Taxi row Council plans will drive us out of business, claim cabbies
TAXI drivers in Cheltenham fear plans to replace the town’s fleet with low emission and wheelchair accessible vehicles will put most of them out of business.
Cheltenham Borough Council decided in September last year to postpone its plans to implement a requirement to impose a 100% wheelchair accessible licensed fleet for licensed taxis.
In March 2022, the council consulted on a draft licensed vehicle emission and wheelchair accessibility policy. This draft policy set out the council’s approach to implementing a carbon neutral licensed fleet by 2030.
But Hackney carriage drivers who responded to the consultation say it would put “90 per cent or more of the trade on Universal Credit”. They fear it will cause financial hardship and poverty especially now with rising energy bills.
“But in the name of carbon targets, you don’t care that you will be ruining decent people’s lives do you?,” one driver said. “This is an untenable idea from a council who in my opinion is unfit for purpose. No cab driver can afford £30,000 to £40,000 or more for an electric taxi.
“[There’s] no infrastructure for charging, especially on taxi ranks let alone only a couple around the town, and if drivers live in a flat three stories up... Well unless they’re going to run a 60ft extension lead out of the window!?
“So it will be only a short time before the public suffer, because across the taxi and private-hire trade there will be next to no taxis left to service the public.”
Speaking at last Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, customer and regulatory services cabinet member Martin Horwood (LD, Leckhampton) said the policy consultation was part of the council’s ongoing process of getting a taxi fleet which was both more accessible for those with disabilities but also on track to meet carbon commitments for 2030.
“We have been undertaking consultation to make sure we are listening carefully to those who are affected or might benefit from this policy. And to make sure the steps we are taking are
In the name of carbon targets you don’t care that you will be ruining decent people’s lives Cab driver
absolutely deemed reasonable,” he said.
“But there are some steps that just need to be taken in the short term to clarify some short-term issues. They are to remove the most polluting vehicles from the fleet on the schedule that we envisaged, which is quite soon.
“They are also to clarify a particular technical detail about what counts as exceptional circumstances when a likefor-like replacement of a vehicle can be allowed.”
The council has launched a further, more focussed, consultation to gain a clearer understanding of these issues. The further consultation is seeking views from people with disabilities and their experiences of using Cheltenham licensed vehicles.
A further report will be brought to cabinet once the consultation is finished.