Ian Vernon chairman of Chelmsford Taxi Association
A CHELMSFORD taxi boss fears the city could become “awash” with under-qualified cab drivers using sat navs if the city’s knowledge test is dumbed down.
Chelmsford city councillors will today discuss proposals from private hire cab firms to relax the test that all drivers have to take to operate in the city.
The test can take three months to pass and costs around £300, with applicants asked to identify streets or landmarks in Baddow, Danbury, South Woodham Ferrers and the city centre without referring to a map, much like London’s famous knowledge exam.
Ian Vernon, chairman of the Chelmsford Taxi Association that represents two-thirds of the Hackney carriage divers in the city, says the city could be flooded with under-qualified drivers if the plans are approved.
“We want to see standards maintained, not reduced,” he told the Chronicle.
“The council decided to introduce the knowledge test, so it is slightly perverse to decide to cut back standards in 2015.
“The CTA is about driving up standards and improving them to make the customer’s experience better, but this proposal is generated from commercial desire, on one side by private hire companies looking to get more drivers and make more money.
“The other side is the council which fears it will lose income if it doesn’t make the test easier as drivers come in from other boroughs.”
Currently, dual licences are issued by the authority that allow drivers to operate both pre-booked private hire cars and Hackney carriages, which are the only type of vehicle that can pick passengers up from the roadside or from ranks.
The move was put forward after the Deregulation Bill, which will allow taxi drivers to “cross borders” and operate in other boroughs.
Drivers argue that it means drivers could pass an easier test anywhere in the country, but still be licensed to operate in Chelmsford.
The proposal has been put forward by Happicabs, Fareway and The Chauffeur Company. Umar Hussain, 26, and his brother Waqas Hussain, 24, have 12 private hire vehicles and three taxis in their Happicabs fleet, based in Chelmsford.
“We are all looking for more drivers, but it’s difficult to get people through the test,” said Umar. “Some councils across the UK have different standards, Chelmsford’s test is harder than smaller places like Maldon and Uttlesford.
“I want to support the council, I’m from Chelmsford so I want to have Chelmsford drivers and keep everything local.
“But drivers coming in from outside areas would take money and business away from the city.
“Also, if a customer has a complaint against the driver, they would need to go to the council that issued the licence and that council is less likely to do anything about it if the driver is from another district.”
There are two parts to the test, one aspect is “local knowledge” that has a pass mark of 18 out of 25 questions, as well as a “places of interest” score of six from ten questions.
Alan Mitchell, co-owner of Fareway Taxis in Chelmsford, wrote to the city council to show his support for relaxing the test.
The company based in Russell Way has around 30 private hire cars and 30 Hackney carriage vehicles, but he says the company needs as many as 20 more drivers to meet rising demand.
“We would like to see different licences for Hackney carriages and private hire drivers because there is a shortage of drivers and the test is putting a lot of people off,” said the 55-year-old.
“There would still be the same medicals and CRB checks, but a simpler knowledge test.
“We have the routes downloaded straight to the PDAs in the cars, so there is no danger of a driver getting lost.
“Making the test easier would help unemployed people get into work and the public as well because they would not be left waiting.
“We are all battling Uber (a smartphone app for taxi customers) who will eventually move into Chelmsford as we are a university town .”
On July 9, councillors rejected a proposal by Chelmsford Taxi Association to increase fares by around 1.5 per cent.
“We reject the idea of decreasing quality to increase volume,” added Mr Vernon, who has worked in Chelmsford since 2002.
“What if there is a problem with the sat nav? What if a customer asks to go a different route or for an explanation of why they are being taken that way?
“If a driver doesn’t have the knowledge of the area they won’t be able to answer.
“If this proposal is approved the city will be awash with under-qualified drivers clogging up our roads.”
Chelmsford City Council did not want to comment before the licensing and regulatory meeting today (September 3).
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