Taxi Driver Online

There's a pile of new evidence submissions on the TransComm site - 123 in total now, but not clear if that's them all now. But that's 58 new ones - they look like they're mostly in the names of individuals rather than businesses and licensing authorities, and includes high profile figures like James Button, David Wilson and, er, Charles Oakes

But still some from businesses like Delta, and trade groups like the B&H Cab Trade Association - which looks a tad long-winded, and without reading it I suspect I'll end up preferring the more concise but still astute and insightful submission from the B&H PHA

https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9 ... ce/?page=1

...and, of course, the oral evidence session took place this morning.

Have to try and catch up with it later, but I see Mr Mustachio is there, but not sure if he's given evidence

But at least I know where it is, and won't spend five minutes looking for the recording of the session, which I did on Monday after getting the dates wrong

https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/4 ... aa2792d8a2

It will surprise no one that I watched both sessions this morning.

Below, I will give my marks out of ten for those invited to speak to the committee.

Mr David Lawrie
Director at National Private Hire and Taxi Association (NPHTA)

Came across quite well, often gave good examples to back up his view. 8 out of 10

Eamon O'Hearn
National Officer at GMB Union

He was the quiet man who spoke up for drivers. 8 out of 10

Andy Mahoney MBE
LPHCA Official at Licensed Private Hire Car Association (The LPHCA)

Mr Mahoney, aka the Ten Million Dollar Man, had an agenda that he didn't hide. He mentioned national standards about 50 times, which was a tad tedious in my view. The only thing that got him any points from me was his opposition to the ABBA cross-border rules. 2 out of 10

Mr Paul James
Project Manager at Unite Taxi Education Liverpool

Came across very well and nailed many issues. If he hadn't been such a fan of the ABBA cross-border rules, he might have gotten maximum points. Towards the end of the session, I think he was reading the room (not a lot of love for ABBA) and said there could be some exemptions to it, a kind of ABCCBA (my words, not his). 9 out of 10

Helen Chapman
Director of Licensing and Regulation at Transport for London (TfL)

She defo knew her stuff, and another one that came across very well. Not a fan of cross-border working. 9 out of 10

David Pattison
Chief Operating Officer at City of Wolverhampton Council

The committee and the other speakers treated him with far more respect than most of us ever would, but he would have left that session in no doubt that his basket case council has no friends in the national trade. He basically blamed DfT Guidance for all the woes his council has created. When a couple of MPs asked why his council didn't have higher standards than the DfT Best Practice Guidance, he didn't have an answer. 2 out of 10

Mr Lee Petrak
Public Protection Commercial Enforcement Manager at Blackpool Council

A council officer who is, in my view, on the right side of history, and came across as a nice guy. 8 out of 10

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IDFIMH

The biggest thing I take from the sessions today is that no one believes the current rules are up to the mark, even the Ten Million Dollar Man.

I think the MPs on the committee have been well briefed by their respective local trades, so hopefully the final report will help nudge the government into changing or stopping the clear, blatant abuses that we are all seeing daily.

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IDFIMH

Just realised why Mr Lawrie didn't get a 9 or a 10.

One of the first things he mentioned, and repeated later on in the session, was the issue with section 75 of the 1976 Miss Act.

75 Saving for certain vehicles etc
(I) Nothing in this Part of this Act shall —
(a) apply to a vehicle used for bringing passengers or goods within a controlled district in pursuance of a contract for the hire of the vehicle made outside the district if the vehicle is not made available for hire within the district;

We have discussed this several times on TDO, with mixed views. If the NTPHA is so confident that the above means cross-border, as we know/see it, is unlawful due the section 75 (a), then please publish a legal opinion backing that up.

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IDFIMH

Interesting analysis, Sussex, and I'm assuming from what you say there were no slam dunks or smoking guns, or whatever

As regards the Wolves representative, it's maybe instructive that they sent someone right in the upper tier of management, and a generalist rather than licensing specialist - the Blackpool Council chap, most obviously, seems to be slightly closer to the coal face, and slightly more of a licensing specialist - "Public Protection Commercial Enforcement Manager at Blackpool Council".

And, oddly, the meeting I've looked at a few times (the one where the big cheese says they'll be trying to 'throttle back' applications) the big cheese is the Director of Resident Services, who's also responsible for stuff like parks, cemeteries and housing

But both him and the chap at the TransComm meeting are on the strategic executive board, so that maybe demonstrates how worried about it all they are - I'd guess most councils would send someone from further down the foodchain.

