“If it’s not Portsmouth, don’t get in it” as fears grow over Wolverhampton taxis
Councillors have raised fears over “out of control” Wolverhampton plated taxis operating in Portsmouth, with one senior member advising residents that “if it’s not Portsmouth, don’t get in it.”
During today’s licensing committee, members discussed public feedback on the way Portsmouth City Council licenses hackney carriages, taxis that can be hailed from the street, and private hire vehicles such as those operated by Uber or Veezu.
One concern raised in the consultation was the presence of taxis licensed by The City of Wolverhampton Council, which is known for its cheaper, quicker application process and does not require interior CCTV in vehicles, unlike those licensed in Portsmouth.
It was reported in July last year that a driver from a Wolverhampton plated vehicle allegedly made sexual advances to a woman on her way home from visiting family in hospital.
Councillor Lee Hunt, cabinet lead for community safety, said that the out of town taxis are “out of control” as far as the council is concerned.
Councillor Abdul Kadir asked if there was any way the council could charge Wolverhampton taxis “because they’re taking jobs from our taxi drivers and we’re not protecting our taxi drivers enough”.
Officers reminded members that the council has no statutory authority to charge fees other than to drivers it has licensed.
Nickii Humphreys, the council’s licensing manager, said cross border licensing is a “national problem” emerging in line with new technologies for private hire vehicle operators.
She said the issue is being looked at by the government, including as a select committee consideration and a consultation which hopes to “move towards a modern, consistent and passenger-focused licensing framework that supports both public safety and the needs of the sector”
Councillor George Madgwick highlighted Baroness Casey’s review, which recommended robust safety standards for licensing authorities.
He asked licensing officers when a report looking into the distinctions between Wolverhampton and Portsmouth would be brought forward and whether the council could undertake an awareness campaign because “people in Wolverhampton taxis are simply not protected as much as Portsmouth taxis”.
Cllr Benedict Swann asked whether the council, either individually or as part of a group of councils, is lobbying Wolverhampton council as “there is a real safeguarding issue” and “we need to be putting the pressure on them as we have a moral imperative to look after our residents”.
The chair of the licensing committee, Cllr Emily Strudwick, said most of the councils she has spoken to through the Local Government Association are complaining about Wolverhampton’s licensing regime.
She stated that she has refused in the past to get into Wolverhampton plated taxis, advising residents that “if it’s not Portsmouth, don’t get in it.”
The council’s hackney carriage trade representative, Viv Young, suggested that topographical tests should be reintroduced, sharing his experience of a Wolverhampton licensed driver being “totally clueless as to where they’re going”, adding that their “driving standards are abysmal”.