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BCP Council say dereg and competition will improve standards
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Author:  StuartW [ Wed Feb 03, 2021 4:49 pm ]
Post subject:  BCP Council say dereg and competition will improve standards
Ooft. Quite apart from the obvious controversies here, what a time to be proposing this.

But certainly not often you see age rules in half years :?


What taxi rule changes could mean for drivers in BCP

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/ ... ivers-bcp/

CONCERNS have been raised about the controversial planned overhaul of rules for taxi drivers in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Among new restrictions being planned by BCP Council are a 3.5-year vehicle age limit and a new white colour requirement while a cap on the number of licences issued would also be removed.

But industry representatives have hit out at many of the “ridiculous” changes, warning they may lead to lower standards and harm the financial viability of the profession.

Three draft policies governing requirements for taxi drivers and companies will be considered by councillors on Thursday (February 4).

They were drawn-up last year to improve standards and safety in the industry with a consultation held in October.

Included within the documents are vehicle age and emissions standards, a new white and blue colour scheme, driver dress codes banning tracksuits and jeans and the scrapping of a cap on the number of Hackney Carriage licences.

Should they be adopted, newly-licensed vehicles could only be 3.5-years-old at most but this has prompted concerns it could make electric taxis unaffordable.

And taxi firm PRC Streamline has warned the proposed removal of the driver cap could put the industry’s reputation in the area “at risk”.

“The consequences of this policy change will be a large increase in cars on the roads of the BCP area leading to less work per car so affecting the livelihoods of the many drivers,” it said.

“In addition, it may lead to lower standards of service and car quality. Congestion on the taxi ranks is also likely.”

It said the number of licensed Hackney Carriages already exceeded the capacity of the area’s taxi ranks while there was already a “free market” for private hire vehicles.

The concerns have prompted calls for the idea to be completely shelved when the new policies are discussed.

Bournemouth Taxi Ranks Association chairman Barry Jones said the draft policy showed the council had “a complete lack of understanding of the knowledge of the taxi trade”.

Others are urging a rethink of the vehicle age limit, saying it was discouraging the use of more environmentally-friendly cars in favour of cheaper petrol or diesel ones.

The policies will be considered at Thursday’s licensing committee meeting before they go to the full council for formal adoption.
Author:  bloodnock [ Wed Feb 03, 2021 6:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP proposes 3.5-year-on age rule and removing HC cap
License's should be based on road worthiness not age.
Author:  Sussex [ Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP proposes 3.5-year-on age rule and removing HC cap
Quote:
Among new restrictions being planned by BCP Council are a 3.5-year vehicle age limit and a new white colour requirement while a cap on the number of licences issued would also be removed.

And all this couldn't wait a year or two until the trade is in a much better place to deal with a major overhaul. #-o
Author:  edders23 [ Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP proposes 3.5-year-on age rule and removing HC cap
the same as ours the consultation was a fop so the reduced age and a hike in fees has gone through
Author:  captain cab [ Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP proposes 3.5-year-on age rule and removing HC cap
Sussex wrote:
And all this couldn't wait a year or two until the trade is in a much better place to deal with a major overhaul. #-o



=D>
Author:  MR T [ Wed Feb 03, 2021 9:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP proposes 3.5-year-on age rule and removing HC cap
captain cab wrote:
Sussex wrote:
And all this couldn't wait a year or two until the trade is in a much better place to deal with a major overhaul. #-o



=D>

=D> =D> =D>
Author:  StuartW [ Wed Feb 10, 2021 6:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP proposes 3.5-year-on age rule and removing HC cap
Contentious 'deregulation' of BCP taxi industry progresses

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/ ... rogresses/

CONTROVERSIAL plans by BCP Council to “deregulate” the taxi trade have moved a step forward after winning the support of its licensing committee.

Members of the committee gave their backing to three new policies on Thursday, saying the scrapping of a cap on licence numbers would improve standards.

But industry leaders said they were “horrified” at the proposal and that it could cost drivers tens of thousands of pounds.

The policies are being drawn up as part of the council’s legal requirement to have a new conurbation-wide approach in place by April.

They govern both the Hackney carriage and private hire sectors and would introduce a white colour scheme and vehicle age limits.

More significantly, the draft policies would also gradually increase the number of licences issued “with the clear aim of a total removal of limits” in 2025.

There is no cap in Christchurch but in Bournemouth and Poole there are only 249 and 89 Hackney carriage licences issued respectively.

