Taxi Driver Online

Hi Guys

Im Andy new here and need some help and advice urgently !

I held a licence within my authorities area being Tendring in Essex ( Main town is Clacton but I live and operated approx 15 miles away in Harwich ) for approx 15 years from 1989-2005, due to ill health at the time I relinquished my licence.

I am in the process of trying to regain my licence, since I let my licence go the local authority has introduced all sorts of new rules and regulations and I have jumped through all the hoops bar their new "Computer based multiple choice" Knowledge test, which through contacts still within the industry is ridiculously hard to pass and rumour has it that there have been very few licenses granted since its inception.

I stated to the councils licensing dept that I had heard that this was the case but nevertheless went to attempt it on 08/10/14.

Firstly the councils guidelines state that the test " Will be based on your knowledge of the roads shown on the list you will receive when you have submitted your application and which are in your chosen area of operation,but the examiner will expect you to have a reasonable knowledge of the district "
I have a first class knowledge of my area of operation and all major routes within the district that the council administers but have not got a clue about all the roads and streets within other areas of the councils jurisdiction, so this is my first area that I am in dispute with them over.

Secondly on the day of the test I began the test and it quickly became apparent that I would have no chance of passing the test based on the questions being asked of me ....Start at point A in Clacton,turn left,turn right,turn right again....which road would you now be in ? Multiple choice possibility for the answer !
When I got on to the questions that WERE in my area of operation,that I know like the back of my hand, it immediately became apparent that not only was the test unreasonably hard to pass but that the test was factually flawed, they were giving me instructions that were factually incorrect !
I stopped the test and had to search for someone to point out that the test was incorrect as I had been left alone to complete it, at first they denied that the test was wrong and insisted that I carry on, but I refused stating that I had lost faith in the integrity of the test, with this they disappeared, to return about 15 minutes later to announce that I was in fact correct and that the said question was fundamentally incorrect in its essence !
I left the building saying that I would be writing to them and that there was a potential for loss of earnings and also the potential that if the test was flawed then any past failures of the test could be deemed void.

Since writing to them, they took 14 days to reply, are denying that the test is flawed in any way and that because I made a suggestion that the test is unreasonably hard to pass, that I am trying to gain a licence without having to pass the knowledge test !

My situation is very dire, I have been unemployed for two to three years now and really Taxi driving is all i know and gotten into debt trying to get myself back into work, paying out for various fees etc so cant afford a solicitor to fight this for me, can anyone give me some advice on who, if anyone, may be able to give me some legal advice or representation for this please ?

If anyone can help it would be most appreciated !

Andy

Start by contacting your own councillor, then move on to the ombudsman, and your MP

I know many Drivers from that area joined GMB Professional Drivers Branch but in truth as i have frequently stated the Drivers in that area were thickest shower of grovelling lickspittle imbeciles i have ever come across..............and seeing were talking cab Drivers thats some achievement

so question were you ever a GMB member ??

There are to my knowledge some GMB members in the area! have you met any?

and what is their view on this issue?

You dont need a solicitor thats always a cab drivers pathetic wail ...........the solution to this is via the Political route.

You might care to contact the GMB London Region who cover members in that area GMB 152 Brent Street Hendon NW4 2DP 0208 202 8272

Given the current members agree with you and you join i see no reason why they cant sort this nonsense!!

If they disagree yer on yer own ...........why would they want to make it easier for people to enter the trade ?

If the test is clearly as you suggest unreasonable and faulty i would think the members would agree with you ! I suggest you make some enquiry's of the GMB pronto the Branch Secretarys name is Steve ********, the Hendon office will be able to put you in touch with him!

sorry to hear about you bad health i hope you are fully recovered now

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All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

Good post.....

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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!

Trevor old chap are you feeling well

_________________
All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

We would make a good team ....Good cop..Bad cop..You would always make me look good...

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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!

MIRACLES ARE BEYOND EVEN THIS GENIUS

_________________
All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

don't you just love these love in's

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

I think it has something to do with the tablets I am taking

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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!

Not sure there is a magic pill.

You will have to take the test again, rightly or wrongly.

We can debate to death what should have happened and why it didn't, but you need your license so you will just have to do the process again.

As for the outback areas, you will have to learn them.

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IDFIMH

Thanks for the replies guys Skippy,Trotsky and Mr T.... Skippy there is an ombudsman ? Trotsky or from Mr T's post Trevor, thanks for GMB info, I have written to the council outlining the flawed test and the unreasonable expectations of the knowledge test and asked them to exercise my right for the Licensing sub-commitee to consider under the circimstances to grant a licence, can anyone confirm that if the sub-commitee do not see fit to grant a licence my next port of call is the magistrates court ?

You can try that route if you wish but I thought that you needed to earn money? To be honest I think your time would be better spent learning the requirements of the test as it is, flaws and all, I doubt that the pass mark is more than 75%. The magistrates will not overrule the Council unless they think they have not followed their procedures and acted reasonably.

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Grandad,

Best part of six months wait, and then I doubt your case will be a priority.

I advise you to not go that route.

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IDFIMH

Write to the ombudsman first, explaining everything he has the power to force the council to rethink its policies.
He will look at the test carefully and if as you say it is flawed the council will have to change it.

The Ombudsman will not have the resources to look into it and before you can go to the ombudsman you have to first exhause the Councils own complaints procedure.

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Grandad,