On the other hand, maybe it's a reflection of the vanity project take on it all that they've sent someone so senior in the council's management structure

https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/your-c ... -structure

I'm not sure that's what a committee like this does. It's more of a fact-finding process.

Even if some of the facts are in fact fiction.

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IDFIMH

Well indeed, Sussex - maybe what I meant was that there were no jaw-dropping moments, either in terms of devastating insight, or monumental clangers.

But, of course what an individual would characterise as insight or a clanger depends which side of the argument you're on

Maybe the fact, as I saw it, was that nobody was happy with the status quo.

I always assumed many are. Although, in all fairness, we only saw a small snapshot of those who have sent in submissions.

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IDFIMH

Just watched a random few minutes in the latter half, and fortunately it was Mr Wolves speaking most of the time

But looks like the usual boilerplate stuff we've all been reading on here for years now. And when one of the MPs asked to confirm that they never tried to attract applicants, he agreed - "100%", he said

Meant to say ages ago as well, is that one reason I'd have nothing to do with the whole thing* is the Edinburgh Labour MP's (Dr Scott Arthur) membership on the committee.

So you know all these speed bumps, cycle lanes, traffic calming measures, roundabouts, 20mph zones along a deserted wide-open street at 3am, even more traffic lights just for the sake of it, blah, blah, in the likes of Edinburgh? Well, he's one of the main ones responsible when he was transport convener as an Edinburgh councillor before elected to parliament last year

(And, of course, all that sort of stuff went off the scale during lockdown...)

So it was when he was talking about suspensions and the like for drivers speeding and going through red lights that I took notice (another pretty random part of it all that I just clicked on).

And, for a change, I think he was a bit unfair towards Wolverhampton over the WAV thing, as if it's Wolves' fault that PHVs aren't usually WAVs.

I mean, how many PHVs in Edinburgh are WAVs?

(And, I mean, in reality as opposed to the TaxiPoint survey )

*Nothing to do with the whole thing apart from endlessly posting about it on here, obviously

Doesn't know how caps work, though

I'll have to stop watching it - only seen about 15 minutes so far, but could probably write a few thousand word on it just the stuff I've watched. Which no-one would ever read anyway

I would.

I think the TfL lady was saying that caps wouldn’t work unless we had an end to cross border hiring.

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IDFIMH

I have no sympathy for the basket case's mouthpiece, and in my view, it is 100% down to them for not having enough PH WAVs.

Nothing is stopping them from adding a requirement to their operator licenses, requiring operators to have a certain % of WAVs on their fleet. A number of councils have such a requirement.

So it is down to them, no one else. Once again, they are putting license fee revenue in front of customer service.

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IDFIMH

I missed this answer from the Transport Minister in the house two weeks ago.

https://questions-statements.parliament ... 0-13/81523

The Government is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which licensing authorities in England administer the taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime. All applicants for a taxi or private hire vehicle driver’s licence must be deemed fit and proper to hold one. Under this system licensing authorities have the flexibility to set the standards they consider are appropriate. The Department for Transport issues statutory and best practice guidance to assist licensing authorities with this function, to promote safe and accessible services through proportionate regulation.

As recommended in the statutory guidance, all taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities in England have advised the Department that for drivers they require the highest level of vetting available, an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and a check of both the children’s and adults’ Barred Lists. The statutory guidance recommends that a licensing authority’s test of a driver’s language proficiency should cover both oral and written English language skills. This is so drivers can understand policies and guidance related to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and can apply them to identify and act on signs of exploitation.

The best practice guidance recommends that licensing authorities should require taxi and private hire vehicle drivers to undertake training and/or assessment focussed on driver attitudes and behaviours. Where an authority has specific concerns about the driving ability of a driver, for example through passenger complaints, it would be appropriate for the authority to consider whether the driver in question should undertake a practical driving ability training course or assessment to address those concerns.

The Department for Transport will legislate to tackle inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing more broadly. We are considering all options including out of area working, national standards and enforcement – seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety. In the interim the Department is reviewing licensing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance and determining how the statutory guidance on protecting children and vulnerable adults can be strengthened to further protect the public.

A consultation on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, which would increase consistency in licensing and make better use of enforcement powers, will be launched shortly.

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IDFIMH