Taxi Driver Online

IMMINENT changes to legislation in Northern Ireland are causing concern among taxi operators across the rest of the UK.

Three years on from the passing of the Taxis Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 in the assembly, the implications of the new rules are about to be felt by local drivers — with taxi drivers in other regions expressing fears of a similar shake-up.

The changes will bring about a “single tier” taxi licensing system, leading to customers being able to hail private hire cabs in the street. Under existing legislation, it is illegal for a private hire taxis to pick up a fare that hasn’t been pre-booked.

Belfast’s public hire (black taxi) drivers are vehemently opposed to the changes, claiming they will be forced out of business.

Many taxi driver web forums in mainland Britain have published concerns that the changes will threaten their own livelihoods once established in the province.

“If the UK’s mainland taxi industry thinks this is an ‘across-the-water’ issue and they shouldn’t worry about it, well, perhaps they should think again,” is one typical comment.

Following a recent consultation with all relevant stakeholders at Stormont, the changes are expected to be rolled out within months, with all aspects of the bill introduced by 2015.

Environment committee chairwoman Anna Lo said the changes are “good news for consumers” and have come about as a result of complaints from customers.

“Once this system is implemented, then you can put your hand up to any taxi coming down the road and hail the taxi — this will increase the number of available taxis all over Northern Ireland,” the Alliance MLA said.

“Also, there will be meters for all taxis and there will be a maximum fare so that disabled people will not be told there is an extra charge for putting in an extra bit of wheelchair.”

Kevin Doherty, of Disability Action, said the bill is an important piece of legislation that “makes sure people with disabilities can no longer be discriminated against when using taxi services”.

“Disability Action welcomes the fact that the environment committee has asked the department to ensure that people with disabilities are treated fairly in regard to fares and access,” he said.

Proprietor of Fon a Cab private hire company, William McCausland, explained that requests for specific kinds of vehicles can lead to varying charges but said there was no question of disabled customers being overcharged.

“As far as I am concerned, the more regulation and the more enforcement, the better for everyone,” Mr McCausland said.

A spokeswoman for the Consumer Council acknowledged the “important role” played by taxis and said: “We strongly support the objectives of the Taxi Act to raise service standards within the industry, deter unlicensed taxiing and to improve consumer protection, safety and accessibility.”

A spokesman for the Department of the Environment said the minister “is very aware of the potential impact of the proposals, and will in particular listen to the environment committee, taxi drivers and operators”.

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/ ... _1_2835770

Well if that goes ahead all the PH will need public hire insurance

Skippy i think you will find that if that goes ahead we could all be fecked

Not in the Borders, we only have 15 PH and except for Blood the rest are primary only used for school contracts

Once the equality bill is finalized could this be what they have in store for the UK

Ph hardly exists round here which is why on a friday and saturday night we have 80 taxis tryiong to use 8 rank spaces (technically its 11 aftre 11pm but nobody will use the 3 forward ones)


So what do you reckon would happen in a city like Burmingham or Manchester if there were suddenly an extra 1000 cars trying to use the ranks !Traffic chaos and a lot of hastle and agro from the police and other motorists

Anyway skippy I've heard on the grapevine that a couple of hundred members of the Peterborough Asian community are moving up to the borders area and most of them are PH drivers looking to become Hackney

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Only a 1000 we've got more than that in my wee small town ffs. It will be bedlam but having said that there should never have been two tiers in the first place

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

Not too sure that would cause too much upset.

_________________
IDFIMH

So what about the equality act? Who will buy a WAV....when they could buy a saloon?

What about limos......have they got to have the same signage as hackneys?

What about fare regulation?

What about local standards such as knowledge tests?

CC

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

Rubbish!!

There's two tier in loads of countries.

New York; Yellow cabs and liveried cabs.

Mumbai; taxis and rickshaws.

And in Brum we would jump from 1,450 cabs to 7,000. That would be just great, because it would screw the whole of the city centre roads on day one.

Instead of dealing with just 1,450 cabs the police would have to deal with 7,000 and that one they ain't gonna win!!

And all the PH operators would be f*cked to some extent, because now the PH done have to pay £100 for the privilege of a few jobs a week and go and find the rest on the streets yourself driver!!

Would you pay £100 a week radio rent if you could get your own work off the street?

And in London; 23,000 would become 98,000 over night. Where are they all going to fit?

And where are they all going to fit in Northern Ireland for that matter.

Another brainless idea from people with university batchelor degrees, master's degrees and doctorates, that know all the theories, but have no practical abilities.

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

There's no need to get yourself so coiled up about it Captain, especially in your condition!!

All these matters you mentioned above will be available in Kellogg's Corn Flake packets.

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Received this email which might shed some light on the situation

Hi Tony,

I was recently at a conference in Paris also in attendance was a young lady from the Irish Dept of the Environment. We spent some time chatting about the various industries and the story you have just sent came up but with a very different slant from the printed article. It was explained that there were severe difficulties in Nth Ireland in that Taxis in the main did not work much after 6pm and as a consequence the public did not get a service after that time. It was further explained that taxis would invariably not pick up hails in the street but would congregate at taxi ranks with the public being expected to walk to the nearest rank. Despite many discussions with the trade, it was not possible to resolve the issues so the authorities decided to opt for a one tier system with a difference. Ph cars would be allowed to pick up street hails but could only use ranks if wheelchair accessible.

From what I was told this was the situation anyway and all the Council was doing was to make it official and all because the trade would not listen or consider reason in terms of service.

Which is broadly the same case in New York and what is currently happening there.

People want service and if the cab trade only want to service the portion of the road that the cabbie only want to service, then alternative arrangements will be made by the authorities.

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.