Stockport Council Unmet Demand Study Final Report December 2014
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Key points This study has been conducted by Vector Transport Consultancy on behalf of Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC). The study is intended to fulfil the requirements of Section 16 of the 1985 Transport Act and to address the questions raised in the Department for Transport (DfT) 2010 Best Practice Guidance. The objectives of the study include: Gather evidence to establish whether there is any unmet demand. Assess the effectiveness of existing taxi ranks and the demand and suitability of additional rank locations. Assess the general condition of Stockport s taxi fleet. Assess the public demand for green vehicles in the fleet. Assess whether the current composition of Stockport s taxi fleet satisfies the accessibility requirements of disabled passengers. Surveys were undertaken at the two taxi ranks in common use in Stockport, at the Railway Station and at Chestergate, adjacent to the Mersey Way shopping centre. In addition, further observations of taxi activity were undertaken in Cheadle Hulme, Bramhall, Hazel Grove and Heaton Moor. Surveys were undertaken at the taxi ranks for a continuous period of 96 hours from 7:00 on Friday 7 th November 2014 to 7:00 on Tuesday 11 th November 2014. One of the principal indicators of unmet demand is the presence of passenger queues at taxi ranks for lengthy periods. The observations recorded 170 incidences of passenger queuing at the two ranks surveyed. This equated to 242 passengers who had to wait for s to arrive at the ranks, out of 4,333 passengers who boarded s during the period surveyed. This represents 5.6% of all passengers. The Index of Significant Unmet Demand ISUD value was calculated as an indicator of the level of unmet demand which was present. The ISUD value calculated was 60.2. Values below 80 are generally considered to indicate that there is no significant unmet demand for s. There have been suggestions put forward, by the trade and by stakeholders, for additional taxi ranks in Stockport, on Warren Street, near Sainsburys and at the Peel Centre. Outside Stockport itself, elsewhere in the Borough, several other locations have been suggested for taxi ranks. These are in the areas active in the night time economy and at Stepping Hill Hospital. The areas active in the night time economy which would benefit from formal taxi ranks, are; Heaton Moor, near the Elizibethan pub, Bramhall, near Napa on Bramhall Lane South Hazel Grove, locations along the A6 London Road, between Brewer s Green (ASDA) and Torkington Road The ranks to serve the night time economy in Heaton Moor, Bramhall and Hazel Grove need only be part time ranks which are active during the busy periods, which are generally late at night, when general traffic volumes are low. In each of the locations listed, s and Vehicles currently wait on fares. Therefore, Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc,
formalised rank provision is unlikely to add to any traffic congestion or disturbance to local residents, over and above that which already occurs. Indeed, formal rank provision may reduce disturbance by removing waiting vehicles from other nearby locations. The taxi fleet in Stockport is generally held to be clean and in good condition. Members of the public value driver helpfulness and knowledge over the age of the vehicle. There is some public desire for green vehicles in the taxi fleet. However, this is tempered by a general condition that there should be no additional cost associated with promoting the provision of green vehicles. The public appear to be price sensitive and any policy which results in additional cost is likely to have a detrimental impact on the taxi trade. The availability of green vehicles within taxi type vehicles available in the market place, is limited. Whilst motor vehicle manufacturers have made significant advances in developing cleaner and more fuel efficient vehicles, these are concentrated on mass market vehicles, such as family saloon cars. Whilst such vehicles are used as s in other licensing areas, they are generally not wheel chair accessible and cannot be readily adapted and so are not suitable for use in Stockport. The needs of disabled passengers are generally satisfied by the existing taxi fleet. Almost all s and some Vehicles are equipped with wheel chair access and equipped to facilitate easy access and egress for infirm or visually impaired passengers. Disabled or wheel chair using passengers do occasionally encounter some difficulties with drivers who are not confident when handling passengers with some types of disabilities or impairments. However, such occurrences are relatively rare. The trade, licensing team and disability representatives work well in partnership to resolve difficulties and maintain a generally high level of service. Recommendations There is no requirement for the issue of additional licenses, to address unmet demand as there is no evidence of significant unmet demand. Additional ranks as identified would benefit the public and help to disperse late night crowds at closing time. The trade should keep a weather eye on servicing all ranks, even at times of low demand. The level of passenger queuing, whilst not currently significant, would not need to increase by much to push up the ISUD value to a level which would indicate significant unmet demand. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc,
CONTENTS 1 STUDY OBJECTIVES 1 2 BACKGROUND 2 3 TAXI RANK SURVEYS 4 4 ACTIVITY IN OTHER AREAS 11 5 PUBLIC CONSULTATION 17 6 STAKEHOULDER CONSULTATION 31 7 DETERMINATION OF UNMET DEMAND 35 8 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 38 Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc,
Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc,
