BLACK CABS OUT? Taxi drivers in Sheffield campaign for ‘Mixed Fleet’ saloon car option to cut costs

Taxi drivers in Sheffield are calling for Sheffield City Council to allow traditional black cab drivers a chance to drive cheaper saloon style cars.

A petition has been started asking the council to ‘act immediately’ with a consultation to introduce a ‘mixed’ taxi fleet in the region. Concerns around the future cost of electric taxis and the imminent introduction of the Sheffield Clean Air Zone (CAZ) has prompted the calls.

A trade spokesperson, Ibrar Hussain, created the petition and says: “At present we have approx 640 licensed hackney carriage vehicles in Sheffield, and the trend is downwards, new electric vehicles are too too expensive to buy.

“As the council is about to introduce Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in Sheffield effective from September 2022.

“We the licensed driver's are asking the council to urgently start the consultation on Hackney Carriage vehicle specification policy. We need this review immediately as the CAZ policy is approved by the executive cabinet on 26 October 2021 and be minded to include Mix Fleet of vehicles as a serious consideration eg leeds model.

“We ask every member of the Sheffield City Council, licensing board, and executive cabinet to take immediate action.

“Furthermore licensing service needs to act immediately with this consultation with the licensed vehicle Hackney Carriage owners as the stakeholders.”