TaxiPoint November 2022 Edition 43 by TaxiPoint

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NOVEMBER 2022 - Edition 43

Edition 43 | NOVEMBER 2022

EDITORIAL

TaxiPoint Chief Editor: Perry Richardson TaxiPoint Publishing & Advertising Manager: Lindsey Richardson Visit us online at: www.taxi-point.co.uk Write to us at: contact@taxi-point.co.uk Advertising enquiries at: advertising@taxi-point.co.uk The publishers reserve the right to refuse, withdraw, amend or otherwise deal with all advertisements without explanation. All advertisers must comply with the British Code of Advertising practice. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. All written and image rights are reserved by the author as displayed. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Copyright brand TaxiPoint 2022. Creative Common image licenses displayed where applicable.

Welcome to the latest edition! TaxiPoint has always pushed to be innovative and looked to provide the most insightful coverage for the taxi industry. From drivers to Government ministers, our content caters for all and second best will not suffice. But there’s more we can do and cover. That’s why whilst keeping our free to read service, we are also launching TaxiPoint PRO. For a subscription of £2.49 per month professionals working in the taxi industry can access further news stories and research not readily available elsewhere.

trusted industry voice. By licensing our own content, we aim to widen the reach of taxi trade topics that are important to you.

We do not believe in ripping off We have never been ones for ‘cut other news publishers’ copyrighted and paste’ publishing. Yes, there are material and will not exploit ‘grey press releases, but that shouldn’t be areas’. That’s not our style. However, the crux of a publication. We are producing our own specialised now in the process of signing content is both an expensive and licences with top content agencies time-consuming model, and that’s who produce articles for the big why we need your support. mainstream news names. The deals We are offering early PRO users a mean we will have access to deliver month’s free trial and you’ll no on unseen industry news to PRO doubt see some of the PRO content readers with your support. moving forwards. If it’s of interest, On the flip side, TaxiPoint are also please join the PRO subscription. currently in discussions with Many thanks and be lucky, publisher agencies looking to licence our own content to the mainstream media. Over the last five years TaxiPoint has developed a strong TaxiPoint Editor and Founder name within digital publishing, appearing on most mainstream news aggregators and we have become a

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NEW TAXI APP A new Hackney Carriage taxi booking app service called JustBookIt has launched to drivers in Edinburgh. The new platform allows drivers to take work whenever it suits them, and only pay a small commission of 10% when they do so. The low commission model is aimed at drivers and owner drivers who might only work two to four shifts each week. It is thought that the commission-based platform will suit them over a monthly circuit fee. The ‘pay-as-you-work’ platform has little in the way of rules and stipulations. Drivers will not be asked to stop taking other work and suspensions placed on drivers will not be occurred. The business has been set up by Kevin Woodburn and Stephen Rose, who have been in the pre-booked hire market in Edinburgh for over 50 years collectively. Both have also owned hackney carriage licences in Edinburgh. Woodburn said: “Edinburgh has two main hackney cooperatives and we felt that taxi drivers might be interested in a pay-as-you-work option as opposed to paying a regular monthly flat fee. It means that when the streets are busy with customers these drivers are paying a fee but not actually working the system.” Woodburn added: “The early feedback and comments have been mostly positive, although some of the traditionalists are a bit more negative, but change can usually take a bit of time, especially in our industry, but we are in no rush and will build this no matter how long it takes. “We are doing this to give taxi drivers in Edinburgh another option, plain and simple. We both have many friends and relatives who are already involved in the Taxi trade in the area and have felt a ‘pay-as-you-work’ option can only be a good thing for drivers. “We will launch to the General Public soon and again it’s just another option for customers to try.

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“Edinburgh is a great and very vibrant city with an all year-round tourist market also, and that makes it a very attractive alternative to the traditional offering that’s currently available.”

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LEGAL

The Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2022 is now in force and expands the prohibition on mobile phone use. Here, Neil Morley gives an overview... On 25th March 2022 the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2022 came into force across England, Scotland and Wales. It amends the prohibition on using mobile telephones (or interactive communication devices) when driving. A contravention of which constitutes an offence liable to a fine and penalty points.

whether online or offline…” while driving. Exceptions are however available in certain circumstances to permit emergency calls, remote controlled parking functions, contactless payments or when safely parked. In all other situations, hands-free devices may be used. In the unfortunate event a driver commits an offence; it may either be discharged by fixed penalty notice or trial at a magistrates’ court. If a fixed penalty notice is accepted, the driver will be fined £200 and receive 6 penalty points. If the matter proceeds to court, the driver risks being disqualified, fined up to £1000 and receiving 6 penalty points.

Previously, the offence was committed when a driver, whilst driving, held a mobile telephone (or interactive communication device) and used it for communication. This has now been amended, and the scope widened, so that: “…the offence of using a hand-held mobile phone or similar device is triggered when a driver holds a mobile phone or similar device and uses it regardless of whether that use involves interactive communication…” Consequently, it is “…illegal to hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet or any device that can NOVEMBER 2022any- Edition send or receive data…for reason, 43

