Taxi Driver Online

The Institute of Licensing is conducting a substantial nationwide consultation (the first of its kind) to ask how the existing laws for taxis, which date back as far as 1847, work for different users including drivers, operators, customers and regulators.

The overall aim is to establish if there is a need for reform of the legislation outside London, to make it fit for purpose for the 21st century.

There are many reasons for embarking on this exercise, principally:

- existing laws date back as far as 1847
- lack of understanding makes it easier for rogue operators putting public safety at risk
- different interpretations lead to varying requirements across the country

Hackney carriage and private hire vehicles are a vital and integral part of the transport network in the UK with:

- an estimated 600 million journeys in Great Britain each year
- most commonly used by younger people, those on lower incomes without access to cars, and women between the ages of 16 and 20
- an estimated 69,000 taxis licensed in England in 2007*
over 264,000 individuals hold drivers licences issued by local licensing authorities in England and Wales *

*source - Department for Transport


The consultation seeks views on whether reform of the law could benefit the provision of taxi services through:

- eliminating inconsistencies between licensing authorities in the application of outdated legislation
- removing outdated practices and controls which stifle economic development and competition
- enhancing public protection and safety by virtue of a simplified system of regulation
- promoting the environmental impact of sustainable transport
recognising and embedding licensed vehicles as part of the national public transport infrastructure
- reducing the administrative burden on licence holders and licensing authorities
- providing a better structured and more understandable framework

Institute President, James Button said '"Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles are used by thousands of people every day, from every walk of life, for essential journeys, business and pleasure.

Unfortunately, due to the archaic laws that regulate their activity there are wide differences in standards across England and Wales, and plenty of loopholes which provide opportunities for the unscrupulous and pitfalls for the unwary. These can potentially put passengers, drivers and the general public at risk.

This consultation seeks views from everyone who has any interest in taxis. It asks questions covering understanding of existing law, seeks views on whether change is necessary and asks what changes would benefit users, the trade and regulators.

This is the first consultation of this type to include the public as users in addition to the hackney carriage and private hire trade and the regulators."

The consultation period runs until 31 March 2010 and will be conducted via an online survey which can be found at: http://www.instituteoflicensing.org/taxireform.html

About the Institute

The Institute of Licensing is the professional body for public and private sector licensing practitioners involved in regulatory work such as alcohol and gambling, street trading and charity collections, and taxi and private hire vehicle licensing. It is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity.

The consultation seeks views on whether reform of the law could benefit the provision of taxi services through


Or: More confusion and beaurocracy with even more consultants and gurus making a mint off the back of it.


Or: Changing everything rather than fine tuning and policing properly what already exists...all at massive expense and further stifling economic developement and competition.


Or: More regulation rather than less and making the difficult the impossible...again rather than police whats already in place, matters not about Drivers safety though.


Or: Investing more in electric taxi boats to counter the drowning of the planet due to naughty C02 emitting Taxis (WTF is sustainable) or Making everyone of them a small bus...at further massive expense.


Or: Triple or Quadruple the present levels of of administration and increase the levels of burden on the licence holders whilst creating several thousand more non jobs for the licensing authorities.


Or: Tis better to confuse Taxis with buses rather than confuse Taxis with Private hire vehicles....Seeeeeemple!



The Institute of Licensing ....States they are a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity....so whats in it for them?? its not like its a governmental body or such like?

Bloodnock....you cynic

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I wonder why?

Why don't folks just fill in the questionnaire?

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IDFIMH

I'd rather be told about these loopholes, which loopholes, if the IOL are aware of loopholes shouldnt they try to fill them?

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Ambulance cars are a big bad loophole.

Cross border hirings is a mess/loophole.

Small PSVs are a loophole that needs plugging.

Hackneys working 400 miles away needs sorting.

Licensing fees are often abused by councils.

I could go on.

That said surely it would be better if the IoL worked with the Meeting of Minds gang, or the Meeting of Minds part 2 with just national organisations.

Still I think folks should fill in their survey. At least they are trying to makes things better.

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IDFIMH

Simply because like any questionnaires, they only take out of them that which they want to see...one or two of the huge nationals will have their views considered, but the small guys will be ignored as always.

Besides this is more about a budding company/quangoe making a name and money for themselves rather than for the benefit of the public, its Music to Nu-labours ears this lot, the system does not need rebuilt from the foundations up, it simply needs some pointing up and some better protection built into it along with better enforcement to weed out the fraudsters and charlatans..

I wont be filling in a survey, with the greatest respect to the IOL I do not see them as a statutory body.

In respect of ambulance cars. The law is already there to stop these vehicles if required, using an FOI should suffice? The LA should enforce the law?

Cross border hiring has been well covered in case law, I dont understand what people find confusing and it is upto LA's to enforce the law?

Small PSV's are an issue for VOSA, ironically, we still get people shouting that we should be licensed by VOSA when they are the ones that appear utterly useless. Vosa should enforce the law perhaps with the help of our enforcement authorities in our LA's?

Hackney's working 400 miles away is again a matter of enforcement, the IOL should be telling its members along with the DFT about DPP vs. Com Cabs 1994.

Licensing fees are abused, but thankfully we have Manchester vs. King.

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

They always seem too busy to attend

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Well tell them that in their survey.


But they don't, as councils haven't a clue where these drivers are from, or where they get their jobs from, or how much they receive. These need to be licensed, and saying that LAs should enforce the law is fine words, but wouldn't it be better if the laws made it easier for them? As far as I know only two prosecutions of unlicensed ambulance cars have happened, yet there are tens of thousands of jobs every year. Not sure the status quo has worked very well.


If the law was that clear then it wouldn't happen, yet it does up and down the country. Are you happy with the Sefton situation?


Small PSVs are acting as PHs up and down the country, and as both VOSA and LAs are generally useless we have the situation where unchecked and unlicensed drivers are legally allowed to take folks from A to B for hire and reward. Are you happy with that?


Why rely on case law that can be changed at any time, why not just change the act?


So having 400 councils setting 400 different levels of fees doesn't need to be looked at?

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IDFIMH

Survey completed!

Sorry to disagree Sussex but in so far as I am concerned all the tools are there for an LA to enforce in respect of voluntary vehicles.

In respect of Sefton the caselaw is clear and there is nothing illegal.

Small PSV's operating on 'O' licenses are outside the remit of the LA, I'm not happy with it but I am not happy with 'O' licenses, but the issue isnt about taxi and PH licensing with them is it?

When I suggested introducing a Radio Circuit license on here I was actually condemned........nice to see it come in in Scotland though.

In respect of fees the mechanism is there for fees.

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

But none of that is working, and I think the IoL are trying to make it easier, or clearer, to sort out all of those issues above which bug me, and a few more which don't.

We can't sit around and do nothing any more.

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IDFIMH

I applaud the IoL for at least attempting to collate some evidence from outside of their own little circle. I'm looking forward to reading their analysis.