STEPHEN SARGENT, of Olympic Taxis, Newton Abbot, writes:

I believe the provision of some council taxi ranks are needed, where possible, in Newton. However, it is clear that it is not practical for Newton Abbot to become one big taxi rank.

The councils often talk about working toward a solution. as I understand it, progress is currently being made for a small number of extra ranks.

This, of course, does not provide a complete solution but it is a step in the right direction.

I have to agree that the 'work from home' suggestion should go hand in hand with the effort to provide these extra rank spaces. If no rank spaces are available to a driver, a back to base policy is an obvious solution.

This helps ensure that the once private hire plates, now black plate taxis – which used to provide a very valuable service to their local communities – does continue. Let me explain: the small villages on the outskirts of Newton still need a taxi service and sometimes only want to go around the corner to the shop or back from the pub. If all available taxis are mostly concentrated in Newton Abbot town centre, these customers can not get that public service we are all concerned about giving. For a black plate it is only lawful to start charging from a location once a passenger is on board. No taxi driver wants to drive ten or more miles to the sticks to only charge a small local fare of £2.40 and then drive all the way back to Newton again; it is not profitable. In this situation, no extra call out charge is allowed to be levied, other than the usual 50p booking fee.

The advantage of being a private hire bookings-only white-plated vehicle was that you did provide a valuable service to your local community, but now many private hire vehicles have exchanged their white plate for a black one. We are mostly all taxis now and all wanting a piece of Newton Abbot town centre!

With too many taxi drivers in town, touting, or the intent to tout for work illegally, is a real problem.

Taxi rank spaces that should have four taxis on as a maximum at the weekends are having 15, 20 or more taxis queuing to get on to them. Policy is that unless you are parked within an appointed council rank you can not ply for hire; to queue up outside an appointed rank space is considered as touting, or waiting with the intent to tout for work.

I believe this is another good reason why the council has suggested that taxis work from home, a back to base policy is a great idea from the council.

Some extra rank spaces, a back to base policy, as in other boroughs, heavy fines implemented for drivers found touting for work illegally, would ensure that the situation is brought under control, and will also bring back the valued public service we ought to be aiming to bring to customers in our more rural communities who desperately need it.