Taxi Driver Online

This is one of the conditions that we are subject to for our vehicles.

‘Vehicles over 8 years old, but less than 10 years old on the date of application can continue to be licensed provided that it passes two tests per year (the tests to be 6 months apart)’.

How would you all interpret this?

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Grandad,

Vehicles over 8 years old (2005)

but less than 10 years old on the date of application (2003)

can continue to be licensed provided that it passes two tests per year (the tests to be 6 months apart (self explanatory?)

we have no UPPER age limit but have age exemption after 6 years old, at a cost, plus the 200k mileage limit

in theory i could run my 2006 car till it dies so long as it never goes over 200K

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

You would thik that it is self explanitary wouldn't you. But our licensing officer, who wrote the policy is saying that it means that as soon as a vehicle reaches 8 years old it needs 2 tests. I have a car that was less than 8 years old at it's last renewal and I am being told that it now needs testing because it has passed it's 8th birthday. She has told me that if I have a problem with this, I will need to seek a judicial review of the policy. I have told her that it is not the policy that I object to, it is the interpretation. Where do I go now?

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Grandad,

Shows how thick she is.

You can appeal to the Mags court, but don't.

Just send her a couple of 100 FoI requests to keep her busy.

Start with;

How many official taxi ranks does the licensing district have?

Where are those taxi ranks?

Can you supply me with the Traffic Orders that approved those taxi ranks, and the minutes of the committee meeting that approved them?

First two will take less than an hour, last one will take weeks.

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IDFIMH

my jan 2006 registered car was 1st plated by plate transfer from 1 vehicle to another, that plate expired in a september, in september 2011 I paid £165 for a plate (years fee) that was forced to expire last jan 31st (just after the cars 6th birthday) and pay ANOTHER £165 for a plate that expired after 4 months and the renewal cost £85 - and in June and September I had to pay £85 each time for a 4 month plate, ive just paid £165 again

your 8 year old car CAN be plated but needs 2 tests a year but once 10 years old its not plateable?

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

So a vehicle over 10 years old can continue to be licenced but does not need 2 tests per year.

Anyway WHAT tests? The rule does not specify these tests. Tests of what, by whom?

Vehicles over 10 years old on application can't be plated. Obviously it is the council vehicle test (inspection)
But this is not my issue. I want to know why my vehicle, that was 7 years old when it was last plated comes under the 2 tests per year.

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Grandad,

All LAs vary and this is part of the LC's remit, to standardise testing and regulation throughout the country. In my area, we can't register a car more than 3 years old, and can't use one more than 7 years old.

I've got that fight coming up later this year when my Voyager on a 55 plate and 130,000 on the clock has to be replaced, for what reason I know not. The car has been very well maintained, is very clean for its age and mileage and is fit for purpose, which is more than can be said for the regulations. We have to have 2 tests a year regardless of the car's age. It's something I completely agree with, especially with the state of some of the cars I've seen around, and with public safety in mind.

But then in the next district, Rother, they're still running S reg cars!

it cant till it turns 8

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Grandad, it is NOT obvious that "the test" is "the council inspection". Laws have to be very precise in their wording, leaving nothing to doubt (chokes on cup of tea ).

IF your case goes to court, that's one point I'd bring up with the magistrates or whoever. the law is not fit for purpose. I suggest you read some of the case on Pepipoo where even a word wrong on a parking ticket can mean the difference of you paying or not paying.

Who you appeal to in your council "should" be laid down in the book of taxi regulations according to the Act!

they seem to need to add "rising 8 year olds" like at an infant school....

so if its gonna BE eight years DURING a current plate they want it to have 2 tests a year

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Well they have done it to me again.
I have asked for an explanation of the meaning of the wording "on the date of application".
here is the reply.

I refer to your e-mail of 14th August and can provide the following information in response to the points raised.
The Policy was approved by the Councils Rural, Economic and Environmental Affairs Committee on 7.3.2007 and came into force on 1.4.2007. The wording of which is:
‘Vehicles over 8 years old but less than 10 can continue to be licensed provided that the vehicle passes two tests per year, 6 months apart.’

A booklet was then produced to assist drivers and the words that went into this were:

‘Vehicles over 8 years old but less than 10 years old on the date of application can continue to be licensed provided the vehicle passes two tests per year (the test to be six months apart).’

The booklet was produced purely to help drivers have a handy reference, it has never been approved by Committee. It would appear that there is a discrepancy between the wording of the Policy and the conditions booklet but as I have previously stated it is the Policy that is definitive and the booklet was only produced for guidance purposes.

This is my reply.
Sorry for the delay in replying to your email but I have just returned from holiday.
At no point in any exchange of emails with XXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX has it ever been Stated That the policy is any different to the handbook.
If as you say the handbook was published to "assist" drivers, it is not very good at "assisting" if it has drivers contained incorrect information for the past 6 1/2 years. What other errors Have Been in there for the past 6 1/2 years?
Elaine has only ever quoted That is the information in the handbook and she even Refers to this as "the policy" in her emails.
So could you please tell me who the incompetent person was who was responsible for this "error"?
Because I say incompetent if, as you say the words "on the date of application" were never in the original text then how on earth did they get into the handbook? I simply can not see how Such an error could have been made. Maybe text could have been missed out but for These Words to Have Been added Requires some explanation.
regards,

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Grandad,

You could also ask if the "over 8 years old2 is from the date of manufacture or the date of first registration? the 2 "could" be 2 years apart.

As in my case of vehicle age, it's all a matter of interpretation.

That is easy to answer.
"the age of vehicles will be judged by, so far as can be ascertained, the date of manufacture or first DVLA registration of the vehicle."
See, Easy, Oh but as you say these could well be a couple of years apart, or in the case of an imported vehicle, many years apart.
In the case of one vehicle in our town, the owner bought the vehicle in Ireland. When he sent the paperwork to the DVLA, the just put the date of import down as the date of registration. it is down as a 55 reg but it should be a 53.

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Grandad,

I interpret as saying if its 7 yrs old on renewal,it has one test a year, if it's 8 yrs old at renewal 2 tests a year? It's a stupid rule, it would make more sense that all vehicles have two tests, what ever the age?
After all a one year old vehicle could do say 120,000 miles in a year, and a 8 yr old might only do 20,000, ?