Gateshead Angel wrote:
Derestriction doesn't deliver fairness, it delivers uncertainty and although people are willing to initially invest there is little or no continued investment. The pro-derestriction group aren't even interested in improving public services, as they seem intent on doing what current HC drivers are doing as they believe it is their right to do so, they even believe that their opinions are endorsed by the OFT and DfT, even though the purpose of their intervention was to increase public services.
I pointed out at the time of GA's post that both the Govt and the OFT had in fact considered the market from the point of view of impeding entry to the trade, and further evidence of this is found in the council's briefing document for the forthcoming Luton committee meeting:
EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS
11. The underlying message in the Government’s intention to make
deregulation of quantitative controls is one of fair and equal access to
all who wish to enter the Hackney Carriage trade. As such, to continue
to restrict the number of licences issued in the borough could be seen as being directly opposed to this intention and the imposition of an inequality.