Taxi Licensing News

Blackpool Council Impose Accessible Taxi Age Limit

Blackpool Council officials are considering a review on the age limit currently in place on wheelchair accessible taxis, proposing a reduction from 14 to 12 years.

Town hall executive committee members are to decide on whether a new rule should be implemented. The new rule would enforce an age limit on wheelchair accessible taxis forcing drivers to replace their vehicle once it reaches an age of 12 years old.

Currently, wheelchair accessible cabs have an age limit of 14 years but council chiefs have called for an age reduction to ensure passenger safety and to maintain the highest possible standards for all taxis.

In Opposition

However opposition has been voiced by Bill Lewtas, secretary of Blackpool Licensed Taxi Operators' Association. Speaking to Blackpool Today he said: "Our opinion is this would not be fair in the current economic climate given these vehicles cost three times as much as ordinary taxi saloons.

"We believe this measure will encourage taxi drivers to switch over to saloons when clearly the wheelchair accessible vehicles are much needed by disabled people."

Mr Lewtas also explains that the Council's proposed age limit comes in direct opposition to Department of Transport guidance which recommends no age limit for taxis.

He continues: "We are doing our part by improving taxi maintenance and cabs are now given VOSA Certificate of Compliance 40 minute tests up to three times a year.

"But even the owners of new cabs are finding suspension and steering parts need to be replaced due to the appalling state of the roads.

"We appeal to the executive of Blackpool Council to amend these age limit proposals."

Maintaining Quality

Leader of Blackpool Council, Councillor Peter Callow, told Blackpool Today: "For many, the hackney carriages and private hire vehicles are the first service visitors make use of and they are therefore a very important part of making a good first impression.

"We must drive up the quality of these vehicles and as such the revised policy aims to remove old, shabby vehicles from service."

Blackpoll Council claims that the recent economic climate has been included in the recent decision to reduce the age limit to 12 years as an age limit of 10 years currently applies to saloon cars taxis.

Latest Taxi News

Cap on Elgin Taxi Licences Rejected A proposal to cap taxi licences in Eglin, near Inverness, which would require a demand survey to be carried out every two years, has been rejected by Moray Council licensing deemed too expensive for both drivers and the local authority.

New Licensing Test for Selby Taxi Drivers Selby District Council has introduced an additional test for all taxi drivers new to the trade.

Reading Cabbies Face Licence Fee Hike As of next month Reading cabbies will be forced to fork out and extra £43 for their taxi license.

Pleas for Cap on Licences in Amber Valley Rejected Amber Valley Borough Council, Derbyshire, has rejected proposals to restrict the number of taxi licenses in the borough. Taxi drivers have pleaded with the council to limit the number of private hire vehicles on the streets with many finding it difficult to find space on ranks and many say they are struggling for trade which is now spread too thinly.

Inverness Cabbies Protests May be Taken Further Inverness cabbies have taken to the streets in protest over the taxi licensing regime which they claim has put their livelihoods at risk.

Belfast Cabbies Protest against Growth in License Numbers Belfast taxi drivers have submitted a petition and letters of protest to the Department of Transport (DfT). Drivers are angry at the Department stating they have not been involved in decisions and amendments to taxi licensing regulations.

NTA Deem Private Hire Top Signs Unnecessary The National Taxi Association is lobbying all Councils to get them to refuse top signs on private hire cars because it can lead to confusion with hackney carriage vehicles.

Eastbourne Council Remove Cap on Taxi Licences Cabbies on the south coast are the latest in a long line of taxi operators to face the devastating consequences of de-regulation.

Taxi News By Category

Top Taxi Stories
At Your Service
Taxis Under Seige
Taxi Tales
On Rank
Taxi World View
Fare's Fair
Quality Crackdown
Cab Reviews
Taxi Licensing News