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| Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by drivers http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18276 |
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| Author: | captain cab [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 9:34 am ] |
| Post subject: | Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by drivers |
Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by drivers A TONBRIDGE taxi firm owner is calling for action to combat unscrupulous cab drivers he says are plaguing the town. Terry Hill, proprietor of Castle Cars for 17 years, was incensed with the "obscene" overcharging by a handful of independent drivers over the holiday period. Mr Hill, 51, of Gorham Drive, said: "A few independents are blatantly ripping people off. "It has been going on for a long time, but it got a lot worse over Christmas," he added. Mr Hill said he had heard reports of £40 fares being charged from Tonbridge railway station to Hildenborough, a journey that should cost no more than £10. Another alleged incident saw an abusive driver take a couple back to the cab rank from their destination in Brook Street when they refused to pay an inflated fare. Mr Hill added: "As a company we are getting a lot of complaints from the public about it, probably because they couldn't get hold of the council over Christmas to report it. People have told our drivers that they have got taxis off the ranks and been overcharged. There have been some pretty obscene amounts of money that people have been charged." Mr Hill was so angered by recent developments he even put up posters displaying Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council's official fare tariff in a bid to stop overcharging. He is now calling on passengers who believe they have been overcharged to report incidents to the council's licensing department. "There is a small number of people on the Tonbridge taxi rank that are refusing to take people without payment up front, refusing to take minimum fares, seriously overcharging or refusing to give change," he said. "Legitimate companies want something done about it as it is giving the trade as a whole a diabolical name. "I have been driving for 28 years and it saddens me to see what could be a reasonable business for everybody destroyed by a few individuals. There's a lot of honest guys on that rank losing their sole income to people who are messing on their own doorstep." Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council's chief solicitor Adrian Stanfield said: "The council takes the enforcement of taxi matters seriously and thoroughly investigates any complaints. "We have not received any complaints over the holiday period in relation to overcharging. All taxi meters are subject to external testing and calibration to ensure that all charges are in accordance with those set by the borough council. "We do undertake enforcement at all of our ranks on a random basis and follow up any concerns we have with the drivers concerned. We have recently introduced a penalty point system to assist us in managing taxi operations in the borough to ensure the highest quality." http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Protest-Ton ... story.html |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:00 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
captain cab wrote: A TONBRIDGE taxi firm owner is calling for action to combat unscrupulous cab drivers he says are plaguing the town. Then he needs to write to the Law Commission requesting legislation is changed to stop it. For the life of me I can't understand the stupid mentality of those short sighted idiots who overcharge non local work to such an extent. Make the local tariff apply to any job no matter where it ends. |
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| Author: | Nidge2 [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:06 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
Sussex wrote: captain cab wrote: A TONBRIDGE taxi firm owner is calling for action to combat unscrupulous cab drivers he says are plaguing the town. Then he needs to write to the Law Commission requesting legislation is changed to stop it. For the life of me I can't understand the stupid mentality of those short sighted idiots who overcharge non local work to such an extent. Make the local tariff apply to any job no matter where it ends. 
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| Author: | grandad [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:16 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
You can legislate all you want but if no one is going to enforce the legislation you are wasting your time. There is a similar problem here and I have done my own journeys with one of the companys concerned and sent the details along with the receipts for the journeys to the licensing and enforcement officers and as far as I am aware the drivers have never even been contacted by the council. |
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| Author: | captain cab [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:18 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
grandad wrote: You can legislate all you want but if no one is going to enforce the legislation you are wasting your time. and even less chance if all the punters do is moan to other cab drivers. CC |
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| Author: | Nidge2 [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:34 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
captain cab wrote: grandad wrote: You can legislate all you want but if no one is going to enforce the legislation you are wasting your time. and even less chance if all the punters do is moan to other cab drivers. CC Just shoot the punters simple. |
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| Author: | Dusty Bin [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
Quote: We have not received any complaints over the holiday period in relation to overcharging. Oh well, that means it didn't happen then. The fact is that many people many people know they are being overcharged but don't know the driver is doing anything outside the rules. They often think it's up to the driver what he charges. In fact I'm sure some drivers actually genuinely think that as well.  I've even spoken to punters about being overcharged who've just considered it 'fare' game from the driver's perspective - if they can get away with it, why not? Quote: All taxi meters are subject to external testing and calibration to ensure that all charges are in accordance with those set by the borough council. Oh well, that means it didn't happen then. 
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| Author: | mancityfan [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
They should put up a price list of popular journeys from that rank,with a number where to complain if they think they have been over charged.simples |
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| Author: | blackpool [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:26 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
Its no good having price lists when its metered fares,as there can be no set fare |
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| Author: | grandad [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
blackpool wrote: Its no good having price lists when its metered fares,as there can be no set fare You only need to hit a couple of red lights and a set of roadworks and the price is fecked. |
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| Author: | Nidge2 [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:57 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
mancityfan wrote: They should put up a price list of popular journeys from that rank,with a number where to complain if they think they have been over charged.simples What about School times when the traffic is mayhem? A £5 job can turn into a £6.60 job with 8 minutes of waiting time.
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| Author: | Sussex [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 9:01 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
grandad wrote: You can legislate all you want but if no one is going to enforce the legislation you are wasting your time. There is a similar problem here and I have done my own journeys with one of the companys concerned and sent the details along with the receipts for the journeys to the licensing and enforcement officers and as far as I am aware the drivers have never even been contacted by the council. If the drop is outside of the area then no offence takes place. If it's inside and the council haven't responded then go to the Ombudsman, or make a formal complaint to the council. |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 9:02 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
grandad wrote: blackpool wrote: Its no good having price lists when its metered fares,as there can be no set fare You only need to hit a couple of red lights and a set of roadworks and the price is fecked. Especially in Fenland.
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| Author: | grandad [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 9:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
Sussex wrote: grandad wrote: blackpool wrote: Its no good having price lists when its metered fares,as there can be no set fare You only need to hit a couple of red lights and a set of roadworks and the price is fecked. Especially in Fenland. Who is in fenland? |
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| Author: | mancityfan [ Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:15 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Protest by Tonbridge taxi firm owner at 'rip-off' by dri |
they have them at Manchester airport to be used as a guide to the price,I have also seen them at heathrow.? |
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