Taxi Driver Online

Minister probes foreign cabbie's licence to get lost after being taken for a ride

26th September 2010


Taken for a ride: Transport Minister
Norman Baker's cabbie experience
has prompted him to launch a probe
into the licensing of foreign drivers

A Government Minister has launched an inquiry into the employment of foreign cab drivers after he was caught up in an outbreak of ‘taxi wars’ at his party conference.

Transport Minister Norman Baker was left seething during the Liberal Democrat gathering in Liverpool after he hailed a black cab from the dock area and asked the driver to take him to a smart restaurant on top of the tallest building in the city.

Despite the tower housing the Panoramic, the UK’s highest restaurant, being just 1,200 yards away, the non-English-speaking driver drove around in circles for nearly half an hour trying to find it. Eventually Mr Baker stormed out of the taxi and refused to pay. But when he flagged down a second cab and tried to get in, another driver – who thought he was next in line – pulled in front of the cab to stop it driving off.

The irate driver refused to move until the Minister reluctantly agreed to climb into his vehicle, after which he was finally delivered to his supper.

Last night, Mr Baker – who is responsible for the licensing of private hire vehicles – said the episode had prompted him to mount an investigation into the licensing of foreign drivers. ‘It became obvious that the driver had a limited grasp of English when I said the tower was 34 storeys high, only to be taken to a two-storey building,’ he said.

Some local people claim that foreigners applying to become cab drivers are being helped by official interpreters during the test of their navigation skills.

Unite, the union which represents cab drivers, has lodged a complaint with councillors about the skills of foreign drivers.

A Liverpool City Council spokesman: ‘All applicants for a taxi licence have to take a written street knowledge test in English as well as an oral English language test.

‘No interpreters are allowed to be present at these tests.’

Source; http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ds-newsxml

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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That's at least two offences by the first & last driver!!!

Wonderful way to promote Liverpool . . . European Capital of Culture!!

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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Ooops I've just posted something about Foreign drivers in our manor.

Oh deary deary me sir can you be telling me which way to go please??

It's the same thing here and they pull the race card every time they get accused of wrong doings.

_________________
Life? Don't talk to me about life!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjm2eslm6hI

Happens all the time in Liverpool, I've been penned in loads of times if I've dropped off at the end of a rank, cos it's stops them joining the rank apparently, even tho I've pointed out that the rank in front of me is full, ffs.



Perhaps he'd have been better phoning for a PHV in the first place Do they have somebody else responsible for the licensing of HC's then

_________________
Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Not a good move upsetting the taxi minister.

However as we usually have about a dozen between elections it shouldn't be that much of a problem.

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IDFIMH

I heard about this last week... in fact the following day the ministers sent his aid out into Liverpool to speak with Liverpool cab drivers... it was a friend of mine that took him to unite... I don't agree that it is a wonderful way to promote Liverpool.... but I do think it is a really good way of promoting a serious problem regarding drivers..... last year Sefton drivers stopped a Liverpool city cab that was operating in Sefton.. he kept stopping alongside people and asking them if they wanted a taxi.... You want taixeeeeee... so the drivers had a word.... and then notice that the picture on his Taxi licence did not resemble him in the slightest.... he went off with the police.. and the hackney was seized......

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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!

PMSL......should have got a DELTA

CC

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

If I was transport minister I would have this in place

Any Johnny foreigner who wants to drive a cab or PH must have lived in the UK for 10 years before they are even considered
Must be able to speak English, without a translator being present
must pass a knowledge test of the area

Why the 10 year rule Mr Skippy41?

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
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Its a figure plucked from thin air......or as its more commonly called, the space between skippys ears.

CC

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

Unfortunatly Skippy EU laws outweigh our own laws and EU law states that any EU citizen is free to seek work anywhere in the EU provided that they meet the criteria. You can't have 2 different criteria for the same job.

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Grandad,

Well once they get here they dont tent to roam about and stay put in one area, 10 years will give them a proper chance of familiarizing themselves with the area

I disagree, he must have a reason for staing 10 years as opposed to say, 5, or 3 or even 7 years.

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.