1 STUDY OBJECTIVES 1.1 General This study has been conducted by Vector Transport Consultancy on behalf of Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC). The study is intended to fulfil the requirements of Section 16 of the 1985 Transport Act and to address the questions raised in the Department for Transport (DfT) 2010 Best Practice Guidance. The objectives of the study include: Gather evidence to establish whether there is any unmet demand. Assess the effectiveness of existing taxi ranks and the demand and suitability of additional rank locations. Assess the general condition of Stockport s taxi fleet. Assess the public demand for green vehicles in the fleet. Assess whether the current composition of Stockport s taxi fleet satisfies the accessibility requirements of disabled passengers. The study brief specifies requirements which fall within the objectives listed above. These include: Conduct an unmet need survey. Consult with major stakeholders. Public consultation. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 1
2 BACKGROUND 2.1 Definitions This report refers to Taxis, s and Vehicles. Both s and Vehicles are licensed to operate within the SMBC area. s may be hired in three ways. These are on street hailing, hire at a taxi rank and by telephone or taxi office booking. Vehicles may only be hired through advance booking through. This is generally done by telephone or at a Vehicle operator s office. In this report, the term Taxi is used as a generic term to encompass both Hackney Carriages and Vehicles. Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) is the licensing authority for Hackney Carriage and operators, drivers and vehicles within their area. They are able to specify the standards they require (over and above the legal minima) for operators, drivers and vehicles, they can regulate fares and specify the number of Hackney licenses they issue. The number of licenses is currently limited to 135. 2.2 DfT guidance on Unmet Demand surveys In 2006 the Department for Transport (DfT) issued Good Practice Guidance to licensing authorities on the and Vehicle (PHV) industry. This guidance was updated in 2010. It includes advice on the measurement of unmet demand. Significant Unmet Demand (SUD) has two components: Observed or patent demand that which is directly observable Latent or suppressed demand that which is released by additional supply. Where a limit has been imposed, the DfT recommend that surveys be repeated every three years to confirm that unmet demand had not arisen. 2.3 Observed unmet demand This is determined from direct observation of passenger waiting times at representative taxi ranks and at representative times of day. Where the supply of taxis at a particular time and location is inadequate, intending passengers will have to wait until a taxi arrives. Where this waiting time becomes excessive there is unmet demand and where this occurs at a number of locations and for lengthy periods it constitutes Significant Unmet Demand. 2.4 Latent unmet demand Where potential passengers are deterred from using taxis through the assumption or knowledge that waiting times will be high, these passengers may decide not to travel or use an alternative means of transport. These passengers will not feature in the taxi rank surveys. Therefore to get an estimate of this latent demand an alternative form of Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 2
survey is required. This generally consists of face to face interviews with pedestrians to enquire about their experience in hiring and using taxis. Such a survey can also provide other information on taxi use. 2.5 Other Surveys The DfT guidance also recommends that stakeholders such as taxi providers and representatives of groups which rely heavily on taxis are contacted for their opinions on the number of taxis and the possible impact of licence quantity controls. 2.6 Breakdown of the trade Markets and hire methods typically targeted by Hackneys, in the UK, include: Public, private and unofficial ranks; Flag down/on-street; Telephone / radio bookings Contract work for statutory authorities such as for education authorities or social services; Commercial contract work; One off/occasional private hire for individuals or organisations; Evening leisure; Daytime shopping/social/business; Tourism Various combinations of the above that fit together in time Practices vary by location. For example, in some locations, a large proportion of work is serviced by radio bookings, whereas in other areas, work is based on rank based hire. In some areas almost all of the trade may focus on one particular aspect of the market at the same time (i.e. school contracts) causing there to be unmet demands in other parts of the market at that time. The market for taxis both Vehicles and Hackneys is therefore influenced by many factors both on the demand and the supply side. Demand for example is influenced by: The overall population, the extent of car ownership, availability of other transport including public, community and private transport, levels of mobility impairment and disability,. seasonality, The extent and hours of the night time economy will affect demand. The market will also be influenced by the supply of Hackney and PHVs, in terms of the quality, affordability and quantity of provision both perceived and actual. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 3
