I'm a Blackpool cabbie - sign my petition or soon there won't be a taxi service as we know it

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A Blackpool taxi driver has launched a petition calling on the Government to stop taxis coming in from out of the area.

Neil Charnock has more than 23 years experience as a taxi driver, and in that time has clocked up more than a million miles.

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But he says the trade has been badly damaged since the deregulation of cross border hiring in 2015, which means that private hire drivers can travel into any town and ply their trade. He says this has been exacerbated by the rise of Uber, which doesn’t have a licence to operate in Blackpool. Instead, Mr Charnock said drivers register with Wolverhampton Council, which operates an online scheme.

Neil said: “At Lytham Festival recently there were 300 Ubers lined up, and that’s surely got to affect the Lytham people making a living? On a Friday night on the M55, you can see them all coming into Blackpool in convoy, and some of them have travelled a long way.

“I’m open to competition, but you don’t steal work from your neighbour. I live in Poulton and I can’t pick up there because I have a Blackpool badge. It’s a gentlemen’s agreement.”

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His petition, which has been signed by more than 500 people, calls on Wolverhampton Council to limit licences. He said: “If your license is from Wolverhampton, then that should be  your work area. The local council should limit the licences issued. Then there would be some control. Communities are being ripped apart financially by all this flocking and pillaging of work at busy periods.”

He claims that up to 3,000 local jobs could be at risk by the practices, and warns “if it carries on, there won’t be a taxi service like you know it. There will be a catastophic effect on the economy of the town.”

He also suggests that Wolverhampton Council do not have the resources to carry out checks on the roadworthiness of the vehicles in other parts of the country, driving standards, and that local garages, car washes, valeters and fuel stations are missing out on trade, as well as Blackpool Council’s licencing department.

Taxi tradeTaxi trade
Taxi trade

What does Wolverhampton Council say?

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A spokesperson for City of Wolverhampton Council said: “While City of Wolverhampton Council has never actively encouraged applications from drivers outside the city, existing legislation requires that if an application is submitted and requirements are met, then the application must be granted. There is no lawful basis to refuse an application from someone who lives somewhere else in the country.

“Applicants have always been able to apply to any licensing authority for taxi licences and the council may not refuse an applicant simply because they live in a different area. It is illegal for licensing authorities to impose a limit on the number of private hire licences it issues. 

“The council does not gain financially, as the fees for taxi licensing are legally ringfenced for spend only on related activities. Where our income generates a surplus, due to economies of scale, we must return the money to the trade by reducing our fees.

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“Applicants are usually local to the area they drive in, the vast majority of drivers licensed by Wolverhampton live outside the city. But many have chosen to be licensed in Wolverhampton due to our efficient, yet rigorous, licensing process. “Our early adoption of digital technology has allowed us to offer a simple and efficient online application procedure, with the requirement that drivers attend in person for training and strict assessment before an application can be processed.   

“Public safety is of paramount importance to us. Partnership working with our Licensing colleagues and other agencies shows our commitment to upholding our responsibilities; we expect drivers and vehicles licensed by us to always maintain the highest standards. This is irrespective of the administrative boundary within which they are operating at any particular time.

Enforcement in Blackpool

“Drivers are regulated by Wolverhampton and can legally work anywhere in the country. We take enforcement responsibilities seriously and our officers are out across the country, every Friday and Saturday night, working to protect the public. We have undertaken nine compliance operations in Blackpool so far this year, including joint operations with Blackpool Council compliance officers. We are currently engaging with Blackpool Council on a joint- authorisation agreement which would allow their officers to inspect Wolverhampton-licensed vehicles.

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“Anyone with evidence of any issues they have experienced with a driver can contact us: https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/licences/taxi-licences/taxi-complaints.”

Uber has been contacted for comment. The company has told Blackpool South MP they are “open” to discussions about blocking drivers from picking up in local taxi ranks.

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