Taxi Driver Online

Justice and Law Officers

Unlicensed Taxis (Assaults)

1. Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents of assault in the last year involved unlicensed taxis or private hire cars illegally picking up passengers. (S3O-6437)

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Kenny MacAskill): We do not collect information on the circumstances that lead to an offence being committed. However, we are determined to stamp out criminality in the taxi and private hire industry. Regulations are currently before Parliament on the licensing of taxi and private hire car booking offices. Those measures will both act as a deterrent to unlawful activity and send a clear message that there is no room in the taxi industry for those who want to use it as a front for illegal activities.

Shirley-Anne Somerville: I welcome the Government's work on the issue to date, but I draw the cabinet secretary's attention to the four sexual assaults that we know about that have taken place in Edinburgh recently as a result of bogus taxis picking up passengers. That is a known problem in Edinburgh, where private hire cars—which are far less recognisable than black cabs—illegally ply for trade in busy city-centre streets.

I welcome the City of Edinburgh Council's proposals to increase the signage on private hire cars to make it clear that they must be privately booked, but I recognise that, on a cold night, most people are more interested in getting home than in the nature of the vehicle. Will the cabinet secretary

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work with the police in Edinburgh and throughout Scotland to consider whether the police need to crack down on the issue by targeting specific city-centre areas where illegal pick-ups are known to be a problem and by ensuring that the licensing regulations, which protect the safety of our public, are enforced?

Kenny MacAskill: I thank Shirley-Anne Somerville for raising the issue. The matter was also raised in the recent discussions that local MSPs had with the chief constable of Lothian and Borders Police down at Fettes Avenue, so she will be aware that the police are on the case.

Clearly, improvements are required in how we obtain information on those who come into the country and then apply to become a private hire or black cab taxi driver, but such enforcement matters are not so much for the police as for those who regulate the industry. However, Shirley-Anne Somerville should realise that the Government is happy to work with the City of Edinburgh Council and the police to ensure that all appropriate steps are taken to secure the safety of travellers. Clearly, as she mentioned, there have been some nasty incidents recently, so we need to ensure that we retain the good name of the well-regulated taxi network that exists in the city.

They are not going to get many prosecutions unless the private hire companies are forced to keep better records.....

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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!

It is coming.....................and not before time.




HC offices too............

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

The question asked was "how many incidents of assault in the last year involved "unlicensed" taxis or private hire cars, illegally picking up passengers." The question does not relate to those that are licensed.

The classic answer from the Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Kenny MacAskill): "We do not collect information on the circumstances that lead to an offence being committed." In other words he hasn't a clue because there probably were no prosecutions involving unlicensed taxis or private hire cars.

Shirley-Anne Somerville wants to have another go and ask MacAskill how many persons have been prosecuted for the practice of "illegally plying for hire within the last year".

I have no doubt what the answer will be.

Regards

JD

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JD i have to stick up for kenny mcaskill he is clearly trying to rid the trade of any illegal activity but i do agree with you on the answer to the question.I will hold judgement on him till the new legislation has been given time to work.

Shouldn't the question be why anyone would want to get into an unlicensed vehicle in the first place?

Couldn't be because licensed vehucles are so hard to come by? TINA.

And, MacAskill, through his pals on the council - Keir works for the council's bus company and deputy leaser of the council (SNP) Cardownie has private hire interests - is protecting veted interests.

Aye, politics sure is a scumbag dirty game.

No your making things up again

CC

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

Edinburgh has had the requirement for log books for some years now. This is from the conditions book - ph section.

Log Book
76 The holder of a private hire car licence shall make available to any driver using the vehicle a suitable log book capable of recording, before the start of each journey, the following particulars for each contract of hire:
(a) The time of the hire
(b) The pick up point
(c) The place of destination
(d) The name of the hirer
(e) The licence number and registration number of the vehicle
(f) The details of the driver
77 The log book must be capable of recording each hire in permanent ink and in chronological order.
78 The holder of a private hire car licence shall ensure that the driver of the vehicle delivers the information as detailed in condition 76 for collation at the termination of each shift of driving.
79 The log book referred to in condition 76 shall be kept for a minimum of six months in chronological order and must be produced on request to an Authorised Officer or a Constable for inspection.
80 A central automated logging system at a private hire car booking office may be used in place of a log book provided that the system can record and store in chronological order the details required in condition 76, and has been approved by the Council or Cab Inspector.
81 Any record of hires contained either within the log book or in a central automated logging system so approved must be secure and not capable of being falsified.

Only problem is getting the Cab Inspector to get off her arse and check them!! Comes back to enforcement every time not any lack of taxis that some fools harp on about.

Nothing, and I mean nothing is made up.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Why make it easy for the Perv?


Because the Scottish Government says so . . . .

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Jims got a perverted mind......one that see's opportunity in misfortune.

London has the UK's largest deregulated taxi fleet......rapes and murder every weekend there......should they deregulate more?

CC

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

Oh, so let me get this right?

You should allow the expansion of a less regulated, less visible, less recognisable, fleet of mini cabs, with unqualified drivers?

Rather than have a, highly regulated, easily recognisable fleet of custom built vehicles with qualified drivers?


I say again, why make it easy for the perv to masquerade as a Ph?

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Now let me think? Who has the most to lose?

Vested interests perhaps?

Lets put on more Ph, more buses, but not taxis . . . heavens above . . .

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

PH numbers are down

Bus services are being cut they want to get rid of drivers. they have even shut down there training school for the time being and in a few weeks the airport vans will be gone for good unless they get a last min buyer.

If my mind is "perverted" then it is only in your eyes, and those of the vested interested who have some illusion to lose.

Catch the new thread - Edinburgh - The status quo.

Macaskill and other politicos already have this. I'll see that Shirley Anne gets it too.