Doom wrote:
And to let you know why for real, it's not about the premium, it's about not having another 500 idiots to contend with on getting onto limited rank space, which has happened in every single city that de-regulation has arrived at.
Any Tom, Dick and Harry getting off the ferry at Dover can't just fill in a form and drive a London Hackney. London puts the value in the driver instead of the plate.
Most limited LAs put the value in the plate and none in the driver, result is too many drivers competing for a limited number of plates.
The plates change hands for silly sums and are rented out to which ever drivers are prepared to pay the most and take home the least.
That's great news for the plate holders who make good dough exploiting the desperation of the drivers.
When the LA delimits, they have already got loads of drivers who will then plate their own motors instead of wetting the beaks of the profiteers.
Result is too many taxis trying to work a market which is limited by customer demand.
The solution is simple.
Stop dishing out badges to anyone who applies and make getting one an achievement.
Must speak good English
Must be able to count change
Must have a checkable background
Must have the right to work in the UK
Must hold a
UK licence for at least 12 months
Must have a good knowledge of the area he intends to work.
Must not use a satnav device within his own LA