Taxi Driver Online

46%, is that all!

Our vehicle license fee is rising to £250 from £80 this year and will rise to something over £500 in the near future.

Now that's a p!sstake.

This is why i DONT think license fees should be set be set by local councils, then you wouldn't get situations like Newcastle V Berwick.

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now a licensed hackney driver

A national Licensing fee could only work fairly if the Correlation between Fares, Customer base, amount of Taxis/PH within an area, average Customer wealth per head and Average income/takings were all Equal regardless of where in britain you happend to be based in....sadly that will never happen as theres rich and poor areas.....rural and built up areas...areas of traditionally low wages and areas of tradtionally higher wages. that why each LA has to be given the right to make its own mind up as to how much things such as license fees should cost..only they have that local Knowledge...admittedly they can get it wrong big time though...

Well, if no-one makes a stand then be prepared to let them raid your wallet, sign the petition and write to your MP, mine has already contacted the DFT which in turn has been in touch with our LA already, I don't think they want the publicity about the size of hikes on licensing particularly when Gordon Brown said on TV today that hes going to do all he can to help the public in a recession!

Won't look good for him OR the LA's if we get newspaper write ups too !

Do you realy think the government take any notice whatsoever to these waste of time petitions? They are only there to make the people who put them there feel better. By the time the petitions are finished most petitioners have lost interest in their cause anyway and they you get a stupid reply from the government, well the number 10 cat, saying thank you but no thank you.

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Grandad,

I work in Chester and those increased rates look about what we are already paying !!
Which Licensing Authority do you work under ?.

Before people start bouncing all over the place ... they need to do some figures... how many hackney and private hire licences are issues yearly......... and how many drivers licences... add the figures together... which will give you the income.... then add together the wages of the licensing staff.. plus office costs... ie.. rental of Office.. heating and lighting... new computers.... new mobile computers that will connect to the council's computer grid..... if they are already covering these costs.... then you have grounds to complain....... if not you're wasting your time.....ps... we in Sefton have just had a reduction of £20 per vehicle licence for private hire.....

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

I don't feel any better by putting a petition on because I'm furious about the rip off, I could sit on my bum and do nothing while they rape our wallets on every succesive year to come, I have registered my views on the matter and if it does get covered by any article in the public domain it will undoubtedly embarass the Government, something I would be more than happy with.

This Government IS embarassing as are its policies and if enough of us stand up to them they just might get the message ( particularly when it comes to voting time ) something I just can't wait for !

The problem here is simple, in recent times Local Authorities have held a policy of massive increases in salaries on the back of the public purse, the employees of the authorities ( massive increase in salaries resulting in a huge increase of Council staff earning £50,000 per annum and above, read your nespaper ! ) is something that THEY bring in by voting for it, their highly inflated wages are now being used as an excuse with which to increase the fees charged to us.

Now don't you think its a bit synical that authorities have a conflict of interests here, or, we can vote ouselves higher wages and just stick the cost on everyone we please so WE can have more money!

Time they were paid what they are worth !

Macclesfield.

Yes, I did the figures, 2% RPI as opposed to a 43% hike !

Using your MP is good , he can ask questions and get answers were you wouldn't... particularly at local level , you might already know, but if not, a petition at local level will be classed as one objection, it is always better to get everyone to object singularly, I take it you have a copy of the budget for next year on which they have formulated the increase, the committee's clerk is always a good source of information , have you seen your local councillor?. they are often left in the dark

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

I personally think petitions are a waste of space, but that's not a criticism of anyone putting one up.

Have you formally objected to the fees rise?

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IDFIMH

Yes, I have formally objected to the Council, contacted my MP, objected to the licensing officer ( who agrees its a disgrace ) put up a petition on the Gov website........................ and the reason ?

Well, the alternative is to do nothing and let them think they can get away with hikes every year and walk all over us, thats the alternative and I don't like it one bit, doing SOMETHING is better than doing NOTHING !

The normal procedure and practice is that the chief licensing officer and his director put forward their planned budget for the following year.... with answers in this case as to how they will provide the funding...... then that budget is placed before the licensing committee to rubber-stamp..... it sounds very much as if your licensing officer is playing you for a mug.....

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!