Taxi Driver Online

He As a restricted licence issued by VOSA in order and in date in fact runs out this mouth, with insurence to cover him as well, see the licence seen the insurace. dont ask why he took the caution we have been told but.

but even so why did the council get involved, and why did they drop the case and offer a caution, after get Mr J T. H. BUTTON to run the cse for bolton council.

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C. Oakes


The Hackney Association Ltd
bbha@btinternet.com

Does a restricted license entitle him to ply for public hire? No it doesn't and that is the only thing that matters.

If you have seen his license and insurance then you obviously know the circumstances of the offence so what is his version of events?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

I bet he didn't charge separate fares.

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IDFIMH

Taxi row planning chief suspended


A SENIOR Labour councillor at the centre of a row over an illegal taxi has been suspended as Bolton Council’s planning chief.

Sean Hornby was removed from the position last night after it was revealed an inquiry into his conduct has been launched.

Labour Group boss and leader of the council, Cllr Cliff Morris, made the announcement, saying it was essential to maintain “integrity and honesty”.

He told a meeting of the full council, which Cllr Hornby did not attend, that the Labour Group took a stern view on issues of discipline.

Cllr Morris said: “Members of this chamber must uphold and be seen to uphold the dignity of their office as councillors. Probity, integrity and honesty are not just values we aspire to, but values we must put into practice in every aspect of our lives.”

Cllr Hornby, who will remain a beck bench councillor until the inquiry is concluded, received a caution last week after admitting using his car as a taxi without a licence, acting as a taxi driver without a licence, operating a car as a taxi without an operator licence and using his car as a taxi without the correct insurance.

The case had been set to go to trial, but was halted at the 11th hour when Cllr Hornby agreed to accept the caution.

Since then Cllr Hornby has faced calls to consider his position as a senior councillor. The decision to strip him of his title as chairman of the planning and highways committee, pending the outcome of the inquiry, was made at a private meeting of the Labour Group on Tuesday night.

Cllr Morris said last night he made the decision to protect the credibility of those in public office, adding: “The decision of the Labour Group, based on my recommendation, is that Cllr Hornby should stand down from the position he holds as chairman of the planning committee, pending the outcome of an investigation to ensure we understand the severity and complexity of the charges brought against him.”

Vice chairman of the planning committee, Mary Woodward, will assume the chair until the outcome of the inquiry, expected to last “a few weeks”.

Cllr Hornby, who was elected in 2006 to represent Little Lever and Darcy Lever, issued a statement last night. It stated: “I have been very proud of the two positions that this group had entrusted me to do and I believe I have done them to the best of my ability throughout. I have been and do remain loyal to the Labour Group of this council. “The three Taxi and Private Hire Associations that sit on the Licensing Consultative Panel have now written to the council expressing their full support of me and have asked for a full independent investigation into the whole handling of the issue. I understand also that drivers are now signing a petition of support.”

Only the other day Bill Williams, of the Bolton Taxi Driver’s Association called for this councillor's resignation. Has Mr Williams now done a U-turn?

I was under the impression the Bolton Taxi association was the oldest and largest association in Bolton.

Is Charles ever going to reveal the circumstances which prompted the licensing department to prosecute this person.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

well yes the BTDA is the oldest bill williams is not longer got a hackney vehilce and is not on P/Hire. and i think there is realy nothing in membership. we may have a few more.

its not the first time the licencing unite as got it wrong, i dont realy know why this ever got were it is.

Dont know why Mr J T. H Button ran the case for Bolton, as it unflods i will let you know what i can.

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C. Oakes


The Hackney Association Ltd
bbha@btinternet.com

he was not plying as said before it was a book job but book with two firms.

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C. Oakes


The Hackney Association Ltd
bbha@btinternet.com

That statement tells us absolutely nothing I don't suppose you can tell us the whole story can you, or don't you know the facts?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

In order to be fair and balanced as we on TDO always are I have gone that extra mile and solicited the views of councillor Hornby. It would appear the prosecution was not a traditional case of illegally plying for hire on the public highway as the news articles suggest but one of acting as private hire operator, driver and using a vehicle for the purpose of private hire.

That appears to be the councils case in a nutshell, perhaps?

Mr Hornby's position is that on the night in question the job was pre booked albeit at short notice and undertaken as per the regulations of the traffic commissioner under the terms of his O license. The job in question was travelling more than 15 miles. Mr Hornby said, "under normal circumstances he would advise the parties that the charge would be paid as seperate fares for each passenger at a fixed rate per head."

I don't expect the press to understand licensing law but it would make all our lives a lot easier if they could try and research the facts rather than write what is convenient to them.

The bottom line here is the operation of restricted licenses issued by the Traffic Commissioner and the operation of private hire vehicles and drivers legislated under the 1976 act. Thousands of O license holders appear to be operating as what I would call traditional private hire and it is clearly obvious that there needs to be new legislation clarifying the law.

In respect of the caution, Councillor Hornby stated that the evidence obtained by the council licensing officer was incomplete and after studying Mr Hornbys email evidence from VOSA the council suggested a compromise and offered the caution. Mr Hornby accepted the caution rather than risk losing the case and having to pay substantial court costs.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Sorry to all for just the little bits, it is subject of a inveragaion and i did not wish to say any thing which i should have not said, i do know all the facts and got the main e-mails.

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C. Oakes


The Hackney Association Ltd
bbha@btinternet.com

I think it is fair to say that councillor Hornby would like a factual appraisal of events and so would we. Obviously the licensing department have their side of this story to tell and there may well be conflicting statements as to the facts.

I would suggesst anyone writing about these events in national or local magazines should concentrate on the facts so far presented here on TDO and not what has been written in the press. I also suggest you contact both Mr Hornby and Bolton licensing enforcement for their version of events.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

I suspect it's because they asked him to.

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IDFIMH

Whether it's normal or not matters not, it's the law that seperate fares must be charged, and you can't get away with having different total prices depending on how many travel.

i.e. 4 people at £5 each, 1 person for £20.

The above is a breach of the Transport Act 2000

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2000/uk ... pb5-l1g265

But what miffs me off most is the way a councillor is trying to get around all the checks and balances that every taxi and PH drivers has to meet.

He should be ashamed.

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IDFIMH

Your view isnt shared.....I wonder why?

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

please tell us why, all i know is we are kept in formed iknow that some taxi paper as been i touch and a e-mail sent back.

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C. Oakes


The Hackney Association Ltd
bbha@btinternet.com