Cab Driver Angry About 'Taxi' Sign Issue
Monday, June 22, 2009, 07:00
A Cab driver is infuriated after his car failed its road test for having the word "taxi" written on it.
David Guiblin, of Clifton, has been a cabbie in Gedling borough for 15 years and bought his most recent car three years ago.
He says it is a purpose built vehicle and it was delivered with signs saying "taxi" on the light above the windscreen and on the sides at roof level.
The hackney cab has passed its last three inspections without a problem.
But last week it failed them for its taxi signs. It also had split windscreen wipers, but Mr Guiblin, 59, said that was a problem that could have been easily rectified.
"I'm so mad about this," he said. "As far as I'm concerned this should never have come up."
Mr Guiblin said a new taxi is tested once a year for its first two years and twice a year after that.
He said the taxi signs had never caused a problem before and he argued that they let customers know he was a genuine taxi as his car was not in the traditional design of a hackney carriage.
"It's so people know I'm a bona fide taxi driver," he said. "I am trying to do the job right and be respectable."
Under Gedling Borough Council's licensing rules, the only lettering allowed on a hackney cab are a company name and telephone number.
And the only words allowed on the light are "For Hire".
Mr Guiblin said he wrote to the council two years ago and he said officers agreed that he could display the word "taxi".
However, he said the council did not amend its rules.
The council's head of planning and environment, Peter Baguley, said Mr Guiblin had since been issued with his licence and there were no outstanding problems.
"A couple of issues were raised when the vehicle was tested," he said.
"We looked at these and informed both Mr Guiblin and the testing centre that the only outstanding problem was the wiper blades – which were sorted out.
"With regards to the other issue raised by the testing station relating to the lettering on the side of the vehicle, this will be looked at as part of the standard review of the licensing conditions which we are carrying out, which will hopefully mean that this issue will not crop up again."
But Mr Guiblin said: "I'm so infuriated by this.
"They've allowed me to keep my signs on for now – but at the end of the day I don't think that's good enough. This should not have happened and they need to change their rules to ensure it does not happen again."
Source; thisisnottingham.co.uk
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