BBC pays double on Taxi Journeys.

The BBC has spent licence fee-payers' money on 350,000 taxi journeys in the last year, as it is accused of paying up to double the going rate on £10 million of journeys.

Staff at the corporation, who use an internal booking system to arrange taxis, have claimed the BBC is paying over the odds for journeys which would be considerably cheaper if booked with a local firm.

The BBC has already confirmed spending more than £10 million on taxi journeys in the last year, with 350,000 separate journeys booked for staff and guests.

A spokeswoman for the corporation defended the system, saying it was important the taxi firms used are "legally compliant, vetted and available when required".

The discrepancy was highlighted in the BBC's internal magazine Ariel, following a letter from staff member Marc Settle, a project producer at the BBC Academy's College of Journalism.

He said the organisation's workers are told to book cabs through internal website Gateway, which promises 'More money for programmes'.

Writing in Ariel this week, he said: "When you book a taxi via Gateway, you're greeted with a comforting strapline of 'More money for programmes'.

"Is this actually the case? I rang the number on Gateway to get a quote for a journey from Tonbridge in Kent to Gatwick and was told £87.

"That seemed high, so I rang a few local companies and, on average, was quoted £45.
"Another journey from Stanmore to Heathrow was £61 via Gateway yet a local company quoted just £25.

"I know that any receipts which are submitted need then to be processed, and that has a cost. Equally, a central booking system may have merits for auditing purposes.

"I would like to know, though, why taxi journeys booked through the central system seem to cost twice as much as those booked locally."

Another BBC worker, who asked not to be named, added: "When I get a cab when I'm just out on my own time I'll pay £20 to get home, but for the same amount of miles when I book through work it will come to £40 or £50.

"It's a complete waste of licence fee money that should be going on new TV shows, not doled out for expensive taxis."

A spokesman for BBC Procurement replied to the complaint to say costs were higher in order to ensure the taxi firms were 'legally compliant' and that drivers were vetted properly.

He said: "Charges for taxis may appear to be higher than booking locally and directly but, as the BBC completes over 350,000 taxi journeys a year, we have to ensure that the companies used are both legally compliant and vetted and this is done as part of the managed service provision.

"We also require a 24/7 service which ensures broadcast criticality, full transaction reporting covering all journeys, ensuring we are compliant and can report on our P11d (Expenses and Benefits not put through the payroll) obligations."

A BBC source added the sum spent on the Gateway service also encompassed administration fees, and taxis for guests on radio and television shows.

In 2008/9, the BBC spent £15.1m on taxis, with a further £13.3m in 2009/10, £12.5m in 2010/11 and £11.3m in 2011/12.

A spokeswoman for the BBC said: “The BBC is a 24-hour organisation with offices across the UK, and, in common with many large businesses, it will incur travel-related costs.

"However, we are mindful that we are spending public money and we have policies in place to ensure spend on travel is proportionate and appropriate. The cheapest method of travel is always encouraged however on occasion taxi journeys are permitted in exceptional circumstances or where there are time constraints.”

When asked about the reasons for using the internal booking service rather than asking employees to book local firms, she added: “It is important that we have contracts in place with preferred suppliers as we have a responsibility to ensure that taxi companies used by BBC staff, freelancers and guests are legally compliant, vetted and available when required.”
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Nottingham taxi sexual assault victim asks for help

 A student who was sexually assaulted in a taxi in Nottingham has asked for help in tracing the man responsible.

The woman, now 20, was assaulted after being picked up in the city centre in February, but the driver who carried out the attack has not been found.

Another woman, aged 22, was sexually assaulted by a taxi driver in Long Eaton after being picked up from Nottingham city centre in September.

However, police do not believe the events are linked.

The 20-year-old victim said: "It really changed my perspective of Nottingham.

"I've not got into a taxi since it happened and I don't think I ever will again."

 The student, then aged 19, was assaulted just before midnight on 11 February.

She was driven to the junction of Trinity Avenue with Albert Road, just off Lenton Boulevard, where the taxi driver stopped the vehicle.

He went to the back of the taxi and forced her to carry out a sex act.

"I would have described myself as a confident person before the attack but now I feel scared a lot of the time and I'm not really comfortable walking on my own or being alone," she said.

The taxi was a dark green London-style Hackney cab, and the wanted man is described as Asian and around 40 years old.

He was around 5ft 6in tall with a big stomach, balding, with closely shaved or cropped hair all over, and wearing a dark jacket or hooded top that had a silver zip.

Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to £2,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the man responsible.

Nassear Ahmed, chairman of Nottingham's Hackney Association, said the Hackney carriage community is "sickened" by the attack.

"We would urge anyone with information to come forward and help the police in their investigations," he said.

A 25-year-old man from Nottingham has been arrested in relation to the September attack in Long Eaton.

He was questioned by police and released on bail.

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Kirklees, Dewsbury.

Taxi drivers who have been fighting for 15 years for changes to Dewsbury’s main taxi rank are urging people to back their campaign.

Dewsbury Hackney Carriages are lobbying for a change of direction to the rank on South Street, opposite the bus station.

The taxi rank currently faces away from the bus station entrance, so customers have to walk up the street to catch the front taxi, rather than jumping into the car nearest to them.

The drivers believe the walk is forcing people to use their competitors, and want the council to make the rank more user friendly.

But Kirklees Council said the cost of making the changes would be too high.

Akooji Badat, of the Kirklees Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Association said: “We understand it from the Council’s point of view that it costs them so much money for them to change the road and the markings.

“But Dewsbury bus station is the main rank and taxis are available 24/7. It’s our bread and butter.”

Customers at the taxi rank will be asked to sign the petition.

Mr Badat, who has been a taxi driver for 25 years, is also championing lowering Kirklees Hackney Carriage fares to match competitors.

He said: “I want to introduce a small sticker on taxis showing that we are going to charge the same price as private hire taxis, so customers have a choice and there will be no wait for them. We are trying to get our trade back to people can utilise our taxi ranks.”

If the petition is unsuccessful, Mr Badat is still going to go ahead with his price change plans.

He said: “We want to get the council to give a positive answer.”

A council spokesperson said: “The traffic flow in Dewsbury town centre and around the ring road means that the rank faces away from the bus station entrance and occasionally this means that people walk out of the bus station and instead of walking 20 yards to the front of the rank, will take a taxi from the back.

“The council has placed polite notices asking people to go to the front, and has also written to taxi firms reminding them of rank etiquette, but it is ultimately the customer’s choice.

“The council has looked into this matter but the costs would be prohibitive as changing the direction of the rank would mean changing the traffic flow for most of Dewsbury town centre and ring road and this may well cause more serious problems for the council and the police.”