A report encouraging more cab licences to be issued in the Bath and North East Somerset Council area has immediately come under fire from existing taxi drivers, who believe the area already has a sufficient level of coverage, day and night.
A survey was conducted on behalf of the Council by consultancy firm Halcrow, which concluded that there was ‘unmet demand’ for taxis in the area, and that the number of licensed Hackney Carriages should be increased from 113 to 132. The survey also suggested that a series of new ranks, patrolled by taxi marshals, would be welcomed by both drivers and the public.
A spokesperson for the firm said that taxi drivers in the city work fewer hours at night than the national average, with half of those asked reporting that they felt unsafe. They also believe that increasing the difference between day and night fares (by raising fares after dark) would encourage more drivers to work at what would be a more profitable time and that ‘boosting the number of taxi marshals might also help’.
Rejected by Existing Taxi Drivers
The report has been widely rejected by existing taxi drivers working in the city, who claim its conclusions are incorrect. They also say that the city does not need any more licensed taxis and that the economic downturn has already brought more drivers on to the streets, including at night, regardless of any fears for their personal safety.
The drivers claim that currently there is more than enough coverage to meet demands, even during the busy Friday and Saturday night periods. However, the suggestion that a greater number of cab rank marshals on patrol would boost confidence and tackle safety issues has been welcomed. Jon Innerd, of Abbey Taxis, has experienced first hand the more terrifying aspect of night working. His cab firm’s office was torched by arsonists last year and he acknowledges that there is genuine concern amongst drivers for their personal safety, especially during late-night shifts.
He also believes that cab rank marshals would do a lot to help the situation. “They do a really good job. The problem is that you never know what’s going to happen when you are driving a cab. You never know who you are going to pick up,” he commented recently.
So while the idea of more licensed cabs competing for the existing level of business in Bath is anathema to drivers who are already struggling to make ends meet, the idea of better levels of personal protection for both drivers and customers has been welcomed. The report has yet to be commented upon by the Council.