Taxi Driver Online :: View topic - Hope for taxi fleet u-turn

A landmark court judgement that Milton Keynes District Council had acted "unreasonably" in forcing its hackney carriage licensees to run a 100 per cent wheelchair accessible fleet has added further fuel to the fire in the battle to allow mixed fleets.

Mr Owen said this solution would ensure there was a mixed fleet and protect the livelihoods of existing hackney carriage licence holders, warning that if the council did not agree a u-turn, a number of taxi drivers who have to change their vehicles under the seven-year rule this summer would be forced out of business.

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Wyre Forest is fully abreast of the national developments in Taxi Licencing.

I bet they had never read the report even though they claim to have heard of it

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I am confident that our current scheme is fit for purpose,

Yes to put an extra burden on owners to fork out more money on something they do not need, and considering only the secretary of state can make the final decision

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but we will of course review our arrangement as and indeed when new guidence becomes available.

Why go ahead with something that will definitely need changing again in a few months, or is it a ploy to get councilors more attendance money

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The key part of your email is "In the meantime, council policy with regard to accessible taxis remains a matter for individual licensing authorities to determine." And that is what we have done, what we feel is right for Wyre Forest.

Yes and to hell with the hardship owners will face bloody Tory idiot :evil:

Kind Regards

John Campion

JD wrote:

So he's quite happy to see a condition that would force some out of business applied to others?

The association is calling for new licence holders to be forced to buy wheelchair accessible vehicles but for existing licence holders to be able to continue running saloon cars.

Author:	JD [ Mon May 19, 2008 10:31 am ]
Post subject:	Hope for taxi fleet u-turn
Did we do this one? Probably but just in case we didn't, here it is again. If anyone knows whether Wyre Forest decided to do a U Turn will you please let us know? ________________________ April 24, 2008 Thursday Hope for taxi fleet u-turn Kidderminster Shuttle TAXI drivers facing orders to change to expensive wheelchair-freindly vehicles are hoping for a u-turn by Wyre Forest District Council in the wake of fresh Government guidance. The council has decreed that all hackney carriages must be wheelchair accessible by 2013 but the Government is now calling on local authorities to take part in further consultation over the summer after claims that many disabled people cannot easily use the specially designed vehicles. The European Conference of Ministers of Transport Taxi Group is also recommending mixed fleets of accessible taxis and Disability Action Wyre Forest is urging that up to 25 per cent of the district's hackney carriages be left as ordinary saloon cars. A landmark court judgement that Milton Keynes District Council had acted "unreasonably" in forcing its hackney carriage licensees to run a 100 per cent wheelchair accessible fleet has added further fuel to the fire in the battle to allow mixed fleets. Wyre Forest Taxi Association spokesman, Trevor Owen, said it was hoped that their alternative proposals for a mixed fleet would be considered by the licensing committee in June. The association is calling for new licence holders to be forced to buy wheelchair accessible vehicles but for existing licence holders to be able to continue running saloon cars. Mr Owen said this solution would ensure there was a mixed fleet and protect the livelihoods of existing hackney carriage licence holders, warning that if the council did not agree a u-turn, a number of taxi drivers who have to change their vehicles under the seven-year rule this summer would be forced out of business. Council Leader, Conservative councillor, John Campion, however, insisted that the current 36 per cent of wheelchair accessible taxis operating in Wyre Forest was not good enough. "I want to see free access for all and I make no apology that we are driving up the standards," he said. Mark Lawley, of Disability Action Wyre Forest, said if all taxis were wheelchair accessible, certain people would find them difficult to use. "A minimum of 75 per cent would give positive action to people who have rights under the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act and 2005 amendment of the Disability Discrimination Act," he added. Independent Health Concern Leader, councillor Howard Martin, urged the council to defer introducing the new regulations until the outcome of the Government consultation is known later in the year. ______________________

Author:	Sussex [ Mon May 19, 2008 5:59 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Hope for taxi fleet u-turn
JD wrote: A landmark court judgement that Milton Keynes District Council had acted "unreasonably" in forcing its hackney carriage licensees to run a 100 per cent wheelchair accessible fleet has added further fuel to the fire in the battle to allow mixed fleets. I'm quite sure that Milton Keynes magistrates are a sound bunch, but since when did JPs pass down landmark judgments?

Author:	Fae Fife [ Mon May 19, 2008 8:52 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Hope for taxi fleet u-turn
JD wrote: Mr Owen said this solution would ensure there was a mixed fleet and protect the livelihoods of existing hackney carriage licence holders, warning that if the council did not agree a u-turn, a number of taxi drivers who have to change their vehicles under the seven-year rule this summer would be forced out of business. So he's quite happy to see a condition that would force some out of business applied to others?

Author:	skippy41 [ Tue May 20, 2008 12:16 am ]
Post subject:
Quote: Quote: Wyre Forest is fully abreast of the national developments in Taxi Licencing. I bet they had never read the report even though they claim to have heard of it Quote: I am confident that our current scheme is fit for purpose, Yes to put an extra burden on owners to fork out more money on something they do not need, and considering only the secretary of state can make the final decision Quote: but we will of course review our arrangement as and indeed when new guidence becomes available. Why go ahead with something that will definitely need changing again in a few months, or is it a ploy to get councilors more attendance money Quote: The key part of your email is "In the meantime, council policy with regard to accessible taxis remains a matter for individual licensing authorities to determine." And that is what we have done, what we feel is right for Wyre Forest. Yes and to hell with the hardship owners will face bloody Tory idiot Kind Regards John Campion In reply to a copy of the taxi review letter I sent him

Author:	gusmac [ Tue May 20, 2008 12:20 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Hope for taxi fleet u-turn
Fae Fife wrote: JD wrote: Mr Owen said this solution would ensure there was a mixed fleet and protect the livelihoods of existing hackney carriage licence holders, warning that if the council did not agree a u-turn, a number of taxi drivers who have to change their vehicles under the seven-year rule this summer would be forced out of business. So he's quite happy to see a condition that would force some out of business applied to others? Seems like it.

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Author:	gusmac [ Tue May 20, 2008 12:27 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Hope for taxi fleet u-turn
JD wrote: The association is calling for new licence holders to be forced to buy wheelchair accessible vehicles but for existing licence holders to be able to continue running saloon cars. I'm all right jack mentality. Aberdeen have been doing this since 1994. WAV still nowhere near 75%. 35 - 40% would be nearer the mark. Thriving market in saloon plate rentals though. Lots of PHCs too. Also plenty of illegal plying from neighbouring authority hacks who don't need to get a WAV.

Author:	Skull [ Tue May 20, 2008 12:28 am ]
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Look, get everyone to carry out a risk assessment on the WAV's they want you to buy and tell them if they try and force this through you won't be transporting wheelchairs at all. WAV's are unfit for purpose. I do wheelchairs every now and then but it's my choice - not there's. The council already have my risk assessment and there is sod all they can do about it.

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