Updated 24/04/2025
I have been in the trade in Brighton & Hove for forty-two years as a hackney carriage proprietor/driver.
I am also a member of a large taxi/ph company in the city being an owner/driver cooperative/association that is run as a not-for-profit organisation for the mutual benefit of its members, established in 1936.
I am a trade rep, attending the regular council run Trade Forum meetings and assist with drivers who may require interviews or for general trade issues/enquiries.
I have written for the national trade magazine Private Hire & Taxi Monthly each month since 2021.
I have witnessed the chaos that has been caused by drivers/vehicles that have swamped the city from Lewes, Chichester, Portsmouth, Southampton, Havant, Fareham and London, all who predominantly work here out-of-sight and put-of-mind of respective licensing enforcement.
I have also witnessed the abolishment of the local licensing control of the city as a result of 'Predominant Out of Area Working' (POAW)
I submit regular weekly reports of drivers breaching their own conditions of licensing with regards to missung rear licence plates/door signage to their respctive licensing authorities.
Whilst the out-of-town ph drivers/vehicles predominantly work here in the city under Uber, Uber is not actually the issue as competition is an accepted part of business. The issue is that out-of-town ph drivers/vehicles predominantly work here untouchable with no respective Licensing Enforcement. It is not an unusual sight to see thse vehicles use Brighton & Hove taxi ranks, or park right next to them of create their own 'ranks' in the city.
A few years ago I was influential in getting the 'Intended Use Policy' re-introduced for hackney carriages that we use to have (that can currently be legally applied) back in place looking ahead to ensure that Brighton & Hove hackneys did not predomiantly work outside of the city.
I also pursuaded Lewes DC next door to do the same as we had Lewes hackney carraiges predominantly working in the city under Uber when it first arrived which stopped this happening, that was then followed by Eastbourne BC who have shared licensing services with Lewes DC.
With Mid-Sussex hackneys (just above Brighton) also predomiantly working here under Uber, although not Mid-Sussex PH as Uber does not hold a Mid-Sussex Operator licence, I persuaded Mid-Sussex Licensing to have an 'Intended Use Policy' which also stopped this taking place.
An 'Intended Use Policy' under new legislation for hackney carriages and private-hire vehicles would not stop the necessary actrivity of cross border hiring, but would stop the drivers/proprietors of such vehicles from predominantly working many miles away from respective local Licensing Enforcement.
Andrew Peters
April 2025
Contact: info@iupolicy.co.uk
.
I am also a member of a large taxi/ph company in the city being an owner/driver cooperative/association that is run as a not-for-profit organisation for the mutual benefit of its members, established in 1936.
I am a trade rep, attending the regular council run Trade Forum meetings and assist with drivers who may require interviews or for general trade issues/enquiries.
I have written for the national trade magazine Private Hire & Taxi Monthly each month since 2021.
I have witnessed the chaos that has been caused by drivers/vehicles that have swamped the city from Lewes, Chichester, Portsmouth, Southampton, Havant, Fareham and London, all who predominantly work here out-of-sight and put-of-mind of respective licensing enforcement.
I have also witnessed the abolishment of the local licensing control of the city as a result of 'Predominant Out of Area Working' (POAW)
I submit regular weekly reports of drivers breaching their own conditions of licensing with regards to missung rear licence plates/door signage to their respctive licensing authorities.
Whilst the out-of-town ph drivers/vehicles predominantly work here in the city under Uber, Uber is not actually the issue as competition is an accepted part of business. The issue is that out-of-town ph drivers/vehicles predominantly work here untouchable with no respective Licensing Enforcement. It is not an unusual sight to see thse vehicles use Brighton & Hove taxi ranks, or park right next to them of create their own 'ranks' in the city.
A few years ago I was influential in getting the 'Intended Use Policy' re-introduced for hackney carriages that we use to have (that can currently be legally applied) back in place looking ahead to ensure that Brighton & Hove hackneys did not predomiantly work outside of the city.
I also pursuaded Lewes DC next door to do the same as we had Lewes hackney carraiges predominantly working in the city under Uber when it first arrived which stopped this happening, that was then followed by Eastbourne BC who have shared licensing services with Lewes DC.
With Mid-Sussex hackneys (just above Brighton) also predomiantly working here under Uber, although not Mid-Sussex PH as Uber does not hold a Mid-Sussex Operator licence, I persuaded Mid-Sussex Licensing to have an 'Intended Use Policy' which also stopped this taking place.
An 'Intended Use Policy' under new legislation for hackney carriages and private-hire vehicles would not stop the necessary actrivity of cross border hiring, but would stop the drivers/proprietors of such vehicles from predominantly working many miles away from respective local Licensing Enforcement.
Andrew Peters
April 2025
Contact: info@iupolicy.co.uk
.