Taxi Driver Online

Corby taxis threaten strike action over maximum fare plans

A town's taxi drivers say they might take strike action over plans to increase the fares they can charge.

North Northamptonshire Council wants to "harmonise" prices so all areas in the district can charge similar amounts.

But cab drivers in Corby said the figures were higher than the ones they had proposed, which could lead to an "erosion of trust", and they were prepared to take industrial action.

The council is expected to take a decision on prices on 16 June.

Local authorities set maximum fares that taxis can charge, and the new unitary council wants to implement a new figure, now that it has replaced the old district councils of Corby, East Northants, Kettering and Wellingborough.

'Erosion of trust'

The Corby Hackney Owners Association had proposed an increase in the two-mile (3.2km) maximum fare to £5.60, but the council said it should be £6.10.

"It will affect our credibility with people thinking we're going to rob them constantly," said Neil Rielly, from the association.

"It's the erosion of trust with the general public; they want to know they can trust a black cab; they want to know that the price is going to be consistent."

Conservative council leader Jason Smithers said: "These costs are not set in stone. They are a recommendation that they are a maximum that can be charged.

"So any of the Hackney carriage holders in Corby do not have to charge that full amount... if they feel that's an unfair charge."

He said he would be happy to meet with the drivers to discuss their concerns.

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IDFIMH

It's the maximum you can charge, so if you must knock a bit off.

Can't believe I'm actually reading an article again about drivers refusing to charge a living wage.

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IDFIMH

Most of the drivers here complained about the rise I sorted last year saying it was too much, even though we had been charging that amount for 2 years as private hire without a problem. none of them are complaining that it was too high now.

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Grandad,

Well if the BBC article above brushed over the issues, you certainly get chapter and verse here


Corby cabbies could strike over huge council fare increase, "desperate" taxi boss claims

https://www.northantslive.news/news/nor ... ty-7182747

North Northamptonshire Council is accused of "actively engaging" in passenger attacks on taxi drivers

The leader of Corby's hackney cab owners believes there is a very real possibility they will go on strike in the near future. The potential action is due to a fall out with North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) over a proposed rise in the amount taxis can charge in the area.

Neil Reilly, secretary of Corby Hackney Owners Association, says the price hike will mean less people can afford to use taxis. Corby's cabbies fear a return to covid levels of trade, in the middle of a fuel and cost of living crisis too.

He is also worried that a council-enforced change to the payment structure could result in fluctuating fares and "conflict in the back of the taxis." The disagreement is over plans to raise the maximum rate taxis can charge their customers to £6.80 for every two miles. The proposal is part of NNC's plan to unite the taxi zones of the four previous district councils.

Maximum taxi fares are set by local authority licensing committees, which previously meant the four separate borough councils within North Northamptonshire. Taxi companies and associations submit requests for a fare increase to those authorities to match expenses and fuel costs etc.

Corby had not submitted a fare increase since 2017, which was approved in 2018. Mr Reilly said, "what went on with Covid and everything, we didn't put our fares up over the past three or four years."

But with the onset of the fuel crisis, Corby Hackney Owners Association proposed an increase in the maximum fare from the current rate of £4.90 per two miles to £5.60. "It was slightly higher than normal but we felt it was justifiable with everything going on", added Mr Reilly.

The other four taxi zones, Kettering, Wellingborough, and East Northamptonshire, also submitted fare increases to NNC. The council, however, considered whether, instead of granting the increases requested by each of the four areas, they should instead harmonise the fares. Therefore creating one taxi zone for the new unitary council.

On May 9, NNC's Licensing and Appeals Committee recommended that tariffs should be increased for each zone to a new harmonised fare structure. The new proposed maximum fare was placed at £6.80 for two miles.

But 'it doesn't work that way", according to Mr Reilly, who said: "All the towns are different with their demographics and how the people use their taxis."

Indeed, the proposed fare increase Corby put forward would have been a price increase of 14%. However, the £6.80 maximum fare NNC are considering would be a hike of 39%.

Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of NNC, said the new harmonised fare structure was "based upon the Kettering tariff of fares." Mr Reilly believes that is an unfair mistake. He said: "They used Kettering as a model. But Kettering has a rate which is far higher than Corby on what is called the Average Mile."

Kettering have an average running mile of £2.40 per running mile. Meanwhile Corby's average running mile is £1.50, alongside Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire.

"Kettering is a lot closer to London prices, where they have a £3 running mile, Mr Reilly added. "So Kettering put in an increase on their start rate and NNC decided to use the Kettering model as the model for everyone.

