The maximum number of licensed taxis will be set at 317 from today.
Since 2001 the City Council has not limited the number of Hackney Carriage Vehicle licences.
The most recent survey, carried out by CTS Traffic and Transportation Ltd in November and December 2014 concluded that there was now no significant unmet demand for taxis in the city.
It is hoped that capping the number of taxis in the city will bring benefits such as:
- Reducing overcrowding at taxi ranks in the city centre
- Lessening the need for taxi drivers to work longer hours, and so improving safety
- Giving the council the chance to work more closely with drivers to raise standards and provide training
Cllr Jeremy Benstead, Chair of Licensing Committee, said: “Taxi drivers play a very important role in the day-to-day life of a city like Cambridge. We feel that limiting the number of taxis in the city is the best way of providing a safe and efficient service for passengers and drivers alike.
“Cambridge has seen significant rise in the number of taxis in the last few years, which has led to some problems due to limited taxi rank space in the city. By limiting licences we can better tackle existing problems and help provide an even better service for residents and visitors to the city.”
Read the report here
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Contacts
Cllr Jeremy Benstead (Labour), Chair of Licensing Committee, email: j_benstead@live.co.uk, tel: 01223 351669
Cllr Julie Smith (Liberal Democrat), Opposition spokesperson, email: julie.smith@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 01223 766259
Cllr Shapour Meftah (Independent/Conservative), Opposition spokesperson, email: shapour.meftah@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 01223 512647