Berwick Borough Council Problem

Sorry if this is part of another thread somewhere else but this is quite a serious matter, it appears to me that the said Council are licensing people and vehicles to work anywhere in the Country, There is a legal challenge to this by Newcastle Council, but this will not be heard until next year and BBC are to be disolved by then anyway. Does anybody ko whow this can happen and how this could affect the lmitation policies of the Council.

As I could go to berwick and licence my hackney and then drive home and operate in Sheffield according to them, who would test the meter, would i have to charge Berwick fares in Sheffield.

I cant see how this works but by all accounts it is hapening and causing some problems for the surrounding areas, they have even openly admitted making a profit from Licensing this year and having a surpluss for the Council. THIS IS ILLEGAL can anyone challenge them.

The Taxi trade never fails to surpise me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Taxi war goes to high court

Oct 6 2007 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

A TAXI war between two North-East councils is heading for the High Court.

Newcastle and Berwick councils are due to go before judges in December as they seek a ruling over where taxi drivers from the Northumberland town can operate.

The authorities on Tyneside want the courts to force Berwick Council to impose stricter regulations on taxi drivers, after a long row over cabbies getting a licence in Berwick but then operating in Newcastle where there is more trade.

Newcastle City Council says it has been forced to take the legal action to stop drivers using Berwick licences to get round Newcastle’s stricter regulations.

They insist that as they have no power to inspect Berwick licensed taxis, the cars are putting customers at risk.

Drivers who run a Newcastle licensed taxi have to meet much stricter criteria, including a knowledge test of the local area, as well as regular car safety checks. Hackney carriage licences cost £318 and private-hire licences £315, with vehicle test costs on top.

But drivers can obtain a hackney carriage or private-hire licence in Berwick for around £125, plus a £57.15 test fee for the vehicle.

Coun Anita Lower, Newcastle’s executive member for regulation, said the council needed a level of control over the city’s taxi drivers.

She said: “People have no security if they get into one of these cars; we as a council cannot force them to follow the same safety criteria we ask our own drivers to follow. Even if they are overcharged, we cannot intervene.

“We are seeking this judicial review to protect people getting into a taxi in Newcastle. “Part of the law on taxi licensing forces the council to take responsibility for their cars.

“Now we have heard of cars as far away as Wales getting a Berwick licence, and there is no chance of finding a Berwick inspector here in Newcastle.”

A spokesman for Newcastle Hackney Drivers Association said the city’s 780 cab drivers were losing out.

He said: “Taxi drivers can turn up with a Berwick plate and get work for certain cab firms and then just act unregulated throughout the city. So they just pick up people wherever and call the job in so if they are stopped, which is unlikely, they just say it was a booked fare.

“But the inspectors in Newcastle can only check taxis with a Newcastle plate, and these Berwick guys can just do as they want.”

Berwick Council says it cannot refuse an application simply because people may then use the licences outside the borough.

A spokeswoman for the council said: “Because we are in judicial proceedings we cannot comment at the moment.”

Taxi protesters head to court
Mar 8 2008 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

TAXI drivers in a Northumberland town have backed a protest by city counterparts against their local licensing authority and are vowing to do so in court.

Berwick Borough Council has come under fire for handing out licences to taxi drivers from across the region cheaper than other authorities and without making them sit a knowledge test.

Earlier this week, drivers from Newcastle descended on Berwick to protest outside the council’s offices, having witnessed an increase in borough council licensed vehicles operating in the city.

Now drivers in Berwick have come out in support of their Newcastle counterparts.

The 30-member group is vowing to take part in a judicial review brought by Newcastle City Council against the borough. It has raised the funds to hire a barrister to make its case with the support of the National Private Hire Association, of which it is a member.

And the Berwick association claims the borough council’s approach to licensing could also threaten town drivers’ livelihoods. It fears those given plates by the borough could decide to operate in Berwick, at a time when there is not enough business to go around.

Association secretary George Richardson, 46, of Dock Road, Tweedmouth, has been owner of Fifes Taxis for 20 years. When he began, he claims there were 19 drivers licensed by Berwick council. Now he says there are 476, of whom 60 are working in Berwick.

