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PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:46 pm 
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Cardiff limits number of taxis on city roads

Cardiff limits number of taxis on city roads

A CAP has been placed on taxi numbers in Cardiff in an attempt to combat traffic chaos and crime.

No more hackney cab licences will be issued after Cardiff council bowed to pressure from taxi drivers and the police to impose a limit.

The moratorium, sanctioned by the public protection committee yesterday, will only be lifted if it can be proved there is still unmet demand for taxis.

But dozens of drivers who descended on County Hall to lobby committee members said this was unlikely because there were now approaching 1,000 black-and-white hackney carriages competing for customers, leaving them struggling to make a living.

Norman Griffiths, 59, from Cardiff, a taxi driver for 31 years, told the Echo the decision of the committee to impose a ban contrary to a solicitor’s advice that this might leave the council facing legal action from disgruntled prospective cabbies was “a victory for common sense”.

“Six years ago I would average 20 to 25 fares per day. I am now averaging between 10 to 15 fares maximum,” he said.

“The huge number of licences issued has also led to a dip in the standards of taxi drivers. Everybody in the city must have experienced that at some point or another.”

Senior police officers, Chief Inspector Steve Murray and Inspector Tony Bishop, backed the drivers’ call for a cap because the sheer number of taxis had led to what they dubbed “chaotic” scenes at official city centre ranks.

Illegal ranks have also started springing up around the city centre on Friday and Saturday nights which, added Chief Insp Murray, had become hot spots for drunken fights and cherry picking, where taxi drivers refuse all but the most expensive fares, leaving some revellers stranded.

Official council figures show the number of black and white hackney carriages which operate from ranks has risen by 75% from 480 in 2004/05 to 840 in 2008/09.

Mathab Khan, chairman of the Cardiff Hackney Association, who has organised taxi go-slow demonstrations in the city centre to highlight the issue, told the committee there were 949 hackney cabs. He said a limit was removed five years ago and taxi numbers had now reached “saturation”.

Committee chairman Councillor Ed Bridges warned members they should not impose the moratorium until an independent survey to establish if there is still unmet demand for taxis – which will cost around £10,000 to £20,000 and will be paid for by the council – has been completed.

But Coun Ashgar Ali and fellow members decided to impose the cap and review their decision when the survey’s findings are revealed in about a month.

Phil Boots, 57, from Cardiff, a taxi driver for 30 years, told the Echo: “This is a great victory for the taxi trade. But everyone has to bear in mind we have had five years of delimitation and the damage is already done and it will take the trade five years to recover.”


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/cardiffonline/

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:33 pm 
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"But Coun Ashgar Ali and fellow members decided to impose the cap and review their decision when the survey’s findings are revealed in about a month."

Bet they have a lot of Asians there.....
Have to see if we can get an Asian councillor in Winchester.... :shock: :roll: :-| :wink:


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 5:11 pm 
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Quote:
Senior police officers, Chief Inspector Steve Murray and Inspector Tony Bishop, backed the drivers’ call for a cap because the sheer number of taxis had led to what they dubbed “chaotic” scenes at official city centre ranks.


Echoes of Liverpool

CC

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 6:23 pm 
Nice to see one Council getting advice from the police. Might go down that avenue with our lot.


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 6:24 pm 
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Nigel wrote:
Nice to see one Council getting advice from the police. Might go down that avenue with our lot.[/u]


I looked on the website for the police statement......cant find it!

Good result though, well done to all concerned......one for the good guys.

CC

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:10 pm 
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captain cab wrote:
Nigel wrote:
Nice to see one Council getting advice from the police. Might go down that avenue with our lot.[/u]


I looked on the website for the police statement......cant find it!

Good result though, well done to all concerned......one for the good guys.

CC

Take note Jasbar and Skull, Restriction Restriction :D :D :D :D

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:13 pm 
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Private Reggie wrote:
Take note Jasbar and Skull, Restriction Restriction :D :D :D :D


More to do with the taxi fleet doubling over a short period of time..........of course according to some this doesnt happen, and deregulation is a bed of f*cking roses........apart from those who have to pick up the pieces.

CC

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:16 pm 
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captain cab wrote:
Private Reggie wrote:
Take note Jasbar and Skull, Restriction Restriction :D :D :D :D


More to do with the taxi fleet doubling over a short period of time..........of course according to some this doesnt happen, and deregulation is a bed of f*cking roses........apart from those who have to pick up the pieces.

CC

The Two Amigo's don't care about anyone or anything they just want to screw the system like there idol ALI T :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:18 pm 
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Private Reggie wrote:
captain cab wrote:
Private Reggie wrote:
Take note Jasbar and Skull, Restriction Restriction :D :D :D :D


More to do with the taxi fleet doubling over a short period of time..........of course according to some this doesnt happen, and deregulation is a bed of f*cking roses........apart from those who have to pick up the pieces.

CC

The Two Amigo's don't care about anyone or anything they just want to screw the system like there idol ALI T :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:


You spelled idle wrong :wink:

CC

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 12:23 pm 
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I know this post is repeating the news, but there are issues in this report that I want to comment on;

Curb on city’s black cabs

Apr 1 2010, South Wales Echo

No more black-and-white cabs will be allowed to take to Cardiff’s streets after a report found there were too many clogging up the city’s ranks.