“We’re here to ensure standards and public safety, we’re not here to stop someone starting up their own business and that’s one of the reasons we started to look towards derestricting it,” the council’s licensing manager Nananka Randle said on Thursday.

“But rather than just derestrict it straight away, which we accept would have quite a devastating impact on the trade, we felt a gradual approach would be fairer.”

To do this, the policy would allow the council to issue 15 extra licences each year for four years, solely for wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

Councillor Toby Johnson, who was on a working party set up to create the new policies said the aim was to avoid “a sudden glut of taxis overfilling our ranks”.

This isn’t saying there must be 15 extra taxis in each area over the next five years...we may only get two or three applications but we felt it was best to remove the limit and that this was the most sensible way to do it,” he said.

But the proposal has attracted opposition from existing licence holders and taxi firms.

They have warned of a “significant” financial impact and increased congestion in town centres.

Kevin Diffey, PRC Streamline Taxis chairman, said the move would reduce the quality of service, particularly in the towns’ suburbs.

“This decision will impact on the travelling public and on the livelihoods of the many taxi and private hire companies,” he said. “We are horrified at the proposals and frankly scared of the effect it will have on our companies.”

David Lane, of the Poole Taxi Association, said it would result in “overprovision” of taxis.

However, the committee backed the draft policies, saying market forces would improve standards and ensure vehicles are available in the area they are needed.

“We don’t stop Tesco and Sainsbury’s opening up just because there’s a Waitrose down the road,” councillor David Kelsey said. “It’s supply and demand.

“We can’t change the way the world’s moving and it will be a case of new taxis when they’re needed.”

The policies will now go before the full council for final approval.
Author:  StuartW [ Wed Feb 10, 2021 6:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP Council say dereg and competition will improve stand
Quote:
To do this, the policy would allow the council to issue 15 extra licences each year for four years, solely for wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

So if competition/market forces/supply and demand are going to raise standards, why do they need to impose WAVs on new applicants? :-s
Author:  MR T [ Wed Feb 10, 2021 7:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP Council say dereg and competition will improve stand
StuartW wrote:
Quote:
To do this, the policy would allow the council to issue 15 extra licences each year for four years, solely for wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

So if competition/market forces/supply and demand are going to raise standards, why do they need to impose WAVs on new applicants? :-s

Just about getting W/A on
Author:  Sussex [ Wed Feb 10, 2021 10:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP Council say dereg and competition will improve stand
Quote:
Kevin Diffey, PRC Streamline Taxis chairman, said the move would reduce the quality of service, particularly in the towns’ suburbs.

“This decision will impact on the travelling public and on the livelihoods of the many taxi and private hire companies,” he said. “We are horrified at the proposals and frankly scared of the effect it will have on our companies.”

What a load of old tosh?

Does a PH firm suffer from supply issues when they increase their fleet? #-o
Author:  heathcote [ Thu Feb 11, 2021 12:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP Council say dereg and competition will improve stand
Sussex wrote:
Quote:
Kevin Diffey, PRC Streamline Taxis chairman, said the move would reduce the quality of service, particularly in the towns’ suburbs.

“This decision will impact on the travelling public and on the livelihoods of the many taxi and private hire companies,” he said. “We are horrified at the proposals and frankly scared of the effect it will have on our companies.”

What a load of old tosh?

Does a PH firm suffer from supply issues when they increase their fleet? #-o


No, but the drivers slice of the pie gets smaller, the pie never gets bigger.
Author:  grandad [ Thu Feb 11, 2021 8:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP Council say dereg and competition will improve stand
heathcote wrote:
the drivers slice of the pie gets smaller, the pie never gets bigger.

Do you not have any new housing being built in your area? We have loads around here and based on that, in normal circumstances the pie does get a bit bigger, not so much at the moment though.
Author:  edders23 [ Thu Feb 11, 2021 11:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP Council say dereg and competition will improve stand
Our experience and that of Peterborough firms is that new housing fills with london commuters who as a general rule have little or no need of taxi/ph services
Author:  edders23 [ Thu Feb 11, 2021 11:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP Council say dereg and competition will improve stand
deregulation pushes prices down and means drivers work for well under the minimum wage but of course that's what councils want cheap taxis !
Author:  grandad [ Thu Feb 11, 2021 12:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: BCP Council say dereg and competition will improve stand
edders23 wrote:
Our experience and that of Peterborough firms is that new housing fills with london commuters who as a general rule have little or no need of taxi/ph services

We are not on a main line to London. :D
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