Taxi Driver Online

Well this isn't confusing at all

You'd assume it was just about HCs and WAVs, except for the leftfield reference to 'private hire' in the second paragraph and thereafter

The driver seems to be talking about some kind of grandfather rights on the age rules, but I'd guess it's actually about requiring WAVs for a new HC plate, and grandfather rights on saloon HC plates.

So I'd guess his issue is that they're imposing the age rules across the board, but obviously that's more difficult for those with WAV HC plates rather than saloon HC plates, as per usual.

And I suspect the references to 'private hire' are just inaccurate and misleading. I daresay the age rules may be intended to apply to PHVs as well, but I don't really think that's the issue in play here...

(Don't know what the pub landlord in the photo has to do with it all either, but presumably this was some kind of promotional photo for another purpose...)


New disability policy 'will wipe out 60% of taxis'

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/ ... -60-taxis/


Phil Hoyle, left, landlord of The London Tavern, and Philip Bristow, Ringwood’s first London-style cabbie. (Image: Philip Bristow/Daily Echo)

A CAB driver has spoken out against proposed taxi policy changes which he has suggested would wipe out the private hire industry.

Ringwood taxi driver and owner of Ringo Taxis, Philip Bristow, has spoken out against proposed policy changes from New Forest District Council that would require drivers to acquire new vehicles under five years old.

The policy aims to make vehicles more disability-friendly but Mr Bristow has warned the new policy could have the opposite effect and remove any cabs that are wheelchair accessible from the New Forest.

He said: "The New Forest some years ago didn't have enough disabled accessible vehicles on the road so the council turned around and said if you want to register a taxi, it has to be disabled friendly.

"That hasn't been a problem but now they're saying it has to be less than 10 years old and less than five years for all new petrol and diesel vehicles. I can't afford to do that."

Philip drives a London black cab which has been on the road since 2009.

While he and other private hire will be forced to change vehicles, those with historic plates are allowed to keep the same cab despite not being disabled friendly.

He said: "You've got Galleon Taxis, Brockenhurst Taxis, Ringwood, Red Express who are all well established and have 20 vehicles each. They're in a position to lease vehicles and get vehicles and they don't have to have disabled access which is crucifying the little guys.

"I've got friends who operates four taxis and he would have to replace every single one. You would lose 60% of taxis in Ringwood and quite a few of these companies would cease."

If passed the new policy would come into effect in 2026.

A spokesperson for NFDC said: "This proposal supports the council’s priorities on climate change and actions to improve air quality, as well as maintaining a high standard of vehicle fleet for our residents and visitors to the forest.

"This is a draft taxi licensing policy, and it is currently out for public consultation until April 15, 2024.

"We are therefore seeking views from stakeholders, the taxi trade and members of the public."

Predictably, the 'community' is concerned, and it's all a question of finding a balance. Between blather and bull$hit

Or "underscores the delicate balance between progress and preservation, between environmental goals and economic realities"

I have just read the article, and I have no idea what they are on about.

Other than they have got the hump over something, and a fella with four cabs is worried, it would appear, four times as much.

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IDFIMH

A lot of overlap with the earlier article, but this one clarifies in one way, and confuses in another

So while I thought maybe the conundrum above could be explained by the fact he was talking about a mixed (grandfather rights) saloon and (compulsory) WAV HC fleet, in this one he specifically states that ALL HCs have to be WAVS

So as regards the 'other vehicles used as taxis' mainly operated by the bigger fleets, he's presumably using the t-word generically, and the other vehicles are, um, PHVs.

Or something like that. No doubt it's clear enough in the official papers, but you'd think that a press report on a licensing issue like this would at least get the basics right

I mean, it's not an article about a 'taxi' driver in a car crash, or a 'taxi' driver being assaulted, or a 'taxi' driver up on a sexual assault charge. In such cases the HC/PH distinction isn't really relevant, or at least normally isn't relevant.


Views sought on New Forest District Council’s proposed changes to taxi licensing policy

https://www.advertiserandtimes.co.uk/ne ... s-9357799/

PROPOSED changes to New Forest District Council’s taxi licensing policy will force drivers out of business, one cabbie has claimed.

The district council is currently running a public consultation into the changes to its policy, which covers the application process, ages of vehicles used, DBS checks, and signage.

Taxi driver Philip Bristow from Ringwood, who operates a wheelchair accessible London cab, estimated it would “wipe out” 75% of taxis in the town area, due to the increased costs.

