Source: Bracknell Forest Standard No new licences will be issued until at least February after a survey confirmed there are more than enough taxis to meet demand.
Bracknell Licensed Taxi Forum (BLTF) has been pushing for the freeze since last year because members believe Bracknell town centre is “dysfunctional” and too many taxis would mean drivers having to increase prices to make a living.
Now an independent survey commissioned by the council and paid for by taxi drivers has concluded there are more than enough taxis to serve the town.
Andy Watson, secretary of BLTF, said: “We’re delighted. The survey was pretty conclusive, it backed up everything we’ve said.
“This is not to do with the recession – it’s because Bracknell is dysfunctional. There’s no night-time economy and nothing on the weekends.”
The freeze will be reviewed by the committee in February.
Andy added: “Hopefully they will agree to keep the limit on for the next three years. Until the town gets regenerated it’s not going to get any better.”
There are 86 Hackney carriage drivers operating from ranks in the borough as well as numerous private hire vehicles on the phone.
Drivers marched on the Bracknell Forest Council offices in Time Square in July 2008 to deliver a petition demanding a cap on the number of cabs in the area.
In April, the council agreed to appoint independent firm Transport Planning International Ltd to conduct an ‘unmet demand survey’ if taxi drivers agreed to foot the bill by paying £50 more for licences this year.
The council’s Licensing and Safety Committee considered the results of the survey this month.
Robert Sexton, head of licensing, said: “The survey concluded there was no unmet demand for taxi services in Bracknell Forest and the committee agreed to a temporary suspension of new licences.”
The report found passengers rarely faced delays at ranks at the bus station, train station and the British Legion – and that drivers waited for about 20 minutes on average for a fare.
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Well done, I wish we could get our plates capped in West Berkshire. The council won’t stump up the cash for the survey and are not interested in proposing a rate increase to cover it!
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