Taxi Driver Online

We have a severe problem in High Wycombe and Marlow with p/h ranking up opposite the taxi ranks waiting for the taxis to get jobs and nicking what bit of work there is on the streets on a fri/sat night,any ideas how we can stop this problem, is there a distance were by p/h can not wait about on the streets near to a taxi rank. The council do not seem interested and when there is any enforcement they just tell them they have booking or they drive around the block. We all know that deristriction is supposed to stop this problem but not in our town. Why spend 30,000 pound on TX [edited by admin] when a nice 3000 pound car does the same.

I suspect that I'm the most pro PH person on here, but even I would draw the line at what you are seeing.

I think the test as to whether they are plying for hire is if Mr Average thinks they are cabs, and the PH lined up are a rank full of cabs. If that's the case then your LOs should act.

Maybe it might be worth you applying to the council to make the place where the PH 'rank', an official taxi rank. Then if the PH 'rank' there even the police can either move them on, or prosecute.

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IDFIMH

Mr. average punter does think they are taxis and then they spend there time underquoting the taxi prices which are allready far to low. It seems to me its the way the trade has gone {to the dogs }

I thought all private hire car had to return to base when not on hire.
Our La are about to write to every PH informing them of this.

That's more of a local condition rather than hard and fast national rule.

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IDFIMH

According to the La it's the Civic Government Act 1982.

They also state that Public hire must either sit at ranks or return to base, ie no ranking outside pubs and clubs.

Not that up on the 1982 Act, about 400 miles away. But I suspect the act enables local councils to have their own licensing criteria when it comes down to driver and vehicle standards.

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IDFIMH

Ah, but do they shout ' Taxee ' though?

' Meeneecab ' can also be a common call.

NO.
They shout Taxi for body (anybody)

Yes there is a problem with touting in Wycombe & marlow the council needs to look at this problem. Also the HC drivers are breaking the law by not turning there metres on when the come to marlow at the weekend

i worked as HC driver for 3years so i know the prices when a HC quotes a punter

Thats a bloody joke and will have a major impact on running costs as well as the time for the customer.

Also will all the PH offices in ur area have spaces for the drivers too park?

as a PH driver i just dont pick up off the street i get enough work through my radio but i do get approached by punters who want to jump in.

most punters dont see the diff between PH and Hacks they class them both as TAXIs and when u are [edited by admin] u just want to get home
i agree with Sussex and would draw the line at what you are seeing as its well out of order

The license board do not see it as their problem (yet), but 1 company has over 100 cars and the base is in a residential street, it might be fun with all the complaints.

The Ph have got you beat I’m afraid, the over restriction of one trade operates to the benefit of the other in many ways. The only reason the Ph are running amok is because the taxi trade won’t or can’t compete on their level. The council on the other hand don’t care and the punter just wants to get home, no big deal there either.

We have the same problem up here in Edinburgh but on a smaller scale, not to worry though in a couple of years I would imagine it will be just as bad. I have no doubt this debate will be revisited at sometime in the future, this time it will be Edinburgh cabbies who will be doing all the moaning. Then again if the plates keep their over inflated value I don’t expect you will here too much from the owners.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"