Taxi Driver Online

Why black cabs could disappear from streets of Birmingham

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/m ... s-14808377

Double whammy of clean air zone and strict licensing rules means many will desert trade

Birmingham’s black cab drivers are switching to cheaper and more easily available private hire cars to beat new clean air rules.

And they have warned they will ‘make a noise’ to protect their jobs unless more help is made available to the struggling trade.

Birmingham’s Hackney Carriage drivers have been told to swap their ageing and heavily polluting cars for new electric vehicles, or convert them to run on gas if they wish to keep their licences after January 1, 2020.

Both the new licensing regime and plans for a clean air zone means that the vast majority of black cabs on the roads will either not be licensed or be charged to operate in the city centre.

With new electric black cabs costing at least £55,000, many drivers have instead decided to apply for the less strict private hire licence - under which they can drive regular petrol cars made after 2006 and diesel cars since 2015.

The decision to axe licences for high polluting cabs from 2020 was made last year, amid warnings that it would leave just 70 black cabs on the road, down from the current level of more than 1,300.

Taxi driver and RMT union representative Mozafar Ali said the future for drivers is ‘very unclear’ and called on council bosses to make detailed plans to help drivers.

“We are not very happy, about 90 per cent of black cab drivers cannot afford an electric car - it is £55,000 or £176 per week to lease them. We are struggling as it is.”

He said drivers want to see firm offers of help to go green or the city risks being short of cabs. "Otherwise we are going to have to make a noise," he warned.

The authority has claimed cabs – which queue in ranks with engines running – were partly responsible for the city centre’s high levels of nitrogen dioxide, which causes an estimated 900 premature deaths a year in Birmingham.

The taxi drivers say they work in the city centre and want cleaner vehicles too - but need help.

Now city council bosses are offering parallel licences in a single application - to offer black cab drivers the chance to gain a private hire license, which has less stringent requirements, without paying extra.

The council believes there is an increasing demand from black cab drivers for private hire licences.

A licensing officer said: “This increase is for two reasons. One is because a lot of drivers would like to work for Uber, whether that is right or not is up to them.

"And there’s an imminent requirement to replace the older and more polluting hackney carriage vehicles.”

He said they are looking to ‘diversify’ into private hire driving until the costs of electric or greener black cabs comes down enough for them to go back.

The first electric cab dealership in Birmingham was launched this week.

As part of its consultation on the clean air zone the council has pledged to look at a leasing scheme for green cabs.

Of course, if they're dumbing down the PH test at the same time...

clearly Birmingham are only interested in the PH trade there is no need for all this there are other far more cost effective solutions available

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

If the council are concerned about black cab emissions, why not allow saloon electric cars to be licensed as hackneys.

Quite sure the local hackney trade will be happy with that option.

But, as I've said before, £55,000 is too much money for a cab.

_________________
IDFIMH

Bit of an update on the situation in Birmingham.

Taxi trade to be 'decimated' by Clean Air Zone in Birmingham - warning

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/l ... r-15447606

Only 72 of the 1,265 Hackney Carriages will be compliant with the new pollution charge

Birmingham's iconic black cab trade will be 'decimated' by the Clean Air Zone, drivers have warned.

According to city council figures, only 72 of the 1,265 Hackney Carriages licensed to operate in the city will be compliant with the emission standards being imposed by the pollution charge from January 2020.

It is feared that should the majority of black cabs disappear from the roads it would have a major impact on disabled people, because only Hackney Carriages are required to be wheelchair accessible.

Drivers voiced their concerns today (Wednesday, November 21) during a heated meeting of the authority's Licensing and Public Protection Committee.

Saj Mahmood, from the national union for Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) said: "We want to work with the council, but you have come across with a hammer, bang."

He added there 'won't be a Hackney Carriage trade left' unless the drivers were supported and the on-going issue around out of area workers was tackled once and for all.

The concerns were echoed by fellow RMT representative Mohammed Halim who said the Clean Air Zone would 'decimate the black cab trade in the city'.

The committee agreed to go out to an eight-week consultation with the public and drivers later this month around proposed changes to the council's licensing policy.

One of the ideas is to scrap the 'exceptional condition test' which allows Hackney Carriages to be used once they are more than 14 years old, providing they are deemed road-worthy.

Through a government pilot, 65 Birmingham black cabs were converted to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Only seven others are compliant with the emission benchmark.

The council has also enabled drivers to hold a dual licence which will allow them to work in private hire if they want to.

The authority is also making a multi-million pound bid to the Government's Clean Air Fund to buy 50 ultra low emission vehicles, 10 of which would be offered on short leases as a try-before-you-buy scheme while the rest would be available for short-term rent on hourly rates.

Additionally, the bid will include a request for £5,000 individual support packages for up to 1,000 drivers to help them convert to LPG or run a low emission vehicle.