3 TAXI RANK SURVEYS 3.1 Current taxi ranks There are two ranks in effective day to day use in Stockport. These are at the Railway Station and at Chestergate, near the Merseyway shopping centre. 3.2 Rank surveys Both the Chestergate and Railway Station ranks were surveyed for a continuous 96 hour period from 7:00 on Friday 7 th November 2014 to 7:00 on Tuesday 11 th November 2014. The taxi ranks were surveyed, using video cameras fixed to nearby lamp posts. The days surveyed ensured that a sample of weekday and weekend activity was observed. The observation of week day and weekend periods enables an estimate of weekly activity levels to be calculated. 3.3 Rank survey results Full details of tabulated arrival frequencies and waiting times for Hackney carriages and passengers are presented in Appendix A. Summary results are presented below. Passenger waiting times were recorded when passengers arrived at a taxi rank and there were no taxis waiting at the rank, i.e. passengers had to wait for a taxi to arrive at the rank. On these occasions, waiting times were measured from the time when a passenger arrived at the taxi rank until the passenger boarded a. It is worth noting that the prevalent condition at the two observed taxi ranks was that taxis queue at the ranks, waiting for passengers. Therefore, for the majority of the times surveyed, passengers arrived at the taxi ranks and a was waiting and ready for immediate boarding. On these occasions, the recorded passenger wait time was zero. Railway Station rank Hackney carriages periodically formed lengthy queues which extended beyond the confines of the taxi rank, and into the feeder rank on Railway Road. The queuing s on the feeder rank were included in the observations for the Railway Station. On occasion, the queue of s would extend beyond Railway Road and on to Wellington Road (A6). These occasions were generally when a train was expected and a high volume of passengers anticipated. The activity on each day surveyed is presented in the following figures. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 4
Stockport Railway Station Passengers per hour 140 120 Friday to Saturday Passengers departing rank each hour 100 80 60 40 Saturday to Sunday Sunday to Monday 20 Monday to Tuesday 0 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 Hour beginning Figure 1 - Railway Station Passengers Per Hour Stockport Railway Station s per hour 90 Hackneys departing rank each hour 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 Friday to Saturday Saturday to Sunday Sunday to Monday Monday to Tuesday 0 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 Hour beginning Figure 2 - Railway Station s Per Hour Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 5
Stockport Railway Station average wait times 70 Average wait time for s at rank (minutes) 60 50 40 30 20 10 Friday to Saturday Saturday to Sunday Sunday to Monday Monday to Tuesday 0 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 Hour beginning Figure 3 - Railway Station average wait times at the rank Stockport Railway Station Queue Length 35 A Queue Length (vehicles) 30 25 20 15 10 Friday to Saturday Saturday to Sunday Sunday to Monday 5 Monday to Tuesday 0 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 Hour beginning Figure 4 - Railway Station Queue Length Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 6
Chestergate rank The Chestergate rank primarily services demand associated with nearby shops. Hence activity is highest during shopping hours. However there was some activity on Friday and Saturday nights. Observed activity at the Chestergate rank is presented in the following figures. Chestergate Passengers per hour 70 Passengers departing rank each hour 60 50 40 30 20 Friday to Saturday Saturday to Sunday Sunday to Monday 10 Monday to Tuesday 0 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 Hour beginning Figure 5 - Chestergate Passengers Per Hour Chestergate s per hour 45 Hackneys departing rank each hour 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 Friday to Saturday Saturday to Sunday Sunday to Monday Monday to Tuesday 0 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 Hour beginning Figure 6 - Chestergate s Per Hour Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 7
Chestergate average wait times 60 Average wait time for s at rank (minutes) 50 40 30 20 10 Friday to Saturday Saturday to Sunday Sunday to Monday Monday to Tuesday 0 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 Hour beginning Figure 7 - Chestergate Average Wait Times Chestergate Queue Length 16 A Queue Length (vehicles) 14 12 10 8 6 4 Friday to Saturday Saturday to Sunday 2 0 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 Sunday to Monday Monday to Tuesday Hour beginning Figure 8 - Chestergate Queue Length 3.4 Passenger Queues Passenger queues were observed throughout the survey period. A total of 268 passengers, in 170 groups, waited for s. The majority of passenger queuing occurred on Friday (120 of the 170 passenger groups). Full details of passenger queues are presented in Appendix C. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 8
3.5 Wheel Chair Users Seven wheel chair users were picked up by s at the ranks. All were picked up at the Chestergate rank. The times when the wheel chair users were observed are presented in Table 1. Table 1 - Wheel Chair Users Observed wheel chair pickups at ranks Rank Location Date Time Size of party travelling Notes Chestergate 07/11/2014 15:56 Driver took over 4 minutes to load and secure the wheel chair. Meter appeared to be started once the vehicle started 1 moving, not before. Chestergate 07/11/2014 17:05 Driver took almost 4 minutes to load the wheel chair. Flag drop after the vehicle 1 started moving. Chestergate 08/11/2014 11:49 Driver took almost 4 minutes to load the 1 wheel chair. Chestergate 08/11/2014 15:49 2 Wheel chair loaded in 2 minutes. Chestergate 08/11/2014 16:10 4 Wheel chair loaded in 3 minutes Chestergate 10/11/2014 13:06 2 Wheel chair loaded in 3 minutes Chestergate 10/11/2014 16:32 2 Wheel chair loaded in 3 minutes 3.6 Balance of Supply and Demand The balance of supply of s and demand for s was assessed at each of the ranks. The balance of supply and demand was categorised for each hour, according to the following criteria. Excess Supply The minimum queue in an hour was three or more s and no occurrences of Passenger Queuing were observed. Equilibrium The minimum queue in an hour was two or less and the maximum passenger queue was two or less, or the maximum passenger wait was less than one minute. Excess Demand The maximum passenger queue in an hour was three or more, or the maximum passenger wait exceeds one minute. The Balance of Supply and Demand is summarised in Table 2 and Table 3. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 9
