Taxi Driver Online

CABBIES SEE RED OVER PLAN TO PAINT TAXIS BLUE

Taxi drivers in Bristol are threatening strike action after being told they will have to respray their vehicles dark blue. The new uniform colour scheme for the city's Hackney cabs is one of several measures agreed by a city council committee yesterday. It prompted a mass walkout of more than 100 cabbies at the Council House.

Drivers accused councillors of ignoring their views on the proposals, which also include restrictions on vehicle advertising and imposing a limit on the mileage and number of years taxis can be used before being replaced.

The new rules would be phased in over three years for existing Hackney drivers but come into effect from the beginning of next month for new licensees. Hackney carriages are allowed to ply for trade at ranks or be hailed in the street, while private hire cars must be booked in advance.

The council's public safety and protection committee considered three colours for the new livery - light blue, dark "Bristol blue" and a New York cab-style yellow - although they had not seen the images before the meeting.

Councillor Chris Davies felt the light blue was too similar to "Bath blue" while Councillor Ron Stone said the yellow was "hideous". Drivers said respraying the city's 712 taxis could cost £2,500 each, meaning a total bill of almost £1.8 million.

Private hire vehicles will not be allowed to display the colour, as the intention is to create an easily recognisable city taxi image, similar to the London black cabs. Drivers asked for longer to make the changes but the committee only granted a year more than the 24 months originally proposed.

Other changes to the fleet need to be made within eight years, again, only a year longer than the initial proposal. They include that all taxis must be no more than 10 years old, must be purpose-built, have wheelchair access and only "reasonable" mileage on the clock. The changes would come into effect on May 1 for all new licensees.

Speaking before the meeting, Martyn Lawrence of trade union Unite, which represents some drivers, said the time restrictions were not long enough. He said: "We believe some of the suggestions are nothing short of ludicrous and ill thought out. There must be no upper age limit on any vehicle - it must remain a business decision, not a policy decision. "Bristol would very soon find it has no taxi fleet at all."

Councillors were booed during the discussion and committee chairman Clare Campion-Smith warned drivers who continually interrupted could be removed. After councillors voted on the time required to make the changes, Taxi Club Association member Shafiq Ahmed led a mass walk out to shouts of "strike". He said: "It's obvious our considerations aren't being taken into consideration."

Speaking outside the council chamber, Mr Ahmed said: "We don't think it was a fair and open meeting. We will now seriously consider industrial action that will have an impact. "We wanted a minimum of 15 years to make these changes. "It's one thing for these people to make these decisions but we are at the sharp end of their policy."

Mr Lawrence said: "This committee has completely failed to listen to the trade's views or take into account the huge financial burden these ill thought out decisions will place on taxi and private hire operators.

"And what exactly do they hope to achieve? Absolutely nothing, a pretty looking taxi fleet with no one to operate them. "This is not democracy, this is a dictatorship."

Some drivers said the choice of blue as the colour for the Hackney cabs was insensitive to the divisions between Bristol's football fans.

Frank Clark, 42, a taxi driver and Bristol City fan, said: "I do a lot of trade from Bedminster pubs, and this could cause me so much trouble. "Some of it will be jovial but other people, who might be a bit drunk, could give me abuse."

A city council spokesman said: "Bristol blue is the colour most associated with Bristol - and it is not the same colour as Rovers blue, it's darker."

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IDFIMH

Having a nose at the report it seems that Bristol removed taxi quotas last November.

Bristol Report

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IDFIMH

We at Medway had similar orders regarding the colour a few years back. Where we were officially only given around 15 months to get another car or respray. To top this off we had to spray our vehicles White. With purchasing another vehicle - how many cars do you see on a garage forecourt that are White (usually none).

Sorry but personally dont have too much sympathy on this, the argument with "clashing" with a certain football team colours is also laughable.

I really think getting the existing trade to change colour is a bit too far.

Just make a rule that any new vehicle licensed, be it a new application or re-license, should be the new colour.

As for the white issue, it seems most of the taxi dealers have a stock of white.

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IDFIMH

Whatever next....mandatory CCTV?

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 I suspect the lads from Bristol would love the council to add the cost of re-spraying to the fare tariff.

Maybe someone should suggest such a sensible approach.

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IDFIMH

Mr. Lawrence said: "This is not democracy, this is a dictatorship.

You boys must be a wee bit slow down south ?

You live in an elective dictatorship, the word “democracy” in this country is just that, a word.

Your “democratic” system is geared to give politicians a 4- 5 year mandate, in which they can do what the hell they like - there is virtually no accountability to the electorate for the period of their tenure. You can vote them out, but all you do is vote in more of the same, it’s like musical chairs to get their noses in the trough.

The system lacks the structure and the mechanism to make politicians responsible and accountable, hence, no democracy - the people have no power. The Political classes see you as the great unwashed, the hoi polloi, the proletariat scum, you are nowt but the shi* on their shoes.

Without proper legal representation and inexhaustible finances - your fecked. The best you can hope for is to marshal pubic opinion in support of your cause, and what‘s the chance of that?


You know, it’s amazing, collectively, for a hell of a lot less than a re-spray, or a new vehicle, you could drag the council through the courts at any given opportunity . They would have to sit up and take notice then.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Your correct Skull, if anyone from Bristol is on here take it to the magistrates as unreasonable, or take out a writ preventing them from implementing it.
I think I am correct that there is already case law on this subject and the drivers won

I'd be ok LOL, one of my Octavia's is dark blue. It'd probably be OK!

Bristol voted to remove numbers in November 2007 but not until the council had decided on the quality controls of vehicles. This was passed on Tuesday and the vehicles have to be brand new and purpose built WAV with the colour of blue. The life span will be ten years.

Regards

JD

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Our council would never do a thing like that they are only interested in how much license fee cash they can take anything which might discourage drivers from plating vehicles wouldn't happen round here

But surely common sense should dictate that you bring it in for new vehicles it is NOT reasonable to demand that an individual resprays his own vehicle to a colour of someone elses choice

Neith of the two cabs I had from Bristol Temple Meads in last few years were worth anywhere near £2,500.

I am all for quality improvements but not daft rules that just cause grief with no benefit.

If they are having togo WAV then surely that is indication of a taxi anyway. Councillors seem to think the public are as thick as they are.

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A member of the Hire or Reward Industry

Bournemouth's colour scheme is a total one-off. A primrose yellow with a white stripe down the middle. It must be fun ordering a car from the showroom. 'You want it what colour??'