Taxi Driver Online

Fareham taxi rank could close because of too many cabs




A TOWN centre taxi rank could be closed because too many cabbies are parking there.

The 12-car rank, in Harper Way, Fareham, is often full, forcing taxis to spill out on to surrounding roads.

Fareham Borough Council has written to drivers stating the rank will be shut if the problem is not resolved, but some cabbies claim the council is at fault for licensing too many taxis.

One anonymous driver said: “They must either provide more spaces or introduce a system where you can only get a licence if another driver decides to sell his.”

Council leader Sean Woodward said: “It is both dangerous and illegal. As for the complaint from the drivers, we believe in fair competition.”

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

I raised it here:

http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/vie ... hp?t=10975

Thank you for the transcript, CC.

As I said, thank God I'm on a radio net.

So the way to stop over ranking is to close the rank. Have they tried getting the enforcement officer to do their job?

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Grandad,

What do you say to this then Sussex?

Fareham dereg'd and it's messed it up completely, now they face the old chestnut of where to rank, what are they supposed to do drive round in circles until a space becomes available?

Oh, I forgot you don't care do you, as long as you can get a free plate that's all that matters isn't it.

Same sort of thing just down the road when we asked the idiot LO where we were supposed to go he promptly replied " That's not my problem"

I went to change my plate over to a newer car today got the paperwork in at 0930 got a phone call at 1555 "Your plate is ready but you can't have it as you need to have the meter tested and the LO has gone home. Can you come in tomorrow?" "

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Life? Don't talk to me about life!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjm2eslm6hI

Suggest you refer your question to Fareham council, as it has f*** all to do with me.

Clearly the idea of appointing more ranks hasn't dawned on the trade or the council.

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IDFIMH

There is, in fact, adequate rank space around the borough, IMHO.

Unfortunately, the other ranks are fairly quiet. The town rank and the station are the busiest and provide a total of 22 spaces between them. The station costs c£230 for the current year.

The ranks were reasonably populated in the past with enough business to avoid a major incidence of over ranking. Unfortunately, the economic downturn has resulted in a number of cars not having enough work and produced the excessive over ranking situation. Harper Way has 3 main users:

1. The right hand entrance lane accesses the Market Quay car park. During busy periods, when the car park is full, this lane is often blocked by 'idiot shoppers' waiting for the barriers to detect a vehicle exiting and allow one vehicle to enter. This area needs CEO enforcement, IMHO.

2. The left hand entrance lane accesses the service area for trade deliveries in a loading bay near the top of Harper Way, in particular to Wilkinson's. Most of the delivery vehicles are full size 40-odd tonne artics.

3. The rank itself starts about 20 yards inside Harper Way and runs up the left side to, and beyond, the loading bay which, by this point is accessed from the right hand lane. There is space marked sufficient for 12 taxis.

The problems start at the back of the rank where the artics have to negotiate a slight bend. If taxis are over ranked, they don't have enough swinging room to get by and, needless to say, some of the more belligerent in the trade don't move out of their way willingly.

We are in the process of annual plate renewals which may help alleviate the situation when some are not renewed. Otherwise, it will rely on market forces and survival of the fittest to resolve the problem.

I don't hold a brief for the council but, IMHO, they have been very patient with the trade for the last few years. We have had plenty of warnings. Now they are getting serious complaints from other user of Harper Way and must act.

I just hope that I turn out to be one of the fit ones!!!

For what it's worth, I still support delimiting numbers based on robust quality controls. When it works, the public get a first class taxi service with little or no waiting. The vehicles are of reasonable quality and drivers are clean and presentable.

I think I've waffled enough. Please feel free to comment and I'll try my best to clarify our situation for anyone.

But isn't this the classic 'chicken and egg' scenario? Punters wont go to those ranks cos there are no cabs there, and cabs wont go to those ranks as their no punters there.

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IDFIMH

I was recently told a requested rank would be useless......even though a PH operator admitted he does on average 3000 hires per month from the same point

But thats another story for taxitalk

CC

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

Precisely.

Due to the way our despatch system is arranged, it pays me to go to the quiet ranks. Sometimes, I pick up from the rank, but not very often. I'm normally pulled off for a radio job. Certainly, I think if people could guarantee getting a taxi there, they would walk to one of those ranks rather than the town.

As you say, chicken and egg.

Oh but it does, ain't you the champion of deregulation on here, your just a [edited by admin] sap mate, a frustrated PHD who is too tight to put the ante up and get involved, if you have actually been a cabby as long as you spout you have you ain't learned a lot in that time have you tosspot.

Tosspot !!!!

Goodness me is that your definition of a proper cabby?

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IDFIMH

Is this a taxable benefit?

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Grandad,

The drink got the better of me tbh Sussex, although I can't seem to see your logic I do appologise for being abusive towards you.

Ooops! I'll call that a senior moment.