Sussex wrote:
187ums wrote:
maybe its time for a cease fire??
Agreed, but maybe it's also time Edinburgh council started adhering to the law of the land.
If they did that, then I doubt we would be reading and discussing what we are.
Most Taxi drivers in Edinburgh and several legal opinions agree that Edinburgh council has adhered to the law.
These current applicants seem to think that the current buzzphrase of "proving no significant unmet demand" is the all of everything. The vast majority do realise that demand has been monitored continuously by the appointed taxi monitor. Although skull and his sidekicks belittle those reports, they are nonetheless valid assessments of demand on a monthly basis.
What some may not know is that Skull has a long history of troublemaking. He has publicly stated that he is not a violent person, but privately he boasts of a violent past.
We are expected to believe that his correspondence with the HSE about the safety of the TX1's wheelchair facilities is the first time that it has been raised yet similar ramps etc have been in use since around 1986/7 with the advent of the Metrocab and Fairway. He consistently refused to accept any wheelchair bound passengers on the grounds of a non-existent health & safety assessment. And shouted long & loud about unfair treatment.
Similarly he demands a plate for no other reason than to sell it, failing to realise that if the council grants these licences, there will be a clamour from the 110 applicants waiting for over 10 years. Common sense dictates that, as the council do not eat, sleep & drink taxis, they will simply remove the nuisance and de-restrict numbers, thus wiping out any plate value at a stroke.
At first, that may appear alright, but if you have 3,000 drivers on 3,000 taxis you will not have the 24 hour coverage nor the modern vehicles that we have at present. I can run a new taxi, change it every 3 years and the overheads of HP,Insurance, licensing & maintenance amount to c£280 per week (this excludes any radio dues, if an owner should joins a circuit.)
Now either add on a radio fee of at least £80 per week or take off the rental income from a driver and everyone ends up paying more or driving around in older, less-well maintained taxis. These figures do not include any repayments on loans to buy plates.
There is a strong case for restricting phc licences, given the conduct of a large number in Edinburgh who blatantly break laws and licensing conditions with impunity.
Tighter regulation would benefit all of us - phc included. As would ridding out trade of parasites!!
![Not talking [-(](./images/smilies/eusa_snooty.gif)