After a 12 week consultation, Derby City Council has published a revised Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Strategy.

Earlier this year, Derby City Council (DCC) published an ambitious draft Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Strategy which focussed on modernising Derby’s taxi and private hire fleet; making them safer, more environmentally friendly, and enhancing customer service and experience.

At the start of March this year, DCC launched a 12 week consultation in order to hear the views of the public and develop the TPH strategy for Derby. Feedback was welcomed from taxi/private hire drivers and operators, trade representatives, residents, local business and statutory bodies, with paper and translated versions of the survey available.

The consultation was shared through social media, local media, Councillors, DCC colleagues, partners and more, and completed by over 500 people who chose to share their views with DCC, and over half of respondents – 52.8 per cent – agreed with DCC’s overall vision for the future.

Since the consultation came to an end on 31st May 2019, Council officers have been working to determine the feasibility of consultation responses, and where possible incorporate them into a new draft strategy.

Richard Antcliff, Director for Public Protection and Streetpride said:

We’ve had a huge response to this consultation, and there were a number of valid points and suggestions raised that we’ve looked in to, in order to determine if they’d work for Derby, while keeping the overarching goals of the strategy. There was a significant difference in consultation responses from the trade, and from those that were not in the trade, and while we were never going to please everyone, we hope we’ve got the balance right, and all interested parties can positively accept the new strategy if it’s approved by Committee – it is after all an exciting move for Derby and our taxi trade.

Throughout the process, concerns have been raised about Derby’s readiness for such bold changes.

Addressing this, Mr Antcliff said:

What people need to be understood is that there are factors out of the control of the Council that mean change is needed, and it’s needed now. Drivers admit themselves that business is difficult right now, and that’s because other business models are at work – customers showing preference for newer vehicles; new apps taking trade away from Hackneys; reliance on alternative modes of transport. We need to make sure we’re moving with the times. This strategy is how we make sure Derby is moving with the times, while maintaining our end goal – keeping the taxi trade alive. Allowing drivers to remain operating on a fully commercial basis, and offer customers an excellent and safe experience, at the same time as tackling air quality. And to do that, we have to be bold with our plans.

You can read the strategy and supporting documents on our website.