Agenda item

To consider the feedback from the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire

liaison meetings held on 18th January 2016.

The Committee considered a brief update report following on from the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Liaison meeting held on 18th January 2016.

The Chair highlighted that the meeting was well received by the taxi trade, however she was disappointed that only five private hire licensed drivers had attended.  The Chair stated that it would prove really useful should the Taxi Association be re-formed, as suggested by the licensed drivers who had attended the meeting.

The Chair suggested that a further Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Liaison meeting be held in August 2016.

The Senior Licensing Practitioner, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS), informed Members that, following on from the meeting and the issues raised by the licensed drivers with regards to the bus station, officers had entered into dialogue with the bus station owners to see if the issues could be resolved.  The issue with regard to the ingress / egress of the bus station could not easily be solved due to the design of the bus station and the taxi bays.  Councillor A. Clayton informed the Committee that she was a member of the Town Centre Partnership and would raise the issue of the bus station taxi rank  ingress / egress at the next meeting of the Town Centre Partnership.

The Committee were in agreement that not all of the issues raised at the meeting could be easily resolved, if resolved at all; but Members and officers could provide an update on what had been achieved in respect of the issues raised should a further Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Liaison meeting be held in August 2016.

The Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS, responded to questions from Members and in doing so, agreed to liaise with licensed drivers with regard to a Taxi Association being re-formed.  In respect of the bus station ‘feeder rank’, the Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS, explained that problems often occurred when there were too many taxis parked in the area.  It was difficult for licensed drivers to see, on approach, how many cars were already parked in the area.  Once drivers had driven into the area they were then reluctant to drive  back around, so often stayed parked in the area which resulted in too many parked licensed vehicles.  The Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS, agreed to look into additional detailed signage being erected in order to address this issue.

The Democratic Services Officer informed the Committee that, as agreed at the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Liaison meeting, Councillor Pattie Hill had agreed to raise the issue of signage being installed at the railway station using specific funding from Worcestershire County Council (WCC).  To date Councillor Pattie Hill had not received a response from WCC but she would endeavour to keep the Democratic Services Officer updated as to progress.

RESOLVED that

(a)  the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Liaison meeting update report be noted; and 

(b)  that the Senior Licensing Practitioner, Worcestershire Regulatory Services, be tasked to arrange a further Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Liaison meeting in August 2016.