Table 2 - Balance of Supply and Demand at Chestergate Excess Supply Equilibrium Excess Demand Chestergate Friday to Saturday 2 13 9 Saturday to Sunday 5 17 2 Sunday to Monday 0 23 1 Monday to Tuesday 5 18 1 Total 12 71 13 Total % 12.5% 74.0% 13.5% Table 3 - Balance of Supply and Demand at the Railway Station Excess Supply Equilibrium Excess Demand Railway Station Friday to Saturday 8 15 1 Saturday to Sunday 12 10 2 Sunday to Monday 9 15 0 Monday to Tuesday 15 9 0 Total 44 49 3 Total % 45.8% 51.0% 3.1% Full details of the hourly analysis of supply and demand is presented in Appendix B. From the summary tables, it can be seen that the supply of s was most commonly in equilibrium. 3.7 Commentary on results Only two of the surveyed taxi ranks operate conventionally as ranks, where taxis wait for a hire. With the conventional rank hire activity focussed on the Station and Chestergate ranks, taxis spend much of their duty time waiting at the ranks. Activity at the Chestergate rank was highest in the afternoon. Given that this is the closest rank to the shopping areas of town, this is as one might expect. The activity at the Station increased from late afternoon and into the evening. However, activity at the Station dropped after 1.00 am, whereas Chestergate remained active until after 4.00 am on Friday and Saturday nights, reflecting a closer proximity to pubs and restaurants. Passenger queuing was most common at Chestergate. Most of the passenger queues at Chestergate occurred when s were available elsewhere at the railway station. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 10
4 ACTIVITY IN OTHER AREAS 4.1 Non Rank Surveys Anecdotal evidence had suggested that much of the night time economy was active in locations around Stockport Borough, outside the centre of Stockport itself and away from the two existing operating ranks. Activity at some areas with more active night time economy operations were surveyed. These were in Heaton Moor, Cheadle Hulme, Bramhall and Hazel Grove. Each area was observed from 18:00 to 05:00 the following morning on Friday 7 th, Saturday 8 th, Sunday 9 th and Monday 10 th November 2014. Full details of observed data is presented in Appendix D. A summary of observed pick ups is presented below. 4.2 Heaton Moor Three video cameras were installed to capture activity on Heaton Moor Road, where several pubs and restaurants are located. The extent of the road observed is indicated in Figure 9. Extent of observed area Figure 9 - Heaton Moor Observed Area Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 11
Table 4 - Observed Pick Ups in Heaton Moor Car Hackney acting Stockport waited but left waitedd but left Waited but left Day (Non Hackney ) as Friday to Saturday 46 4 53 4 0 11 Saturday to Sunday 62 5 96 5 1 13 Sunday to Monday 26 2 2 7 1 0 Monday to Tuesday 12 1 0 4 0 0 4.3 Cheadle Hulme A single camera was used to observe activity close to the Kings Hall pub. The extent of the area observed is presented in Figure 10. Extent of observed area Figure 10 - Cheadle Hulme Observed Area Table 5 Observed Pick Ups in Cheadle Hulme Car Hackney acting Stockport waited but left waited but left Waited but left Day (Non Hackney ) as Friday to Saturday 36 2 0 11 0 0 Saturday to Sunday 34 0 2 2 1 0 Sunday to Monday 6 0 0 4 0 0 Monday to Tuesday 4 0 0 2 1 0 4.4 Bramhall Ack Lane and Bramhall Lane South were observed using two cameras. The extents of the roads observed is presented in the figure below. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 12
Extent of observed areas Figure 11 - Bramhall Observed Areas Table 6 - Observed Pick Ups in Bramhall, Ack Lane Car Hackney acting Stockport waited but left waited but left Waited but left Day (Non Hackney ) as Friday to Saturday 20 2 0 11 0 0 Saturday to Sunday 20 0 2 2 1 0 Sunday to Monday 9 0 0 4 0 0 Monday to Tuesday 8 0 0 2 1 0 Table 7 - Observed Pick Ups in Bramhall, Bramhall Lane South Car Hackney acting Stockport waited but left waited but left Waited but left Day (Non Hackney ) as Friday to Saturday 47 1 26 1 2 0 Saturday to Sunday 90 8 19 6 0 2 Sunday to Monday 4 0 0 2 0 0 Monday to Tuesday 3 1 0 0 0 0 4.5 Hazel Grove Two locations along the A6 were covered, plus the car park at the Bamboo Club, on Commercial Road. The most southerly area was located outside the McDonalds restaurant. The more northerly location along the A6 was located outside the ASDA supermarket. Two cameras were used to cover the more southerly length of the A6. A single camera was used to cover the northerly area of the A6 and a further camera used to cover the Bamboo Club. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 13
The locations covered are indicated on the following figures. Extent of observed area Figure 12 - Extent of Hazel Grove Southerly Observed Area Extent of observed areas Bamboo Club Figure 13 - Extent of Hazel Grove Northerly Observed Area, Including Bamboo Club Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 14
Table 8 - Observed Pick Ups in Hazel Grove, Southerly Area Car Hackney acting Stockport waited but left waited but left Waited but left Day (Non Hackney ) as Friday to Saturday 71 14 10 12 0 4 Saturday to Sunday 61 12 18 26 0 4 Sunday to Monday 6 1 0 15 0 0 Monday to Tuesday 1 0 0 5 0 0 Table 9 - Observed Pick Ups in Hazel Grove, Bamboo Club Car Hackney acting Stockport waited but left waited but left Waited but left Day (Non Hackney ) as Friday to Saturday 19 0 13 0 0 0 Saturday to Sunday 34 0 36 0 0 1 Sunday to Monday 0 0 0 0 0 0 Monday to Tuesday 0 0 0 0 0 0 Table 10 - Observed Pick Ups in Hazel Grove, ASDA Car Hackney acting Stockport waited but left waited but left Waited but left Day (Non Hackney ) as Friday to Saturday 12 14 10 12 0 4 Saturday to Sunday 29 12 18 26 0 4 Sunday to Monday 0 1 0 15 0 0 Monday to Tuesday 0 0 0 5 0 0 4.6 Comments on results There was demand for both s and Vehicles in all of the areas surveyed. Heaton Moor and Hazel Grove were the locations where most s were observed. On the Saturday night, the activity in Heaton Moor was earlier in the night, from around 18:45 onwards. The peak activity on Saturday night in Heaton Moor was from 23:30 to 00:30. Peak activity in Hazel Grove was later on Saturday night. Most activity was after midnight. The level of demand in both Heaton Moor and Hazel Grove was higher on Saturday night, than on the ranks in Stockport town centre. In Hazel Grove, near the Bamboo Club, a crowd formed on Friday and Saturday night as the club closed. The crowd was larger on Saturday night. There were people around after the club had closed and most of the staff had left. In Heaton Moor, there didn t appear to be the same level of crowd formation at closing time. This may be related to earlier closing times for the venues in this area. In Bramhall, there was a relatively high concentration of activity as Napa closed. Vehicles and s gathered to pick up people leaving the venue at closing time. There is also a fast food outlet across the road and some people were still around after bar had closed, because they were eating takeaway food. Both and s were seen waiting outside Napa to pick up passengers. