Issue - meetings

The Council regulates the number of taxi licences in the city of Bath.  Because of this the Council is under a duty to carry out a review of Unmet Demand from time to time.  This report asks the Cabinet to consider the findings of the latest survey and to decide on future policy.

Darth Jarrett (Chair of the Bath Taxi Drivers Association), in an ad hoc statement alerted the Cabinet to the fact that when new licences became available, these were often snatched up by fleet operations.  He felt however that there was no need for new licences to be created because there were already too many taxis in the area.

David Redgewell asked the Cabinet to deal with the urgent need for new taxi ranks, particularly at the station.

Councillor Roger Symonds in proposing the item pointed out that the unmet demand report did not propose any increase in licences.  He referred to the unmet demand Survey which in section 7.2 listed a number of significant issues and he promised that these issues would actively be addressed.

Councillor David Dixon seconded the proposal.  He thanked Darth Jarrett for his contribution and expressed particular thanks to Ken Taylor, the outgoing Chair of the Bath Taxi Drivers Association.  There was common agreement on this.

Councillor Dixon said that prompt progress would be made on the issue of taxi rank provision.

Councillor Tim Ball said that he supported the proposals, but had some concerns.  He asked Councillor Symonds to report back to Cabinet when the 2014 unmet demand survey had been completed because he felt that Cabinet would need to look closely at future surveys.

Councillor Symonds, in summing up, pointed out that unlike many other cities, the Council was determined to continue regulating taxi provision in the city.

On a motion from Councillor Roger Symonds, seconded by Councillor David Dixon, it was

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1) To AGREE that the Council continues with the policy of regulating the number of hackney carriage vehicle licences in zone 1 (Bath) and continues with the limitation of hackney carriage vehicle licences in zone 1 (Bath) to 122; and

(2) To ASK the Strategic Director (Place) to conduct a further survey into the unmet demand in zone 1 (Bath) in 2014.