Taxi Driver Online

But who will buy or hire the WAV from a PH operator in order to make that vehicle available.

Or do PH operators in your area employ drivers, cause up here they don't.

B. Lucky

Most large operators have contracts for WAV customers, and contracts with large account customers that insist that WAV PHs are always made available. Or they use WAV PSVs.

I think the reason it doesn't happen in your manor is because of the amount of WAV taxis you have.

I know several WAV PH drivers who make absolute fortunes doing account WAV work.

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IDFIMH

The point though SM is that they won't make absolute fortunes if everyone is forced to have a WAV, there simply isn't the specialist work for a specialist vehicle.

I bet that those drivers don't want to see mandatory WAVs, as single tier would deliver.

B. Lucky

I still think you consider everyone to be like yourself, PH drivers I know would, if given a plate, choose to drive saloon from the rank. This is because they can buy their own car, insure and maintain it for the £100+ per week they pay in bit.

B. Lucky

I don't think there is a chance in hell of the gov making all PH WAVS.

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IDFIMH

I couldn't agree more, no-one is stupid enough to want to buy a £20,000+ motor if they can get away with a £10,000 one.

But the best word you used in that paragraph was the word 'choose'.

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IDFIMH

Your wish is my command, sort of.

Mr. Lepper: I hoped to catch the Minister before he left the issue of disabled taxi customers. Many of my disabled constituents who use taxis feel that one style of vehicle is not necessarily appropriate for all disabled travellers. Many people with disabilities would prefer and find it easier to use a saloon car than, for the sake of argument, a London-style black cab. Does the Department accept that that is so?


Mr. McNulty: We do. That is absolutely right, and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee and others who have done significant research would say quite freely that although the London hackney-style configuration is very useful, certainly for wheelchair access and a range of other disabilities, it is not the 100 per cent. all-singing, all-dancing, all-purpose vehicle for every single form of disability. Without going into the matter too much, that is why I profoundly disagree with the suggestion of a one-tier taxi. My hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Mr. Lepper) is entirely right, not least in that the design of some saloons—those taxis that are more like people carriers—is far more appropriate and convenient for those with impaired mobility but who are not in wheelchairs. The whole array of different saloons that are on offer means that it does not follow that only one model is appropriate.

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IDFIMH

I agree a wide range of vehicles must be available, however if we allow a wide range of vehicles we will loose out on the specialist vehicles, its a simple matter of economics.

SM I do agree that choose and choice are good words, but they are even better when they are used to describe customer options.

I'm surprised you haven't come up with a definative solution to the "how do we maintain WAV provision with a single tier system" question as you have argued for it for years.

B. Lucky

Oh and don't forget that every vehicle must be safe for public use.

B. Lucky

There are a many pros and cons about a one tier system, but as there is no chance whatsoever of it being implemented, I wont go there.

What I think good is an open tier.

If drivers wish to license taxi WAVs, then let them do it. If they want to license PH saloons, then let them do it.

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IDFIMH

It stands as much chance as any other option, particularly when the portfolio holder with responsibity for taxi licensing believes that it is the way forward.

Also consider that the government has advised that all restrictions should be removed, any legal challenge made for a saloon plate would stand a good chance of being successful.

B. Lucky

Oh no SM, you can't argue for free choice and then suggest that choice be limited just because it suits your case.

Managed growth, and a choice of vehicles is te only way to satisfy public demand as well as offering drivers and plateholders a secure future.

B. Lucky

I think in the light of the 2010-2020 WAV first stage etc etc, any challenge would either be rejected, or the council will have compulsory WAVs as cabs.

So its fair to assume then that councils would need to have a mandatory WAV policy for HC without restriction of numbers to avoid examination of their policy or a legal challenge.

And if they so wished could set criteria of vehicles to allow only vehicles of a certain type or age to be licensed.


So SM can get himself a plate, but he could have to spend £35k+ to get a vehicle to put it on. Then he would have to pay higher insurance and higher running costs. I believe that the cost to enter the trade would be beyond the average driver, similar to the way the premium restricts now. This will no doubt lead to more people with money to invest buying vehicles and putting them out to rent, I didn't realise that "leech" was a term of affection on the south coast.

B. Lucky

I'm suggesting nothing of the sort.

What I am doing to looking forward to what I think the gov will do, not what I wish they would.

If drivers can get away with saloon taxis then good luck to them, but I doubt the gov will allow that for much longer.

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IDFIMH