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 15
It is clear from the surveys that the level of night time economy related demand for s in Heaton Moor and Hazel Grove was higher than in Stockport town centre, on Saturday night. There was also significant activity in Bramhall. Demand in Cheadle Hulme was also significant. However, the majority of this demand was serviced by Vehicles. A notable feature of driver activity at the locations observed, was that if people were waiting on the pavements, or walking along the pavements, vehicles would either pull up alongside, for a few seconds, or slow down and drive past slowly. This appeared to be in order to ascertain whether the people in question may be looking to hire a vehicle. Both s and Vehicles followed this approach. Several Vehicles were observed to be approached by would be passengers and refused a hire. On the majority of such occasions, the person who had booked the Vehicle approached the vehicle shortly afterwards and entered the vehicle. Some people were observed attempting to flag down a taxi. They would attempt to flag down both s and Vehicles. On such occasions, no successful flag downs of Vehicles were observed. However, Hackney Carriages were successfully flagged down. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 16
5 PUBLIC CONSULTATION 5.1 Public consultation questionnaires A public attitude survey was undertaken in Stockport centre, Marple, Bramhall, Cheadle Hulme, Edgely and Hazel Grove. The questionnaire was designed for this study, in order to address the requirements of the brief. The questionnaire was implemented by a specialist survey contractor who used experienced staff to carry out the interviews with the public. The use of experienced surveyors enabled respondents to be guided through the questions. In addition, the questionnaire was also hosted online and members of the public were invited to complete the questionnaire. 421 surveys were completed. The questionnaire, with results, is presented in this chapter. 5. In the last three months, have you made one or more trips by taxi in Stockport and was this a or vehicle? Yes 1 274 65.1% Yes 2 41 9.7% Yes both types 3 68 16.2% No 4 38 9.0% 421 100.0% If the answer is No, then go to Question 16 Questions 6 to 15 relate to the last trip undertaken by or Vehicle 6. What was the purpose of your last trip by or Vehicle? Work or education 1 84 21.9% Shopping 2 153 39.9% Leisure 3 108 28.2% Hospital / medical 4 20 5.2% Link to other transport mode 5 8 2.1% Personal business 6 4 1.0% Other 7 6 1.6% 383 100.0% 7. Regarding this last trip: Not including the driver, how many people travelled in your party, including yourself? 1 289 75.5% 2 60 15.7% 3 22 5.7% 4 12 3.1% 5 0 0.0% 6 0 0.0% 7 OR MORE 0 0.0% 383 100.0% Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 17
8. Regarding this last trip: Were you or anyone in your party disabled?, e.g. mobility impaired, visually impaired or a wheel chair user Yes, another member of the party 4 1.0% Yes, the respondent 0 0.0% No 379 99.0% 383 100.0% 9. How did you obtain your Taxi? At a rank 1 (Go to question 10 ) 164 42.8% Hailed in the street 2 (Go to question 11 ) 57 14.9% By telephone 3 (Go to question 13 ) 162 42.3% 383 100.0% 10. If hired from a rank How long did you have to wait for a taxi at the rank? minutes No wait time 6 3.7% Up to a minute 24 14.6% Up to 5 minutes 118 72.0% Up to 10 minutes 8 4.9% Over 10 minutes 8 4.9% 164 100.0% 11. If hailed on the street- How long did it take you to hail a taxi from the time you started looking for one? minutes No wait time 0 0.0% Up to a minute 2 3.3% Up to 5 minutes 31 50.8% Up to 10 minutes 22 36.1% Over 10 minutes 6 9.8% 61 100.0% 12. If hailed on street, how many taxis did you have hail before one stopped? (Go to question 16 ) One 23 37.7% Two 28 45.9% Three 10 16.4% More than three 0 0.0% 61 100.0% Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 18
13. If hired by telephone- Did you require the or Vehicle immediately, or did you pre-book it for another time? Immediately 1 (Go to question 14 ) 148 91.4% Not immediately 2 (Go to question 15) 14 8.6% 162 100.0% 14. If you telephoned for an immediate booking, how long did it take for the taxi to arrive? minutes (Go to question 16 ) No wait time 0 0.0% Up to a minute 2 1.4% Up to 5 minutes 130 87.8% Up to 10 minutes 12 8.1% Over 10 minutes 4 2.7% 148 100.0% 15. If pre booked for another time, how close to the booked time did the taxi arrive? - minutes early On time 99 + minutes late (use negative numbers to denote early arrival and positive numbers to denote late arrival) 12 respondents indicated that the taxi arrived on time The remaining two respondents who had booked, did not respond to this question 16. How often do you obtain a taxi from a rank in Stockport? Every day 1 20 4.8% At least weekly2 94 22.3% At least monthly 3 226 53.7% At least once a year 4 35 8.3% Less frequently 5 46 10.9% Never 6 0 0.0% 421 100.0% Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 19
