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Author:  Sussex [ Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:26 am ]
Post subject:  Kings Lynn
'We'll have to go on dole'

Taxi drivers were out in force at a West Norfolk Council meeting last Thursday night to see policy changes that will mean more hackney carriages on the roads voted in. Councillors also gave the thumbs-up to age restrictions on vehicles at the meeting, at Lynn Town Hall.

Around 30 drivers attended, and applauded the five councillors who spoke in opposition to the plans. One driver called "We'll be signing on tomorrow, lads'", as the group left.

Lynn Hackney Carriage Association chairman, Mr Bill Ward, told the Lynn News after the meeting: "The only crime professional taxi drivers are committing is trying to earn a living. "They are having unfair pressure put on them. Everything we've said on this issue has been totally ignored. "We are seeking legal advice, and looking at the financial implications of taking action. "The whole hackney trade needs to stand together."

The former policy of restricting the number of licences was thrown out – so there will be more competition for existing cabbies. A total of 30 councillors voted for derestriction, 16 against, and four abstained.

From April 3, all taxis will not be licensed unless they are under a year old, with less than 15,000 miles on the clock. And drivers will not be able to renew an existing licence if their vehicle is more than ten years old.

Councillor John Loveless proposed an amendment to the plans, suggesting that the decision was put off until a review of Lynn's taxi ranks had been completed – but the idea was discarded.

Councillor Ian Gourlay said: "If we have more drivers on the road, they will not make a reasonable living – therefore council tax payers will pay more tax, as the drivers will be at the dole office."

The council originally discussed the plans in November, but deferred the matter to seek legal advice. It was told it could not justify restriction, as it left itself open to legal challenge from anyone who had been refused a hackney licence, and that restriction did not benefit the consumer.

The council also carried out a survey costing £13,000 which found there was no significant unmet demand from taxis. The association argues that this result, and 300 signatures they collected on a petition against derestriction, have been ignored.

The Lynn News reported last Tuesday that council leader John Dobson said council tax could be affected if the authority was sued by a driver who had been refused a licence. And he argued that measures had been put in place to help drivers – including delaying the age policy until April 3.

This allows them to buy new cars under the old rules – so they could buy one more than a year old. It was also agreed at the meeting that the new policy would be reviewed in a year.
Author:  Onzon [ Tue Feb 07, 2006 2:29 pm ]
Post subject: 
So does numbers restriction end straight away or does it come in on April 3rd at the same time as the vehicle age restrictions begin?

It is not very clear from the press report if there will be a stampede for licenses between now and then, or not. :?:
Author:  Sussex [ Tue Feb 07, 2006 6:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
Onzon wrote:
So does numbers restriction end straight away or does it come in on April 3rd at the same time as the vehicle age restrictions begin?

At a guess I would say all new plates will have to wait till April when the new conditions come into place.

But I suppose there's nothing stopping existing plate-holders going out and buying brand new Skodas.
Author:  jimbo [ Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
I wonder where the West Norfolk Council got the advice that despite having carried out a survey, they were at risk of being sued by a "wannaplate"? Could it be that a regular contributor to this site has been moonlighting? King's Lynn did not feature in the infamous list of councils at risk, so why did they believe that they were?

The cab drivers in King's Lynn would have to be out of their minds to buy a new cab now, Sussex, when they do not have to.

The council will review in a years time? Now that will be interesting.
Author:  jimbo [ Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:04 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sussex wrote:
Onzon wrote:
So does numbers restriction end straight away or does it come in on April 3rd at the same time as the vehicle age restrictions begin?

At a guess I would say all new plates will have to wait till April when the new conditions come into place.

But I suppose there's nothing stopping existing plate-holders going out and buying brand new Skodas.


Why don't they buy a Skoda with 15K on the clock? Or are they Knackered by then? :cry:
Author:  Sussex [ Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:16 pm ]
Post subject: 
jimbo wrote:
I wonder where the West Norfolk Council got the advice that despite having carried out a survey, they were at risk of being sued by a "wannaplate"? Could it be that a regular contributor to this site has been moonlighting? King's Lynn did not feature in the infamous list of councils at risk, so why did they believe that they were?

Do you really think JD is that powerful? :shock:

But as the T&G/NTA say 'councils know best'. :roll:
Author:  Sussex [ Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
jimbo wrote:
Why don't they buy a Skoda with 15K on the clock? Or are they Knackered by then? :cry:

They can please themselves, but I would rather buy a Skoda with 15,000 on the clock, than a TX2.

But in a month or so's time they wont have a choice.
Author:  jimbo [ Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:20 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sussex wrote:
jimbo wrote:
I wonder where the West Norfolk Council got the advice that despite having carried out a survey, they were at risk of being sued by a "wannaplate"? Could it be that a regular contributor to this site has been moonlighting? King's Lynn did not feature in the infamous list of councils at risk, so why did they believe that they were?

