Taxi Driver Online

The way the Irish Government treated the cab trade over there was nothing short of a disgrace. People paid up to £70,000 for something just prior to deregulation.

Now some will say tough, you pay you money, you take your chance. But when people house's are on the line, it's a little bit different.

But the whole blame is not just laid with the Irish Government, these plates had to be sold by someone, and were they in the no? Well if they weren't, they are the luckiest so and so's on the planet. But when you are talking big numbers like that, luck pays no part in it.

So the mess has been made, the less desirables are in the trade, but at least they seem to be trying to address this mess, albeit 3 or 4 years too late.

I wish them well, but a Taxi Tsar? hmmmmmmmm

Alex

The problem seems to be that the authorities considered that everyone knew about the impending de-limit several years before it happened, so they were deemed to have taken a gamble, so tough luck.

The rest had gotten a plate for nothing or had held it a sufficient number of years to recoup their investment with the excess profits they were earning, or at least that was the approach the authorities took.

Trouble was that many people DIDN'T know about de-limit and bought a plate in ignorance.

It's the same here, some people in the know have dumped their plates since surely de-limitation is a racing certainty within the next few years, but others don't have a clue about the OFT and clause 1.147c etc, and have effectively been hoodwinked into buying them.

Dusty

It's a valid point Al, but when I bought my house, I had a solicitor look into the details, I had a surveyor look into the details and I had myself look into the details.

If someone was screwed by the Irish Government, then they need look no further than the mirror to see who was to blame.

Trouble is Andy that many people don't take proper advice when buying a plate, and they don't really know what they are getting into.

After all, when you buy investments you are told that the value of your shares (say) can go up or down (or be wiped out altogether). Maybe LAs should issue a 'health warning' when allowing transfers, or do that do something like that already, since I've never bought a plate

Dusty

The thing is, even if they ask the licensing officer for advice, they either say nothing, or in the case of this Ombudsman Report

http://www.lgo.org.uk/pdf/digest02_03/s ... A_comm.pdf

they get it just so wrong that they end up losing their plates to a journeyman, and the council ends up with a £17,000 bill.

I have not one jot of sympathy for either the council or the ex-proprietors.

given the amount of unlicecensed vehicle we have over here, are we in a postion to point the finger at Ireland?

Yes, but if they're doing that to sort out their mess, then isn't it a good idea for us to have one as well to sort out ours

Dusty

its stupid how taxis are sold sometimes, its a buisness youd think they would at least look at the books, but no hand over the notes sometimes not even the paperwork properly done.

Its up to them what I object to is when premiums get in the way of service quality and service delivery.

I am bold but methinks that is happening in Brighton right now and there aint half tantrums!

Wharfie

how come I am a guest? have I been banned already?
i have said nowt.

Wharfie

[quote="Anonymous

how come I am a guest? have I been banned already?
i have said nowt.

Wharfie[/quote]

No, your banning will come later Wharfy

Seriously though, I think you must have become logged out for some unknown reason, it's happened to me once or twice, we'll have to look into it.

It won't affect your posts however, and if you find you are logged out then it's justs a case of logging in again.

Sorry about the hassle though

Dusty

I meant to say that if you become logged out for any reason then your post will still appear but only as a guest, which is a bit of a nuisance, especially if your name is in your signature, if you see what I mean, as your signature won't appear.

Of course if you're not registered or logged on then you can still put your name at when you are composing your post, but in Geoff's case and my own you might not realise that you are logged out.

Dusty

All this getting logged out, reminds me of auriga.
useless system.

Back to the thread's headline !!!

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Minister launches new Taxi Council

Minister for Transport, Seamus Brennan has launched the new National Taxi Council, describing the body as a significant step towards delivering a professional taxi industry countrywide.

The 18-member National Taxi Council will be chaired by the former Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne and will have representatives of consumers, the taxi, hackney and limousine industry, the Gardaí, local authorities, disability, tourism and business interests.

The Taxi Council has been established under the recently-enacted Taxi Regulation Act 2003 and the first meeting took place today at Government Buildings.

Members are appointed for a three-year period.

The Taxi Council will advise the Minister for Transport and the soon-to-be-formed Commission for Taxi Regulation (National Taxi Regulator) on issues relating to quality standards, the condition and age of vehicles, safety, entry standards, enhanced customer services, a standard colour for taxis and geographic knowledge of areas in which taxis are operating.

Minister Brennan said: "I will work with the industry, the Taxi Regulator and the Taxi Council to enhance this role.

"For example, my Department is providing €35m to fund the doubling of the number of quality bus corridors in Dublin, and funding is also available for QBC's in Cork , Galway, Limerick and Waterford."

The Minister also said he would be keenly interested in the guidance and advice of the Taxi Council on particular issues relating to quality standards for small public service vehicles and their drivers.

********************************************************

Shouldn't take too long to get 18 different people, from all different angles, to sort this out, should it?

And we'll get the best practice guidance.

Dusty