17. How often do you obtain a or Vehicle by telephone in Stockport? Hackney Carriage Private Hire Either type Total % of total Every day 1 0 4 16 20 4.8% At least weekly2 4 20 72 96 22.8% At least monthly 3 8 14 208 230 54.6% At least once a year 4 0 2 33 35 8.3% Less frequently 5 0 0 40 40 9.5% Never 6 0 0 0 0 0.0% 12 40 369 421 100.0% 18. How often to you obtain a by hailing one in the street in Stockport? Every day 1 0 0.0% At least weekly2 6 1.4% At least monthly 3 69 16.4% At least once a year 4 44 10.5% Less frequently 5 288 68.4% Never 6 14 3.3% 421 100.0% 19. Have you encountered any difficulty in entering or exiting any particular type of or Vehicle? Yes 0 0.0% No 421 100.0% 421 100.0% 20. If the answer to the previous question was yes, do you recall which type of vehicle this was? Not applicable Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 20
21. When travelling in a group of five or more people in a Vehicle, have you ever found that the seating space was too tight? I have not travelled in a large group in this way (go to question 27) 82 19.5% No (go to question 27) 335 79.6% Yes once or occasionally 4 1.0% Yes often 0 0.0% 421 100.0% 22. If yes, can you recall what type of vehicle it was? a) Mini bus b) Small MPV, for example Vauxhall Zafira, Ford S-Max, c) Large MPV, for example Ford Galaxy, Chrysler Voyager, Hyundai I800 d) Don t recall Only one respondent could recall the vehicle type. This was a small MPV. 23. Can you recall the actual car type that was used? If the actual model can be recalled, please record it here. None could recall the actual car type. 24. Have you ever hired a Vehicle in Stockport Metropolitan Borough and a vehicle registered in another area turned up to take the hire? Yes 1 (go to question25) 19 4.5% No / Don t know 2 (go to question27) 402 95.5% 421 100.0% 25. If the answer to the previous question is yes, were there any problems with the booking or trip? Yes 1 (go to question 26) 2 10.5% No 2 (go to question 27) 17 89.5% 19 100.0% 26. If the answer to the previous question was yes, could you elaborate on what issues arose? Other member of my group complained Rubbish in the back of the vehicle THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS RELATE TO HACKNEY CARRIAGES AND NOT PHVs Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 21
27. Have you experienced problems in obtaining a? Yes 13 3.1% No 408 96.9% 421 100.0% 28. If yes, for what reason? All 13 respondents who had experienced a problem said that there were no taxis available. 29. If yes, Where did this problem occur? LOCATION NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS AT HOME 9 CHESTERGATE 3 COOPERATIVE STORE 1 30. If yes, approximately what time of day and day of week did this occur? LOCATION TIME/DAY AT HOME WEEKDAY 6 CHESTERGATE SATURDAY 1 AT HOME SATURDAY 1 CHESTERGATE WEEKDAY 2 AT HOME SUNDAY 1 AT HOME DON'T RECALL 1 COOPERATIVE STORE WEEKDAY 1 NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS 31. How would you assess the availability of s in Stockport? Very good 1 44 10.5% Good 2 291 69.1% Average 3 56 13.3% Poor 4 16 3.8% Very poor 5 14 3.3% Don t know 6 0 0.0% 421 100.0% Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 22
32. What is the main reason you do not use s in Stockport more often (or not at all)? (choose one response only) Too expensive 1 44 10.5% Unacceptable waiting time / availability 2 16 3.8% Distance to Ranks is too far 3 6 1.4% Have a car available 4 31 7.4% Use the bus 5 24 5.7% Cycle or walk 6 6 1.4% No need for services 7 2 0.5% Prefer to use vehicles 8 0 0.0% Drivers don t know where they are going 9 4 1.0% No reason, used as often as needed 10 288 68.4% Other 11 0 0.0% 421 100.0% 33. If the answer above was Other, please specify the reason. 34. Could services in Stockport be improved? Yes 42 10.0% No 379 90.0% 421 100.0% 35. If yes, how could they be improved? (choose as many as apply) More s 1 4 3.7% More ranks 2 4 3.7% Shared Hackneys (multiple destinations and fares) 3 4 3.7% Low emission vehicles 4 10 9.3% Better condition of vehicles 5 16 14.8% Standardised vehicle type and / or colour 6 0 0.0% Improved luggage space 7 2 1.9% Better driver appearance 8 10 9.3% Better driver quality / customer care 9 10 9.3% Cheaper fares 10 42 38.9% Better rank security 11 6 5.6% Better disabled access 12 0 0.0% Other 13 0 0.0% 108 100.0% Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 23
36. If the answer above was Other, please specify the reason. 37. Are there any locations where you would like a new rank? Yes 0 0.0% No 421 100.0% 421 100.0% 38. If the answer above was yes, please specify. 39. Are there any existing Taxi Ranks that you would use more often if Hackney Carriages were more reliably found there? Yes 6 1.4% No 415 98.6% 421 100.0% 40. If the answer above was yes, please specify. Number of Rank Location respondents STATION 1 CHESTERGATE 4 ALL 1 41. If the fare was the same as for other s, would you prefer to use a that was deemed to be a Green Vehicle, i.e. an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle. Strong preference 1 80 19.0% Some preference 2 88 20.9% Don t care / don t hold a view 3 253 60.1% 421 100.0% 42. Would you be content to pay a 20% increase in fares for hire, if all new s were to be Green Vehicles? Yes 23 5.5% No 398 94.5% 421 100.0% 43. Would you be content to pay a 5% increase in fares for hire, if all new s were to be Green Vehicles? Yes 31 7.4% No 390 92.6% 421 100.0% Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 24
44. Have you tried to hire a in the last three months at a rank or by hailing and given up and made alternative arrangements for travel? Or, have you wanted to hire a but didn t think there would be one available? Yes 0 0.0% No 421 100.0% 421 100.0% 45. If the answer to the previous question is yes, could you state where and general time of day that you tried to hire the? 46. Have you tried to book a by telephone, for immediate travel, in the last three months and had to make alternative arrangements because a is not available within a reasonable time? Yes 0 0.0% No 421 100.0% 421 100.0% 47. If the answer to the previous question is yes, how long approximately was the wait time quoted? minutes or No Availability 999 48. The number of s that are licensed to ply for hire in Stockport is limited. Do you feel that removing this limit would benefit you? Yes 1 No 2 Don t know 3 Yes 1 26 6.2% No 2 10 2.4% Don t know 3 385 91.4% 421 100.0% 49. If the answer to the previous question is yes or no: Why do you feel that removing the limit on licensed taxis would or would not benefit you? Number of respondents Response LESS CRIMINALS GETTING LICENCES 1 BETTER STANDARDS 11 REDUCE WAITING TIME ON 1 CHESTERGATE BETTER SAFETY 2 WOULD STOP JUST ANYONE GETTING A 1 TAXI LICENCE TOO MANY ON ROADS 1 Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 25
