Taxi Driver Online

I think the common theme will be "I've got a WAV so this consultation doesn't effect me".

WRONG

This consultation could well lead to every single vehicle licensed as either a HC or PH being wheelchair accessible.

OR THAT IS AN OPTION WITHIN THE CONSULTATION.

What we need to do is organise everyone to respond to the consultation in writing, with the responses from the trade landing at the door of government on the same day.

Thats as many drivers, as many of the drivers family and many of your customers who demand a choice other than WAV, we need to collect all of these in and have them ready for submission as soon as we can.

WE ARE LESS THAN 9 WEEKS AWAY FROM A DECISION.

So are you an "I'm alright Jack" taxi driver ................. or a taxi driver who is interested in protecting the trade and its future.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

After reading the comments and the published lines at the top of page 101 it appears that councils in the UK have jumped the gun by forcing owners to buy a WAV

You think so?

I'd have said they were working within the best practice guidance set at the time, indeed, the same guidance many on here agree were higher standards.

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 disability discrimination act as far as Hackney's and private hire is concerned has been a nightmare for the government, so by passing advice out to the trade through the DFT as best value they have hoped it would sort itself out, and by pushing for delimitation of numbers but with the proviso that new vehicles be WAV they hoped to achieve their aims,( back door politics) the interesting bit is that Scotland is included, so the Scottish drivers need to get their act together, my own personal opinion, is that they have already made their mind up as to the outcome, and that now they are just following procedure to make sure it will stand up in a court of law, so the first line of Defence is to get as many replies as possible sent to them.and then the battle will begin ..this will also affect London... so the London drivers will need to give it some thought.

As a parting thought. General Election is approaching. the disability lobby is powerful and numerous, many votes...This will be at no cost to the Government... back door politics....

ps......There is one bit of sunshine in all of this, by the time this is implemented I could well be retired,........... but the question is will you.

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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!

Is there no way a petition could be set up and the drivers sign it as well as sending in letters. Some drivers would be quite happy to sign something but won't be bothered to send in a letter. IMO and it's probably quite presumptious of me but I would think that a mixed fleet would be the best way to go forward with this so could we not have a petition requestiing that they licence mixed fleets and not make it 100% WAV's.

Could we not ask for more time considering they've had soooooooo long to inform us 9 weeks is not a great length of time for us to get organised and respond

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

If you send a petition in with 1000 signatures... it will be regard as one reply. they play the numbers game and so should we....

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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!

quote]

Why not get one going on the downing st web site, at least there they can see where folk come from

And I could be crowned King next week.

Please tell me what odds you would give on a 100% WAV London minicab fleet?

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IDFIMH

If we are to leave it to the last minute to reply would it be a good idea to pay the extra 72p for a Recorded delivery. I mean if all the letters are organised to be posted on the same day to arrive the next day would it not be advisable to ensure they are all signed for so they can't say they never got them with recorded delivery every letter would have to be signed for on receipt.

Also have we got a skeleton draft letter to use......

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

I'm not that sure everyone is agreed on a way forward.

I know I don't care if urban areas have to go 100% HC WAV.

I do care if rural areas have to go 100% HC WAV.

And I'm more than certain that no area will have to go 100% PH WAV.

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IDFIMH

I think to make it simple it would be easier if nobody had to go 100% WAV and IMO I don't think any area should be 100% WAV. Why should one area be 100% WAV when another area shouldn't. As % go do more people with wheelchair dependancy life in urban areas. I would be inclined to think that more choose to live in the more spacious rural areas but seeing as nobody really knows for sure where these folk live it would be wrong of me to assume. If there isn't a skeleton draft available because there isn't a general opinion as yet perhaps that would be the first thing to organise and find out at least what drivers think should happen

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

But we've had 15 years or so toots, the final decision (which probably has been made) will be announced in around 9 weeks.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

Oh well thats ok then ................ no need to do anything.

After all the fact that the document refers to PH and the needs for accessibility within the toatal taxi fleet (and not the Hackney Carriage fleet as previously refered to) obviously means that there is no suggestion or intention to do anything.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

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

If its gets to the Stage where WAV is the only Vehicle that we can use for PH or HC then I couldnt afford to run one..nor would my customers be able to afford the extra rise in fares to cover these extra costs. as it is I make a lean Living out of 2 working Vehicles..one fully Paid for the other with a modest finance on it. this pays approx 1.5 wages at basic rate(mines included). How in hells name could the likes of myself and several thousands like me survive if we had to finance £40,000, that would mean over say 5 years, monthly repayments of around £750 per month and add to that a Vehicle Depreciation of around £625 per month which totals Approx £1375 Per month..thats before Fuel, Licences, Insurances, maintainance, wages etc are added...In the end we would become a charity working for virtually nothing...all for the sake of taking a very expensive sledge hammer to crack 1 nut of the 1000 nuts we come across.

This is the kind of blind stupidity that is killing britain, this over regulation created by those that have a non job and have no brain putting the needs of the tiniest of minorities that really should be catered for more by the government or charity transportation than us in the mainstream that provide a perfectly good service to 99.99 percent of the people of britain..

If push comes to shove I like probably many others might just jack the job in and sign on the dole or I possibly go back to Minibuses that dont come under PH or HC rules..at least I can pick up a Minibus reasonably cheap. my point is though is why we should have to Cut off our noses to spite our faces and to deny the Vast majority a quality service all because some faceless grey beuarocrats tells us to.