LEGAL Wherein a driver accepts the fixed penalty notice or is convicted at court, it will likely result in the revocation by Transport for London (TfL) of a hackney carriage or private hire driver licence. TfL clearly states, in respect of these offences and penalties, it will consider the following action: xii Using a hand-held mobile phone or hand-held device.—Revocation xii Any other single offence that resulted in six or more penalty points.—Revocation Whilst revocation is not automatic, TfL is seemingly following the base stance of the Department for Transport (DfT) and Institute of Licensing (IoL) on such matters. Should TfL take such enforcement action, an affected driver will have a right of appeal against the decision. Moving forward, it is of paramount importance London hackney carriage and private hire drivers are aware of this prohibition and, if not done so already, take reasonable steps to avoid committing an offence. If you want to check if you are affected by any Taxi Licensing Law matters, please contact Travis Morley now on 01159 724928 or email enquiries@travismorley.com or visit www.travismorley.com. About the Author: Neil Morley is a leading lawyer in Taxi Licensing Law who founded Travis Morley in 2010. He has consulted on national law reforms, government briefs and wellreported High Court cases. His opinions have been widely sought by trade organisations, businesses and individuals. He has been published in the Law Society Gazette, Journal of Licensing, Professional Driver Magazine and is a regular contributor to Private Hire News. *Travis Morley Associates Limited accepts no liability for any action or inaction taken based on this article by any individual or party and where such is taken it is done so at their own risk. We would always recommend, prior to taking any steps, seeking professional legal advice.

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Q&A LONDON

The taxi drivers left plying their trade in the capital are enjoying somewhat of a renaissance since covid restrictions were fully relaxed. However, under that renewed optimism remains some underlying issues facing the long-term future of the industry.

increase. Bus drivers have accepted pay offers of between 10.5% and 11.6%.

We talk trade with Trevor Merralls, General Secretary of the United Cabbies Group (UCG), and get his take on all things black cab.

The KOL is our apprenticeship, and it needs to be promoted properly. Key players like LEVC stepping up with funding to ensure we have a 21st century recruitment campaign promoting the benefits perhaps even agreeing to sponsor x number of KOL students a year like a graduate programme need to be explored. Future cab drivers buy cabs, so it is in their interests to do more.

What’s your take on the Spring 2023 tariff proposals? Should the industry take the full 11.6%? The UCG’s Membership overwhelmingly voted for the full

How can we get more people applying for the Knowledge of London? Why do you think people are reluctant to begin the process?

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Q&A LONDON TfL also need to ensure the sole rights and privileges of what you get in return for completing the KOL are a tangible reality; sole right to ply for hire and access to roads as professionally trained drivers as a bare minimum. Our training has no bias and success is based on hard work, determination, and dedication.

The high demand in London has seen more out-of-area PHVs working in the capital. What’s your stance on crossborder hiring?

We believe the triple lock is a myth that should be challenged. The UCG are convinced stopping PHV plying for hire via an app will put everything back in its box. Before app technology we never saw mini However, if it is hard to find out what it involves, if cab drivers from Wolverhampton blatantly picking the KOL is not regularly promoted then potential up in London. The UCG have made TfL aware of our future cab drivers cannot weigh up if the process is view and that is we believe these apps are making one they wish to start. provision. There still remains the harsh reality as to We’re anticipating another dip or why would you study for up 3 years when stagnation in black cab vehicle TfL continue to allow PHV to buy a licence numbers. Should more have been to in effect work in our market via an app in 6-12 weeks. We have all seen the recent done to keep older vehicles on the driver numbers so all the time PHV can road and what more can be done to work in the immediate market via get new ones licensed? technology, the incentive to do the KOL Absolutely, a lot of this is being conveniently diminishes. Until that elephant in the room is explained as related to the lockdown but the Covid properly addressed it’s like putting a plaster on an pandemic just accelerated policy decisions made axe wound. and accepted by others in the trade, only for the Is the playing field between taxis and goal posts to be moved from 15 to 12 years with PHV now more level or can more be nothing in return. This is now having significant consequences. When there were waiting lists to done? rent cabs for drivers wanting to return to work, we At the UCG we don’t hold the view there should be asked TfL to look at the interim measure of a level playing field; it assumes we both do the allowing drivers to purchase Euro 6 TX4 or Vitos same job, we don’t – we are extensively trained from outside London and was told it was a and publicly hired driving a purpose-built vehicle promising idea and something they would look like buses. into; we are still waiting. All the time PHV can work in the immediate market via technology, it raises the issue if we are both working the same way how is the Two Tier Viable. TfL acknowledge technology has led to a blurring.

Where is the blurring occurring? In whose market? We are licensed to P4H, and we can do prebooked work. PHV are not trained, licensed, or qualified to work in the immediate hire market and can only be prebooked. How can prebooked be immediate?

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Q&A LONDON TfL have now advised wheelchair accessible private hire vehicles can be exempt from the licensing requirement to be Zero Emission Capable (ZEC) on a case-by-case basis. So what consideration is now being given to Licensed Taxis if the concession is linked to ensuring there is no diminishing supply for the travelling public reliant on wheelchair accessible vehicles? TfL should make some interim pauses to the Age Limit in the current financial climate to ensure the fleet does not diminish further.

Since the coronavirus pandemic restrictions were fully dropped those working in the industry have seen demand rocket. Would it be fair to say it’s easy to become complacent with the underlying issues facing the industry while times are good?

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Just because it’s busy now, doesn’t mean our problems have gone away. We still face many future challenges with an aging demographic, less people signing up for the KOL and our iconic purpose-built vehicle on a PCP deal with finance that is coming in at over £94k and we still have PHV working in our market. We are often reactive as a trade, thinking about today’s takings or because this week was busy, next week will be. We need to be more proactive going forward ensuring we protect our interests to ensure this trade that has given us all a good living is there for the KOL students of today to inherit when they get their badge. It is prudent to put money away in the summer should the roof leak in winter and we need to keep an eye on our future, protecting our rights to ensure we are around for another 350 years.

