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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:16 pm 
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Yellow Cabs Set To Hit City Streets

11th September 2008

A massive overhaul of Birmingham’s taxi trade could soon see New York-style yellow cabs on the city’s streets.

Licensing chiefs and industry leaders have agreed that private hire cars should be branded with a distinctive colour scheme to make them easy to spot.

Drivers are said to prefer silver but council bosses hope to create an eye-catching new identity for Birmingham which will rival the charm of the Big Apple. Other changes set to be introduced by trade bosses are restrictions which will take older hackney carriages and private hire cars off the road.

A working party has sifted through a survey filled out by dozens of drivers to find ways of modernising the image of the job.

Coun David Osborne chair the city’s licensing committee meeting, said: “This will be the most radical shake-up that Birmingham’s taxi trade has witnessed in decades and is something that is much needed.

“It has been decided that a uniform colour for all of our private hire cars is likely to come in to effect.

“I favour something very distinctive like the yellow of New York because it’s a colour you don’t often see on the roads over here and it will certainly stand out.

“We’re the Second City and our private hire cars need to be distinguishable.”

Coun Osborne (Lib Dem, South Yardley) said the committee would work closely with drivers to clear any hurdles likely to be created by the cost of the scheme and hoped to avoid soaring fares.

There is also likely to be a 12-month freeze on granting new licences for black cabs after drivers said they were struggling to make a living in a saturated market.

A study by independent consultants employed by the city council found that there was no “unmet demand” for the service.

Drivers’ groups said cabbies often spent hours queuing on ranks at weekends and regularly went home early.

Despite fare increases which made Birmingham’s black cabs the sixth most expensive in the country earlier this year, it was still becoming harder to make a living because of rising fuel costs.

Other proposals to be considered by the committee include refusing licences for private hire cars unless they are new vehicles.

If Birmingham decides on a uniform colour for its private hire cars, it will follow towns like Dudley where all its private hire cabs are white.

Pat Murtagh, Birmingham’s representative on the National Private Hire Association, said: “From the perspective of safety and image, a uniform colour is a fantastic idea and I agree that it ought to be something easily recognisable."
“Some of the issues over age of vehicles will cause hardship to drivers."

“I will be making a case against making new cars compulsory because I don’t think it’s necessary and it would do little more than mean drivers would need a fare rise to cover the cost.”

Coun Osborne said he felt that the private hire trade should be brought in line with Hackney carriages.

“Black cab drivers have to go out and spend about £35,000 on a new vehicle,” he said.

“For about £12,000 you can get a new car to use as a private hire car so I don’t see why private hire drivers should be different.

“They are setting up a business and there are costs that come with that.”

Ray Beech, of the Birmingham and Solihull Taxi Association, said that he was pleased that the committee appeared to have agreed to impose a moratorium on new licences but expected drivers would oppose plans to scrap vehicles over ten years old.

“I’m pleased about the moratorium but we wait to see what else happens,” he said.


Source; Birmingham Mail

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:26 pm 
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Brummie Cabbie wrote:
Licensing chiefs and industry leaders have agreed that private hire cars should be branded with a distinctive colour scheme to make them easy to spot.

There is no bigger fan that I of proper signage, but having a fleet of yellow PH, possibly 1000s of them, will only lead to loads more unlicensed pick ups. :?

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:42 pm 
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Sussex wrote:
Brummie Cabbie wrote:
Licensing chiefs and industry leaders have agreed that private hire cars should be branded with a distinctive colour scheme to make them easy to spot.

There is no bigger fan that I of proper signage, but having a fleet of yellow PH, possibly 1000s of them, will only lead to loads more unlicensed pick ups. :?


1,000,000,000,000% agree with you on that, & I cannot understand the logic either.

But head of licensing & our Taxi Co-op secretary, who is ex-police & admirably sensible, both think it will work in the opposite way.

They say that enforcement will be easier.

That's true ......... when enforcement are out.

But you know what they say, 'When the cat's away the mouse will play.'

Someone on here please explain any logic whatsoever about Private Hire Vehicles being one colour, because I just can't see it at all!!!

