Taxi Driver Online

More than 100 taxi drivers quit the trade

https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/politics ... ade-494282

More than 100 taxi drivers have quit the trade because they can’t afford new cabs to meet clean air standards.

Former councillor Ibrar Hussain, speaking on behalf of taxi drivers, told a council meeting that a new electric black cab costs £58,000.

He presented a petition with 178 signatures from taxi drivers worried about plans for a Clean Air Zone around the city centre and said almost 80 per cent of taxi drivers took part in a recent consultation on the plans.

“I set up this petition online in the last few days and what a fantastic response from the taxi trade,” he said.

“The biggest concern is Euro 6 vehicles. The trade is 3,000 drivers – 1,900 private hire and 857 black cabs but 100-plus have surrendered their licence because they can’t afford to buy new vehicles or continue.

“If Euro 6 diesel vehicles are not allowed, the black cab trade will be decimated because the new electric vehicles are £58,000 onwards. Private hire will also be very badly affected.”

The zone, around the ring road and inner ring road, would see a charge of £50 a day for buses and £10 a day for taxis, lorries, vans and coaches.

It’s an attempt to slash the levels of nitrogen dioxide amid pressure from the Government but the council needs £50m to go ahead with it.

Mr Hussain added: “This petition is asking the scrutiny board to look at the detail and breakdown of the responses and, as a trade, we want to put our representation and ideas before a submission is made to the government in December.

“We need to work together in true partnership because this is about people’s livelihoods not politics. Lessons need to be learned from other zones in other cities which are allowing Euro 6 vehicles.

“This has to be phased in, has to be worked on together and has to be done in a true partnership.

“With the shenanigans in Westminster we don’t even know if the zone will go ahead because it’s a proposal so let’s not have a knee jerk reaction but a collective decision making that will result in us pulling together so decisions that affect people are done properly.”

Coun Bob Johnson, cabinet member for transport, said there had been an “amazing” response to the consultation, which will now be analysed.

“This is the end of the official consultation but I have a commitment to continue to meet with the taxi trade and small businesses affected with vans. I have a continued commitment to work with them up to our submission.

“We want to reduce pollution rather than just collect fines. If we collected nothing from the zone I would consider that a success. It’s not about taxing people it’s about tackling the vehicles creating the most pollution.”

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IDFIMH

really 5.934 %

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

Considering the general depression in the trade 170 odd is good response believe me.whenever I drop in the centre the place is over run with out of town poober.

In the mail they sent us there was a clear suggestion that buses can be allowed with modern diesel (?).

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IDFIMH

Taxi drivers to be given help to upgrade their vehicles ahead of Clean Air Zone being introduced in Sheffield

https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/politics ... ld-2092481

Sheffield taxi drivers will get help to upgrade their vehicles instead of paying a daily charge when the Clean Air Zone comes into force in the city.

Last summer the council consulted on plans to introduce a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) and 80 per cent of the 12,000 people who responded said improving air quality should be a priority.

But Ibrar Hussain and Lee Ward, speaking on behalf of Sheffield black cab and private hire drivers, said the CAZ would have a “detrimental effect” on the taxi trade.


Image: JPI Media/Sheffield Star

Mr Ward told a council meeting: “As it currently stands, we are the only vehicles that will not be allowed to use Euro 6 diesel vehicles without charge.

“Every other city in the UK which has introduced, or plans to introduce, a CAZ has made the taxi and private hire vehicles exempt if they have a Euro 6 engine.

“The lack of information has already forced 132 of the 857 wheelchair accessible vehicles to not renew, that’s about 15 per cent less vehicles available for the disabled public.

“There are literally hundreds of private hire vehicles waiting to upgrade to an affordable and cleaner vehicle but cannot do so without the knowledge of their investment being suitable.”

Coun Bob Johnson, cabinet member for transport and development, said a range of support packages was being developed for drivers of older, more polluting vehicles.

He said: “The council is seeking funding to deliver these from the Government and is currently awaiting confirmation on its CAZ proposals. Following this, a full business case will be finalised and submitted to the Government.”

More than 20 ultra-low taxi charge points will also be installed in the city centre from this month.

The council is also making its own vehicles cleaner and greener.

Another 15 electric vehicles will replace current diesel one and the council will trial two hydrogen fuel cell vans with battery power for 200 miles.

As they delivered their budget during a full council meeting on March, the council also pledged to spend £15million on improving bus journeys in the city and on investing in greener forms of transport as well as the creation of new walking and cycling routes.

I suppose one benefit, even if it is only the one, is that if these daily charges don't apply to local taxi/PH it should help address the cross border problem a bit.

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IDFIMH

Coronavirus: Sheffield taxi drivers cancel protest against council's clean air zone

https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/politics ... ne-2481704

Taxi drivers have postponed a protest against Sheffield Council's clean air zone due to coronavirus.

Cabbies were due to gather en masse outside the Town Hall at 1pm on Wednesday, March 18 ahead of a cabinet meeting.

But following the government's current advice to avoid all mass gatherings, they have had to put it off.

Ibrar Hussain, GMB union representative, said: "We have no choice but to postpone the demonstration until a later date. We will keep you all posted."

The clean air zone is due to be enforced this year. It will charge high polluting buses, taxis, vans, lorries and coaches for driving on the inner ring road and city centre, including Park Square and the A61/Parkway junction.

For taxis and large goods vehicles the charge will be £10 a day. For coaches, buses and heavy goods vehicles it will be £50 a day.

Sheffield Council said they hope it will encourage drivers to upgrade to more environmentally-friendly vehicles to avoid the charges.

A two month consultation on the plans found taxi drivers were very concerned, with 95 percent having to upgrade their cars. Previously, more than 100 taxi drivers said they quit their job because of the incoming changes.

Councillor Bob Johnson, cabinet member for transport and sustainability, said: “The survey results show people want to see action taken – but if we’re going to be successful in reducing pollution we need to help taxi drivers and local small businesses move to cleaner vehicles.

“It’s vital that we get investment from central government to assist local businesses and taxis to upgrade their fleets.”

The government's current advice on mass gatherings is: "In line with the social distancing guidance it is advised that large gatherings should not take place.

"While the risks of transmitting the disease at mass gatherings are relatively low, these steps will also allow emergency services that would have been deployed for these events to be prioritised in alleviating pressure on public services."

The government has also encouraged members of the public to avoid unnecessary social contact and to work from home where possible.

Generally the Sheffield cab trade has been on its knees for a long time never mind recently so I I really don't know how the authorities expect cabbies to afford £58K cabs,it's just laughable!