Taxi drivers operating in the Cumberland area say they fear for their livelihoods if new rules are introduced.
Cumberland Council – which covers the former Allerdale, Copeland and Carlisle areas – is currently running a consultation about a new policy it wants to introduce from April next year.
Owners and drivers from across West Cumbria have come together to express their outrage at parts of the policy, which they claim will run them out of business.
Under the new rules, taxis over 10 years old would no longer be allowed to be private hire hackney carriages.
Tanisha Dobinson, who runs Stainburn Travel in Workington, said she estimated that around 90% of cabs in the former Allerdale and Copeland areas were over 10 years old.
She said: “The cabs that age have to be tested every four months now – how can they suddenly not be fit for purpose? In this economy, it is unrealistic to expect everybody to be able to afford to buy a new car.
“We charge £3.50 for the first mile of a fare – and a lot of Workington taxis don’t go over that mile. I’ve worked out that if I bought a £20,000 car, it would take me 6,700 one-mile fares to pay for it.
“Some nights I earn £200 working 7pm to 3am. It’s not affordable.”
Tanisha, who has been speaking to around 70 other drivers across West Cumbria, says they estimate that if the new policy comes into force, it will take 250-plus vehicles off the road and could cost up to 15 people their jobs.
She said: “There is already a severe shortage of taxis in the area. Some of the taxis that would disappear include those who take you home from a night out, the ones who help your elderly family member in with their shopping.
“The vehicles who do home to school transport, adult social care transport and NHS transport which includes patients and staff, and even the local taxi who takes you to the airport for your holidays. This will effect the drivers you see every week as well as the operators who are running things behind the scenes.”
Other parts of the new policy that the authority is consulting on have also caused upset is a new code of conduct.
While it covers issues including security checks, medical fitness and driving safety, it also suggests behaviour protocols, including acceptable standards of dress.
These include:
- Collared shirts, blouses, polo shirts, or sweatshirts must cover the shoulders and be capable of being worn tucked inside trousers, shorts or skirts.
- Shirts or blouses may be worn with a tie or open necked.
- All clothing must be clean, of smart appearance and in good condition.
- Trousers can be either full length or shorts.
- Skirts must be no shorter than 5 cm above the knee (when standing) and can be of any longer length, but must not impede the safe operation of the pedals
- Trousers, shorts or skirts must be tailored and made of one colour of material.
- Footwear for all drivers must fit around the heel of the foot. Wooden soled footwear is not permitted.
It said unacceptable standards include:
- Clothing not being kept in a clean and fresh condition or any items which have holes or rips.
- Words or graphics on any clothing that is of an offensive or suggestive nature.
- Sportswear eg football or rugby kits, tracksuits, beachwear, etc.
- Sandals with no heel straps, flip flops or any other form of footwear not secured around the heel.
- Not having either the top or bottom half of their bodies suitably clothed.
- No baseball caps or hoods worn up while in the vehicle.
Tanisha said: “We feel as though they are trying to impose ‘big city rules’ on a rural area, where we’re struggling as it is. I don’t want to be wearing a blouse when I’m driving around in the early hours, I want and need to be comfortable.
“Not even Newcastle has this level of policy.”
Drivers would also be banned from eating in their vehicles at any time, or allow passengers to eat in the vehicle at any time.
Tanisha said: “We work long hours and some people have diabetes or medical conditions. It’s very unsafe to be working 10 to 12 hours and not be allowed to eat something. Who owns our cars? Them or us?”
Under the new policy, if drivers break a rule, they will be subject to a penalty points system.
While the majority of the infringements relate to safety and crime, drivers can also be penalised if they do not help with people’s luggage, because the code of conduct says: “You must always assist your passengers with their luggage. If they do not request this, you must ask whether they need help.
“This includes picking it up from the point of booking, removing it from your vehicle at the end of the journey and setting it down.”
The council said: “The primary objective of the penalty points scheme is to improve the levels of compliance and to help improve the standards, safety and protection of the travelling public.
“The penalty points scheme works in conjunction with other enforcement options. It provides a formalised stepped enforcement plan. The purpose of the scheme is to record misdemeanours and to act as a record of licensees’ behaviour and conduct so as to ascertain whether they remain a safe and suitable person to be a vehicle driver or operator and/or suitable to hold a vehicle licence. It does not prejudice the council’s ability to take other action.
“The scheme will be used where operators, drivers or proprietors of vehicles fail to comply with any legislative requirement, commit a criminal offence or breach conditions of licence, and following complaints from the public.
“Licensees involved will be asked to attend an interview. Once the investigation is completed, letters will be sent out detailing the outcome and a permanent record
will be kept on the person’s file.
“The outcome of the investigation may result in officers determining that: no further action be taken; penalty points be imposed; a formal warning be issued, and/or prosecution.
“Where a licensee accumulates more than 12 penalty points in any 12-month period, the matter will be referred to the Regulatory Sub-Committee for the Sub-Committee to decide whether the driver remains a safe and suitable person.
“The Regulatory Sub-Committee may then suspend or revoke a licence, or issue a warning to the licensee, depending upon the circumstances. Periods of suspension of a licence by a sub-committee will be dependent on the nature of the breaches of the legislation, conditions, behaviour and the compliance history of the individual. Suspension periods will normally vary between seven and 31 days.”
A Cumberland Council spokesman said: “The taxi and private hire policy consultation has been published in order to enable licence holders, a wide range of organisations and agencies, businesses and residents from across Cumberland to provide their feedback on a set of proposed principles.
“The proposed policy surrounding the age of vehicles across Cumberland’s taxi and private hire fleet is to ensure that all vehicles are safe and accessible for Cumberland residents. It is also to ensure that cars are as efficient and environmentally friendly as possible.
“The proposed taxi licensing policy aims to harmonise the three pre-existing policies from the former district councils. These policies vary in their approach to the age limit of vehicles. By harmonising the approach to the age limit on vehicles, the council aims to achieve consistency in vehicle standards across the whole of Cumberland.
“Although there is a suggested age limit for vehicles, the consultation aims to obtain the feedback of licence holders. Responses to the consultation will be reviewed at the Regulatory Committee and the new policy for Cumberland Council will be shaped based upon them.
“Those who respond to the consultation will have the opportunity to share their feedback on suggestions set out in the proposed policy such as dress codes.
“We encourage everyone to respond to the official consultation as only these responses will be considered by the Regulatory Committee.”
Taxi drivers have created a petition, called Save Cumberland’s taxi trade, which can be signed here.
The official Cumberland Council consultation can be filled out here
