City council 'has lost its way' with taxi trade

The consultation was approved earlier this month

Derby City Council's licensing committee has "lost its way" with the taxi trade and the situation needs to be readdressed, a councillor has warned.

Private hire drivers have been hugely critical of the council's decision to implement a new five-year-old restriction for taxi vehicles when licensed by the authority for the first time.

They believe the restriction will stop people entering the taxi trade as it would prove expensive to buy a vehicle to meet the criteria.

The city council is now considering a U-turn on the rule following a petition signed by dozens of taxi drivers, but a public consultation will be held before a final decision is made.

It is also feared future employment of existing drivers may be insecure if they were to have an accident and then need a new vehicle, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It could also mean some would have to get licensed by another authority - such as Wolverhampton City Council, which issues a high number of licences to drivers from other parts of the country.

Lee Roach said the relationship between drivers and the council "wasn't great"

Councillors on the council's licensing committee approved a 12-week public consultation on the new rule at a meeting earlier this month.

At the meeting, Labour councillor for Blagreaves Sara Bolton asked if trade meetings between the council and taxi drivers were still taking place.

She was told meetings were still taking place but councillors were no longer attending.

"I take on board that we have got protocols to stick to regarding the licensing committee - but we do seem to be getting a few emails of late regarding issues in the trade," Boulton said.

"I think that might perhaps be avoided if we have a more efficient and better communication between the trade and ourselves without putting ourselves into any difficult situations.

"I really think we have lost our way a bit. I think we've got a weak link here and I'd like to see it readdressed."

Lee Roach, chair of Derby Area Taxi Association, said the relationship between drivers and the council "wasn't great".

He said: "I agreed with everything Sara said. Previously we used to have trade meetings where the chair and vice-chair and [other] councillors used to attend - not just corporate officers.

"It wasn't done behind closed doors, open to everybody. Now I believe it is just the council and a few select drivers. We need it open."

Alison Holmes, chair of the licensing committee, said a discussion with officers would take place and they would come back at a further licensing meeting to discuss the possibility of a new way forward - if it could be agreed between councillors and officers.

A council officer also said the public consultation would be discussed at the council's next trade meeting with taxi drivers.