"It's all well and good if you're going to carry on with the same customer base and have the same amount of customers every time. But you're not; people are going to look for other forms of transportation and save themselves money.

"We have regular customers whose fare is £9 to go to work, this is going to be jumping up to £14 per trip per day. If you're getting two taxis in and out of work each day that's an increase of £10 a day, £200 a month."

According to the Public Documentation Pack from the committee meeting, not only would the Kettering fare be used as the new standard, but their premiums and extra charges would become standard too.

Corby taxis charge no premium for those going to work between 5am and 6am, whilst other zones charge time-and-a-half. Under the plans, Corby would be forced to charge this premium, taking the average fare from £9 to £18.

"It's a massive massive increase, and it's hitting the people that use the trade the most. So it's all very well and good giving me this pay rise, but I'm not going to have anyone using my cab."

NNC have repeatedly assured people, "the tariff is the maximum amount that can be charged by Hackney Carriage Operators. Hackney carriage drivers can charge a lower fare than the maximum stated within the table of fares, but it is an offence to charge more."

Mr Reilly says the council is mistaken in this belief. "We can't charge less, we have to charge what the fare is," he said.

"There are 114 black cabs in Corby, all individually owned. The meter is set individually by a meter specialist we have to bring in who has software to change the meter, and we have to get it set at what the council set.

"If we were able to do what they're saying, we'd end up having one person charging £10 for a trip whilst another charges £12. Then you're just going to get conflict in the back of the taxis."

Aggression and violence from passengers is something Mr Reilly and his fellow taxi drivers fear will arise from the price hike. "You only need to look on Google to see the amount of attacks on taxi drivers up and down the country."

Mr Reilly accused NNC of "actively engaging" in the rate of taxi drivers being attacked. "They think we can charge what we want and it's a problem between us and the customer. It doesn't work like that."

Mr Reilly attended the Licensing and Appeals Committee meeting on May 9 and was shocked at what he saw. "They had absolutely no idea about what they're actually voting on."

"They have 20 mins to skim through a 50-page document and they're doing the best they can. But they have absolutely no idea about that industry."

But Mr Reilly does not put all the blame on the councillors, also the officers who assembled the documentation. "The documentation the officers presented to the councillors at that meeting was actually incorrect," he added.

Mr Reilly's major problem with the documentation pack for the meeting was how much it said East Northamptonshire taxis charged. The document states that a two-mile hackney taxi fare in East Northamptonshire costs £7.20.

However, Private Hire & Taxi Monthly website, which updates how much a two-mile hackney taxi fare costs in each area every month, puts the rate at £5. At that rate, the proposed £6.80 standard would be a 36% increase, as opposed to a 6% decrease.

It is this state of affairs that has driven Mr Reilly and fellow hackney drivers in Corby to consider strike action. "We're desperate. We don't want to strike, we don't want to go down that channel," he said.

"We're actively protesting at the minute, but whether that could lead to a strike is a very distinct possibility. We've done an online survey of our members to make sure we have their backing and it's overwhelming.

"I'm not going to lie, as a business owner if someone told me that if I could get this significant fare increase and keep the same amount of trade that I have, who wouldn't go for it? But there's no way that's going to happen.

"It's all well getting the pay rise but we won't be getting the fares. I'm going to go back to Covid levels of traction a day."

On May 30, Corby's Hackney owners and Unite Union held an emergency meeting and agreed to continue active protest against the plans. A paper on the new proposals and fare rise is due before NNC's Executive on June 16.

If a harmonised approach is approved there will be a 14-day public consultation on the new maximum fare tariff. Responding to Mr Reilly, NNC said: "Council bylaws stipulate that taximeters must display a fare ‘not exceeding the rate or fare’ set by the council.

"Therefore Hackney Carriage drivers are at liberty to charge a fare lower than the maximum permitted fare. Council Officers had previously noted the apparent discrepancy in the PHTM publication which lists the monthly table of fare comparisons.

"The report presented to the Licensing and Appeals Committee on May 9 stated ‘The listing for East is incorrect, in that the fare for a two mile journey is actually £7.20 and not £5 as listed.' Council officers have contacted the publication to inform them of this issue."

Yes, that's the root of the problems outlined. QED.

Plenty other stuff in the article to quibble with, but, you know...

