Taxi Driver Online

http://dundeesnp.org/index.php/archives/1989


A Dundee MSP has called for the City Council to seriously consider introducing a cap on number of taxi-licences in Dundee in line with other local authorities in Scotland

Except most in Scotland don't restrict and Aberdeen and West Lothian have removed the cap. Edinburgh is beleaguered in a de-restriction battle with appeals in Court and a Human Rights case coming around the corner. I guess taxi owners in Dundee failed to explain this to him.

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said: “I have had a lot of contact with taxi-drivers over the last few years and many of them are finding it difficult to make ends meet.

Taxi drivers? Or taxi owners? Wouldn't it be interestting to know? And I wonder how many members of the travelling public have lobbied him to restrict taxis?

“If we want to improve the professionalism of the taxi service in the city, capping the number of licence-holders is an idea that might benefit everyone in the city, taxi-users and the taxi-trade too.

Balderdash, if you want to improve the service you implement quality controls. Capping taxis creates shortage, inflates plate premiums, inflates rentals for drivers and ultimately means less taxis for hire on the streets. That's one heck of an improvement, eh?

“I have contacted other Councils to find out whether they have caps and how they operate their taxi-services.

“Edinburgh operates a limit on the number of taxis and frequently reviews the demand for taxis and commissions regular surveys of demand.

And as stated is heading for de-restriction. It's not going to be out of court until the battle has been won. And it is shelling out bucketloads of cash to defend the policy. Cash that it can barely afford.

Oh and BTW, the surveys are bogus. Jacobs managed to "fail" to find a demand throughout the period when Edinburgh's economy was burgeoning according to the Council Leader, yet Halcrow manage to "find" a demand during the worst recession in almost 100 years.

That'll be no corruption of the process by the council there then, eh?

“Glasgow City Council has a maximum number of taxi licences of 1428 considered necessary to meet the demand and considers there will be no significant unmet demand until the number of licences falls below 1418 and then it considers applications for new licences according to a number of rules

Yes, and Glasgow also has over 3000 private hire, less regulated and reportedly under assault and control by criminal elements.

So, the stark choice is a quality taxi service with WAV type vehicles or a barely fettered hinterland of less controllable private hires, not WAVs, and must be pre-booked - hardly providing the public the service it needs at peak periods when the police interests are for the streets to be cleared ASAP.

Also, according to the stated position of Glasgow that it considers there will be no significant demand until the number of licences falls below 1418, then this is a breach of the Law. Glasgow would be pre-determining demand levels without adhering to the burden of Section 10(3) which requires them to have satisfied themselves that there is no demand which is being unmet.

It is councils' positions like this that demonstrates just how corrupt and discriminatory Section 10(3) is. It is going to be challenged.

“Perth & Kinross has a cap of 70 taxis in the City of Perth which it is soon to review having been open to consultation for ‘about the past 12 months’.

“Aberdeen City introduced a cap in 1994. The decision was revisited in 2000 when the maximum number of licences was set at 915 but the limit was removed by the Licensing Committee on 9 January 2006.

And the Corporate Services Director stated at the time that restriction was untenable and that it was commercially unsound for this market sector to be given protection that is not afforded to anyone else.

“So it would probably be correct to say that many, perhaps most Councils do operate caps and it seems to me like an idea that needs to be given serious consideration in Dundee.”

Completely untrue.

Scotland

There are 32 licensing authorities in Scotland.

In 2003, the Office of Fair Trading’s report “The regulation of licensed taxi and PHV services in the UK” cited only 14 (45%) of Scottish Local Authorities operating a restriction policy on taxi licences, the majority 18 (55%) choosing not to.

Since then Aberdeen, and West Lothian have changed policy to remove such restriction. This gives a notional current figure of circa 11 (34%) which still restrict and 66% (21) who have removed restrictions, a ratio of 2 : 1 without restriction.

England and Wales

In England and Wales there are 343 licensing authorities.

The number of licensing authorities who currently choose as a matter of policy to retain taxi licence restriction is 87, or 25.4%.

The remaining 256, the overwhelming majority of 74.6%, either do not currently restrict or have taken a policy decision to remove taxi licence restrictions, a ratio of 3 : 1 without restriction. The overwhelming norm, the established custom and practice, whether in England and Wales or Scotland, is for there to be no restrictions on the number of operating taxi licences, which allows the demand in the market place to stimulate the supply to meet it – substantially the situation with all other business which require a licence to operate.


Earlier in the week, several city councillors called on the Council’s Licensing Board to cap the number of taxis in Dundee, an idea which has often been put forward by the taxi trade in the city.

Representing a vested interest and ignoring common sense.

If there is an over supply of taxis because of current poor economic conditions, then restricting the numbers at the current level is not going to improve matters. It just locks the problem in.

The free market however, given the chance to work, will cause people to leave the trade and the supply demand situation will equalise itself.

Being currently unrestricted, there is no barrier to this, indeed licence holders should be encouraged to suspend their involvement with the trade through council measures to allow "mothballing" of licences and re-entry in the future with no penalty.

This flexibility would help the free market to correct the situation much more quickly. What is needed therefore is less regulation, not more.

Finally, there are clear implications for public safety with a policy to cap the number of taxis.

In the Scottish Government's Taxi and PH licensing Best practice Guide, section 9 states: "... if the supply of taxis or PHCs has been unduly constrained by onerous licensing conditions then that person's safety might be put at risk by having to wait for a taxi or PHC to arrive; he or she might even be tempted to enter an unlicensed vehicle with an unlicensed driver plying for hire."

