Public Document Pack MEETING: HACKNEY CARRIAGE TRADE WORKING GROUP DATE: Tuesday 25th September, 2012 TIME: 9.30 am VENUE: Town Hall, Bootle Hackney Trade Associations Member Substitute North West Taxi Association Joseph Bridson Trevor Jones North Sefton Hackney Carriage Association George Halsall John Hannah South Sefton Hackney Carriage Association Richard Jarman Jim Blakemore Unite The Union Thomas McIntyre Southport Station Taxi Association John Murrison Eddie Davies North Sefton Hackney Night Drivers’ Association Bill Richey Guy Wilkinson Advisory Members Ability Network Paula Hodson Merseyside Police Insp Jason Lane A/Insp Chris Barnes Sefton Council Officers Principal Trading Standards Officer – Chair Mark Toohey Senior Taxi Licensing Enforcement Officer Mike Foulkes Taxi Licensing Enforcement Officer Luke McCormick COMMITTEE OFFICER: Ruth Appleby Telephone: 0151 934 2181 Fax: 0151 934 2034 E-mail: [email protected] If you have any special needs that may require arrangements to facilitate your attendance at this meeting, please contact the Committee Officer named above, who will endeavour to assist. 1 This page is intentionally left blank. 2 A G E N D A Item Subject/Author(s) No. 1. Apologies for Absence 2. Minutes (Pages 5 - 8) Minutes of the meeting held on 20 March 2012 3. Matters Arising Chair to update on matters arising 4. Unmet Demand Survey (Pages 9 - 14) Report of the Director of Built Environment (considered by the Licensing and Regulatory (L&R) Committee on 24 September 2012) Chair to update on L&R Resolution 5. Change of Conditions - Roof Lights and Internal (Pages 15 - 22) Plates Report of the Director of Built Environment (considered by the Licensing and Regulatory (L&R) Committee on 30 July 2012) Chair to update on L&R Resolution 6. Hackney Licence Plates 1. Item submitted by Richard Jarman “A “plate” has recently been re-issued. The overwhelming feeling of licence holders is that there was (wrongly) no notification that this may take place. Everyone should have had an equal opportunity. In the event that such were to take place licence holders who had not been issued with a licence or purchased a licenced vehicle should have been placed on an equal footing with those who had written to request a licence. SMBC policy should reflect the concern its licence holders”. 2. Chair to update on current policy concerning issue of Hackney Licence Plates. Views of the Trade Representatives requested. 3 3. Trade representatives views sought on a fair system for the issue of additional plates 7. Any Other Business In accordance with Minute No. 37 (iii) of the meeting of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee of 24 February 2003, other business may only be considered if agreed by the Chair and a majority of the trade and if it is of an urgent nature. i.e. requires consideration prior to the next scheduled meeting of the Hackney Carriage Trade Working Group. 4 Agenda Item 2 HACKNEY CARRIAGE TRADE WORKING GROUP MEETING HELD AT THE TOWN HALL, BOOTLE ON TUESDAY 20TH MARCH, 2012 PRESENT: Representing the North Sefton Hackney Carriage Association Mr. Jon Baguley Representing the South Sefton Hackney Carriage Drivers Association Mr. Richard Jarman Representing the North West Taxi Association Mr. Joseph Bridson Mr. Trevor Jones (Substitute) Representing North Sefton Hackney Night Drivers Association Mr. Guy Wilkinson Advisory Members: Ms Paula Hodson (Ability Network) Inspector Jason Lane (Merseyside Police) Sergeant Barry Scraggs (Merseyside Police) Officers: Mr. Mark Toohey, Principal Trading Standards Officer (in the Chair) Mr. John Thompson, Senior Taxi Licensing Officer (Shift Supervisor) Mr. Mike Foulkes, Senior Taxi Licensing Officer (Shift Supervisor) Ms. Ruth Appleby, Committee Administrator, Corporate Commissioning Directorate 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Mr George Halsall and Mr. John Hannah. The Committee Administrator indicated that Mr Halsall would be unable to attend meetings for the foreseeable future whilst he was recuperating from an illness. The Chair welcomed Mr Jon Baguley, who would be attending instead of Mr Halsall during this time. The Chair also welcomed Inspector Jason Lane, who had replaced Inspector Chris Dillon as the Merseyside Police Representative, and Sergeant Barry Scraggs, who was to be his substitute. 2. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 6 DECEMBER 2012 RESOLVED: Page1 5 Agenda Item 2 HACKNEY CARRIAGE TRADE WORKING GROUP- TUESDAY 20TH MARCH, 2012 That the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 December 2012 be confirmed as a correct record. 3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES There were no matters arising that were not otherwise included on the agenda. 