Last updated: 31-10-2024. From web page: Noticeboard.

Taxi and Private Hire Trade Forum - 26 September 2024

Trade Consultation with Southampton City Council Licensing

09:30 to 11:30 Thursday 26 September 2024, Conference Room 4, Civic Centre, Southampton

Chair is Cllr Matthew Bunday

The purpose of this forum is defined as:

A two-way exchange of information, dialogue and discussion
To hear views, comments and concerns of the trade
To receive information, comments, and concerns of the Licensing Team, Members and the Council as a whole.
Not a decision making forum
Where matters of a particular concern and where appropriate, matters raised can be referred to the Licensing Committee where a formal decision can be made.

It should be borne in mind that consultation does not necessarily mean agreement with and that consultation meetings cannot be decision making meetings.

Cllr Bunday has also invited the following people to attend:

Ian LOYNES – Spectrum
Josh UZZELL - SCC Highways Project Lead - EV Infrastructure

Agenda

Introductions/Apologies - Chair
Notes from Previous Meeting - Chair
Taxi Only Charging Points - SCC Highways
- Josh Uzzell from SCC Highways gave a short presentation on the current usage of the two taxi only chargers. Because of the low usage he proposed to make them public. He proposed that this decision was reviewed in 4 years time. The trade agreed that usage was low but wanted a review in 2 years which was agreed to. Action – Taxi only chargers to become public, review this in two years
Summary since last meeting - Licensing
- Staff Changes – Russell advised the group that a new Licensing Officer had just started. Ruben has joined us from SCC business support.
- Survey by our apprentice – Russell advised that our young apprentice Jess will be sending out a survey for the trade reps to circulate. The survey will be on the driver licensing process and Licensing will have regard of the results to assist with improvements. Can trade groups assist with sending this around their groups for completion?
Taxi Camera failures
- Following a meeting with taxi camera suppliers and fitters it has been discovered that the recent spike in taxi camera failures have been mostly caused by SD card failures. It seems that SD cards have a limited life. Licensing are looking at options to deal with this. It is too time consuming for Licensing Staff to change SD cards themselves or to get Adams Morey to do it. Current thoughts is to require vehicles to have a camera check by ensuring that no vehicle has a camera certificate issued more than say four years ago at point of renewal. A further meeting with camera fitters is required before we can consult on updating policy. The trade asked if policy could change to allow them to fit screens into the vehicle that shows footage from the camera, therefore indicating that it is operating correctly. Licensing pointed out that this would not indicate an SD card fault as the camera system tends not to recognise the issue. We are reluctant to place a further burden on drivers however, if drivers wish to fit such a screen, there would be no objections. Licensing will let camera fitters know that drivers can have this as an option
Vehicle Age Limits
- Increasing age limits was bought up again. Cllr Bunday indicated that there position has not changed on this and saw no reason why this should be reviewed at this time.
Dock Permit and Disabled Access - The licensing department sells the hackney carriage trade dock permits, with conditions laid down by ABP. However, the council, as the seller, has a duty of care toward us. The issue of disabled access, which Adrian Bridger is seeking clarification on, should be your department’s responsibility to address - SHPHA
- Russell stated that SCC acts as an agent for ABP, therefore has no duty of care on behalf of ABP. However, we are aware of the issue that has been raised and we sought to ensure that a representative of ABP was present at a recent site visit with a Councillor and a Trade Rep
Card Payment Technology Issues - Card payment technology can be unreliable, particularly outside Southampton where SIM card coverage is poor. This is a significant concern for drivers and passengers alike - shpha
- Condition requires there to be a working card machine at the time the vehicle is available for hire. Licensing understand that equipment can fail and there can be dead spots. This has so far caused no notable issues
Restart meetings with Highways - SHPHA
- Noted. Enquiries will be made to see if this is possible.
Home school travel services pricing and competition/bidding - STA
- STA pointed out that members often have to turn down more lucrative jobs in order to complete their school run. SCC spends millions on home to school transport every term. It is doing everything in its power to get best value and reduce this cost. Part of this is a new tendering process. Also, a school run is guaranteed term time income. If drivers want more lucrative work, then they should not accept the contract of the school run.
Wolverhampton plated PH’s, with no signage, causing confusion in bus, taxi only
areas - UNITE
- Sadly this is totally outside the control of the City Council and not a new problem.
Terminus terrace taxi rank expansion - SHO
- SCC have no provision to change this area at present.
Southampton Central station south side. - GMB
- Licensing have no updates and have not heard any news regarding an changes.
Toilet/Washroom access for transport workers - GMB
- Ali raised the problem of inadequate facilities for drivers, particularly at night. Phil Bates had tried to persuade Licensed Premises to allow drivers to use their toilets but this was not successful. There are no plans to provide any additional facilities at this time.

