Taxi Driver Online

Report recommends 'flexibility' for taxis

Night and daytime taxi queues in Sunderland city centre could be shortened if cabbies get more freedom to choose their ranks. Sunderland councillors are thinking about the changes after they called in consultants to study the taxi trade.

Cab chiefs, meanwhile, say there are enough licences, but have urged the council to "stagger" pub and club closing times so there are fewer night-time queues. They also called on the council and Northumbria Police to look at better policing or marshals to oversee ranks.

Consultants in a new report concluded there was "significant unmet demand" in the city centre and east of the A19, but in Washington, Houghton and Hetton there were enough cabs. Sunderland Council splits the licensing of cabs, or hackney carriages, in the city into two zones to prevent a sudden rush of drivers into the city centre on busy weekend nights.

Consultants Halcrow, who have also prepared studies on the council-run Port of Sunderland, suggested the total number of cabbies should go up by 41 to 349. They also suggested there should be more "flexibility" for drivers in which ranks they go to. Councillors are now studying the report. Steven McKitterick, of the Washington Hackney Operators Association, said no more new licences were needed, but that there should be changes in the supply for revellers leaving the city centre. He has pushed for Washington drivers to be allowed into the city centre after 11pm.

Jim Hannan, of the City of Sunderland Private Hire Operation Association, said some firms were not working at nights and in the early hours when there is the most demand. He said: "Areas surrounding Sunderland have an adequate supply of taxis. Supply in Sunderland is more complex, taxi drivers tend to 'cherry pick' ranks to avoid public disorder, or access issues. Unmet demand is an issue of inefficient taxi distribution rather than an inadequate supply of taxis."

David Blyth and Trevor Hines of the Sunderland Hackney Carriage Operators Association said in a joint statement that because of unruly revellers some drivers would not go to certain ranks. They said: "There needs to be rank marshals and barriers to control crowds. If there is to be a change in licensing laws, closing times of venues needs to be staggered. If hackney carriage licences were increased there would not be enough business."

Councillors on the city's regulatory panel are examining the report on Monday.

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The committee date for decision on this matter is October 10th.

Regards


JD