Taxi Driver Online

Well this is odd - isn't this the council plating the zillions of cars doing school runs here, there and everywhere?

I was half expecting a quote from a high profile trade group, or individual. Or MBE, even

But none there came. And then the 'hikes' themselves. Eh? I suspect the average driver in the trade would be cock-a-hoop to get away with rises like this, and would just keep quiet about them

So this groundswell of anger about it all seems a bit odd - I smell a rat. And, again, interesting that there are no individuals, firms or organisations specifically named.

(Although, to be fair, the quotes seem to be taken from a consultation, which maybe partly explains the anonymity.)


Taxi drivers hit out at council over 'utterly ridiculous' fees rise plans

https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-n ... l-10758106

The council insists it's 'committed to working constructively' with the sector and 'ensure changes are fair, transparent, and compliant'

Taxi and other licensed drivers have hit out at the council over plans to increase the licence fees, with one furious driver insisting it’s “utterly ridiculous and pure greed.”

Uttlesford District Council is planning to raise taxi driver fees for a second year in a row and the authority says there could be a shortage of taxi drivers if fees do not continue to increase.

The council held a consultation into the proposed rises with cabbies and other licensed drivers, and the plans have sparked anger and concerns from drivers. A total of 18 drivers gave their views, with most raising fears and concerns.

One said: “These fees are too much to handle, they are other financial challenges that the drivers are facing. Insurance premiums are and this is looking more like a scam.”

Another called the proposed increases “not acceptable.”

Another added: “It is utterly ridiculous and pure greed, as a part time home to school driver having to pay to go to work is absolutely ridiculous. The increase is unnecessary and just shows me nothing but greed from the council.”

If agreed, the fee for a driver's licence for three years would go from £250.20 to £259.00, a rise of £8.80. An operator's licence for five years would rise from £539.84 to £556.00, an increase of £16.16, a licence for vehicles for one year would increase from £161.27 to £167.50, an extra £6.23, and a renewal licence for vehicles for one year would be hiked from £141.88 to £147, an increase of £5.12.

One licensed driver added: “As a home to school driver the new licence costs are unfair when the driver is not getting a regular route or decent income from the route, as we are only paid minimum hourly rate or only receiving an available fee. The fees would put us in a financial negative.”

Another driver said: “It is disproportionately higher than necessary, although once you've made your mind up, it's done.”

A council spokesman said: "The proposed fees have been brought forward to ensure the licensing service can continue to operate on a cost‑recovery basis, as required by law. No final decision has been made. All consultation feedback will be presented in full to the Licensing and Environmental Health Committee, which will consider the evidence, the financial position of the service, and the views of the trade before determining the way forward at its meeting next week. The council remains committed to working constructively with the taxi and private hire sector and to ensuring that any changes are fair, transparent, and compliant with statutory requirements."

So your badge would be going up £3 per year, which works out less than a penny per day

But the quote maybe underlines the prevalence of school run contracts using this council's vehicles

Would be interesting to know what metric the council uses to decide there's a shortage of drivers - think there around 1,800 badges in an area with a population of 92,000 - I'd guess the average authority with that sort of population would number drivers in the hundreds.

So in turn I'd guess any percieved 'shortage' would be with regard to school contracts here, there and everywhere. Maybe Uttlesford a kind of Wolverhampton captured for the school run bigwigs?

I wonder if Uttlesford was mentioned at the TransComm meeting when certain trade reps were giving evidence?

So the trade could lose drivers if fees weren't increased?

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IDFIMH

Well spotted, Sussex - I was so fixated with just the driver shortage thing per se that I didn't notice the illogicality of the statement

But had a look down the council papers' rabbit hole last week to see check the logic in terms of what was actually said, but couldn't find anything approximating to the statement in the press report at all. Maybe it was something said in a meeting, or whatever.

And meant to have another look, but can't be bothered now...