HACKNEY cab drivers are warning there could be fewer of them in Basingstoke if the borough council goes ahead with its plans.
Legal rulings in other parts of England have left licensing officials at Basingstoke and Deane warning that a limit on the number of hackneys in the borough can no longer be justified.
The London-style cabs can be being flagged down or hired from ranks and are currently limited to 55. Borough licensing officers say the cap on numbers cannot be kept unless a survey is carried out to assess customer demand. Only if there is no significant unmet demand can the limit be maintained, they say.
Members of the borough’s licensing committee will be asked on Tuesday to decide whether to delimit the number of cabs or maintain the quota and carry out the survey.
But with no council budget for the estimated £15,000 survey cost, officers have suggested a one-off £273 levy on each hackney cab driver to pay for it, should councillors wish to maintain the limit.
Melvyn Leaman, chairman of Basingstoke Hackney Carriage Federation, said cabbies were already struggling for work so delimiting was not a good idea. He said: “They could end up with fewer cabs than they have got now.”
He said eight drivers were due to retire and with the proposed survey levy added to other set-up costs, it was unlikely there would be many people willing to replace them in a recession.
This week, cabbies were voting to decide what their response to the council assessment should be. The borough council has already conducted a survey of hackney cab and private hire vehicle drivers which indicated that 95 per cent of the respondents felt the maximum limit was either correct or already too high.
No passengers or user-groups responding to the consultation felt the availability of hackney carriages in the borough was poor.
source: http://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/4881864.Warning_over_cab_numbers/
Worth exploring
Member of the Royal Family are using black taxis to travel to unofficial engagements instead of expensive fleet cars as the Queen tries to keep a lid on costs.
Minor Royals Viscount Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto already regularly book Dial-a-Cab taxis.
Now financial advisers have devised plans for more senior Royals to use the
wherever possible - including Prince Harry and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
Taxi! While lesser royals are already using cabs, will we be seeing Prince Charles in once?
Members of the Royal household staff, meanwhile, are being encouraged to use public transport or even walk to official events or meetings instead of using cabs.
A source said: ‘Chelsy Davy, Viscount Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto have all used the Dial-a-Cab service and this is a cost-cutting measure.
‘Viscount Linley is a great fan of black cabs, particularly those with the fake walnut interior, and Chelsy Davy has often called upon a cab to help her out.
‘Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie are all being urged to use the service whenever it’s deemed possible.
‘Royal protection officers are not worried about the security implications as black cabs are viewed as an excellent way to uphold anonymity.’
The Queen is well aware that cost-cutting measures need to be made, especially as her subjects are battling through lean times.
Last year, for the first time, the Queen took a public train to Sandringham instead of requesting her Royal carriages, saving the taxpayer an estimated £57,000.
The source added: ‘Staff are being encouraged to get buses, trains or walk to events rather than hiring cabs.’
Back in the Nineties Princess Diana used a Dial-a-Cab account to cut costs following her divorce from Prince Charles.
Buckingham Palace and Clarence House confirmed they both hold accounts with Dial-a-Cab.
TAXI drivers are rebelling over plans to increase the fees they are charged for working in Darlington.
Seventy-five drivers have sent a letter protesting over Darlington Borough Councils plans to raise operating fees.
Under the proposals, operators will now pay £1,300 a year to the council for the basic licensing of a driver, up £45 on last year.
They could also face an extra £122 in add-ons, such as administration charges and plate fees. Those charges would have cost a maximum of £102 last year.
Despite the increases, the council’s licensing department is projecting a £5,000 loss for the year.
Drivers are voiced their discontent over the rises in the aftermath of the conviction of former employee Abigail Clement, 31, of Middleton St George, for stealing nearly £14,000.
The letter, sent by a Mr Singh, and copied and sent by 74 other drivers, said: “How does your accounting system work with regards to raising revenue when your department were not aware that an employee in your department namely Abigail Clement managed to steal £13,670 of licensing money?
“Clement got a suspended jail term after admitting taking the money, which had been paid by taxi drivers and landlords. The money had already been paid back to the council.”
A council spokeswoman said: “Our systems and procedures have been strengthened to ensure this situation does not happen again.”
Mr Singh said the rising licence fees to be reflected in the support offered to Darlingtons taxi drivers.
He stated: “This is the worst recession for thirty years and takings are down by 40 per cent, yet you still insist on attempting to take more.
“The council must start to take responsibility and help small businesses in Darlington to thrive and prosper, for everyones benefit.”
