Some interesting stuff here - was this the authority which allowed a switch from WAVs to saloons on medical grounds, and this led to a huge (and improbably legitimate) shift to saloons?
And now, for well rehearsed reasons, looks like WAV plates being handed back, but not saloons - who'd have expected that?
But can't really see this making much difference to the current scenario if there are currently plates available below the SUD number - I mean, presumably current new applications have to be WAVs, so what difference will this make? Or are people currently allowed to put saloon HCs on?
Change recommended to address dwindling numbers of wheelchair accessible hackney carriages
https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news ... s-10511973
Councillors' recommendations are going to be subject to a consultation of the taxi trade
Councillors have recommended change to tackle dwindling numbers of wheelchair accessible hackney carriage taxis in North East Lincolnshire. The council's licensing and community protection committee made recommendations on its hackney carriage licensing policy earlier this month.
These will be subject to consultation with the trade in the coming weeks. A decision to remove a limit on the number of hackney carriages that can operate in North East Lincolnshire was deferred last November.
After representations from the NEL Hackney Carriage Association, councillors asked for a fresh unmet demand survey. The survey results have justified calls to keep the taxi numbers limit to 220, but also highlighted a sharp fall in the proportion of wheelchair accessible taxis.
It found 204 current total active hackney carriages in the local authority, leaving room for new drivers and vehicles with the current limit of 220. But it was found that wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) had diminished considerably.
These accounted for 47 per cent of hackney carriage taxi numbers at its peak, to 33 per cent in 2020, and now just 16 per cent. "There is a major concern and need to resolve the fast-dropping numbers of WAV vehicles," officers stated in a report.
"Whilst it is accepted that demand for them is relatively low, their significance to those that use them is very high. It is unfortunate that the pressure on the industry to reduce costs is not helping in this respect."
Officers have identified a policy from 2013 as in large part responsible for the drop in wheelchair accessible taxis. This allowed any WAV hackney carriages to revert to saloon style vehicles, if the driver applied for it on medical exemption grounds. This exemption was removed last November.
Complaints were made about its removal. But the Local Government Ombudsman concluded the council considered the impact on disabled drivers in its decision-making, and there was insufficient evidence of fault to warrant a full investigation.
Councillors were also tasked with a recommendation on whether to put a limit on the fuel source types of new hackney carriages to be electric or hybrid powered only. Chair Cllr Robson Augusta (Labour - Park Ward) told Grimsby Live this was ruled out, on the basis of high cost concerns for drivers, and associated infrastructure not being readily available, especially for taxis.
Overall, the committee recommended:
- • To maintain the current limit of 220 hackney carriages in the local authority.
• Keep the current policy that allows all vehicle fuel source types.
• To amend policy so that all current WAV remain so, and new hackney carriage applicants have WAV vehicles.
The WAV policy change recommendation was passed 7-2 votes, while the other recommendations were unanimous. The proposals are to now go out to the trade for consultation. The licensing and community protection committee will meet again in November to make a final decision.