Cybro wrote:
The situation has now got so bad Chichester District Council is investigating and illegal drivers could face prosecution.
What a novel idea?
| Taxi Driver Online http://taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/ |
|
| 'Pirate' Drivers In Chichester http://taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8401 |
Page 1 of 1 |
| Author: | Cybro [ Thu Apr 03, 2008 6:36 am ] |
| Post subject: | 'Pirate' Drivers In Chichester |
3 Apr 2008 'Pirate' cabbies steal our trade, say Chichester taxi drivers CABBIES in Chichester claim their livelihoods are being threatened – and public safety is being put at risk – by 'pirate' drivers arriving from outside the area to ply their trade. The situation has now got so bad Chichester District Council is investigating and illegal drivers could face prosecution. Legitimate drivers claim there is an increasing number of private-hire vehicles and hackney carriages registered to Arun District Council which are illegally targeting key locations including Chichester Gate, Chichester University, St Richard's Hospital, Thursday's nightclub in Drayton and some of the city's streets. The Chichester Taxi Alliance, which represents hackney carriage drivers in the district, said popular events such as racing at Goodwood and Blues on the Farm attracted large numbers of illegal drivers because of a lack of law enforcement in the past. Some of these drivers had poorly-maintained vehicles and other bad practices, including failing to properly display a licensed vehicle plate, were common. Bryan Morgan a taxi driver in Chichester for the past 16 years, said the problem had been going on for years. "Drivers have told the authorities about these problems time and time again," he said. "These drivers have no right to rank up at the racecourse. The only time they can come here is if the customer has booked a journey from, say, Bognor. Drivers can't ply for trade in Chichester." Last month the taxi alliance outlined its concerns to a meeting of the district council's licensing and enforcement committee, which has now set up a working group of councillors and officers to investigate the allegations. It will now make a series of recommendations and review the use and location of private taxi ranks in the district. The taxi alliance said a lack of enforcement by the council had seen a 'dramatic expansion' in the number of illegally-operating vehicles throughout the district. The alliance said public safety was its primary concern as drivers operating illegally did not have valid insurance. Last month the alliance sent a letter to the licensing committee calling for laws regarding illegal drivers to be properly enforced. Alliance member Graham Price said: "The council has made a significant move and drivers want it sorted out very quickly. It's been going on now for too long. "What we still feel is why haven't phone calls been made to operators and why haven't there ever been any prosecutions?" He said that problems were increased at night and the potential revenue from night time spots had halved. "It's not a good situation at all," he said. Environmental health manager Matthew China said officers had spoken to licensing officers from Arun district. "There are a number of cases which officers are progressing on an individual basis," he said. They had been collecting evidence, but so far no cases had been brought before the court. District council chairman Cllr John Ridd said the authority was required to licence taxi drivers, and had some sort of duty to make sure they were operating in a way which was fair to them. "It is their livelihood, and we require a high standard from them," he said. "We should do our best to make sure they are operating under proper conditions." Cllr Mick Shone said: "Unlicensed operators are an issue which I understand is being addressed. There is no question some of these can be successfully prosecuted." Source: Bognor Today ---------- Disclaimer These press articles are intended for informational purposes only. Statements and opinions expressed in these articles are solely those of the original Publisher. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of any of these articles, and therefore I am not liable for any information contained therein. Where possible, the Publisher and the source are documented within each article. Any author that holds legal copyright, and objects to their material being posted, may request that it be removed and any future material excluded. |
|
| Author: | Sussex [ Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:51 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 'Pirate' Drivers In Chichester |
Cybro wrote: The situation has now got so bad Chichester District Council is investigating and illegal drivers could face prosecution.
What a novel idea?
|
|
| Author: | Doc G [ Thu Apr 03, 2008 2:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Getting this far has been in no small measure thanks to the help and guidance you guys have given me, both in the past, and currently. This is really appreciated, by all my colleagues and especially me. The fight goes on, but this is a real breakthrough. ___________________________________________________________ |
|
| Author: | Sussex [ Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:27 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Doc G wrote: The fight goes on, but this is a real breakthrough.
Well done, it's one thing getting the right advice, a different one acting on it. 
|
|
| Page 1 of 1 | All times are UTC [ DST ] |
| Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group http://www.phpbb.com/ |
|