Mr Singh said money should be spent upgrading the towns ranks, to make them safer.
The proposed rises in licensing fees will be discussed at a meeting of the council’s cabinet on Tuesday, February 2, at 5pm in the town hall. Members of the public are welcome to attend.
Council officers recommend the plans are approved. A report to the cabinet stated: “The recommendations are put forward to ensure that the costs of delivering the taxi licensing service can be met.”
source: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/darlington/
Taxi drivers applying for their Hackney Carriage licence are being offered the forms in Braille by a council.
The document, issued by Portsmouth City Council, makes clear that it is also available in large print or audio format for those with sight problems.
A notice at the end reads: “You can get this Portsmouth City Council information in large print, Braille, audio or in another language….”
The council, a member of the Plain English Campaign, defended the forms.
Head of customer services Louise Wilders said: “Obviously, a taxi driver would not need the Braille version, but they might find a foreign language version helpful.
“The form is also for employers to fill in - they could need a Braille version.”
The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write. Braille was devised in 1821 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman.
Each Braille character or cell is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two columns of three dots each.
source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7108021/Taxi-drivers-offered-their-Hackney-Carriage-licence-forms-in-Braille.html
LONDON – January 29, 2010: Warsaw got its first taste of a world famous Icon last night when the London taxi was launched by Dufort London Taxis at it’s after sales premises, MOTORTEST UL.PILCHOWICKA 19 M1 02-175 WARSZAWA.
Delighted with the turn out and reaction from guests, Jacek Kurowski, Managing Director of Dufort said: “I have been working for a long time to bring this fantastic vehicle to Poland and people love it just as much as I do.
“I am now able to help taxi companies in Poland offer a real alternative to the cheap cramped saloon taxis or the expensive limousines.”
In order to to bring the iconic taxi to Poland, Jacek worked with The London Taxi Company, the international sales brand for LTI who manufacture the world famous vehicle.
Matthew Cheyne, International Market development Director for The London Taxi Company said: “It was a great evening, enjoyed by all. Everyone I have spoken to are very excited about being able to use a proper London taxi opposed to a saloon car.
“Wawa, the company buying the London Taxi will offer it as a professional premium service for people who want comfort, privacy and a quality service.”
The London Taxi Service will be offered as an alternative to the local taxi but with the service features people expect to experience which include, professional drivers, safety, and security and of course a taxi that holds five people comfortably.
A Radstock taxi driver has criticised the police for failing to come to his aid when three abusive yobs refused to get out of his cab – which was parked outside a police station.
Police have apologised for the incident, which took place in Bath in the early hours on Sunday morning, and said other calls had to take priority at that particular time.
Simon Gay, from Radstock, was driving up Broad Street at about 4am when he was stopped by three people who refused to get out of his cab.
After realising there was nothing he could do to remove them, Mr Gay drove to Bath’s Manvers Street station in the city centre and called the non-emergency police number.
The 53-year-old, who has been a taxi driver for four years, said: “The only thing I could think of doing was to take them to the police station because I assumed it was covered with CCTV and then when they eventually did get out it would all be recorded.”
While Mr Gay was on the phone the men leant through the ventilation gap in the partition and opened the back doors.
They got out and taunted Mr Gay through the window before getting back in the cab and the taxi driver once again locked the doors.
This time the men became aggressive, splashing water around and threatening to damage the car.
Eventually Mr Gay managed to calm them down and, realising that the police were not going to arrive any time soon, agreed to let them out.
However, as he unlocked the back doors he also unlocked his own doors and the men pulled out all of his personal belongings and threw them across the street.
One of the men grabbed the harness used to assist wheelchair-bound passengers and ran off with it, forcing Mr Gay to leave his car unattended and give chase.
When he got back to the taxi the altercation became heated and Mr Gay called 999 because he was concerned about his own safety.
But while he was answering a list of questions from the operator the men left the scene.
Mr Gay said: “I am disgusted and I am really not sure what to do if this type of situation occurred again.
“While all this was happening there were police cars passing by and driving in and out of the station, but nobody stopped to help.
“It wasn’t until two fares later, when I was driving down London Road, that I got a phone call from the police asking me if the matter had been resolved.
“They are now saying to me that I should have pulled up on to the forecourt of the station, which is covered by CCTV, and honked my horn to alert someone.”
Chief Superintendent Gary Davies said he was sorry that no officers were available to deal with the incident and that Bath police were committed to tackling anti-social behaviour.
He said: “I can understand this gentleman’s frustration, and it is very regrettable that there were no officers able to respond to his call as quickly as he would have liked.
