Taxi Driver Online

Hundreds of Leeds cabbies face age limit axe


NEW safety rules could drive hundreds of Leeds private hire taxis off the streets.

Leeds City Council is looking at cutting the age limit for private hire cars from eight to six years and drivers fear it could put many out of business.

Council officers have yet to make recommendations after a safety review, but say there are concerns over the safety of some cars.

The drivers say only the city's biggest Hackney carriage taxi firm was consulted.

There are more than 5,000 private hire cabs in Leeds and between 500 and 550 Hackney cabs – those that can be legally hailed at the roadside.

Now the private hire drivers plan to form their own campaign organisation.

Private hire driver Javaid Akhtar, based in Hyde Park, said: "The council is talking about making the age limit for private hire cars six years instead of eight years.

"It should be raised to 10 in the credit crunch. A lot of people with mortgages and families are in no position to buy new cabs.

"If enough drivers come forward we will form an association to challenge the council.

"There is no consultation with us. They only talk to the big cab companies like Amber."

Leeds City Council, which issues private hire and Hackney licences, has carried out a safety review over the last two and a half years. It involved full inspections of both types of taxis of various ages.

A spokeswoman said: "We've carried out a full technical inspection of over 5,000 private hire vehicles and Hackney carriages and the final results will be reported to the council's licensing and regulatory panel, probably in March.

"Officers will be putting forward a number of options to address the high failure rate of licensed vehicles.

"It should be noted that many licensed vehicles, which are standard production cars, may clock up 60,000 miles per year and in working conditions which are not identical to normal domestic use.

"No decisions have been taken and councillors will have the opportunity to consider all the facts and make recommendations or decisions as appropriate at an open panel meeting."

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

Passenger safety must come first

AT the height of economic gloom, when businesses are failing and people are losing their jobs and even their homes, everyone sympathises with those who fear for their future.

So we are far from deaf to the entreaties of Leeds private hire drivers, who fear that if new safety rules about their vehicles are introduced, some of them will not be able to afford to carry on working.

But our sympathies cannot extend too far.

If ever a case illustrated the need to consider the greater good then this one does.

The situation is that Leeds City Council has reviewed the age and safety of taxi cabs and hire cars in Leeds.

No recommendations have yet been made, but it is possible that it may lower the age of cars which are allowed to be used from eight years to six years.

The only news to come out so far is that the council has some concerns over the safety of some cars in use.

If, once all the evidence has been studied, those fears prove to be justified, then there is no doubt that Leeds City Council should act.

Leeds is a city with a big taxi and private hire industry. It is not too dramatic to say that we entrust those who work within it with our lives and the lives of our precious loved ones every time we or they step inside one of these vehicles.

If it is decided that, for the sake of the safety of all of us, new regulations must be brought into force, then the industry should be supporting the changes and concentrating its efforts on implementing them to the best advantage of all concerned.

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

Could it be that someone or some people some where high up in that council is getting a nice little sweetner from the big boys in order to make the little boys vanish....as Gypsy Rose lee might say " Cross my palm with silver and I might see a better future for you"

I dont know......but what I'd like to know is the failure rates of the vehicles being put in as evidence.......dont see why those proprieotrs who keep their vehicles in a good condition should change because of those who dont.

CC

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

the start age/new plate limit here for non-purpose built/saloons is 6 years which i think is quite generous, purpose built is 10!

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

I'm sure Terry will be making them all aware of his favorite 'taxi' centre, with a free one year senten . . . membership deal for all.

Not so sure it will put many out of business, but it's a real stupid policy to bring in when the country is in such a dire financial mess.

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IDFIMH

Id agree...but mostly all Council officials being Birds in a gilded cage are so insulated from private sector woes and remote from the troubles that beset the nation that even though we know its a daft idea they think its a perfectly rational one.

If there turns out to be evidence that some of these vehicles are failing safety standards then surely they have already been checked so therefore should not be on the road anyway. If the council has previously checked the vehicle then why not just continue to check the vehicles and if a safety standard is breached then take that vehicle off the road until it complies with current safety standards. Age is not the best indicator of safety standards. If a vehicle is well maintained then it is likely to be safer than a vehicle that is not.

The biggest failing in safety standards will be the driver of the vehicle and not necessarily the vehicle itself

This of course is only my opinion and perhaps when more information is released (if it is) by the council there is always the chance that my opinion will change. I think it is unrealistic to ask drivers to change vehicles after only 6 years not that it would bother me cos I change mine regular anyway.

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

We have a 7 year age policy up here and its a bit of a daft one.
If the vehicle is 7 years 11 months we can still get it licenced for a further 3 years so that the vehicle will be 10 years 11 months before its removed.
Most operators with older cabs apply for a new licence before there present one expires, if its in its 7th year.
Now to me a 7 year age limit should run from date of first registration and not the 7 year 11 months.

After being in Leeds twice last year I can see where the council is coming from, total sheds some of them

Because the LOs must be too f***ing lazy to get off their bums and do the job they are paid for.

Questions should be asked by councillors as to why and how things got so bad.

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IDFIMH

I think if people were to look deeply into this they would find that the council is under pressure( as are many others) to create a cleaner environment, I personally would think that the train of thought behind this is to bring in new vehicles that give out less pollution.

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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!

Hopefully as well as the age limit, they will bring in a minimum size of vehicle as well to get rid of the Astra's and fiestas that they are using

If that is the purpose of the exercise why not so say. Why say it is for safety reasons, which is open to question. Why not say that the those vehicles that do not pass a more stringent environment test will no longer be allowed a licence. They could then give a time limit to get the excessive pollution expellers expelled so to speak

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Not sure that the big sell will be on offer, but I would be surprised if the GMB don't try and help out.

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IDFIMH