Q&A GLASGOW

Taxi drivers in Glasgow are facing the perfect storm when it comes to rising costs, a need to invest in new vehicles and a tariff that has failed to follow inflation so far. We talked to Allan Nugent of the newly formed Glasgow Taxi Owner’s Federation, to learn more about the problems and what can be done to help.

Glasgow taxi drivers are facing huge difficulties with their fleet of cabs. Can you explain why cabbies and operators are struggling? The forthcoming LEZ implementation looming is putting most taxi drivers into real financial difficulty. There’s a real shortage of taxis now suitable for use within the LEZ boundaries in Glasgow - these include new and second-hand vehicles which can be retrofitted. The retrofit itself is throwing up additional problems. We have found out that if the taxi for whatever reason is put off road - written off, doesn’t meet inspection criteria - the grant has to be repaid causing problems with insurance. To rub salt into the wound, out of town taxis and PHVs entering the city seem to be exempt - as there’s no way to enforce this.

What other big issues are facing Glasgow taxi drivers at the moment? A lot of City centre streets were pedestrianised during the pandemic and are now being left causing us to take a much longer route at parts, which is

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Q&A GLASGOW obviously being questioned by passengers. A few ranks were also taken away as part of the ‘temporary’ covid measures. They have yet to be reinstated. Of the taxi ranks that remain, they have become increasingly inaccessible to taxis because of parking by every other vehicle except taxis. This has been brought to the attention of Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council (GCC) traffic enforcement, but each seem to be blaming the other.

Taxi drivers in Glasgow received a 0.84% tariff increase recently. Is that enough? The rise is an insult. We needed 17% to give us 10% on our income. Our costs are going through the roof.

insurance and repairs on vehicles - not to mention a SQA in taxi driving that we must all sit at a cost of £395-495. In comparison a lot of other Scottish councils have given much higher tariffs ranging between 5-20%.

What could be done to ensure the long-term future of the taxi industry in Glasgow? The tariff needs to be recalculated with proper figures and thus set us up properly for the future.

LEZ needs to reassessed using current emissions data, not historical figures. In our opinion Glasgow City Council are the worst in Scotland. We need what the Traffic Commissioner stated… a decent tariff so we can afford the price of new taxis. Our tariff is so low that the private hire prices are more expensive than us.

Morale is extremely low in Glasgow as drivers are in real financial hardship - LEZ, high-tech cost of

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TAXIPOINT FEATURE

Times are hard now, and let’s be honest, it’s about to get much harder for loads more households as new energy rates hit and higher rate mortgages are reluctantly agreed to. These rising costs can be stomached if your own income rises in line with inflation. The problem comes when not all employers and sectors can afford the eye watering 10.1% inflation currently recorded. We’ve only got to look at the number of walk outs and strike actions taking place around the country to see there are some seriously concerned work forces. Taxi drivers are no different. Given the high reliance on fuel to run their business, the industry is one of the most impacted sectors. Not only are cabbies fighting business cost rises, they are also battling household rises too. Lucy Frazer, Department for Transport Minister, spoke recently on the topic too. Frazer said: “For taxis, which can be hailed in the street or at taxi

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ranks in the area in which they are licensed, local licensing authorities can set maximum fares. These should pay regard to the needs of the travelling public and what it is reasonable to expect people to pay, but also to the need to give taxi drivers the ability to earn a sufficient income. “Regulated metered fares provide an important element of consumer protection as passengers do not pre-book the journey. Many authorities have been reviewing their maximum taxi fares this year in light of the increasing pressure on everyone’s finances.” With all this in mind there’s a careful balancing act to be made across the UK when it comes to taxi tariff increases. Too much and passengers will be priced out of using the service, too little and the driver already working long hours can no-longer afford the cost of living. So, what are the options?

TAXIPOINT FEATURE Do nothing or offer the bare minimum. There are some out there hoping the war in Ukraine will pass, that fuel prices will stabilise, and inflation will drop. It’s all very unlikely though. In Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough, taxi representatives were refused a tariff review completely. In Glasgow, cabbies were handed the remarkably low figure of 0.83%. In the short-term this outcome will help residents, but the complete imbalance will eventually cause drivers to leave the industry and make the job unattractive to new applicants. Heading back to Glasgow, cabbies are also being asked to invest in new greener vehicles. The eventual outcome will be a lack of cabbies servicing the local economy and community. This helps no one.

Meet halfway. Some might see this as the fairest outcome, but it still points to longer-term problems as described above. In many regions demand for taxis remains high and a shortage of cabs exists despite the economic uncertainty. For example, in regions where foreign tourism is prevalent, the sector is booming due mainly to the weak pound and pent-up covid demand. Where demand is high, does the industry need to offer below inflation rises? Probably not. There are, however, regions which rely only on residential footfall rather than that of visitors too. If demand is dwindling now in the lead

up to Christmas, then that’s when the balancing act becomes trickier.

Stay in line with inflation. If demand for taxis is currently greater than the supply, there is an argument that work levels will not change much. There’s also an argument that even if demand falls, the taxi tariff service is priced at the correct level for when demand does return. Recessions and economic downturns do not last forever. By taking less of a rise now, bigger increases in tariffs may be needed a year or two later which could cause even bigger issues. In Windsor, the starting taxi tariff was doubled from £3 to £6 during the day due partly to a lack of taxi reviews dating back to 2016. At some stage the taxi tariff must represent a fair job prospect, it’s however best not to place an ABOVE inflation fares increase on the public during a cost of living crisis!

