( Resolve your Wolverhampton City Council Complaints for free | Resolver UK ( NihsG4sG499 99 99 J)y JZ)( (QE ( Printed from https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/taxi_complaints_4?unfold=1 on May 02, 2023 00:03. ( Would you be willing to provide a witness statement? Weve helped millions of people find a resolution. Complaints . )((((QE( ( ( ( ( ( ))h9G4:9 4wE/4 sIJ ( 4 0 obj uKIJ( (C %Z %( _(4 PR@%PK ( View our cookie policy here. Six of the drivers in the CSE reports had their licences taken from them but the seventh complaint was not upheld. Raheel Shah, chairman of Wolverhampton Private Hire Drivers' Association and a taxi driver himself, said: "We have been protesting for more than three years over this. ( On Tuesday, the Department for Transport announced new proposals for taxi and private hire drivers to have to pass enhanced criminal record checks before being granted a licence. The city council added it had been at the forefront of calls for a national database of drivers. A Ministry of Transport (MOT) certificate dated no more than 10 days prior to the application date must also be provided. ( If you need to book a wheelchair accessible vehicle this is a list of thecurrent licensed providers. Taxi drivers licensed by a council which is accused of threatening public safety are suspected of serious sexual offences. ( Finally, the driver must attend our offices in person, where they undergo facial verification against their driving licence and proof of right to work in the UK. We willcarry outan assessment Established in 2008. Wolverhampton Council handed out a record 15,000 private hire licences last year raking in nearly 3.7 million in fees. Any views expressed in this email are those of the individual sender, Public safety is paramount and we are constantly working to improve our processes to protect people. We also undertake Compliance Operations throughout the year, including Friday and Saturday nights to ensure safety for visitors to the night-time economy. Where there is information on the applicants DBS certificate, this is considered in accordance with the Councils Guidelines. ( (05798215). Dear Wolverhampton City Council, Number of Private hire taxi operators who have breached their operators licence conditions including name of operator and details of breaches from 2017 -2019 . Read about our approach to external linking. WhatDoTheyKnow also publishes and archives requests and responses, building a massive archive of information. If you are not the intended recipient, an addressing or transmission error DearL Thompson In the last year, we have covered: These operations are conducted in partnership with officers from the respective licensing authority, as well as the local police force and representatives from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). If you are not the intended recipient, an addressing or transmission error Why are a lot of Wolverhampton council taxis appearing in - Reddit mySociety Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? endobj Subscribe to our newsletter to get the day's top stories sent directly to you. It prompted licensing bosses at Wolverhampton Council to streamline its application process and slash the prices of licences leading to a dramatic increase in applications. Change in taxi laws could call time on Wolverhampton's 'out of control Download List of Private Hire Operators - WhatDoTheyKnow This policy relates to surveillance cameras, also. ( The licensing authority has been made aware of complaints against drivers via police, other councils and by passengers themselves. ( (h-! (%P P0PH(h@ vZ( (( ( The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. 9 0 obj Taxi and Private Hire licensing within South Staffordshire is administrated on behalf of the Council by the City of Wolverhampton Council's Licensing team from April 2022. . It is intended solely for the addressee. You therefore need a debit or credit card to make the payment.. You must also complete a DBS application (Criminal Records Check) and provide a DVLA three . Drivers must attend a one-day driver training programme, provided independently by Worcestershire County Council. Resolver is free. EP The customer was charged 15 for a trip to Russells Hall Hospital from her home in Dudley, which is typically priced at 7. ( please follow the link to Wolverhampton City Council Taxi Licensing. Read about our approach to external linking. Run by Volunteers and powered by Alaveteli. The Council's main objective regarding taxi and private hire licensing are: If you are looking for further information about the requirements, please follow the link toWolverhampton City Council Taxi Licensing. Where complaints are made, the Council has a key performance indicator (KPI) for all complaints involving safeguarding concerns to be investigated within one day. She then more than doubled the price for the uninsured journey. The city has taken on new staff in a bid to cope with demand, documents say. If you hold a current Driver or Vehicle Licence with City of Wolverhampton Council, you will need to register with the "My Licence Portal" to inform of arrests, cautions, charges, convictions and Fixed Penalties as part of your conditions of licence. Wolverhampton Council has always defended its position, stating that it oversees enforcement operations all over the country, and that any profits it makes from licensing are ploughed back into the scheme. