Taxi Driver Online

New licensing laws to make you safer
Comment

NEW licensing laws are set to be introduced in the district in a bid to improve public safety.

Last year the Road Safety Act 2006 was implemented and it contains two provisions that affect Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing arrangements.

One part - Section 52 of the Road Safety Act 2006 - gives the licensing authority the power to immediately suspend or revoke a licence in the interests of public safety. Another - Section 53 of the Road Safety Act 2006 - has seen changes introduced in the law on private hire and taxi licensing, which will affect a wide range of vehicle operators.

Both sections will be adopted by St Albans District Council.

This means that limousines, airport travel, chauffeur services, novelty vehicles, executive hire, park and ride and other operators will have to be licensed by the council by January 2008.

The new licensing rules enables the council to carry out safety checks on vehicles and suitability checks on drivers in the interests of public safety.

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People hiring vehicles will be able to feel more secure in the knowledge that businesses are licensed and the drivers have undertaken Criminal Records Bureau checks by the council.

Councillor Alison Steer, of the licensing and general purposes committee, said, "The new licensing changes will make the travelling public safer and businesses will feel more secure knowing their drivers have been vetted. Not being licensed could invalidate vehicle insurance, so clearly operators need to take action to make sure they comply."

Vehicles previously licensed under seven day contracts now come under the new laws and must be licensed by the local authority for the area they operate in.

There is however an exemption for vehicles used solely for weddings and funerals.

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

Well that's jolly nice of them.

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IDFIMH

Yes jolly D

CC

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

So does this mean that they can suspend a driver on the basis of a complaint ? by claiming that it is a public safety issue! even though he may well be innocent.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

Sure does. Just another intrusive law and erosion of liberty in Labour's totalitarian state to put alongside summary justice, ID cards, detention wothout trial etc. Not forgetting of course the right of the state to accost you in a train carriage and pump seven bullets into your head at close quarters.

Enjoy! It's what we deserve for doing nothing.

BTW

Dr Kelly committed suicide?

Princess Diana died in a road traffic accident?

Gordon Brown cares?

I think councils have always been able to suspend for whatever reason they deem to be a fair one.

The issue is that before someone could go to court and the court would have to demand the driver be allowed to work until the hearing.

Now the court has more flexibility, as do LOs.

Which in terms of that mush from Newcastle http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/vie ... php?t=7213 is a good thing, but in many other instances it wont.

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IDFIMH

A licensing officer suspended a driver yesterday for smelling of alcohol....fair enough?...not quite it was his day off and he called into is LA to renew his license.

CC

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

Well then that licensing officer is a tit, and a prise one at that.

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IDFIMH

Does that then mean you can sue the Council/L.O for loss of earnings, if you are not guilty or if it never gets to court?

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

I think if the LO has made a mistake, then the Ombudsman is a good avenue to get some redress.

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IDFIMH

Did he drive there or get a lift?

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

I couldn't agree more. On the latter point it reminds me of the the two drivers who in Bury, Rochdale or Oldham I can't recall which now, who who were punished by the magistrates for participating in a public brawl. The council administered their own punishment by suspending them for another two weeks on top of the magistrates sentence which was nominal.

However as we all know councils know best.

Regards

JD

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