Permit requirements for taxi drivers at railway stations

[whole diary]

[Lee]

From the Slough Observer:

Drivers' strike threat

Taxi drivers in Slough have threatened to strike over ^scandalous^ increases to the price they pay to park outside the town^s railway station.

The chairman of the Slough Taxi Federation says the annual cost of hiring five spaces for the firm^s 100 taxis has ballooned from ^8,000 to ^86,000.

Paramjit Badial said the new charge imposed by First Great Western (FGW^▸ (First Great Western)) could not be justified by the amount of trade generated by the rank, as business had been declining for the past five to six years.

He said: ^If we have to strike, we will strike. The people who use our taxis to get home or get to work, these are the people who are going to suffer.

^We provide a service to people in Slough, and this is the treatment we^re getting from a company that^s worth millions.

^All they^re providing us with is five taxi spaces. They^re trying to break us up, but we^re looking to protect the welfare of Slough taxi drivers.^

He said the firm^s self-employed drivers would struggle to pay their share of the new fee, which has gone up from ^70 to ^667.67 excluding VAT^▸ (Value Added Tax).

He added: ^Insurance has gone up 50-60%, fuel prices have gone up, and on top of that we^re getting squeezed with this. It^s scandalous to increase the rent by this much.^

Mr Badial said the federation was willing to negotiate with FGW, and had paid for its permits at the lower rate until March 25.

Dan Payne, spokesman for FGW, said charges for taxi permits were being standardised, as they were previously negotiated on an ^ad hoc, station by station^ basis.

He said: ^Our issue is that they (Slough taxis) might not have been paying enough in the first place.

^There is a market rate for that kind of permit. Let^s not forget the huge amount of business those spaces would bring.^

Mr Payne said permits for FGW-controlled taxi ranks would all be charged at the higher rate on renewal of the permits.

FGW awarded a three-year contract to Cabfind in June to provide its taxi management services.

A spokeswoman for Cabfind refused to comment.

[Electric train]

Standby for more Taxi firms rebelling across FGW^▸ (First Great Western)

[devon_metro]

Amusing that taxis are complaining about high prices.

[Toiletdriver]

No problems, but judging by Bristol taxi drivers 
I'd like to see your valid visa for working in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)
This is from someone who had to argue against a cheeky sod who wanted me to pay for the bridge, as he claimed that that he had to pay the ^5.30 (at the time) and he wouldn't get his money back. The taxi driver didn't know I was railway staff and he lost his FGW^▸ (First Great Western) permit after my written report

[johoare]

But sometimes.. If there is a choice between standing at Slough for half hour (or more) or getting a taxi.. I know which I'd chose...

In my opinion the taxis at Slough do a brilliant job.. if they are forced to leave (or reduce their service) then I think FGW^▸ (First Great Western) might get a lot of people hanging around with no trains but still wanting to travel (at certain times)... It will be interesting to see 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hmm. You also need to be beware of the difference between taxis and private hire cabs ... 

[johoare]

I agree Chris.. This isn't a problem at Slough though  Well not at the taxi rank anyhow  which is what I have experienced

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Bristol Evening Post:

Taxi drivers operating at Weston-super-Mare train station say they may stop running taxis from the destination in the future after their licence fee was doubled.

First Great Western used to grant the permits to self-employed drivers wanting to pick up passengers from the town centre station at a cost of ^300 a year.

However, from this month the licences will be granted by Cabfind, a supplier of taxi management services, which has stated the fee will rise to ^600 a year.

Drivers at Weston station are outraged at the massive hike and are refusing to pay the amount saying it is far too expensive, particularly with the majority of passengers walking to town instead of using taxis.

They have held talks with Cabfind, who said it was prepared to drop the figure to ^480 but said all drivers must may the amount in full by February 28.

Richard Hopkins, 40, a taxi driver of 12 years, who has operated from Weston railway station for the past three years, says it is unfair and the drivers are not prepared to pay the huge fee. He said: "Up until now First Great Western have issued the licences but Cabfind take over at the end of the month. They are coming in and putting up the licence fee by 100 per cent, which is doubling it from ^300 to ^600. The firm says the reason for the hike is because they base the licence fee on footfall of passengers departing at Weston but they cannot go on that.

