Taxi drivers say they have been left in limbo after plans for a Clear Air Zone were announced eight months ago with no further information.
Last November, Sheffield Council said it was looking at creating a zone around the city centre after the Government said it must cut nitrous oxide emissions.
Taxis and buses would have to pay a daily £10 charge to enter the zone and the council is also looking at charging light goods vehicles such as vans.
But Uber drivers say since the announcement, they have struggled to find further information despite repeated requests.
Council chiefs say they have met with taxi driver representatives as they “move towards” a full consultation. There are 3,000 private hire and 850 black cabs in the city.
Lee Herriott, Virginia Halstead and Dean Higgins say drivers can’t buy new vehicles because they don’t know what “green” level will be required.
Mr Higgins said: “The cheapest electric car is £28,000 but they are too small to use as a taxi. The range of cars just isn’t good enough, especially for wheelchair access. The most suitable car is a Tesla but they are £40,000 which is a mortgage for some people.
“There’s also not enough charging points. You have to break during your shift to charge them and if you have an airport run it’s a real problem. Electric black cabs also struggle with the hills in Sheffield.”
Ms Halstead says there’s also an issue with LPG and hybrid vehicles. “There are only 31 hackney cabs out of 850 which are suitable for LPG because you need a tank but by law it can’t be near where passengers sit so it’s very difficult to fit one in a taxi. These tanks are ok with saloon cars but not estate or hackney cabs.”
Taxi drivers say they also feel penalised because private motorists won’t be charged.
Mr Herriott said: “They will still allow cars and lorries which is what is annoying private hire drivers. We are only four per cent of the pollution in Sheffield.
“We are all self employed, but why aren’t other small businesses, such as delivery companies, not being charged?”
Coun Bob Johnson, cabinet member for transport and development, said the aim was to have the entire taxi fleet in Sheffield made up of ultra-low emissions vehicles by 2021.
Coun Johnson, a new cabinet member, said: “Our ambitious clean air plans are now my responsibility and I thank these drivers for the concerns they’ve shown – it’s encouraging that they are already taking steps to get cleaner vehicles.
“Air pollution is a serious problem and taxi drivers are one of the groups who are most at risk from the damage caused by nitrogen dioxide emissions.
“My officers have held several initial meetings with representatives of Sheffield’s taxi associations about these proposals and will continue to do so as we move towards a full city-wide consultation.
“These meetings have been positive but it’s vital we keep working with taxi drivers to design the support packages that will reduce air pollution in the city.
“The consultation will be available to every taxi driver. We are launching a website and will hold some targeted discussions and events in the weeks ahead. We want to support drivers to enable them to get cleaner vehicles while thinking about the long-term needs of the city.”
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Uber has axed plans to come to Aberdeen almost two years after it was granted an operating licence.
The cashless car hire firm was awarded its office booking licence in 2017 – required to let it run a service in the Granite City.
However the company has now U-turned on its commitment and has said it has no plans to come to the north-east.
The city council has confirmed the American organisation has handed its licence back.
Uber has declined to elaborate on the reasons for its decision but a north-east tourism expert has speculated that the changing local economy could have been the death knell for the move.
“Trading has been difficult. There have been less people coming through the airport and less wanting to use hotels and accommodation in the city.
“You only have to take a look around Union Street on a Friday and Saturday night to see how quiet it is.
The controversial service is already operating in Glasgow and Edinburgh, but the Aberdeen branch would have been the furthest north the multinational firm has ventured in the UK.
It is understood that if the Silicon Valley company had recruited drivers in Aberdeen they would have had to undergo the same training and tests as ordinary taxi drivers, which has not been the case in other cities.
There was mixed reaction to the news Uber had pulled out among traditional taxi drivers.
Derek Davidson, who is self-employed, has been a cab driver in the city for 20 years.
He said: “I’m probably in the minority but I don’t think Uber are as bad as others make out.
“The big taxi firms take a radio fee if you work for them, no matter how many jobs you do. At least Uber only takes a cut of the trips you actually make.”
But Alex McIntosh, who has been a driver for 10 years, said he was pleased at the news.
“But as far as I could gather they would have had to go through the same licensing process as other drivers, which would take away their end of the market.”
The city council confirmed Uber had “surrendered the booking office licence that was granted in 2017”.
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BURY
Hackney private hire cabbies say their complaints are being ignored by the council.
Bury cabbies say they are being unfairly treated
Discontent is “bubbling” among taxi drivers in Bury, according to a trade representative.
They claimed that vehicles are unfairly failing tests for cosmetic issues such as scratches which is putting drivers out of work.
Further frustrations were expressed about the need for drivers to travel outside of the borough to be tested.
He said: “There is a backlog of complaints that have not been answered. What’s going on?
Because members who are aggrieved in whatever way have a right to be heard.”
Angela Lomax, head of trading standards and licensing, said that many complaints were getting lost because they were not sent to the right people.
She said: “The problem we have got, Mr Oakes, is the various pathways you are sending your complaints. We won’t deliberately ignore you. Unfortunately, we don’t have the staffing level to be sat at the desk and answer phone calls.”
However, Shaf Mahmood, a Bury Private Hire Drivers’ Association representative, said the department was “deliberately” not answering complaints.
Angela Lomax, head of trading standards and licensing, said that many complaints were getting lost because they were not sent to the right people.
She said: “The problem we have got, Mr Oakes, is the various pathways you are sending your complaints. We won’t deliberately ignore you. Unfortunately, we don’t have the staffing level to be sat at the desk and answer phone calls.”
However, Shaf Mahmood, a Bury Private Hire Drivers’ Association representative, said the department was “deliberately” not answering complaints.
He told the panel about an incident on Tuesday in which a vehicle failed its MOT for having tinted windows despite passing the previous year.
Licensing unit manager Michael Bridges said he had already seen a complaint about this incident and would respond in due course.
But the disgruntled drivers said that testers examine vehicles with a “fine-tooth comb” and fail them “for anything”, resulting in additional charges.
The taxi drivers claim they are failing tests for unfair reasons.
A fire at Bradley Fold station earlier this year means that vehicle testing has been relocated to Bolton for the time being.
Mrs Lomax praised the “marvellous” staff for being up and running within 48 hours at the station which is four miles away.
A total of 50 vehicles are tested every week by the Bradley Fold staff who have to deal with 1,000 drivers throughout the year.
Mr Bridges also claimed that drivers often fail to give the station enough notice before turning up for tests.
He said: “Drivers come in two days before their licence expires. It’s never their fault, it’s always the council’s fault.”
Drivers can't afford extra fees
Mr Oakes said that there is “discontent bubbling” throughout the hackney and private hire trade.
He raised concerns about the proposals which could result in taxi drivers who use certain vehicles paying a daily fee for travelling on highly-polluted roads.
New industry standards are also on the horizon affecting all drivers across the region.
He said: “Drivers can’t afford all these things and every bit of money that goes into this. I’ve been complaining about the refusal of the council to allow the trade a second testing station in Bury. The fire at Bradley Fold clearly shows there’s a need for another testing station. Drivers are not going to be happy having to go to Bolton to get their vehicles tested.”
A public consultation on the common minimum standards for taxis and private hire vehicles in Greater Manchester and the Clean Air Plan is expected to take place later this year.
M.E.N.
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