Taxi Driver Online

Taxi cap lift could hit town cabbies

CONTROVERSIAL plans to lift a cap on the number of taxi licences in Reading could "drive cabbies out of business". That was the view of taxi drivers in response to a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition initiative to claw back £3.4m to balance the books.

It is part of the council's Growing Revenue and Cost Recovery Project, a scheme drawn up by accountancy firm Deloitte to look at ways to generate more income by reforming everything from waste management to advertising and sponsorship.

The document is yet to be finalised, but one idea includes uncapping the borough's 240 Hackney Carriage licences, in line with other authorities and increasing the £260 charge to generate an estimated £83,500.

But Reading Taxi Association chairman Asif Rashid told last week's cabinet meeting: "This isn't the right time for new licences to be issued. We understand the council is facing a harsh financial climate, but we are facing financial difficulties too. "A survey a year ago said there wasn't any demand for [more] licences and it's getting harder to find work."

Tahir Abdullah, chairman of the Reading Cab Drivers' Association, said: "Everyone is suffering. People are driving so many hours trying to find fares, and fuel is making it 30% more expensive to run a car than two months ago."

Kirsten Bayes sympathised with the drivers' "difficult situation" and said the final decision lies with the licensing committee. But former Labour transport and planning leader Tony Page branded the package "a poverty of ambition".

He said: "Hammering the taxis of this town isn't going to be a solution for this council's budget. They already pay a lot for licences." He also criticised the scheme for failing to create a "level playing field" because the proposed changes did not cover private hire vehicles.

But Cllr Richard Willis hit back by attacking the former Labour administration and said: "If they had shown ambition and commonsense we wouldn't be in this situation, and the council coffers would be in a better position."

Other recommendations in the project report include introducing charges to developers for street naming and numbering, and installing lamp post advertising banners, raising £16,920 and £13,500 respectively.

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