one big licensing area, and remove numbers restrictions to make it one big happy family.
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| Taxi megazone proposal part 1 - Greater Manchester http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=32987 |
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| Author: | StuartW [ Tue Jul 10, 2018 4:54 am ] |
| Post subject: | Taxi megazone proposal part 1 - Greater Manchester |
Huge shake-up to Manchester's taxis could see city with New York-style cabs https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... s-14886890 Council bosses want taxis in the region to be safer, greener, more consistent - and to become part of Greater Manchester’s identity, as in the Big Apple Taxis across the region could be in line for a radical shake-up as the mayor looks to make them safer, greener, more consistent - and distinctively Manc. A common livery could be created and rolled out across the conurbation, with bosses looking to New York’s yellow cabs for inspiration. They want taxis in every borough to be recognisable as from the region - and become part of Greater Manchester’s identity, as in the Big Apple. Mayor Andy Burnham is preparing to consult with the public and the trade about bringing in a uniform ‘minimum standard’ for both hackney carriages and private hire vehicles. It is understood that would look at standardised rules for drivers, as well as operators, vehicles and enforcement practices across each of the ten councils. That could include tougher thresholds around driver qualifications and prior convictions, as well as on the age and emissions levels of individual cabs. Shared practice among the ten council panels who decide on the region’s licenses could also be introduced. The process is expected to be rolled out slowly over several years, due to the ongoing issue of drivers from other local authorities crossing the border and undermining standards. The problem has long been a major bugbear of many councils - and local firms - that require new legislation to solve. Town hall bosses have been discussing the plans in private for several months and are said to be broadly in agreement that a common approach should be considered. Senior figures at several town halls across Greater Manchester told the M.E.N. they were in favour of the move in principle. A ‘high level’ paper on the issue is expected to go before the region’s combined authority at the end of the month, followed by discussions with the trade and a public consultation. One senior town hall figure said there was ‘an aspiration’ that at some point every borough in the region would operate to standardised minimum rules, but added that could take five to ten years to roll out. “Drivers, vehicles, operators and licensing authorities would eventually have minimum standards,” they said of the plans. “But because primary legislation from parliament would also be needed to deal with the drivers coming in from other areas, it’s a bit up in the air whether you could do it before that or not. “You could start it off, though, perhaps with the livery first.” It is understood Mr Burnham wants to step up lobbying of both Whitehall and the Local Government Association over the issue of de-regulation, which currently means drivers are free to come in from authorities elsewhere that have less stringent licensing rules. In the past Rossendale, Sefton and Wolverhampton councils have all been particularly criticised for having lax regimes that are then exported to other parts of the country. Rossendale has tightened its rules, but that is expected to take a number of years to take effect as individual drivers’ licenses come up for renewal. One experienced Manchester operator told the M.E.N. that a common standard across Greater Manchester could be good news for firms - and may in itself help stem the tide of drivers from other areas. Uber has absorbed so many of the city’s drivers that firms are increasingly having to go elsewhere in order to find new ones, he said. Often that means getting them from authorities that turn around licensing decisions in the space of days - rather than Greater Manchester boroughs, which can take months. “The easiest thing at the moment is to go to Wolverhampton, because it takes a week to get a badge compared to a year in Manchester,” he said. “It would be a good thing because operators could then have access to 20,000 drivers across Greater Manchester and they might rethink their strategy.” Tom Rook, chair of the Greater Manchester Private Hire Association, said a minimum standard was a good idea in principle, since rules on issues such as vehicle age, advertising, driver qualifications, the Knowledge and the cost of an operator’s license currently vary wildly. “It’s a good idea within reason,” he said. “You can only say that once we know what the policy is going to be,” he added. It is understood the mayor’s office is keen to get going on the plan, hoping that licensing committees across Greater Manchester will take a decision on the issue this financial year. A common livery could be an early win, insiders suggested. “In New York, you arrive and you instantly see a yellow cab,” said one council figure. “It’s part of the city’s identity. Visitors to Greater Manchester need to have the same experience. “It’s a really interesting issue, about how we professionalise it and make it part of the integrated transport system. “And if you’re going to hit emissions targets, every bit of the jigsaw needs to play its part.” A second senior council figure elsewhere in the conurbation said the move ‘made sense’, although they suggested a question would quickly arise about who would pay for a common livery. “The devil will be in the detail,” they added. A third senior figure in another council said reforming the trade should be a key part of improving the region’s transport network, particularly in areas where bus services are so poor that people rely on cabs to make many basic journeys. Licensing is not one of the mayor’s functions but one of individual local councils. However there has long been a debate over whether Greater Manchester could club together into a common framework in order to improve standards across the conurbation. A spokesperson at the combined authority said: “The ten licensing authorities across Greater Manchester are working together to develop a common set of minimum standards that will give passengers the confidence that drivers and operators meet high safety standards, and ensure that the vehicles used are safe and contribute to wider ambitions including improving air quality. “In addition to this work, the mayor has been pressing government to change the law and regulations to allow for more local control of taxis and private hire vehicles.” |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:51 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Greater Manc zone proposed to kill cross-border question |
Bet the areas where hackneys aren't WAVs are delighted with the proposal. And I wonder if the Mayor will just make things so much easier and recommend one big licensing area, and remove numbers restrictions to make it one big happy family.
