Taxi Driver Online

More licences issued despite York taxi drivers’ concerns over saturation

MORE hackney carriage licences are to be issued this year despite protests from taxi drivers who say there are already too many cabs chasing too few customers in York.

Last month, City of York Council put on hold a decision to issue two extra licence plates every six months, pending a report on the viability of introducing more cabs in the recession.

The study, carried out by consultancy company Halcrow, formed the basis of a report which was recently put before the council’s licensing and regulatory committee.

Despite recommendations from its own officers that there was no unmet demand for cabs in the city, the committee decided to issue another two plates in July. A council spokesman said plans to issue a further six plates from 2010 would be done after further consultations with taxi drivers in York.

Keith Phillips, of York Taxi Association, said: “There are 173 hackney carriages in York, but they support 300 drivers – so what you have in effect is 300 cabs plus 600 private hire vehicles. It’s one of the biggest industries in York. But the recession is beginning to bite, even though we are a buoyant city. There is still work here but we are starting to feel the downturn. Business has gone down, even at the station.”

Mr Philips called for a freeze in the issuing of more licences until the economic situation had improved. Coun Ian Gillies, chairman of the licensing and regulatory committee, said: “The policy to issue two plates every six months has been in for less than four months.

“The advice we received was that if we wanted to change that policy, we couldn’t change just part of it we had to change all of it. “After taking advice, it became clear we could have opened ourselves up to legal action from those waiting to be issued a plate.

“When the policy was agreed, we weren’t in a recession and there’s no lack of willingness to help the taxi drivers. But the next two people on the waiting list wouldn’t have got their plates and the last thing we want to do is attract legal proceedings.”

The council revealed there is currently a list of 182 people waiting to be issued with a licence to operate a cab in the city. Mr Gillies added: “If people don’t want to take up the plates then they don’t have to. If they think there isn’t going to be enough business then nobody is forcing them to take them up.”

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IDFIMH

Is that all



People for a long time seem to think that cabbies earn a large income and no telling them otherwise convinces them so they are bound to take up the chance. Apart from which if they don't like it they can sell the plate anyway I think that's a silly comment



I thought if there was no unmet demand then there was little chance of somebody being able to win a case in court for the issue of more plates

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

I guess the fact that they said they will do X has given folks a legitimate expectation that X will happen, and if it don't then those folks will have a legitimate claim against the council.

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IDFIMH

"If they think there isn’t going to be enough business then nobody is forcing them to take them up.”[/quote]

I would presume that the ph will just convert to hackney so that is a stupid statement.

The real truth is that any plates issued can go to anyone.
Very likely to people who have f*ck all to do with the trade and will sell them on to someone who has. Ching Ching

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

Thank you.

How can the private hire convert to Hackney? the plates being issued are from a waiting list

The chances are that some of the people on the list will already working as PH

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

You dont know that toots

CC

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

This will give those drivers who want there own cab a chance, why pay a a daft rental for something that's free.
I hope this means that York is now unrestricted

It doesnt mean that at all, it means that York is to issue a number of licenses as per policy.

CC

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

The way I read it is they are going to issue to the 182 on the list

If the new plates go to hackney journeymen then that won't effect demand, as they are already meeting it.

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IDFIMH

With a current PH to Hack ratio of 3.468 to 1 Im guessing toots is bang on the money that some of those in waiting will likely be PH's

If there are 182 people on the waiting list and they are going to issue 4 plates a year, the people at the bottom of the list are going to have to wait 45 years to get a plate. So if you go on the list when you are 20 years old, you will be retired before you get one.

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Grandad,