Taxi Driver Online

You miss the point Mr Guest.

I don't think you should pay to ply at stations, but that's within the law.

Your attitude is on a par with the Watford lads, they know best and that's it.

Well they may think they know best, but they are losing sheds loads of work to the PH trade.

If you support the boycott of Watford, then surely you should arrange a boycott of Heathrow by the London boys and girls.

I wonder how much support you will get for that?

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IDFIMH

oops

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

My understanding is that it was open to all hacks but I'll have it confirmed tommorrow. The Hacks never paid anything for over two years, I suppose something had to give.

I think the main reason why all this started was because of the H/C drivers resentment of the Freephone.

It was probably the Councils idea that the P/H drivers vacate their vehicles and leave them empty when parked on the station Taxi Rank. It cuts out the instant accusation that the drivers are plying for hire. They have a ticket system were the punter goes to the P/H booth gets his ticket and then I assume the punter goes and stands by the first vehicle in line.

It would be a cracking legal case if it ever came to court.

Best wishes.

John Davies.
Manchester

John,

As ever, I am in awe of your knowledge.

But I detect a slight hint that you want a court case!!!

Regards

Captain Cab

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

Well it would be nice.

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IDFIMH

lol of course I do. You're very observant. It would certainly clear up a few anomalies which has beset both sides of the trade for a very long time.

The impression I got today from Silverlink is that they don't really want conflict with the Taxi trade. All they are doing is trying to maximise profits, which I assume any business is entitled to do.

I was surprised at them waiting over two years to act on this matter, it certainly wouldn't have happened like that up here.

The Hackney drivers can take some comfort from the fact that they haven't got a total ban from the station. They can still pick up there when there are customers waiting. The only problem with that is that the P/H drivers who have paid to go on the station will start complaining to Silverlink that the Hacks are taking their work. lol So in theory you have the situation in reverse.

When station permits were introduced up here 12 years ago, H/C drivers who had paid for permits were reporting to the station authorities their fellow H/C drivers who hadn't paid for a permit, yet were still ranking up on the station. The funny part is that those Hackney drivers had been colleagues for years, so what does that tell you? lol

Best wishes

John Davies.
Manchester

Hello. Just to add my two pen'uth to the debate. I have my Bill in Canterbury, we have no problem between HC/LPH...well nowhere near as seems elsewhere in the Country where relationships are less than perfect and people feel the need to hide behind Pseudo fictitious name handles to make a point. Provided both camps keep within their own sets of Laws there can exist a mutual benefit of co-existence...it makes life a lot easier without the stress and everyone can concentrate on earning a living instead of declaring war on those who should really be colleagues within the trade.

Looking at the Watford Junction situation we see a prime example of how this co existence falls apart when Greed for another persons territory rears its head and is allowed to fester by corporate greed and an ineffective inefficient enforcement by Licencing.

The PH act is quite specific. Vehicles shall remain at their operating centre, which shall be out of public view until dispatched by their operator to a pre booked Job. On completion of that job, they shall return to the operating centre to await another. This is how the law of the land stands and no one is above it. Its terms have been proved at Eastbourne and Peterborough in similar circumstances. Advancements in communication technology mean the principles of the act are sometimes compromised, (they did not have PMR radios, mobile phones or computer dispatch screens when it was written) and a blind eye is sometimes turned for the sake of delivering a service to the travelling public...but human nature being as it is, and without effective enforcement or consideration for another's trading patch it does not take long for the PH industry to imagine itself Hackney Carriage. As thus they did at Watford, as blind pawns played by the profiteering Silverlink. With local Licencing, in associations that have yet to be established.

The call for support by Watford was reported by Bob Hewlet and Nigel Marchant via the trade and Internet grapevines on the Monday and resulted in around 200 Taxis from across the UK on Tuesday, including myself at 7.30 in the morning at a motorway lay-by waiting in convoy to show their support for the Watford Lads. This goes against all perceptions of Taxi drivers pulling together and believe me, you felt proud to be part of it. Damn nearly shook my hand off all the grateful Watford drivers thanking us :O) I cannot imagine how many more would have turned up from across the country had there been more than a few hours to arrange. The protest served its purpose, Watford Taxis were no longer alone, Silverlink and Licencing were now aware the game had much wider boundaries than imagined and that there existed a resolve by the UK taxi trade to protect its turf against Corporate Predators.

After the issue of a strongly worded letter from T&G legal threatening action against any LPH flouting the terms of the act on the Station forecourt, ending in a visit from the Licencing officer to the company resulted they are now obliged to park up out of public view 10 minutes away, only coming to the Station forcourt if a member of the public makes a booking at the PH office still there. Fine! That's the way the system should work, if it continues that way, what is now a well organised UK Hackney trade will stand easy...but prepared and ready to Rock n'Roll again.

Kindest Regards

Andy in Canterbury

Do you think BAA would be able to operate Heathrow without taxis clearing the passengers. Major airports are a different situation because of the volume. Heathrow is not in London so perhaps Staines taxis should get the work ? It is easy to find examples that dont easily fit, but that does not mean the principle is flawed. I expect you have a long line of double glazing salesmen, time share reps etc dying to talk to you. I think the term I am looking for is MUG PUNTER. Sussex Doormat.

That is smashing Andy.

The way to take the hire or reward industry forward is to bury it in the dark ages.

Let us grasp at an out dated, irrelevant bit of legislation to protect ourselves from moving forward.

Bring on the court case.

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A member of the Hire or Reward Industry

Well done all those at Watford, win or lose over the station rights the real victory is the show of unity and support.

The 1976 Act says nothing of the sort.

Some council (very few) insist that PHs return to base when free.

That would really look good in Portsmouth,with Aqua's 400 cars, and in Glasgow, with GPH's 500 cars, all parked outside their office.

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IDFIMH

Well if that is the case, why do the London boys pay up?

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IDFIMH

Thank you for your confidence Tomas. Unfortunately, as is the case in so many Arenas we are governed by the dark ages, the bale of hay being perhaps the more famous. Unless the act has been amended/repealed it will be the only foundation for a court case...as you say, bring it on!

(So long as someone else pays! Another teething bone of mine...taxi drivers are among some of the largest investors in the legal profession, but the dividends are low, even on winning, it can be the most expensive smile you ever get!)

Kindest regards

Andy

Hmmm....interesting, particularly since one of the prime conditions of an Operators Licence is they must have parking for their fleet out of the public view...fact. Of course this is overlooked conveniently for the interest of the travelling public, as I said before...but the terms are still there.

Now why am I talking to an anonymous emicon? Nurse!

Kindest regards anyway

Andy