Fees not a new issue, obviously. But not clear if this stuff about availability is anything out of the ordinary. I mean, difficult to get a cab after a Christmas night out?
Reads like councillors expect passengers *never* to have to wait for a cab
Where have all the taxis gone in Plymouth?https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/p ... th-3718824Plymouth is facing a shortage of cabs - and now drivers are about to be hit with even higher feesCouncillors have been told it can be difficult to get a taxi at night and weekends in Plymouth - and they want to know why.
Several city councillors said they had faced problems themselves or had heard from others finding it difficult to get a ride.
They reported a shortage of cabs to meet passengers on late-night trains at Plymouth station.
Councillors heard that there had been reports of a general problem with getting a taxi on bank holidays and weekends.
The issue came up at a meeting of the city council’s licensing committee to consider the annual review of fees paid by the trade.
The committee voted to go ahead with consultation on proposed increases from April 1.
Maddi Bridgeman, Conservative councillor for Moor View, was concerned that another fees increase might put off people working as taxi drivers.
She said she had been told of a shortage over Christmas, with rides needing to be booked 24 hours in advance.
Vivien Pengelly, Conservative for Plymstock Dunstone, said she found it “really difficult” to order a taxi after 10pm, and friends reported the same problem.
Licensing manager Rachel Hind said there was a general issue with people saying there were not enough taxis at certain times such as bank holidays and weekends, but the council could not tell drivers when to work.
Committee chair Chris Mavin said he had experienced a lack of taxis after getting off a late-night train at Plymouth station, which had a separate contract with an operator.
Cllr Mavin, Labour, Moor View, said: "I am aware there is a shortage of taxis at certain times of the day, and we have got to address this.
"This is a public service and we have got to try and provide as many taxis as we can."
Cllr Mavin said he would be discussing the issue of availability with officers.
Councillors heard there were 1,200 licensed drivers in the city and there had not been a significant fall in numbers after fees went up last year.
Cllrs Bridgeman and Pengelly abstained in the vote which approved a recommendation to consult on the fee increase.
The proposed fee changes include the annual hackney carriage vehicle fee going up by 8% (£342-£369) and the driver licence fee by 15% for one-year and three-year licences (£165-£190; £435-£500).
Hackney Carriages are the cabs which pick up from taxi ranks and can be flagged down in the street.
For private hire taxis, which have to be ordered in advance, the one-year vehicle fee would go up by 8% (£170-£184) and the driver fee by 12% for one-year and three-year licences (£120-£134; £300-£336).
The ‘new driver’ application fee is proposed to go up from £85 to £137.
Both categories of taxis are licensed and regulated by the city council through the licensing framework set out in the Plymouth City Council Act 1975. The council also sets the fares for the hackney cabs.
The 14-day consultation period will start from the publication of the proposed fees in a notice in the Plymouth Herald newspaper.
Any objections will have to be considered by the committee before making a final decision.
If there is no objection, the new fees will come into force from April 1.
The proposed increases for 2020/21 are the second phase of a five-year programme to balance the books and avoid deficits in the taxi accounts.
Under the law governing taxi licensing, the city council’s service has to be self-financing and cannot be subsidised from the authority’s general income.
Last year’s increases of up to 80% for some taxi fees were met with protests from drivers and the threat of legal action.
Councillors were told that the taxi accounts had been reviewed by the Devon Audit Partnership, which found they were “of a good standard” with no cross-subsidy across the five separate accounts.
Councillors were told that the accounting procedures were in line with the latest legal judgements.
Committee chair Chris Mavin said: “I don’t think there is anything in these reports that drivers are not expecting.”
He said cab drivers had been consulted after last year’s rises but most had not wanted an increase in fares.
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