Taxi drivers will be required to accept “cashless” payments from passengers if councillors vote through a rule change this week.
The proposed new rule would reflect the increasing use of card readers by cabbies and would come into force on Sunday 1 May.
It is not the first time that Brighton and Hove City Council has considered forcing cabbies to accept card payments as a condition of their licence.
But as more people use cards or phones to pay for goods and services, some in the taxi trade have spoken out about passengers being turned away because they didn’t have cash.
The Brighton and Hove Cab Trade Association asked the council to consult the trade again about the rules governing payments.
And the results reflected the association’s own poll of members, with the majority backing the change, according to a report to the council’s Licensing Committee.
The report said: “It has been reported to officers that it is common for passengers to be turned away from ranks for wishing to pay by card and having to try several vehicles before being able to find a driver willing to take a card payment.
“This could be seen as a public safety issue especially for vulnerable passengers unable to obtain a taxi ride home and putting them at risk especially at night.
“It is also alleged that refusing a payment card is a way to ‘cherry pick’ by refusing short journeys.
“Covid-19 has accelerated the use of card payments during the pandemic as a protection measure against the disease and even fever passengers now carry cash since this matter was last considered by members.
“This does not appear to be an issue with private hire (pre-booked drivers) who use payment apps or are linked to operators that can take card payments.”
Some cabbies objected to being forced to take payments by card or phone, especially because some parts of the area have poor or non-existent phone and wifi coverage.
Some said that the proposed change would mean that the taxi trade was being treated differently to other businesses that accept only cash – and that they should all be free to choose.
Other objections included the cost of the transactions, with drivers worried about having to pay hundreds of pounds a year in charges.
Another driver said that card payments could take three days to reach their bank account while costs such as fuel – like cash – were immediate.
Andrew Peters, from the Brighton and Hove Cab Trade Association, said: “It is very unfortunate that we still have an issue within (the) trade on the ranks where it is more often than not that drivers who use certain popular ranks are turning people away when potential customers are seeking to pay by card.
It’s about time that they all take cards. Even before Covid it was an issue. Countless times I walked around the front of Brighton station can rank trying to find someone that would accept one, and most times it was ‘no’ from the 10-15 taxis. It just resulted in me using Uber over the road.
Nowadays I don’t even bother going to the back of the station… And also just default to App/Card payment.
That said, most Brighton taxis that I approach on a rank nowadays seem to say yes and have card machines.
So must be a minority / laggards that want to avoid the change for alternative reasons…
Can’t imagine why cab drivers would prefer cash? I’m sure HMRC can’t either. Or DWP. Or UK Border Force. Nope. Stumped.
I recently had to accompany a 93 year old friend to A&E, as he had a nasty fall outside a shop in Western Road. The very kind staff of the shop cleaned him up and dressed his wounds, before contacting 999 for him. At first he was told that there would be a wait for about an hour for an ambulance, but after a conversation with him on the phone, he was told that he would have to make his own way to the hospital. Still bleeding, and very badly shaken, he was prepared to go by bus. He was carrying hardly any cash at the time.. Fortunately I had enough cash on me to pay for a taxi there, as there clearly was no way that he could get on and off a bus. If I had not had that amount, this could only have been paid for with a card, but I don’t know if that would have been accepted at the time. And, incidentally, I thought this was an appalling way for the ambulance service to treat someone of that age, who was clearly in a very bad state. No one bothered to check whether or not he would have managed to get to A&E on his own.
It’s staggering that this is still a thing. It’s such bad business sense to not take card payment. Barclaycard the money is with you in 24 hours or less and the fee is 0.04%
This is probably the biggest reason uber are still used so it’s totally dumb. If I didn’t have cash and I was in town and got turned away, I’d just give up and go and get a bus. Also with card payments, you know the money has to be accounted for so a lot less dodgy behaviour.
More expense for drivers!! Discuss!! Cllrs! DISCUSS!
About time, any business these days that cannot take card payments has to be looked upon with caution, it is not expensive to buy or use a card reader with payments in the bank the next day. job done.
Taxi prices need to become affordable
Should be up to the driver if they want to take card or not they are self-employed
I dont get why people dont carry cash for minor transactions, its quicker and less fuss IMO…