Taxi Driver Online

I don't care about those wishing to enter the trade. If they do so then they do so on the terms prevailing at the time.

If that involves a £50K gamble, and the gamble fails, cos the plate's not worth anything anyway, then that is entirely down to them.

Standards fall on de-restriction? I doubt it, I suspect others will pitch in with examples.

However, de-restriction in Edinburgh will be done with significant quality controls in place.

Drivers are vetted, they have to pass a knowledge test, and vehicle inspections are first class.

So, there will be no reduced quality of individual, nor vehicles.

There will just be more of them, working on their own single shifted vehicle, doubling as their private. No longer paying huge rentals, having their hours dictated by other owners and providing a much improved, more available service for their customers.

Your problem with this GA is what, precisely?

From Jingling Geordie on the News site.

If Jacobs was a carve up and thus was a non-independent but claimed to be independent commission then surely this in itself should have justified mention in your first paragraph in fact I would have thought it paramount to your argument?

Secondly such an accusation deserves proof and preferably through the same pages as your other claims.

Report as unsuitable 18. Jim Taylor, Edinburgh / 11:45am 20 Jan 2007 Jacob's is entirely a trade issue, it would have taken too long to explain it to the public, whom this piece is addressed to. As stated there wasn't space.

But Jacob's goes on trial during my licence application before the regulatory committee.

Indeed it has already done so during the case of 3maxblack. After Garry Thomson described the flaws in it Cllr Wiggleswoth, then a committee member and now its convenor, felt so strongly he stated he wanted to go on record to state that Jacob's "is flawed".

Now, this is interesting because Legal services failed to record this statement, made before witnesses at this public meeting, in its minutes - just as it has failed to record any of the information given by applicants in presenting their cases. Isn't it a clear failure of its statutory duties for councils not to properly record the activities of council committees?

Cllr Wigglesworth, a man of the cloth, has been asked to refute that he said this. He hasn't. He got Legal Serices to write that there is no record of it. I asked him again specifically to tell me, yes or no, did he say it? He won't answer my question.

Yet this same Cllr Wigglesworth allowed 41 applications to be denied on the strength of this report which he told us is flawed. Also, since becoming convenor, he has done nothing to have the report validated and continued to use it to deny licences.

The report is based on flawed data, the sums don't even add up and every demand indicator which would have pointed to demand was ignored.

This is the length to which this council has gone to continue to restrict licences. I want to know why? They're charged with public safety, adequate taxi numbers gets people off the streets and home at peak periods. Isn't this a good thing, less street crime, less risk of injury or mugging?

So what powerful influences are "persuading" the council to restrict licence numbers, which lead to £50k plate values and rentals now reaching £350 per week? Why, rather than refuse to answer all the questions I've asked them, has the council not once argued their case for continued restriction?

Because they couldn't possibly. Restriction is indefensible. It contravenes the very fabric of the economic situation we choose to operate in, the free market. A free market which could match supply with demand infinitely better than incompetent, untrained councillors can.

This is why they wouldn't face us on Talk107. They don't have a valid argument, a position they could possibly defend. But as John of East Lothian states, the opportunity is still there. We're ready to debate the issue anywhere at any time. We could do it on Talk107. We could do it up to and through the coming elections.

Their choice - while they

I think there are many examples of standards falling following derestriction, however the introduction of quality standards and the willingness to find the right people to drive the right number of cabs allows those people into the trade without having to pay premiums.

Some people use the word "controls" but the bottom line here is to control something is to restrict it ...................... so what we are all seeking is one sort of restriction over another.

The more enlightened though are seeking ground in between quantative and quality "controls" which encompasses what is fair for all.

B. Lucky

_________________
"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.

[quote="GAThe more enlightened though are seeking ground in between quantative and quality "controls" which encompasses what is fair for all.

B. Lucky [/quote]

Er, no GA.

What the more enlightened amongst are looking for is for interfering councillors, who couldn't differentiate one end of their economic elbow from the other end of their economic elbow, to butt out.

They're not economists. They know as much about markets as a stall holder. Why would you trust them to get this right?

Since when have you cared for the customer?





Which makes it like many other LTP's around the country.



The bus service is not the taxi service, however, the evidence of late buses isnt particularly good, in most parts they've been an abysmal failure as customers prefer taxis and PH's to the door as opposed to buses to bus stops.

Quote:

While private hire soared by over 800%, taxis increased only 20% because of the council’s policy to deliberately restrict them - causing the taxi trade to surrender its numerical presence and its market share to dwindle.

So with a 800% increase in PH, which is arguably the only direct competition to taxis, you still believe there is a link between your bus company turning to night buses and a failure of the taxi service? Utter rubbish.

How on earth has the taxi trades numerical precense dwindled? there are still the same number of taxis, but more PHV's.

Quote:

The council has refused numerous licence applications, spending tens of thousands of pounds of our money in legal fees defending its policy. With inexhaustible public funds it knows the prohibitive legal cost deters opposition.

You fail to mention the cost of the defense was triggered by the applicants including yourself.

I presume your LA has a legal department, or do they outsource?



Incorrect, your council is spending nearer £45 million, the English and Scots tax payer is paying the balance of the £582 million pounds.

CC

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

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=2409432005

You people are costing the rest of us a fortune

CC

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