Taxi drivers react to proposed zone changes

Taxi drivers in Newquay have criticised proposals to remove six long-established taxi zones and replace them with one single licensing area for the whole of Cornwall.

Under the current system, taxis in Cornwall are licensed in six separate zones based on the former district council boundaries, including Restormel, which covers Newquay.

Although Cornwall Council became a single unitary authority in 2009, the legacy zones have remained in place due to existing legislation.

The council says the proposal to move to one single taxi area would simplify the system and align with Government guidance.

According to the consultation on the Let’s Talk Cornwall website, the Government’s Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing: Best Practice recommends removing taxi zones to make things simpler for passengers, improve taxi availability and customer choice and create a fairer and more efficient system.

However, some drivers have raised concerns about the impact the change could have on their livelihoods and local services. They're also warning it could cause prices to rise.

Newquay driver Nick Morris, who has been working in the trade since 1995 and is Treasurer of the Newquay Taxi Forum, told Radio Newquay that “all the drivers [he’s] spoken to are against it”.

PRESS PLAY below to listen to our conversation with him...

The consultation on Cornwall Council’s proposal is open on the Let’s Talk Cornwall website.