Taxi Driver Online
http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/

Chelmsford City Council under fire
http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=27763		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  captain cab [ Thu Oct 08, 2015 8:42 am ]
Post subject:  Chelmsford City Council under fire
Chelmsford City Council under fire over taxi driver safety concerns


CHELMSFORD City Council could be putting the public at risk by not properly checking the criminal records of all taxi drivers.

There is concern foreign nationals can work in the city on student visas and are being issued taxi licences by the authority without the usual checks.

Normally, would-be drivers have to provide criminal record checks, a driving licence, pass a "knowledge" test, and to not have any driving convictions.

Ian Vernon, who as chairman of the Chelmsford Taxi Association has campaigned for stricter knowledge tests for drivers, said: "As a lot of countries don't have CRB checks they are unable to run the same procedures as we do in this country.

"Therefore there's a massive safety issue here. There's not a proper criminal check done, just a letter from a court in the person's country of origin.

"The council need better procedures to their pre-licensing conditions to ensure members of the public have better protection.

"The public have a right to know who is driving them around and without the proper checks people with criminal records have been operating in the city."

There are further concerns many from outside the EU have no knowledge of the local area, are overcharging passengers, refusing short journeys and do not follow the rules and regulations.

British-born taxi drivers claims there are not the same checks done on National Insurance or tax reference numbers and that some often work full-time despite only holding a student work visa.

Taxi drivers on student visas are only allowed to work 20 hours a week.

In the past 12 months, the council has received six complaints from the general public about taxis overcharging, one of which was found to be justified.

Throughout the year regulatory and licensing hearings are held in private, behind closed doors, with the public excluded from knowing the circumstances.

In these hearings a committee made of councillors decide if drivers who have broken the rules should have their licences suspended.

Another hackney carriage driver, who did not want to be named, told the Chronicle he brought the licensing problem to the attention of councillors by writing 56 letters to nearly every member, with just six replies.

"It's wrong the council are not interested," he said.

"When I raised it with the council they told me to tell the UK Visas and Immigration, which I did, and that it wasn't their problem.

"They don't check the status of drivers before working in this country.

"When taxis are bought or sold people are turning up with big bags of cash. How are they getting £30,000 in cash?"

There are currently 482 licensed drivers in Chelmsford and the council says it checks they pass the "fit and proper person" test before issuing a licence.

But according to the council there is no formal definition as to what constitutes a "fit and proper" person.


Read more: http://www.essexchronicle.co.uk/s-drivi ... z3nxaTmiF3
Author:  Nidge2 [ Thu Oct 08, 2015 1:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Chelmsford City Council under fire
=D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>
Author:  MR T [ Thu Oct 08, 2015 2:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Chelmsford City Council under fire
How can you make a living just doing 20 hours a week..
Author:  Cabby John 1 [ Thu Oct 08, 2015 2:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Chelmsford City Council under fire
MR T wrote:
How can you make a living just doing 20 hours a week..


In some areas 10 hours per night Fri & Sat will do very nicely. It sounds like Chelmsford (30k bags of cash), might just be one of those areas.
Author:  MR T [ Thu Oct 08, 2015 3:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Chelmsford City Council under fire
Cabby John 1 wrote:
MR T wrote:
How can you make a living just doing 20 hours a week..


In some areas 10 hours per night Fri & Sat will do very nicely. It sounds like Chelmsford (30k bags of cash), might just be one of those areas.

If you are renting ??...and can you rent just Fri & sat..
Author:  Cabby John 1 [ Thu Oct 08, 2015 3:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Chelmsford City Council under fire
MR T wrote:
Cabby John 1 wrote:
MR T wrote:
How can you make a living just doing 20 hours a week..


In some areas 10 hours per night Fri & Sat will do very nicely. It sounds like Chelmsford (30k bags of cash), might just be one of those areas.

If you are renting ??


Of course there will be different ways of looking at it. There will also be those who have a full-time job to then top it up with what not be acceptable to a full time driver, as such 20 hours a week on top of another job would not be a bad return. I would also add that foreign workers ( as mentioned), might just see an extra £50/£100 as a bag of gold.
Author:  MR T [ Thu Oct 08, 2015 3:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Chelmsford City Council under fire
Quote:
Taxi drivers on student visas are only allowed to work 20 hours a week.


I was looking at this + you have insurance..
Author:  grandad [ Thu Oct 08, 2015 4:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Chelmsford City Council under fire
MR T wrote:
Cabby John 1 wrote:
MR T wrote:
How can you make a living just doing 20 hours a week..


In some areas 10 hours per night Fri & Sat will do very nicely. It sounds like Chelmsford (30k bags of cash), might just be one of those areas.

If you are renting ??...and can you rent just Fri & sat..

I have a driver who only works for around 5 hours on Friday night and 5 hours on Saturday night.
Author:  Cabby John 1 [ Thu Oct 08, 2015 5:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Chelmsford City Council under fire
MR T wrote:
Quote:
Taxi drivers on student visas are only allowed to work 20 hours a week.


I was looking at this + you have insurance..


Split bag! Can still make a few bob.
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/