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INTOXICATED and vulnerable people are being forced to wait hours for a taxi after a night out in Hereford, leaving pub door staff to care for them.
A drastic drop in the number of taxi drivers serving the city has caused waiting times to soar, according to one taxi company boss.
And the shortage is having a knock-on effect on Hereford’s nightclubs and pubs, who are having to keep drinkers safe while they wait for a lift home, says Chair of HAND Pubwatch Hereford Dan Guerche.
Spokespeople from The Kerry and Yates in Hereford’s Commercial Road also said their customers had been dealing with the issue.
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The problem is also becoming a real concern for Vennture, a Christian charity responsible for organise Hereford’s street pastors – volunteers who care for intoxicated and vulnerable people during a night out in the city.
In March more than 50 Hereford taxi drivers mounted a rally at a council meeting and across the city to show their anger at plans
They work with door staff, venue owners, HAND Pubwatch and the police to keep people safe.
Chair Robert Thomas said one of the street pastor teams recently had to wait 45 minutes with a woman for a taxi, which consequently stopped them from helping others.
There are many taxis services across the county, but new policies have changed the dynamic for drivers.
In March more than 50 Hereford taxi drivers 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.
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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.
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.
Hereford Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Association chairman John Jones
Hereford Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Association chairman John Jones said on Saturday night (June 11) there were eight taxis out when there would once have been 25 to 30.
He said the wait is generally one to two hours, but this is bad enough.
“It is a safety issue for those having to hang round the town waiting.”
Mr Jones put the issue down to Covid – which has affected taxi companies nationally – but also the council policies.
“Hereford is being bitten twice,” he said.
“We are getting somewhere with council but is slow.”
The knowledge test drivers take ask questions that are too technical and unnecessary, he said.
Mr Jones claims councils in other areas have reduced the price of licences, he wants Herefordshire council to do the same.
“We want to provide service, but we can’t,” he said.
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Police are working with council members, venues, and HAND pubwatch scheme to tackle the challenges due to taxi shortages
A Herefordshire Council spokesperson said on Friday, June 10, council elected members and officers met with representatives of the Herefordshire Taxi Association along with two representatives from their national trade association, regarding a reworked draft taxi policy which addressed many of the concerns raised through the consultation process.
“The revised policy was discussed at length and we are pleased to confirm that a consensus was reached by both parties on most issues,” said the spokesperson.
“It was decided that the new draft policy would be agreed with the trade association and then recirculated to all drivers and operators for a further consultation as soon as possible.
“Following this re-consultation process, we hope to put forward an agreed final policy to be discussed by full council in October.”
