Kent women expose shocking experiences while trying to catch a cab in town

Tonbridge taxi rank in Waterloo Road in Tonbridge
-Credit: (Image: Google Maps)


Scores of women have lifted the lid on their shocking experiences trying to take a cab at the rank in Tonbridge, sparking safety concerns and action by the borough council.

First hand takes by women on what it's like using Waterloo taxi rank were published by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council ahead of its latest licensing meeting. Councillors agreed door signs with a large, identifying printed number should be put on each Hackney cab or private hire taxi, so passengers won't have to remember licence plate details if they want to report difficulties with a driver.

A report for the meeting included feedback from women who said they were put in vulnerable positions in the evening or later at night when drivers refused to take card payments or said their journey was too short. They shared experiences of walking down the line at the rank, which is next to Tonbridge Railway Station, asking each driver.

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Perhaps the most flabbergasting comments are from two pregnant women. One eight months' pregnant lady on crutches said she "dreaded every train journey" because she was made to feel her journey "wasn't far enough" and she was a "huge inconvenience".

The council report said this about the proposed door signs: "When Licensing Services receive a complaint or concern about a taxi driver, vehicle or journey, a lot of complainants do not remember which taxi or private hire vehicle plate number is the subject of the complaint."

An example of a proposed door sign with large identifying number for a Hackney cab after issues on Tonbridge for women passengers or would-be passengers
An example of a proposed door sign with large identifying number for a Hackney cab after issues on Tonbridge for women passengers or would-be passengers -Credit:TMBC

Another heavily pregnant woman, in the dark and cold, said she was "put off getting taxis in the future" as she was refused for a journey after working late because it was too short a distance and also because she wanted to pay by card. She even suffered the indignity of two of the drivers arguing about who should take her, after the first refused, she said.

One woman said she walked 45 minutes' home alone in the dark after "asking up to 12 taxis if they had card machines. I was a female travelling on my own".

The signs on the vehicles will be large, very visible as people get in the cabs and will have a QR code taking passengers traight to the complaints section of the council's website. Licence identifications are currently on the rear of vehicles, which are less visible to people using cabs.

'One of the first in the country'

The council aims to roll out the signs to more than 500 registered private hire and hackney drivers by Christmas. Tonbridge and Malling Borough Councill is one of the first authorities in the country to adopt this approach.

A council spokesperson told KentLive: "We are committed to ensuring high quality, safe taxi services across our borough and making licence numbers more clearly visible is just one way of doing that. While most passengers don’t have problems, we also want to make it easier for those who do to report it so we can investigate and take appropriate action."

The issue of what women were facing at the hands of drivers at the taxi rank had been raised in March by Green Party councillor Anna Cope and in May she told women: "Please know I am doing all I can. In the meantime, know that a driver must accept a card or cash fare; the first driver in the rank must take you on your journey whatever the distance; and that if you send me the details of any car at the rank not doing this, I will pass this on. Stay safe."

The issue was on the agenda at the council's latest licensing and appeals committee meeting. Councillors learned that among 80 responses to the council's "violence against women and girls survey", there were negative references to taking taxis. Two examples had a woman saying there should be dedicated women's taxis, while another said cameras should be added in cabs.

The actions flagged up by the women are against the council's policy for Hackney and private hire, and the report said a refusal to take a passenger would see nine points on their council driving licence and a two week suspension. And all Hackney carriage vehicles must have working card payment facilities for credit and debit cards, says the policy.

As KentLive reported in May and September last year, would-be passengers in Tunbridge Wells frequently raised the issue of being refused a lift by drivers at the taxi rank outside Tunbridge Wells Railway Station due to not having cash. A report by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said the authority had received "a growing number of complaints from members of the public" unable to get a cab at night because drivers said they didn't have card readers.

One cabbie told us why drivers didn't want to use card payments.

Things changed in January this year, as we reported, with the council saying: "Passengers have told the council they want this facility in the borough and this decision means that taxis licensed by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council will be required to take cashless or card payments from January 2, as many other local authorities already do. Drivers will still be able to accept cash payments and if they are concerned about there being no signal for card payments they could ask for payment up front."

The borough council's policy for now states "vehicle must display signage showing that card payments are accepted". It also now orders: "All Hackney Carriage vehicles licensed by this authority, must always have available, an electronic device that allows contactless and card payments to be made. A receipt which accurately states the time and date of the journey, driver number and fare, must be provided if requested by a passenger."

And in Tunbridge Wells, a driver faces eight penalty points under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, for "refusal to take a fare without a reasonable excuse". There are many other offences which can all be viewed on the policy on the council's website here.

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