Taxi Driver Online

It doesn't actually say here, but I'm guessing the vehicles in question may not be just standard saloons, since they're apparently used for SEND contracts. But who knows?

But, whichever they are, you'd guess they'd be replaceable for under the claimed £45k for one under ten-years-old, whatever type of vehicle it is


Reading - Taxi firms upset over 'damaging' policy change

https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news ... cy-change/

The director of a private hire firm in Reading has slammed the council over proposed changes which could damage their business.

Sikander Hayat, 56, who runs Prompt Cars Limited, has said new rule changes, which reduce maximum age of licensed vehicles from 12 to 10 years, will 'ruin the whole trade'.

The rules, which have come into force in the town, are being phased in over the next couple of years.

Firms in the town said the measures may force them into strike action, or lead them to register their vehicles with other councils including West Berkshire or Wokingham.

Mr Hayat said the difficulties they face mean some drivers will struggle to put food on the table for their families.

He currently operates some vehicles within the company which are 12 years' old and three or four of those are above that limit.

He said: "This is very difficult for the whole trade.

"We feel very frustrated. There is no reason for this policy.

"To replace one of these vehicles, it could cost £45,000 and we just do not have the money.

"We're a deprived community."

Mr Hayat's company provides transport for pupils with special educational needs to and from their respective schools, which will now have to be reduced.

He said: "SEND children will be affected because we help a lot of schools in Reading.

"The market is very slow [as it is] and we do not get as many customers as we used to so we're struggling to cope.

"We will have to shift to neighbouring councils. We are looking at all the options to deal with this."

Naz Akfram, a manager at Ace Cars said taxi firms are 'struggling as it is' and that these new measures exacerbate their financial struggles even further.

He said: "I feel sorry for the people who are working [in this business].

"A lot of the drivers have said once these vehicles finish, they will not buy another vehicle because they cannot afford it.

"We have seven or eight drivers who cannot afford to buy another vehicle."

A spokesman from Reading Borough Council said their main priority is to ensure the 'best possible protection' of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles, while being 'fair to drivers and operators'.

The council said: "The new licensing policy brings together a number of separate policies which relate to Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles, drivers and operators.

"The Hackney Carriage trade has been subject to rules on vehicle emissions and vehicle age for many years and we took this opportunity to update regulations and ensure they met our main objectives of keeping all passengers safe, and vehicles to a high standard.

"The policy also contributes to the council aims of reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality in the town.

"A consultation on the new policy was held last summer and meetings were held with Hackney Carriage and Private Hire representatives, resulting in several changes to the original proposals."

Mr Hayat said he has spoken to councillors in hopes they will consider suspending the new policy.

This is probably a bit more interesting than the article above, and explains the SEND thing in slightly more detail.


Drivers warn private hire rules will damage trade

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp38xnp79w1o

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Private hire vehicle operators have said changes to council regulations could damage their businesses.

New rules have come into force in Reading, Berkshire, with a reduction in the maximum age of licensed vehicles from 12 to 10 years, being phased in over the next couple of years.

Minicab firms in the town said the measures, that will also push some operators to switch to electric, have already led to some owners registering their vehicles with other councils with fewer restrictions.

Reading Borough Council said it wants to work with drivers, but passengers must come first.

One business that said it is being affected is Crown Wheelchair Travel that specialises in taking pupils with disabilities to school.

Often the vehicles only operate for two to three hours each morning and afternoon.

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Nazneen Ali, whose family own the business, said that meant it generates less income than the private hire cars that work longer hours, but there is less wear and tear on their vehicles.

As the upper age limit for licensed vehicles falls, that will mean dozens of the specially adapted minibuses being retired early.

She said: "Obviously we've had a lot of investment put in this, but unfortunately it has a shorter life cycle now.

"Replacing one of these vehicles is approximately £45,000.

"These are purpose built vehicles for mobility and it's a real shame that these are being scrapped by the council."

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Manzoor Hussain drives a hybrid executive car and said his business depended on serving a luxury market.

He said that under the new rules, drivers who do not invoice clients for their journeys may be required to display operator branding on their vehicles.

He said that not only would that damage the paintwork, lowering its resale value, but it would not tie in with what his business customers - often travelling from the offices of Reading's global tech firms to Heathrow - expected of a luxury limo service.

"We work hard to earn a good living and [the council] are forever penalising us," he said.

Hussain claimed: "They've lost 300 drivers to other boroughs who are still working in Reading, whereas the people who are loyal to Reading - they're being punished."

The borough council said it was looking at ways to address drivers working in the town while licensed by other authorities.

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In the past week, the man responsible for overseeing the new regulations, was at the headquarters of Reading Buses at an event unveiling a new fleet of electric double deckers, which were bought with government help.

Minicab drivers have complained that while there has been public funding to move the council owned bus company from diesel to gas and electric low-carbon vehicles, they have received no such assistance.

Cllr John Ennis said: "We want to be understanding and discuss the way forward, to make sure that they can get their vehicles, good road-worthy vehicles, which do not pollute the atmosphere."

He added: "We'll work with them, but ultimately they'll have to do a lot of that themselves.

"We want to support them and we want to be understanding, but they've got to work with us as well."

Presumably that's the executive car exemption from displaying the standard PHV signage and plates, or whatever

But seems a strange way to designate a luxury vehicle - you'd think it would be more about the vehicle etc than how the payment is transacted being a critical criterion.

Absolute madness.

Going from 12 years to 10 goes against the DfT's best practise, but also goes against common bloody sense.

I suggest those operators contact Wolverhampton, something I can't believe I'm actually saying.

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IDFIMH