One planned change relates to the age of vehicles used by drivers – all petrol and diesel cars must be less than five years old at the initial time of licensing. All hybrid vehicles must be less than seven.

Further changes would come into effect on 1st January 2026, when it is proposed that only vehicles less than 10 years old will have licenses renewed. Fully electric vehicles would be exempt.

“If these new proposals are implemented it would require small operators like myself to invest not only in a new vehicle but a new disabled vehicle – which costs around £80,000,” Philip explained.

“I wouldn’t be able to carry on. You would never recoup that kind of money.”

He pointed out that while all Hackney carriages that are licenced must be wheelchair accessible, other vehicles used as taxis are exempt from the requirement.

He added: “Ironically the small operators are the only ones currently operating wheelchair accessible vehicles – many of the larger firms don’t have a suitable vehicle in their fleet.

“A direct result will be no disabled accessible vehicles operating in the area.”

A report to NFDC outlining the changes said: “This is to ensure that NFDC do not have a policy favouring vehicles older than other neighbouring authorities [and] assists our clean air strategy and climate change targets in relation to emissions.”

It will also “maintain” a professional fleet for local customers and visitors to the area.

“This is the first major review of our taxi policy for some years and will incorporate revised statutory guidance, together with increased checks on drivers to ensure their continued fitness and propriety,” it continued.

If the new policy is approved, six-monthly DBS checks will be carried out instead of the current three yearly basis.

The authority says this is to ensure it is aware of any new convictions which may have occurred during the period of the licence.

A dress code could also be introduced to promote a “professional” image, which the council says is particularly important due to the area being a tourist destination, and card machines should be available to “ensure that travelling by taxi is easier and a more attractive option to customers”.

The technology will also improve safety for drivers as they will carry less cash.

Self-adhesive identification signage to the rear passenger doors could also be introduced in order for passengers to identify vehicles more easily.

The consultation ends on 15th April.

they are just being brought into line with the rest of the uk, kicking and screaming as per normal

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The Daily Mail has quite a lengthy piece about this on its website. Obviously some overlap, but some new stuff, and although it doesn't really confuse the HC/PH issue, the stuff below seems to be wholly about HCs. I think...

Don't know why the Mail has went large on what's normally just a local trade/council thing, but I suppose it's because of environmental rules particularly affecting small businesses, sort of thing

There are a few more photos available via the link, but I don't think they necessarily do the trade any favours in terms of how the public perceive older vehicles in the trade.

And while the council may be big on environmental rules, obviously not so interested in illegal number plates

And from a journalistic perspective, it's amazing the amount of press pieces on cars and the like that misspell the word 'breaks'


Taxi drivers warn they will be 'wiped out' in the New Forest under new council plans to ban cabbies whose petrol or diesel cars are more than five years old

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... s-old.html

The ban is set to come into force in January 2026



Taxi drivers in a national park have warned they could be 'wiped out' after a council proposed to ban cabbies whose vehicles are more than five years old as part of its strategy to tackle climate change.

Operators say they are facing a bill of tens of thousands of pounds if Hampshire's New Forest bring in a planned ban on pre-2021 petrol and diesel taxis.

But concerned cabbies have said replacing older working vehicles is 'not going to be environmentally friendly' and they fear the changes could get rid of some 70 per cent of taxis in the area.

They said the policy - which is due to come into force in January 2026 - will have a negative impact on disabled and elderly commuters as electric wheelchair-friendly vehicles are too costly.

One local cabbie, Philip Bristow, said the outlay of having to replace his vehicle would financially cripple him.

The 50-year-old, who drives a London black cab which has been on the road since 2009, said: 'I operate a London Taxi.

'If I were to replace it with a similar vehicle, I'm looking at £60,000 to £70,000.

'That will be it for me. I have been building this business for just over two years, there's no way I can justify keeping this with that policy.

'If they change it then I would have to sell it.'

Mr Bristow, who has lived in Ringwood his whole life said he doubts he'd be able to find anyone to buy his London taxi.

He continued: 'I don't see the reasoning behind a lot of it. The main gist of my concerns, of what they are changing, is that we have got to have less than five years to have a taxi, and it can't run for more than 10 years.'



But Mr Bristow said the policy has had an adverse effect on the council - who were recently encouraging taxi drivers to invest in cars with wheelchair access.

He said: 'The end result is we won't have any disabled vehicles in the New Forest.'

