Taxi Driver Online

Liverpool council giving owners and drivers grants of £210, but as the article makes clear, effectively it means they're getting their plates and badges free for a year.


Liverpool taxi drivers to be given one-off grant by council

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... e-19153143

The money is effectively a refund of fees drivers normally have to pay each year

Liverpool's licensed black cab and private hire drivers are set to receive a cash boost after taking severe hits to their income due to the pandemic.

The council's cabinet approved the funding of up to £210 for almost 4,000 drivers.

It effectively constitutes a refund of the £170 vehicle licence fee they pay each year if they own a black cab plus their £40 badge fee.

Reliant on the hospitality trade, black cab and private hire drivers have seen their trade decimated in recent weeks after a relatively short summer period.

That followed the devastating effect of the spring lockdown.

The total cost, £663,400, will be covered by the £10 million set aside by the council earlier this month to help alleviate the impact of COVID-19 trading restrictions in the visitor economy.

Speaking at cabinet this morning, mayor Joe Anderson said the grant was a "gesture"and said he was fully aware it would not solve drivers' problems - but said he hoped it would assist them.

He said: “I know how incredibly difficult this year has been for taxi drivers, with the lockdown from March and the new restrictions that have recently been placed on Liverpool City Region.

“It is particularly tough for them at the moment because – as I have been saying repeatedly over the last few weeks – the support package made available by the government is simply not good enough.

“The taxi trade is a valued part of the city’s economy, particularly as they are among the first people that visitors to our city come into contact with. So this is our way of doing what we can to assist them during these unprecedented times.

“I would also urge people to use local taxi drivers and firms where they can, to help support the trade through this tough period.”

He said:“We are concerned that if there is no support to help the trade, we may not have a trade when we come out of this latest lockdown period.

“It is not just the financial wellbeing of our drivers that is at stake, but their mental health and the impact on their families.”

The council will make details about how to claim the grant public in the coming days.

There are 3,886 licensed drivers in Liverpool's black cab and private hire trade.

Black cab drivers comprise 1,882 of those drivers, while there are 2,004 private hire drivers.

Well done to Liverpool Council.

As the Mayor says, it's not going to solve any problems but the gesture is a good one and wouldn't it be great if more councils followed suit.

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IDFIMH

Certainly better than the three month extension to renewed badges and plates we're getting, but that for some the extension won't come into effect until a three month period in 2026

And which will presumably be clawed back in higher fees eventually anyway

we have had nothing no extensions no reductions but the council has been excusing themselves from their duties and we now have to travel distances to collect and hand in paperwork,plates etc. which has put our costs UP !

glad to see at least one council who doesn't treat our trade as a cash cow!

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

66000 goes in ....but how much will go out...... lot less drivers and p/h on the road ..... and the rest goes in the bank

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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!