Taxi Driver Online

I tend to disagree, the "flawed" piece of legislation worked perfectly well

Captain cab

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

But how much has it cost the trade, and just think without it we wouldn't have PH.

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IDFIMH

Quote:

But how much has it cost the trade, and just think without it we wouldn't have PH

yeah for every good bit, theres a bad

Captain cab

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Bath Council have decided that a fudge is a good thing.

They are even going to look into the legality of plate transfers. No doubt they will spend a few bob trying to find out what every other council already knows.

Yes even Bournemouth, who know the law, but just choose to ignore it.

Perhaps Bath should even get the Liverpool surveyors to do any survey, if they work pro rata, then Bath should take about half an hour at most to do.



RESOLVED

(1) To approve the Taxi Policy 2005, incorporating the key
objectives 1 to 12 of the Policy and including a new objective 13 as set
out below; To request a report which includes the legal position of licensing,selling and trading plates.

(2) To note that the recent decisions of the Licensing
Committee have resulted in an increase of 20% from 89 to the current
level as of today;

(3) That the Executive considers that there needs to be a
period during which the impact of the recent increase in the number of
licensed hackney carriages can be assessed;

(4) That the Executive considers it likely that the current
provisions for hackney carriages is adequate and that to grant further
licences would not appear to be justifiable on the basis that there is likely to be no significant demand for hackney carriages which will be
unmet;

(5) To hold a survey to establish unmet need and then
reconsider within the next year whether any limit should continue to be
placed on the number of hackney carriage licences issued in zone 1; and

(6) To authorise the Head of Environmental and Consumer
Services to deal with any issues that arise in connection with the
policy during such period.

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IDFIMH

How come you got the minutes before they were published Sussex? Do you have a Mole in de Bath?

Could it be the case, that if anyone in zone two can find a General Post office within five miles of Zone one, that they can legally ply for hire in that zone. I must admit I'm confused lol

Perhaps the Captain or the local TOA man who writes for Taxitalk can fill us in on the legal position in respect of Zoning, in de Bath?

Regards

JD

A mole in Bath, and a source in Hove.

I must really be important.

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IDFIMH

On the 26th September the Licensing committee decided not to issue any more licenses. The following link will take you to a summary of the unmet demand survey. Worth a read if only for the 5 year projection of plates lol. Another Trafford by the look of it.

http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/committee_pap ... rrprop.htm

KNW who conducted the survey can be found here.

http://www.knw.co.uk/

I understand nine of the refused applicants may appeal.

Regards

JD

Executive Summary from the Unmet Demand Study carried out in June/July 2005

1.1 The key objectives of this survey were to establish:

a) Any level of latent or patent unmet demand;

b) Whether or not there was sufficient differentiation and level of service of Hackney Carriages from other forms of transport to allow the Council to support a case for retention of regulatory controls over numbers of Hackney Carriage licences.

1.2 The standard unmet demand survey indicated that there were small, but not significant levels of patent unmet demand.

1.3 These occurred at peak times on the Orange Grove rank on 74 passenger occasions during 2770 minutes of observation and 1661 passenger movements. They averaged 4 minutes 40 seconds, but were usually over peak periods of less than 15 minutes.

1.4 It is our belief that when the remaining two licences are fully utilised and several of the other new licensees begin to absorb demand, such waits will disappear.

1.5 The proximity of the issue of new licences so close to the survey means that there impact can only be measured as a percentage of the whole licence as indicated through our drivers survey.

1.6 The public survey indicated that whilst only 15.5% were prepared to wait 20 minutes +, at night a huge 52.8% felt that in reality that that was the case.

1.7 This creates a difference between our observations and the public perception.

1.8 Our observations took place up to two months after the issue of the new licences. The main element of the public, use the service once a month. Our belief is that the high public figure reflects the historic situation prior to licence issue.

1.9 Findings from the rank survey, our observations and discussions with the police showed the need for a full re-organisation the cessation of several ranks, and the concentration on a second 24 hour rank that could be supported by the trade and the police fully.

1.10 The only other level of unmet demand at the Bath Spa Station consisted of 74 passenger waiting times average 2 minutes 30 seconds during 2300 minutes of observation and 1292 passenger movements.

1.11 This was often due to changes in the rail timetable due to their own problems that caused a build up of trains following delays.

1.12 Fees do have to be paid to South West Rail to use the station rank, however, this situation is partly self-regulating. If drivers believed that there was any unmet demand they would apply to use the rank, paying the relevant fee.

