Taxi Driver Online

Quite a long and interesting piece, but nothing really that regular readers won't be aware of


The reason why more and more Teesside taxi drivers are getting their licences from Wolverhampton

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/tees ... i-16469572

One local council doesn't agree with the practice, but is powerless since a change in the law

More and more Teesside taxi drivers are deciding to get their license in Wolverhampton - but why?

Council bosses in the West Midlands city issue more licenses than any other in the country, and last year rubber-stamped a whopping 11,811 private hire licenses.

But only 852 of those were issued to drivers operating in Wolverhampton itself.

The rest were for drivers working all over the UK.

And it's a trend that's been growing across Teesside with more and more drivers every year choosing to be licensed by a council with offices more than 150 miles away.

Until recently, drivers and their vehicles had to be licensed within the authority they would be working in.

But a change in the law in 2015 opened up the market nationally, allowing councils to engage in cross border licensing.

According to Middlesbrough Council, the practice undermines its "ability to set standards and take action against any wrongdoing".

Concerns have been raised over this issue by local authorities, MPs and the Local Government Association.

In September last year, a Parliamentary Task and Finish Group on the taxi/private hire trade made a recommendation to Government that legislation was required to prevent the practice.

But Wolverhampton Council say their licensing department has provided "an exemplar" for other local authorities to follow and has dismissed criticisms as being "unfounded and commercially motivated".

Why Wolverhampton?

For one thing, getting licensed in Wolverhampton is cheaper.

There are three licenses involved for a private hire driver - someone who must pick up pre-booked fares only, not those who hail them from the street like Hackney Carriage drivers.

There's one for the firm, one for the vehicle and one for the driver.

If a new private hire driver wanted to license themselves and their vehicle for one year in Middlesbrough, assuming the vehicle is more than three-years-old, it would cost them £474.

In Redcar and Cleveland those same licences would cost a total of £470, in Stockton it would be £460 (having subtracted £44 for the DBS check included in the stated price).

But in Wolverhampton, it's just £284.

Middlesbrough Council has attacked the practice

An authority spokesman said: "We are aware that some local taxi drivers are obtaining licences through Wolverhampton following a recent change in the legislation.

"Before this change, it was normal practice for vehicles, drivers and operators to be licensed in the area where they intend to carry out their work, with each local authority being able to set the standards it requires.

"Middlesbrough Council has always set high standards for its licensed operators and drivers, with robust procedures and passenger safety of paramount importance.

"It does not therefore seem right that operators can obtain licences with other local authorities, sometimes hundreds of miles away, without ever intending to work in those areas.

"Middlesbrough Council has limited enforcement powers over their activities, undermining our ability to set standards and take action against any wrongdoing."

But Redcar and Cleveland Council didn't see a particular problem

Cllr Barry Hunt, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and environment, said: "We require high standards for our licensed taxi drivers and vehicles and we would encourage the government to implement national minimum standards for drivers and vehicles to ensure road safety across the country.

"There has only been a very slight drop in driver applications over the last three years and the applications for vehicle registration has remained constant. We have not been informed of drivers registering elsewhere."

And Cllr Steve Nelson, Stockton Council’s cabinet member for access, communities and community safety, said: “Taxis provide a valuable service in Stockton-on-Tees so our overriding consideration has to be public safety.

"We have a clear and consistent policy which ensures high standards of all operators, vehicle owners and taxi drivers and we would encourage those operating in Stockton to obtain their licenses from this authority.”

Working with Wolverhampton is an 'easy process'

A spokesman for Royal Cars, which has offices on Marton Road, Middlesbrough, said working with Wolverhampton Council "is an easy process".


Image: Evening Gazette

"The cost of licensing vehicle with this council is substantially less than with our local councils," a statement said.

"In the current climate every penny is accountable, and therefore we had a need to source an alternative.

"Their customer service is always readily available to speak directly to if we have any questions.

"Communication from Wolverhampton Council regarding updates are received on a daily basis.

"We have had no issues over the past few weeks and look forward continue working with them."

Wolverhampton's standards 'far exceeds' other councils

A spokesperson for Boro Cars said: "Wolverhampton Council sets some of the highest standards for the licensing of drivers in the country, far exceeding in many regards the requirements of some of the local authorities in the Tees Valley.

"Despite the higher standards, drivers choose to license with Wolverhampton Council, begging the question, why do people living in the Tees Valley travel hundreds of miles for a licence they could obtain locally?

"Because it is quicker, easier and much cheaper to obtain a licence with Wolverhampton Council as a result of the investment it has made in taxi licensing."


