By the way, the taxi vehicle retailer who had the Eureka! moment regarding restricted numbers wouldn't be Donald Pow of Allied Vehicles, perchance?
It's perhaps worth recalling that he made some pretty ropey statements at the Advisory Group meeting towards the end of last year:
Quote:
1.81 Donald Pow (DoP) felt that training was very important. He recognised that one style of vehicle would not suit all disabled passengers. He raised concern that very particular technical conditions led to a restricted market and limited the diversity and range of vehicles available. This tied in with the themes of equality and safety.
Ah, so a restricted market is bad when it suits Allied, but good when it, er, suits Allied
And restricted numbers ties in with the theme of
equality, eh?
Perhaps the Allied Vehicles motto goes something like:
Quote:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
Unless, of course, you're a cab driver and need "protecting from yourself".
Anyway, Mr Pow continued:
Quote:
DoP felt that the public was served not only by the number of vehicles but also by the quality of the fleet. He believed this to be higher in restricted areas.
Like Blackpool?
Quote:
Restrictions led to greater confidence in business models and guaranteed reasonable earnings.
'
Business' models?
'Excess profits' is a maybe the phrase he's looking for.
Quote:
De-regulation could also have a negative impact on supply in the night-time economy as there would be fewer PHVs.
But none of them want to work the streets anyway
And is this another version of the derestriction-means-less-cabs-but-we'll-all-go-bankrupt-anyway argument?
Or perhaps he's one of those who thinks HCs don't do pre-booked work?
Quote:
VSH asked whether this could be countered by setting high standards. DoP felt that it was preferable for the market to lead standards.
Eh? So he's advocating distorting the market numbers-wise and then he's saying the free market should lead standards?
And of course if standards were left to the market then Allied wouldn't sell many WAVs anyway. Except for in Sefton and Blackpool, obviously