Summary... First up there is no ‘one size fits all’ outcome and it will vary from region to region. It’s equally important to not devalue the job and not price out the customers. It’s important that local authorities listen to the taxi industry as they will have that real life feel for costs and whether there’s enough demand to take on a price increase. And finally, if local authorities want fleets owners and cabbies to drive investment in new electric vehicles… they have to find the extra funds from somewhere.

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TAXIPOINT FEATURE

Fully autonomous ‘robo-taxis’ have been the Holy Grail for investors and operators looking to shed the biggest cost of any transport provider… the person behind the wheel. In some regions around the world, fully-automated private hire vehicles are currently crawling around the streets of America and China looking for bookings via an app. These trials remain tightly restricted in areas that can handle the Lidar technology.

the technology safely work in the snow or other conditions when nature covers road markings? Can the technology help people with their luggage and assist with all mobility needs? There are certainly lots of questions that need answering ahead. The UK Government does seem keen on the idea of autonomous driving. They say the innovation will create jobs and improve access to people. We remain unsure of that claim given the huge number of people working as drivers who would be made redundant. The previous Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, said this summer: “The benefits of selfdriving vehicles have the potential to be huge. Not only can they improve people’s access to education and other vital services, but the industry itself can create tens of thousands of job opportunities throughout the country. “Most importantly, they’re expected to make our roads safer by reducing the dangers of driver error in road collisions.

There’s no denying that autonomous vehicle technology is making progress. Whether it will reach ‘Level 5’ in most cities, which is fully-automated without the need of a driver, the jury remains out. In more controlled motoring environments, like on motorways or on low-speed shuttle runs, autonomy can definitely play a role in mobility. But can a driverless car navigate Soho on a Friday night? Can

“We want the UK to be at the forefront of developing and using this fantastic technology, and that is why we are investing millions in vital research into safety and setting the legislation to ensure we gain the full benefits that this technology promises.”

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TAXIPOINT FEATURE Let’s say it happens for argument’s sake. There are driverless vehicles driving around offering to pick up people. There’s even taxi ranks where people can walk up to the vehicle and request a ride for a fraction of the cost currently offered. Where does that leave the profession of highly trained taxi drivers?

saving the jobs of Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) drivers. However, if these vehicles plan to ply-for-hire and show availability on taxi ranks and street corners… there will need to be licensing changes.

The taxi industry is a very reactive trade that firefights what is immediately in front of them. If, and it remains a big if, fully autonomous taxis take off there needs to be some security for those in the sector. The industry could push for a medallion style limit on the number of autonomous taxi licences for example. Their own licences would then have some value to either be sold to an operator or leased out as part of the transition. There’ll be little that can be done to stop the prebooked nature of a driverless vehicle and in turn

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VEHICLE REVIEW

ARTICLE BY: PERRY RICHARDSON, TAXIPOINT EDITOR Back in the Summer of 2018 I was asked whether I’d like to test drive the then new electric LEVC TX and review it. A few months later in November I had bought my first taxi since becoming a taxi driver in 2009. Fast forward four-years and 100,000 miles, it’s probably the ideal time to review how the taxi has performed, what works and what doesn’t, and whether I’d do it all again given the chance. For this article I’ll break it down into four-categories; the vehicle, the maintenance, the charging capabilities and finally whether it works as a taxi.

hours on end. Put it this way… I never left that cab in a ‘fresh’ state! I’ve found the driver’s seat very comfortable, the dashboard easy to use and everything ergonomically sound. I did miss the TX4 arm rest to begin with though! The regen braking takes a little getting used to and drivers should be prepared for the judders that sometimes occur when braking over wet manholes.

With vinyl passenger flooring and a hardwearing interior, the front and back cabins can look spotless after a quick clean. One recommendation I would Vehicle make is think about buying driver foot mats straight away… I didn’t and now have a hole in the carpet The LEVC TX is a huge step up from anything else on where my heel rests. the purpose-built taxi market. The smooth ride and quiet environment make a big difference to cabbies The body work looks good four years on and is easy to keep clean. The panoramic passenger window is working long-shifts. I would exit the TX4 caped in dirt and subjected to high heat from the engine for the hardest to reach spot and is a good reason to not park under trees harbouring birds!

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VEHICLE REVIEW

“Overall, very happy to have not missed any work due to the cab being off the road with a mechanical fault…” Perry Richardson, full-time taxi driver and TaxiPoint Editor

Image credit: LEVC

Maintenance There has been zero breakdowns and one ‘incident’ that required repairs. The incident… a pheasant (RIP) flew into the front of the cab shattering the grill and cracking the bumper. A new grill cost just over £100 and the bumper was skilfully repaired and painted for a little over £200.

quid more than their diesel counterparts and currently sit at £106 each (UK Tyres West London). Overall, very happy to have not missed any work due to the cab being off the road with a mechanical fault. Certainly better than my multiple TX4 experiences!

Charging

Three years into ownership I was one of the drivers that experienced a cracked windscreen whilst pootling down The Mall with a passenger onboard. The window was quickly replaced under manufacturer’s fault, but there is a lingering concern that it may randomly happen again when outside of my warranty.

