Please be aware we have received the following message from the Southampton City Council Licensing Office:

County Lines is the term used by various agencies to describe criminal drug activity where young and vulnerable people are being exploited by being used to transport and sell illegal drugs. The poster below provides information to drivers on what to look out for and how to report their suspicions anonymously.

If you would like a copy of the poster in order to pass on to other drivers or to print out to display somewhere drivers are likely to see them, you can find it here:

County Lines Posters for Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Staff

It would appear that the amount of time and money spent on the 2014 Law Commissions' Report on the taxi and private hire trade and their recommendations to the government have been a complete waste of time.

We will now wait to hear from the Task and Finish Group which was set up by the then Minister for State, Mr John Hayes, in September 2017, to find out what the government plan to do.

We have all unfortunately seen the effect that Uber has had in the UK when it comes to cross-border hiring. Although this has been in operation for a long time, Uber have monopolised this thorny subject, whereby you could be licensed by one authority yet work in another licensing area.

Our hopes are that national standards for driving licences will be introduced and more power will be given to local licensing authorities.

With two bank holiday on their way, many of us will be taking the opportunity for a night out or two! With such a range of restaurants, bars and leisure activities in Southampton city centre the Easter bank holiday weekend is the perfect time to enjoy yourself with friends and families.

When it comes to the end of the evening, why not get a taxi back? Unlike a private hire vehicle which you have to book, you can hail a white hackney carriage taxi from the roadside or pick one up from one of the city's taxi ranks, meaning there's no need to plan a certain time to leave or stand around waiting for a cab. Simply enjoy your night out and then head to your nearest taxi rank for a safe and easy ride home!

Take a look here for a list of taxi ranks locations in Southampton.

This week, on 21st March 2018, the Southampton Hackney Association attended a meeting about the Unmet Demand Survey at the Civic Centre, Southampton.

Southampton City Council, as licensing authority for hackney carriages in the city, are legally required to carry out this independent survey at least every three years in order to maintain a limit on the number of licences they issue. This comes under the 1985 Transport Act and the 2010 Equality Act. It has now been three years since the last survey was undertaken by Vector Transport Consultancy in the Spring of 2015 who have now become LVSA (Licensed Vehilce Surveys and Assessment).

This weekend, CCTV camera will be placed strategically on taxi ranks in order to count the number of trips taxis make with customers so that a weekly estimate of the volumes can be acquired.

In addition to this, Southampton City Council Licensing Department will be sending out questionnaires to the hackney trade and relevant stakeholders for us to answer and return completed to their office.

Hackney Carriage Taxis are different to private hire cars, mini-cabs or Uber drivers because we are the only type of taxi insured to transport those who hail us from the roadside. Private hire drivers are not allowed to pick people up unless they have a booking. In order to make this clear to taxi users in Southampton, private hire vehicles can be any colour except for white and do not have a taxi sign on the roof.

Ensure you are safe when hailing a taxi by looking out for a:

• White vehicle
• Taxi sign on the roof
• Red Hackney Carriage licence plate on the back

Hackney Carriage Taxi drivers are licensed, regulated and CRB checked by Southampton City Council and nearly all have CCTV installed for your security. For a safe ride home in Southampton, hail a white Hackney Carriage Taxi.

If you are looking for someone reliable and professional to fit a meter, CCTV, dashcam or roof sign to your taxi, here are three of the best in the business recommended by Southampton Hackney Association:

Adam Collins - (07723) 566 246

If you want taxi meters or CCTV fitted to your vehicles contact Adam Collins who is the agent for Pagentry Cameras and Cygnus Meters. Adam also does dashcams and is an agent for Viking Meters out of the Southampton area.

Les Slater - (07760) 363 294

Les Slater is another agent for Viking Meters, mainly in Southampton and is additionally an agent for Verifeye Cameras. He also installs roof signs. 

Wayne Shorney - (07802) 586 186

Last but not least, Wayne is an agent for Pagentry Camera and Digitax Taxi Meters. Like Adam and Les, he can also fit and even supply dashcams, parking sensors and more.

February is soon on its way which means it's not long until Valentine's Day. With so many great restaurants to choose from in Southampton, it's the perfect place to take your loved one out for a meal. Why not try one of these Tripadvisor top rated restaurants in the city?

Max's Bar and Brasserie 

The number one rated restaurant out of 722 in Southampton, this authentic family-run italian is conveniently located in Oxford Street, just a couple of minutes walk away from the taxi rank at Terminus Terrace for an easy ride home. Max's Bar and Brasserie are offering a three course Valentine's Day Meal with the added bonus of a glass of bubbly.

Bayleaf Kitchen

Another top ten rated restaurant, Bayleaf Kitchen offer indian cuisine in a contemporary setting. Their special Valentine's Day meal includes poppadoms and chutney, three courses and a glass of champagne on arrival. The restaurant is located in Southampton High Street just three minutes walk up the road from the taxi rank located outside A Plan insurance.

The Jetty

If you're looking to push the boat out, The Jetty restaurant at Southampton Harbour Hotel at Ocean Village have a selection of Valentine's Day options to suit different tastes and budgets. They are offering a Valentine's Day Dinner menu, Valentine's Day Tasting menu and a Valentine's Day Mini Gastro menu.

With just a couple of weeks to go, hurry up and book your romantic Valentine's Day meal and why not make it an extra special treat with a taxi home? Find a white Hackney Carriage taxi at a taxi rank or simply hail from the roadside!

Southampton Hackney Association provide help and support for Southampton Hackney Carriage taxi drivers. One of the useful links (which has recently been updated) on our website will take you to an informative page about taxi and private hire vehicle licensing on the Southampton City Council website. This page provides vital information about different types of taxi licences (including how to apply), fares and taxi cameras as well as links to relevant policies and conditions. This is also the place to direct anyone who has a complaint about a Hackney Carriage taxi, private hire or minicab driver. Here you will find a downloadable complaints form as well as guidance for those wanting to make a complaint.

You can find this information here: http://www.southampton.gov.uk/business-licensing/licensing/taxis-private-hire/ Or follow the link from the SHA's Contact Us page.

The Southampton Hackney Association was established in 2000 with the purpose of providing help and support for Hackney Carriage taxi drivers in Southampton. Back in 2011, this website was created as a useful reference for both taxi drivers (who can find out about us and apply to join the association) and taxi users (educating them about the benefits of using a Hackney Carriage Taxi and giving details of the services we provide).

How often do you take a look at our blog? Here you will find regular blog posts on a range of interesting topics including up to date news and information relevant to taxi driving along with details about local Southampton attractions that can be visited by taxi.

Why not come along now and take a browse!

It's a particularly busy time of year for us all right now not to mention the members of the Southampton Hackney Association, who are busy driving the many customers requiring transport in, out and around the city for Christmas shopping and festive celebrations. 

The Southampton Hackney Association would like to take this opportunity to wish a very merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year to all our members and customers!