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. stream 5 0 obj "Since 2015 I know that there have been more complaints over sexual harassment, accidents in taxis and illegal pick-ups, all different things have been going on. Taxi drivers to face extra criminal checks, Taxi driver jailed for sex assault in cab, Taxi licence regulation 'must be tougher', Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing report, Taxi Complaints - City of Wolverhampton Council, Generations of Wolves speedway fans turn out in force to the first meeting since bombshell stadium news, Stourbridge shoppers 'intimidated by aggressive begging' in town centre. ZLP J;i Pi(KBR :J((ZJ(RRQE QE Q@ )))hEPEPRI@Rs@)ii(z Any views expressed in this email are those of the individual sender, His contribution to the debate is welcomed as much as anybody's.". endstream ( JFIF ` ` C The BBC has been unable to determine whether the drivers accused of offences have faced criminal proceedings. Any breach of this condition would be looked on most unfavourably: 3.9 A private hire licence is a badge of approval, it states the Local Authority feels the holder is fit and proper and suitable in every way. 2023 BBC. Read about our approach to external linking. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Change of Address. is a registered charity in England and Wales (1076346) Yours faithfully, This email has been scanned for all viruses and all reasonable precautions He added there should be a cap on the number of drivers that can be licensed by one authority as it would lead to a "safer and more robust system". We need to support the private hire trade in the city and not turn ourselves into a taxi version of Gretna Green. which may be legally privileged and/or subject to the provisions of Applicants are also required to disclose any previous licensing history. ( The application fee for a New Private Hire Driver licence is 64.00 for a 1 year licence or 120.00 for a 3 year licence and must be paid electronically as part of this application process. Deputy chief reporter at the Express & Star. u&?JC At the end of the training programme, there is a written assessment. ( services through our wholly owned subsidiary On April 29, 2020, council officers received a complaint that Ayub, aged 25, had picked up a passenger who had not pre-booked, which is a requirement of both her private hire licence and car insurance policy. The campaign also highlights the risks involved in taking an unlicensed vehicle and how to identify a legitimate taxi or private hire driver. Pay Customer Self-Service - Wolverhampton By providing you with all the tools and contact details needed to raise and manage your complaint, we put you firmly in control of your issue. Is climate change killing Australian wine? (Q@QH( Many established taxi drivers say the Deregulation Act 2015 is threatening their livelihoods and claim a change in the application process is "risking customer safety". We provide commercial % It just seems like the budget line comes first above everything.. "The first thing to say is that the majority of taxi drivers out there are working hard to make a living and are trained to actually help vulnerable people," said Phil Ashford, from the National Working Group (NWG) for tackling child sexual exploitation. A new report to Walsalls director of public health has outlined concerns over dwindling application numbers. His comments follow reports last year that councillors in the West Midlands had criticised The City of Wolverhampton Council for operating a "more lenient" licensing system for private hire. "At the moment, some drivers can take advantage of a loophole where they can apply to get a licence in an authority that has less stringent assessments and ply their trade in an area which does. proceeding with your request. Download <> Predators can use relaxed rules to become taxi drivers and gain access to vulnerable passengers, a victim's charity said. However, the authoritys dominance of the market has not gone down well with other councils, some of which have seen their own private hire applications plummet. This condition empowers officers in other areas and where drivers are breaking the law then other licensing authorities can and do prosecute them. This email has been scanned for all viruses and all reasonable precautions To apply/renew your driver or vehicle licence follow the links below. Taxi & Private Hire Vehicle Licensing - South Staffordshire endobj Drivers must have held a UK driving licence for at least one year and this licence is checked as part of the application process. