Taxi Driver Online

Licence fee complaints

TAXI drivers fear they could be forced out of their jobs because of above-inflation increases in their licence fee.

Ellesmere Port cabbies are campaigning against a borough council decision to raise their operator fees - presently £46.29 - by 2.5% and Hackney carriage licenses by £10. To date, 87 cabbies have complained about the council's decision in letters to the authority and by signing a petition. And now they are considering legal action.

Driver Mr N Clibery said: 'These above-inflation rises will cause severe hardship to us and, if enforced, a large number of people in the industry will be forced out. That will result in a reduction in service.'

Howard Matthews told the borough solicitor in a letter: 'I hope you look into this issue because I've been a taxi driver here for 16 years and I've never had it so bad.'

Colleague Graham Scott said the increase is 'too much'.

Gary Woodward, secretary of Ellesmere Port Hackney Carriage Association, said: 'We object to these increases and are looking at the possibility of going for a judicial review on this matter.

'We believe councils should only charge fees as are sufficient to cover the costs of administering and policing the trade.'

Borough senior registration officer Barbara Gill said the council's licensing committee resolved to increase the fees in February. Members then confirmed the move at their April meeting, after hearing all the drivers' objections.

_________________
IDFIMH

I wonder what they would say if the council wiped out their plate value, if it increased more than inflation?

_________________
IDFIMH

You can see where they're coming from though - that's over a pound a year on the op's license and a massive £10 a year on the taxi licenses

I suspect that the latter will decrease plate premiums by at least next-to-nothing.

You couldn't make it up

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

There is of course a way to decrease the council's work-load. They could be rid of hundreds of hours of pointless red tape, and the huge costs of surveys.

Maybe the council could offer de-limitation as a way of reducing their costs.

_________________
IDFIMH

So they are going to spend 1000s on legal fees to save a pound a year.
Makes plenty of sense that.