JD wrote:
N. W. T. A
NORTH WESTERN TAXI ASSOCIATIONS
(Inc GMB & TGWU)
THE ‘MYTH’ OF TAXICAB DERESTRICTION
RESPONSE TO THE OFT REPORT
The regulation of licensed taxi and PHV services in the UK
DECEMBER 2003
Authors
B. Carter
J. Connolly
Responses To:
Mrs J. Connolly
Secretary
N.W.T.A (Inc GMB & T&GWU)
33 Cheadle Avenue
Liverpool
L13 3AE
Tel/Fax: 0151 252 2078
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Arguments in favour of quantity controls
3. The Case Against Derestriction of Numbers The London Cab System’
4. Critique of OFT’s Benefits to the Consumer
5. Conclusion
1. INTRODUCTION
(5) There are recommendations within the report that we are content to accept such as quality controls on vehicles and drivers which, at the present time, are not issues in restricted authorities, as quality controls tend to already exist in area’s of restricted numbers.
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Obviously the NWTA were not thinking of areas such as Blackpool, Halton and Sefton etc etc, when they mentioned Quality vehicle control.
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NWTA
(6) We contend that the figures produced by the OFT to support their findings are fundamentally flawed and cannot be presented as an accurate position of the taxi trade nationally at this time. Their figures and surveys are largely out of date and inaccurate and take no account at all of the driver ratios available in the trade at the time in each area the historic figures were gathered. We are also at loss to understand how the OFT, from the evidence they had, arrived at this conclusion.
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The NWTA never did come up with any figures of their own perhaps seeing as how Mr Jones is the sole representative of the NWTA he can supply us with those figures?
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NWTA
8. It is the taxi trades intention to engage expert opinion to analyse and professionally scrutinise the glaring anomalies contained in the conclusions and appendixes of the OFT Report relating to removal of quantity controls, and to prepare a more balanced examination of the available evidence.
This will demonstrate the contradictions and bias contained within the OFT report.
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We never did see this expert opinion, perhaps like Wigan the NWTA are keeping it secret? I did see a Jacobs but seeing as Jacobs don't have any Taxi experts then we can disregard that report as being of expert opinion and treat it for what it is worth, bias and misleading to the aims of the people who commissioned it.
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NWTA.
We shall also have examined the consequences of the proposed legislative changes in licensing hours and the extent to which peak demand for taxis during times of passenger demand ‘surge’ will be diminished – something completely overlooked by the OFT in their report.
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Did we ever see the examination of the consequences of relaxation of liquor licensing? Well in respect of Manchester work has increased dramatically between the hours of 2 and 6 A.M, so what conclusions do you draw from that Mr NWTA?
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NWTA
(9) It is our belief that local issues, as far as possible, should be dealt with at a local level, taking advantage of the LA’s experiences over the last fifty or so years.
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Ah! The foot in mouth syndrome, "councils know best". I think Gateshead will take issue with you there because Mr, Mick, Fast Tan Pollard, thinks he knows best! In fact so much so that he's been trying to prove his point to Gateshead council for the last four years, in between jobs of course.
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NWTA
(12) Finally the effects that the full implementation of the OFT report will have on taxi owners and drivers will be devastating. Taxi owners have made large capital investments in these vehicles, often using their homes as collateral.
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Obviously the NWTA doesn't really mean large capitol investments in vehicles, it means large capitol investments into the value attached to the restricted license. A mere slight of hand which fooled and convinced no one but themselves.
Blackpool is just one of many restricted areas that has a distinct lack of quality vehicles. The list is endless.
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A new TX1 type taxicab at this time costs approximately £30,000 on the road plus expensive first year insurance. The removal of quantity controls could result in serious financial difficulties for many licence holders. Those who have used their homes, as security could face exceptional hardship - home repossessions etc.
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I have an exact replica of this very statement dating back to around 1990 when the Manchester T&G said exactly the same thing when faced with a plate issue. That was when Manchester had 550 cabs we now have nearly double that number but its interesting to note that not one person is on record of having lost their home after the plates were sissued. Plate values are still near the all time high of 50k?
Scare mongering is a common pastime when a persons argument lacks substance and that is apparent in this document.
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It is anathema to members of the Taxi Trade that the OFT can take the view that because taxi drivers are almost exclusively self-employed, and therefore fall outside the working time directive, that their working conditions can be disregarded.
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I don't know what working conditions the NWTA refers but as a self-employed person I make my own working conditions.
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2. Arguments In Favour of Quantity Controls
(1) The trade knows that the controlled numbers system is not only necessary but also absolutely essential to give 20/24-hour coverage of vehicles and drivers. Without the stricture of the system known as the double shift system the 20/24 hour coverage required by people who use taxis cannot be provided.
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I think people should take a long hard look at the above statement because it really does poke fun at ones intelligence. These people have actually convinced themselves that restricting licenses is the best way to provide a public service?
Without doubt it is the best way to maintain higher earnings for hackney drivers, just ask Mick Pollard because he's always screaming that there are too many cabs in Gateshead, for the amount of work that's available. On the other hand Captain Cab is on record as saying you now get a better weekend service under derestriction than you did under restriction. Those of us who understand the economics of additional numbers realise that greater supply equals more availability. However no one whether under restrictioon or derestriction is going to sit around at night when everyone else has gone home.
The NWTA don't see it that way, they think a driver is going to sit around at night when there is no prospect of work. It just goes to show how misguided these people really are. I don't know if Joanne Connolly has ever driven a cab but she certainly made a mistake putting her name to this rubbish.
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(2) The restricted numbers system has obtained in the provinces since 1847. It was introduced to bring order where there had hitherto been chaos. The legislators gave the LA’s power to restrict the number of vehicles, as they thought fit, but not the number of drivers. This provided the proprietors of restricted number vehicles with the opportunity to man each vehicle with a day driver and a night driver, thereby providing coverage for street hiring availability round the clock.
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The rest of the document is just more of the same rhetoric. It is sickening to read the nonsense put forward by the NWTA in order to stop people obtaining their own license. Their arguments are redundant as the outdated legislation of 1847 and there are 53 chickens to prove that fact.
Regards
JD
If my memory serves me right, that document was written by Barry Carter, Manchester Taxi owners Association One of your friends I think with the help of Mrs Connolly .
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