Yesterday, Mr Richardson said: “We understand why the Newcastle hackney drivers are so hacked off about it. We fully support them in their protest against Berwick Borough Council. We are as upset at these licences being issued to Newcastle operators as they are. These licences could come back to Berwick and be used here, and there is nothing we can do about it.”

A council spokesperson said: “Berwick Borough Taxi Association and individual members of the trade working within the borough raised this issue 16 months ago.

“During this time there has been no such influx of taxis, although it is believed that, on only a few occasions, one or two taxis have worked from the town’s taxi ranks.

“We remain of the opinion that the council correctly interprets the law in connection with the licensing of Hackney Carriages and that we have no discretion to refuse to licence a person or a vehicle because they may operate outside of the borough.

“The High Court decision on February 5 to grant permission to Newcastle City Council to apply for Judicial Review provides the opportunity for this issue to be clarified.”

Good find Vulcan and an interesting post indeed. In my experience reading up on various related forums, a licensed Hackney can work almost anywhere in the country as a PH, and of course as the article says they pick up anywhere and just blow the jobs in to claim they were prebooked.
Just replace the town name with Dronfield and we have our own problem here and maybe lads in STTA could organise a protest at the North East Derbyshire District Council offices at Chesterfield? or better still take them to court?

The point you Vulcan is wheather the council can be challenged is a valid one. The council is allowed to charge enough to cover their costs they are not however allowed to make a profit from this as clearly in Berwick they have been doing. Their is a reluctance of course to ask for figures of expenditure and being able to get them may be more cumbersome than the ability of most taxi drivers. The trade organisation should be able to get the info under the freedom of information act. Then a smple calculation should tell them if the council was actually working within the law or not.
Vulcan, can we not challenge the Drinfield problem the same way, are there any parallels do you think?

oi!!! back off, I suggested that first

Good to see you on line too, so we do agree on some things

That is a big increas from 19 to now them having 476 and we thought Sheffield had problems.

This is exactly why we need to have representation from STTA on here to discuss issues rather than hide away complaining behind our backs.

please let's not go down that road you know what was discussed so lay off it thank you.

OK SIR :LOL:
Whilst you are here, have you noticed the new user who joined called himself simply "taxidriver" I wish i'd thought of that.
Late now dear nite nite

yes,....errr dear?
goodnite

From TDO

Newcastle taxi drivers return for second mass protest

NEWCASTLE taxi drivers descended on Berwick Borough Council's offices for a mass protest this afternoon.

The 25-strong group, all members of the Newcastle Hackney Carriage Association, had a heated face to face discussion with the council's licensing officer David Wilson.

The taxi drivers claim their livelihoods are being threatened by a flood of Berwick-registered drivers plying their trade in the city.

The number of hackney carriage licenses issued by Berwick Borough Council has increased from 46 to nearly 500 in less than two years.

It was their second visit this month and they have promised to return in greater numbers, bringing disruption to the town centre, if their protests are ignored.

Berwick Borough Council, which is being taken to the High Court by Newcastle City Council over its policy, maintains it is doing nothing illegal by issuing reduced price licences.

Just a reply on the dronfield matter, i believe it is slightly different (but iam not an expert) just reading this as is ALL Councils cannot refuse an application and I know Sheffield City Council has issued licenses to people living in other towns, take Rotherham for instance, so NEDDC are not doing anything wrong in that, what is the diffference is that all NORMAL Councils issue licenses to be used in their controlled district as the law calls it, and Other Authorities respect each others districts and prosecute drivers from other areas who brake the law in their District. What Berwick are doing and saying is that they issue a licence to any person the find fit to operate anywhere in the Country, as teh law in relation to the issuing of a licence does not say where they use it. But it would make a farce of any of the other legislation 1847, 1976 Acts etc if that were the case. SO it will be good to see the outcome of the Crown Court Case.

Admin, as you said that Hackneys can work anywhere then if it's too many cabs here why don't any of you lads go work in Manchester or Leeds?
Is this the Christmas sales on taxi licenses that's not finished yet ?

Do dronfield have a limit on hackney plates? hmmmm

sheffph wrote:Do dronfield have a limit on hackney plates? hmmmm

I don't believe they do but that will mean war if you mean what I think you mean?