Taxi Driver Online

With the Berwick case nearly upon us I was wondering how much of an impact the increase in hackney carriage licenses have had on Newcastle private hire vehicle registrations?

According to the DfT stats, in 2005 Newcastle had 900 licensed private hire vehicles registered, I am assuming that was a fairly accurate estimation that provided for a small margin of error either side of that figure? I was informed by Newcastle this morning that they currently license over 900 private hire vehicles which is consistent with their 2005 figures but considering Berwick have licensed at least 500 additional hackney carriage vehicles in the last three years and presumably drivers as well and that the majority are probably from the North East area then I am wondering why the most popular licensed area in the north east that being Newcastle, has not experienced a drop in private hire vehicle licenses?

It has been suggested that the majority of the additional Berwick licenses have gone to Newcastle private drivers and one of the main reasons is because the license fees in Berwick are more favourable. However comparing the stats of 2005 and 2008 there seems to be an increase in Newcastle private hire vehicle registration and with that increase it follows that in order for these vehicles to be active then there also needs to be an increase in private hire drivers.

Two things hit me straight away and the first is revenue intake, obviously there is no loss of revenue in private hire licensing because numbers have slightly increased from 2005 to 2008 therefore private hire revenue is undoubtedly up. The second thing that jumps out at me is this, if these Berwick licenses haven't been taken up by disgruntled Newcastle private hire drivers then who has taken them up?

Could it be the case that a percentage of Newcastle hackney carriage drivers have decided that rather rent a hack from a Newcastle owner they prefer to license a hack from Berwick and work private hire? Or could it be the case that the extra 500 or so additional hack licenses in Berwick are scattered far and wide across the north east of England and at weekends many descend on Newcastle?

Whatever the circumstance Newcastle cannot claim they have lost private hire revenue from what might or might not have transpired in Berwick. In fact they can claim that such revenue has increased.

What I'm still wondering is where have all these Berwick licensed drivers come from? One thing that crosses my mind is that a great proportion could be from new entrants into the taxi trade taking advantage of Berwick's driver licensing conditions which has no local knowledge test. However if there was a local knowledge test I don't think it would be that difficult to pass.

If my observations are correct then a good case is made out for "national standards" however if anyone can come up with all the answers to who in the main is taking advantage of the current licensing system, which I might add that under current legislation they are quite entitled to do then I would be most grateful.

I might add that if Berwick come out of this case unscathed then there may well be a mass exodus by every private hire owner driver in the country to license themselves and their vehicle in Berwick under the provisions of hackney carriage.

That would be the nearest thing to a national private hire license I've ever seen.

Regards

JD

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Hi JD

I understand the new licensees come from all over the North East as former licensees in other areas.

The areas used for licenses...I understand were berwick, Derwentside, tynedale and eden districts.....At the time the majority of them had no local knowledge tests.

I believe this has subsequently changed.

Unlike Skippy I dont believe the Berwick situation is money orientated, the costs of licenses I believe are similar.

regards

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I agree, the saving on licence fees, if any, wouldn't be worth all the hassle. Lower entry requirements would be far more attractive.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

Berwick have reduced the licence prices as they are sticking to the letter of the law by not making a profit

When is the Berwick case due for hearing & am I right in thinking this is a Judicial Review?





IMO the chances of Berwick coming out of this unscathed are much, much more than even!

The only way that I can see that they would loose, is if the judgement deemed that out-of-area Hackney Carriages working on a radio system outside their licensed area would be de facto Private Hire Vehicles when doing so, which would be some incredible judgement.

Berwick to win, not on points, but by a knock-out.

And if that were to happen, whilst no comfort whatsoever to the Newcastle cab trade, it would perhaps hasten new legislation.

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

It may also mean that Newcastle may have to cut there licence price, and even deregulate

You are right on all counts. Does that surprise you?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Not in the slightest.

But it does anger me more & more, because it becomes exponentially obvious for the urgent need for new legislation.

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Yes, frustrating isn't it? lol

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

By the way, I laff about it because both you and I and many others realise that, yet for some reason only be-known to themselves there are just as many who prefer to live in the past. That is to say they are not entitled to their opinion but I have yet to see from them a cogent argument explaining their reasoning?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Sorry skip

Newcastle has problems in the terms that its a popular place and needs income to make sure the taxi operation is legit.

Invariably this means additional staff etc

Berwick has no similar problems...hence the arguable lower license fee.

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Thank you for that input Cap.

I find it remarkable that an additional "five or six hundred" acting private hire vehicles can be absorbed by the north east area as a whole and yet the compliment of Newcastle private hire vehicles and probably drivers, remains the same as previous years.

It would be difficult but interesting to find out just exactly where these five or six hundred vehicles actually operate from because I would have thought that the private hire compliment of those particular authorities would be dramatically reduced? I know that Blue Line has Berwick licensed vehicles on its circuit and i think they operate in Tyneside but has that had an affect on a reduction of Tyneside licensed private hire vehicles?

I can't get help thinking that the vast majority of these licenses might well have gone to new drivers and if that is the case then I think the attraction might well be the fact that there is no knowledge test and the cost issue is a secondary factor?

However, regardless of how the law stands five or six hundred additional vehicles is a huge number to absorb no matter where they are?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

In all honesty I dont think there are any extra vehicles.....just vehicles formerly licensed in Newcastle, North Tyneside etc now licensed in Berwick.

I think the same as you, if Berwick had a knowledge test, then a Newcastle licensed driver isnt going to bother going there and learning a test for an area he has no intention of working.

I think the trade in Berwick suggested similar...but guess what? Theres no complaints about Berwick drivers getting lost and I presume therefore no need for a knowledge test in the eyes of Berwick Council.

regards

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I dont think anyone could get lost in Berwick it only takes 15 mins to driver up and down every street, and that includes Spittle

Ain't that a point in itself skip?

These new licensees wont get lost in Berwick....because they wont work in Berwick, they don't have to know their way around Berwick's licensing area.....because they wont work in that area.

Indeed, if sources are correct Berwick even allows a garage in Newcastle to carry out testing of vehicles for them, I'm sure even JD will raise a smile at that one and tell you the testing station must be within the district?

It has even been suggested a number of applications have been done by post.....so the applicant doesn't even need to know where the licensing office is.

You are absolutely right, Berwick licensing fees cannot make a profit....but haven't they recently taken on extra staff? So will license fee's be lowered?

Irrespective of that, Newcastle or wherever council still has a obligation to protect the public and ensure premises are checked and no illegal plying is going on....So with less income what is going to happen? Higher fee's I would guess.

And Newcastle won't deregulate, they have just agreed to maintain their limit on numbers because of a survey.

If anything, Berwick is probably proof positive that we should have numbers control.

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin