City tries new route to solving taxi crisis

Prospective drivers will need to score only 90 per cent in tests of their expertise at finding streets, pubs and other landmarks in Edinburgh.

Until now, drivers had to score 95 per cent in the written exams which they must sit before being granted a licence to drive one of the city’s black cabs.

The pass mark will be dropped for anyone sitting the test from Monday as part of a series of moves which city councillors and the police hope will put more drivers on the roads, solving a problem with a lack of taxis at off-peak times, when many cabs are currently no longer on duty.

There will be more questions about where to find pubs, hotels, housing estates, educational facilities and tourist attractions, rather than focusing so heavily on individual streets.

Drivers will also have to correctly describe the shortest possible routes between a series of random points in the city for the first time.

Lothian and Borders Police cab inspector Murdo McIver, who is behind the updated quiz, maintained that the local licence will remain among the UK’s toughest to obtain. He said: "The test was a little outdated and didn’t reflect taxi driving in the city in 2002. Although the pass mark has been lowered, it’ll make drivers better prepared because it now covers different areas. A five per cent drop in real terms is not very much."

Taxi passengers travelling in the city today, however, were unimpressed by the plans.

Geoff Tarrant, 26, who lives in Gorgie, said: "I thought taxi drivers were supposed to know their way around the city. This isn’t going to help that. It sounds like its geared up for tourists going to their hotels. It certainly isn’t going to make it any easier for people who live in the city."

Abbeyhill resident Ewen McFarlane, 30, said the pass mark needed to go up rather than down. He said: "I don’t understand why they don’t just change the questions, but keep the pass grade the same. As it is I have problems getting home to Alva Place from the city centre.

"Unless I mention Abbeyhill, drivers are always trying to take me to Alva Street in the West End instead. It’s very frustrating."

The changes are expected to get about 20 additional drivers on the streets annually.

Would-be drivers will also be able to re-sit failed exams earlier than was previously possible under the new system.

But with an estimated shortage of 300 cabbies in the Capital, industry leaders today cautiously supported the changes.

Mark Greenhalgh, chairman of the Hackney Cab Drivers’ Credit Union, said: "We desperately need more drivers in the trade. Over the last ten years there’s been a 27 per cent drop of taxi drivers in the fleet."

Jim Kerlin, owner of the Kerlin Taxi School, added: "Finding your way around is 90 per cent of the job.

"It’s all very well if you know The Scotsman building is on Holyrood Road, but if you don’t know how to get to Holyrood Road..."

Up to 20 people each month apply to sit the topographical test at the Cab Office, run by Lothian and Borders Police. Around a quarter fail.

City licensing leader Phil Attridge added: "We’re not lowering standards and the new tests will not affect the quality. We just want the cabbies in Edinburgh to be the most professional in the world."

The new testing regime also comes a month before an optional training course for new cabbies is launched at Telford College.

The 250 scheme - a six-month pilot project backed by the council - will cover topics including first aid, conflict resolution, vehicle maintenance, coping with stress and customer care.