Taxi Ranks and Traffic Schemes
Report of the Assistant Chief Executive Legal & Governance Services and the Head of Service Transport & Highways to the Strategic Resources and Performance Scrutiny and Policy Development Board 20/June/2005
Private Hire & Hackney Carriage Licensing
Taxi ranks and traffic systems
1.0 Purpose
1.1 To give consideration to the present arrangements for the provision of taxi ranks and traffic schemes that affect taxis and private hire vehicles.
2.0 Background
2.1 There are major changes occurring in the city centre and they will continue for a number of years. These changes are resulting in alterations to road layout which in turn will have a massive impact on transport services, including services provided by taxis and private hire vehicles.
2.2 A change in Council policy has resulted in the cessation of numerical barriers to entry into the taxi trade. There are currently 631 licensed hackney carriages and 930 licensed private hire vehicles (at 10/June/2005) in Sheffield.
2.3 The two factors set out above together with changes that normally occur with shifts in the popularity of certain areas have resulted the need for a complete review of taxi and private hire facilities, particularly in the city centre.
2.4 The Scrutiny Board has agreed to consider a number of the Councils policies and practices relating to hackney carriage and private hire vehicles and drivers and to submit any comments which it may have upon these matters to the appropriate Board for consideration. As procedural changes and facility reviews are in progress this exercise is primarily a consideration of proposed procedures.
2.5 There are 3 highways related matters that have a significant effect on the provision of taxi and private hire services and these are:-
taxi ranks (taxis only);
bus gates and bus lanes; and
the road layout of the city centre.
2.6 In order to assess the requirements of taxi and private hire services it is first of all necessary to understand how those services work and who uses them. Set out in section 3 of this report is information relating to taxi and private hire services.
3.0 Taxi and Private Hire Services
3.1 Taxis.
- Taxis (hackney carriage vehicles) are licensed by the Council but are owned and operated by individuals. Drivers of taxis are also licensed.
- Taxis can take customers from taxi ranks, that flag them down on the street (ie ply for hire) or, as is increasingly the case, that prebook them which makes them available by telephone and this is of particular importance to disabled people.
- Fares for taxis are set by the Council and are based on distance with a waiting time element. Inability to take the shortest route or being held up in traffic will both result in a higher fare being charged to the passenger.
- All taxis licensed by the Council are purpose built taxis (London Cab) with separate passenger compartment and facilities for the safe loading, carriage and unloading of wheelchair passengers. These facilities make taxis unique in terms of passenger facilities and security.
- The Council, through the Licensing Board, acknowledges the contribution that purpose built vehicles make and has, through changes to policy, encouraged the licensing of more taxis.
- Taxis take passengers from the pick-up point to their home or other desired destination.
- Historically, other than in relation to visitors to the city, taxis have tended to cater for the city centre “going home” trade. This encourages the use of public transport for the inward journey.
- The availability of taxis for homeward journeys increases the use of other forms of public transport.
3.2 Private Hire Vehicles (phv’s)
- All phv’s, drivers and operators must hold licences issued by the Council.
- A phv must be prebooked by the passenger through a private hire operator.
- Phv’s cannot work from taxi ranks. When not occupied they generally park in a specific part of the district waiting for the next booking to come through from the operator. In this way the larger operators will have vehicles waiting for jobs in most parts of the city.
- Fares for journeys in a phv are set by the operator (not the driver or the Council) and are based on distance travelled.
- Private hire vehicles take passengers from their chosen pick-up point to their home or other desired destination
- Private hire vehicles work in all parts of the city.
- A range of different types of vehicle are licensed, family size cars, minibuses and people carriers.
3.3 Factors common to both
- The Council does not control the times or the places at which they work.
- Taxi owners/drivers work to earn a living and in the process provide a public service. Where a reasonable income cannot be obtained then a service will not be provided. It is every owner/drivers intention to maximise income through fares and reduce expenditure where possible eg avoid unnecessary fuel consumption.
- All vehicles and their drivers are subject a strict vetting regime by the Council.
- They operate at all times of day and night including at those times and on those days (eg public holidays) that other forms of public transport are not available.
3.4 Who is likely to use taxi & private hire services
· Statistics show that although people from all backgrounds do use taxis it is those on lower incomes rather than the more affluent that are likely to use them most often.
· People with luggage or shopping.
· People going out and drinking who choose not to drink and drive.
· People with disabilities (either temporary or permanent).
· The elderly.
· Visitors to the city.
· Those going to destinations not easily accessible by other forms of public transport or where complex or difficult changes in public transport would be required.
· Lone women or others that want the level of personal safety provided by taxis.
· Those that are travelling at times of the day when other forms of public transport are not available.
· Those who have deadlines that must be met eg business meetings, hospital appointments, train to catch etc.
· For small groups of people where it is more convenient and often cheaper than using other forms of public transport.
· Those who simply prefer the convenience and comfort.
4.0 Taxi ranks
· Potential passengers want to be able to get a taxi at or close to the place that they have been visiting, shopping, staying etc. This means that ranks need to be provided at or close to the more popular locations.
Positioning of ranks is of crucial importance and must take account of “attractions” in the vicinity, road layout etc. Where customers to late night and some other types of attractions cannot easily access a taxi home then they will tend to use their own vehicle for both the inward and homeward journey instead of public transport for the inward and a taxi for the homeward.
