Taxi Driver Online

Makes a change from the normal cross-border gripes, I suppose.

Think one or two other LAs have had similar campaigns previously.


St Helens residents urged to go local with new taxi awareness campaign

https://www.sthelensreporter.co.uk/news ... 1-10068412

Residents of St Helens can rest assured that taxis licensed in St Helens have achieved a gold standard of knowledge and awareness, with the launch of a new campaign highlighting the benefits of taking a St Helens taxi.

All drivers licensed in the borough have gone through strict checks and are tested on their essential skills and knowledge, while also being trained to spot and report safeguarding issues.

With the new #KnowYourRide campaign, residents will know the taxi they’re getting into is badged in St Helens.

Look out for the Gold Standard symbol on licensed vehicles – both private hire and Hackney carriages (known as ‘black cabs’) – and a new gold lanyard and lapel badge for drivers, bearing the slogan ‘Know Your Ride’.

You can also ask for a taxi and driver licensed in St Helens when booking a taxi from a private hire operator.

This is important because since 2015, licensed taxi drivers have been able to obtain a licence in one area of the country, but then work in another.

While this practice is lawful, it means that it’s not possible for St Helens Licensing Authority to hold drivers operating in the area to account if they’ve been licensed by a different council.

Councillor Jeanie Bell, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “By choosing a local driver, you’re supporting local business and getting that local knowledge, for which there’s no substitute.

"You can also rest assured that the vehicle you’re in and the driver you’re with are held to and maintain the highest standards. Merseyside Police are working closely with the council and will be actively supporting enforcement operations across the borough to ensure our communities are safe.”

Councillor Dave Banks, Chair of the Licensing Committee, said: “We take great pride in our licensed trade in St Helens knowing that the majority of our local driving community live and work in this borough.

"The impact that ‘out of town’ drivers operating across borders has had on our licensed trade can’t be underestimated so it’s really important that we do all that we can to support the efforts of local drivers and operators.”

For more information visit www.sthelens.gov.uk/taxis

but would it make any difference ?

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

There is only so much councils can do, at present, to support the local taxi/PH trade.

So well done to that council for doing their best.

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IDFIMH

Maybe not, but suggesting punters ask their operators to supply a local taxi/PH isn't going to do any harm.

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IDFIMH

as long as they don't ask for an English driver

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

A bit more detail on the cross-border problem and how the new scheme will work.


St Helens is being 'flooded' with out-of-town taxi drivers

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... t-17170732

There is 'huge' competition for drivers to work in St Helens


Image: St Helens Council/Liverpool Echo

Taxi drivers are coming to work in St Helens from as far as Wolverhampton.

Cross-border working has been an issue for many licensing authorities since the introduction of the Deregulation Act in 2015.

Currently licensed taxi drivers can obtain a licence in one area of the country and then lawfully work in another.

This means it is not possible for St Helens Council as the licensing authority to hold drivers all of the drivers working in the borough to account.

On Wednesday the council’s licensing and environmental protection committee heard a “significant numbers” of drivers and vehicles licensed in neighbouring authorities and further afield regularly operate in St Helens.

According to new council report, the biggest areas of other licensed vehicles working in St Helens are from Knowsley, Sefton.

But some drivers are even coming from as far afield as Wolverhampton.

“It cannot however be underestimated the impact that ‘out of town’ drivers operating ‘cross border’ have had on our licensed trade,” the report says.

“As licensed drivers are self-employed it is imperative that the council does all that it is able to support their efforts.”

'The public are understandably confused'

orraine Simpson, the council’s licensing manager, told councillors that the competition to come into areas like St Helens is “huge”.

This is despite there being no shortage of St Helens-licensed drivers.

Ms Simpson said: “In St Helens there has undoubtedly been an impact on the local license community as operators with multiple licences have flooded the area with licensed vehicles and drivers.

“The effect of this has been to eat into their revenue streams of our locally-licensed drivers.

“As no minimum standards currently exist in law for the granting of taxi driver or vehicle licence, as the licensing authority we cannot say with any certainty the checks which these drivers have undergone would meet the same high standards that we set in St Helens.

“Its impact cannot be underestimated but the most significant factor for us as a licensing authority is the safety of the travelling public.

“And the public are understandably confused when they call for a taxi from a local operator and a vehicle plated from somewhere else in the country arrives to collect them.

“For the more vulnerable members of society this is perhaps even more problematic as they may not feel able to address issues such as this.”

'People don't have to accept cars from out of town'

To help tackle this issue, St Helens Council has developed the #KnowYourRide campaign, in consultation with the taxi trade.

A key part of the campaign is recognising licensed drivers in St Helens who maintain the high standards required to hold a license in the borough.

Another key message is about encouraging the public to support the many self-employed drivers who live and work in the borough.

This means members of the public will be encouraged to specifically request a St Helens driver for their journey.

Ms Simpson said: “Part of the campaign will be to give people advice on how they can secure a St Helens-licensed driver and vehicle and that they don’t have to accept a vehicle from outside the area.

“And they’re perfectly within their rights to request that from the operator when they make a booking.”

'Gold standard'

All drivers licensed in St Helens go through strict checks and are tested on their essential skills and knowledge, while also being trained to spot and report safeguarding issues.

As part of the #KnowYourRide campaign, licensed vehicles – both private hire and black cabs – will receive a ‘Gold Standard’ badge that will sit proudly on the car bonnet, while drivers will receive a gold lanyard and lapel badge.

Cllr Jeanie Bell, cabinet member for community safety, said drivers “jump through hoops” to be licensed in St Helens and it is important to recognise this.

The #KnowYourRide is due to run from mid-November through to the end of January.

Cllr Bell said: “By choosing a local driver, you’re supporting local business and getting that local knowledge, for which there’s no substitute.

“You can also rest assured that the vehicle you’re in and the driver you’re with are held to and maintain the highest standards.

“Merseyside Police are working closely with the council and will be actively supporting enforcement operations across the borough to ensure our communities are safe.”

Presumably that's supposed to read 'Knowsley and Sefton' rather than 'Knowsley, Sefton' - the latter makes it sound like Knowsley is simply a part of Sefton, whereas they're actually different licensing councils.

Meanwhile, their drivers/cars are working in Chester as poober.

Well they're not gonna be CWaC licenced after Abbey and KingKabs threatened to blacklist any drivers that went with Uber.