Creeping restrictions that are killing our trade

Not surprisingly at the moment, a great deal of the industry’s intellectual intelligence and energy appears to be expended on issues such as the Sefton case, VAT on fares, new statutory guidance and best practice guidance, together with cross-border hirings and, when time allows, driver shortages.

But more than one insidious parasitic issue is becoming firmly established in cities and towns across the UK. Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, together with 101 reasons why drivers cannot stop, drop off or pick up.

Dr Michael Galvin

Add to this untold levels of congestion and you have numerous reasons why drivers find they cannot remain in the industry. Sheer frustration at the constraints on their earning ability means trying to deliver a consistently reliable service is fast becoming a pipe dream.

Like most ideas, the above list of obstacles to service provision no doubt started life with good intentions. But like most good intentions, the ideas have taken on a life of their own and the original objectives have been long forgotten.

There are not many cab drivers who would disagree that we are heading to hell in a handcart. While I don’t claim to be a scientist or environmental expert, the logic of cramming increasing volumes of stationary traffic into city streets, emitting exhaust gases, while claiming that there is an environmental benefit fails my reasonability test.

Likewise, expecting vulnerable and disabled people to walk through dark, cold streets to get to their front door sounds a long way from improving public safety.

The direction of travel now seems to be to maximise the number of planters, bollards and other obstacles together with camera enforcement, and in doing so cut off huge swathes of every town and city. It is probably sensible to reduce speed limits in the backwaters of most towns and cities and to reduce or wherever possible eliminate rat-runs. But putting huge residential areas off limits appears to be complete folly.

So what is our industry doing about it? After all this is alienating customers, reducing driver incomes and will before long adversely impact the viability of many operators. Among the many important trade shows, panels and speakers, who is taking on the public affairs responsibility to secure the streets for taxis and private hire? Its OK, you haven’t gone deaf – the answer is no one!

The taxi and private hire industry is conceptually a simple proposition. Customers hail a taxi or call a PHV and expect to be taken to their destination by a relatively direct route at a reasonable price. Occasionally they like to phone for a cab to pick them up from their home.

When these things are no longer possible, what are taxis and private hire for? When drivers struggle to make a living, as customers get increasingly fed up of paying more and more for journeys that are getting longer in distance and duration how long before they decide this isn’t working?

I remain aghast at how people can passively accept wave after wave of damage to their individual businesses and this industry as a whole and not reach a conclusion that it needs comprehensive representation. Public affairs specialists are not cheap but if ever a threat was worth investing some money into surely halting the removal of swathes of public highway is one. Co-ordinating residents and businesses and pushing back against this insidious and damaging development is no longer just a London issue, but one that needs to be taken seriously everywhere.

The other insidious development is the ‘six points and you are out policies’ being adopted by licensing authorities. Although people in the UK are supposed to be protected from ‘double jeopardy’ (being tried for the same offence twice) this concept doesn’t appear applicable to cab drivers who are increasingly finding themselves out of work.

No sane person would argue that serious driving offences shouldn’t result in a licence review, and probably an uncomfortable interview. But how unfair is it and as importantly how unnecessary is it for a driver with two three-point penalties incurred over a period of months to find themselves fully licensed to drive a vehicle but out of work through dint of not being licensed to drive a cab?

An additional aggravating factor here is the regularity in which speed limits are changed. I have personal experience of 30mph roads suddenly changing to 20mph without, I might add, any real intent to inform road users. If this habit doesn’t inhibit a clean driving record what does?

Drivers losing licences almost gratuitously, roads being blocked and annexed willy-nilly and congestion at historically high levels do not do anything but prevent you from providing a reliable, reasonably priced service.

Your business is at risk, and unfortunately drivers are at risk of losing their livelihood for a moment’s carelessness. Vulnerable members of the public are sacrificed on the altar of good intentions and the industry remains deadly quiet. It’s a funny old world! n