Taxi Driver Online

Well this is unfortunate. This new WAV service, intending to use brand spanking new motors, was launched on 1 February. A couple of days later and he's back in the press because the council is intending relaxing the age rule for tail-lift WAVs. So don't know if he hadn't done his homework, or this has come out of the blue, or what

I can see why he's annoyed, but would guess that the age-rule relaxation won't make a whole lot of difference, but obviously it's quite a niche market, and difficult to assess without knowing all the ins and outs

(The first article is a couple of weeks old, hence published before the launch on 1 February, but the second article is new.)



Travel help for people with disabilities is about to hit the road in Peterborough with the launch of Passenger Assist Cambs

https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/new ... bs-3989198

New venture is welcomed by city MP


Image: Peterborough Telegraph

An enterprising Peterborough man is poised to launch a new taxi business specifically for people with disabilities.

Passenger Assist Cambs, which will operate from the Brightfield Business Hub, in Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, aims to meet a growing need for a specialist taxi facility for people with a range of disabilities and needs.

Mohammed Bashir (36) of Millfield, said the the new service would take to the roads on February 1.

But he cautioned that building up the service, which has already attracted interest from numerous health organisations, would take a number of months.

He said: “The business will start with one £60,000 Mercedes Sprinter that will be able to carry four passengers and have room for wheelchairs and other equipment. We will also be able to carry guide dogs for passengers with sight impairment.

“The dealer for the vehicle is struggling to get all the parts that are needed. But I hope to build the number of taxis up – hopefully we’ll have two by the end of March and I’m hoping to have 10 later in the year.

Mr Bashir said: “This is a specialist mobility transport service that I am starting due to the lack of transport available for the elderly and disabled passengers in the city.

"Our vehicles are equipped with large electric tail lifts that accommodate both wheelchairs and scooters.

“And our drivers are trained professionals in disability awareness, disability equipment and are Emergency First Aid at work qualified.”

Mr Bashir added: “Our ethos is to transport all clients with empathy, patience and care.”


Image: Peterborough Telegraph

The arrival of the new service has been welcomed by Peterborough MP Paul Bristow who said: “This is great work by Mohammed Bashir and the Passenger Assist team.”

The need for the new service is underlined by Department of Transport figures that show 926 vehicles were licensed to operate in Peterborough at the end of March – but just 133 (14 per cent) could be used by people in wheelchairs.

Of the 122 traditional taxis which can be hailed from the street, all were wheelchair accessible.

But just 11 (one per cent) of the area’s 804 private hire vehicles, which need to be pre-booked, offered the same service.


Boss of taxi firm for disabled people warns planned licensing changes could drive him out of Peterborough

https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/new ... gh-4014578

Council says proposals are aimed at saving existing service

The owner of a new taxi service, who says he aims to improve the quality of transport for disabled people, has urged Peterborough councillors to block planned changes to hire vehicle licensing rules.

Mohammed Bashir, who launched Passenger Assist Cambridgeshire, based at the Brightfield Business Hub, in Orton Southgate, just days ago, is concerned at new proposals by Peterborough City Council to extend the life of already licensed tail-lift enabled vehicles for hire from 10 years to 12 years.

The council also wants to extend the age at which tail-lift enabled vehicles for hire can first be accepted for licensing from four years to eight-years-old.

The new measures are to be discussed by the council’s licensing committee on Thursday but Mr Bashir says if approved the proposed changes will undermine his work to improve the quality of taxi services of people with disabilities and will force him to leave the city.

Mr Bashir says his business, which will have new and fully equipped tail-lift vehicles, seeks to overcome concerns that he says have been expressed to him about a lack of adequate disability mobility transport, poor training for drivers, high prices and inadequately cleaned car interiors.

He has just invested £60,000 in a Mercedes Sprinter to carry four passengers with room for wheelchairs and other equipment and says he is planning to order four new Ford transit vehicles fully customised for disabled passengers.

Mr Bashir says he has pledged to place an order to manufacturers for a further five vehicles to be delivered around later in the year.


Image: Peterborough Telegraph

He said: “This would bring our fleet to 10 new fully equipped vehicles to serve our disabled passengers in Peterborough.

"Each vehicle is costing us £55,326 plus any licensing costs by the council.”

Mr Bashir said: “I want councillors to block these changes as they will not make an improvement to the service.

“I’m afraid Passenger Assist, which is the first ever specialist mobility taxi firm in Peterborough, will have to move to a different county or city that would welcome this service and where we could work with a council who actually make the right decisions and not compromise safety of our passengers.”

But members of the licensing committee will be told the measures are necessary to avoid a shortage of tail-lift enabled vehicles in the city.