1.13 Average driver waiting time in Bath Spa station is 7 minutes 40 seconds.

1.14 Public Interviews do however, make mention of "waits at the station"

1.15 There was no evidence of any latent demand on or around any other rank. We witnessed no evidence of Private Hire "plying for hire" and no fruitless waits at other locations.

1.16 All of this has led to the following recommendation for a no increase in licences at present. However, we would hope that 1 or 2 more licensees apply for the right to service Bath Spa station.

1.17 That aside we would recommend no further increase in the next twelve months, as we witnessed no unmet demand.

1.18 We further recommend that:

> Two new licences be issued in the year 2006

> Two new licences be issued in the year 2007

> Two new licences be issued in the year 2008

> Two new licences be issued in the year 2009

These are in accordance with anticipated increases in both population and tourism figures. We recommend that both should be for full disability access vehicles.

That a further review takes place in 20010 to assess the level of unmet demand

Should de-zoning be introduced at any time there would be no requirement to issue new licences as the existing capacity would become available from that action. Department of Transport document on Best Practice recommended the abolition of zoning.

However, in Bath and North East Somerset such an action may not necessarily be helpful to the public and could result in a lack of service in the county zones, where evidence of a rank or hailing Hackney service is at 20% or less

Should Bath & North East Somerset elect to de-restrict numbers we would strongly recommend that all new licences issued are for fully disability access vehicles

1.19 In every other respect the Hackney Carriage service is providing an excellent service (public survey) (disability groups), with safe and secure vehicles and drivers (public survey) acting in the traditional manner of the service (driver survey) to provide a first class service (rank observations).

Limitation of Numbers

1.20 The case to retain the right to limit numbers should the Council decide to follow this course of action is relatively strong:

There is a clear demarcation between Hackney Carriages and Private Hire services;

This is determined by their activities rather than in appearance;

With 90.1% of Hackney Carriages obtaining their work from the ranks or from being "hailed" the integrity of their service is still maintained.

53.5% of the public rate the service as good 13.9% as excellent. These ratings are very good but not the highest in recent KNW surveys;

The service integrates well with South West Rail, but has no specific rank that allows it to integrate with the bus station;

> The existing fleet appear to be using meters and are well controlled both internally be their peers and externally by the council;

The public survey indicates that the public respect the safety and security of the Hackney Carriage service; but they are also complimentary about the Private Hire service;

The police are happy with the performance of the Hackney Carriages in clearing the town, although they would appreciate a few more Hackney Carriages late on Friday and Saturday night. Hopefully the 20% increase when fully operational will satisfy that need

1.21 Bath & North East Somerset Borough Council have three major issues to consider:

Unmet Demand - We believe that following the recent issue of 18 (20%) more licenses that there is no further unmet demand. However, this has been difficult to assess due to the proximity of the issuing of licences prior to the report, and the lack of use to date of several of the new licences. There is no significant unmet demand even prior to the full effectiveness of the new licences.

Zoning - The Department of Transport recommends the abolition of zoning. Clearly the drivers are set against this move 89% . The situation in the area is also very different from the departments example. We would recommend a continuation of zoning.

Delimitation - Bath & North East Somerset has a good case for claiming the right to limit numbers. The service works well with Hackney Carriages and Private Hire working together in a level of harmony. We would recommend that the rank organisation is completed to everyones satisfaction before any move to delimit is considered.

We would recommend in any event that any new licence issued either under control or following delimitation should be for a fully disability access vehicle.

So now the surveyor are making their own best practise guidance.

Not a three year gap, as the courts, the gov, and most other SUD companies recommend, but a five year one.

Although I do hope the 20010 date was a mis-print. I don't even think the dinos of the T&G/NTA think customers should wait that long.

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IDFIMH

Wasn't it KNW that did the Traffford survey in 2001? They must have also told Trafford its good for five years? lol If I was Trafford I would ask for my ten quid back.

Why not just say 2 cabs a year for the next ten years or twenty years? lol That would kill section 16 stone dead. KNW have found the holy grail of Taxi surveys. They survey for half a day and hey presto no more cabs for twenty years.

I suggest KNW keep one eye on Trafford next week I suspect they might learn something.

Regards

JD

courts cases here. court cases there.
it really good al this restricting lark.
really good for the barristers that is.

tell you what if they issued all these plates, the beautiful city of Bath would start to look cheap.

they need to be driving icons in Bath.

Just full of [edited by admin] and importance