Taxi Driver Online

The Government contacts re OFT are at the bottom of the press release:

GOVERNMENT RECEIVES OFT MARKET STUDY ON TAXIS AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES

The Secretaries of State for Trade and Industry and Transport and Scottish Executive Ministers today received a report from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) into the UK market for taxis and private hire vehicles and whether consumers are best served by the current regulatory regime under which taxis and private hire vehicles are licensed.

DTI Competition Minister, Gerry Sutcliffe said:

"I welcome publication of this report, which results from OFT's new role in considering the impact of regulation in markets on competition. We will be considering carefully the report and its recommendations.

"The DTI is responsible for co-ordinating a response across Government and will be working closely with other departments and the devolved administrations. Views are welcome and should the Government decide to make regulatory changes, there will be consultation on draft proposals."

Transport Minister Tony McNulty, who has responsibility for taxis and private hire vehicles in England and Wales, said:

"Taxis and private hire vehicles are an important part of integrated transport and play a key role in local transport provision, particularly for those without cars.

"We will carefully consider the report's implications - not just for drivers and operators, but for local authorities, especially in the context of their local transport plans, and most importantly, for all taxi and private hire vehicle users as well. We shall of course be inviting the views of all stakeholders. I very much look forward to hearing their views on this report".

Scottish Executive Ministers Andy Kerr, Minister for Finance & Public Services and Nicol Stephen, Transport Minister, agreed with the sentiments expressed by Mr McNulty and added:

"The regulation of taxis and private hire cars are devolved to the Scottish Parliament but we plan to invite views in order to determine whether any of these recommendations should be implemented in Scotland."

Notes for Editors

1. Comments on OFT's findings can be sent to: Regarding England and Wales:

Pippa Brown Taxis@dft.gsi.gov.uk

Regarding Scotland: Ann Callaghan OFTtaxireport@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.

Regarding Northern Ireland (until 26 November): Pippa Brown Taxis@dft.gsi.gov.uk

2. DTI has a general interest in OFT's market studies (and co-ordinates Government responses where those studies make regulatory recommendations). Queries should be addressed to Rosita Hill in Consumer and Competition Policy Directorate, 6.10, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET (tel 020 7215 6260) rosita.hill@dti.gsi.gov.uk

3. DTI is responsible for delivering the competitive framework for the growth of successful businesses and a fair deal for consumers. The OFT has undertaken this investigation under Section 2 of the Fair Trading Act 1973, which gives the OFT broad powers to report on commercial activities in the UK.

4. Responsibility for legislation on taxis and private hire vehicles in England and Wales falls to the Department for Transport. In Scotland it is devolved to Scottish ministers and falls within the responsibility of the Minister for Finances & Public Services. Responsibility for taxi regulation in Northern Ireland is also devolved when direct rule is in force.

5. OFT's report can be found in full on their website http:/www.oft.gov.uk/Market+studies/Studies/taxis.htm.

6. The Government expects to respond to this report within 120 days.

Department of Trade and Industry 7th Floor 1 Victoria Street London SW1H 0ET

Public Enquiries +44 (0)20 7215 5000 Textphone +44 (0)20 7215 6740 (for those with hearing impairment) www.dti.gov.uk

Well I just glad that there are people out there who have welcomed the report.

I welcome one part of it, but the rest is just waffle.

Would it be an idea if everyone re-sent there OFT submissions to these various people.

You never know they might actually read them, unlike OFT.

Alex

Very interesting that the government's final views will come via the DTI, and not the DfT.

Could it be that the DfT inactivity has led to the (so-called) short-comings, that has become apparent in the OFT study?

Perhaps it's the government's view that the DTI are less likely to be got at by the vested interests, than the DfT.

Who knows?

Alex

Well I think know, and that's the government are fed up with the ignorance from the DfT.

That's why they put out clause 1.1.... without telling the DfT, cos the DfT are useless and are scared stiff of upsetting their friends in the unions.

An example of looking the other way, is the stretch limo situation. One wonders exactly how many people will have to be injured or killed in them, before the DfT pull their fingers out and sort the mess out.

I hope not too many.

A little bird tells me that something might be happening with the stretch limo saga.

By all accounts a meeting has been arranged in the new year, between the DfT and The Limousine Association, to work out some sort of guidelines.

Hopefully some sort of order will be bought to play, in this highly out of order, area.

Alex

Do you know what. In my area the buggers actually sit on one or two of the ranks. Unbelievable but true.

Well surely your licensing officers, or traffic wardens can and should sort that out.

I mean it's not as if they can hide the bloody things.

Alex

I suspect it's probably just because the DTI is responsible for competition policy, and the OFT is the competition watchdog blah blah blah...

Essentially, it's just Govt bureacracy (sp?).

The OFT may well have thought that the DfT shouldn't be doing what they were doing (not necessarily because they thought them incompetent), and a proper regulator was needed, but as I said in another thread the study's conclusions were perhaps pre-ordained.

But it's hard to tell, the report is certainly what might be termed anodyne.

Dusty

Sent of my comments to Dept of Transport.

Had a nice little email back thanking me saying

Maybe the reply should have read,

"Thanks for the e-mail giving your views, don't really know why you bothered, because it's all in the bag".

Alex