Taxi Driver Online

Aberdeen's taxi drivers are looking for their second price increase in the space of a year.

The changes would see the cost of pre-booking a cab double, and the average rate per mile increase by 10p.

The proposals will be presented to the council on Monday, when councillors will also discuss removing the current limit on the number of taxi licences they issue.

The Aberdeen Taxi Group wants to change the initial £2 charge from the first two-thirds of a mile to five-eighths of a mile.

They want the rate for every mile thereafter to be raised from £1.50 to £1.60.

Other proposals include changing the waiting time charge from £18 to £20 per hour.

Pre-booked hire would rise from 50p to £1, with the same increase for getting a cab on a public holiday.

People who foul in the back of a taxi will be expected to pay a fine of £50 instead of £25.

In a separate request, the railway taxi drivers want a 50p supplement for every fare they pick up at the station.

Detailed talks are now taking place between council officials and taxi trade representatives in advance of Monday's meeting.

There are currently 915 licensed taxis in the city but, with more than 200 on the waiting list, the number of cabs on the streets could rise dramatically.

Brian Sinclair, of the Aberdeen Taxi Group, said: "What we are looking for is an annual increase which we used to have before this current administration came to power.

"We obviously need to keep pace with expenses like any other business.

"Our drivers need an increment to keep up with at least inflation.

"The increases are obviously up for negotiation but we are looking for something along those lines - we are just throwing some figures into the ballpark."

A range of new charges were agreed last May and are currently being phased in.

A £1 surcharge has been introduced to journeys between 2am and 5am on Saturdays and Sundays.

The 50p night-time surcharge operating from 10pm has gone up to £1.

Passengers are now charged £2 for the first two-thirds of a mile rather than a full mile.

Waiting time charges went up from £15 to £18 per hour with airport hire surcharges will rise from 50p to £1.

Committee chairman Raymond Hutcheon said that, while they needed to look after the interests of taxi drivers, councillors also had a duty to the public to ensure value for money and that cabs were available at peak times.

Mr Hutcheon made a distinction between the private hire cars, which are not limited, and the fully licensed taxis which are capped.

While private hire cars cannot pick up on the street and have their access restricted, licensed taxis can use ranks and bus lanes.

Mr Hutcheon added: "I am far more supportive of getting more 'real' taxis on the streets as there is still under-provision.

"I am more in favour of giving licences to people who apply and are willing to go and work the antisocial hours than significantly increase fares to encourage more drivers to get out an work."

A detailed assessment of the proposals by council officials will be presented to the licensing committee on March 6.

If the committee decide to increase fares, the recommendations will be advertised allowing any member of the public to object

HARD TIMES AHEAD BUT I SUPPOSE IT WILL SORT OUT THE MEN FROM THE BOYS!!

I'm really starting to like this bloke.

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IDFIMH

I'm a bit confused by the Aberdeen scenario - didn't the report mentioned in the other recent thread say there were licenses available but no one wanted them because they had to be WAVs?

So are they planning to give saloon plates to the new license holders or what?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

I'm just guessing that over the last year the limit has been reached, and maybe someone sneaky so and so wants one which will take them over the limit.

But you have to wonder what the fuss is all about if there hasn't really been an increase in many years.

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IDFIMH

council are having a meeting monday morning so will know all the answers then!
i think that in any city if another 200 cars hit the street you would notice the dip in your takings!!
also another 40-50 passed their hackneys last week so i guess at least half of them will want ot go yellow plate!
more and more are passing test all the time so if theres not a cap then we will have a problem!!
will let you know what happens on monday!

Quality driver and vehicle controls might aleviate a large part of over provision. Perhaps you can take a leaf out of "some" of the Welsh licensing authorities which as far as I can recall stipulate a driver has to be able to speak and read the welsh language before he is granted a license. Perhaps in Aberdeen the Gaelic language should be part of the knowledge test? lol.

Tongue in cheek guys.

Regards

JD

Of course anyone would notice a drop, but are 200 new vehicles really going to suddenly appear in your manor?

