Wolverhampton taxi number rise is revealed

Local cabbies say they have lost up to £5,000 in takings over the year due to drivers from Birmingham and other areas flooding the city. They warn of the risks to passengers of a possible drop in standards.

In less than a year, the number of private hire taxis in Wolverhampton has shot up by almost 60 per cent. Last July the number stood at 858 but by January it had risen to 961, and since the beginning of the year the number of drivers registered with the city council has reached 1,323.

Private hire taxi drivers based in Wolverhampton are angry that the local authority has removed restrictions. The newly launched Wolverhampton Private Hire Drivers Association believes this has led to the influx.

Ebrahim Suleman, a leading member of the association, said: "In six months or a year, it could be 2,000 taxis at this rate. This is affecting our livelihoods. My own takings were down £5,000 this last year and you wonder whether it is worth being a taxi driver, risking your life working at night, sometimes working at a loss."

He said cabbies were coming in from Walsall, Birmingham and other areas to work on the patch. The steep rise in numbers coincides with the dropping of tests on what taxi drivers traditionally call The Knowledge, a familiarity with the roads and venues in the area, and a practical skills test. They say the changes to training were made in response to government changes in policy.

Raheel Shah, on the WPHDA committee, said the knowledge test should be brought back 'in the interest of public safety.'

He said: "The general public might think the more taxis, the better, but these outsiders have not passed the same stringent tests we have.

"The further DSA test should also be brought back. These two factors are very important for ensuring public safety and being a professional driver. Since they were removed, it has been too easy to obtain private hire licence."

A recruitment drive for 400 new cabbies was launched by Black Country firm Go Carz last August. Other taxi firms have also been hiring new drivers.

Today Councillor Alan Bolshaw, chairman of Wolverhampton council's licensing committee said: "At the request of the private hire trade, we have cut unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy without compromising public safety.

"This business-friendly approach has attracted large regional private hire operators who have licensed drivers and vehicles with us which has resulted in the growth of the fleet. It is important to note that the majority of these additional drivers and vehicles are working across the region, rather than solely within the city."