Taxi Driver Online

Inspection of Leicester taxis causes "black cabs to vanish"



There was a reported shortage of Hackney cabs in Leicester late on Saturday night after word got round of a spot-check by Leicester City Council licensing officials.

While the council checked the 10 black cabs they managed to find, their rivals at the city’s private hire businesses said they had noticed a boost in business of up to 60 per cent.

Marie Odwin of Circle Taxis in St Nicholas Place said: “The city council came out and the black cabs disappeared.

“Word got round very quickly. If that doesn’t say I’m guilty, I don’t know what does.

“The council ought to be checking more.

“It was a busy night for us though - we had about 20 per cent more business, which was nice for this time of the year when people aren’t going out as much.”

Gurpal Atwal of Hansom Taxis, near the train station, said: “People were getting off their trains and finding that instead of 150 taxis waiting there were only four or five. There was a big queue of people.

“We were working very hard all night with all our drivers on the road.

“Some of our cars were checked and were fine. But lots of the black cab drivers had just gone home.

“With the comedy festival and the football on it was a pretty busy night.

“Walk-in business was up by 60 per cent.”

A Leicester City Council spokesperson confirmed the checks had taken place.

He said: “Council licensing officers carried out taxi spot checks on Saturday night.

“Of the 35 vehicles - 25 private hire and 10 hackney cabs - inspected, only one was found to have a serious fault.

“This was a tyre in very poor condition on a private hire vehicle.

“We did not receive any complaints about a shortage of Hackney cabs on duty on Saturday evening and this is not something we have noticed during previous operations.”

The Leicester Mercury contacted several black cab drivers but none admitted being out on Saturday.

One man called Omar, who described himself as a “spokesman for black cabs”, said the taxis were probably in short supply because the private hire drivers were not illegally picking up customers because the inspectors were out.


Read more: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Inspe ... z3RGx42svb

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

It happens every time the inspectors are out. they arrive at the station and all the cars that are in the station get checked. the ones outside the station waiting to get in just disappear like phantoms in the night.

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Grandad,

One man called Omar, who described himself as a “spokesman for black cabs”, said the taxis were probably in short supply because the private hire drivers were not illegally picking up customers because the inspectors were out.

this is a more plausible explanation

“Walk-in business was up by 60 per cent.”

i thought you had to phone the pirate hire,oops,private hire

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i started out with nothing and ive still got most of it left

You are mixing up 2 different people's quotes. The first comment from the spokesman was your first paragraph. The Walk in business part was by the chap at Hansom Cabs which has a private hire office next to the station.

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Grandad,

It happens all over the country. When it happens round here the cheap company in Mansfield can be heard shouting over the scanner, "don't go into Sutton they're pulling."

both quotes from same article,im just replying to them

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i started out with nothing and ive still got most of it left

Same down here.

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IDFIMH

I welcome any inspection of me or my immaculate taxi.

They'll find zilch, never will.

Only the driver will be knackered hey mate?

Yes, the years roll merrily onwards.

Just realised it's over a decade since I joined the forum. Flip me, where did 10 years go?

You mean to say you've never worked a shift with your RWS not working ?

There are lots of ways to book a private hire vehicle not just the phone and as it has to be pre booked I don't see the problem with walking in to their offices and booking one

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Major safety issue that ..... having a fixed rear axle like 99.99% of other vehicles on the road.

TBH I think they couldn't care less if the RWS is active or not.

They've bigger things to worry about in London, and the turning circle will be gone in the next few years, I'm certain of it.

Who mentioned "major safety issue" ?
When you make a statement "they'll find zilch" you leave yourself wide open.
Being in contravention of your COF isn't zilch.

I have an unofficial camera too.

That contravenes the COFs.

But you know what, there would be nothing done about that either.

Inspections in London concentrate in important safety issues.