‘No evidence’ of any unmet demand for taxi services

The taxi and other licensing committee will meet on Wednesday to consider the findings of the survey carried out by LVSA Traffic and Transportation into the number of hackney carriage vehicles.

The committee is recommended to consider the findings of the unmet demand study, and to approve the number of hackney carriage vehicles at 148, reduced from 149.

The independent survey document states that, on the basis of the evidence gathered in the survey for the council, the key conclusion is that there is ‘no evidence of any unmet demand for the services of hackney carriages either patent or latent which is significant at this point in time in the full Warrington Borough Council licensing area’.

It adds: “The committee is therefore able to retain the present limit policy, with vehicle numbers retained at the present value of 149.

“In fact, the evidence suggests retention of this policy is an essential part of the current stability of the hackney carriage industry in this area, and a strong public benefit.

“Further, the reduction of the active fleet by one vehicle has not led to any reduction in the effectiveness of the fleet (service levels have in fact improved against national trends) and it would be prudent to extinguish that single spare plate, and put on record that any further small numbers of plates handed back could also be considered for extinction.

“Unlike the results from most other authorities recent surveys, where reduced overall rank-based demand has occurred alongside increased levels of unmet demand, for Warrington the reduced demand levels have also seen improved levels of service to the public and reduced unmet demand (the expected result from having lower demand levels and a similar sized vehicle fleet).

“The significant contribution of both hackney carriage and private hire to the transport policy and economy of the area needs to be made more widely known.”