Taxi Driver Online

Sefton-based Delta Taxis calls for regional plate as MPs demand taxi rules overhaul

ONE of the region’s biggest taxi firms today called for Merseyside-wide licences after MPs demanded an overhaul of taxi and private hire rules. Sefton-based Delta Taxis said the trade should follow in the footsteps of the rail and bus industry by creating “joined-up” provision.

The firm spoke out after House of Commons watchdogs examined the issue of companies operating outside the district in which they are licensed, a practice known as “cross-border hire.”

A transport select committee report referred to Delta Taxis using “a fleet spread out across the whole of the multi-borough zone that can respond to telephone requests quite literally within seconds”.

Unite the Union’s Tommy McIntyre told the committee the company had taken 55% of the work in Liverpool. He claimed: “They are not actually paying any money whatsoever towards the licensing regime in Liverpool.”

The city council also pointed out the use of new GPS technology allows operators to “control hundreds, even thousands, of vehicles efficiently by identifying a vehicle which is near to a booking request”.

The committee urged ministers to review and modernise regulations to “keep licensing local” and curb unfair dominance of areas by single companies.

Chairman Louise Ellman, MP for Riverside, said: “The rules for taxis date back to 1847 and still refer to horse-drawn carriages. “The rules for private hire vehicles were set down in 1976 and are now out of date due to the growth of mobile phones and the internet. “The age of this legislation and the complexity of case law makes the need for an overhaul irresistible.”

The Government is aiming to refer car hire laws to the Law Commission. But Mrs Ellman added: “We believe a more effective approach would be for ministers to work with the trade, councils and user groups to develop and bring forward new legislation within the lifetime of this government.”

A spokesperson for Delta Taxis said the firm welcomed the committee’s recommendation for larger licensing districts, saying it paved the way for a Merseyside plate. He added: “Merseytravel already oversees a joined-up bus and train provision for all five local authorities.

“The report therefore indicates that taxis could well be next. Instead of ‘Sefton’ or ‘Liverpool’ taxi drivers, we would have ‘Merseyside’ drivers, servicing the Liverpool region more efficiently with lower carbon emissions and cheaper fares for the travelling public.

“It all rather depends on where the higher powers decide to draw the boundary line, around our conurbation or right across the middle. “Consumer and environmental demands are both expected to play a major role in this decision during the next round of consultation.”

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IDFIMH

The county of Merseyside already exists so why would there be any need to 'draw the boundary' surely it's already there




Keep it local? Isn't that what the problem is in Liverpool. People from outside Liverpool ringing their local company to come back and get them. If the HCs hadn't got themselves such a bad reputation with the punters they wouldn't have lost half the work they claim Delta has taken

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

I personally support the creation of a Merseyside plate... it would be better for the public and give drivers both private hire and hackney a larger working area.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Provided hackney plates are limited eh?

I mean, I don't think you'd like the idea as much if there was an unmet demand found somewhere like Wirral




CC

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

Still not convinced that section 16 would survive a new act.

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IDFIMH

How big a working area do you want? We can already pick up anywhere in the country

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

You mean they'd revert back to pre-1985 where a council had total discretion?



CC

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

By the time that happens..... it'll be some body else's problem

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

2014?

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

list the dates of all the Act's.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Delta doesn't seem to think so

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Why for?

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

If they created the Merseyside plate.... it would be relatively easy to operate.... it would simply mean that the only taxis that could sit on stands would be those registered for that area.... but if you were in another area and were flagged you could pick up... as long as it was in Merseyside... obviously for Hackney's

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Delta's system is drop.. wait.. and then Next Job.... no dead mileage

_________________
Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

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