Taxi Driver Online

Cambridge taxi numbers capped for first time since 2001



The number of taxis allowed to operate in Cambridge has been capped for the first time since 2001.

The maximum number of licensed taxis will be set at 317 from yesterday, following the decision by the city council’s licensing committee.

It is hoped the move will reduce overcrowding, reduce the need for drivers to work long hours and help the council work closer with drivers.

Cllr Jeremy Benstead, chair of the council's licensing committee, said: “Taxi drivers play a very important role in the day-to-day life of a city like Cambridge.

"We feel that limiting the number of taxis in the city is the best way of providing a safe and efficient service for passengers and drivers alike.

“Cambridge has seen significant rise in the number of taxis in the last few years, which has led to some problems due to limited taxi rank space in the city.

"By limiting licences we can better tackle existing problems and help provide an even better service for residents and visitors to the city.”


Read more: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Cambrid ... z3Q0i5uu00

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

I wonder if they carried out a SUD survey.

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Grandad,

they did


http://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/ieLis ... 2500&Ver=4

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

Mind you reading the minutes of the previous meeting it appears Cambridge Council do act illegally -

http://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/docum ... inutes.pdf

14/25/LIC Setting Fees for Taxi Plate Transfers

The Committee received a report from the Licensing & Enforcement Manager regarding the setting of fees for Taxi Plate Transfers.

In response to member’s questions the Licensing & Enforcement Manager said the following:

i. The fee charged for processing licence applications should be costneutral and not make a surplus nor subside those licensed. Working by this process the Council may minimise the risk of legal challenge.

ii. Fewer than 10 Taxi Plate Transfers have been processed since April 2014.

iii. 121 Taxi Plates were in place before the City Council made a decision to remove the restriction. Whilst these plates are transferable, any plates above this 121 are not.

iv. All fees were set after a full assessment of the time and work involved to process the applications. This was a complicated calculation and covered costs such as officer time/salary, creation of plates and Manager/Head of Services input.

v. Whilst all fees were reviewed annually the costs involved could vary during the course of a year.

vi. The Committee had recently looked at fees for the boarding of pet animals. This was not a full review of costs but simply introduced a separate fee for home boarding that met certain criteria.

vii.On the back of concerns raised by the taxi trade regarding fees charged by other authorities, the Committee had also asked officers to look at fees for plate transfers.

viii. The fee setting process was reviewed and agreed in October 2013. If the Committee were now minded to look again at the process there would be a cost involved that was not recoverable from fees.

The Chair agreed with concerns raised by the Committee regarding the base rate criteria for fee setting but suggested that it needed a wider Council approach.

The Committee:

Resolved (by 10 votes to 1) to:

i. Agree that the fees set by the Committee in January 2014 for taxi plate transfers should be reviewed in advance of other licence fees.

ii. Approve a revised fee of £50 following the statutory consultation period.

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

Weymouth Borough Council ex parte Teletax (Weymouth) Ltd [1947 ] KB 583

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

How is this going to reduce overcrowding?

They may be a case that it wont increase, although as there is no cap on PH and outsiders that is a very thin case, but unless you are going to decrease the number of taxi plates overcrowding wont reduce.

And as for stopping the trading of plates, clearly this move shows that none of the Councillors or officers attended the local universities.

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IDFIMH