Independent consultants found that Cardiff has one cab per 349 people, more than double the one for every 726 people seen in Birmingham.

The huge number of hackney cabs has been blamed by police for city-centre traffic jams and has sparked a rise in illegal ranks, which have become hot spots for drunken fights on weekends.

Taxi drivers have also complained they are struggling to make a living as there are now too many cabs for two few customers.

Mathab Khan, chairman of Cardiff Hackney Association, told the Echo he believed the city had about 400 taxis too many.

Cardiff council’s public protection committee had imposed a temporary moratorium at the beginning of March after lobbying from police and taxi drivers, and has now decided to make that permanent.

Mr Khan said he welcomed the official decision, claiming many drivers had been heading for bankruptcy.

“We were on the road to disaster,” he said.

“If they had carried on dishing out licences we wouldn’t have been able to remain in the trade for another year.

“But I appealed for this cap two years ago and it should have been imposed then.

“We are at least 400 taxis oversupplied. They should have kept it to a maximum of 600.”

A Cardiff council spokeswoman said: “In view of the report finding that there is an oversupply of hackney carriages in Cardiff at this time, the committee decided to confirm the decision to place a limit on the number of licences to be issued.”

The key recommendation of the independent survey, which was funded by the council at a cost of between £10,000 and £20,000, was that the number of hackney carriage licences in Cardiff should be capped at the present level of 875.

Consultants AECOM found there was a “significant” oversupply of hackneys, with one cab per 349 people in Cardiff, compared to one for every 726 people in Birmingham and one per 450 people in Manchester.

Over three weeks in January and February, the consultants watched the city’s 14 main official and unofficial taxi ranks for a total of 946 hours and found that, apart from “short-term spikes” of excess demand, there were too many hackney cabs.

They even recommend improving enforcement around Cardiff Central Station to prevent cabs clogging up the roads.

AECOM found there were so many cabs in Cardiff, passengers waited less than five seconds, on average, at a rank.

But the oversupply means drivers often have to wait an hour or more between fares.

However, a survey of 1,000 people in the city centre between February 6 and 16, also carried out by the consultants, found the public do not feel there are too many hackney cabs in Cardiff or at least do not perceive it to be a problem.

The survey also found many passengers would like to see improvements to taxi services. Suggestions included reduced costs, improved customer service and improved driver and vehicle appearance.

Mr Khan blamed rogue drivers, who cherry pick the highest fares and park on illegal ranks, for tarnishing the reputation of Cardiff’s cabbies.

He called on the council’s enforcement team to take tougher action against those who break the terms of their licence.

Source; WalesOnLine.co.uk

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 12:27 pm 
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Quote:
Independent consultants found that Cardiff has one cab per 349 people, more than double the one for every 726 people seen in Birmingham.

What they fail to add is that Birmingham has 5,500+ Private Hire Cars, which divides the cake to crumbs.

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 12:37 pm 
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The huge number of hackney cabs has been blamed by police for city-centre traffic jams and has sparked a rise in illegal ranks, which have become hot spots for drunken fights on weekends.

They even recommend improving enforcement around Cardiff Central Station to prevent cabs clogging up the roads.

And as soon as they start moving the cabs off, what do they think will happen?

Another mass plying for hire drive around the city that screws up the traffic even more!!

When will these councillors realise that once a HCVL is issued it will always be there because the owner has to make a living from his investment!!!

Quote:
Mr Khan blamed rogue drivers, who cherry pick the highest fares and park on illegal ranks, for tarnishing the reputation of Cardiff’s cabbies.

He called on the council’s enforcement team to take tougher action against those who break the terms of their licence.

There's no surprise there. Desperate times call for desperate solutions.

I'm not saying it's right.

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 6:29 pm 
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Brummie Cabbie wrote:
“We are at least 400 taxis oversupplied. They should have kept it to a maximum of 600.”

So will he be surrendering his plate in a show support? :roll:

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 2:14 pm 
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captain cab wrote:
Private Reggie wrote:
captain cab wrote:
Private Reggie wrote:
Take note Jasbar and Skull, Restriction Restriction :D :D :D :D


More to do with the taxi fleet doubling over a short period of time..........of course according to some this doesnt happen, and deregulation is a bed of f*cking roses........apart from those who have to pick up the pieces.

CC

The Two Amigo's don't care about anyone or anything they just want to screw the system like there idol ALI T :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:


You spelled idle wrong :wink:

CC


Its not me.

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 5:20 pm 
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charles007 wrote:
captain cab wrote:
Private Reggie wrote:
captain cab wrote:
Private Reggie wrote:
Take note Jasbar and Skull, Restriction Restriction :D :D :D :D


More to do with the taxi fleet doubling over a short period of time..........of course according to some this doesnt happen, and deregulation is a bed of f*cking roses........apart from those who have to pick up the pieces.

CC

The Two Amigo's don't care about anyone or anything they just want to screw the system like there idol ALI T :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:


You spelled idle wrong :wink:

CC


Its not me.


CC is being facetious and they also spelt 'there' wrong or more to the point they used the wrong 'there' it should have been 'their' :wink:

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