Image: MGA/Gazette Live

The company said officers from the West Midlands are sent to Teesside to undertake compliance and enforcement checks, and claims Middlesbrough Council has so far declined to take part in those exercises.

"If the local authorities in the Tees Valley could match Wolverhampton Council on its licensing standards and processes, technology, price, compliance and enforcement, and trade engagement, drivers and operators would not have any reason to license with Wolverhampton Council," the spokesperson continued.

"It is to be hoped that Middlesbrough's new mayor will take heed and engage with the local taxi trade as a priority."

And the firm said that if Middlesbrough Council increased its fees further, it's 'inevitable' that more drivers would licence with Wolverhampton in the future.

sooner or later national government is going to twig that taxi licensing is a lucrative business and take it off the councils and Wolverhampton are the ones waving a massive flag drawing their attention

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

I hope they have made their concerns to the local MPs and central government.

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IDFIMH

Nothing much to see here - just an update really

*Borderline* abuse would be a good pun though, but I doubt if it's deliberate


National scheme needed to deal with 'borderline abusive' taxi licensing practice

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/tees ... e-16499345

Almost 12,000 taxis and private hire licences were issued in Wolverhampton in 2018 - just 852 were for drivers operating in the city

A UK-wide scheme is needed to deal with the "bordering on abuse" practice of taxis being licensed in places like Wolverhampton, a meeting has heard.

As previously reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, almost 12,000 taxis and private hire licences were issued by Wolverhampton City Council in 2018.

Yet of that number, just 852 were for drivers operating in Wolverhampton - the rest were for drivers working all over the UK.

Until recently, drivers and their vehicles had to be licensed within the authority they would be working in.

But a change in the law in 2015 opened up the market nationally, allowing councils to engage in cross border licensing.

On Thursday, members of Redcar and Cleveland Council's Growth, Enterprise and Environment Scrutiny and Improvement Committee slammed the "borderline abusive" practice and called for a national scheme to deal with the issue.

'A hell of a lot cheaper'

Sarah Robson, corporate director for economic growth, enterprise and environment, said: "Taxis are able to operate across local authority administrations.

"When they do that, due to the way the national legislation is currently set out, local authorities can only take enforcement action against taxis that have been licensed in their own areas.

"We're not currently able to take enforcement action against a taxi that comes into our area and operates within it."

She added: "A licensed vehicle could therefore lawfully fulfil a pre-booked journey within our area and not be operating to the same standards we would expect from our own licensed taxi trade."

As a result, she said 12 North-eastern councils were creating a North East Strategic Licensing Group (NESLG) which would allow officers from each local authority to carry out enforcement on each other's vehicles and drivers.

Cllr Billy Ayre, Labour councillor for Normanby, raised the issue of Wolverhampton City Council.

"Taxi licences are being issued there for a hell of a lot cheaper than other parts of the country," he said.

"Will that cause us problems?"

Ms Robson said the NESLG would not allow the North-eastern authorities to check on taxis and private hire cars licensed in places like Wolverhampton.

She added: "I don't think it's that much cheaper to get a licence from Wolverhampton, but I think their standards are a little bit different.

"We're not currently experiencing a big issue of that here in Redcar and Cleveland, if anything at all.

"We know that other parts of the country are however, so we're very alert to the issue."

Cllr Hannaway, Labour member for Saltburn, said he was particularly concerned that drivers licensed in other areas would not undergo the same stringent training on important subjects such as child sexual exploitation.

'Issues around permissions'

Adrian Miller, head of planning and development, said that one issue that had been identified with Wolverhampton City Council's taxi licensing scheme was the age of cars that were permitted a licence.

"One issue we have with Wolverhampton is that they're licensing vehicles that are 10 years old, I think ours is three, so there are issues around permissions and the age of vehicles."

Committee chairman, Cllr Dennis Teasdale, said: "Is there any possibility nationally of the Government bringing in an across-the-board system for licensing taxis that all authorities would have to abide by?"

Ms Robson said that although it was something many councils would like to see, there was nothing in the pipeline so far.

Cllr Steve Kay didn't think the current set-up was good enough.

"There is obviously a problem here bordering on abuse of the system," he said.

He said that he supported the idea of the NESLG and also the chairman's suggestion of a national licensing scheme.

"There was an article in The Gazette saying they're all going to the Midlands to get their licences - what worried me is that it said it's easier to get a licence in the Midlands.

"That implies the standard isn't the same there as here.

"It seems self-evident almost that there should be a national scheme."