In taxi capped Edinburgh two such situations are known to have been recorded - two serious sexual assaults on young women.

In the first the miscreant absconded and has left the country.

In the second case the matter went to trial before Lady Smith. Jailing the criminal for 5 years she told him, "All she wanted was a taxi ..." the reality that the warning in the Best Practice Guide, ignored by City of Edinburgh Council, had tragically been borne out.

So, Mr FitzPatrick, please explain to us how your proposed cap on the number of Taxis in Dundee benefits the public?

Subject: RE: FAO Joe Fitzpatrick MSP - Taxi licensing Dundee


Dear Mr Taylor.

Thank you for your email to Joe FitzPatrick MSP, who has asked me to respond on his behalf.

As you will be aware, Joe represents Dundee West, not Edinburgh, and suggests that you may wish to pass on your views to your local elected representatives. You can find both your constituency MSP and your Regional MSPs on the Parliament's website at - http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msp/m ... Finder.htm

Joe stands by his comments that the matter should be looked at, and considered further. He does not believe any suggestion should be dismissed out of hand without being properly investigated. He is working closely both with the Dundee Taxi Association, the general public and his colleagues in Dundee City Council to find a solution that can be agreed to by all. The final decision will be taken by Dundee City Council.

I can assure you that the Councillors on the Licensing Committee have no vested interests, and under all due process of law, declare all interests.

Yours sincerely,

Gregor Murray

Gregor Murray, Constituency Researcher to
Shona Robison MSP (Dundee East) &
Joe FitzPatrick MSP (Dundee West)

Quality !!!

Thank you for your response.

Two things follow.

First, perhaps Mr FitzPatrick would care to google Taxi Licensing on the News of the World website and consider what the one aspect of the end game of the restriction of taxi licences can look like.

Second, you appear to have assumed that I was referring to vested interests in the political and government sphere. This is incorrect.

The vested interests are with the taxi owners who are campaigning for restriction to create the artificial shortage which will see licences accrue a shortage premium, driver rentals increase accordingly and ultimately higher than necessary fare tariffs for the public.

In Edinburgh plates reached £50,000, although they are reportedly now trading for between £35,000 and £45,000. Before de-restriction in Dublin the value had risen to £100,000.

Job done.

Thanks again.

That's got to be the most polite f*ck off and mind your own business I've ever read

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

Expected of course.

It was about informing not interacting.

But you realised this didn't you.

But if the story exists, and Craig hs toldme it does, it's because we precipitated it.

Thing is, we don't even need or want a mention. It's about heading Stationtone and his amigos off at the pass.

Now consider this.

Dundee puts a cap on and then Edinburgh de-restricts (Which it is going to ultimately)? Law suits ville.

Dundee doesn't put a cap on, it adds fuel to Edinburgh de-restricting.

Anyway, Joe cool now knows he 's only been given half the tale.

Aberdeen drivers are also asking the council for a cap on plates.
I think the meeting is in march? A survey will be done after that sometime.
Members of Unite and non members are asking for the cap to be imposed.
What does that tell you Jim?

It tells us that taxi drivers don't have any control over their own trade or their pretendy businesses.

Precisely this toys-out-the-pram.

http://taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=16067

Human Rights Jim The Tory's are about to replace the Human rights act with a Bill of Rights The European judges who impose your Human rights crap are un-elected judges of what is right and what is wrong according to their opinion, massive flaws i say massive flaws

With the SNP behind the call to cap in Dundee maybe my hard work is paying off

When you compare de-restriction too the New york medallion system, well it's a no brainer that council's would prefer the medallion system of restriction

The consequence of de-restriction is a drop in standards and professionalism, the medallion system keeps the control in the hands of the council and ensure's the current investment in our taxi trade is maintained

Now answer honestly, If you where in charge of a councils finances what way ahead would you choose? De-restriction, giving everybody a free plate with no transfer income or the New York medallion system, a proven money maker with the sale and transfer fees they could earn

It maybe coincidence but with the SNP moving the capping issue maybe my lobbying of the idea is filtering throughout Scotland LA's

Jim your only way is fecked your Human rights act is fecked and your now in a desperate state of mind, you will soon feel foolish, you will face defeat and you know it, just don't do anything stupid as rejection can lead to all sorts of mental health problems

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Alway's been about Tightening the Grip!

Just when I thought I couldn't possibly hear any more stupidity, up you pop.

Tell us all Dougie. Where has the feckwit from the White Hoose gone?

He was gonna protect you

Another thickwit, like you Dougie, without a single brain cell of common sense.

Don't need no protecter Jim

I was on your inside the other night at bristo place, i looked right at you, you knew i was there but you turned away, so who do i need protecting from, not you

You know my post above is the end for you Jim, go and do a 12 hour shift instead of a 6 hour one for fecksake, buy yourself a fish supper at the end of it and tell yourself you tried to save the trade but hey there is alway's an alternative to every argument, who am i

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Alway's been about Tightening the Grip!

Go on. I know I shouldn't.

But how do you know I knew you were there and chose not to engage with you?



Od course I'm only asking from the analysis of a nutter point of view?

You do realise this Dougie don't you?

Dinnae think so Reggie.

Mark my words.

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Caledonian Cabbie

I did say it maybe coincidence

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Alway's been about Tightening the Grip!

I know how your paranoid mind works Jim

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Alway's been about Tightening the Grip!