Council limits number of taxis:South Tyneside

Source: Shields Gazette     05 March 2010 By Paul Myles-Kelly

TAXI drivers in South Tyneside are unlikely to have more competition as cabbies face up to a large drop in trade.

South Tyneside Council is likely to peg taxi numbers in the borough at 239 today after hearing that customer numbers have fallen significantly in the last decade.

A survey of more than 1,000 people in the borough has revealed a steady decline in recent years, with 51.5 per cent stating they use cabs “rarely or not at all”.

Ten years ago that figure was 33 per cent. As a result, cabbies say they are having to work longer hours for less money, members of the council’s Regulatory Committee will hear today.

The survey also confirms that there is “no unmet demand” for Hackney Carriages – taxis that can be flagged down in the street – in South Tyneside.

The committee is being advised to retain the current cap on borough Hackney Carriage licences at 239, and South Tyneside Hackney Association supports that move.

Michael Wilkinson, chairman of the association, said: “We have voted for the last three years not to take a pay rise.

“Our tariffs have been frozen because, if we put up fares, fewer passengers would use taxis.

“That would kill the trade even more. There has been a definite decline in the last few years. You notice it on a Friday and Saturday night in Shields. The pubs are a lot less busy.

“The lads who work in the day from the taxi rank outside McDonalds in South Shields have noticed a decline. The economic downturn has hit the trade.”

A report to the committee says: “The association has expressed concerns for some time now that the trade has seen a decline in customers, forcing drivers to work longer hours for less money.

“The survey provides the council with the appropriate evidence to justify the continued application of its policy to operate a capped licensing system.”

Taxi services came out well in a recent survey conducted by the National Highways and Transport Network.

In particular, borough drivers came near the top for helpfulness, high standards of service and reliability.

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