The
2015 Deregulation Act which included the controversial cross-bordering hire clause is having a detrimental effect on the taxi trade in our City.
Southampton City Council Licensing Department needs to cooperate with surrounding councils including London, whereby licensing officers can have reciprocal powers of enforcement on any and all cars and vehicles that come into our district from elsewhere.
We have a bizarre situation when cars from places as far afield as London, for example, are permitted to work legitimately in Southampton, not having any of our licensing conditions including the requirement for CCTV camera's, something that we have to have at a cost of £700 plus for each car.
This so-called wonderful clause of the Deregulation Act is causing more hassle, upset and confusion and red tape than The Department For Transport could have ever imagined.
The licensing department at Southampton City Council have contacted the SHA regarding the zebra artworks which are located around Southampton. Unfortunately and appallingly some have been stolen and others damaged by vandals. The council would therefore like taxi drivers to help out by keeping an eye on the zebras whilst they drive around, reporting any suspicious activity they see to the police.
The Southampton Hackney Association are absolutely horrifed to hear about this unnecessary damage, especially since working in collaboration with Marwell Zoo, many artists have spent months giving up their time to decorate the sculptures. The lifesize zebras have been created to raise awareness of endangered species, and are to be auctioned off to raise funds to specifically help Grevy’s zebras and other wildlife in the arid regions of northern Kenya.
The Southampton Hackney Association (SHA) committee and prominent members of the SHA​​ had a productive meeting recently when we met with Southampton City Council Licensing Officers to discuss​​ the Fit and Proper Person Test for drivers, and the future ​​new consultation process which at the moment looks rather positive.
The Fit and Proper Person Test applies to licensed drivers for both Hackney Carriages and Private Hire Vehicles. The test is to ensure the safety and protection fo the public when they travel by taxi. Thorough checks are undertaken by the council before giving anyone a license to drive, you can find out more about the test on the government documentation
here.
The Southampton Hackney Association have a new partner on 'Our Partners' page.
Southampton White Taxi Excursions offer airport transfers, sight seeing tours and many more tailored options to meet customers requirements.
Southampton White Taxis only use licensed Hackney Carriage vehicles with experienced drivers who have a vast knowledge of the taxi trade, so that you can feel safe and secure when you book them.
The Southampton Hackeny Association have had meetings with representatives from See Southampton an organisation that promotes things to do and the history of Southampton. We aim to form a working relationship together regarding tourism in our City, which will hopefully lead to promoting more trade for Southampton's licensed white taxis. We are very pleased that Councillor Kaur, Cabinet Member for Communities Culture and Leisure ​​is also very keen to work ​​with the taxi trade and See Southampton.
According to the Southampton County Council website, the rulings on child safety seats in licensed Hackney carriages, and taxis appears to be unchanged.
In the both white licensed Hackney carriage cars and private hire cars it says that:
- children under 3 can travel without a child’s car seat or seat belt, but only on a rear seat
- children aged 3 or older can travel in a front or rear seat without a child’s car seat if they wear an adult seat belt
- If a suitable child seat or booster seat is available, it must be used by all children under 12 years of age or under 135 cm tall.
You can find out more on the
Gov.uk or
RoSPA web sites for further information on carrying children in any vehicle. Keep up to date on this important issue by visiting the Southampton County Council
web page on this subject here.
The Southampton Hackney Association were saddened to hear about the murder of London minicab driver Abdi Gutale last month. Having finished his shift at 3am, the driver was on his way home to his family when he was fatally shot as he travelled down a residential street. This horrific story highlights the risks that taxi drivers undertake every day. Shockingly, Abdi Gutale is the 66th taxi driver to be murdered in the UK in a 24 year period. This statistic is a stark reminder of what a volatile and dangerous job taxi driving can be.
We are relieved to hear that a man has since been charged with the murder of Mini Cab driver Abdi Gutale, and our thoughts go to his family and friends.
Conversely, In order to ensure the safety of our passengers, SHA drivers are licensed and regulated by Southampton City Council which requires an enhanced DBS check. In addition to this, a majority of our drivers hold NVQ and BTEC qualifications in transporting passengers. To make certain our vehicles are roadworthy, they are MOT checked every year with cars over 2 years old undergoing an additional roadworthy test and all taxis are retired after 9 to 12 years. We are committed to our passengers safety which is why almost all of Southampton Hackney Association taxi’s are installed with CCTV.
With Southampton licensed taxi drivers your safety is paramount.
Members of the Southampton Hackney Association were pleased to be able to be of service to passengers of the cruise ship Harmony of the Seas which has spent the last week docked in Southampton before setting sail on her maiden voyage to Rotterdam.
The largest cruise ship in the world, the Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas has a huge gross tonnage of 226,963 GRT, cost £800 million to build and can accommodate 6780 guests. Features of this spectacular ship include 7 distinct zones, a state of the art theatre and its very own waterpark.
Southampton Hackney Association can provide transfers to and from Southampton Cruise Terminal. Our drivers are happy to assist you with your luggage and will get you to your destination safely.
Southampton Hackney Association are proudly connected with the Associated British Ports who manage Southampton Port. Our Taxis are easy to spot when you disembark the ship, just look for the white taxi sign on the roof, a red Hackney Carriage License and a coloured permit in the window which shows the driver has permission to pick up cruise ship passengers.
Alternatively, if you would like to pre-book a transfer, simply use our Trip Enquiry Form or get in contact for for any questions and advice. You will receive a quotations within 24 hours.
The Sweet Market Newsagent at 162 High Street Southampton​​ by The Bargate Taxi Rank has just won a prestigious ​award as The Newsagent of 2016 for the Southern Region, which includes Kent, London and The South Coast. The SHA would like to congratulate Kevin and Caroline for their achievement, not forgetting Laura and Kayley as part of the team.
Did you know Southampton Hackney Association offer businesses the opportunity to advertise on the ‘Our Partners’ page of our website? For £75, you can have a square on our page to advertise your business for 12 months. Clicking on the advert will take potential customers directly to your website. To see your business on our page, simply provide us with the artwork and we can do the rest for you.
Come and see the ‘Our Partners’ page here.
The Southampton Hackney Association (SHA) was set up in 2001 to promote and benefit Southampton Hackney Taxi Drivers in the city. All of our drivers are licensed and regulated by Southampton City Council.
We can provide a range of vehicles from MPV’s with disabled access for up to 7 people, luxury saloons, hybrid cars and of course the famous London Taxis. You can easily recognise our white vehicles with a red Hackney Carriage licence plate on the back.
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