Taxi Driver Online

Mark Lancaster (Shadow Minister, International Development; North East Milton Keynes, Conservative)

May we have a debate on taxi legislation, to discuss the legal loophole that allows some private hire firms to register in one local authority area but operate almost exclusively in another, as is happening in Milton Keynes? They normally do this to avoid the higher charges made by urban authorities and the knowledge exams required. This is bad for business and very bad for customers.


Harriet Harman (Lord Privy Seal, House of Commons; Camberwell & Peckham, Labour)

The hon. Gentleman raises an important point. This is also a question of the standards being enforced equally across different authorities. I will discuss the matter with Transport Ministers and get back to him.

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IDFIMH

We have one here that is based in our area and works only on school runs but gets licensed in another area to avoid the age restriction on the cars, the drivers knowlege test and the higher fees.

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Grandad,

I think this is a good argument for having national and not local standards.

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

It's a huge problem nationally, and it's about time the DfT sorted it.

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IDFIMH

Where will we see an answer to this then..... Wil this ultimately lead to a change to laws?

Hopefully soon we will see it, and hopefully soon it will be sorted.

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IDFIMH

One firm round here for example, cars licensed with the local Council 5, cars licensed with Bolsover District Council in excess of 100.

PH from the same office?

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IDFIMH

Yep.

100% illegal.

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IDFIMH

We've been saying that for ages but the Council Keeps fobbing us off.

Check out this chappy,

His name is Barry Anser he's on the Licensing Panel at Mansfield District Council. He drives a HC registered in Ashfield in Mansfield from a Mansfield PH Office doing Mansfield to Mansfield work.

Most of the cars are registered with Bolsover Council because there's no age restrictions over there plus the Council Testing fees are much cheaper than Mansfield's.

It's a free for all at the moment because there's no enforcement due to the amount of plates being used from other districts. The LO is powerless to do anything when she's out there.

If he is a hackney doing PH work then I believe that it is legal. This was discussed a while back and Sussex confirmed that a PH office can pass work to a hackney anywhere.

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Grandad,

So what about the PH licensed with Bolsover District Council he's got running from his Mansfield Office??

100% illegal.

Why not drop an e-mail to the Bolsover LO asking him why he allows his licensed PH operating outside of his licensing area, and I mean operating as defined by the 1976 act.

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IDFIMH