Taxi Driver Online

Relief as Oxenholme taxi licence is extended

AN OXENHOLME taxi driver is celebrating after fighting to keep his Hackney Carriage Licence, despite his car being too old to qualify.

Carl Atkinson’s taxi driver permit for Oxenholme Railway Station had been renewed three time previously but was due to be disqualified this time around, due to the current age of his Audi A4.

South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) heard how taxi licences were normally issued to cars aged five years and younger through the Hackney Carriage licensing system.

Hayley Owens spoke on behalf of Carl Atkinson as his legal representative. She said: “If this did not get granted, then we would not be able to appeal, because we would have not been able to get to a magistrates' court this year with the back log in cases."

Ms Owens defended the car and driver, saying: “In normal times we would be able to bring the vehicle to the council building for viewing.

"The car is the same as it has been.

"It is in good order and very much fit for purpose as well as being comfortable and fit for use.”

Ms Owens pointed out the problems faced by taxi drivers during the current pandemic. She said: “We had hoped to replace the car this year but because of Covid we could not get to conduct test drives of replacement vehicles. My client is self-employed and so has had his income from the taxi business restricted since the pandemic.”

Councillor Andrew Jarvis who represents Windermere, was at the hearing. He was concerned that the car could continually be brought back for a licence extensions. He asked: “What is your expectation in replacing the vehicle in the future or are we now going to see this vehicle year after year coming back for more?”

Ms Owens replied: “I do not anticipate repeating this a fourth time."

SDLC granted an extension to Mr Atkinson’s taxi for a further 12 months with the expectation that the Audio A4 continues to get a four-month MOT check.

SLDC extended the taxi operator licence for the car, for a further year beginning from last August when it expired, and running through to next August subject to quarterly MOT checks for what it said: “Was for exceptions we are making today, due to the Covid period we are in.”

Speaking after the hearing, Ms Owen said: “My client is exceptionally relieved.

"This represents a recognition of the changes in the current climate.”

Oxenholme Railway Station remains one of the most lucrative taxi ranks in the Kendal area. SLDC this week decided to cap the price of licences for taxi drivers for a further year.

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IDFIMH

Quite a few uncertainties about this article.

For a start, it makes it sound like the application is for some sort of rail station permit, for which there's a vehicle age rule:


But then it becomes clear that it's a standard council appliction and age/testing regime.

So maybe that statement is because it's the only rank in the council area. But towards the end it says the station rank remains *one* of the most lucrative in the area, so it can't be that either (Unless there are separate council plates for the station, like at Aberdeen Airport or that they used to have at Edinburgh Airport ).

Anyway, the most obvious ommission from the article is that it doesn't actually state the age of the car

Which could perhaps be worked out from the article and the amount of times the licence has been renewed.

But that would depend on knowing the age rule, and the piece states:


Five years sounds very stringent. But I had a look on SLDC's website, and it seems that (you've guessed it) the rule is five years on, ten years off.

So I'm guessing the car is now a teenager.

There's one or two other questionable statements, but that's enough for now

Not unusual for press reports like that, obviously. But, by contrast, SLDC's stuff seems very thorough, with lots of attention to detail, including this fancy pants 18-page application form for a badge, including flashy photos at the top. Which makes it look more like some kind of promotional leaflet or brochure at first

ttps://www.southlakeland.gov.uk/media/4 ... 018_st.pdf