I wonder who put James Douglas up to this one? another poor dig at the black cab trade, never heard of this journalist before must be a wannabe serious writer,in typical NOTW style
What JC has done is not a CRIME, He has not BENT ANY RULES (JD) What JC has done is amassed in my opinion to many Licences LEGALLY. This was alway's going to happen as has happened with ECPH

Remember some of their owners where saying ECPH wanted control of their licences and how many private hire plates do ECPH (Directors) hold collectively? Charging their drivers 50/50 and openly promoting the idea of paying their drivers a wage, is this the same or worse the JC i fear much worse
Edinburgh is a different market to Glasgow and what goes on in Glasgow is a million miles from what goes on in Edinburgh
. Its known that Glasgow is in the top 5% of most corrupt cities in the world, i wonder how many Glasgow licence holders where put under pressure to transfer their licences? Although i know JC and don't think for a minute John has done any wrong, John has made his money selling TAXI's in Glasgow and Edinburgh including my Metro, Knowing John he has probably helped out many licence holders who have had financial troubles as many cabbies
do, finance on a new Taxi is not cheap its a massive commitment.
The situation in Edinburgh i agree the usage of the plate is changing hands for around £40k but it's legal and i don't know of any one owning as many as in Glasgow. For JD to compare the black cab trade to the Private hire and say the PHC fares better is niave. Black cab drivers study the knowledge and go through all checks to gain the right to operate a black cab, professional drivers in all aspects of serving the public.
In a De-restricted/De-limited world the same problem would arise but a lot worse, the Trade would be fully open to all kinds of criminal gangs. Tighter restriction/regulation is what is required to sort out any kind of mass ownership of usage of Taxi licences.
The alternative is the council like NEW YORK ask for a change in law and Charge a New licence fee granted charge of £40k, if you can't beat them join them

There is currently no laws being broken
NEW YORK NEW YORK
