Taxi Driver Online

This is Worcestershire

April 26, 2007 Thursday

HEADLINE: Cabbies anger over new rules

WYRE Forest cab drivers are at loggerheads with the district council over rules brought in two years ago governing the type of taxis allowed to operate across the area.

Plans deregulating the taxi trade, adopted by Wyre Forest District Council in 2005, including specific rules ending a limit on the number of vehicles which could operate and making all Hackney carriages wheelchair accessible by 2013, are continuing to cause anger among cab operators.

Pepe Bianco, co-owner of Central Taxis said: "I think from the point of view of ourselves and our customers, the district council is taking rights and freedom of choice from the public.

"The new cabs are accessible to a wheelchair limited person but not to a person who walks with a Zimmer frame or with a walking stick. The vehicles are too high up off the ground.

"The council should be making life easier for the public and they haven't done that. They've done what they wanted. Basically, the public don't know what's going on."

In 2005, the council's licensing and environmental committee voted in plans to remove the ceiling on the number of cabs operating - then 93 - allowing new firms to work in the town.

The committee also agreed to rules setting out a staged replacement of existing saloon-type Hackney carriages, when vehicles reached the end of their seven-year lives, with purpose-built black cabs and people carrier-style vehicles, both accessible to wheelchair users.

Mark Kay, the district council's licensing manager, said: "In 2005, the Government wrote to all councils saying limiting the number of cabs was anti-competitive and we shouldn't do it without good reason. "We consulted with the trade and decided to deregulate in a phased way.

"When the process is finished, there will still be 35 private hire vehicles which people will be able to call so there is still freedom of choice. "I think there's also a question of not being able to please all of the people all of the time."

Taxi trade representatives and district councillors are meeting in Kidderminster, on Tuesday, to discuss the cab operators' concerns and other items including training drivers to help disabled passengers and the number of annual vehicle inspections.
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They should ask some of the disability groups to come and back them, as there is no need for every taxi to be wav.

Exactly.

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IDFIMH

I'm going to disagree with you

If the council delimits and orders all vehicles to be WAV, how the hell can it honestly say there will still be 35 PHV's?

What if the PHV owners want to play taxi driver too?

It seems to me, the council have delimited, which is a kick in the teeth, but to also rule that the existing licensees must change there vehicle to WAV is like kicking them in the b*llocks too

Is this area first or second phase? I think its second phase.

Seems to me like a LA that is determined to do what they like without meaningful consultation.

CC

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

If the PH lads want to play the taxi game, then they can.

As for the PH saloon trade. If there is a demand then you can rest assured the PH market will meet it.

If the choice on offer to drivers is pay £20-35,000 for a new WAV taxi, or £10-20,000 for a new PH saloon, then many will be happy to stay PH.

Especially if there's bundles of saloon work.

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IDFIMH

No, I'm not going to say it.

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IDFIMH

You use the key word demand.....if the public demand a saloon car, as the HC trade in Wyre Forest say they do....why do they have to change to PH?

CC

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

I'm assuming that when this manor de-limited the existing trade lobbied to have all new taxis to be WAVs.

Now maybe someone with a view similar to mine has asked why should one taxi driver have to pay up to £35,000 for a cab, while another only has to pay up to £20,000.

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IDFIMH

I know what you mean and where your coming from.....but surely the LA saying well the people who cant get in WAV's can phone for a PH suggests the LA are aware that not all people can get into a WAV.

As stated before.....the LA delimiting and then forcing the existing trade to change vehicles is a double kick in the b*llocks to the trade.

CC

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

But it does mean a level playing field, and it's good to see a council that recognises one, for a change.

As for the accessability issue, what about Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Edinburgh, etc etc.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

There is no difference to the public ............... there is no further demand to supply ................. the differance here is, AND ONLY IS, that the lads previously driving PH will be doing PH work in their HC.

and thats a great idea isn't it.

You could argue that they could pick up flaggers or sit on the ranks and get two bites of the cherry ........................... but if they all do that then it will be a waste of time ................. oh and people will have to wait longer for a PH.

Yeah lads
great idea well done.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

jeez....for the first time in about a month we agree

CC

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

But is that really such a good thing?

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IDFIMH

Your level playing field must be based on Skiddaw

CC

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

TDO, regarding the above city's the ones who cannot get into a wav use PH saloons, that's why there are many more PH than wavs, I think the figure of over 900 PH was mentioned just for Edinburgh