· There are currently around 631 (10/June/2005) licensed taxis but not all of them work at the same times. Sufficient rank space at locations where there is potential custom is required as it is not financially viable for the driver to be driving around the city all day waiting for a fare and such a practice would result in higher levels of traffic congestion and impact on pollution.
· Ranks must be clearly marked and signed. They should be well lit and ideally covered by CCTV in order that those waiting are safe and feel safe.
· Action to prevent and/or penalise other motorists parking on ranks must be taken. Motorists parking on double yellow lines at night is also a problem as it prevents licensed vehicles temporarily stopping to pick up or set down passengers. These problems are likely to increase on busy nights due to parking enforcement not normally taking place after 8.00 pm.
· Selected ranks – the most popular ones – should have better facilities eg shelter, seating, raised kerb for easier access for wheelchair disabled passengers.
· At any time there will be taxis that are not working, that already have fares or are based at locations outside the city centre (eg shopping centres & supermarkets). There is no obligation or necessity to provide rank space to accommodate all taxis.
· It may be appropriate to consider the provision of taxi ranks at all significant public “attractions”, even those that are situated out of town (eg shopping or entertainment complexes).
5.0 Road systems.
· Taxis & phv’s need to be able to take a reasonably direct route out of the city centre in the direction of the destination as circuitous routes result in higher fares for the passenger, passengers demanding that the driver ignore traffic directional signs, accusations that drivers are deliberately taking a long route and these can put the driver at risk of abuse or even assault by passengers.
· Pick up and drop off points will be essential particularly where there is any intended narrowing of the streets. The alternative is that taxis and phv’s will stop to pick up passengers at the point that the passenger is waiting at and this could cause delays to other traffic. This is of greatest significance to wheelchair disabled passengers as safe locations to offload close to their intended destination are needed. Unloading a wheelchair passenger does take much more time than a usual drop-off and an inability to find a suitable drop off point can result in traffic problems.
· There are potential problems in allowing taxis and phv’s to turn where other vehicles are not permitted (eg right from Leopold Street onto High Street, going straight on from Charter Square through the Furnival Gate/Pinstone Street junction). Where there is no bus route through a particular junction and other traffic are excluded from taking that manoeuvre the problems will include traffic light sequencing
6.0 Bus gates and bus lanes
· For some years the Council has operated a policy of permitting taxis and private hire vehicles to use most bus gates and bus lanes in the City. There are only two gates not accessible. Changes to the Traffic Order to allow taxis through the gate on Cumberland St have been advertised. Restrictions on access through the Furnival Gate bus gate will be reviewed as part of the highway access improvements to the New Retail Quarter.
· In December 2004 City Centre and East Area Board agreed to advertise amendments to the existing city-wide Bus Priority Order (BPO) in order to change the definitions of vehicles permitted to travel in bus lanes and through bus gates. Essentially the term taxi has been redefined as follows:-
Taxi - “A hackney carriage or private hire vehicles with suitable side markings operating under licence issued by a local authority; or a vehicle with suitable side markings carrying a person on behalf of the National Health Service for medical reasons; or a vehicle with suitable side markings being operated on behalf of a local authority for educational or care reasons.”
The Police and Department for Transport (DfT) have expressed reservations about the definition of Taxi covering private hire vehicles. According to the DfT if private hire vehicles are permitted into bus lanes, this should be indicated on the highway signs. The permitted “taxis” does not cover private hire vehicles. This requires a plate which needs special approval. The City’s Legal Services have been asked whether this interpretation of the various Acts is correct and the word “taxi” on signs covers private hire vehicles. Officers are checking other Core Cities on their operation/signing of bus lanes.
Taxis are currently excluded from the Western Bank/Clarkson Street bus lane which runs right up to the traffic signals. This is because the signals are activated by the magnetic signature of local buses. The system in operation not only activates the green signal as these lights for the buses but clears out traffic waiting at the Brookhill roundabout. This then allows buses to move over to the right-hand lane on the approach to the roundabout. Previous to the new system this manoeuvre was very difficult and time consuming for buses. The ultimate aim is to have “virtual” bus detectors. This is linked to the proposed South Yorkshire intelligent transport system. With this each bus will be tracked using a global positioning system (GPS). The ITS will be able to calculate if a bus is running late and what level of priority to give it a particular signal. This system is not appropriate for taxis. However, it can operate in conjunction with a basic tagging system whereby taxis can give priority access through signals such as on Western Bank when detected on the roadside.
The development of a dual system is currently being investigated for Western Bank and Sheffield Lane Top. In the meantime, a simple way of assisting taxis on Western Bank would be to allow them to use the bus lane, but to rejoin the general traffic lane as they approach the signals /when following a bus which would activate the green signal for the bus lane.
7.0 Current Activity
7.1 In view of the scale of the changes in the city centre an independent study into ranks and rank facilities is being undertaken and should report shortly.
8.0 Consultation
8.1 Representatives of the private hire and taxi trades associations and Officers of the Private Hire & Taxi Licensing Section are being consulted on proposals relating to the topics set out above.
9.0 Financial implications
9.1 There are no financial implications to the Council at this stage.
10.0 Recommendation
10.1 That members consider the information contained in this report, representations made and the interest of the public and make such comments or recommendations as it appropriate for submission to the Licensing Board and/or Cabinet.
June 2005
Liz Bashforth
Assistant Chief Executive Legal &
Governance Services
David Curtis
Head of Service Transport and Highways