PAPER D LICENSING COMMITTEE DATE OF MEETING: 6 MAY 2014 TITLE OF REPORT: REVIEW OF HACKNEY CARRIAGE STANDS (TAXI RANKS) IN HART DISTRICT Report of: Principal Licensing Officer Cabinet member: Councillor John Kennett, Community Safety, Licensing and Environmental Health 1. PURPOSE OF REPORT 1.1 In 2013 Members requested a review of the Taxi Rank spaces throughout the District where hackney carriages can ply for hire. A comprehensive review has now been carried out. 2. OFFICER RECOMMENDATION 2.1 That the report be noted, and that the current hackney carriage stands(taxi ranks) are sufficient and meet the requirements of the taxi trade at this time be confirmed. 2.2 That a biennial review of the hackney carriage stands within the district be carried out. 3. BACKGROUND 3.1 Section 63(1) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions)Act 1976, states: that for the purposes of their functions under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, a District Council may from time to time appoint stands for hackney carriages for the whole or any part of a day in any highway so maintainable at the public expense and with consent of the owner, on any land in the district which does not form part of a highway so maintainable and may from time to time vary the number hackney carriages permitted to be at each stand. 3.2 There are 5 fulltime and 5 part time hackney carriage stands maintained by Hart District Council. The 5 fulltime stands provides spaces for 39 hackney carriages and the 5 part time stands provides spaces for 13 hackney carriages to ply for hire. 3.3 The 39 fulltime hackney carriage spaces are situated in Branksomewood Road (17), Church Street (4), Victoria Road (4), Upper Street (4), Gurka Square (4), in Fleet. There are a total of 6 hackney carriage spaces situated on either side of Blackwater Railway Station. 3.4 The 13 part time hackney carriage spaces are situated in the bus stops in Fleet Road and operate between the hours of 8:00pm and 7:00am.These were introduced in July 2013 in conjunction with Parking at Hart and Hampshire County Council. 1 PAPER D 3.5 There are taxi ranks at Fleet and Hook Railway Stations, these however are provided and maintained by South West Trains. South West Trains do charge a fee for a permit for hackney carriages to ply for hire from these locations. The vast majority of Fleet based hackney carriages do operate from Fleet Railway Station. 3.6 The taxi trade were consulted on the hackney carriage stands at the annual trade meeting in September 2013 and by email, and spaces which are currently provided by Hart District Council, the trade were content with the spaces provided at this time. 3.7 Hartley Wintney and Odiham Parish Council’s were consulted in July 2013 and again in February 2014 by the Parish clerks who consulted with their Councillors on whether there was a need for hackney carriage stands in their area. Both Councils agreed that there was not a demand for stands in their High Streets at this time due to other transport arrangements in their area.Licensing and Hartley Wintney Parish Council did however identify 2 spaces in the High Street suitable hackney carriage stands should the need arise in the future. 3.8 Hartley Wintney Parish Council does provide a community bus service which runs daily from Hartley Wintney to the Meadows shopping centre in Camberley. This bus also takes in areas of Yateley, Frogmore and Eversley. This bus service is proving very popular since Hampshire County Council withdrew some funding for the local buses along the A30.The community bus can now accept bus passes issued to the over 65’s as a result of the withdrawal of funding for local buses. 3.9 Hook Parish Council in association with Hampshire County Council have, since 17 February 2014 commenced a local taxi bus service within a 4 mile loop at peak times to Hook Railway Station due the cancellation of a bus service. 4 CONSIDERATIONS 4.1 The Hackney Carriage stands currently in place in Hart may change from time to time due to changes involving road closures and other diversions within the district. Some of the changes may be of a permanent nature. Licensing will report to members of the Committee of any changes which are permanent or of a long term temporary period. This will be necessary where temporary stands are requested which would require approval form the Licensing Committee. 5. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 5.1 None 6. ACTION 6.1 Should members agree with the recommendation of a review of the hackney carriage stands every two years,then such a review will be carried out. The review will then be placed in the Licensing Committee calendar to ensure that members are kept informed of any requests or changes to the hackney carriage stands within Hart District. Contact: David King, Principal Licensing Officer, extension 4721, [email protected] 2 .