“It was a very busy night and all our resources were deployed dealing with a number of incidents.
“Anti-social behaviour of any kind is something which causes us concern; taxi drivers have a right to conduct their lawful trade in safety, and I want to take action against anyone who poses a risk to that safety.
“We have been working, and continue to work, proactively and very hard with relevant partner agencies and organisations, including licensees, taxi firms and local authorities, to try to tackle anti-social behaviour.”
An investigation has now been launched to track down the people in the back of the taxi and Chief Supt Davies has appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
Anyone with information about the incident can call Avon and Somerset police on 0845 4567000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
source: http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/
The widow of a man killed in a road crash has made an emotional plea for the private hire driver responsible for his death to hand himself in.
Jadwiga Riddett is desperate for closure after her husband Kenneth died when he was a passenger in a car driven by Shehzad Akbar who crashed after falling asleep at the wheel after a 14-hour shift.
First Great Western worker Mr Riddett, from Shepley Drive, Southcote, died in hospital after the incident in Swindon in October 2008.
Akbar, 33, from East Reading, who previously admitted causing the 37-year-old’s death, failed to turn up to be sentenced at Swindon Crown Court at the end of December 2009 and is believed to have fled the country.
Taxi driver admits causing death of passenger
Mrs Riddett said she was “completely gutted” with the situation. The 57-year-old, who has not returned to work in Evans since her husband died, said: “There is no closure. Seeing Akbar punished won’t bring my husband back. But I wanted to ask him how he felt.
“Akbar denied the offence until right up until the court case. He changed his plea to guilty on the first day of his trial in November last year.
“I think he must have been told he stood no chance of being cleared because there was nobody else on the road and no other reason the crash could have happened.
“My husband told Akbar to wake up before he died – the police told me that.
“My husband had his seatbelt on. He did not do anything wrong.”
Dad-of-one Akbar, who worked for 5 Star Cars in West Reading and lived in Granby Gardens, did attend pre-sentence appointments with his solicitors and the probation service.
But on the day he was due to be sentenced for one count of causing death by dangerous driving he did not show up.
Mrs Riddett said: “The police told me Akbar shipped his wife and child back to Pakistan a few weeks before he disappeared.
“He had no reason or excuse for not being at court for sentencing. Now a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
“I think he deserves to be punished but the main issue is closure.
“I had asked the police if I could talk to him. I wanted to ask if he knew what it felt like, if he could bear to be away from his wife and child.
“I never got to talk to my husband. I never got to say goodbye. When I think about what’s happened, the crash and now, my stomach turns. This has affected my life hugely.”
Sergeant Warren Knight of Wiltshire Police said: “Enquiries to locate Akbar are continuing and we have been liaising with neighbouring forces during our enquiries. It is possible that Akbar has left the country so all appropriate authorities including the port authorities and partner agencies have been informed.”
Contact Wiltshire Police on 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 with more information.
A cut-price travel scheme for elderly and disabled people who are too frail to use buses looks set to become a victim of tough council budget cuts in Northumberland.
More than 800 vulnerable pensioners across the county use the scheme, which allows them concessionary travel in taxis because they are unable to use other forms of public transport.
They use council-issued vouchers, tokens or passes to pay for taxi trips to the shops, GP and hospital appointments or to visit relatives and friends.
Now anger has erupted after county council bosses revealed plans to abolish the scheme in April to save £70,000 a year.
Four separate concessionary taxi schemes were run by the now-
abolished district councils in Blyth Valley, Wansbeck, Tynedale and Castle Morpeth.
The new unitary county council inherited them in April last year, and decided to keep them going for another 12 months while a full review was carried out.
The biggest scheme was in Blyth Valley where 600 residents aged 65 and over paid £20 a year for taxi vouchers entitling them to £75 worth of travel. One of those who have used the scheme for years is widow Roberta Thomson, pictured, 73, of Blyth, who suffers from arthritis in her back and leg, is diabetic and has a pacemaker. She uses her vouchers to save on the high cost of taxi trips to visit her severely-disabled step-daughter in Glasgow.
Yesterday she said: “It is a smashing scheme which is a big help for local old people because it lets them get out and about to do their shopping. This cut is not affecting people who use free bus passes so it is taxi users who are being penalised.
“It is people like myself, who need to use taxis because we can’t travel on coaches, who will be hit.”
