Taxi Driver Online

Government department raises concern over Sheffield Council's new policy on private hire



A Government department has raised concern at Sheffield Council's changes to its taxi licensing policy.

The Competitions and Markets Authority raised a number of issues as plans were laid out on new policy for private hire taxi firms in the city.

The CMA said they were concerned about new rule restricting drivers to work for one private hire operator and making firms have a permanently staffed helpline based in the city.

The body also said It was 'not necessary' to require all firms to offer seven day advance bookings.

CMA acting chief executive Andrea Coscelli, sent a letter to Sheffield Council's licensing boss Steve Lonnia expressing their worries consumers could end up paying more through the extra restrictions.

But Sheffield Council said they had taken on board the CMA's and passed the new private hire policy with some amendments.

A CMA spokesman said: "Last year we looked at the Sheffield market and cleared a merger of major taxi/private hire firms because we expected competition from app-based operators.

The letter explains why some planned Council measures may stifle competition without necessarily benefitting consumers.

"It is not necessary to require a permanently staffed helpline within the city – this increases costs for operators, which passengers will then pay for;

"Only allowing owner-drivers to work for one operator means they are all likely to choose the biggest operator, so passengers could end up with only one operator to choose from, and thus there is no competition."

Councillor Bryan Lodge, cabinet member for the environment at Sheffield Council said: “The Licensing Committee approved a new Private Hire Operator & Vehicle Policy with some minor amendments.

"We listened to the concerns raised against some of the proposed conditions and made changes to the policy to address this. We will continue working with the Government and taxi operators to ensure our residents and visitors feel safe when travelling in Sheffield.”

Letter to council - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... -09-16.pdf

Read more at: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/governmen ... -1-8164714

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

Is there anyone outside of Sheffield who actually believes restricting private hire drivers to one firm at a time is legal?

This is the kind of policy that either eminates from the daily taxi rank numpties meetings, or the spivs cartels.

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IDFIMH

Drivers here are supposed to hand their paper copy of their Council license to the base that they work for which would effectively mean that they can only work for one operator at a time.

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Grandad,

I very much doubt that reason would be acceptable to anyone with a brain.

A council could issue copies, or a driver could do the photo copy themselves, or the council could put up on their site a list of drivers names and numbers.

A public authority cannot restrict a driver to work for only one firm, that's pure and utter madness.

A firm can say you work for us and no one else, no issues with that. But not a licensing authority.

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IDFIMH

On our driver application form it asks which company you intend to work for.

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Grandad,

I've got no issues with that as clearly it will help the council contact the operator if need be.

But that doesn't stop a driver working elsewhere if they wish to.

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IDFIMH

The body also said It was 'not necessary' to require all firms to offer seven day advance bookings.

strange or is this a dig at Uber

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

The seven day thing is almost certainly a dig at Uber.

But it will have an effect on the smaller firms.

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IDFIMH

doesn't an operator have to retain the drivers license?

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

Which licence?

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

the drivers PH license

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

Yes, but, there is nothing stopping a driver having more than one to lodge with all operators they work with

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

would have to check the act but I'm actually uncomfortable with this.

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

Why?

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

the license is taken for good reason

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