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Council to examine Pendle cabbie medical costs
TAXI drivers in Pendle have won concessions over the introduction of tough new medicals for the trade.
Cabbies in the borough had protested over the phasing in of stricter health checks, recommended by the DVLA, amid claims that doctors were charging up to £350 for such examinations.
The trade was already suffering from a lack of business, due to the credit crunch, according to taxi bosses and drivers' jobs could be put at risk.
Now senior councillors, while backing the medicals, have asked for a probe into their overall costs and how drivers will be expected to pay for them.
Under the proposals, drivers will have to take a 'Group 2' medical, recommended by Whitehall, which already applies to bus and lorry drivers.
The medical is required for all new applicant and when cabbies turn 30, 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60.
But Mohammed Akram, chairman of Pendle Taxi Association, said: "We have made several enquiries about the costs being charged for these medicals, as there is no legislation saying what fee has to be imposed.
"For the job we have been quoted from £140 to £350. All of us are struggling in every area and we can predict that the next year is going to be very difficult for us."
Mohammed Ilyas, chairman of Pendle Hackney Carriage Association, added: "Doctors are going to charge what they want and a lot of taxi drivers cannot afford it.
"If you want to see drivers unemployed then this what will happen with this."
Coun Nadeem Ahmed said he had sympathy with taxi drivers, as he knew many were struggling currently, but that a balance had to be struck with passenger safety.
Council leader Coun John David and Coun David Whipp proposed that officers investigate the pricing structure for the planned medicals with Pendle GPs.
And the taxis unit will also be asked to examine whether the medical charges could be incorporated into the general licensing fees, to spread the costs out across the trade.
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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin
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