Maybe this should be in one of the other threads.
But quite interesting, although in essence nothing that hasn't been said before.
But the usual boilerplate from Wolverhampton, which to be fair I haven't read for a while. Although I think it looks like it's been updated slightly.
And Sussex's favourite licensing councillor
Worcester taxi standards ‘in decline’, claims cabbie
https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/26 ... ms-cabbie/
Taxi standards in the city have fallen as out-of-area drivers flood the market, a Worcester taxi driver has claimed.
Image: Worcester News
Mohammed Sajad raised concerns about drivers licensed in Wolverhampton operating in Worcester, claiming they are bringing "horrendous" vehicles and poor standards to the city.
City of Wolverhampton Council has defended its licensing process and said it takes enforcement seriously.
Speaking at a meeting of Worcester City Council's licensing and environmental health committee, Mr Sajad said: "The biggest major concern is Wolverhampton drivers.
"They do not have God-given rights to park on our ranks or in the city centre. No private hire in England has the right to do that.
"Guys I know who are on work permit visas have got a badge from Wolverhampton. They haven’t been in England long — a year or two.
"They have no knowledge of the Highway Code, the ethics of the trade, and the vehicles - well, horrendous.
"It’s not good - the drivers are at their wits’ end. A lot of them don’t want to be fighting with them."
He said some of the drivers were operating on student visas and questioned how they obtained private hire licences.
Mr Sajad said: "They can’t speak English. They’re just going by satnavs. They’ve got no knowledge of this city."
Image: Worcester News
He called for increased enforcement between 8pm and 3am, saying he could identify specific hotspots where problems were most common.
Mr Sajad told councillors: "The standards are gone and I think you guys need to wake up and come and see what’s going on because accountability needs to be had.
"Is it Wolverhampton? Is it you guys? Somebody needs to take the blame because this is a big mess."
Councillor Richard Udall, who chairs the licensing committee, said: "The fact we’ve got significant competition as a result of a relaxation of the legislation 10 years ago means we’ve got more competition out there.
"I’m yet to see any evidence that competition is actually breaking the rules by parking on taxi ranks.
"I think they are parking up somewhere in the city centre and waiting for trade, but I’m not convinced there’s a widespread issue of taxi rank misuse."
City of Wolverhampton Council issued more than 33,000 private hire licences last year, far more than any other local authority.
p to 96 per cent of taxi driver licences issued between April 2023 and March 2024 were for people living outside of the city.
A City of Wolverhampton Council spokesperson said: "Under the current law, applicants can apply to any licensing authority for taxi licences and the council may not refuse an applicant simply because they live in a different area.
“We have some of the highest standards in the country and were the first to implement the Government's Statutory Standards and Best Practice Guidance.
“Every driver must attend our offices in person, where they undergo facial verification against their driving licence and proof of right to work in the UK, as well as presenting their original DBS certificate.
“Before they can be licensed, applicants must also attend in person for training, provided independently by Worcestershire County Council and only available in English. The robustness of this test is highlighted by the fact there is a failure rate of more than 50 per cent.
"We are the only council in the country that checks every driver’s criminal record every single day through the DBS Update Service.
"Passengers can also use their phone to check a driver’s licence and identity before getting into the car - another national first for Wolverhampton licensed taxis. A licence will only be granted if the vehicle meets the required standards upon inspection, and licence conditions require drivers to undertake a daily walkaround check of their vehicle before starting work.
“We take enforcement seriously, with officers working across the country every Friday and Saturday night, side by side with other local authorities and partners to help protect the public."
Worcester City Council did not respond to a request for comment.