This email was sent by a driver in July.
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Email sent last week. Asked to share.
FAO Anne Graham, Hugh Creegan, Tim Gaston, Wendy Thompson.
Hi all, I hope you are all keeping well
I wonder can you please tell me the Actual Date that you will be Announcing the extension to the final date of operation for Taxis currently licensed but due to be put off the road commencing January 1st 2023, a figure I believe to be in the region of 5300 vehicles ?. I have many drivers asking me the same.
Clearly, as previously flagged to this office, thousands have now left the industry and I note with a sense of irony , the authority has now engaged in a recruitment campaign for new drivers .
As outlined in previous communications, the lack of charging infrastructure for EVs (in addition to other negative issues) is now worse than ever and the pitfalls of ev ownership are now become apparent to those drivers who invested in new EVs, also the lack of availability of suitable replacement vehicles is a huge issue for those intending to remain in the industry and remain driving reliable i.c.e. powered vehicles.
It would be a great pity for the industry to haemorrhage any more experienced drivers in Q1 of 2023 , in a similar fashion to the wav exodus a few years back where the situation became so serious the big red button was pushed and remaining wavs, many unfit for purpose in my opinion, were exempted from end of life rules.
The reality of the matter is that 100 vehicles per week will need to be replaced commencing January 2023, I hope you won't stand idly by and watch thousands more drivers wither on the vine between now and January.
The anxiety levels for drivers finding themselves having to change their vehicles against the backdrop of scant availablity could and should be mitigated by the announcement of the extension sooner rather than later .
Yours sincerely