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| Author: | StuartW [ Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:57 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Greater Manc zone proposed to kill cross-border question |
Sussex wrote: Bet the areas where hackneys aren't WAVs are delighted with the proposal. And I wonder if the Mayor will just make things so much easier and recommend one big licensing area, and remove numbers restrictions to make it one big happy family. As is often the case I suspect the whole thing is actually about PHVs rather than HCs, but the article doesn't really address the distinction, and suspect many of the 'senior figures' quoted haven't really grasped the significance either. Of course, it could be about both, but the lack of detail on the HC/saloon/WAV/plying for hire/restricted numbers issues suggests they've not really thought it through enough. |
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| Author: | StuartW [ Wed Jul 25, 2018 8:08 am ] |
| Post subject: | Bolton cllr highlights 'dangerous' cross-border loophole |
These pieces on the Wolverhampton problem are getting a bit like the safeguarding articles - barely worth posting unless there's a slightly different angle, or whatever  Bolton councillor calls for closure of 'dangerous' loophole in taxi licensing law http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/163 ... nsing-law/ A MEMBER of Bolton Council's licensing committee has called on the government to tackle a legal loophole meaning private hire vehicles licensed outside of the region can still operate on Bolton's streets. Executive member for environmental services, Councillor Nick Peel, is urging the government to create national regulation to keep customers safe and close the loophole, labelling it as "dangerous". The loophole currently exists in legislation allowing private hire drivers to operate in Bolton and Greater Manchester, despite being licensed in areas with less stringent standards. Cllr Peel said: "This loop hole is quite dangerous because Bolton licensing authority can refer or revoke licences of drivers we don't deem to be suitable to be driving taxis in Bolton because of their past history including crime or a range of things. "If that person is able to go to another authority with a lower standard and then come to Bolton that is wrong. "The very least the Government should do is create a level playing field of standards." He also highlighted a particular issue with drivers licensed by Wolverhampton Council, which he says has created "a lot of concern". Last year it was reported that councillors in the West Midlands had criticised Wolverhampton City Council for operating a "more lenient" licensing system for private hire drivers. The councillors claimed that cabbies were heading to the area due to these circumstances, allegedly undermining public safety in the area. The situation is also thought to have resulted in hundreds perhaps thousands of taxi and private hire vehicle drivers licensed in Wolverhampton working on the streets of other towns and cities including in Bolton and Greater Manchester. Cllr Peel said: "This is a problem and it's happening all over Greater Manchester. "We have been calling for the Government to introduce new rules to say that you can only be licensed by the authority in the area that you live or by neighbouring authorities, or that there is national minimum standard that applies. "Because unless they do something about this the loophole will continue to be ruthlessly exploited." Cllr Peel's comments also echoed those made by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham earlier this week. Spearheading a drive to improve standards for taxi and private hire vehicle customers in the region Mr Burnham called for a regulatory review and urged Westminster to close the legal loophole. Mr Burnham said: “I’m committed to supporting the local taxi and private hire trade by giving a voice to this growing national problem and calling on government to close this loophole in the law.” |
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| Author: | grandad [ Wed Jul 25, 2018 8:12 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Taxi megazone proposal part 1 - Greater Manchester |
I have had a look at the cost of licensing in Wolverhampton and it isn't cheap. In fact they must be making an absolute fortune. |
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| Author: | Midlife martyr [ Wed Jul 25, 2018 3:19 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Taxi megazone proposal part 1 - Greater Manchester |
grandad wrote: I have had a look at the cost of licensing in Wolverhampton and it isn't cheap. In fact they must be making an absolute fortune. Which begs the question where is all the money going? |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Wed Jul 25, 2018 10:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Taxi megazone proposal part 1 - Greater Manchester |
grandad wrote: I have had a look at the cost of licensing in Wolverhampton and it isn't cheap. In fact they must be making an absolute fortune. Not convinced it's the cost that is attracting the world, more the ease of getting a license and the fact that you never have to go to Wolverhampton. |
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| Author: | Nidge2 [ Thu Jul 26, 2018 1:04 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Taxi megazone proposal part 1 - Greater Manchester |
grandad wrote: I have had a look at the cost of licensing in Wolverhampton and it isn't cheap. In fact they must be making an absolute fortune. It's cheaper than round here plus, we've got Wolverhampton licensed Testing Facilities round here too. |
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| Author: | grandad [ Thu Jul 26, 2018 8:17 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Taxi megazone proposal part 1 - Greater Manchester |
Nidge2 wrote: grandad wrote: I have had a look at the cost of licensing in Wolverhampton and it isn't cheap. In fact they must be making an absolute fortune. It's cheaper than round here plus, we've got Wolverhampton licensed Testing Facilities round here too. Your vehicle license fees are very high. For a first year operators license in Wolverhampton it will cost £1077 and then to renew it for 5 years it is £3140. |
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