Taxi Driver Online

Taxi licensing rules to be revised as drivers say system is a ‘nightmare’



An association for cabbies is welcoming plans to slash red tape around taxi licensing, saying the current system is a “nightmare”.

The Keighley and Bradford Taxi Drivers’ Association is supporting a Government plan to get rid of many of the checks and restrictions that drivers and operators currently face, despite critics saying this could put passengers in danger.

Association chairman Shabir Ahmed said: “There has been an unjust and unnecessary level of bureaucracy implemented by the local authority at the expense of the taxi driver, be that in private hire or hackney carriage, for a very long period of time.”

He said he hoped the cost of the licensing fees would be the first thing to be cut, as drivers were having to pay hundreds of pounds a year just to be in the job.

He said: “It’s such a nightmare. We give them so much money and get nothing back for it. Every year it costs us about £300 just to be on the road – that is just for licensing and without insurance.”

The changes to the Deregulation Bill would: l Allow non-licence holders, perhaps a family member, to drive a private hire vehicle when they are ‘off duty.’ l Introduce three-year licences for taxis and private hire drivers – and five years for operators – scrapping annual checks in many areas.

l Allow minicab operators to ‘subcontract’ bookings to other operators in a different district, without the passenger’s knowledge.

The shake-up is designed to save an estimated £9 million a year.

But it has drawn fierce criticism from some MPs, who fear it will be easier for people to pose as licensed drivers, putting women at particular at risk.

Mr Ahmed, a Hackney Carriage driver who also works for First Choice Private Hire in Keighley, dismissed this claim as “nonsense”, suggesting critics did not fully understand the review.

He said: “It is just the scare tactics they use all the time.”

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/n ... nce_rules/

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

I get the general feeling that Association chairman Shabir Ahmed hasn't actually read what the DfT are proposing




really? perhaps mr Ahmed could point us to the bit of the DfT proposals where they mention reducing licensing fees ffs

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

If the proposed rules come in re duration, and we still keep the old rules re fees, then if there isn't a drop in fees the law is being broken.

That's what's upsetting the licensing officers associations.

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IDFIMH

It is mentioned in the debate that drivers would be saved hundreds of pounds in licensing fees.

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Grandad,

and in reality it wont make a jot of difference to the costs of the license - the major costs are the medicals and the CRB check - both of which have nothing to do with license fees but included by the confused and deranged

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

Risk warning over deregulation of taxi operators



GOVERNMENT plans to cut ‘red tape’ for taxi operators in Bolton could put the public at risk, an MP has warned.

Julie Hilling, who represents Bolton West, has spoken out against the Deregulation Bill which is going through Parliament.

If made law, the changes would mean private hire firms could ‘sub contract’ bookings to operators licensed in a different area.

Opponents to the system say customers would be less able to choose a company that they feel is safer and more reliable.

In addition, anyone with an ordinary drivers’ licence would be allowed to drive a private hire car when it is ‘off duty’.

Ms Hilling said there was already too little regulation of the industry, and that further deregulation would not help protect the public.

She said: “We do not have national standards. When the system as a whole is fractured, there are all sorts of ways through it.”

At a meeting in April, Ms Hilling, along with MPs David Crausby and Yasmin Qureshi, joined forces with the Police Crime Commissioner, union GMB and the National Private Hire Association to denounce the plans.

Asif Bali, chairman of the Bolton Private Hire Operators Association, said his organisation currently has an arrangement whereby a call for a cab can be passed on to another company. But he added proposals to run ‘off duty’ private hire cars for personal use could put the public in danger.

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/112 ... ?ref=var_0

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

Interesting, I wonder what she wants to change?

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Grandad,

I wonder what that arrangement is? To be quite honest it is the personal use when off duty that scares me more than anything else

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

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

Wow, that brings back memories at The Cabin

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

the newspaper shop in coronation street?

http://www.pitbullmusic.com/us/video/pi ... stop-party

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

Err, no a club in Liverpool

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