I’m lucky enough to have a home charger. I charge the cab overnight and it’s ready to go when I leave for work. The public charging network could be better. More rapid chargers are needed in central areas of towns and cities heavily serviced by cabs and more suburban on-street chargers needed for those who have no access to off-street charging.

Other maintenance outside of the warranty and service plans, includes two lots of new brake pads, one set of brake discs and tyres. The brake pads and discs pretty much matched the cost of a similar maintenance bill on a family car. The tyres are a few

Because of the above, the LEVC TX set up which includes a petrol range-extender works perfectly. There is no range anxiety, you do not HAVE to stop and charge when it’s busy or you’re not ready for a break and it saves money on fuel… even in these strange economic times.

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VEHICLE REVIEW As a full-time taxi driver doing the mileage, the cab makes perfect sense. This vehicle has cost me less than renting previous TX4’s.

qualification to work out how the wheelchair straps work.

A Working Taxi

Would I buy it again knowing what I know now?

Passengers love the vehicle. Even four-years on from buying the TX, pretty much every shift will contain an in-depth conversation about the taxi and electric vehicles. As mentioned, it’s easy to keep clean and leaves punters happy. And happy punters equate to better tips!

Owning the vehicle throughout the pandemic was financially difficult as I didn’t work during that period. It was costing me more in fuel than what I earned. That said, that has nothing to do with the vehicle itself, and I would have felt the same financial problems with any other taxi model.

In terms of future improvements, the ‘Taxi’ light could be better designed for bright sunny days and the intercom needs bettering too. The wheelchair ramp is easy to use, but you need a degree-level

I have no regrets buying the LEVC TX and plan to keep it past the 5-years under a new 3-year warranty. I genuinely can’t ever see me going back to a non-electric drive-chain taxi and until the charging network drastically improves, I have no intention going fully-electric.

Image credit: LEVC

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TAXIPOINT FUEL REPORT Just when we all thought fuel prices were steadily decreasing, the volatility of the UK pump prices was obvious once more this month… with more of the same likely to follow. In the ongoing monthly TaxiPoint Fuel Report, we use our unique formula to analyse the rapidly changing fuel cost landscape facing cabbies. In the review we look at some of the UK’s most popular cabs which includes the diesel TX4, the electric LEVC TX, and Skoda Octavia.

DIESEL At the beginning of October, TaxiPoint reported a black pump fuel price standing at £1.80. That represented another much-needed decrease after seeing prices rise to a staggering £1.96 two months earlier. Sadly, for drivers of the TX4, Mercedes-Benz Vito and the Skoda Octavia, those prices are on the rise again sitting at £1.90 at the start of November. Those prices are also ‘likely to rise’ according to RAC sources.

PETROL Cabbies pushing a petrol cab have had the better deal when compared to their diesel counterparts. Green pump prices stood at £1.62 at the start of October, and like diesel users, cabbies have seen this figure creep in the wrong direction back up to £1.67. At the start of November, the gap between petrol and diesel sits at a whopping 23p. Fuel experts say petrol prices should plateau off in the coming weeks.

ELECTRIC This is where the biggest volatility exists right now. One of London’s leading rapid chargepoint providers, ESB Energy, announced their new pricing plan for black cabs. Those with a London Taxi Membership can now look forward to

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TAXIPOINT FUEL REPORT paying a massive 69p per kWh. Taxi drivers in Birmingham will pay 73p and those in Coventry 68p. There’s also a £4.99 monthly subscription fee for cabbies in London and Coventry to digest.

rise in electricity will be hurting those that invested in greener vehicles in the short-term, but those costs will be eventually passed on to the passenger via tariff reviews.

That ESB Energy increase now makes it CHEAPER for “As for diesel owners they are in for a hard few LEVC TX owners to run off the range extending months. Expect the price to sadly rise again over the petrol fuel source. How this plays into the Mayor of coming weeks.” London’s greener street plans is hard to fathom and brings the question of why older vehicles are being removed in the current climate firmly into the spotlight again.

That said, because of the gap between petrol and diesel, there are still some savings to be had between the TX and TX4 using the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE). Perry Richardson, TaxiPoint Founder, said: “The fuel market is absolutely crazy at the moment. The big

Image credit: Ross Campbell

NOVEMBER 2022 LTC TX4 (Diesel) Ford Tourneo Custom (Diesel) Peugeot Premier (Diesel) Mercedes-Benz Vito (Diesel) Skoda Octavia (Diesel) Skoda Octavia (Petrol) LEVC TX (Petrol range-extender only) LEVC TX (1 EV Home charge then petrol range-extender) LEVC TX (1 EV home charge, 1 EV public charge, then petrol range LEVC TX (1 EV home charge, 2 EV public charges) Nissan Dynamo (Fully electric home charge and public charge) MG5 (Fully electric 150-miles home charge) MG5 (Fully electric 150-miles public charge)

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Daily £39.01 £32.06 £25.10 £34.91 £24.44 £26.47 £31.02 £25.65

Weekly Monthly Annual £195.06 £780.25 £9,362.97 £160.30 £641.19 £7,694.32 £125.50 £502.02 £6,024.24 £174.56 £698.23 £8,378.72 £122.19 £488.76 £5,865.11 £132.37 £529.50 £6,353.98 £155.10 £620.39 £7,444.72 £128.23 £512.92 £6,154.99

£26.27 £131.36 £26.73 £133.64 £14.99 £74.97 £10.81 £54.06 £16.13 £80.64

£525.44 £534.55 £299.87 £216.24 £322.56

£6,305.26 £6,414.55 £3,598.45 £2,594.88 £3,870.72

5 Years £46,814.86 £38,471.61 £30,121.19 £41,893.62 £29,325.53 £31,769.92 £37,223.62 £30,774.96 £31,526.30 £32,072.73 £17,992.26 £12,974.40 £19,353.60

TECHNOLOGY

support from the voice-assisted mobile app and wireless remote control. Michael Carr, a full-time taxi driver and RoadSage backer, said: “Being on the road for 12 hours a day, RoadSage will keep me and my taxi safe from rear-end collisions first of all, which I like the best.

