Taxi Driver Online

Last Wednesday the Traffic Comms held a pre public enquiry to see if there was a need to hold a full blown Public enquiry into the activitities of our friends at Manchester Airport.
Members of the trade at the airport were asked to present the meticulously garnered evidence. We had to make sure that we were correct in our presentation and despite Airportcarz last minute delaying tactics for an adjournment we were able to convince the Commissioners that there was indeed a case to be heard which will be on the 18/19 August.
We are not getting carried away as this is only the first step but we are hoping that the excesses of this firm are stopped and they run their business as per their brief and not as some pseudo taxi or private hire company.
It has been a long time before we got to this stage and I thank everybody for the messages of support and advice over the last 12 months.
Ged

Well done Ged and friends.

You are right to be cautious, but the fact that it is being taken forward to a full enquiry is very good news.

If you keep to the facts and try to ensure your colleagues don't personalise it, you could be on a winner.

Hopefully.

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IDFIMH

Our friend in Halifax must be gutted.

Our friend in Halifax is delighted

we are appauled at the misuse of taxibus legislation that has occourd at Manchester Airport.

We offered support to our Manchester colleages and directed them to information we thought was relevant.

We have offered help to many taxi drivers and associations in the past including Gateshead and offered to attend a meeting of Gateshead T and G to offer help and advice.

this offer was accepted then regected.

we would be delighted to offer help and advice if neccesary being witnesses in August.

Gutted Mick? you dont begin to understand the argument.

Airport caz gave taxibus a bad name which led you to falsly accuse me of trying to wreck the trade.

you will if you respect yourself and our trade soon eat your words.

Ged,

Caution is the right word as Airport carz have previously won on appeals at Bristol (I believe) after losing their licence at the hearings.
It would be interesting to see the info that the guys in Halifax have got.
Could you re post it please ?
Thanks

Guest,
I hope you will understand if I remain silent about the various aspects. If you care to e.mail me I will give you as much as I can.
I would like to say at this stage that all our thanks go to the team, Joe Thorley and Mike Daniels in particular, who have been under pressure because of the length of time before we had people listento our complaints. Cab drivers are not known for patience, and I hope now they can see light at the end of the tunnel.
Gateshead I wish you would bury the hatchet once and for all and agree to disagree with Geoff, without whom many ideas would not have reached fruition. Many thanks Geoff.
I am still saying that caution is the key this was only a preliminary skirmish.
Have a good weekend
Ged

Suspended for what? Usually if a license is breached in any way, a formal warning is given. Can you expand on the Bristol situation?

If a breach of license has taken place at Manchester Airport then it may be the case that a formal warning will also be given.

From what I read back in 87 I understood that a Taxibus had to be a licensed hackney carriage. Didn't the taxibus timetable have to have a start or finish point in its own licensed area?

What's changed?

Best wishes

JD

According to the minutes of the July 2002, they had a license revoked.
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/localdemoc ... 2/0107.htm
It would seem according to Ged, they won their appeal.

I see the cheeky buggers also tried to work PH without having council ID on.
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/localdemoc ... 3/3006.htm

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IDFIMH

Andy,
The Council decided at a later date to include a silver livery in with the stipulated all white livery. Remember that the PH in Manchester had fought tooth and nail to retain the status quo (any colour). In fact until the PH Assoc withdrew at the 11th hour it would have been on its way to the High Court. So it would appear that there had been some arm twisting to include the silver but there was no way round the non usage of the yellow stickers. To agree that this firm would be the only ones allowed this loophole would have left the Council open to the biggest hammering in court from the PH lads who had spent fortunes either upgrading or respraying.
So here is the peculiar bit, why should a firm that would appear to act outside of legislation that we all adhere to want to be licensed and invite on themselves a whole raft of rules and regs? Surely not for the sake of appearing legitimate? Perhaps the conspiracy theorists may have a point when they point to other airports where they operate as PH but do so without Hackneys being present. So perhaps the next move would have been to get rid of us by fair means or foul. My answer would be let them try.
Ged

I don't doubt for a second that there are some at your Airport that would love to be rid of you, in particular the money men.
When Gatwick was tendered for, the tender wasn't just for a fixed price, but for a % of each and every job.

Can't see you mob having much of that.

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IDFIMH

That was a psv licence. The details are not known.



I know about this one but as far as I know they have no private hire vehicles. Which leads me to the question why have they been allowed to get away with the word Taxi on the side of their vehicle if they are not a licensed hackney? Thats why I wondered if there had been a change in the law governing this section of the transport act.

Best wishes

JD

No change,the only vehicles that can use "taxibus" are Hackneys under a special operators licence. Further they are supposed to be dual purpose and bear signage that says "taxibus" when being used thus and removing that sign when reverting to Hackney use. As far as I know it is the lack of enforcement that is the problem not a change in the law.
Ged

look no further than the trabsport website, and the rules under which bus companies can use them ( 8 SEAT VEHICLES)
an odd few for taking passengers to the buses.

its all there pal.

Here are the two tribunal cases excellent connections have been involved in. It appears both appeals were allowed. I don't know if these are the only cases that they have been involved in.

http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:Zrf2fD5WK48J:www.transporttribunal.gov.uk/registers/register2000.pdf+Excellent+Connections+Ltd+license+revoked&hl=en


http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:bf4C7xGWIg8J:www.transporttribunal.gov.uk/registers/register2002.pdf+Excellent+Connections+Ltd+license+revoked&hl=en

Best Wishes

JD

I have made no effort to initiate argument Ged, I have only responded to his outrageous slurs on my personal reputation.

I offered to have a telephone conversation to attempt to reconsile our differances, he didn't respond.

B. Lucky