No need to increase resort taxi numbers

Members of Blackpool Council’s public protection committee are being advised to accept the contents of a report which says the current policy should continue.

At the moment the council limits the number of cabs which operate in the resort to 256 motorised vehicles and 44 landaus.

But at least every three years the council must carry out a Taxi Unmet Demand Survey in order to meet the requirements of the Department of Transport.

It must also justify the policy of restricting the number of operators and monitor taxi provision in general.

Traffic consultants CTS carried out a survey last October to determine whether or not there was a need to increase the number of taxis available.

It found levels of usage had dropped since its last survey, with passengers only having a very short wait when they wanted a cab.

A report to councillors says: “The sub-committee are recommended to accept the content of the report and determine that the current policy of limiting the number of vehicles to 256 motorised and 44 horse drawn hackney carriages should continue.”

It adds: “The conclusion of the survey is that there is no significant unmet demand and the policy of limiting vehicles to 256 motorised and 44 horse-drawn should continue.”

The survey also found there was high use of Hackney carriages by people in wheelchairs observed at all ranks in the town, but not at the train station.

The findings of the survey and the recommendations will be considered by members of the sub-committee when they meet on Tuesday at 6pm at Blackpool Town 
Hall.