Taxi Driver Online

Two articles here, one from last week, the second one from today.

Anyway, same old, same old here, but no mention of the Bolton MLS angle.


The taxi drivers in Greater Manchester registered 80 miles away

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... d-27518529

Changes to the taxi fleet are due to be implemented before April 2026

Concerns have been raised that cab drivers could obtain licences from Wolverhampton and work in Wigan to avoid new rules to improve emissions.

Coun John Vickers raised his concerns over drivers with Wolverhampton registrations operating in the area and whether a new change in vehicle standards could see this problem escalate. Joanne Brockley, licensing manager at Wigan Council, explained that Wolverhampton Council’s taxi standards for emissions were lower, which is the reasoning behind cabs operating under their registrations.

The Regulation Committee approved the implementation of a minimum age requirement for taxis in the area.

The committee agreed that saloon vehicles could be no older than 10 years and wheelchair accessible vehicles 15 years. This new policy would only come into force on April 1, 2026 - after which vehicles older than the requirement would not be granted a new taxi licence.

A number of Greater Manchester authorities have already implemented this change so Wigan can no longer delay in agreeing the GM-wide policy despite fears this could see their fleet numbers drop. To offset this issue there is a ‘cooling-off’ period between August 16 and April 1, 2026, where cabbies will be allowed time to prepare for the changes due to current high car prices.

“What happens out of Wigan is outside our control,” Coun Vickers asked during the town hall meeting on August 11. “A lot of the issues are coming from Wolverhampton (licensed taxis).”

Councillors were told how there is no way to prevent cabs registered under different authorities working in the area. Ms Brockley claimed they only knew of two vehicles from private firms in the area using outside registrations, one from Bolton and another from Wolverhampton.

The plan to stop this change is to promote local taxis, the committee heard. This would involve urging residents to use taxis which featured the Wigan Council logo - meaning they are up to GM standards.

Coun Lee McStein asked whether this would impact on the taxi fleet numbers.

“It won’t have a massive impact on the hackney fleet,” Ms Brockley responded. “In terms of private hires I can’t put a number on it.”

Although the committee agreed to these new terms, there could still be reviews of the policy in the coming years. This would depend on possible changes in demands for taxis, the town hall heard.

How would that work in practical terms, considering it's PHVs booked by telephone?

Andy Burnham has a reputation for being one of the more switched on local politicians. In a way his point here is well made, but suggests he doesn't have a clue about the legal position


Greater Manchester Mayor slams taxi drivers using ‘out of town’ plates

https://www.messengernewspapers.co.uk/n ... wn-plates/

The mayor for Greater Manchester has condemned taxis registered ‘hundreds of miles away’ to avoid meeting local standards.

Appearing on BBC Radio Manchester’s ‘In The Hotseat’, Andy Burnham was asked by a cabbie about the new vehicle standards being agreed by Wigan Council last week.

Jack, from Wigan, stated that these higher standards, a policy agreed by Greater Manchester Combined Authority, to bring in more modern vehicles could see GM taxi fleets depleted and bring a rise of out of town plates being used.

On the live radio phone-in, Mr Burnham shared this concern about drivers getting their taxi licence in Wolverhampton and Sefton, where standards are lower, but trading in Greater Manchester.

“How are they allowing it, the other authorities, who are 100 or so miles away,” Mr Burnham told presenter Mike Sweeney. “How are they not checking up on those taxis and those drivers, but they’re taking in the money for it.

“How are they allowing that situation? They shouldn’t be doing it because they’re giving plates without being able to then monitor the performance.”

The mayor was questioned over whether they would review these new standards that are set to be enforced by April 2026. He vowed they would look into the policy in regard to minibuses, due to the high cost of new vehicles currently.

The taxi standards require newer vehicles to be used on the roads in order to improve as well as more advanced background checks.

Mr Burnham continued: “What we’re trying to do as part of a wider drive is to improve taxi standards in Greater Manchester so that we improve safety of passengers and all of the pollution issues as well. In the absence of restrictions on those out of the area for taxis, it can be quite difficult.

“I think what we’re going to need to do is review the implementation of taxi standards across the city region, because the issues that you’re raising are valid. I think we’ve got to work out how we get to a position where we can promote the GM registered trade.

“We want to be confident that it’s operating to higher standards.”

what a waste of time hosting a discussion that has little to no chance of making any difference or even making a real contribution to the debate.

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

So what are you doing on here, then?

sometimes making a valid contribution to the debate and sometimes providing an alternative view just because you disagree with my comments doesn't make them invalid.

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

Which has what to do with your point about Andy Burnham's contribution?

Clue - I suspect what Andy Burnham has to say has more influence on the debate than anything said on here, even if he sounds largely clueless.

But it's a start.

Should Labour get a majority next year then the likes of Burnham will have a big say in all this stuff.

The more politicians realise about the loss of local licensing control, and loss of local licensing income, the better.

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IDFIMH

Facts on the ground in Manchester.

Manchester City Council are the biggest (by size) licensing authority in the greater manchester area.

The likes of uber and bolt have taken over most of the work available in the area.

This is mainly because they offer very low fares with which no-one specially the hackneys can ever hope to compete.

e.g. airport to city is around £25 daytime and goes up to £35 at night rate (after 10pm).while uber do the same journey for £17..

Some local journeys around the airport are even worse. Fares of £24 charged by hackneys are being done by uber for under £10.

Due to the MLS, there was a proposal to allow Only euro 6 vehicles after 1st april 2024 but this has now been extended to 1st

april 2026 as affordable euro 6 vehicles are not available.

I cannot see the situation changing by the new date of april 2026, for 2 reasons.

1) availability and 2) affordability. The only vehicle realistically available is the electric TXE which at around 70K is

unaffordable by the majority of owners.

It is a matter of time before hackneys will become history in the Manchester area unless something drastically changes and I

cannot see what that change might be.

Strange how it's so different in B&H.

More times than not Uber are dearer than the local taxi tariff. And that's without the surge.

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IDFIMH

Another indication that things may change with a Labour gov, in respect of cross border, is this fella in Harlow.

Yes he is playing to an audience, but I doubt he is alone in Labour ranks.

https://www.yourharlow.com/2023/09/01/h ... -concerns/

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IDFIMH