Do you really think JD is that powerful? :shock:

But as the T&G/NTA say 'councils know best'. :roll:


Steady on!

JD please take note it was Sussex put you in the frame and not me!

And Sussex, I'm so glad you find a truly tragic situation so very very funny. When (sorry,if) you council don't de-limit, will you sue?
Author:  Sussex [ Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
jimbo wrote:
And Sussex, I'm so glad you find a truly tragic situation so very very funny. When (sorry,if) you council don't de-limit, will you sue?

Funny, well not really.

It's just I think about taxi journeymen and PH drivers that haven't got plates (yet) first, and you think of taxi owners (which could be the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker) first.

As for the rule about vehicles, well surely it's no different than your manor.

Or have I missed something? :shock:
Author:  TDO [ Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
jimbo wrote:
I wonder where the West Norfolk Council got the advice that despite having carried out a survey, they were at risk of being sued by a "wannaplate"? Could it be that a regular contributor to this site has been moonlighting? King's Lynn did not feature in the infamous list of councils at risk, so why did they believe that they were?



Didn't JD's list mainly comprise LAs that hadn't surveyed?

Thus to than extent KL couldn't be on his list.

However, it would be interesting to know on precisely what legal basis Norfolk concluded that they mightn't withstand a legal challenge. All the newspaper report said was that they had sought the advice of a QC, but it didn't disclose his precise reasoning.
Author:  Sussex [ Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:17 pm ]
Post subject: 
TDO wrote:
However, it would be interesting to know on precisely what legal basis Norfolk concluded that they mightn't withstand a legal challenge. All the newspaper report said was that they had sought the advice of a QC, but it didn't disclose his precise reasoning.

Maybe they couldn't justify quotas anymore. :D
Author:  JD [ Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:57 am ]
Post subject: 
Kings Lynn always wanted to remove quantity control ever since early 2005 maybe late 2004, I just forget now. They only decided to have a survey because certain elements wanted one. Including a few councillors. They made the final decision to remove quantity controls in October 2005. The database reflects that decision.

**Kings Lynn. Survey complete. Committee voted in October 2005 to remove Quantity controls.

Anyone wishing to keep abreast of the latest situation need only download the database of restricted councils, or view the sticky thread on TDO.

Regards

JD
Author:  jimbo [ Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sussex wrote:
jimbo wrote:
And Sussex, I'm so glad you find a truly tragic situation so very very funny. When (sorry,if) you council don't de-limit, will you sue?

Funny, well not really.

It's just I think about taxi journeymen and PH drivers that haven't got plates (yet) first, and you think of taxi owners (which could be the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker) first.

As for the rule about vehicles, well surely it's no different than your manor.

Or have I missed something? :shock:


"Funny, well not really"? How about not at all funny?

Do you know how many taxi journeymen there are in King's Lynn? How many would take up a plate from April? How many could afford to, if they wanted to? How many PH drivers would like to switch to Hackney Carriage? The rules about vehicles bear no relation to the rules in my manor. Why would any sane councillor decree that a cab, e.g. PHM February 2006 small ads. VW transporter 2005 "05" plate, at £20,950, 22,000 miles, is not good enough to be a licensed Hackney carriage in KL after April, but is good enough now? It is ridiculous, and you know it. If you repeat the crap about councils know best, then you yourself are ridiculous. Take great care about applauding such absurdities, you are in great danger, in your own parish, of being hoist by your own petard.
Author:  Sussex [ Fri Feb 10, 2006 8:26 am ]
Post subject: 
jimbo wrote:
Do you know how many taxi journeymen there are in King's Lynn? How many would take up a plate from April? How many could afford to, if they wanted to? How many PH drivers would like to switch to Hackney Carriage? The rules about vehicles bear no relation to the rules in my manor. Why would any sane councillor decree that a cab, e.g. PHM February 2006 small ads. VW transporter 2005 "05" plate, at £20,950, 22,000 miles, is not good enough to be a licensed Hackney carriage in KL after April, but is good enough now? It is ridiculous, and you know it. If you repeat the crap about councils know best, then you yourself are ridiculous. Take great care about applauding such absurdities, you are in great danger, in your own parish, of being hoist by your own petard.

I can't quite grasp what your on about, or if it makes sense.

If I was a current taxi owner in KL, then I would have thought there are a number of things I would like to happen. Top of the tree is keeping quotas, but that's now out of the question.

So the next thing I would imagine they want is to stop a mass influx of new drivers. That can be acheived by having quality barriers i.e. new WAV motors.

Now if you would prefer a mass influx of Skodas, then I'm not sure your mates in KL would concur. :-k
Author:  TDO [ Fri Feb 10, 2006 6:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
Of course, people's attitude to rules such as these depends on whether they have to adhere to them or if they're just for other people.
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