Taxi Driver Online

Northumberland taxi drivers set to see operating restrictions eased

TAXI operators in Northumberland are set to be given more freedom in how they can ply for trade after county councillors agreed to ease tough operating restrictions.

Six separate licensing zones for hackney cabs are set to be scrapped and replaced by a single zone covering the whole county – in a move aimed at bringing benefits to both passengers and the taxi industry. The six existing zones are based on the former district councils which were abolished to create the unitary county council in 2009.

The current arrangements mean hackney cabs licensed in, for example, Blyth Valley are prevented from plying for hire or picking up fares at ranks in neighbouring Wansbeck. Similarly, cabs licensed in Tynedale can’t pick up fares in Castle Morpeth or any of the other four zones.

Yesterday the council’s licensing and regulatory committee voted unanimously that a single hackney carriage licensing zone should be created in Northumberland. If approved by the full council, it will mean drivers can ply for hire and take their place on ranks anywhere across the county.

A 12-week consultation exercise on the proposal was carried out earlier this year. Of the 54 responses, 30 were in favour of having an open system and 24 against.

Yesterday’s meeting was told by Philip Soderquest, the council’s public safety and enforcement manager, there are advantages and disadvantages in having a single licensing zone. Benefits include increased availability of hackney cabs for passengers to hire, greater customer choice and the removal of public confusion when taxis licensed by the same council can’t pick up in other zones.

He said drawbacks included worries over a potential drift of taxis to what are seen as more lucrative areas, resulting in a shortage elsewhere and potential traffic and pollution problems. In addition, there were concerns about competition issues between existing operators.

Mr Soderquest said both the Department for Transport and the Office of Fair Trading advocated the abolition of separate licensing zones, in the interests of benefits to passengers. Committee chairman, Jeff Watson, said: “We are not here to prevent people from making a living and if this helps taxi operators to do that, all well and good.”

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IDFIMH

Oh well, another 15-30 year learning curve for the numpty councillors that made the decision to de-zone.

The bees will go to the honey, whilst the less attractive blooms will not get pollinated.

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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What about all those Berwick licensed taxis?

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Former taxi driver

Its a Pay rise for Berwick Taxi drivers as the new single zone will be taking the various tarriffs up to match the highest priced of each tarriff within the county..

Presumably, the plethora of Berwick licensed drivers constantly hacking Newcastle City Centre, (which does not even come under Northumberland), will be able to tell their greedy North Tyneside based operator, (which does not even come under Northumberland), that they will no longer need to be stealing fares from genuine Newcastle Hackneys or from legitimately booked Private Hire Vehicles, many of whom have travelled miles for jobs which turn out to be blanks.

Another feckwitted decision.

CC

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

Don't councils know best?

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IDFIMH

No....I do

But when you consider the consultation........54 responses......1000's of taxis? What do the trade expect?

CC

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

Hang on a dog-done minute there!!

Whilst I agree that 54 responses is pi$$ poor, just consider the following two fact about the consultation.

1. The consultation period was from 11th November 2011 until 20th December 2011, the busiest time of the year for the cab trade. Was that deliberate?

2. The consultation period was just 5 weeks and 3 working days! Have a look on the DfT website at the length of time given to other consultations, some running into many months. Was that deliberate?

Something tells me the cab trade and possibly the PH trade are about to get 'stitched up like a kipper' and that Parliament just went through the motions with this consultation!!!!

_________________
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.

But many of those 1000s don't work there, and most of the ones left are well happy with now being able to work in previously restricted manors.

I suspect the 54 were the lads losing out.

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IDFIMH

Not quite.....Of the 54 responses, 30 were in favour of having an open system and 24 against.


CC

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