Hugh Hurst, boss of Blyth-based Phoenix Taxis, said: “These tokens help elderly people going to hospital or the doctor’s with the aid of a stick, zimmer frame or even a wheelchair. There is absolutely no way they can use buses. I believe ending it is a retrograde step because it is very useful for old and vulnerable people.”
Blyth Valley MP Ronnie Campbell said: “I am absolutely astonished that the Lib Dem administration on the county council is hitting elderly people who can’t get on buses and need these taxi tokens to get them out of the house. How much more can they do to the elderly.”
Concessionary taxi travel schemes also operated in Tynedale, Wansbeck and Castle Morpeth, catering for more than 200 people and costing £26,460, £6,000 and £10,000 a year respectively. Coun Andrew Tebbutt, executive member for corporate resources, said the council already spends £4m a year on providing free bus passes for all people over the age of 65, and will explore opportunities for developing community transport across Northumberland.
“In the past, a number of different concessionary taxi travel schemes have been in operation, but these are very limited and not cost-effective. We have to make savings of between £18.7m and £29.9m next year and that means taking some really difficult decisions.”
source: http://seatondelaval.journallive.co.uk/
Worthing wheelchair taxi hot-line launched
A SPECIAL hot-line has been launched for people who want to order a taxi which is suitable for wheelchair-users.
Worthing Taxi Association and Worthing Borough Council have responded to complaints that insufficient wheelchair accessible taxis were available for disabled residents.
Taxi drivers Trevor Goss (left) and Gary Bazley with 90 year old Florence Lisher and the new taxi rank sign (pictured right)
The council said the complaints were being received despite an increase in the number of wheelchair-accessible taxis licensed in the borough.
So, to make things easier, the Worthing Taxi Association has launched a special hot-line for people needing a wheelchair-accessible taxi.
The number is 01903 230302 and will be manned from 7am until midnight, seven days a week.
source: http://www.worthingherald.co.uk/worthing/Worthing-wheelchair-taxi-hotline-launched.6024489.jp
A taxi driver has hit out at pothole-ridden roads in the county after he suffered three punctured tyres in one night.
And with roads in Cheltenham hit hardest, one garage in the town says it has changed as many tyres in two days as it usually would in three months.
Cabbie Roger Billam, 50, from The Reddings, was driving near Winchcombe when he drove into a pothole in Cutsdean Lane.
The impact punctured one front and one rear tyre, bringing him and his car full of passengers to a halt.
He said: “I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t think one pothole could cause so much damage.
“ It was at least 5ins deep and the tyres just dropped straight in. There was no way I could have avoided it.”
Mr Billam, who works for A2B Taxis in Cheltenham, swapped one of the tyres with a spare and called on a colleague to bring out a replacement.
But after dropping the passengers off and heading for home, he drove into a second hole in Cheltenham’s Hyde Lane, puncturing his front kerbside tyre and denting the wheel rim.
“In 25 years as a taxi driver, I have never seen the roads in such a dreadful state,” he said. “Cheltenham is a minefield. It’s the result of years of cheap repair work that has come undone due to the recent cold weather.
“I hope it shows the council that quick fixes are a false economy. Road resurfacing needs to be done properly.
“Working conditions like these would not be tolerated in any other profession, so I don’t see why taxi drivers should have to put up with it.”
Mr Billam spent £160 on repairing the damage caused by the potholes and said he missed out on a day’s trade while the car was out of action.
Vehicle breakdown and recovery services across the town are also at full stretch, dealing with pothole-related accidents.
Martin Griffiths, manager of Yeates Garage in Prestbury Road, said: “We have changed more wheels in two days than we would normally do in three months. Accidents are unavoidable in some areas. Some of the potholes are as deep as 6ins and they are so wide drivers would have to risk pulling into oncoming traffic to get around them. It’s a disgrace.”
Diane Mitten, secretary of Cheltenham’s Hackney Carriage Association, said the state of the town’s roads was a big concern for taxi drivers.
She said: “It’s very tough for all motorists at the moment, but especially taxi drivers, who rely on the roads to make a living. We hope the council is able to repair the worst-hit areas as soon as possible.”
Councillor Stan Waddington, cabinet member for environment at Gloucestershire County Council, warned it would be “a mammoth task” to repair extensive damage caused by the cold snap.
“The recent bad weather has had a severe impact on our roads and we’re seeing potholes forming across Gloucestershire,” he said.
“We’ve started an emergency inspection and the damage will be reported and prioritised for repair as soon as possible.
“Inevitably, repairing the damage will cause disruption on the roads. I hope people will understand this work is essential and I would ask everyone to please be patient while we do our job.”
