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1.3 A two-tier system allowed for more targeted regulation and could accommodate the imbalance in competition in the two industries.
But the two industries only exist because of two-tier regulation.
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1.4 Steve Wright (SW) expressed a preference for a two-tier system. He felt that it worked very well in London and that, with the introduction of improved technology, its functioning would improve. The introduction of a one-tier system would lead to the collapse of the private hire industry and thus passengers’ ability to pre-book.
Nonsense. What it might mean is a bit more street work in areas currently ill-served by taxis.
That might be slightly detrimental to Mr Wright's private hire operators' vested interests, but to say they would collapse is a gross exaggeration.
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1.5 Tommy McIntyre (TM) agreed that maintaining the pre-booked market was positive for customer choice. He also noted that fare setting in one market was often done by reference to fares in the other market. Furthermore, the problem of insufficient rank space would only be exacerbated by shifting to a one-tier system.
So is he saying that taxis don't do pre-booked work? Probably most taxis in most locations do most of their work via booking systems.
Good economic point about fares though, one I made to the OFT about a decade ago but which they said in their report they could find no evidence for.
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1.6 Dai Powell (DP) noted that pre-booking was essential to disabled persons who could not obtain a vehicle in another way.
Yet again the 'taxis can't be pre-booked' fallacy.
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1.7 Patrick Connor (PC) felt that moving to a one-tier system risked creating a “honeypot” situation which would reduce provision in non-urban areas.
I thought it was restricted taxi numbers that did that.
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1.8 Bryan Roland (BR) noted that 95% of drivers were self-employed. Private hire operators were concerned that a one-tier system would not give them sufficient control over drivers to allow them to cope with demand. The labour market was a different shape in each area and it was not possible to say to what extent driving work represented the main source of income.
Amazing that Mr Roland never mentions bogus self-employment in the trades.
And how precisely do taxi circuits and proprietors control their self-employed drivers?
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1.9 SW added that he felt a one-tier system would lead to a “honeypot” situation. Drivers would not be willing to pay operators’ fees and, given that there was very little hailing in suburban areas, all vehicles would work in city centres, reducing provision elsewhere.
Maybe there's no hailing in the suburbs because there's no taxis?
And even if suburban taxi drivers did few street jobs they'd still be willing to pay fees to secure suburban pre-booked work, I suspect.
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1.10 James Button (JB) questioned why it was not possible to allow for pre-booking in a one-tier system.

At last, a sensible point.
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1.11 Geoffrey Riesel (GR) felt that a two-tier system was required for practical reasons; however, he noted that many other countries operated one-tier systems which allowed for pre-booking. The private hire industry had come into existence where there was a lack of taxis, often due to quantity restrictions. It was not possible to tear up the existing system and start again, as this would be very damaging to business.
Seems to be contracting himself there - one-tier works elsewhere, but wouldn't work here. Of course, such radical change would affect existing business structures and would be difficult, but to say it's impossible is just plain wrong. Usual vested interest argument.
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1.12 BR felt that outside of city centres, vehicles worked in what was essentially a one-tier system. There was no ranking or plying.
Is that because they're not allowed to rank and ply? Except of course when they bend the rules a bit, particularly late at night in city centres, which is where they tend to work at such times.
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1.13 Julian Francis (JF) expressed the view that taxis and PHVs could be distinguished on the basis that taxis were an emanation of the state and part of public transport, whilst PHVs were not. PHVs represented a market-led response intended to fulfil specific pockets of demand.
Taxis "an emanation of the state"?
In fact perhaps it's the two-tier system that's the emanation of the state, thus maybe he's getting his restricted hackney carriages before his horse, sort of thing.
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1.14 Bob Oddy (BO) noted that a one-tier system would be in conflict with requirements for disabled access.
Why?
Perhaps the NTA's Mr Casey could have helped out with a lot of these issues, because doesn't Carlise work an effective single-tier system?
On the other hand, perhaps that would be a bit too off-message