RoadSage has released its first autonomous display that aims to help taxi drivers and other motorists safely communicate on the roads. The clever technology lets drivers create a safe driving space by alerting tailgaters to avoid impending rearend collisions. It also allows motorists to communicate with other drivers with familiar phrases and messages using emojis and text and other graphic formats.

“I'll be using RoadSage for communication all the time. For example, when I must stop on streets with running traffic to pick up passengers. With RoadSage, I can inform the rear-traffic about this in advance increasing safety. “I work a lot of night shifts and people with high beam blind me all the time, so with RoadSage that won't be an issue as I can remind them to turn their high beam off.

With a pixel-dense display of 11.3”, 5MP of HD camera and using advanced AI algorithms, RoadSage lets the driver create a safe driving space while out on the “Additionally, it would be great to finally say thank you roads. The RoadSage’s P4 LED screen capability help and sorry directly as using hazard lights is illegal. It's boost its visibility to up to 20m in most weather surprising so many people use it. conditions like rain, fog and snow. The cabbie or motorist can customise warnings, access “With RoadSage's advertising feature, I can also create messages to display my company name and telephone footage and use other features with end-to-end number, which will help me stand out from the competition and make my taxi unique.”

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EXPERT FEATURE

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In a recent review from the Department of Transport (DfT), it has been found that the data used to justify the introduction of LTNs was incorrect. This revelation has provided extra ammunition to those already opposed to the controversial traffic calming measures.

What are LTNs? Low-traffic Neighbourhoods or LTNs are traffic calming measures that were first introduced in Waltham Forest back in 2014. LTNs are roads closed to all motor vehicles. The intention is to reduce both traffic and pollution by encouraging people to walk or cycle, or forcing people to drive down larger, arterial routes instead.

enforcement cameras. One camera alone recorded nearly 30,000 offences. LTNs have been introduced in many cities, including Manchester and Birmingham. While supporters would consider their introduction to be a success they have always proved divisive. This is why the new data released by the DfT has caused such a stir.

What does the new data show?

While some LTNs feature actual roadblocks to prevent vehicle access, some are enforced using cameras similar to those that monitor bus lanes.

The new data published by the DfT has revealed the figures used to justify many LTN’s was flawed. Their research found that the previous analysis of road traffic had been significantly overestimated.

A Freedom of Information request revealed that in 2021, Southwark Council generated £2.5 million in revenue in just three months from three LTN

A spokesperson for the DfT said: “Historic minor road traffic estimates have been revised and are lower than those previously published. The figures used at

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EXPERT FEATURE the time were based on the most accurate data available.” The original data had suggested a 60% rise in London’s minor road traffic and a 72% increase on its smallest roads. However, the new data has shown no increase over the last ten years. Across the UK as a whole, there has been an increase, but a significantly smaller increase than was originally published. The data from 2020 found a 26% increase in minor road traffic across the whole country between 2009 and 2019. The new report has shown there has only been a 10% increase overall.

What does this mean for the future of LTNs? Pro-motoring lobbyists will consider this new report welcome news as they have often argued the traffic situation on minor roads has been overexaggerated. In some areas, LTNs were met with such fierce resistance that there have been instances of cameras and roadblocks being vandalised and even set on fire. It is unclear what the future of LTNs will be now the new data has been published. The new figures will reduce the strength of any argument put forward by pro-LTN groups. Could this lead to some of the more controversial LTNs being removed? We’ll have to wait and see.

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UK TAXI NEWS

Image credit: Ross Campbell

Taxi drivers were dismayed at new electric black cab charging rates released by one provider that now astonishingly makes it CHEAPER to run on petrol range extenders than it does on pure electric. ESB Energy, one of London’s leading rapid chargepoint providers, announced their new pricing plan to electric taxi drivers this week. Those with a London Taxi Membership can now look forward to paying a massive 69p per kWh. Taxi drivers in Birmingham will pay 73p and those in Coventry 68p. There’s also a £4.99 monthly subscription fee for cabbies in London and Coventry to digest. That ESB Energy increase now makes it CHEAPER for LEVC TX owners to run off the range extending petrol fuel source.

Taxi drivers in the midst of a fuel price crisis have said they will no longer charge their cabs on the public chargers in a bid to keep running costs lower. The latest price hikes also brings into question why Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles are being removed in the current economic climate.

It should however be noted that because of the gap between petrol and diesel, there are still significant financial savings to be had between the TX and TX4 using their respective ICEs. One London taxi driver, Gary Long, said: “So ESB EV Solutions have just hiked their charging costs to 69p a kWh for the London market. Another one that can jog on, as we’re not a cash cow for you or anyone.”

