Taxi Driver Online

The Northern Echo

August 8, 2006

HEADLINE: OUTCRY AMONG TAXI DRIVERS OVER ADVANCED DRIVING TESTS

BYLINE: By Catherine Jewitt

TOUGHER taxi licensing regulations have been introduced by a council despite an outcry among cabbies.

Sedgefield Borough Council now insists that all taxi drivers pass advanced driving and local knowledge tests before being granted a licence to operate in the area. The authority hopes the move will raise industry standards and improve public safety and confidence in taxi firms across the borough.

But cabby bosses say the tests will not benefit customers but place taxi firms under extra financial burden. The regulations were introduced with immediate affect for private hire and Hackney licence applicants last Tuesday. Drivers licensed within the past 12 months have a year to pass the tests and those licensed for longer have two years. The Driving Standards Agency advanced driving test costs (GBP) 58 and the knowledge test, which covers a range of subjects from the latest motoring laws, the Highway Code and licensing conditions, will be about (GBP) 10.

Jane Gilliead, principal licensing officer, said: "Everything we do is geared towards enhancing public safety and introducing higher standards throughout the industry. "We want the public to have confidence that taxis in Sedgefield are providing a safe and professional service." But Sedgefield Taxi Drivers' Association said the new demands were unnecessary and costly to local firms and could drive some out of business.

Chairman James Crowe said: "In one week under the new regulations we've already seen the negative affect. "Potential new drivers, including unemployed people, are being put off joining the trade and the cost will be more than it looks. The DSA asks you to take extra lessons before a test and some perfectly good drivers may not pass first time."

Mrs Gilliead said: "This approach is being adopted by lots of local authorities. Seventy-three councils have already introduced the DSA tests and others are looking to. The payments are one-off and we hope that in the long run it will benefit drivers."

Mr Crowe said cabbies also feel they have not been fully consulted about the proposal and that a 206-name petition was ignored, but Mrs Gilliead said they were all contacted and that only a third of drivers responded.
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looks like another strike comeing on

Are some of the people on here the only people in the trade who think standards are a good thing?

It's quite simple really, good standards lead to drivers earning good money, sh** standards lead to good drivers having to complete with scum drivers.

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IDFIMH