Taxi Driver Online

This is mainly a local news story about vehicle numbers in Herefordshire, but it also quotes the NPHTA, particularly on the question of financial support.

What a load of old pish. Reminds me why I rarely read PHTM


This is how coronavirus has hit Herefordshire taxi firms

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/1950 ... axi-firms/

THERE are dozens fewer taxis on Herefordshire's roads now than there were before coronavirus hit, figures show.

The National Private Hire and Taxi Association said the huge drop in the number of licensed vehicles across England was because of the "sheer absence" of any financial support from Government for the industry.

Department for Transport figures show 286 vehicles were licensed to operate in Herefordshire at the end of March.

Of those, 218 were traditional taxis which can be hailed from the street, while 68 were private hire vehicles, such as those available through Uber, which need to be pre-booked.

The figure was down from 321 the year before, when there were 236 taxis and 85 vehicles for private hire.

Across England, the number of licensed vehicles decreased from 298,800 to 251,100 over the year – a fall of 16%.

During both periods, taxis made up around a quarter of all vehicles.

The NPHTA said many of its members have left the industry in the last year, with a lot of them moving to delivery driving.

David Lawrie, director of the NPHTA, added: "Due to the sheer absence of any financial support for the taxi and private hire industry, many have had to go on to benefits, many have had to find alternative work in order to keep a roof over their heads and feed their families.

"They have felt abandoned, unappreciated, unsupported, kicked into the long grass, and forgotten about completely."

He called on the Government to offer more targeted financial support while the trade is "clutching at straws" to keep going.

The DfT figures show there were 4.5 taxis and private hire vehicles for every 1,000 people in England at the end of March – which had fallen from 5.3 in 2020.

At 1.5 per 1,000 people, Herefordshire has a rate much lower than the national average.

A Government spokeswoman said: “The Government has announced several measures to support UK businesses through the pandemic, including the taxi and private hire sector.

“The majority of taxi drivers are self-employed and can apply to the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and operating companies are eligible for local council grants.”

What a load of old pish. Including the £4k from the Scottish Government, I've had around one year's profit in grants.

Of course, not every owner-driver will have gotten £4k over and above the SEISS support, and some people will have been ineligible for SEISS in the first place. But in the main the only people Mr Lawrie's statement could apply to would be those who've never submitted a tax return

Equally, we all expect people to exaggerate stuff like this, and that they'll spin a bit of a line. But this from the NPHTA is just off the scale. And hinders rather than helps relations with local authorities and governemt, I suspect

(Not the first time Mr Lawrie has made questionable comments like this, but this seems even more over the top than when he commented almost a year ago:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36067#p403061)

Ah, I see - it's that time again when the local press uses a national template for the DfT numbers and just plugs the local figures into the template to produce an article for the local market.


Hundreds fewer taxi and private hire vehicles in Milton Keynes

https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/peo ... es-3340516

Numbers have dropped during the pandemic


Dozens fewer taxi and private hire vehicles in Tendring

https://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co ... -tendring/

Tendring residents have dozens fewer taxi and private hire vehicles to choose from than they did before the pandemic, figures suggest.


However, those two do include a quote from the GMB's Mick Rix.

Oh, this is awkward - doubt if many areas will show increased numbers


Boom in taxis in Barrow despite national decrease

https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/19502833 ... -decrease/

BARROW residents have dozens more taxi and private hire vehicles to choose from than they did before the pandemic, figures suggest, despite a huge fall across the rest of the country.


Understandably, that one's a bit shorter than the other two articles, and doesn't include the full NPHTA quotes.

But it's a bit like that Daily Mail article yesterday about Uber, where the ADCU quotes about how difficult it was for drivers to make money seemed a bit at odds about the surge-pricing complaints in the piece due to a shortage of drivers

RUTLAND HAS

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

Folks are not returning to the trade because of a lack of government support. That's a reason being given by the thick.

Prior to covid the trade was (in the main) over manned, with rates not sufficient for many to earn a reasonable living.

Now many drivers have realised they can earn a living delivery parcels etc, working more sociable hours.

Many drivers have since retired and are not wanting to risk their health.

Many drivers have returned to their homelands and aren't in a mad rush to come back.

Some drivers couldn't afford to relicense and have since found other employment.

No new recruits have come into the trade in the last 18 months, and there doesn't seem to be a queue of folks wanting to sign up.

And sadly too many in our trade have died.

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IDFIMH

Ah, well, despite increased numbers, there's actually a *shortage* of drivers in Barrow - who'd have expected that


Taxi drivers in Barrow 'leaving trade' despite new figures showing rise in licences

https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/19503402 ... ew-figures

TAXI drivers in Barrow are said to be leaving the trade in numbers - despite figures showing there are more licence holders than before the pandemic.

It is understood that there is a shortage of drivers operating in Barrow, with some choosing to leave the trade amid the disruption of coronavirus.

One cabbie who recently left the trade said drivers had been living ‘hand to mouth’.[...]