Taxi Driver Online

Taxi fare cuts for pensioners



PENSIONERS in Trafford are able to get a discount on hackney carriages by showing their bus pass.

The council's Public Protection Sub-Committee set out a new taxi fare structure, including a 20 pence discount for those carrying a national concessionary bus pass. It is believed this is the first scheme of its kind in the country.

Up to £1 could be saved on a single journey if the taxi, which has the capacity to carry up to five passengers, is full and all passengers on board have a valid pass.

The discount applies to hackney carriage journeys only and they must start in Trafford.

Although it was agreed at the committee meeting to increase taxi fares by 20 pence, due to the increased fuel and running costs of a taxi, the committee and some taxi owners who were in attendance, favoured the discounted rate.

Committee chairman, Councillor Brian Rigby, said: "We wanted to ensure that by increasing the taxi fare charges we didn't make taxis too expensive for those people who need to use them to get about.

"In some rural areas of Trafford it's difficult to reach places on public transport and sometimes people find it difficult to use public transport for various reasons.

“This discount scheme will help to make sure that taxis remain a transport option for a wide range of people."

The new fares are now in place.

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

And they are also illegal, no matter how well meaning the gesture.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Why put a discount on the tariff sheet?

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IDFIMH

To make sure they all comply?

JD is right - it is illegal.
The taxi operator can offer discounts if they want but the council can't compel any of them to do so, regardless of how well intentioned the motive.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

Byelaws could not give to the council a power which was not conferred on it by the Act under which they were made.

I'm not surprised this happened because the local Taxi Drivers and Owners association is chaired by one Paul Brent, who just happens to be the regional director of the National Taxi Association and a firm supporter of the meeting of minds bunch who want to remove certain rights from hackney carriage drivers.

The article says, "It is believed this is the first scheme of its kind in the country".

The reason it is the first in the country is because no other council in the UK is stupid enough to believe that the law gives them the right to give concessionary fares to special interest groups.

I can't believe there are radio circuit owners like Brent who are dumb enough to agree to such an illegal state of affairs.

The next special interest group to feel the benevolence of Trafford councillors could be the unemployed, the disabled, single parent families, the list is endless.

The bottom line is this, does current legislation give councillors the right to give concessionary discounts to special interest groups and the answer is no, except in Trafford.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

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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!

Why do they assume pensioners are all poor....around here most are retired professionals with a shiittt load more disposable income than I could ever aspire to having

So instead of oldie punters being pleased with a driver offering them a discount, we will now have oldie punters getting the hump when they don't receive one.

Maybe this council should offer a 10% council tax discount to all the old dears with bus passes.

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IDFIMH

I've seen some barmpot conditions cooked up between councillors and the taxi trade in the past but this one takes the biscuit.

Naturally this agreement has nothing to do with anyone outside of Trafford except for the fact that it could catch on with other barmpot associations and local councillors, with the inevitability of it becoming yet another expensive court case.

The council couldn't impose this condition without it first being agreed or asked for by the local taxi association but considering the majority of Trafford drivers aren't in the local taxi association then it says an awful lot for those who are.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Good use of the word barmpot.

regards

CC

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

I do presume you are aware that the GMB and T&G were involved?

CC

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

I wasn't actually aware of that in fact I didn't even know that trafford had any T&G or GMB members but I'm glad you put the record straight. Didn't anyone tell these guys that not only was the imposition unlawful but it also made a potential rod for the back of every other cab driver in the country whose councill might wish to try and implement a similar fare structure for whatever deserving cause. Obviously these guys in Trafford don't realise that they have just created another legal headache for some other person to remedy.

Obviously the taxi trade have some very bright people working for their best interests.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

at least most of the OAP's cant do a runner....

No idea tbh

CC

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

I understand this also applies to the disabled and that it was the council who said we will give you a fare increase if you give something back to the public? lol

That was very generous of the council but why don't they give something back to the public?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.