MORE TAXIS AVAILABLE AT BUSY TIMES 1 N/A 8 50. With respect to the standard of s, would you consider Hackney Carriages in Stockport to usually be: Clean and in good repair 1 311 73.9% In good repair but not always clean 2 80 19.0% Not always in good repair but usually clean 3 10 2.4% Not always in good repair and not always clean 4 12 2.9% Usually not clean 5 2 0.5% Usually not in good repair 6. 0 0.0% Usually not clean or in good repair 7. 0 0.0% Vehicles are generally too old and worn 8 4 1.0% Don t know / no opinion 9. 2 0.5% 421 100.0% 51. Please select features of s in order of importance from the following list: Most important a, less important b, and so on up to f. Rank the importance in the table a to f. Each importance rank should only appear once, i.e. a can only be applied to one feature as the most important, b to the next most important and so on. Driver Driver Driver Age Vehicle has Vehi is is of is well good TOT cle is smartly courteo the maintain local AL clean present us and vehi IMPORTAN ed knowled ed helpful cle CE ge A 91 65 32 176 105 32 501 B 98 89 48 58 120 0 413 C 32 145 107 32 32 33 381 D 40 88 129 73 33 50 413 E 96 26 49 49 73 97 390 F 64 8 56 33 58 209 428 TOTAL 421 421 421 421 421 421 Note: Whilst respondents were urged to rank responses, some could not decide between features and wished to rank some features equally. Therefore, the row totals do not add up to 421. For example, some people ranked several features as equally the most important. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 26
52. Are there any other features not listed, that you consider to be important for service? RESPONSE NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS TAXIS ARE A DECENT SIZE AND AGE 1 BETTER TRAINING OF DRIVERS 13 CRIMINAL CHECKS ON DRIVERS 3 GOOD QUALITY TAXIS 1 GOOD DRIVER TRAINING AND SERVICE 1 LEVEL LESS RELIANCE ON SATNAVS 5 MORE FEMALE DRIVERS 2 BETTER DRIVER KNOWLEDGE 1 53. Age: 15 29 1 30 7.1% 30 64 2 230 54.6% 65+ 3 161 38.2% 421 100.0% 54. Sex: Male 167 39.7% Female 254 60.3% 421 100.0% Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 27
55. What is your ethnic group? A. White 1 English / Welsh / Scottish / Northern Irish / British 383 91.0% 2 Irish 6 1.4% 3 Gypsy or Irish Traveller 0 0.0% 4 Any other White background, write in 0 0.0% B. Mixed / multiple ethnic groups 5 White and Black Caribbean 0 0.0% 6 White and Black African 4 1.0% 7 White and Asian 20 4.8% 8 Any other Mixed / multiple ethnic background, write in 0 0.0% C. Asian / Asian British 9 Indian 0 0.0% 10 Pakistani 0 0.0% 11 Bangladeshi 0 0.0% 12 Chinese 0 0.0% 13 Any other Asian background, write in 0 0.0% D. Black / African / Caribbean / Black British 14 African 2 0.5% 15 Caribbean 2 0.5% 16 Any other Black / African / Caribbean background, write in 0 0.0% E. Other ethnic group 17 Arab 0 0.0% 18 Any other ethnic group, write 0 0.0% 19 Declined to answer 4 1.0% 421 100.0% 56. Economic Status Full time employed 1 157 37.3% Part time employed 2 171 40.6% Unemployed 3 28 6.7% Student 4 16 3.8% Retired 5 49 11.6% Housewife / Househusband 6 0 0.0% 421 100.0% Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 28
57. Residency Permanent resident in Stockport MBC area 1 Visitor 2 Tourist 3 Permanent resident in Stockport MBC area 1 421 100.0% Visitor 2 0 0.0% Tourist 3 0 0.0% 421 100.0% 58. Please give us the first half of your home postcode Thank the respondent for their patience and cooperation. 5.2 Comments on results The use of licensed vehicles in the last thee months was relatively high, at 91%. The majority of respondents recalled that they had to wait for a to arrive at the rank, for their last journey by. This contradicts the rank survey results. The respondents indicated that there were no times when they could not obtain a at a rank or by hailing. The majority of those who stated that they hailed a taxi for their last journey, recalled that they managed to obtain one within five minutes. All of those who hailed a taxi for their last trip managed to successfully obtain a taxi after a maximum of three hailing attempts. Four respondents found that the seating space in a Vehicle was too tight. Three of these four could not recall what type of vehicle it was. The fourth respondent recalled that the vehicle was a small MPV. Approximately 80% of respondents indicated that the availability of s was good or very good. The cost of fares was seen as a barrier to more frequent use and a potential improvement to the service. There is some desire for green vehicles in the fleet. However, this is tempered by cost. Few would be willing to pay higher fares for more environmentally friendly s. The majority of respondents did not have a view on the retention or removal of the limit. Driver courtesy, helpfulness and knowledge are seen as the most important attributes of service. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 29
In general, there is little evidence that the public feel that taxi service levels are unsatisfactory. s are generally found to be clean and in good repair, s were generally available when required and there was some support for use of green vehicles in the taxi fleet. However, support for green vehicles was tempered by cost. People would generally not like to pay more for green vehicles in the taxi fleet. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 30