I think the issue is probably more about not wanting drivers applying differing discounts and creating a free market of price cutting

and the other point you missed is that Corby is effectively a suburb of Glasgow and the punters certainly won't pay Northampton prices although the huge housebuilding programs and recently electrified railway service is pulling in loads of London commuters who would pay the price but as is the case locally and most other commuter towns I know it is the indigenous populations that use the taxis NOT the commuters who only want them on rare occasions

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

Take it you chose history over geography at school.

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IDFIMH

one of these days we will have to have a head to head geography quiz we'll see who comes out on top

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

In the 60s/70s Corby was known as little Glasgow. The whole town was just about from Scotland. They came down from Glasgow to work in the steel plant.

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Grandad,

Decision delayed.

https://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/ne ... te-3734333

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IDFIMH

Main thrust of this seems to be from those who want higher fares, rather than no change, but it's not entirely clear. But then the NPHTA chips in, wearing hats for both sides. So no change there, then

But quite an interesting piece that covers a lot of bases, although in the main it's generally the kind of stuff that old hands in the trade will be quite familiar with already

Photo could do with being cropped a bit as well. And no jokes about Little and Large, please


Corby taxi drivers say their businesses are on the line as fuel costs soar amid fare rise delay

https://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/ne ... ay-3780300

Corby cabbies could see their trade ‘decimated’, says local councillor


Image: Northants Telegraph

Corby cabbies are set to speak out publicly on Thursday (July 28) as they say a series of new measures are crippling their businesses.

They will present their 1,700-name petition against the harmonisation of fares across North Northants to councillors at the full council meeting at the Corby Cube.

Taxi drivers in the town say that the proposed ‘harmonisation’ of fares across the four former borough ‘zones’ will hit them the hardest. And on top of this, they are concerned that in the future a new ‘knowledge test’ for North Northamptonshire could cover a staggering 382 square mile area.

Now taxi bosses say that they don’t believe being a hackney carriage driver in the town will be sustainable in the long-term.

Corby has historically had a comprehensive taxi network and, combined with relatively low car ownership, cabs have been a vital part of the transport offer in the town.

What’s the problem?

Struggling with the rising cost of fuel and living, Corby’s taxi drivers asked North Northants Council to consider a fare rise back in March. But that was then packaged up with the row over harmonisation of fares which has been delayed after drivers raised serious concerns, and so no decision on fare tariffs has been made. Drivers are still using fares drawn up four years ago when the average price for a litre of fuel was 50p cheaper.

They also say that a public consultation into the issue has been fudged because the form is complicated, inaccessible for most people, and drivers cannot reply via the council’s website – only emailed or paper copies are being accepted. Owners claim that the consultation was pre-determined and that it is a box-ticking exercise by the council, which has already made up its mind.

What are local drivers saying?

Chair of Corby Hackney Carriage Owners’ Association Neil Rielly said: “Fare rises should be done regularly. We’ve not had one for four years now. Everyone needs a fare rise. Our businesses are on the line here.

“It’s so hard to get a licence because of the number of hoops you have to jump through. You have to pay for a DBS and to do the knowledge test - which is going to be impossible to do if they bring in a new one and it covers the whole area.

"The knowledge in London is six square miles – North Northamptonshire is a 382 square mile area. You don’t just have to know where everywhere is, you also have to know the shortest route to get there.

"It’s an ageing industry.”

Drivers are now also having to liaise with council officers and members who inevitably don’t have a thorough knowledge of the town since the borough council was scrapped. Respected senior officer Damian Wilkins, with whom drivers had a good relationship, has also recently left the authority, which is struggling to retain and recruit staff.

Ian Robb is director of Sky Cabs, which represents dozens of owners across Corby, he said: “The consultation is just a series of statements asking you to comment on them. It’s not a consultation. The logistics of it are a nightmare.

"Added to that, because of the cost of taking a taxi out on the road, drivers are now cherry-picking shifts so there are times we don’t have enough available. We can’t get 50 per cent of drivers out during school times so supply is being hit.”

Mr Rielly added: “As a taxi driver I’m finding it difficult to understand the consultation so God knows how a member of the public would fill it in.”

Cllr Alison Dalziel said she’d recently been told that there had only been one successful reply to the consultation, adding: “This is going to decimate the industry in Corby.”

And what do trade bosses think?

David Lawrie, Director of the National Private Hire & Taxi Association, said emails sent to drivers in Corby from council staff suggest the matters have already been decided, adding that there is a case for ‘predetermination’ because the council is trying to introduce changes before they’ve properly been considered by the licensing committee.

