Taxi Driver Online

Hi Everybody!

I've been driving for someone for a wee while now and decided to branch into the big bad world of taxi ownership myself.

I now have my own taxi, which passed its inspection yesterday.

Unfortunately, South Ayrshire Council (who are one of the ones who require you to purchase your taxi before they will process the application for a plate) has told me that there are objections in against the plate being issued to me.

I have been told by a Council employee that this happens for every new taxi which goes on the road, usually by the same people. As there are objections in place, I need to go to the licencing committee and state my case as to why a plate should be issued to me. As there is a meeting this Thursday, there is not enough time (apparently) to get me along to this one, so the next one I will be invited to isn't until March 23rd.

My question is three-fold.

1. Is there any way in which the council could grant the licence without going through the above process (i.e. waiting until the 23rd of March), or has anybody had experience of the above?

2. Could I sue the Council for compensation for the length of time the I am unable to work the taxi, but still be unemployed and not able to claim benefits, etc?

3. Why does the Council allow the same people to object to new cars coming onto their patch? Surely it must be out of pure pettiness, and fear of a little competition. Would the Council have such a big issue to it if it was Marks and Spencer objecting to BHS being on the High Street?

Thanks in advance for your help, and apologies for the long-winded first post!

So, you have a taxi licence and a vehicle which passed its taxi test, ready for work but without a plate. I cannot see in the first place how you got the vehicle passed if no plate was available to you, you should have been issued with a tempory plate at the end of the taxi test

Sorry for the confusion.

When I talk about the plate, I mean the taxi license. I've got into the bad habit of this.

No - I think Pete is assuming that you have a license when you have only applied for one, and it has yet to be processed.

Presumably there are no limits on taxi numbers in your area, so what are the grounds for objection?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

There are no limits.

The clerk couldn't tell me over the phone the reasons for the objections, but I should receive a letter shortly detailing who has objected and why.

Speaking to other owners in the town it is mainly owners who object, due to the fact that if there are more taxis in the town, the less money they can make.

I think the Act allows any interested party to object.

They probably just go through the motions every time someone applys for a new license, but I doubt if you will have much trouble, or they would have probably dissuaded you from buying a car in the first place.

|I think it's common in the trade for existing ops to object to new cars, but normally they don't get as far as a formal objection to the council - they just moan on the ranks.

What I should have said was that the council wouldn't let you buy a car if they thought there would be problems.

Thanks the lord that doesn't apply down here, I wouldn't never had got a license in the first place.

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IDFIMH