Torridge taxis face crunch as demand slumps but cab rank waits soar
- Perry Richardson
- 50 minutes ago
- 3 min read
A new hackney carriage demand study has found significant unmet demand in Torridge despite a sharp fall in overall rank usage, prompting councillors to consider how service gaps are addressed while maintaining the existing cap on taxi numbers.
The study, presented to Torridge District Council’s Licensing Committee, shows estimated weekly passenger demand at the Bideford Quay rank has fallen to 914 passengers, down 23% from 2022 and just 39% of the 2016 peak of 2,339. The council currently limits hackney carriage vehicle licences to 49 plates and is required to review demand regularly to justify retaining the cap.
Despite lower demand, passenger waiting times have worsened. The average passenger delay has increased to 1.2 minutes, up from 0.97 minutes in 2022 and 0.27 minutes in 2019. Of the 78 hours observed during the September 2025 survey period, 38% recorded one or more passengers arriving when no vehicle was immediately available. The longest recorded wait was nearly 23 minutes.
Using the industry-standard Index of Significance of Unmet Demand, the report calculated a score of 1,557, well above the threshold of 80 used to denote significant unmet demand. All key indicators deteriorated compared with the previous survey, including the proportion of weekday daytime hours with queues and the share of passengers travelling in hours with average waits exceeding one minute.
Licensing committee told passenger waits are rising even as weekly rank patronage drops to lowest level since 2016
The study, carried out by Licensed Vehicle Surveys and Assessment, found that 49% of total delay occurred during so-called “thin demand” hours, when nine or fewer passengers used the rank in an hour. These low-flow periods make it difficult for drivers to justify waiting at the rank, with average occupancy at 1.5 passengers per trip and an estimated 0.1 paying trips per vehicle per hour when spread across the fleet.
Fleet activity has improved slightly. Around 70% of available hackney carriage plates were observed active during sample periods, up from 64% in 2022, although still below levels recorded in earlier surveys. However, overall rank demand remains heavily concentrated on Friday and Saturday nights, with a peak-to-average flow ratio of 5.2, the highest recorded in Torridge surveys to date.
Public perception of service quality remains strong. In on-street surveys of 226 respondents, 33% said they had used a licensed vehicle in the previous three months, up from 24% in 2022. However, 77% said they would use hackney carriages more if fares were more affordable. Latent demand, measured by passengers reporting they had given up waiting at a rank, rose to 9%, up from 1.1% in 2022.
Trade consultation drew a 17% response rate. Of hackney carriage drivers who responded, 83% said there were enough hackney carriages in the area and supported retaining the numerical limit. Private hire drivers were more divided, with 60% saying current numbers were sufficient. The report notes that a significant proportion of hackney carriage drivers undertake school contract work, which can affect rank coverage during quieter periods.
Although the index indicates significant unmet demand, the consultants concluded that issuing additional plates could be counterproductive in a low-demand market. The preferred approach is to work with the existing fleet to improve rank coverage, particularly during daytime and “thin demand” hours. The report warns that if service levels do not improve, councillors may need to consider either increasing plate numbers or removing the limit entirely at a future review.
The committee is being recommended to retain the cap of 49 hackney carriage plates for a further three years, while engaging with the trade to address service gaps and prioritise rank coverage.
