Taxi Driver Online

Cab crisis as drivers snub the late-night boozers

A LACK of late-night taxi and bus drivers is helping to fuel booze-related violence in Leeds city centre. The shortfall in drivers willing to work at night has resulted in a scramble for transport to ferry revellers home – often leading to street brawls.

Now a think tank is advising the council to address cab drivers' safety fears in a bid to encourage more of them to work after 11pm as 24-hour drinking comes into force. It has also suggested taking a lead from other European countries and bringing in other modes of transport like push bikes to get people home after a night on the town.

Coun Claire Nash, chair of the central and corporate scrutiny board which examines council policies and has made the recommendations, said: "Countries like Finland and Denmark have public bicycles that people can use so why can't that be looked at in Leeds? At the moment there are problems after the bus services have stopped. There is a need to look at other forms of late-night transport."

There are currently 537 council-regulated hackney carriages – most of them black and white taxis – operating in Leeds, along with scores of private hire cabs. Demand for later transport is set to increase when the new Licensing Act, introduced on Monday, allows venues to stay open for up to 24 hours from November.

However, the majority of black and white taxi drivers choose not to work at night time, leading to flashpoints as drinkers compete for rides home.
The council is now being advised to look at why that is the case, rather than simply increasing the number of licences it dishes out.

Ideas to boost numbers include improving drivers' safety and allowing them to charge passengers more for late-night journeys. Coun Nash said: "At the moment Leeds' taxi fleet is slightly below that of other major cities. "However, we do not feel that dramatically increasing the number of black and white taxis would solve the problem because it could drain the private hire firms and those new drivers may simply choose to work during the day.

"We want to see the fleet expanded but feel that should be done in a managed way. We have instead suggested the licensing panels look at ways of encouraging drivers to go out at night. "That includes looking at driver safety, which is obviously a big issue at night to see if the council can help in any way and creating incentives through the fares system."

Coun Nash said bus companies were also struggling to recruit drivers, which was having an effect on services. She said: "It is still engrained in the public transport system that everything stops at 11pm. We are saying local transport planners need to look at that again."

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Feelings has nothing to do with it, the law is the law. If there is un-met demand, then new plates have to be issued to meet that demand.

But at least we now have another thick council, to join up with Brighton and Hove, that's wishes to keep quotas because it will effect PH demand.

But the best bit is that to by putting the fares up at night, yet still keeping quotas, they are not just happy with a plate premium surcharge, now they also have a night-time quota surcharge.

I can't wait untill this all gets sorted, the gov have a look, and then realise that some councils aren't fit to scratch their arse's, let alone decide taxi policy.

Let's all say goodbye to section 16, a year or so to go maybe, but it's going.

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IDFIMH

"It has also suggested taking a lead from other European countries and bringing in other modes of transport like push bikes to get people home after a night on the town. "

Push bikes eh, hundreds of [edited by admin] people on bikes, not good for road safety.

What a great idea, issue more plates to people who won't work late at night.

Derestriction supporters need to identify the problem before they try to solve it.

I very much doubt anyone replied to a SUD survey saying that if they got a plate they would completely change their working hours.

Such rubbish is only spread by thick unions, and taken in by thick councillors.

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IDFIMH

The whole issue is a mess, I was talking to a LO the other day and he actually stated the police worried for their safety on taxi ranks.

Now call me Mr Silly, but what about the poor [edited by admin] who has to take them home then get money off them?

Regards

Captain cab

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Does anyone know if Leeds resolved this night time hackney carriage scarcity problem? More to the point has the NTA and T&G taken Leeds off their propoganda list of councils that are better served by fewer licensed Taxis under the so called double shift system?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

You forgot the NTTG...in Leeds

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

One issue that hasn't been mentioned is pricing I picked up a fare the other month who complained that our fares ( £1.30 a mile) were very expensive. I tried to convince him that we are well below the national average but he was adamant that where he normally lives (Leeds) he can travel 5 miles for about £3 in a taxi

If thats the case is it any wonder that drivers don't want to be running drunken yobs home in the middle of the night for a pitance !

Anyone that does five miles for £3 is a buffoon of the highest magnitude.

Methinks the punter was telling a fib.

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IDFIMH

I don't even do 3 miles for £5.

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Grandad,

"Think Tank" who are they, Councillors or contracted company, why not ask taxi drivers

That sounds like a good idea but far too simple for councillors.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.