Taxi Driver Online

absolutely well said dusty and if any cant see this they are wearing blinkers

Oh don't say that, he wont be able to get his hat on.

In different areas both quantitative and qualitative have led to the huge increase of both licensed PH, and in London mini-cabs.

The high standards of vehicle and the 2/3 year knowledge in London, may seem a good thing to some, but this has led to the massive increase in mini-cabs, driven by drivers who have to earn a living now, not in three years time.

Elsewhere the quantitative restriction has another massive growth in licensed PH. If you are a fit and proper person, what choice have you got. Give half your earnings to some lasy ****, buy a plate from a leech, or buy and own your own licensed PH vehicle.

The latter is the way most take, and for good reason. If you want to be your own boss, then be your own boss, not a money supply to the leeches.

Lid Andy, lid!

Dusty

Well Mick, when I asked you to clarify the T&G's policy on one tier/two tier further up the thread, clarification there was none!!

Dusty

I am not able to speak on behalf of the T&G but what I can reply with my own opinion on its interpretation for the provinces. I believe this point is to be raised at the next national meeting.

In the promotional literature the T&G state that they believe taxis should continue to be controlled in the current manner and that their should be a strictly controlled P/H provision.

This has been worded in National publications refering to a one tier taxi system but this solely applies to London as they don't wish to see saloon cars used as taxis in the capital, and they assume that "two tier" refers to mixed fleets.

It is quite obvious that a single tier with strict P/H provision, is in essance a two tier system and that should be corrected following the next national meeting.

With regard the National Cab Act, someone has allready answered but I will reitterate, the T&G would like to see reforms to update the Acts of Parliament governing the trade to encombass modern issues and clearly define the essencial roles provided by both codes, instead of the contradictuary acts of 1847 and 1976 where loopholes are too clearly indentified.

The T&G have made a call to government to review these outdated pieces of legislation and have meerly suggested that it would be far easier to adopt a new act of parliament to reflect current conditions.

B. Lucky

Thanks for that Mick. It's all very confusing, but once there's something concrete to work on from the OFT then everyone's position will become clearer methinks.

Dusty

we hold so much store on this report dont we?

yet every time we are reported on we are let down, every occasion,

the oft have betrayed us already by not having the report on time, what if it goes straight to competition?

I dont trust them one bit

Wharfie

Well it depends what you mean by 'let down' Wharfy, it should go without saying that some will feel let down by the outcome, while others won't.

However, I think that the report will address the issues in a way that hasn't really been done up till now in the UK, ie from a proper economic perspective - to that extent, because there are numerous complex competiton issues then that's why I think it will go to the CC.

The CC process would be a lot more open than the OFT - they issue lengthy statements of the issues that they think are relevant and ask for views, and do likewise when they've drawn up interim proposals. They also have public meetings with most investigations as far as I know, and a speaker from each corner would put their case to the commission.

As regards the delay, I think this is quite normal for them, and 2 months or so isn't that much for them as far as I can tell - the estate agents report was due in early June!!!

Dusty

Let down is several e-mails saying late summer there is a fix going on I feel it in my water.

is it toning up or down?

if the government can fiddle the case for war.............

Wharfie

I don't believe that the OFT fully understood the size of their task when they stated their report would be delivered late summer, lets just hope that when they told the DoT they were confident that it would be ready for the end of this month.

I have been saying that people are pinning to much on this report since it was announced it was taking place, and I think that if they don't publish a full report and refer to the competitions commission they are stalling for time.

B. Lucky

Now that's right up my street.

Seeing how some drivers, and their unions, defend treating others as second class citizens, will be very interesting.

Seeing them defend the plate premium, will again be very interesting.

Hearing them talk rubbish, will be the norm.

Well if one looks at TDO's frontpage, you will see that some drivers have waited decades.

A couple more months, well so be it.

Looking at the handful of reports of this type that the OFT have published in the last year or two, my original feeling was that if they were to refer to the CC then the report would be reasonably short and therefore unlikely to be delayed - they would outline the main issues and leave the CC to consider them in detail - that's what seemed to happen with the Extended Warranties report (the CC have just finished it, and it's with the DTI and will be published in a few weeks), the main part of which was only 35 pages long, I think.

On the other hand, the pharmacies report was delayed big style, but was huge, and with all the annexes etc was the best part of 1,000 pages. However, the OFT clearly decided to do the work themselves rather than refer it to the CC.

However, there was only one primary issue at stake with the pharmacies (ie restrictions on opening new ones), but this was clearly considered in some depth by the OFT.

So to the extent that there are numerous issues at stake here, such as:

- license quotas in principle
- the 'unmet demand' reports and politics etc surrounding them
- tariff issues, such as posted fares and/or national fares
- one-tier/two tier
- access to transport terminii
- WAVs and the DDA
- the black economy
- the extent of competition in the trade
- standards for cars and drivers (particularly age rules, PB taxis, the KOL, DSA tests etc)
- leave licensing with LAs or national standards, tsar etc
- if de-limitation, how best to do it

To that extent I think the OFT will consider that the issues will be best considered by the CC. That's what it's there for, and I don't think that a reference will have anything to do with stalling for time.

Anyway, as I said elsewhere, the CC don't seem to have much on at the moment

Dusty

I suspect Dusty, if they had realized exactly how involved our trade is, they might not have started it, as Mick states.

But by not referring it to the CC at their earliest convenience, and by adding those PH chaps, they are really going for it.

I think many many skeletons will be brought out of the cupboard, and many in this trade may well expect visitors from the OFT cartel investigation dept.

But one thing is for sure, in my humble opinion, things are going to change, and I'm up for it.

But I bet many wish they could still live and dwell in the past.

My posts tonight have gone out of sequence!!!. So, If what I am saying appears to have no bearing on the discussion, try scrolling back a page or two !!!

Failing that, report me to a shrink.

_________________
There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.