Anyone who has struggled to get a taxi in Durham City or anywhere else in the County should read this.

The County are consulting on a way forward for taxi policy in the County.

As long ago as 2007 I called on the old City Council to deal with the problem of a lack of taxis and the confusion which allows a taxi fron Chester le Street to drop someone off at Durham City train station but not pick someone up.

I cannot begin to  understand what a foreign tourist visiting our great City must think when told that a taxi can’t pick them up because they are not allowed to due to being from Easington or Bishop Auckland. The sooner we have a more joined up strategy across this county the better.

There are times when the City centre has resembled the wild west of a weekend, and having to draft in taxi queue “monitors” as well as the extra pressures on the police have made the current system a joke and a waste of money. The queues simply promote anti-social behaviour and extend the time the police need to deal with issues, reducing their availability in our villages. I hope we get full deregulation and would urge residents to make their views known, otherwise, the next time you are looking for a taxi in Durham on a Friday or Saturday night, you will still struggle.

Indeed between 7.30 am and 8.30 am during the week, trying to get a taxi is also impossible as they are all doing the school run. These changes are long overdue.

Here are the consultation details:

Have Your Say on Taxi Services

 

The future shape of taxi services across County Durham is in the spotlight, as part of a consultation process beginning today. (August, 1 2010)

 

Residents, members of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire trade and other interested parties are being encouraged to comment on options which include whether the current zoning and limitations on the numbers of vehicles should stay, and also whether a new vehicle colour policy should be adopted.

 

The council is the licensing authority and the current consultation follows in depth research on the subject. This included establishing working groups, made up of trade professionals, the police and other partners. It also took into account best practice gathered from other unitary authorities launched at the same time as Durham.

 

All of this information-gathering has culminated in five options which now form the basis for the current consultation: –

 

• Removal of the seven zones (inherited from the seven district councils in place prior to April 1 2010) with the simultaneous removal of all limits on hackney carriage numbers throughout County Durham
• Retain the status quo, with seven zones, two of which are number regulated (Chester-le-Street and Durham City)
• Maintain the zones with no limitations on numbers of hackney carriages

 

• Maintain the zones and undertake further demand surveys in all zones

 

• Removal of the seven zones with the simultaneous removal of all limitations on hackney carriage numbers in the Chester-le-Street and Durham City zones; and then to undertake a demand survey for the whole of the County of Durham

 

Continues…..

 

 

 

The possible advantages and disadvantages of these options form part of the consultation document which is available to view online, along with the survey, under the ‘Have Your Say’ section of the council’s website www.durham.gov.uk

 

Head of environment, health and consumer protection, Joanne Waller said:” I would encourage anyone who regularly uses taxis or private hire vehicles in the county to make sure they have their say during this consultation process.

 

“These are complex and sensitive issues and this is an important opportunity for everyone to help shape the way this service is operated in the future.

 

“The information gathered through this process will play a key role in the drawing up of a final report which will be drafted later this year.”

 

The consultation runs until September 12.

 

In addition to giving feedback on these options, the public can also comment on amendments to the council’s 2009 Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy. Changes have been made to this policy to clarify certain elements, mainly related to safety. These include additional driver checks and the inclusion of a complaints process.

 

Hard copies of the survey and briefing note on the issues of zoning, quantity regulation and colour are available from Helen Johnson, licensing team leader by emailing: licensing@durham.gov.uk or telephoning 0191 387 2202.  The online survey is available at www.durham.gov.uk/taxi/taxiconsultation

 

Comments regarding the amendments to Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy should be sent to: Helen Johnson at licensing@durham.gov.uk or via post to: Helen  Johnson, Licensing Section, Environment, Health & Consumer Protection, Council Offices, Newcastle Road, Chester-le-Street, DH3 3UT