Taxi Insurance Providers, insureTAXI, thought this was an interesting article about the plans to change licensing rules in an area local to us

March 23, 2012

The taxi insurance advisors at insureTAXI thought this was an interesting article which is local to us….

Cab drivers in the Cheshire area believe that there future may be in danger because of the proposed changes to licensing rules. The issue was mentioned in last months PHTM, since then council officials have spoke out and said that plans to “standardised” regulations so that the same policies exist throughout Chester and Cheshire West.

These new rules would see that taxi drivers who break the law on a varied amount of times would get there license taken from them. But associations such as the Chester Licensed Hackney association say that this would result in an oversaturated market because taxis from borough would build up to work in Chester. Chairman Richard Barker has said that the number of taxies in the city has increases from 77 to more than 140 because of the deregulation that was introduced a few years ago. He told the Chester Standard “People might think they’re doing us drivers a favour allowing us to work in a larger area when they lift the zones but they aren’t” Imagine people who work in Helsby and Frodsham now coming to Chester on race day.” He also said that “no one wants the zones lifted; all taxis here are wheelchair accessible. But in vale Royal they do not. Why should we be lowering our standard, when they should come up to our standard? He also said that the penalty point rule would mean demeanor committed would end in penalty points “we feel this is stupid, everyone should be dealt with individually. If someone parks at the end of the taxi rank, you can get points, but there are 140 hackney carriages and only 43 spaces in Chester.

Chester council spokesman Rachel Ashley said: We would encourage anyone with concerns or any comments to submit them to us, and all of your comments will be taken seriously. Cllr Lynn Riyel, executive member for community and environment added: Our priority is to ensure that members of the public enjoy safe and reliable access to taxis, and that members of the taxi trade operate within a clear and fair set of policies” The consultation closes on April 16.

Do you need taxi insurance?  Call one of our experienced taxi insurance team on 0800 980 3136 or click here for a taxi insurance quote.

Posted by Tim Crighton