Bristol Airport has announced a search for a taxi firm to partner with as part of its new transport interchange plans. The Invitation to Tender (ITT) launch invites premium and fully licensed taxi and private hire services to bid for the contract at the airport.
The successful provider has been promised a 'premium taxi office location' close to the terminal. The airport has also offered advertising support for the winning bid.
The contract is for a single provider which is able to offer a 24/7 service to and from the airport in Lulsgate Bottom. It would initially be for five years, with the potential to extend by a further two years.
According to the airport it is 'essential' that the fleet of vehicles are less than three-and-a-half years old and 75 per cent of the fleet are hybrid or electric from the beginning of the contract and at least 25 per cent are fully electric by the end of 2025.
Any firms interested in the bid have also been told they must have a "high standard of cleanliness, a first-class level of customer service and consistent branding across all vehicles".
The airport is currently going through a £400m upgrade - including the construction of the £60m 'Public Transport Interchange' and car park.
Rupert Lawrie, commercial director for Bristol Airport, said: “We are looking forward to hearing from businesses who would like to tender for our private hire taxi service at such an exciting time.
"We welcome applications from all companies that offer an extremely high level of customer comfort and service and who also operate with sustainability at the forefront of their business. A clean and efficient fleet of vehicles is paramount.”
Expressions of interest for the bid are open until Tuesday, September 23 and initial bids are then due by October 14. There will be a stage two before a final offer with the final outcome announcement due on November 20. The firm would be due to start the contract on February 1 next year.
The council has voted to write to the Government to express its concerns and demand regulatory reform in a move it said would protect passengers.
The proposal, which calls for eight or nine taxi bays at The Approach Car Park, was part of a discussion during a Rochford Council meeting regarding a £96,000 car park revamp.
The discussion was prompted by The Casey Report, which audited practices for preventing child sexual exploitation and suggested making CCTV compulsory in all taxis.
The criminal damage and public order offence took place on Monday, September 8, at approximately 1:30pm, at the taxi rank in Duncombe Place.
Local drivers report months of loitering and illegal parking by Uber vehicles—waiting for work, occupying the rank and with TfL?licensed Uber vehicles parked inside the car parks.
The decision, which will allow Uber to operate directly in the south Cumbria area, has been met with anger from independent operators.
The Bournemouth Taxi Rank Association, representing around 100 hackney drivers, has launched a petition against South Western Railway in response to the reported plan.
The 12-week consultation was approved by the city council's licensing committee following pushback from private hire drivers over a "too strict" new policy.
The committee was presented with a history of misconduct, including a recent assault charge involving the driver’s daughter.
The girl, Lottie Turner, was a passenger in an A1 Cars taxi on Wednesday, September 10, when the driver made an unauthorised stop to pick up a second, "vulnerable" man.
The issue was brought to a head during a September 15 meeting of Kirklees Council’s Licensing and Safety Committee, which was set to vote on a fee increase for hackney and private hire licences.
Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, September 11, Chris Webb MP highlighted the negative impact on the local economy and the livelihoods of taxi drivers.
Stafford Borough Council has updated its taxi licensing policy to permit black hackney carriages in the area, ending its long-standing rule that only white vehicles could be used.
Geraldine Grocott, 39, pleaded guilty to burglary, theft, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance.
Terry Williams, who has driven for Oakwood Cars for about ten years, was transporting two women on a rural road in Buckinghamshire when a tree began to fall in front of them.
This comes seven years after the popular ride-hailing service was banned in 2018 due to safety concerns.
Jane Mollett, 49, of Gorleston, admitted to seven counts of fraud at Norwich Crown Court.
The Magical Taxi Tour sees a convoy of licensed London taxis take over 200 children, suffering from a range of debilitating illnesses, on a three-day trip of a lifetime to Disney Paris.
HerFleet is set to officially launch with a special event. The launch marks a pivotal moment for the city, championing a new era of safe, professional, and innovative transport.
Neil Charnock, a cabbie with 23 years of experience, is urging the council to support a national campaign led by GM Mayor Andy Burnham to close a legislative loophole that allows the practice.