Taxi drivers furious after penalty point scheme given go aheadFurious Nottingham cabbies said they feel 'victimised' after a new scheme that could see taxi licences revoked if drivers rack up enough points was given the go ahead - but officials said it's about improving standards.
Under its new Driver Improvement Penalty Point Scheme, Nottingham City Council will hand out points for a range of offences such as driving a vehicle in an unroadworthy condition, failure to convey passengers in a safe and responsible manner, parking a vehicle in contravention of parking restrictions and failure to use taxi meter for journeys within prescribed distance.
Each offence would be worth between four and six points and any Hackney cab driver who reaches 12 in a three-year rolling period could see their licence revoked.
Four community protection officers, known as "champions", will enforce the scheme and issue the penalty points when it is introduced next April.
Around 100 community protection officers will also help to enforce the scheme, as well as police officers. A decision was decided on the scheme at Nottingham City Council's Regulatory and Appeals Committee today.
It comes at a time when taxi drivers say that trade has fallen by nearly 40 per cent in the city following the pedestrianisation of Station Street, which has seen the taxi rank relocated to Trent Street.
Chander Sood, aged 55, of Wollaton, who has been driving a Hackney cab in the city for 14 years, describes himself as the main breadwinner for his family and relies on driving a taxi in order to support his 18-year-old at university.
He told the Post: "Hackney cabs will be very easy to target. There are 150 cars working at the station when there is only 33 spaces, with four spaces occupied by the road works. We don't have anywhere to park.
"We can't park where we can't make money. We are nearly 40 per cent down in trade and this will just make it worse. The council doesn't like the Hackneys, but it is providing 800 families with a living."
There are currently 411 hackney cabs and more than 1,000 private hire vehicles licensed in Nottingham.
Umar Mahmood, 32, of Nottingham city centre, who has been driving a Hackney cab for five years, said he is also concerned about points being issued for parking on double yellow lines when there are not enough taxi ranks in the city.
He said: "I am not happy about it. We have no other option than to park on double yellow lines when there are no spaces in the ranks. They are victimising city drivers.
Kaleem Ashraf, aged 34, of Broxtowe, who has been driving a Hackney cab for seven years says he is "hugely disappointed" by the decision.
He said: "The biggest offenders are the out of city vehicles. It victimises the city badge holders especially the night-time economy. The lack of rank facilities is a concern and the council knows it is an issue. There are not enough spaces."
A similar scheme is operating in Lincoln which records drivers' behaviour and conduct to help improve the safety and protection of the public. It was set up in 2011, with one taxi driver having his licence suspended after he accumulated the maximum points.
When asked about the reasons for introducing the the new scheme, the city council said it has received complaints about driver behaviour and the standards of vehicles in the city. However, it said the driving force for the new non-statutory enforcement scheme is part of a wider scheme "to improve the standards of taxis in Nottingham".
Richard Antcliff, chief antisocial behaviour, licensing and trading standards officer at Nottingham City Council, said: "This penalty point scheme is a broad set of initiatives. It may appear putative from the drivers prospective but it about improving the standards they provide to the public."
Labour Councillor Toby Neal said he had received complaints about Hackneys parking on double yellow lines which were affecting disabled people accessing the city council building and Station Street. He said: "The curbs need to be cleared."
Conservative Councillor Jim Armstrong, who was against the introduction of the scheme, said: "The city council stopped taxis using the bus lanes which adds to the cost of the fare and then the pedestrianisation of Station Street.
"You needed a well-used rank where everyone knew and you hid them on Trent Street – 150 at station now and only 30 spaces. Visitors to our city are now forced to catch the bus or tram."
source:
http://www.nottinghampost.com/taxi-driv ... story.html
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