Taxi Driver Online

‘Give all taxi firms a fair crack of the whip at train station rank’


Brian Attwood, left, and Lizzie Allen, right, both feel introducing permits at Berkhamsted railway station would be the best way forward PNL-140331-171247001

An MP is supporting a campaign for taxi permits to be introduced on a rank outside Berkhamsted Railway Station.

The rank on Lower Kings Road is owned by London Midland and currently any taxi driver with a license can go and ply for trade there.

Now David Gauke – MP for South West Herts – believes a permit scheme should be introduced as a way of encouraging fair trade for all taxi firms in the town, and has written to London Midland to express his concerns.

He said: “My main desire is to make sure that all taxi firms are treated fairly and that there’s fair choice and competition for all.

“If there’s been some confusion on how the rank works in the past, I think that permits may be the best way forward.”

A permit scheme would mean all firms wanting to ply for trade would have to pay for a separate permit, enabling London Midland to cut congestion at the rank and keep an eye on all the companies who work from there.

A spokesman for London Midland said there were no plans to introduce such a system but that the situation was being monitored.

The spokesman said: “We have spoken to the firms involved and we will be monitoring the situation.

“Everyone should have a fair crack of the whip.”

Ace Taxis, based in Northbridge Road, have launched an email campaign to appeal to customers to support its requests for a permit system to be introduced and foster fair business in the town.

They are concerned that Choice Taxis, based at the station, is monopolising the commuter trade and making it difficult for other companies to get passengers.

Ross Hill, licensing team leader at Dacorum Borough Council, said: “We work with the police and taxi companies across Dacorum to ensure that our taxi licensing regulations are met, and will take enforcement action where evidence of misconduct is found.

“However, we cannot intervene in commercial matters which do not involve the council.”

Derek Gowlett, manager of the Choice taxis Hemel office, said: “There’s no campaign to be had, because anybody who’s got a permit can park there.

“We’re not stopping anyone parking there, but there’s only space for three cars so if our customers have pre-booked, our cars will be waiting there.”

Resident and regular taxi customer Lizzie Allen said: “This is definitely not a campaign against Choice – which in my view do actually run an efficient service – rather, the campaign is aimed at opening up the rank to multiple taxi providers in the interests of fairness.”

Commuter Brian Attwood said: “I think there is a problem to address.

“It needs to be open to all and London Midland needs to take an active role.”

http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/busine ... -1-5973615

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

Are they fruitcakes if anyone can pick up whats the problem they are all getting a fare share

Bizzare way of saying "we need you to pay us,for the privellege of picking people up !!"

how does that make sense? lol


only read the first couple lines but.. if they give permits out to only a few drivers and company's hows that fair?

if they give permits to all companies and drivers.. then thats what is basically already in place without the permit so it doesn't make sense

An MP that seems to know fech about anything pretending he knows fechin lots about everything but fails to understand the 100 Taxis with permits will still take up as much space as the same 100 Taxis without permits, the only difference is someone somewhere is going to make money out of it whilst the Taxi owners become poorer...that really is typical of what the authorities see as "Fairness"

Who are these ar*holes that want to see themselves being sold on for profit? If Brian and Lizzie are the sheeple, what chance have you got?

Oh and btw, that stupid grin makes him look like a complete dick.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

I suspect any taxi driver can rank if they belong to the circuit that has the monopoly there, or they wet their beak in some other way.

The MP is saying anyone should be able to ply if they pay the train company direct.

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IDFIMH

So you pay the train company to provide a service you are legally obliged to offer in first place.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

I suspect that the company that are based at the station are taking up all the available spaces and no one else can get a look in.

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Grandad,

I doubt that is the case.

What appears to be happening is one firm controls the rank, I think it should be opened up.

Clearly it would be great all round if no one paid to ply, but we are where we are.

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IDFIMH