The following with be answered after the meeting by written response

Return of Private Hire Door Sign Names - We would like to discuss the return of company names on private hire vehicle door sign stickers - SHPHA
- Although the case remains that this might have some limited advantages, I am conscious that our decision to change our door policy was only recently made. The decision to change the policy was also made after a considerable amount of discussion and research, so I do not believe it would be a good use of anyone’s time to revisit this policy so soon afterwards. It would also dilute the importance of the policy process if we allowed it to be changed so regularly. We will review in a few years in-line with usual policy renewal timeframes.
Due to Winchester and Bournemouth Councils now adopting white as corporate colour for Hackneys. Is now time for Southampton to change to black vehicles, also taking into account, large numbers of Eastleigh and New Forest Hackneys
and PH’s, also flooding Southampton, with white vehicles. Vehicles to be known as Southampton Black Cabs - UNITE
- This question has been asked on numerous occasions before and I do not believe that the situation has changed at all, so do not propose that it comes up at any forums in the meantime. To recap; there is no current interest from the committee or Executive to instigate a discussion on policies relating to the change of colour of our Hackney’s. I understand that there is some argument that white cabs are cheaper, but the data does not conclusively support this and there is a concern that the price of any cars of the colour that the authority chooses (white, black, yellow, etc) would go up once market forces kick in. Southampton Hack’s are currently all clearly identifiable and have a sense of corporate professionalism about them, there is no immediate interest in discussing the changing of this.
Age extension of vehicles - SHO
- This was discussed via another format in the meeting and I don’t propose to revisit.
Clarification on Hackneys and PH's waiting time on single yellow lines, when School Patrol Enforcement is in area - UNITE
- Russell received the following from Transport: I have just re-read the query and there is no exemption for taxi drivers (not on a SCC commissioned school transport route) to enter a School Street with a pedestrian and cycle only zone restriction. Therefore, taxi drivers picking up residents and people from the school will have to pick them up/drop off outside of the closure area. Fortunately, our School Streets are short and pick up locations outside of the closure area are a short walk away. Shown below is the signage for this restriction.
- The only time taxi drivers may enter a School Street to transit through or pick up/drop off
  passengers is when there is a bus gate restriction in place. The 2 sites in Southampton
  with this restriction are on Violet Road (Cantell School) and Honeysuckle Road (Bassett
  Green Primary). However, I must stress that taxi drivers picking up/dropping off their
  children at the school using their taxi/PHV for non-work activities are not exempt from
  the restriction. Signage shown below for this restriction
- With regards to taxi/PHV drivers waiting on single yellow lines. I have received the following response from Parking Services: A No Waiting yellow line allows anybody the exemption of 2 minutes to drop off or collect a passenger from the adjacent kerb. So for taxis I would further extend this to for 'as long as it is reasonably necessary for a passenger to get in or out of the vehicle, including luggage etc. This would mean though that the same as any other road user that they may not wait before hand for any length of time for the passenger to arrive.

Trade Invitees

AE – Abdiwali ELMI - STA
MF – Matthew FRECKLETON - Uber
IH – Ian HALL - SHPHA
AH – Ali HAYDOR - GMB Union Rep
PM – Perry MCMILLAN - UNITE Union Rep
MP – Mayuri PANDYA - Bolt
GP – Gino PICCANINO - Elected Hackney Rep
JR - Jamilur RAHMAN - Elected Private Hire Trade Rep
AS – Ajmal SUDAN - SHO
AS – Anwar SUMRA - Elected Hackney Rep

SHO - Southampton Hackney Organisation
SHPHA - Southampton Hackney and Private Hire Association
STA - Southampton Taxi Association