PROPOSED changes to taxi licence fees could spell the end for some firms, a director has warned.
Mark Coates, director of Wrexham and Prestige Taxis based in Brook Street, said the potential increase in fees could put new drivers off the job.
Currently new private hire drivers pay £99 for a licence or to renew it, with £44 of the total covering the need for a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check.
Mr Coates said: “A new application is going to cost £180 for the licence alone and £44 for the CRB. It’s a 125 per cent increase.
“The council is fully aware the taxi industry is starting to diminish and this is just going to put people off the job even more.
“People are not going to pay these prices. The three-year price has gone down but people are not going to pay for that when they don’t know the job and aren’t sure if they will stick it out long-term.
“People come to us from the job centre and want to start up as a driver. We tell them how much it will cost and usually pay the licence fee so the drivers can pay us back when they start earning but for us to pay £224 for a driver who might not last a week is not possible.
“Drivers are up in arms about the whole thing.”
Cllr David Kelly, planning and public protection lead member, said the proposed new measures were as a result of the government introducing the Deregulation Act 2015 which includes provisions affecting the taxi and private hire trade.
The Act requires Hackney carriage and private hire drivers licences to be issued for three years and private hire operator licences for five years.
Licences can be granted for less than these time periods but only in the circumstances of an individual case, not due to a blanket policy.
Cllr Kelly said: “The council currently issue annual licences and therefore the changes brought about by the act have necessitated the council undertaking a review of the licence fees for Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Driver’s licences and Private Hire Operators licences.
“The review process involved drawing together detailed information regarding the costs associated with undertaking the administrative procedures and formalities associated with all licensing procedures, including the costs of investigating the background and suitability of applicants for licences together with the cost of monitoring the compliance of those who are licensed against the conditions of their licences.
“The process was assisted by the use of the All Wales Licensing Technical Panel’s Licence Fees Toolkit and is recognised as a good practice approach to the setting of licence fees.
“Private Hire drivers and operators and taxi drivers have been written to regarding the proposed increase in fee s and licence duration and have been invited to respond in writing.”
The changes are due to be discussed by the council’s environmental licensing committee on Monday, September 28.
source: http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/