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UK TAXI NEWS

A long-awaited court hearing concluded recently as ride-hailing giants Uber, Sefton Council and several private hire vehicle (PHV) operators locked horns in a case which could have serious repercussions for the PHV sector. If ride-hailing firm Uber are successful, the changes could force contractual arrangements with drivers and make all operators the principal for VAT on fares. This is likely to force the price of journeys up by one fifth. Uber have long urged thousands of other private hire operators to follow their lead by making changes to their business models. Earlier this year Uber made big changes which included paying VAT on all UK journeys following a similar court case in London.

take ‘immediate action’ to make changes to their terms and conditions and ensure compliance. If Uber win their court case with Sefton Council, ALL licensing authorities outside of London could then be forced to follow suit. One legal expert from Aaron & Partners, who are on the side of a group of Liverpool-based PHV firms fighting the changes, says the “significant rise” in fare prices would hit the pockets of “those who can afford it the least”.

Layla Barke-Jones, a Partner in the Dispute Resolution team at the law firm Aaron & Partners, said: “We are pleased to have had the opportunity to represent the views of our clients in the High Court Transport for London (TfL), the UK’s biggest licensing this week, and we hope to have done enough to authority, warned ALL Private Hire (PH) Operators to protect one of the traditional models of the private hire industry.”

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UK REGIONAL NEWS

A County Durham man has been ordered to pay over £800 after operating a private hire vehicle without having a current private hire operator's licence.

Time is now running out for some London taxi drivers who are yet to sign up as an action seeking to recover losses as a result of Uber’s operations proceeds to the next stage. Approximately 11,000 London black cab drivers have shown interest in joining the action since its launch. Of those, approximately 9,000 have signed LMA agreements which will allow them to seek the recovery of losses incurred as a result of Uber’s operations between June 2012 and March 2018. RGL BULit21, the firm leading the action against the ride-hailing app, are now issuing a final call to drivers to signup or risk missing out on compensation as they proceed with filing the claim. The legal group are expecting to finally close the books to potential claimants in the next ‘6 to 8 weeks’ according to sources. The Group Legal Action being brought by London cabbies against ride-hailing firm Uber has recently concluded discussions on funding and ATE insurance, which will cover ALL legal costs of the drivers signed up should they win or lose.

County Durham Council took legal action against Kyle Stones, of High Pittington, after receiving information that a taxi company was advertising on Facebook, possibly without the required licence. When officers checked its taxi database with the telephone number advertised, it matched the number given in Stones' driver application to become a licensed driver.

However, the 21-year-old had not completed the process and had withdrawn his application in November last year. Enforcement officers telephoned the advertised number, in March of this year, and they were able to make a booking for a vehicle to collect them from Durham and take them to Newcastle Airport. When the vehicle arrived, it displayed a Newcastle Private Hire Plate Number. Subsequent enquiries with Newcastle City Council confirmed that Stones was a licensed private hire driver with a licensed vehicle, but that he did not hold a private hire operator's licence. The law requires that all private hire vehicles can only be booked via a private hire operator. It also states that the private hire operator, private hire driver and private hire vehicle must all be licensed and licensed with the same operator. He was fined £200 and ordered to pay £650 costs and £34 victim surcharge, totalling £884.

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UK REGIONAL NEWS All taxis and private hire vehicles licensed in Cambridge will soon have CCTV installed in them, in what they say will be a boost for customer and driver safety, despite industry concerns. Cambridge City Council’s Licensing Committee gave the green light to a programme which will see CCTV systems in all vehicles licensed by the council by 31 March 2024. Under the specifications for use, all recorded images will be securely captured, stored and encrypted, and the CCTV system will not be accessible while the vehicle is in use commercially. Vehicle proprietors will be able to source and install their own systems as long as they meet or exceed the council’s requirements. However, taxi drivers in Cambridge have warned the council they may take court action should a costly CCTV taxi policy be pushed on to them during a nationwide cost of living crisis.

GMB Union has submitted a request on behalf of local taxi drivers to St Alban's District Council to increase taxi fares in light of the cost of living crisis. Drivers say they have incurred substantial operational increases since the last fare tariff increase and currently rank 238th lowest in the UK in terms of fares. Cabbies have requested an overhaul of rates in addition to providing information for airport drop-offs so that these costs are clearer for the public. The huge increases in drivers’ running costs including fuel, maintenance, increased license fees, and purchase costs of newer environmentally friendly vehicles have seriously affected the ability to earn a decent income says GMB London.

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UK REGIONAL NEWS

Wiltshire Council has agreed to raise Tariff 1 for Hackney Carriages in Wiltshire by 10% to help drivers meet the cost of rising fuel prices. The council has also agreed to merge the different taxi licensing zones around the county into one single licensing zone that covers the whole Wiltshire Council area. This means that any licensed Hackney Carriage can operate anywhere in the Wiltshire Council area, rather than being restricted to a part of the county.

A covert enforcement operation in Liverpool uncovered taxi drivers NOT engaging their meters or refusing to drive, and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers illegally plying-for-hire. Liverpool City Council (LCC) licensing officials took part in the undercover operation, making test purchases to see how the drivers would react. According to sources, ‘a number’ of drivers fell foul of the tests and have been reported.

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UK TAXI BUSINESS NEWS One of the South West’s biggest private hire firms V Cars is changing its name to Veezu. Veezu, widely regarded as one of the UK's fastest growing private hire technology platforms, operates across 24 local authority licences in the UK and connects more than 8,000 ‘driver-partners’ with passengers who completed, on average, one ride every two and half seconds in 2021.

