Why do private cabs need a rank?

May 16 2008 by Miranda Newey, Chester Chronicle

WITH reference to letters on May 2 regarding Hackney Cabs.

The private hire cars do not perform the same job as a black cab, as the only legal purpose of a private hire car is to respond to telephone or office bookings. For private hire cars to rank up is illegal and so is hiring off the street. Therefore why should they have any need for the ranks?

While we know that some passengers will enter a private hire car without advance booking, the vehicle is not insured for that purpose.

Black cabs have public-hire insurance for hiring off the street and are therefore the only fully insured taxis.

The bus lanes and ranks are provided by Cheshire Highways, not Chester City Council, because Hackney cabs are part of the public transport structure whereas private hire cars are ‘private hire’. Why should they be considered as part of the public transport structure?

Public transport vehicles have to comply with the disability acts, but private hire vehicles are exempt.

De-limiting black cab numbers without any controls will benefit no one. It will also have a profound effect on private hire, with the potential of every street, pub and club with black cabs outside.

It is true that a Hackney vehicle and plate has always had a monetary value. This is due to the fact that a Hackney Cab is a self-contained business, whereas with private hire vehicles the private hire company is the business.

There has never been such a thing as a ‘free plate’. Any ‘new issue’ plate has always been attached to a new vehicle, requiring a minimum investment of between £20,000-£30,000.

For some years we have not been against an increase in the numbers of black cabs, and in fact collectively agreed with Chester City Council for an annual increase in numbers.

More recently, to comply with new laws Chester council has carried out an independent survey paid for by the Hackney owners (£18,000).

This was to establish any unmet demand without flooding the city. The survey recommendations were met and were due to go to survey again this year, with an agreement on our part to honour any conclusions of that survey. This sum of £20,000 has been paid for by the Hackney owners.

We are asking for the survey we have paid for, and have an independent body, without any vested interests, evaluate the required number of Hackney cabs adequate for the city.

HACKNEY CAB OWNER

Name and address supplied