Taxi Driver Online

New fees for taxi drivers too high - Newport cabbies
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TAXI drivers in Newport say they feel proposed new fees for drivers are unfair.

Newport city council’s licensing committee are proposing the introduction of new fee rates for things like the taxi plates you see on the back of cabs in order to close up a potential deficit of £65,000 in the upcoming licensing budget.

Lionel Morris, the chairman of the Newport Hackney Taxi Driver’s Association (NHTDA), said his members felt the new fees would be too much for them, and that the council should be taking some responsibility for the deficit not putting all the money on the drivers.

But in a robust meeting at the Civic Centre earlier this week, council officers and members of the licensing committee said the service could not be run at a loss, and pointed out the council has no obligation to subsidise private businesses.

The chairman of the licensing committee, Cllr Allan Morris, was left frustrated with the drivers’ approach at the meeting having, he said, been left firmly under the impression that both the association and the committee had come to an agreement on the fees at the previous meeting last year.

Lionel Morris, said: "The council told us the cost of the service, things like sending out letters, officers hours and carrying out tests on our vehicles isn’t being met by what is coming in.

"But we just don’t believe it only taxis causing a loss and don’t understand why our drivers have to pay for all of this deficit.

"There’s lots of areas in licensing is it only us?"

Secretary of NHTDA, Mustaq Ahmed, said: "At the moment a hackney carriage driver in Newport pays the council £128 a year for a taxi plate and a taxi badge but under the new proposals we will pay £320 for the same things.

"I feel we are paying for the council’s inefficiency," he said.

Cllr Morris told the drivers at the meeting,: "We are not in a position to subsidise taxis.

"We are in a dire situation and there’s no other alternative than to take that money back."

source: http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/1 ... t_cabbies/

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

The fees do sound a bit cheap - but that isn't the fault of the drivers, its been a failure to address fees for many years from the looks of it.

Someone should be sacked.

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

Or maybe the council are trying to recoup the 100s of 1000s they lost in the vehicle age Judicial Review.

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IDFIMH

I recall saying something at the time

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

Does this council issue new plates every year or do owners pay a deposit and keep the plate, if it the first one no wonder it costs councils to make plates, it would be better to do the second one and dont put expiry dates on them, we have the second one, £25 deposit and we keep the plates for as long as we need them

We have new plates every year and new drivers' badges every year.

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Grandad,

Newport cabbies ponder appeal as taxi fees hike approved
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APPEAL: Lionel Morris, chairman of Newport Taxi Drivers’ AssociationAPPEAL: Lionel Morris, chairman of Newport Taxi Drivers’ Association

THE LEADER of Newport's cab drivers said the planned fees increase could "destroy" them and they would consider appealing against them.

Newport city council's licensing committee approved proposals to increase taxi fees.

The committee agreed to the introduction of new fee rates including the taxi plates on the back of cabs, in order to close up a potential deficit of £65,000 in the licensing budget.

Lionel Morris, the chairman of the Newport Hackney Taxi Driver's Association (NHTDA) said his members felt the new fees would be too much for them, and the council should be taking some responsibility for the deficit and not put all the money on drivers. He said: "This deficit will destroy us."

Speaking to the Argus after the meeting Mr Morris said: "We're definitely not happy with this decision. We will be seeking further legal advice and will consider appealing."

Defending the move, Head of public protection and environmental services for Newport Helen Wilkie said: "We are heading for a £65,000 deficit and the council needs to make a decision as to whether to continue to subsidise the taxi licensing service or break even.

"We're not trying to recuperate previous losses but are looking forward now. "It does appear as a significant increase to drivers, but it is still less than our neighbouring authorities."

Cllr Cliff Suller who chaired the meeting said: "In the past we have been able to be generous, but unfortunately we are now past the realms of being able to be generous. "We need to address the financial situation we cannot get away from."

He added: "Everybody around the table is mindful of the situation for taxi drivers and realise the pain it might bring."

Alisha Harris who was representing hackney carriage drivers said: "In some cases fees could be going up by 100 per cent.

"You need to think of the livelihood of the drivers. Many with older vehicles could go out of business with these new fees."

The rises will be higher for older cars than younger ones. Currently a hackney carriage vehicle, which is more than 12-years-old, costs £76 for a six-month licence and this will increase to £155 for six months.

source: http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/g ... _approved/

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

So do we and our fees including plate tests work out at £418 a year so I think they have been on a really good thing

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

And so is their tariff by a long way - they love to pick out the cherries to suit.

They need to bombard them with FOI requests/info as to when this deficit first started to accrue! It would also be prudent to see as to how many jobs @ whatever salaries have been created over a period that it started going into deficit. I would go as far as to find out what rental the office/offices they operate from is costed at. Basically all costs involved today, and then compared to........say 10 years ago. My bet is that someone is always sitting on a nice salary...............and the drivers are paying for it.

With licensing are they including pubs/clubs/ and anything else that requires a license - it does not as far as I can see, say so.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.