Image credit: VEEZU

Geotab, a global player in IoT and connected transportation and the world leader in commercial telematics provider, formally announced its partnership with 4x4electric, a fully self-sufficient Electric Vehicle (EV) expedition from the Netherlands to South Africa and back. 4x4electric founders Renske Cox and Maarten van Pel has departed Haelen, Netherlands 4 November for the expedition, which is expected to last for one year and traverse 40,000km of the African Continent. Their mission is threefold: to demonstrate the potential of long-term electric motoring; to discover sustainable initiatives across the African Continent; and to collect data and insights on the expedition vehicle throughout their journey.

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V Cars was acquired by Veezu in July 2017. The origins of V Cars date back some 40 years through acquisitions of local private hire taxi brands such as Abbey Taxis in Bath and Chippenham, Clifton Taxi Co and Streamline Taxis in Bristol.

Iomob, a UK and Spain-based technology start-up, is expected to launch the world’s first seamless mobility technology later this year, after more than three years of research and several pilots. The new platform will be integrated into existing transport and mobility websites and apps all over the world, allowing providers for the first time, to include third-party mobility connections— with a focus on sustainable options— enabling passengers to book and pay for a complete door-to-door journey involving multiple modes of transport on just one app or website. Image credit: IOMOB

UK TAXI BUSINESS NEWS

Taxi Butler, announced the global launch of Taxi Butler QR, which features a combination of simplicity, innovation and automation. Built on technology that taxi fleets around the world already trust, Taxi Butler QR delivers a next-generation way for taxi fleets to generate and automate bookings from anywhere inside their local venues.

bp pulse has teamed up with Addison Lee to provide the operator’s electric vehicle fleet enhanced access to over 3,000 ultra-fast and rapid EV chargepoints across bp pulse’s public charging network. The agreement includes access for Addison Lee drivers to bp pulse’s EV Fleet Charging Hubs on Park Lane and at Gatwick airport. The Park Lane hub has 22 rapid charge points (50kW), providing fast, reliable charging in a convenient location for private hire drivers. The Gatwick hub has 6 ultra-fast charge points (150kW) and 8 rapid charge points (50kW) providing convenient charging for airport users, taxi drivers, local businesses with electric vehicle fleets, and local residents.

Image credit: TAXI BUTLER

Image credit: ADDISON LEE

Electric taxi firm Sherbet picked up their latest award winning the Low Carbon Transport Initiative of the Year at the National Sustainability Awards 2022. The second annual National Sustainability Awards was held at London’s Waldorf Hotel on Thursday 6 October. Judges were looking for unique stories of innovation and ‘breadth of impact’ across all sectors that aided the delivery of a more sustainable future. Image credit: SHERBET

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GLOBAL NEWS

New Zealand Uber drivers have won employment rights, with a historic ruling against the global private hire vehicle (PHV) operator arriving the morning after Labour Day.

The judgment, which sought a declaration of employment status for the four drivers, found that “each of the plaintiff drivers was in an employment relationship when carrying out driving work for Uber Following similar examples in the UK and France, New and is entitled to a declaration of status accordingly”, noting that while such a declaration attaches only to Zealand’s Employment Court found that four current the individual applicants of the case, “… it may well and former Uber drivers were employees, not independent contractors, in a case jointly taken by and have broader impact, particularly where, as here, there is apparent uniformity in the way in which the E tū and FIRST Union. companies operate, and the framework under which drivers are engaged”.

Uber has formally launched a new advertising division called ‘Uber Journey Ads’, which aims to engage brands and consumers throughout the entire ride process. Journey Ads are the latest initiative from a dedicated team formed at Uber this year under advertising veteran Dr. Mark Grether, previously with Amazon Advertising, CEO of Sizmek, and CoFounder of Xaxis. Leveraging Uber’s first-party data and insights across its mobility and delivery businesses presents the world’s biggest companies with new surfaces and closed-loop attribution to reach Uber’s audience of 122 million monthly active users. Journey Ads place relevant brand content and offers in front of purchase-minded audiences as they transact throughout their journey – while waiting for their driver and during their trip. Over 40 marquee brands have already partnered with Uber to run Journey Ads including NBCUniversal, Heineken, and United Artists Releasing.

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GLOBAL NEWS

Global tech firms Motional and Uber have recently have a shared vision for AVs to offer an affordable, announced a commercial agreement to offer fully convenient, and safe transportation option for driverless rides using Motional's new all-electric IONIQ everyday travel. 5-based robotaxis. The 10-year, multimarket agreement will aim to create the opportunity for effective scaling and broad adoption of AVs by pairing Motional's advanced driverless technology with Uber's network of millions of customers. The companies will strategically deploy the service in cities across the U.S., with the first trips expected to start later this year. Motional and Uber

Image credit: MOTIONAL

FREE NOW have announced a major milestone at the Web Summit 2022; users can now book public transport services through its app as well as taxis, private cars, eScooters, eBikes, eMopeds, and car sharing. As a result, FREE NOW offers all modes of transport from a single source, strengthening its position as a leading European mobility platform offering the largest amount of travel options in one app. The first partnership enabling access to public transport via the FREE NOW app was signed with Rheinbahn in Germany. FREE NOW users will be able to book tickets for buses, trams, and underground trains directly in the FREE NOW app for all tariff zones of the Rhine-Ruhr Public Transport Association (VRR).

Image credit: FREE NOW

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