Taxi Driver Online

East Lindsey sort of in September's Licensing Committee.

24.QUANTITY CONTROL POLICY - HACKNEY CARRIAGE VEHICLES

NB:Councillor A.F. Fox declared a prejudicial interest for business reasons and left the Meeting during discussion and voting thereon.

The Chief Executive submitted a report, which referred to the Government's request that the Council review its quantity control policy in respect of hackney carriage vehicles. Members noted that on 21st January 2003, the Committee resolved that Officers should invite tenders and investigate the costs involved in undertaking an unmet demand survey. The restriction of hackney carriage vehicle numbers to remain in place while the process was undertaken.

The report set down the costs of undertaking a survey and asked Members to decide on a course of action in light of the Government's request.

Following a lengthy discussion, it was RESOLVED

1.That the restriction on hackney carriage vehicle numbers be removed and that all hackney carriage vehicle licences granted above the previous quantity control policy be wheelchair and disabled accessible.

2.That Officers draft a wheelchair and disabled access vehicle specification for consideration by the Committee, and that any applications for additional hackney vehicle licences above the previous quantity control policy be deferred until such time as a wheelchair and disabled access specification was adopted.

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IDFIMH

hmmmm,

deregulation without considering the effects and if the locality actually needs it.

dont you just love these people who delimit without actually thinking about it!

so much for full consultation.

at least the thickos seem to have put plate issue on hold pending a review of WAV's

regards

Captain cab

but they did consult! read the report, they actualy went to study the cost of a survey

they cost a fortune and are so inept.

be fair captain be fair.

Oh yes.

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IDFIMH

really should read the report

after all the trade will pay for it

regards

Captain cab

yes including private hire who often pay the most and get nothing.

How can a council state that it can't afford to properly hold an investigation before changing their policies. The governments recomendations are for councils to consider delimitation if they currently operate a restriction, however the decision is still within the power of the local council, and in order to best serve the community they represent surely they should make themselves aware of current practices and local trends. Unmet demand surveys should be carried out but its findings shouldn't be the councils only consideration.

I'll stand with the Captain on this one ................... councellors should adopt the best approach to policy change and not, as they have done here, the easiest or cheapest.

They have considered it, else we wouldn't know what they are doing.

They have consulted and decided that they wish to change the policy without doing a survey. Completly within the law, and I applaud them for it.

The even have decided to consult on up-grading the taxi fleet, again something to applaud.

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IDFIMH

this report states investigate the cost of a report

so it looks like deregulation on the basis that a report into supply and demand costs too much? thats the way i read it.

basically the council are delimiting without proof that the area needs additional taxis, without proof that there is a demand and without a real idea of what kind of vehicles they want.

i'm no fan of limited numbers when the market clearly shows theres a demand, but this council seem to want to delimit with no idea where they want to be going too.

Its surely irresponsible and shows contempt to the trade.

regards

Captain cab

for some reason I cannot post on this subject I have posted 2 and both have not appeared

let me try again in answer to captain cab, you cannot consult until a proposal has been put to consult on.

we are told on here that a met council, consults a fast tan salesman, I ask you captain we are told to believe a wedge of drivers have begged a fast tan salesmen to represent them.

the council you are unfairly lambasting have now mad a proposal, between now and council is the time to consult.

but remember that taxi drivers have shot themselves in the foot cos thier insistance on limit by numbers has given more active opposition to the proposals by way of private hire drivers.

lets join the new millenium of building modern delivery systems to the public instead ,giving better pay to drivers and cheaper fares to passengers.


instead of power to the fast tan salesman.

Yeah thats how I read it.

No investigation because its to expensive, thats why the government made the recomendations it did, forced upon them I believe following an inept investigation from the OFT which left the situation possibly more confused than it was before.

All of this derestriction may be good "short term" but it offers no lasting solutions, particularly with the imminent implimentation of the DDA. The PH are now suffering implications in my area, since the weekend a number of independant HC drivers have been seen plying for hire outside our PH office as we have a steady "walk in" trade, it has very possibly been happening for some time but it has been more noticeable over the last couple of nights.

Why do they need to do that ............... if everyone is right and HC make signifigantly more money than PH because of unmet demand in that sector.

Councils should review their policies if they operate a restriction, there is no doubt about that, but we should be looking for a long term solution to this problem and not a short fix which does more to give PH drivers a HC plate than it does meeting the demands of the consumer.

"modern delivery systems" ????????????????????

Being as the vast majority of taxidrivers in the UK are SELF EMPLOYED your proposals for "giving better pay to drivers and cheaper fares to passengers" is completely impossible, considering in a few short years these same drivers will be legally obliged to provide a considerably more expensive vehicle to continue their trade.

Now if you were to say "giving drivers fair pay in order to provide transport solutions to everyone at a fair price" you may gather more support.

I can't work out where your coming from, your posts seem to indicate you are a provider more than a deliverer of services.

If only.

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IDFIMH

I think I should restate the point.

This council have delimited (well will shortly) in the light of the government request.

I was under the understanding that all the government wanted was for LA's to consider their taxi licensing policies, so flying in the face of all good reason, this authority have apparently chosen, without evidence, to delimit.

It is, in my humble opinion (I am nothing if not humble), totally irresponsible, they haven't considered anything.

regards

Captain Cab