In a draft policy which is out for public consultation, the New Forest District Council said 'all petrol or diesel vehicles must be less than five years from the date of first registration, at the time of initial licensing' and hybrid vehicles must be less than seven.'

The proposal said: 'The age policy does not apply to fully electric vehicles.'

It continued: 'This...assists our clean air strategy - currently in development - and climate change targets in relation to tailpipe emissions.'

Another taxi driver, Nicole Jackson, said her company, Call A Car Ringwood, will have to fork out £400,000 for a new fleet of cars if the policy is rolled out.

The 29-year-old company director said: 'The whole business is just not happy with it. It's going to affect our business quite a lot.

'It could even result in us closing the business, it's quite costly.'

Ms Jackson said it will 'end' smaller businesses, adding: 'It will end in them closing or just having to become smaller than what they were before to keep them going.

'I don't know what they have tried to make out of all this but them making us get rid of vehicles for new ones is not going to be environmentally friendly.

'It's ridiculous, the cost of it all is going to be ridiculous.



Ms Jackson said there are 'two charging points in Ringwood' and estimated 70 per cent of the New Forest Taxi Industry will be impacted by the proposed changes.

Ms Jackson agreed the policy could 'wipe out' cabbies in the area that do not own electrical vehicles.

She continued: 'And, people [who] are disabled - it's going to affect them.

'I mean, they have recently just put in toilets for disabled people in the Ringwood car park so they are saying in one way to prevent them coming into Ringwood, but then there's that that contradicts itself.'

Another cabbie, Eddie Cuff, said he's near retirement age so won't be replacing his minibus if the proposed policy is introduced.

The 65-year-old said: 'Their environmental reason is a load of nonsense because there are cars passing MOTs.

'The council itself can't measure emissions on the vehicle, they can't test the breaks, take the car for a drive. They haven't even got a green policy written.'

Mr Cuff said the reason the policy is 'not good' for disabled passengers is because wheelchair access vehicles 'cost more anyway'.

The taxi driver of 25 years said he 'can understand the council's reason for it' but said it's 'not right for this area'.

If the proposal is successful, the changes will go ahead in January 2026.

Cllr Philip Dowd said whilst he understands the need to be sustainable, the council need to be 'pragmatic' in the way they are achieving that.

The Liberal Democrat representative for Hythe Central said: 'I'm very happy to say that my concern is that it may have an impact on people with disabilities - particularly wheelchair users.

'It's a difficuly one because I know the haven't put up [taxi] costs for a number of years, I understand that they have to align their rates with tet cost of running the service - that is clear.

'I do have concerns about the impact of such big changes, all in one go, will have on people - particularly the disabled and elderly.'

Mr Dowd said he feared the 'possible unintended consequences on people who are vulnerable.

He continued: 'As you know, our public transport system is not fantastic across the New Forest.

'The council have declared a nature and climate emergency. You would expect it to align any [services] with it's views moving forward.

'I don't think there should be any surprise there and they are providing electrical charging points around the district and they have a climate officer as well.

'I'm not against moving to a more sustainable way but it has to be done in an appropriate way and not in a way that's going to disproportionately affect people.

'We have got to be pragmatic about it.'

In response, New Forest District Council said: 'The draft Taxi Licensing Policy is subject to a three-month consultation period and is open for responses to midnight until Monday 15 April 2024.

'Responses to the draft policy can be submitted by completing the online consultation form on our website.

'We welcome feedback about the proposals as part of our consultation exercise. Once the consultation period closes, we will pause and consider the responses received before taking forward a draft policy through our decision-making process.'

The MoT histories on those two motors...

Wouldn't like to see the total repair bills for the two of them, particularly the Fiat...

The Fiat looks like the higher mileage one - should be around 400,000 miles by now

Or at least I think that's the mileage. At one point it's stated as 504,000 miles. But a lot of the mileages are stated as being in kms, so I suspect the 504,000 miles is actually kms

In such a rural area I'm amazed they have a WAV-only hackney policy in the first place.

No way anyone is going to afford a new WAV, and the chances of getting a decent less than 5-year-old WAV is at best very slim, and very expensive.

If they are worried about emissions, then just allow drivers to license new saloons instead.

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IDFIMH

I think semi rural best describes it as it includes Ports a massive oil refinery and is sandwiched between two of the largest contiguous urban areas in the UK.

That said across the solent in Southampton is NOT Wav only so it does seem a little odd

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