MORE than 50 Hereford taxi drivers have mounted a rally at a council meeting and across the city to show their anger at plans to change the way drivers and vehicles are licensed.

A consultation took place late last year on a raft of possible changes, from requiring drivers to have a knowledge-style test of the county’s routes, to setting tight age limits on vehicles.

Hereford Times: Taxi drivers roll up to the Three Counties Hotel, where councillors were meeting Taxi drivers roll up to the Three Counties Hotel, where councillors were meeting

Drivers say the plans will drive as many as 80 per cent of them out of the trade, drastically limiting the availability of rides to the public.

They are angry that the “one-way” consultation process did not take on board their concerns, and now want councillors to be part of a new consultation on their terms.

Hereford Times: Hereford Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Association chairman John Jones Hereford Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Association chairman John Jones

Hereford Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Association chairman John Jones said: “We want a meeting between the association and licensing officers, but we need councillors to sit in so they can hear the sense that’s being talked.”

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During the rally on Friday, the drivers also handed in a petition to the council meeting, which was passed to Coun Ange Tyler, cabinet member for regulatory services, before continuing on to the council's Plough Lane headquarters.

Hereford Times: Around 50 taxi drivers sat in on the start of the council meeting. Around 50 taxi drivers sat in on the start of the council meeting.

Coun Tyler told the council meeting: “We are going through the results of the consultation, and I am listening to all the concerns being made by the taxi trade.

“This is a serious matter – we already have less taxi drivers due to Covid.

“I will do my utmost to ensure this policy is fit for purpose. The ultimate aim of this is to keep everyone safe when going from A to B.”

A final policy recommendation on the changes will be put to full council in May, she said.

Coun Jonathan Lester, leader of the council Conservative group, said: “Some of the proposed changes, especially those around passenger safety, make perfect sense and fall in line with best practice nationally.

“However, if adopted some changes are perceived to add little to the service and there are concerns that they will have a detrimental affect county wide, especially in the rural areas.

“We would encourage any members of the taxi trade to contact their local councillor to raise their concerns before any decision is made.”