Taxi drivers, operators and the public will be asked for their views on changing the rules on driver registration in Swindon.
At the moment drivers can only work for one operator – and they must display the name of the company on their car. But members of Swindon Borough Council’s licensing committee decided to put a suggestion that would allow licensed drivers to work for any number of operators out to an eight-week consultation.
The suggestion was put to the committee by Coun Jim Robbins, not a committee member, in order to allow drivers who work on airport or seaport runs to be able to pick passengers up on the return journey, saving fuel and increasing their income.
But operators turned up to decry the idea.
One, Mark Newson of SN1 cars, said: “As an operator we wouldn’t give a job to a driver who was also working for another firm over one of our loyal drivers who pays us so they can work for us. It just wouldn’t work.
“We are very happy with the current system and we think it would also damage the council’s licensing team, who do a good job now, to do their jobs as well,”
The eight-week consultation starts in the first week of April.
https://bit.ly/2FcPU9F
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A GLASGOW taxi firm are celebrating after winning a top award.
Network Private Hire Ltd were declared Scottish Private Hire of the Year in a glittering ceremony last week.
The inaugural event, which was held at the Double Tree by Hilton, was attended by around 300 people from the country's biggest taxi firms.
John Cassidy, the firm's director, said: "We weren't expecting to win.
"We run the best taxi company in the country. We're a big company, we help the community, we deliver a great service and we have good staff.
"We're a family run business and we try to work hard at it."
https://bit.ly/2FmQiUw
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NEWCASTLE (STAFFS)
Taxi drivers have vowed to go on strike again if their demands aren't met by council bosses.
Friday night saw chaos in the Newcastle town centre as private hire and black cab drivers refused to pick up passengers.
Cabbies are now planning further action if Newcastle Borough Council refuses to listen to their concerns with a 91-page taxi licensing plan that is set to be approved in April.
As well as drivers from the Newcastle Borough, those from Stoke-on-Trent shunned the town in solidarity with their colleagues from 11.30pm on Friday to 3.30am on Saturday (March 16).
Newcastle taxi drivers' issues with the new policy
Taxi drivers claim to have the following issues with Newcastle Borough Council's new taxi licensing policy for 2019/20:
* Operators claim they will have to keep logbooks of service history for self-employed drivers - at a great cost of time and effort to their businesses;
* Vehicles can't be licensed past four years old for their first time and beyond seven years in total;
* Switching to electric vehicles is too expensive and they'll lose money when charging;
* A new type of testing system won't be as efficient as the Stoke-on-Trent College BTEC qualification they already have;
* They don't like the penalty points scheme;
*They say they'll have to wait between five and eight weeks for an appointment to renew their licences;
* It'll cost customers more;
* It will reduce service and safety standards;
Tariq Mahmood, Newcastle Hackney Carriage Association Chairman, said: "This was a direct result of the reluctance of Newcastle Borough Council to engage with the taxi trade and extend the period of consultation to discuss drastic changes to their Draft Taxi Policy.
"The action was very successful and there was little or no taxi service within Newcastle on the night. This resulted in problems for the public who were left to find alternative ways home, and the police who had many issues trying to disperse the night-time revellers from the town centre.
https://bit.ly/2OdGj6L
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