Taxi Driver Online

City launches clampdown on ‘poacher’ taxis

A clampdown has been launched against private hire drivers from outwith Glasgow who are stealing work from city cabbies. Private cabs are not allowed to sit at taxi ranks or pick up passengers who flag them down in the street.

Those that are caught and are licensed in Glasgow can have the matter referred to the licensing committee and face being banned from working. However, the city council has no authority over private hire vehicles licensed by neighbouring authorities.

Trading standards officers and the police began a blitz this month on private hire drivers and stopped 62 who were breaking the rules. Of these, 21 were licensed by other councils. Trading standard officers will now write to the relevant councils to inform them the drivers were in breach of their licences.

Jim Coleman, Glasgow City Council’s environmental services spokesman, said: “We have to protect our licensed traders – they should not have to worry about people crossing borders to steal work from under their noses.

“However, there is also a safety issue. We have no idea if a car licensed outside Glasgow is safe and we have no idea if the person behind the wheel is a fit and proper person. “We know where private hire drivers like to tout for business and we are prepared to follow them around all night.”

Danny Ryan, acting chairman of Glasgow Taxis Ltd, said: “All passengers need to know and be confident that both the drivers and the vehicles they are travelling in are safe. “Glasgow Taxis Ltd supports any initiative which has this in mind.

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IDFIMH

Did you notice that they did not mention anything about invalidating their insurance, why do England prosecute for the road traffic offence of not having the proper insurance and Scotland does not. The road traffic act applies to all of the UK

they very rarely prosecute ph here, usually a slap on the wrist maybe 150 200 quid fine and naughty boy

The fact that a car and driver are licenced, albeit in another area, should mean that the car and driver are actually safe. Breaking other laws maybe but I don't think it should be sugested that the cars and drivers are not safe.

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Grandad,

id teach em a lesson if i thought they were following me!

The licensing authority may not have jurisdiction over vehicles licensed outwith the area, but the cops most certainly do.

A vehicle operating in an area for which it has no licence, without a properly recorded pre-booking from its own bookng office, is .... an unlicensed vehicle. No different to any other unlicensed vehicle.

Operating a vehicle for hire or reward, without a licence, is a criminal offence.

The cops should be investigating these guys and charging them.

But cops are "under resourced", lazy is the reality, so they let it go.

What part of this is difficult to understand?

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Skull, "You are a police inspector, aren't you?"
Cab Inspector Smith, "Yes."
Skull, "So, are you going to tell Mr Taylor what his rights are?"
Smith, "And ... What rights?"

just a note for the "complainers"


you are "outsiders" in other areas, are YOU unsafe too?...

Under the current regime, absolutely.

Which is why, in this small country, we should have one licensing system with everyone conforming to the same standards.

ow pick out a vested interest and I'll suggest why we don't have such a system.

_________________
Skull, "You are a police inspector, aren't you?"
Cab Inspector Smith, "Yes."
Skull, "So, are you going to tell Mr Taylor what his rights are?"
Smith, "And ... What rights?"

as ive said

if Vosa can do +8 passenger vehicles they could easily do smaller vehicles

1 licence, 1 insurance, 1 badge and plates to suit, no PH/HC, just "plates" - all able to take flagdowns but only WAVs able to rank up (or any suitable scheme as dreamed up by thos more able-minded than me)

Don't see why all and sundry can't rank.

The market would very quickly match supply and demand.

No plate values.

No childish pretendy wee medals (medallions) to protect vested interests.

Quality vehicles, under a certain age to be decided to maintain standards.

Drivers with a knowledge of Law - road traffic, assault, contract etc. -, police powers, council processes, and anything else as deemed relevant.

Standards to be applied to existing as well as new entrants.

All drivers subject to Disclosure Scptland.

And no idiots allowed to enter the trade.

Real service to the public.

Real respect by them for the trade.

Aye, we're getting there.



Sensible tariffs, determined by market conditions.

Proper mechanically controlled chairlift compatible vehicles to provide a dignity of service for wheelchair users, along with real protections for the health and safety of drivers.

Anything else?

Oh yes, and dougie can play with his medal collection. Nirvana



Over to you Toots.

_________________
Skull, "You are a police inspector, aren't you?"
Cab Inspector Smith, "Yes."
Skull, "So, are you going to tell Mr Taylor what his rights are?"
Smith, "And ... What rights?"

The vehicle side of it is pretty straight forward (Mot/Insurance/Meter/plates) the driver side only needs a CRB and medical, with maybe a DSA taxi test+local knowledge

till you elbow LAs out of the stupid regional differences you will get nowhere though

Don't VOSA insist on tachographs and restrict drivers' hours.......
.........maybe your scheme has merit

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

no, its the EU that insists on them, for anything commercial/goods over 3.5t or 3.5t towing (approx)

in point of facy ALL commercial goods drivers SHOULD keep a record of driver hours, even in a ford escort van

You can run vehicles with less than 9 seats on a VOSA licence if you can meet the conditions.

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Grandad,