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PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:08 pm 
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Views sought on whether to cap Watford taxi numbers

People in Watford are being asked for their views on whether the number of taxis in the town should be capped.

Following an independent report, Watford Borough Council’s licensing committee will be considering whether to limit the number of taxi licences it issues next month.

The number of licences is currently unlimited and will only be capped if councillors believe there is no unmet demand for taxis in the area.

The independent report and the draft action plan can be viewed at the Watford Town Hall Customer Service Centre, or on the council’s website at: http://tinyurl.com/taxi-survey-documents.

Comments can be made by March 5 either at http://tinyurl.com/2012-taxi-survey or by writing to: Licensing, Watford Borough Council, Town Hall, Watford, Herts, WD17 3EX or emailing licensing@watford.gov.uk.

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/9 ... i_numbers/

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PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:20 pm 
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http://www.watford.gov.uk/ccm/content/e ... drivers.en

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 12:53 am 
What can they possibly add, the only way is to get some feet out and have a look at the ranks, if they are full all day and serviced enough at night then there is enough, what could someone who calls a cab have to offer, for one they'd be talking about the wrong service and to find someone who actually uses a Hack all the time is not going to be easy is it.


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PostPosted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 12:58 am 
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Doom wrote:
What can they possibly add, the only way is to get some feet out and have a look at the ranks, if they are full all day and serviced enough at night then there is enough, what could someone who calls a cab have to offer, for one they'd be talking about the wrong service and to find someone who actually uses a Hack all the time is not going to be easy is it.



this kinda says it all;

The main findings from the report are:

• 303 taxis and 115 private hire vehicles were licensed as of 31 August 2011 - although nearly 100 taxis were not working during the survey period

• There is an over-supply of taxis, and there is no significant demand which is not currently being met

• Fares are higher than average for southern England, and the two-mile fare is well above the national average of £4.89

• Watford has the 8th equal highest fare out of 377 council areas in England and Wales

• Mileage records show that taxi work has almost halved since the previous limit was removed in November 2006, and dropped further from 2010

• Most drivers work a 40 hour week over 5.5 days. Some drivers only work 4 hours a week but others work up to 86 hours a week

• No drivers had been able to maintain their present income, had earned on average just £22 on the day they’d replied to the questionnaire and on average had to wait between 30 and 60 minutes for a 15-minute fare

• There were many examples of poor customer service – such as passengers being over-charged when taking the same journey; drivers refusing to take passengers on short journeys; calls for drivers to be courteous, polite and well-mannered, and for more comfortable, larger and cleaner vehicles.

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 1:52 am 
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Quote:
and for more comfortable, larger and cleaner vehicles.


I guess it's time these drivers learn to f*rt cash outta their ass

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:20 pm 
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Survey finds drivers and passengers unhappy with number of taxis



An over-abundance of taxis on Watford’s roads is leading to unhappiness from passengers and drivers alike, a report has said.

A survey of the state of the town’s hackney carriage and private hire services found that residents considered taxi drivers to be more focused on their fares than service.

One respondent to the report, commissioned by Watford Borough Council, even raised concerns about cabbies falling asleep at the wheel.

However, taxi drivers have said too many licences have been granted forcing them to work longer hours to make ends meet.

The main taxi driver association in Watford has also backed proposals to re-introduce a limit on the number of licences in the town.

The release of the report comes as the borough council, which oversees taxi licensing, prepares to debate how the service should be regulated in the future.

This week the council has launched a consultation asking people their views on the town’s overall taxi service.

According to the traffic consultancy firm CTS Traffic & Transportation, which carried out the survey, the number of hackney carriages on Watford’s streets had increased fourfold since the removal of the licences cap in 2006.

At the time of the survey there were over 400 taxis in Watford, with 303 hackney carriages and 115 private hires.

The report said that Watford had the highest ratio of taxis provision compared to population in Hertfordshire.

The survey said that taxi ranks in the town were over-crowded and in general seeing less custom then when last assessed in 2001.

However, when the company surveyed members of the public the main issues raised were about the services from taxi drivers, with one responder raising concerns about cabbies falling asleep at the wheel.

The report said: "In general, the main issues people had were need for better service from the drivers.

"For the first time in a study of this nature, one person stated they preferred if drivers did not fall asleep at the wheel.

"Some 6 per cent were concerned they had been refused short journeys."

When surveyed taxi drivers also said they were also unhappy with the situation in Watford, saying over-supply was forcing them to work longer to earn enough money.

The sentiments in the report were backed by Shafiq Ahmed, the chairman of the Watford Hackney Carriage Drivers’ Association.

He said: "There is no unmet demand in Watford and therefore drivers are struggling to make a living.

"We strongly want a cap at the moment."

The reported concluded that there was no significant unmet demand for cabs and there is a large over supply of hackney carriages in the town.

It also said that public support for taxi drivers in Watford was eroding as passengers felt service was diminishing as drivers become more focussed on making a living.

Next month councillors will have to decide to whether to cap the number of cabs on the roads or try to reduce growth in taxi numbers by other changes to licensing policy.

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/9 ... s_in_town/

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