But today's meeting threatened to spiral out of control when committee members starting making political points.

Cllr Simon Morall (Cons, Frankley Great Park) argued that the Conservative Group did not support the Labour-run council's plans for a Clean Air Zone which charged private vehicles, including taxis.

While Cllr Mike Leddy (Lab, Brandwood and King's Heath) hit back saying the council's hand was being forced by Government demands to reduce pollution levels - said to contribute to 900 premature deaths a year in the city.

By that point taxi drivers were also voicing their concerns without being prompted.

Committee chairman Cllr Barbara Dring (Lab, Oscott) intervened and said: "This is starting to get political and starting to get critical of everybody.

"We are not going down that road. Your (addressing taxi drivers) behaviour has been impeccable up to now, I support the Hackney Carriage trade they are iconic in this city.

"We need to keep them and we are trying to assist in any way we can to get resources to make the transition."

A report outlining final changes to the council's licensing policy is due back in February after the consultation.

Black cab drivers to stage go-slow protests in city over clean air zone demands

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/m ... o-15869663

Two weeks of protests planned by cabbies who claim they could be driven out of business by new regulations

Birmingham black cab drivers are to stage a series of go-slow protests against council proposals to make them comply with the new clean air zone.

The Rail and Maritime and Transport Union, which represents Hackney drivers, is claiming the council is ignoring concerns abouts cost implications for drivers.

They have labelled clean air restrictions “draconian” which they say would see “75 per cent of their fleet taken out of service”.

According to city council figures, only 72 of the 1,265 Hackney Carriages licensed to operate in the city will be compliant with the new emission standards being imposed by the pollution charge from January 2020.

It is feared that should the majority of black cabs disappear from the roads it would have a major impact on disabled people, because only Hackney Carriages are required to be wheelchair accessible.

The authority is also making a multi-million pound bid to the Government’s Clean Air Fund to buy 50 ultra low emission vehicles, 10 of which would be offered on short leases as a try-before-you-buy scheme. The rest would be available for short-term rent on hourly rates.

Additionally, the bid will include a request for £5,000 individual support packages for up to 1,000 drivers to help them convert to LPG or run a low emission vehicle.

Raja Amin, from the RMT, said: “BCC want drivers to convert to LPG or electric but have authorised one company to carry out this work (35 miles away) but haven’t got the infrastructure in place to allow vehicles to charge or convert within the time frame being imposed by them.

“Drivers agreeing to convert to LPG are still being told to pay the £8 CAZ charge on a daily basis.

“This despite being made to pay a deposit before deadline and yet BCC cannot guarantee when the work will be undertaken to convert to LPG.”

A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “We recognise that the introduction of a Clean Air Zone will have an impact on everyone driving the most polluting vehicles.

“We have applied to the Government for funding for a range of measures to support Hackney carriage and private hire drivers in making the switch to compliant vehicles or upgrading their existing vehicles.

“We have also consulted with the general public and the taxi and private hire trade to prepare licensing policies in readiness for the Clean Air Zone and, as a result of feedback received from almost 1,400 individuals and organisations, have made a number of changes to our proposals.

“These include replacing the emission standard due to take effect from 1 January 2020 with a vehicle age policy, as well as changes to the conditions under which a Hackney carriage could have an LPG conversion.

“A report on these updated proposals is due to be considered by the council’s Licensing and Public Protection Committee on 13 March. In the meantime, we remain open to discussions with representatives from the taxi trade about any concerns they might have.”

DATES FOR GO-SLOW ACROSS CITY

Mon Feb 25 : 7.30am to 10am and 4pm to 6.30pm

Tues Feb 26 : 7.30am to 10am and 4pm to 6.30pm

Wed Feb 27 : 7.30am to 10am and 4pm to 6.30pm

Thurs Feb 28 : 7.30am to 10am and 4pm to 6.30pm

Fri March 1 : 7.30am to 10am and 4pm to 6.30pm

Mon March 4 : 7.30am to 10am and 4pm to 6.30pm

Tues March 5: 7.30am to 10am and 4pm to 6.30pm

Wed March 6 : 7.30am to 10am and 4pm to 6.30pm

Thurs March 7 : 7.30am to 10am and 4pm to 6.30pm

Fri March 8 : 7.30am to 10am and 4pm to 6.30pm

As said before it is already scraping a living if you run a TX,to buy or lease a new electric one is a big ask without a massive grant.all the time the authorities are pushing for electric hacks they are allowing poober to proliferate pushing down wages of drivers.

Somewhere along the line a council, if that council wants to go electric or plug in hybrid, has got to allow owners to license saloons or small WAVs, rather than the £60,000 alternative.

Otherwise the trade is simply not viable for a vast chunk of the trade.

My view is electric or plug in hybrid is not the problem, £60,000+ is the problem.

_________________
IDFIMH