One email, seen by this newspaper, suggests that members are ‘firmly resolved’ to remove the old zones set around the geography of the former borough councils.

The current proposals before the council do not suggest removing the zones – but they do suggest that the fares across all zones will be the same.

Mr Lawrie added: “It is extremely clear that this policy has merely been thrown together as it appears to be a pick and mix of various other appendixes and ideas in the hope that throwing them all together would work, which in this case, it clearly hasn’t.

“The suggestion to set a generic pricing structure across the board has the completely undesired impact of the majority suffering a pay cut at the hands of this policy.

"This is simply because some will see their metered prices lowered while, even those who may on the face of it, see a meter price increase, actually results in being less affordable to the elderly and infirm who rely on the services the most. Worse than that, it leads to conflicts with passengers who see the increased costs, which in effect places drivers in harms way as a direct result of local authority decisions.”

Drivers are also worried that their trade will not be able to attract new candidates because of the cost of new vehicles and new rules that mean older cabs must be taken off the road as soon as they fail checks – with no option for a re-test.

What does the council say?

A North Northamptonshire spokesman said that there had been some confusion over the current consultation, which they say is not a proposal to remove the current hackney carriage zone but rather to consider the hackney carriage fares and apply them to each zone.

They added “It is not a discussion/decision about de-zoning. With the formation of North Northamptonshire Council this is an opportunity to achieve fares parity for a wider section of the travelling public in its area by providing consistent fare rates across the whole of the new council area.

"Implementation of fare rises has been delayed as a result of concerns raised by the trade.”

The spokesman added that the issue had been considered by the licensing committee and was due to go before executive last month but the report was withdrawn after the concerns were raised by the trade.

They added: “The authority has been working to try to address those concerns and has just finished a two week consultation with all licensed Hackney Carriage drivers on some potential options. The legal and democratic process for the setting of fares is not a straightforward one and must follow the formal approval route.

"There is no legally permitted short cut to this process.”

The council spokesman added that the consultation accepted both postal responses and emailed responses and that comments about any future knowledge test were ‘pre-emptive.’

Somehow I doubt it's quite as detailed as the Knowledge of London - or no one would ever pass it, and they'd still be doing the Knowledge of North Northamptonshire on their deathbed

But why would a currently badged driver be moaning about a test for new drivers anyway? Oh, wait, it's the *owners* association


Again, why would existing drivers be worried about not attracting 'new candidates' if they're struggling so hard to make a living? Suspect the answer is the same as that above.

And I'd guess the highlighted text is simply incorrect, or at least very misleading

Yes its the maximum fare they can charge less yes, But problem is same like we have in Milton Keynes Private charge so less Hardly anyone uses Hackney.

If you need a taxi and Hackney is on rank and fare is around £6 but private is £5, You wouldnt mind using the hackney as its already waiting their,

But if Hackney charge £8 and private £4 Most will wait for private to save 50%.

Thing is Most Areas Drivers Charge What's on the meter. So even if you can charge less , thats you as an individual whats stops someone charging the full price & customer not using anymore in future as they've been charged what to them is overpriced.

Its okay in areas where Private hire charge more or similar to hackney but not in the areas where private are nearly half the price.

One thing I had forgotten is that now Corby is not a unitary authority but covers a much larger area so the fares table would be for all vehicles both in Corby and Kettering and out in the sticks so I suppose the expectations of what they can charge would differ

I would say though that the differential between the likes of busy bees and the black cabs is not as wide as Rashid 's example

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

I think the ‘harmonisation’ of the fare structure is the thin end of the wedge. Once fares are all the same it’s a lot easier (and cheaper) for the council to remove the zones and have one big one. The council will always quote the DFT best practice guidelines,

“ The Department recommends the abolition of zones. That is chiefly for the benefit of the travelling public. Zoning tends to diminish the supply of taxis and the scope for customer choice - for example, if fifty taxis were licensed overall by a local authority, but with only twenty five of them entitled to ply for hire in each of two zones. It can be confusing and frustrating for people wishing to hire a taxi to find that a vehicle licensed by the relevant local authority is nonetheless unable to pick them up (unless pre-booked) because they are in the wrong part of the local authority area. Abolition of zones can also reduce costs for the local authority, for example through simpler administration and enforcement. It can also promote fuel efficiency, because taxis can pick up a passenger anywhere in the local authority area, rather than having to return empty to their licensed zone after dropping a passenger in another zone.”

The bit at the end that use to say that local councils are best placed to decide if zones remain in place seems to be missing now as well.