Taxi Driver Online

Drivers in row over licence for new taxis

BLACK cab drivers have criticised a council decision to license new taxis which they say put road users at risk. A licensing committee meeting approved the use of Ford Connect cabs as Hackney carriages on Tuesday, sparking anger among cabbies.

Bill Williams, the chairman of Bolton Taxi Drivers Association, said disabled passengers could only be loaded in to the vehicles by ramps from the rear, meaning the taxis would need to pull forward out of taxi ranks to load wheelchair passengers.
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"They are dangerous for disabled people and for other road users," said Mr Williams. "To load a disabled passenger, drivers will have to pull in to the road and bump the wheelchair user down the kerb to get them in.

"The only people who this decision is advantageous to is the drivers of these vehicles." Mr Williams said he had written a letter to magistrates to appeal against the licensing decision.

Only two other councils in the country have so far approved the use of Ford Connect taxis. Cllr Hilary Fairclough, chairman of the licensing committee, said she was satisfied with the decision.

"We inspected the vehicle and discussed the matter for a long time," she said. "I was happy to go along with the committee's decision."

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IDFIMH

I bet they will p*** themselves laughing, but hang on, don't councils know best?

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IDFIMH

Personally, I think the Ford Transit Connect is a poor choice for HC / PH work, but to say that it is a WAV is unbelievable.

As the chairman of the BTDA said, drivers will have to pull forward of the rank to aid the entrance of wheelchair users. This is no good at all.

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Visit TAXIPIX at www.taxipix.fotopic.net

Was Bolton a Mandatory Order, E7s etc, saloons or a mixture or wot?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

It's seems that any WAV will do.

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IDFIMH

Renfrewshire Council licence them

List of Approved Multi Person Vehicles
Home > Services > Business > Licensing > Taxi and Private Hire Licences

All the following types of multi person vehicles (MPVs) have been approved for use as either a licensed taxi or a private hire vehicle providing that the vehicle is adapted to be fully wheelchair accessible.

Hackney TX1 (taxis only)
Hackney TX2 (taxis only)
Citroen Dispatch Taxi
Citroen Le Cab Noir
Fiat 200 T.W.
Fiat Dakota
Fiat Combo
Fiat Scudo
Ford Torneo Connect
Mercedes V2
Mercedes V220
Mercedes Vito
Mercedes Traveliner
Peugeot Euro 7
Peugeot Expert E7
Peugeot Voyager
Renault Trafic
Volkswagen Caravelle
Volkswagen Sharan
Volkswagen Transporter Shuttle
Volkswagen Taxi Bus

If the vehicle you propose to licence is not on this list, you can apply to have it approved by the Council. For further information please contact the licensing section by phone on 0141 840 3272 or email us at licensing.cs@renfrewshire.gov.uk

b&h allow the big mercs. txs, e7 and the eurobuses.
no connect.