The “odious cherry picking” of lucrative fares needs to be stamped out, according to a wide-ranging report on Liverpool’s black cab trade.
A survey carried out by Licensed Vehicle Surveys and Assessments (LVSA) on behalf of Liverpool Council, analysed usage of hackney carriages across the city following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and major projects including roadworks. A number of recommendations have been made to improve passenger safety and stop private cars abusing cab ranks.
The analysis found for the first time since vehicle limits were reintroduced in the early 1990s, the amount of black cab and private hire taxis on our roads are similar. It said that for “various reasons a good number” of hackney carriage licences had not been renewed, which was described as “unprecedented.”
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In a bid to improve user safety, with the survey finding many people walk past cab ranks to flag down a vehicle since the onset of covid-19 and roadworks throughout the city, the LVSA proposed discussions be held between the police, Liverpool Council’s licensing team, Merseytravel and trade to agree safe waiting places for passengers starting their journeys home from town. The city’s two main bus stations have been proposed as possible locations, with the need for appropriate marshals.
The report said: “The idea, as used in Hull, of a small number of areas where passengers and trade are encouraged to meet in a safe environment with marshals present on key nights should be considered by trade, licensing and other relevant bodies seriously. This could use four ranks and two public transport hubs.”
It added that the “well-known but hard to prove ‘cherry picking’ by a small number of drivers is now more odious and necessary to stamp out than ever.” This refers to hackney carriages sitting off ranks to wait for more lucrative fares.
The LVSA said the issue “must be dealt with once and for all with very clear sanctions made known to those found acting against the public interest in this way.” While the provision of cab ranks has continued to develop, the analysis found some long sought-after changes have still not occurred and the change in overall patterns of usage suggests a new approach would be beneficial to meet future night demand.
The reduced usage of ranks in the pandemic led to another negative impact – an increase in the level of private car abuse of ranks - and occurrences were found to have doubled from 2018 to 2021. A new Grafton Street rank suffered most with 36% private cars and 34% private hire observed while Lord Nelson Street also saw a high level of cars using the rank or areas near to it.
Rank abuse arose from road changes at Lark Lane, and two of the hospital ranks observed also saw relatively high levels of abuse from cars, partly due to their locations near to hospital entrances. The report said: “Overall, it is clear that now ranks are being used much more again, their enforcement needs to be increased significantly.”
Despite challenges, the LVSA said the city’s black cab operation “remains vibrant and effective.” It added: “The trade are positively respondent to short term and longer-term change.
“This is despite several negative changes related to reduced levels of triple and double shifting due to insurance impacts, the large increase in competition from private hire generated by the Deregulation Act, the effect of long-term road works and the demand and supply impacts from the pandemic. There is a very high need for developing more ranks and including rank provision within any proposed new development at the earliest possible stage, as well as responding to and working with change arising from the last two years of very different conditions.”
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