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Taxi drivers could be made to accept card payments

Taxi drivers licensed by a council in West Sussex may soon have to allow customers to pay by card.

During a meeting of Mid Sussex District Council's licensing committee on Monday, members were told 21 complaints had been received in the last 12 months about drivers only accepting cash.

Concerns from drivers include not being able to connect to the payment system when in more rural areas, and cash flow problems when waiting for payments to arrive in their accounts.

But committee members agreed the council’s hackney carriage and private hire licensing policy needed to be changed.

'An absolute must-have'

A report to the committee said: “Recent complaints received raise significant concerns around public safety.

"There have been reported instances where lone females late at night have been unable to get a licensed vehicle as their only payment method is by card.”

Councillor Gary Marsh said the council was not saying drivers cannot accept cash, just that cards should also be accepted.

“This is an absolute must-have and it should have happened yesterday,” he added.

An eight-week public consultation about the proposed changes will start on 5 August.

It could then be recommended to the full council for adoption on 11 December, at which point drivers would have two months to have card machines in their vehicles.

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IDFIMH

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IDFIMH

that is a genuine concern as I have stated before I have lost money when my terminal wouldn't connect to t'net outside an Airport terminal and when you are out in the stix and can't get signal and neither can your customer to try and do direct bank transfer. These terminals can't store the transaction and submit it later.

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

How many times over how many years?

Yes, it happens, and then drivers can take the customer to the nearest cashpoint, or they can send them a payment link, or they can return another day, or they can ask the customer to pay directly to the bank, or if on a firm can ask the customers to pass card details and the firm can take it for the driver.

In short, it's not a problem, unless the driver doesn't want to have his takings registered, or intends to decline jobs that are merely going around the corner.

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IDFIMH

And when there isn't one within 5 miles ?

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

Problem is, there's probably a correlation between a lack of signal and a lack of cash points.

Or, for example, if there's no signal it tends to be the kind of place you can't just nip back there the next day for payment...

Sounds like just a rubber-stamping exercise re the card readers, but HC numbers also uncapped to provide more WAVs

It doesn't say, but presumably any new HC plates will be WAV-only. And looking at the numbers I'd guess WAV-only HC plates have been issued in the past to compliment the existing saloons, but under a cap...

For the reasons stated in other threads, there could well be few takers for the new WAV plates, though


Taxi drivers licensed by Mid Sussex District Council will allow customers to pay by card

https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/po ... rd-4910728

Taxi drivers licensed by Mid Sussex District Council will soon have to allow customers to pay by card.

The decision was made during a meeting of the full council and follows and eight-week public consultation on the changes.

It was also agreed to remove the cap on the number of hackney carriages the council licenses in an effort to increase the number of wheelchair accessible taxis on the roads.

A report to the meeting said: “The council received a significant number of complaints regarding licensed drivers refusing to accept card payments, causing concerns for public safety.

“In addition, concerns have been raised about the lack of availability of wheelchair accessible vehicles which has unduly restricted the ability of disabled residents to access a taxi service.”

On the issue of card payments, concerns had been raised by drivers about not being able to connect to the payment system when in more rural areas; and cash-flow problems when waiting for payments to arrive in their accounts.

But councillors agreed that the authority’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licensing policy needed to be changed.

Since 2002, the council has limited the number of hackney carriages it licenses – as opposed to private hire taxis – and there are currently 154.

Of those, only 31 are suitable for wheelchairs.

Despite the changes, as the drivers are self-employed the shortage may still be an issue, as no one can tell them when and where to work.

Most trade is concentrated around the three main railway stations as this is where most of the work exists.

The policy changes are due to come into effect in May 2026.

My understanding is that you can buy a saloon plate for less than £10,000, so the chances of someone licensing a £40/50/60/80/100 grand motor is slim at best.

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IDFIMH