Taxi Driver Online

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/ ... 9-details/£80+trick+to+avoid+paying+C-Charge/article.do

This has been highlighted for ages now, the ageing Socialist's response was 'he did'nt see it as a significant problem'

I've seen Bentleys, Roll's, Vans, even panel van's with Minicab stickers. They don't even have to produce Hire and Reward when they get issued their stickers.



Story







A fraud in which drivers register their car as a minicab to beat the congestion charge is being investigated by transport bosses.

Motorists are believed to be exploiting a loophole that lets them declare that their car is a cab - exempting them from the £8-a-day toll.

The move costs £82 in advance, followed by a £27-a-year licence fee - creating a potential saving of £1,591 a year over the cost of an annual pass to go in and out of the congestion zone.

Minicab drivers are supposed to pay the charge if they are not carrying fares, but it is almost impossible for Transport for London to check this.

TfL's investigation was prompted by a string of expensive vehicles being registered as cabs in the past year, including sportscars such as Mercedes SLs, Porsche Cayennes and an Aston Martin DB7. Also put down for the scheme were
two £77,000 Maserati Quattroportes, 17 £117,500 Bentley Continentals and three Maybach 62s - which cost £300,000.



There are claims of builders and pickup truck firms registering their vehicles.

The London Private Hire Car Association said that at present it is not necessary to be a minicab operator, or even a licensed minicab driver, to get a vehicle licensed as a cab. Owners must show a valid MoT certificate but no checks are made on the suitability of the car for cab work.

Steve Wright, the association's chairman, said: "We've had concerns for some time. There's no requirement on someone applying to be licensed as a cab to show who they work for. This should be looked at. It is not good for the industry if people abuse the system.

"There are not tens of thousands of illegitimate cabs, but the full extent is not known."

Green motoring experts warned plans to impose a £25-a-day congestion charge on "gas guzzlers" would lead to false registrations soaring.

The change is expected to be implemented in February.

Jay Nagley, of cleangreencars.co.uk, said: "It's an incredible wheeze. Stand by for more Jaguars and Rolls-Royces to be licensed as cabs. Just don't count on one whisking you home."

A TfL spokesman said a small number of expensive cars were registered legally by hotels and chauffeuring firms. But he added: "We are taking this very seriously. We call for anybody who has evidence to get in touch." He said regular checks were made and illegitimate users would be thrown off the register.

[/b]

Getting Bus Lanes soon as well.

I guess that they should be fined for not displaying their plates Because I doubt if many are.

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

If they had to have a roof sign with PH only on it and door stickers and the plates bolted to there bumpers and show there PH insurance, they may think twice

But the drivers of London PH need a PH London driver's license.

So why aren't the PCO prosecuting these drivers?

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IDFIMH

because they only have LTI's welfare at hart

They can be a proprieter of the vehicle, it does'nt mean they have to be a Minicab driver to own a PCO registered car.

It's a bit like my taxi, you don't have to be a licensed taxi driver to own it, or drive it. You can register as a taxi proprieter and own hundred's.

I don't belive owning a licensed Minicab requires any form of registration, everything relates to the actual car, opposed to who owns / drives it.

The act will need amended.

I understand that, but to be able to use the benefits of not paying the CC they will have to drive the licensed London PH.

And only those with a London PH driver's license can do that within the law. So all they need do is ask you was driving when it was caught on camera.

Or better still just wait at their houses until someone tries to drive the vehicle.

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IDFIMH

I'll bow to your knowledge of all things PH Mr Sussex, but I was under the impression, the CC exemption, related to the fact SGS showed it on their system as a licensed Minicab, and that was it, ie there was no relevance to who was driving it, as long as it held a current yellow disc.

I seem to remember Blobby telling us they did'nt even have to show H&R insurance at the time of the inspection.

Perhaps someone can post the relevant part of the act?

To read any licenced taxi or PH, it should not be the domain of just Lon dons cabs PH, as some owners els where are getting fines sent to them because they thought they where exempt.
I had one sent to me I just sent it back with a copy of my licence and told them to get stuffed not heard another thing from them in over a year

http://www.londontaxiboard.org/news2.htm

I think the inspection of the vehicle is different from the licensing process, and one would hope the issuing of a license by the PCO wouldn't happen without the vehicle being insured.

Anyway TfL have put it in black and white at number 10 on this;

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/ ... f_laws.pdf

Although I don't like the 'being used as a PHV' bit.

In our 1976 act a PH is always a PH, even when it's not 'being used as a PH'.

But looking at the 1997 act it seems pretty clear that I'm right.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/uk ... #pb4-l1g12

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IDFIMH

And only 27.00 a year licensing fee thats a bargain got to be the cheapest in Britain