Maybe if more cars do appear, then they would be driven by existing drivers, freed of either being forced to drive PH vehicles or illegally hiring taxi plates.

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IDFIMH

i wouldnt expect 200 cars to hit the streets right away!
i think there should be extra plates issued but on a more gradual basis!
i think that in time it will even its self out and there will be a sustainable amount of taxis!
ive had a few punters inthe car in the last week saying"im in for my test in a few weeks,then im going to make over £1000 a week! one guy said he could earn £1400(what he was told by training school)
their heads are being filled with nonsense!
i admit you can make a decent amount of money but you must stick in the hours!

That is one of my biggest bug-bears.

Schools that try and justify their fees by telling lies to prospective drivers.

And of course operators who tell fibs to get new drivers on their circuits, especially to those that are going to rent a motor off them as well.

Not happy from Sussex.

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IDFIMH

Yes, as Sussex says, many of the new plates will be swaps for hired plates, so no change.

If there are 50 new drivers, then whether they drive their own vehicle or someone else's doesn't matter as far as your own work is concerned, unless you managed to hire one of them, which seems unlikely if there are 900 taxis, even assuming you do hire drivers.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

how long are you on the list for if you go hackney.

thanks

It was agreed today and they have scrapped the limit

Scores more taxis could soon be plying Aberdeen streets.

City councillors today agreed unanimously to scrap the limit on the number of licences it dishes out.

The current ceiling is 915, which has left more than 200 hopeful drivers on the waiting list for a yellow plate.

Licensing committee members said the licence limit would be scrapped as of today.

Convener Councillor Raymond Hutcheon said: "I feel that taking off the limit is the only way we as a council and a licensing authority can try to provide the service that many people are telling us they cannot get."

Taxi trade representatives accepted the move and said they would mount no legal challenge.

But angry Aberdeen Taxi Group members accused the committee of rushing the initiative.

Rainbow Taxis boss Russell Burgess said the move was being made with no parallel effort to improve the taxi ranks in the city centre.

He also said the potential improvement to services would be undermined by the continuing ban on empty taxis using bus lanes.

Mr Burgess told the committee: "We have been promised better lighting, better signage, shelter for our customers at ranks for some considerable time now - where are they?"

Mr Hutcheon said efforts were being made to the council's Safer Cities group to fast-track the improvements.

He added that the environment and infrastructure committee was being asked to look again at the bus lane ban.

Mr Burgess also claimed the vehicle testing regime in Aberdeen could not cope with the extra numbers.

But Mr Hutcheon pledged capacity would be increased.

Committee members said they believed the relaxation would trigger more taxi drivers to operate at the airport, the railway station and during the early hours of weekends to get revellers out of the city centre more swiftly.

Mr Hutcheon said many people were now going on courses to train as taxi drivers - but were being stopped from entering the trade because of the ceiling on the number of licences in Aberdeen.

Committee member councillor Steve Delaney added it was high time the restriction was ditched.

He said: "It is out of date and it needs to be removed. We need to get taxis out on the streets."

But Rainbow director Raymond Anderson warned the move was likely to see no net increase in the number of drivers working the city centre in the early hours.

He predicted it would simply prompt existing red-plate holders driving private hire cars - who are not allowed to stop on streets or ranks, or use bus lanes - to switch to yellow plates.

ATG members also claimed the move had come out of the blue and claimed the committee today had intended to pass it with no invitation to the trade to address members.

Mr Hutcheon said he had told the trade in October that the move was on the cards and said it had been discussed with the trade at a Taxi Review Group meeting in October.

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So busy night tonight??

What you mean all drivers will be treated the same?

Heaven forbid.

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IDFIMH

The problem with this is you need a wheelchair access vehicle to get a yellow plate. I currently have a red plate (PH) and drive a saloon, so if I wanted a yellow plate I would have to fork out over £17k for a decent wheelchair access vehicle. I have a funny feeling it will back fire on Aberdeen Council and I can't see it changing anything.

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So busy night tonight??

So didn't the last survey say that the number should be higher than at present, but no one wanted a plate because of the WAV condition, therefore what does the latest decision change?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk