Taxi Driver Online

The LC's remit is seems to be driven by the Government's 'localism' agenda and perhaps its deregulatory instincts. (An added complication is of course that it's a coalition government.)

To that extent it's perhaps interesting to recall the following news article from 2010:

Minister probes foreign cabbie's licence to get lost after being taken for a ride

By Glen Owen, 26 September 2010

A Government Minister has launched an inquiry into the employment of foreign cab drivers after he was caught up in an outbreak of ‘taxi wars’ at his party conference.

Transport Minister Norman Baker was left seething during the Liberal Democrat gathering in Liverpool after he hailed a black cab from the dock area and asked the driver to take him to a smart restaurant on top of the tallest building in the city.

Despite the tower housing the Panoramic, the UK’s highest restaurant, being just 1,200 yards away, the non-English-speaking driver drove around in circles for nearly half an hour trying to find it. Eventually Mr Baker stormed out of the taxi and refused to pay. But when he flagged down a second cab and tried to get in, another driver – who thought he was next in line – pulled in front of the cab to stop it driving off.

The irate driver refused to move until the Minister reluctantly agreed to climb into his vehicle, after which he was finally delivered to his supper.

Last night, Mr Baker – who is responsible for the licensing of private hire vehicles – said the episode had prompted him to mount an investigation into the licensing of foreign drivers. ‘It became obvious that the driver had a limited grasp of English when I said the tower was 34 storeys high, only to be taken to a two-storey building,’ he said.

Some local people claim that foreigners applying to become cab drivers are being helped by official interpreters during the test of their navigation skills.

Unite, the union which represents cab drivers, has lodged a complaint with councillors about the skills of foreign drivers.

A Liverpool City Council spokesman: ‘All applicants for a taxi licence have to take a written street knowledge test in English as well as an oral English language test.

‘No interpreters are allowed to be present at these tests.

Source: Daily Mail

While the article seems to be about HCs, I doubt if any of us would be surprised if a similar scenario had arisen involving PH.

Thus (hypothetically ) assuming it was PH, I wonder to what extent the LC would consider the market to be working well in such circumstances, since their fundamental conclusion on PH would seem to be that all that's required is light-touch regulation.

Alternatively, and in view of the fact that the LC thinks HC markets don't work well and thus regulation is justified, I wonder if the kind of scenario outlined above suggests that current regulation isn't working and that root and branch reform is required rather than the LC's preference of leaving it to LAs in accordance with the localism agenda?

And how might politicians like Norman Baker react to it all?

I don't think it matters if it was PH or HC, the simple fact is a lot of the immigrant driver's come from countries where you stand up or get walked on, and by standing up they are almost prepared to kill for £3, it's how they've survived in hostile lands and the gut reaction doesn't leave the body just because the body has, but the real crucial thing is ....... how can you license anyone who can't communicate with the local, or anyone who doesn't know the area, you wouldn't tell someone to go into a house and re-wire the electrics without proper training would you........here Pedro go wire that house up.....but Meester Pete I not know ow to do dat.......ah don't worry Pedro you'll get the hang of it, you'll know if you got it wrong anyway sparks will fly.

I would like to know what the result of that investigation was

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

I wonder if the LC has an account with a minicab company in London?

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Well I would.

The Minister will know the difference between a black cab hackney and a saloon PH.

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IDFIMH

Is that the same minister that came out with the quote about taxis driving slowly to make the meter run faster ? Another expert !

Who knows, but he is a Minister who's constituency has a taxi trade as near to a one-tier system as you will ever see.

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IDFIMH

I fear it would be easier bringing the government down than changing the view of the LC.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

The problem for those that oppose this report, or parts of it, is that it's not just the LC's report.

Others have their dirty little mitts all over it.

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IDFIMH

What I meant was that if the same scenario had happened with a PHV would any of us have been surprised?

I've amended my original post slightly to clarify matters

To that end perhaps some oppose it because their mitts aint on it

However, some have said from the start, these people have been sent to kill us......so my conscience is clear

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

In some areas it wouldn't surprise me. Maybe in that area.

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IDFIMH

What theres no ph there ?

If we were allowed saloon taxis there would be very phvs here, although there would still be circuits because the street work ain't that great

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!