Taxi Driver Online

UK cab trade debate and advice
It is currently Fri Dec 13, 2024 2:33 pm

All times are UTC - 1 hour [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Wed Jul 31, 2024 6:23 pm 
Online
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 6:30 pm
Posts: 55258
Location: 1066 Country
Plans to increase wheelchair accessible taxis in Mid Sussex

https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/po ... ex-4724751

Mid Sussex District Council is thinking of removing the cap on the number of hackney carriages it licenses. The change is being considered in an effort to increase the number of wheelchair accessible taxis on the roads.

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.

During a meeting of the licensing committee on Monday (July 29), members recommended that licence numbers be allowed to increase on the proviso that all new ones will only be issued for wheelchair accessible vehicles.

They also recommended that the issue be subject to an eight-week public consultation, starting on August 5.

The council received a 137-name petition highlighting the shortage of wheelchair friendly taxis in Burgess Hill.

It was acknowledged that most of them concentrated around the railway station in Haywards Heath, where drivers were more likely to find a passenger.

But committee members pointed out that, as the drivers are self-employed, this may still remain an issue – no matter what was decided – as no one can tell them when and where to work.

It was reported that several licences had been returned to the council but other drivers had refused to take them on given the cost of a wheelchair accessible vehicle.

A number of issues will have to be considered before any changes are made to the current policy.

They include congestion at taxi ranks, the financial impact on existing licence holders and the potential loss of custom with more drivers on the road.

A suggestion that the age limit for vehicles be raised to 12 years was not supported by the committee.

_________________
IDFIMH


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jul 31, 2024 6:27 pm 
Online
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 6:30 pm
Posts: 55258
Location: 1066 Country
My understanding is that saloon plates are well under £10,000, so the chances of someone buying a £50/60/70/100 WAV to get a plate is zero.

Be interesting to see if Mid Sussex can find a solution to a problem that no one has thought of yet, but I'm most certainly not holding my breath.

_________________
IDFIMH


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jul 31, 2024 7:09 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:27 pm
Posts: 19948
Sussex wrote:

A suggestion that the age limit for vehicles be raised to 12 years was not supported by the committee.

Doesn't government best practice say that arbitory age limits should not be used and it should be based on emmisions?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Aug 01, 2024 8:35 am 
Online
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 6:30 pm
Posts: 55258
Location: 1066 Country
grandad wrote:
Sussex wrote:

A suggestion that the age limit for vehicles be raised to 12 years was not supported by the committee.

Doesn't government best practice say that arbitory age limits should not be used and it should be based on emmisions?

Quite a nice area and generally nice people, but when it comes to licensing they are in the dark ages.

_________________
IDFIMH


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 1 hour [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 31 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group