Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers hit by legal bill

TAXI drivers say they will be crippled by costs after losing a landmark court case. Salford hackney cab drivers went to court to overturn the council’s decision to implement new rules across the city.

But their fight against the plans to delimit taxis failed, leaving the drivers almost £50,000 out of pocket. The drivers, backed by national union Unite, will now have to find the money to pay the legal fees.

Dave Evans, from Unite, said: "We are all devastated by the decision. "The drivers will have to club together and find the money themselves. "It’s really difficult because all we wanted was a guarantee to get people round the table again to talk about the plans."

The drivers had sought a judicial review to overturn Salford City Council’s decision to delimit. Black cab drivers are against plans to scrap the limit on the number of hackney carriage licences issued by the council. Instead, they want a ‘controlled increase’ of licences over the next three years.

They believe the council plans will threaten the livelihoods of the 79 drivers who currently hold black cab licences. The judge, Mr Justice Parker, in handing down his judgement, refused permission for Judicial Review proceedings and awarded costs to Salford City Council. It is understood the council’s costs amount to £16,000 and the taxi trade’s costs could exceed £50,000.

The new taxi rules, which will come into force immediately, allow for a removal of the current limits on the number of hackney cab licences the council can issue as well as other new rules which include refusing to licence any taxi which does not meet the council’s stringent emissions standards. This potentially means all vehicles over seven years old cannot be licensed for use as a taxi.

Councillor Norman Owen, who supported the taxi drivers’ fight, said: "The decision is deeply disappointing. "The taxi trade has been landed with huge legal costs, when all they really wanted was more meaningful consultation with the council. "They have been forced down this road by the council’s unwillingness to listen and it is disappointing that Mr Justice Parker did not realise that."

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IDFIMH

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IDFIMH

i am lost for word, why why do we not all get together what is up with this trade.

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C. Oakes


The Hackney Association Ltd
bbha@btinternet.com

It's not for me to point out where the lads went wrong, although the answer is in the second paragraph.

That said I can well understand why the lads fought the good fight, if that's what it can be called, but not surprised one bit about the final outcome.

What these lads needed was someone to say, right at the beginning, that this was/is a lost cause. Alas no-one locally had the balls to do so.

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IDFIMH

I hope they can afford a new WAV every 7 years ???
I thought there where judgments where it found that age limits cannot be imposed as long as the cab passes the taxi test

Yet another council desperate to get on the taxi licensing gravy train !


Councils NEVER listen to cab drivers only to other councils or property developers wanting to increase the number of properties paying rates

This will carry on until the nations cabbies all come together and gridlock the country to frighten a national government into looking into the problems caused

Apathy i.e lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting.

Apathy is what caused Salford downfall. The first meeting the trade were invited to early last year 12 people turned up. Nobody thought de-limit could happen to them. The DFT best practice guide has been posted on here for over a year. Warnings have been posted on here every week of similar situations around the country. The trade in Salford are represented by Unite the union and an ex Manchester cab driver Dave Evans, who got himself a free Manchester plate and sold it while working for Unite. The Salford drivers do not need to worry about thier lost 50K. I am sure Unite will pick up the tab. Thats what unions are for arn't they ?

They were told.... and they would not listen.... the trade overall might have to pay out £70,000 .... but certain individuals have lost a great deal more than that.....

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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!

The second paragraph states that the drivers were backed by the Unite union. Are you saying that this is why they lost?

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Grandad,

Oh yes.

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IDFIMH

The GMB were also involved.....

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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!

The NTA weren't

CC

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

I suspect many good people were involved, just a shame that it got to a stage which ends up with drivers £70,000 out of pocket.

I can't/don't believe for a second that if this was dealt with properly right at the beginning, that the outcome would have been what we see.

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IDFIMH