"Most people leave the station on foot as we are only five minutes' walk to the town centre and the beach. I have spoken to all the other drivers and they are not willing to pay ^600. Cabfind has since said it will give us a discount of 20 per cent bringing it down to ^480 but this is on the basis of us renewing our licence by the end of the month but this is still too much. At the end of the day we are in a recession and we should be getting a discount if anything.

"If drivers are not prepared to pay it, passengers may find no taxis waiting at Weston station. One of the longest serving drivers at the station, of 25 years, says he will not bother at that sort of price."

Mr Hopkins said drivers are also angered by the news Cabfind has awarded a contract to Apple Cars to transport passengers elsewhere in the event of trains stopping, which is a service they have always provided.

He added: "We were under the impression we would still get the work if a train stopped working or there were delays and passengers needed transporting to Bristol Temple Meads by taxi, but we have now heard that has been given to Apple. We may as well go and work from another rank for free."

The Evening Post contacted Cabfind but they declined the opportunity to comment.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Taxi drivers who pick up passengers at Bristol Temple Meads railway station are to be asked to pay for a permit.

Drivers will have to pay an annual fee of about ^300 a year so they can drive to the front of the station.

Pat Jones, from the Bristol Taxi Association, said drivers had not paid fees at the station since 1974.

Dan Panes from First Great Western said the plan for a fee, which is already in place at Bristol Parkway and Bath Spa, is at an early stage. Mr Panes said the plan would help to cut down congestion on the station approach, which is owned by First, and make the relationship between the firm and the taxis formal.

"Throughout our network, all stations with taxi ranks outside generally have a system in place where we allow taxis to come in and pick up - and they pay for that privilege. What happens at the moment is station managers tend to negotiate these on a local basis and that means we get wildly different price ranges. And we've got no contractual obligations in there either on our part or the taxi drivers' part."

Ms Jones said many big stations, such as in London, do not employ a permit system and that introducing one would lead to problems for passengers waiting for taxis.

"If you limit the number of taxis picking up then you're going to go back to a system where people wait and excessive amount of time for taxis."

Councillor Gary Hopkins said he wanted to make sure the fee charged by First Great Western was not "over the top"

"At the moment there isn't a good facility there and it does lead to congestion, so we're trying to negotiate with the company to make certain that they get a smaller fee and a better facility."

[JayMac]

I'd suggest that congestion on the Temple Meads approach is rarely, if ever, caused by taxis. It is the inconsiderate motorists who MUST wait for, or drop off their loved ones, right outside the main entrance to the station or in the bay reserved for the Airport Link bus.

Charge them ^300.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hmm 

I do have a sneaking regard for the drivers of the Airport buses who drive up as close as they can to the cars blocking their airport bus bay - and then give them a full blast on their air-horns. 

Funny thing is: it makes those car drivers slam into gear and depart mucho pronto - but it has no effect whatever within the no doubt sound-proofed bunker that is the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) office situated just behind those very windows. 

[ReWind]

I'd suggest that congestion on the Temple Meads approach is rarely, if ever, caused by taxis. It is the inconsiderate motorists who MUST wait for, or drop off their loved ones, right outside the main entrance to the station or in the bay reserved for the Airport Link bus.

Charge them ^300.

I do agree with you, with regards to the "drop of point" people seem to think the Airport bus bay is! It does cause mayhem when people sit there with their hazards on thinking its ok now!!

However, taxi drivers also do this regularly! Especially private hire cars and "foreign" taxis that aren't BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) residents!  Using this space to drop their passengers off!

I think the simple solution here is for redevelopment!  The station approach is not acceptable for a station like Temple Meads!

The approach is on a ramp, higher up than it's surroundings!  Is there not ability for a two storey approach!  One level for taxis and buses, one for a short stay car park, drop off point! Or is their something under the approach preventing this??
Fossils maybe??!

Anyhow, with many taxis, many buses and motorists fighting for the closest space to the doors, a simple fee isn't going to change this when, it's not just the taxis causing it!!

[ChrisB]

!!!!!!!!!

[Tim]

There is an exit from the subway to the lower level roadway.  I think I have used it before when catching a RR bus

[Chris from Nailsea]

There is actually a complex maze of underground passages and storage areas beneath the Temple Meads station buildings and the road ramp - most of it unsuitable for public access and therefore 'locked out of use'.

However, proposals for improvements to the road access to the station are based on redevelopment of the area of land known as Plot 6 - discussed here: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=3801.0 and here: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=5626.0

CfN.