Leeds-based Arrow Cars, the official private hire partner of Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Bristol and East Midlands airports, has expanded into its fifth region after landing a five-year contract with Birmingham Airport.

With turnover this year forecast to hit £20m, Arrow Cars is the second largest taxi/private hire company in the UK, excluding Uber.

The expansion into Birmingham will see 14 jobs created for full-time administration staff along with more than 100 additional drivers.

Arrow Cars was founded in 2004 by David Richmond when he purchased a group of small private hire companies – one of which was Arrow Cars.

Since 2004, the business has grown from strength to strength, employing more than 120 full-time employees, excluding the 750plus drivers based across the country.

Richmond said: “We are delighted to undertake this partnership with Birmingham Airport. Our shared ethos and vision of outstanding client work, corporate social responsibility and global growth makes this a match made in heaven. We will be investing over £1,000,000 in a large fleet from day one to deliver this unique service to millions of passengers flying in and out of the major hub.”

Richard Gill, acting commercial director at Birmingham Airport, added: “We are pleased to be introducing an official private hire service at Birmingham Airport. Providing our passengers with ease of travel is important – the new private hire service will enable passengers to pre-book and pay in advance for their onward and return journeys to and from the airport.

“This premium private hire service will be a valued addition for our growing airport and we are looking forward to working together to expand our complete passenger offering.”

source; Bdaily.co.uk
--------------------------------

 SCOTLAND

Hundreds of taxis are being banned from the roads every year for failing routine council safety checks.

In some parts of the north of Scotland, as many as 40% of the vehicles tested have been pulled from service until they have undergone repair work.

Yet a large discrepancy has emerged as the figures, obtained by The Press and Journal, have revealed that pass rates of 100% have been recorded in other locations.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) stipulates that taxis and other private hire vehicles must be subjected to more rigorous testing than other vehicles, meaning that a car could pass an MOT but still fail a council check.

However, the ways in which these tests are conducted vary between local authorities.

For example, Aberdeen City Council will pull vehicles off the road immediately for failing to meet certain criteria, ranging from mechanical issues to customer-facing concerns such as incorrect meter clocks or broken taxi signs.

Meanwhile Highland Council uses a penalty points system operated by its trading standards team, with more points leading to more frequent inspections and even licences being revoked.
>> Keep up to date with the latest news with The P&J newsletter

As a result, road safety campaigners have called for more consistency between local authorities, resulting in a fairer system for taxi drivers in the process.

Neil Greig, director of policy and search at road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, said: “Very few councils insist on driver training or even customer care knowledge when they issue a licence.”

“Councils and taxi firms must realise that if they can make their customers feel safe, comfortable and wanted, they will come back time and time again.”

He added: “We support the highest possible standards of training and vehicle safety for taxi drivers.

“Anyone applying for hire should expect to be closely scrutinised.”

An Aberdeen City Council spokesman said the rigorous local authority tests carried out across the country are designed to ensure each vehicle is safe for use.

He said: “The council, as the licensing authority, has a duty in relation to public safety and to the convenience and travelling needs of the public – therefore vehicles are required to meet a higher standard than those set down in the separate MOT test.

“All operators and drivers have access to a comprehensive taxi testing manual which has been created by the council to support the preparation of each vehicle for testing.”

Aberdeenshire Council said its fluctuations in pass rate were likely down to circumstance, as there have been no changes to how it checks taxis or what staff look for in recent years.
Penalty points

Since 2006, Highland Council has operated a somewhat unusual penalty points system to ensure the safety of its taxis and public hire vehicles.

During each examination, the local authority’s trading standards team will assign points based on failures to meet certain criteria relating to safety, documentation and driver behaviour.

As a driver acquires more points, they will be subject to more frequent inspections.

The council says that this promotes self-regulation and also stops resources from being wasted chasing taxi owners with faulty vehicles.

Once someone acquires 10 points they will be given a written warning, while reaching 20 points within two years will mean they are reported to a licencing committee or manager and formal action to remove their licence could take place.

Points are awarded for a multitude of reasons. For example, high-risk or obvious tyre faults warrant seven points, while a missing ID card earns a driver five.

Three points will be awarded for a missing or broken taxi sign, and sanctions can also be issued under the categories of external and internal cleanliness, licensee behaviour and driver’s appearance.

Trading standards team leader Mark McGinty said: “Should too many points be accumulated we report the matter to the licensing committee alleging the licence conditions are not being met, this may result in an a licence being revoked, or more commonly an increased inspection frequency is given.

“Over time we feel this keeps standards high but gives licence holders ample opportunity to correct the things they have failed on and to put something in place to prevent them failing again.”

https://goo.gl/YAD1pv
-----------------------------------

 A taxi company in Levenmouth which has a school contract with Fife Council has had a licence suspended.

Alice Beveridge, Philip Brown and Elaine Shields, of 2 Grieve Grove, East Wemyss were called in front of the Regulation and Licensing committee on Tuesday after a car  failed its MOT.

While one taxi was put off the road for three months, it will continue to operate under the terms of its other licences which were unaffected.

The owners attended the regulation and licensing committee on Tuesday to fight their case.

Tom Henderson, service manager (fleet operations) said: “The car failed on a number of items and there was also two advisories, including the handbrake.

“The failure included nearside brake light was faulty, and there was an exhaust leak.”

Mr Brown, however, said that he had the car checked at an independent garage before taking it to the test centre.

He said: “I was quite surprised it had failed because I was told there were no problems.”

But convener of the committee, Co uncillor Carol Lindsay, SNP for Kirkcaldy North, expressed frustration that this had been an ongoing issue for almost two years.

She said: “We’ve had you in a few times in regards to failures in the past and your maintenance procedures. The last time was for the school transport, and we more or less put on the line to you at that point that it was of the utmost importance to take care of the maintenance so what have you put in place since then?”

Mrs Beveridge told the committee: “One of our drivers has come on full time. I wasn’t able to give the same level of support I said I could, but come January, that should change.

Cllr David MacDiarmid, SNP for Howe of Fife and Tay Coast, said he was “exasperated” by their constant appearances at committee, adding: “You’re continually in front of us and don’t seem to learn your lessons from last time. We’re asking the same questions and you’re giving us the same answers.”

Cllr Richard Watt, Conservative for Kirkcaldy East, agreed that the actions were unsuitable for them to continue with the licence for the failed taxi. He made a further motion that the licence be suspended for three months, which was seconded by Cllr Lindsay.

https://goo.gl/yT1NAf