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:58 pm 
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Well Brum if they where all the same yellow colour, the council could make it easy for people to tell the difference, and it would cut down on illegal pick ups as the cars will stick out like a sore thumb, so the drivers will be weary of picking up as they could bee seen by enforcement or the police, or hack drivers who could report them
If this yellow idea where brought in nationwide and imposed age limits on PH then the whole of the UK would know the difference between a hack and a PH.
There are not many private car sales in yellow so Yellow it is MR Sussex order your next Skoda in that colour now to beet the rush :lol:

In answer to your question it would stop Mr Sussex's Asian cousin ten time removed from half inching your punters :D


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:13 pm 
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And any ordinary person driving a yellow car is going to have a field day,, and the driver that raped you, what car was he driving.... the normal yellow one.....

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:19 pm 
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MR T wrote:
And any ordinary person driving a yellow car is going to have a field day,, and the driver that raped you, what car was he driving.... the normal yellow one.....


MR T, shurly even you can see the benefit of having PH all one colour pink if need be and if it was me all one make as well
Yellow with a black and white chevrons down the sides like in the good old US of A


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:51 pm 
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skippy41 wrote:
MR T wrote:
And any ordinary person driving a yellow car is going to have a field day,, and the driver that raped you, what car was he driving.... the normal yellow one.....


MR T, shurly even you can see the benefit of having PH all one colour pink if need be and if it was me all one make as well
Yellow with a black and white chevrons down the sides like in the good old US of A



With a roof sign saying "taxi" as well, Mr "skip the brain, i'll manage without"?

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:52 pm 
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skippy41 wrote:
[
Yellow with a black and white chevrons down the sides like in the good old US of A


and on the front wings, driver only carries $2.50 in change


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:53 pm 
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Quote:
skip the brain, i'll manage without"?


We have noticed :lol: :D


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 8:54 pm 
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skippy41 wrote:
Well Brum if they where all the same yellow colour, the council could make it easy for people to tell the difference, and it would cut down on illegal pick ups as the cars will stick out like a sore thumb, so the drivers will be weary of picking up as they could bee seen by enforcement or the police, or hack drivers who could report them
If this yellow idea where brought in nationwide and imposed age limits on PH then the whole of the UK would know the difference between a hack and a PH.
There are not many private car sales in yellow so Yellow it is MR Sussex order your next Skoda in that colour now to beet the rush :lol:

In answer to your question it would stop Mr Sussex's Asian cousin ten time removed from half inching your punters :D


Standing & plying, I might agree to some extent.

But driving & plying in fluorescent yellow would be a nightmare.

Also, it's not what you, me, the LO, enforcement officer, & the PH driver think that matters here.

If you tell Joe de Publique that PHV are all fluorescent yellow now, they won't care a 'fairy's stuffed wing and wand' what the council say about not hiring PHVs off the street.

When Joe de Publique wants to go home or wherever, & a fluorescent yellow car is standing there or coming down the road, Joe de Publique will hire that car, & stuff the council & their warning rhetoric.

The council's ideas are utopian theories, whereas Joe de Publique deals in reality & practicality.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:29 pm 
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Quote:
Coun David Osborne chair the city’s licensing committee meeting, said: “This will be the most radical shake-up that Birmingham’s taxi trade has witnessed in decades and is something that is much needed


no wonder there is Confusion if Birmingham City licensing cant tell a Taxi from a PH...How can it be the Biggest shake up that the Taxi trade has witnessed if it Doesnt affect Taxis...its PH it affects.


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:30 pm 
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Are there that many makers that have a yellow variety? :?

And what yellow is yellow? :?

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:32 pm 
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Ask if they can have them painted in watercolour... just in case they change their mind :lol:

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:35 pm 
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Just Brilliant.....every time the Kids see one theyll reach over and twist their mates Nipple off shouting " Yellow Car"...that'll lead to a lot of chuffed parents with kids suffering from Nippelitis...


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:37 pm 
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Brummie....has your LA had a Lobotomy?

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