6 STAKEHOULDER CONSULTATION 6.1 Background In order to gather information from a variety of sources and gather views of the taxi industry and levels of service from different perspectives, consultation was undertaken with a range of stakeholders. These included representatives of groups or organisations which use taxis, or undertake related activities and representatives from the taxi business itself. 6.2 Taxi trade consultation Discussion with representatives of the Stockport Owner Drivers Association was undertaken through a face to face meeting. In addition, Drivers were interviewed on the ranks. An online questionnaire was also set up and drivers were invited to complete the questionnaire. Drivers were also provided with a telephone number to call if they wanted to provide further comments. Thirty seven drivers were contacted on the ranks, a further eleven provided views by telephone and seven completed online questionnaires. Feedback from the trade was consistent across all sources. One of the principal issues identified was the constraint imposed by only having two effective ranks in operation, both in central Stockport. Much of the demand, based on the night time economy, has moved out of central Stockport. This creates a problem for drivers as, in order to service this demand, they need to travel to the areas where the demand exists. These are Heaton Moor, Bramhall, Cheadle Hulme, and Hazel Grove. However, when in these areas, the s run the risk of being told by police or licensing enforcement officers, to return to the nearest rank. The nearest rank can be several miles away, in central Stockport. In order to provide improved service to the public and improved public benefit, part time ranks are required in the Cheadle Hulme, Hazel Grove, Bramhall and Heaton Moor, to service demand from the night time economy. In addition to ranks required to service the night time economy, three further locations were identified where ranks would service demand and provide a public benefit. These are on Warren Street, near ASDA and Sainsburys, the Peel Centre and at Stepping Hill Hospital. The working hours of drivers vary, with many working six days a week and for ten or more hours on many of these days. Some drivers do work shorter hours, but this appears to be in the minority. There is some double shifting of Hackney Carriages. Some drivers operate contract hires on a regular basis. Many contract hire routes are undertaken through subcontract to Operators. Flag down, or hailing appears to be rare. Most flag down hires occur at the weekend, on Friday or Saturday nights. Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 31
Several drivers pointed out that the taxi ranks on St Petersgate are in potentially busy locations for the Stockport night time economy. However, the ranks are often full of parked vehicles in the evenings and cannot be reliably used as a taxi rank. Private car drivers are aware of deficiencies in the traffic regulation orders on this road, which means that the parking and waiting regulations associated with the marked rank are not enforceable. An enforceable and useable rank on St Petersgate would benefit the travelling public as s would then be able to service this rank. Most drivers who are members of the Stockport Owner Drivers Association have undergone training for disability awareness. Trade feedback, in reference to drivers and vehicles in general, it is felt that Hackney Carriages are generally well maintained and kept clean. There is a feeling that high levels of service and assistance are essential to maintain business. It was felt that the supply of s is more than sufficient to meet the needs of the public. Similarly, it was felt that there were sufficient Vehicles available to meet the needs of the public. There is a value attached to taxi holding a taxi plate. This is seen as a retirement fund when a plate is sold on as an owner retires from the business, or as an income source, if the owner rents out a plated vehicle. Plates are thought to change hands for around 12,000 15,000. When asked about providing green vehicles as s, in response to customer demand, there was general approval. However, it was highlighted that the availability of green vehicles which met the vehicle type criteria for s was very limited. The large size and weight of the specialist vehicles meant that fuel consumption was high. Even for vehicles with modern and more efficient engines. If more environmentally efficient vehicles are required, then the best approach would be to allow saloon cars to be used in the fleet. This would free drivers to purchase production cars which had more efficient engines and much lower fuel consumption. An example of a Skoda Octavia, which can achieve fuel consumption of over seventy miles per gallon, was sited. The issue of carrying wheel chairs was raised in conjunction with consideration of allowing saloon cars to be used as Hackney Carriages. The number of wheel chairs carried, as a proportion of all hires, was felt to be low and didn t necessarily warrant having the whole fleet as wheel chair accessible vehicles. If saloon cars were to be allowed, it is anticipated that some owners would retain wheel chair accessible vehicles in order to target this sector of the market. Drivers typically work 12 hours per day and receive up to 10 hires per day. There is a perceived issue with Vehicles plying for hire and actively seeking hires which are not pre-booked. Many of the vehicles operating as Private Hire Vehicles are registered elsewhere. The majority of out of area vehicles are registered as s in Rossendale Borough. These vehicles, as registered s, have roof lights with TAXI written on them. It is felt that this causes confusion for members of the public, who may not look at the Hackney Carriage license plate to see that the vehicle is not registered in Stockport. So members of the public may hail these taxis, thinking they are Stockport taxis. As many of the vehicles operating as Vehicles are registered in other areas, there is no licensing fee income to Stockport, from these vehicles. There is Stockport Taxis Unmet Demand Study 2014- Vector Transport Consultancy [Double Sided Print].doc, 32