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz 7 0 obj Visible links Members of the council's regulatory committee are set to discuss the matter on Wednesday. Taxi Complaints - Report a taxi driver | City Of Wolverhampton Council In that year a change in the law allowed private hire drivers to operate in a different area from where they obtained a licence. [1][Wolverhampton City Council request email] ^PER`QE Concerns have also been raised over passenger safety. Learn more about Resolver Pro and how to claim your business. Z( sEPEaZ5 )VJZHiZ)Qj4 va@b The court heard that Ayub frequently carried the passenger without their journeys being pre-booked through a licensed private hire vehicle operator which is illegal and contrary to Section 45 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847. Contact us if you think it should be reopened. PDF Taxi CCTV Policy - Wolverhampton Read about our approach to external linking. UIE( E-#RQE fQGARPE(EZ())ZNhPKE z 5/4> !P EPER ( ) QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QEQE QIP% ((jGIKGz )(J(( _Z)(Z()h)h (((((( ( LEPEPEPEPEPEPEPEPEPEPE RE We take passengers safety and wellbeing seriously. Wolverhampton a magnet for taxi driver applications - BBC News have been taken to ensure that no viruses are present. L thompson made this Freedom of Information request to Wolverhampton City Council ( When we receive a complaint, if the problem is something we can put right straight away, we will. We automatically connect you to contacts at thousands of household names, ombudsmen and regulators to find a resolution. "We would like to see a return of standards so that public safety is not put at risk.". A Wolverhampton private hire driver who overcharged a customer, while taking her on an uninsured journey that wasn't pre-booked, has had her licence revoked. Councillor Alan Bolshaw, the citys licensing chief, said: Councillor Bird seems to have come quite late to the party. We will inform youif this is Established in 2008. Wolverhampton 2023 Resolver Consumer Online Limited. ( )(((h(QE Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone. Political Editor for the Express & Star. However, if you'd rather complain directly, you can use the above address to contact Wolverhampton City Council. This email contains proprietary confidential information some or all of "I was sitting in the back of the taxi and he put his hand on my knee". A site to help anyone submit a Freedom of Information request. <> Taxi complaints Wolverhampton City Council. <>/OutputIntents[<>] /Metadata 371 0 R/ViewerPreferences 372 0 R>> ( Its quick, easy and totally free. Are you the owner of any commercial copyright on this page? Photo: Wolverhampton Council Drivers gathered outside. Let us know what you think has gone wrong and how you think we can correct it. Magistrates dismissed Sahrish Rahat Ayub's appeal against Wolverhampton Council's decision to revoke her private hire driver licence. Wolverhampton Council currently operates a Get Home Safe campaign which seeks to make sure the public are aware of the differences between hiring hackney carriages and private hire vehicles. Successful Weekend Taxi Enforcement Operation - Merseyside Police We use the DBS Update Service to check drivers DBS certificates every day of the week. Theres no jargon in our rights guides. 2023 BBC. ( Once a driver is granted, we continue to monitor them. ( and a limited company (03277032). South Staffordshire Council is handing over taxi and private hire licensing functions to Wolverhampton Council (CWC). "They will know for example, that the children live together in residential care homes and become friendly with them, and quite easily take advantage of a particular vulnerability by being approachable by offering a sense of fulfilment to that child by offering things that are perceived to be quite adult or responsible such as alcohol, drugs and gifts, and begin grooming them that way before abusing them.". ( ( It currently has 4,461 drivers licensed. (IKFh I@Q@ E- QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE RR ( ( ) sG4sH999999( ()i)h( (QE Wolverhampton Council has cornered the market, but you have to question whether it is right that a driver can get a licence there but ply their trade hundreds of miles away, he said. Council's taxi licensing change aims to save money. ( Taxi drivers and council staff say a fond farewell to the 'queen of DearL Thompson Please provide your