Taxi Driver Online

The dept for transport gave serious consideration to a new vehicle class, falling between private hire and public service vehicles, to cover stretch limos, correspondence has revealed. Details of a high level meeting between all stake holders - including Police, VOSA and other agencies, were not released at the time. Although Route One understands that there was strong support for a new vehicle class, and regulations to cover stretch limos and other similar vehicles, that could not conform to existing private hire or O' licence rules. The recommendations which followed a police led national campain of stretch limo enforcement in 2007, were put forward to the dept for transport for the issue to be addressed nationally. It has now been revealed that stake holders were anticipating an announcement in Feb 2008 that these vehicles would be given a new classification as "luxury occasional vehicle". This classification would also have given the police and VOSA powers to deal effectively with this class of vehicle - which number around 12000 in the UK, most of which are "illegal" under present licensing rules. However, in a u-turn by the dept for transport it rejected the proposal outright and told all authorities to enforce the current rules - which require a COIF to be issued to gain an O' licence or for vehicles with fewer than 8 seats, to comply with local council rules. Councils were also told to be more flexible to allow stretch limos to be licenced, and that the "7 day contract" would be scrapped.

There was never any chance that this government would bring in a new tier of licensing for stretch limos and hummers. Not even the slightest chance.

Anyone who said they would, either from the limo trade or the DfT, was talking out of their rears. It will never happen, especially with whole type approval coming in soon.

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IDFIMH

The latest on this is that it is actually back on the table for discussion because it was Ruth Kelly that stopped it and she has now gone and it is to be put before her succesor.

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Grandad,

still a non runner...

Under this gov not only wont happen, it wont be allowed to happen.

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IDFIMH

how long till the other lot get in then?...

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Dunno?...but the sooner the better as im fed up of Nulab incompetence and would like try some Tory incompetence for a change..

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Grandad,

all ive heard since labour got in is "we are putting right what 10 years of tory rule broke", how long that is a vaild excuse im not sure but i cant see the two jolly jocks in downing street being there after the next GE, however i have to warn all local MP-wannabees that our votes (wife/me) are available fot just £500 each, i dont want false promises, i want a week in spain thanks, far more beneficial.

we have no more real choice here than we would have had in zimbabwe, just two to choose from, A....or B

pity we cant have a "1st round" with just the top 2 parties nationwide going thru to the finals, then everyone being legally bound to vote, and also the winning party being duty-bound to holding a simple EU referendum

1 Do we stay IN the EU

2 Do we leave the EU

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

I think you will find that it was 17 years of 'Tory rule.

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Grandad,

If the other lot get in, then I suspect they will have a million issues to sort out before they come anywhere near looking at legalizing hummers.

And, when and if, that happens, then we will all have a massive ruck with that gov.

And one the anti hummer trade will win.

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IDFIMH

Its not so much the Hummers i dont like but the scum that drive and own them, They are quite happy to run around in the wrong self drive or not and they know they are in the wrong and its just for the quick buck..sorry scum scum scum..no other way to put it.