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.”