Opinion: A driver offers a critique of the recently formed National Taxi Trades Group.

The advent of a new national body for the taxi trade is an opportunity to look at their policies and offer a critical examination; obviously, this critique evolves from the advert placed in Taxitalk’s February issue and commonly known activities within the Northwest.

“The NWTA was formed in 1994 to fight the conservative governments proposals to deregulate the taxi trade nationally”

Not a good start really, the 1985 Transport Act enabled local authorities to effectively de-limit at any time, even if they consider that their area has no significant unmet demand.  Starting in 1994 is perhaps a tad late, but as the saying goes “better late than never”.

Obviously, with such a good and worthy cause, you should have worked wonders within the national trade, but I cannot seem to remember a significant victory by you off the top of my head.

“We are an association whose purpose is to bring together other associations and related groups to fight under one banner with the precise purpose of unity in any fight against any threat to our trade”

Hang on, you’ve just told us you’ve been around since 1994, yet I didn’t see you making any view or taking any action on either the 1995 DDA or Working Time Directives. Weren’t these direct threats to our trade?  You’re a unifying body, so why are you so interested in unity now? It wouldn’t be because if you were a mere member of a national body you wouldn’t be able to dictate and manipulate your views as much to people would it?

“The NTTG does not work in the same way as other taxi associations or National Associations”

As far as I’m aware almost all local associations use a “one man-one vote” system, if you mean you’ve found a new system fairer than that one, you must really advise someone of these new democratic principles.

“We do listen to the views of our members, because only by debate can one arrive at the correct course of action”

Hmmmmm, implying that other associations don’t listen to members is not going to win you any friends here! And by debate, I take it that you mean everyone agreeing that your right?

“We collect plate levies to fund the fights we take on, by doing so spreads the cost evenly over the trade”

Can’t really remember a fight so far, but if you start one, please involve me, I like a good punch up! But you know if you hang on a few months I hear the government are going to issue more licenses or summat, just think of the money we could get then!

“When our trade is not being attacked we go back to sleepy hollows and continue earning a living in our businesses within the trade”

I don’t know where you’ve been, but the trade has constantly been attacked since 1976, perhaps you overslept?

Could you not be more precise and state, when “I’m not being attacked on a local level”, because it would be more accurate and truthful. “When I’m not being attacked, I don’t give a hoot what happens to the rest of you I’m Okay Jack!” Would be a far more honest statement.

Your reference to your willingness to return to “Sleepy Hollow” is indicative of the whole problem of the hackney trade, though you show honesty by being willing to admit it.

“The question has been asked why, as separate entities, we do not belong to a national association or group. The answer is that some do, some don’t as is our right”

Quite right to, it is my right to be critical, but please remember this before you email Taxi Driver Online and give them grief for my right to reply.

In all seriousness, do you not think that the £200 per year membership of at least one national body would have been at least a commitment to a national cause, snippets of information that you could have given freely to other people to help them would surely have been appreciated.

Perhaps it is a good job that some people in your body had the foresight to join some national body, otherwise you wouldn’t have been aware of the first deadline.

“We have read what other associations have done since gaining knowledge of the OFT report, we will not criticise the efforts they have made”

You mean like point out that groups will be formed so that a better response from the trade will be given? A little bit of a hypocritical statement don’t you think?

 Especially in view of the fact that despite all the effort and money you’ve spent the transport select committee were that interested in your view that they didn’t think you should be a witness during the hearing of 28^th January 2003.

“On 22^nd November one of our members was informed through his national association that the ministry of transport has contacted certain stakeholders within the trade giving them 30 days to respond”

As previously stated, it’s a good job some of your members had foresight, if they didn’t you would not have been aware of the 30 day period. It’s a real shame that your group isn’t a stakeholder though, would have been nice to see you getting grilled by the House of Commons select committee.

“While the majority of the trade knew nothing of this time period”

Again as previously stated, the position you would have been in because as is your right you choose not to join national bodies.

 In the back window of our members taxis there is a sticker with the slogan don’t fix it – its not broken, this clearly shows all our drivers who are prepared to stand up and fight for their livelihoods”

Only a small point really, but if I was a card carrying member of a national body  I show commitment or a member of a local association who didn’t want a sticker because I show my commitment by my windscreen sticker, annually, by being there, when there’s no OFT report, would you not consider me to be a person who was not prepared to stand and fight? Because if you are, I really take exception to this.

With all due respect, a bumper sticker saying those words will achieve two things, firstly, the public wont understand what the hell it means and secondly mechanics across the North West will not repair taxis.

Other points

 There are two serious National Bodies in the country, well two that are treated seriously by the government, the T&G and NTA. Both of whom, as stakeholders, have responded to the OFT report and indeed met with government on 28th January 2004 as witnesses. Neither association went out and took money from people, neither association has paid vast amounts of money to assist in their responses to government, yet as stated both have been listened to by government due to their continued commitment to the taxi trade.

It is therefore fair to presume that in spite of collections of many thousands of pounds, the consideration by the government of your efforts has been nil.

None of the MP’s that were contacted have been able to obtain an input into the select committee for non stakeholders, these of course are facts that will not be welcomed by some nor the fact that its being highlighted, the tendency to speak the truth does tend to get people into trouble.

People are preaching to the converted when they call for unity, the T&G and NTA have made these same calls for years, to little response. The fact simply is, the vast majority of the trade isn’t bothered unless a direct threat is close by, they don’t deserve the dedicated few, who work for the trade through thick and thin.

The setting up of a new national body tells people that they don’t trust the current national bodies. Obviously to gain a voice in either body you have to all intents and purposes show a continued commitment. This could not happen in the short timescale, so they have set up their own body to create a voice, obviously by voice, I mean their voice.

The fact of the matter is that they are only interested in their own welfare and not that of others, this has been proved when locally they ignored the pleas of taxi associations in districts adjacent to their own when they were in trouble. Eyes being open when it suits to see is a commonly used phrase that is pretty useful in this case.

There was a very relevant point in last months magazine regarding the OFT and de-limitation, made by a gentleman who needs congratulated for both his honesty and foresight, but will no doubt be condemned for his opinion.

No association has won a court case against de-limitation of some kind, in despite of local tradition and any amount of money raised locally or nationally. Simply throwing money at the situation does not work, it merely costs more money and creates false hope.

Where our money is precious, the government print the stuff.

The Hackney trade are backing a serious loser if they think that the shortsighted policies of limitation will prevail after the OFT report. Those reading this who will in no doubt disagree with the points made, however living in a fantasy land where nothing matters except what occurs locally has led to this situation, it has merely been allowed to fester.

It is no good blaming either the T&G or NTA for this, as some will attempt to do. If anything, these bodies need the eternal thanks from some of the trade for keeping the inevitable back for so long. But will they be thanked? The answer is of course a emphatic no, if anything they will be blamed for being unable to stop the OFT, which is a bit like blaming that boy with his finger in the dyke for allowing the torrents of water to flood by.

You cannot stop progress, we should all be aware of this, you can delay it, but eventually it is impossible to stop.

If by some miracle the trade manage to get out of the hole that it’s dug for itself, there will be two bodies to thank, namely the T&G and NTA, however I feel that this is more down to the OFT incompetence than a robust attack by the trade. A case of more good luck than judgement. However, as you’ve already admitted, by this stage you will have returned to sleepy hollow for some more valium, but never mind, I’m sure that you’ll wake up in time for the next crisis.

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