A report to the committee states it is estimated tail-lift enabled vehicles make up less than three per cent of taxi and private hire vehicles in Peterborough with many coming to the end of their 10 year life and due to be de-licensed.

It warns that with the rising cost of vehicles many are unlikely to be replaced, which could impact on the council’s ability to fulfil its legal duty to get eligible children from home to their place of education. Currently there are 145 children carried by the service, which uses taxis and hire minibuses, on 34 routes.

The report warns: “Peterborough City Council is committed to take action to ensure that current provision of vehicles is not impacted as a result of vehicles becoming de-licensed in the next 12 months and to encourage more vehicles into trade to meet future demand.”


Image: Peterborough Telegraph

If it's the same chap (and his face looks familiar) he used to co-own one of the local companies a few years back and used to also own takeaways so I think he's got a few bob behind him but as with all Asian businesses there's usually quite a few investors in the shadows. We shall see if there is enough work not already being covered by the Black cabs to make it pay but all around the area fares have leapt since pandemic from the ridiculously competitive levels they were at.

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

I think many councils are starting to realise that anyone buying a new WAV is going to need a small fortune, which in turn will mean fares/rates are going to have to increase quite significantly. Especially for council school/social service work.

Delaying matters might help in the short term but in the long term it's going to be electric WAVs costing £70-100,000, as the car manufacturers are starting to reduce their diesel offerings.

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IDFIMH

Well his protests have been to no avail. But the article makes clear that it doesn't affect HCs, and that the number of PHVs affected is small. So kind of looks like the complainant is overdoing his case, but of course since it's a very niche market the decision may have a disproportionate affect on that market, if not the on the local trade as a whole.

Anyway, one or two other interesting bits and pieces.


Age limit of taxis mainly used by disabled people increased in Peterborough

https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/new ... gh-4023272

Councillors voted unanimously to approve the changes

Cars with tail lifts can be used as taxis in Peterborough for an extra two years after Peterborough City Council (PCC) voted to increase the upper age limit from 10 to 12.

The decision affects private hire vehicles with a platform at the back designed to lift people or cargo up from ground level, such as minivans fitted out to accommodate people in wheelchairs.

It doesn’t affect black cabs, though, as these come with ramps, and in fact will only affect a very small number of vehicles: less than three per cent of all licenced taxis and private hire vehicles in Peterborough, the council says.

But the outcome of the decision was watched closely by one taxi company, Passenger Assist Cambridgeshire, a new venture which caters specifically to people with disabilities.

Owner Mohammed Waqar Bashir was among those in attendance at a PCC licensing committee meeting this week when the issue was discussed, alongside his business development manager Moahmmed Saraj Bashir and operations manager Rasheed Mahmood.

The group asked councillors how soon the changes would come into effect, which also include an amendment increasing the age private hire vehicles can be licenced for the first time from four years to eight.

Mr Saraj Bashir told councillors that the company, which was set up in December to address the “inadequate supply of tail lift vehicles in Peterborough”, intended to acquire five vehicles this month which Mr Mahmood added could have cost £55,000 each if bought new.

As such, the change in rules could impact how much they spend on their fleet, they added.

PCC licencing manager Gareth Brighton clarified that the changes will come into effect on 10 February.

Both Mr Saraj Bashir and Mr Mahmood told the meeting that they don’t object to the council’s proposals as long as all licenced vehicles are safe for people with disabilities

Mr Brighton confirmed that all licenced private vehicles, whether they have tail lifts or not, are subject to inspections every six months once they hit six years old.

He went on to explain why the council wants to make the changes: essentially so businesses don’t have to replace older cars amid so many other financial pressures.

These include companies contracted by the council to take eligible children – such as those with disabilities – to and from school.

By the time the vehicles due to come out of circulation hit the new 12 year limit, it's "anticipated that the rate of inflation will have eased and businesses will be in a healthier financial position to invest in replacement vehicles” a report presented by Mr Brighton says.

All of this could be immaterial, though, within less than a decade.

The report also notes that most private hire vehicles with tail lifts run on petrol or diesel which the council has promised to phase out by 2030.

Under current policy, all petrol and diesel taxis and private hire vehicles will be de-licensed on or before 31 December 2029.

Slightly misleading in that it sounds like that applies to all PHVs, whereas it seems to be only the tail-lift WAV PHVs.


He should get a job in B&H. People would refer to Mr Brighton, and might think he's won a local bodybuilding contest. Or something like that


That sounds a bit drastic. I'd have assumed this would only apply to replacement vehicles, rather than all plated petrol and diesel cars at that time?