4. S143 TRAFFIC ACT AND INSURANCE RELATED PROSECUTIONS Mr. John Thompson provided an update on insurance issues and appeal cases in respect of drivers caught plying for hire outside their area. Trade Representatives were concerned that some drivers caught plying for hire outside their area (e.g. Liverpool Hackney drivers in Sefton and vice versa) had not only been charged for illegally plying for hire, but also for lack of insurance, because their insurance policy did not cover them for travel outside their Council’s boundary. Mr. Thompson indicated that it would depend on the exact wording of the policy as had previously been the case with private hire drivers who illegally plied for hire. If the policy or certificate wording excluded a use unless licensed to do that act then the no insurance charge applied. If an insurance policy simply stated public hire use without reference to a license then that vehicle would be covered. Trade Representatives were concerned that some drivers were unaware that their policies did not cover them for public hire. Mr. Jarman requested that if general discrepancies were found within policies then this information be brought to the attention of the Association of British Insurers. RESOLVED: That (1) Mr. Jarman and Mr. Toohey discuss the matter further via email; and (2) the Trading Standards and Licensing Manager be requested to take this up as an issue with the Head of Corporate Legal Services. 5. THE GRAND NATIONAL WEEKEND Mr. Thompson provided an update on hackney carriage rank arrangements for the Grand National Weekend. He indicated that broadly speaking last year’s arrangements for Sefton would apply, but that the road closures would almost certainly be on all three days. Page2 6 Agenda Item 2 HACKNEY CARRIAGE TRADE WORKING GROUP- TUESDAY 20TH MARCH, 2012 Mr. Jarman commended the Police and Council on last year’s arrangements. Mr. Jarman expressed concern about the potential for non Sefton hackney carriage cabs ranking on the south east side of the Park Lane Bridge. Mr. Thompson said that the Warbreck Moor access would be part of the closure so this could only occur later once the roads re-opened. Mr. Wilkinson was concerned that enforcement officers / race officials / police would not recognise the non-metropolitan hackney carriage vehicles. Mr. Thompson indicated that TLU would arrange for traffic management officials/ SEP and G4S staff to be told how to recognise saloon hackneys and stated that this was always a priority for the TLU staff. Traffic management personnel usually manned the same point on all three days so Thursday should remove that concern. RESOLVED: That the arrangements for the Grand National indicated above be noted. 6. CHANGE OF CONDITIONS - ROOF SIGNS AND INTERNAL LIGHTS/PLATES Mr. Toohey provided an update on the proposed changes to conditions in respect of roof signs and internal lights and plates. He indicated that the proposals would need to be consulted on with all hackney proprietors before a condition change could occur. RESOLVED: That the Chair send a letter to all hackney carriage license holders consulting on the proposed changes to conditions in respect of roof signs and internal lights and plates. 7. PROVISION OF HACKNEY RANKS Mr Guy Wilkinson raised concern regarding the proposed removal of hackney carriage ranks in favour of pay and display parking bays, in particular the ‘troc rank’ near the British Heart Foundation shop leading onto Lord Street. The Chair indicated that Hackney Carriage Ranks in Southport was on the agenda of the next Southport Area Committee to be held on 28 March 2012. Page3 7 Agenda Item 2 HACKNEY CARRIAGE TRADE WORKING GROUP- TUESDAY 20TH MARCH, 2012 Mr Joe Bridson asked whether a rank was to be provided on South Road, Waterloo, near the new Wetherspoons public house. The Chair indicated that he would contact Mr Steve Johnson, the Traffic Services Team Manager, and feed back on this matter to the hackney carriage trade representatives. Arising from discussion, Mr Jarman also expressed concern that having previously been given permission by Merseytravel to rank on the South Road Bus terminal once the buses had stopped running, following discussions with the local community, police officers had recently stopped hackney cabs from using the bus terminus as a taxi rank and Mr Jarman wondered why the taxi trade had not been invited to participate in the community discussions. Sergeant Scraggs indicated that he would contact Constable Carl McNulty, from the Crosby Neighbourhood Police Team, to find out where the communication to prevent hackney cabs ranking at the bus terminus had come from and feed this back to Mr Jarman. RESOLVED: That (1) the resolution of Southport Area Committee regarding hackney carriage ranks be reported to the next meeting; (2) the Chair be requested to liaise with Mr Steve Johnston, Traffic Services Team Leader, regarding the provision of a hackney rank near the new Wetherspoons public house in South Road, Waterloo; and (3) Sergeant Barry Scraggs to liaise with Constable Carl McNulty, Crosby Neighbourhood Police, regarding hackney cabs using the ranks on the South Road bus terminus once buses stop running. 8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS RESOLVED: That in accordance with Minute No. 37 (iii) of the meeting of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee held on 24 February 2003, there was no further business for consideration by the Working Group.