A taxi driver has reiterated his concerns about anti-social behaviour during the nighttime trade three months after fares were increased.
In April the Roads Transport Licensing Committee announced rates would be going up and the late-night higher rate, of Tariff 2, would start an hour earlier at 11pm.
At the time Barry Murphy told Manx Radio he believed it would leave drivers subject to abuse - in this episode of Newscast, we catch up with Barry about the impact the change has had.
Manx Radio contacted the Roads Transport Licensing Committee for a response.
A spokesperson said: "The RTLC has received complaints from Mr B. Murphy regarding both anti-social behaviour towards taxi drivers and the moving of Tariff 2 from midnight to 11pm.
"It has received no complaints about these issues from anyone else in the taxi trade.
'"Should Mr Murphy, or any other taxi drivers, experience anti-social behaviour the RTLC would strongly urge them to report the incident immediately to the police.
"The RTLC is a regulatory body not an enforcement agency and does not have any legislative power to deal with anti-social behaviour conducted by members of the public.
"All emails to the RTLC from Mr Murphy, as well as any other person or body, are answered. However these responses may not always be immediate.
So I can only speak from my own personal perspective. I have only very, very recently in the last week or two charged a very occasional passenger. And I mean very occasional because I think I've only charged in maximum of three times the increased rate. So I haven't had any real difficulty with it. And last night I did actually charge it because I felt I should start charging now because clearly the RTLC are not going to change their mind on it. The chap that I picked up last night, he was OK about it. He wasn't delighted about it. But he was reasonably happy about it. But I still take the view that there was a lack of professional standards at the RTLC in the manner that the increase was implemented. There was very little public notice. And even still, I think many people are unaware that such an increase actually exists. So I'm still really quite unhappy about it. And I do really think that there needs to be more public knowledge from the RTLC and more public awareness about it. So regarding that delay, what was it that was keeping you from implementing it for so long? And you say there's a certain pressure from the RTLC now to actually implement it and charge people those rates? Yeah, so my reason is simple because there was no public knowledge, there was no transition period of advertised, implemented, given to Mank's radio or any other media source at that time. So to me, the idea of simply just charging somebody that extra 50%, which is basically what it amounts to between 11 and 12 o'clock, because that's exactly what it was. Instead of the meter starting at £3.50 or whatever it is, it's now starting at £4.80. I just couldn't force myself to charge it because I couldn't personally see why I should be the one expected to be notified to public of a decision made by the Royal Transport Licensing Committee and anyone else who was involved in at that particular moment in time. To me, it just seems unwarranted and it seemed unfair. Time has passed on. I have sent numerous emails to various different people within the RTLC and also within government. And I have to say that the responses were poor to put it mildly. And I sent another email out yesterday to a couple of political ministers and also to the Royal Transport Licensing Committee secretary requesting that maybe they should consider banners, magnetic banners that we put banners on the side that apply for higher vehicles in Douglas or anywhere else that anyone who wants to decides they need one. And all it's going to do really is just promote a bit of public awareness. Because I just believe that many people still don't know such a thing, kind of exists if you like. Or such a fair exists. You'll no doubt speak to other taxi drivers around the island. Do you aware of anybody else only just now implementing this change? I don't speak to that many of them, to be honest with you. I speak to a few of them. And it's not really my place to be asking them whether they're charging or whether they're not charging it. You know, it's clearly laid down within the new tariffs that any ply for higher operator that so wishes to charge it, can charge it so far from it for me to be the ones who question what anyone else is doing. But look, it's here and I think it's probably here to stay. I am aware that when the Royal Transport Licensing Committee implemented a change, they said it was going to be on a trial basis. But of course, they haven't given any idea to anyone at how long this trial is going to take or what form the trial is going to be in. So based on the, on any communication, common back-sensitive implementation of it, I guess it's here to stay. And it's up to ply for higher operators to charge it or not to charge it. They are maximum permissible fares. If people wish to charge it, they charge it. If they don't wish to charge it, they don't charge it. But of course, the problem is many metres are are automatically calibrated. So at 11 o'clock, they switch over onto the higher rate. So, you know, in many cases, it's very difficult for people to charge it, not to charge it, because the metre says they should charge it. So, I mean, really and truly, it's, I think it's something that's here to stay. It's a subject matter, I suppose, that I've probably moved away from slightly accepting the fact that it's here to stay. But I just do hope that the Royal Transport Licensing Committee, you know, continue to promote, will not even continue to start to promote that such a change has actually happened. That's what I hope happens. And the only other thing that I am concerned about is, as I've been concerned about from the start, I just think that the timing was incorrect. You know, service industries, bars, restaurants, and any taxis, takeaways, whatever they may be. They're under increasing pressure. You know, business out there is very, very slack on the ground at the minute. I don't think that this change has done anything to help anyone within the service industries. And I think the only people that's actually helping right now is boss Fanon. And I'm not really sure that the taxi trade really should be kind of ever a sort of helping boss Fanon in their ability to provide them with extra money. So, you know, I'm still not happy about it. But I suppose, Lewis, I'm just getting on with it at the minute. You have, of course, expressed concern about being abused whilst in the job. So what would your message be to people who perhaps are unaware currently of this high affair, who get in a taxi one evening and find themselves slightly surprised by the cost? Well, I mean, the cost is there. Most people, I mean, most people are very fair. You know, I have had, I mean, I've been a taxi driver for over 20 years now, and I've pretty much 98% of my time. I've just worked on nights, and I've had some very, very bad experiences and some horrible experiences, to be perfectly honest with you. Some very, very scary experiences, and many of which the police have been involved. But I mean, the anti-social behaviour, because essentially that's what it actually is. Anti-social behaviour is a problem in Douglas. It's probably a problem across the island at nighttime, particularly at weekends. And particularly down a Victoria Street, you know. I'm regularly hearing about more and more of my colleagues that haven't made your major problems around their vehicles when they're picking up on Victoria Street. I firmly believe we do not get enough support from the police. We do not get enough support from the RTLC, and we do not get enough support from the government. I firmly believe we're forgotten about trade, to be perfectly honest with you. And we have been for a very long time, and I suppose going back to what we're talking about today, and this is only my own personal opinion, we were forgotten about when it came to the implementation of this tariff, which is another one of these cases where the taxi trade is just expected to just get on with it. But I personally don't think that's good enough, and I did call for the chairman of the Royal Transport License and Committee to resign over this far-sicle situation. And I still think he should, because, you know, we deserve better, I deserve better. The trade deserves better. Thank you for making it to the end of the Manx Radio Newscast. You are obviously someone with exquisite taste. May I politely suggest you might want to subscribe to this and a wide range of Manx Radio podcasts at your favourite podcast provider, so our best bits will magically appear on your smartphone. Thank you. (music) (upbeat music) You