details so we can keep you informed on the outcome of the complaint you wish to raise. Wolverhampton Council ( (@QE Magistrates dismissed Sahrish Rahat Ayubs appeal against Wolverhampton Councils decision to revoke her private hire driver licence. Applications from Kilmarnock, Edinburgh, Perth and Kirkcaldy were received by Wolverhampton Council last year, as the authority granted 15,171 licences to extend its dominance over the British private hire market. Where a matching record is found, information is requested from the licensing authority and a licence will not be granted until this information is considered. Subscribe to one or all notification sources from this one place. Your donations keep this site and others like it running. L thompson made this Freedom of Information request to Wolverhampton City Council . Across the weekend (Friday 18 December and Saturday 19 December), 27 taxi drivers were issued with enforcement action, including defect notices or suspension of licenses. Mr Ashford welcomed news of the government's proposals for tougher legislation. 8 0 obj It will see eligible drivers receive a one-off payment of. Governance "In terms of my experience working on the front line and from working in some cases, there are some drivers that are predatory. In one instance, a council officer drove more than 100 miles to a suspect driver's home and "took his licence away from him on his doorstep". . J)h )(h (%-PHii(cRHR})sG4sE J`(4QH((EPEPEPEPEPEPEPEPEP2Q[)R ofWolverhampton Council . Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. %PDF-1.7 The applicant is also checked against the National Anti-Fraud Networks (NAFN) National Register of Refusals, Revocations and Suspensions (NR3S). ( Subscribe to our newsletter to get the day's top stories sent directly to you. Meanwhile Walsall Council received just 48 new applications for licences last year, when it had a total of 1,129 private hire drivers registered. It showed that in 2019 a total of 11,461 applications to Wolverhampton Council came from drivers based in Birmingham, while there were 2,457 from Manchester, 1,926 from Coventry, 1,279 from Leicester, 1,102 from Nottingham and 432 from Telford. Instead, theyre full of the info you need to get things sorted. )i( ( 4G It is intended solely for the addressee. Taxi drivers protesting in Wolverhampton last year over the city council's controversial licensing system. Freedom of Information Act 2000 In Birmingham, where there have been four serious sexual allegations against drivers licensed in Wolverhampton, the council said it was concerned the Deregulation Act had "resulted in a situation where there are many vehicles and drivers in the city over whom the council has no enforcement powers". ^hibQE( ZJ(EPEPER ( ( ( ( ( ( (QE( E6) E:hwAKKAIKI@Q@IE QE R(4 J )hi( (i( You may change your settings at any time or accept the default settings. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk, Council's taxi licensing change aims to save money, Taxi drivers 'missing out on Covid payments', Generations of Wolves speedway fans turn out in force to the first meeting since bombshell stadium news, Stourbridge shoppers 'intimidated by aggressive begging' in town centre. The Council is 100% compliant with this KPI. View as HTML. Please notify Please check with your phone provider if you are unsure about how much a call will cost. ( Is climate change killing Australian wine? The vehicle is then checked in person by our trained vehicle inspectors. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? (05798215). PDF Taxi CCTV Policy - Wolverhampton Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? (/65hQJ1AE% RR)(JZ(AIE R ZC@RPKE% QK@ E- QE QE QK@ EPEPEPIKE %Q@ EPzQE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QI@E% QKE ofWolverhampton Council . ( ( It has granted 35,035 private hire licences since 2017, pumping 8.7m into the authoritys coffers. In May 2017, the chair of Wolverhampton's licensing committee, Alan Bolshaw, wrote to Sajid Javid, who was then Communities and Local Government Secretary, urging him to create a national database of drivers so that adequate background checks could be carried out, even suggesting the council fund it. the author immediately by replying to this email. Public safety is paramount and we are constantly working to improve our processes to protect people. The Council uploaded all its historic computer data to this register and all refusals by the Council are added to this register. (E 4.h i)h(@ E QF( jZ;PEhRCRhZ%4 } !1AQa"q2#BR$3br ( They will investigate your complaint and respond to you direct. Please notify Placing members of the public at unnecessary risk by taking a booking without valid insurance is unacceptable.. 'Downloads' section of the Council's Taxi Licences webpage).
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