Nottingham cabbies are preparing themselves for a taxi ‘knowledge’ test that is set to be introduced by Gedling Borough Council.
The Council are introducing the test in response to complaints received from hackney taxi drivers regarding the disproportionate number of taxis compared to rank spaces. At the moment, the borough has just 20 rank spaces to accommodate a whopping 703 hackney licenses.
Tightening of Regulations
The council has said that they feel the problem lies within the hackney license application procedure and believe the Knowledge test will constrict the number of licenses being issued.
Councillor Michael Payne, who sat the Knowledge test and passed, commented: “For me, if someone is going to be operating a taxi in the borough they should have good local knowledge.
“It’s important that the taxi drivers in Gedling give as good a service as they possibly can and this will only strengthen that.
“Licensing is a problem nationally and we are doing what we can to tackle it. I don’t think it’s an unreasonable request to ask current drivers to take the test too.”
Test Compulsory for All
However, whilst some cabbies are in favour of the new laws, most don’t agree that current license holders should have to sit the test.
Gedling taxi driver, Mohammed Jahangir, said: “It’s just another extra cost for us. The only way to really solve the issue in question would be to limit the number of licences handed out. Otherwise, you’re penalising drivers who are already struggling to pay mortgages and look after their families.”
A Gedling Borough Council spokesman said that by putting a cap on licenses the law would consider them discriminatory.
The test would be similar to the famous London Knowledge test in which cabbies would be required to recognise local roads, identify ‘best routes’ and answer questions on licensing conditions as well as the Highway Code.
The Council has also agreed to increase the rank on Front Street from 3 spaces to 9 with work starting on Monday 3rd March.