Taxi Driver Online

Chaos as Leeds cabbies protest at meeting

ANGER over council plans to overhaul Leeds's taxi system reached boiling point as more than 500 drivers gathered to protest outside Pudsey Civic Hall. There was chaos as hundreds of drivers tried to enter a meeting of Leeds City Council's Vehicle Licensing Committee on Monday.

Drivers were kept out of the meeting because they were told only 40 people were allowed in at one time. Anger boiled over and many drivers accused the council of ignoring national guidelines and making up its own rules.

The council wants to cut the age limit for private hire cars from eight years to six. But drivers say the move will put many out of business and they cannot afford new cars in the recession.

Many also object to a new compulsory college course for drivers which will test English and local knowledge regardless of experience. Hackney Carriage drivers and private hire drivers have teamed up for the first time to object.

They demanded the resignation of taxi licensing section head Des Broster, who they claim is trying to push through the new rules and "ride roughshod over drivers' views."

Paul Landau, chairman of the Unite trade union in Leeds, said: "The Department of Transport wording is that cars must be in 'good condition' but they are setting the barrier much higher.

"The taxi trade has never had a voice that was allowed to be listened to and the council has ridden roughshod over us. But that won't happen any more."

Aurang Zeb Kabul, secretary of Leeds Private Hire Association, said: "Some of the buses in Leeds are over 25-years-old and they are carrying 52 people. There is a two-tier system."

Private hire driver Akhtar Hussain bought his taxi in 2005. He said: "I can't afford a new car. I have four children to support, I will go out of business if I can't buy a new car."

However a spokesman for Leeds City Council stressed the proposals would NOT affect vehicles currently on the road and it it would ONLYapply to vehicles first licensed after July this year.

The spokesman added: "To improve safety for the public, the council is currently consulting with drivers and their trade unions on proposals to change the minimum age for private hire and hackney carriage vehicles.

"It would mean that once a new vehicle reaches six years of age it would be subject to an inspection to ensure it is safe and roadworthy. "This has been sparked by the high number of licensed vehicles older than six years which have failed their inspections.

"No decision has yet been made, these meetings are part of our wide-ranging and exhaustive consultation with the very people who may be affected."

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IDFIMH

Why are the PH moaning, they could get a 2K trade in with the scraper scheme, thats about 1500 more than they would if they where to just trade in.
If I was in the licencing department i would not allow any vehicle over 3 years at first licence,except for any type of WAV

Oh well there we differ Skip. If I was in the LO I wouldn't let any vehicle be licenced over the age of 3 for 1st licence including a WAV:D

Incidently the govenment scraper trade in is for vehicles over 10 years of age. That would be no good to me cos we have an 8 year age limit on our PH vehicles

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

This was posted on the new TDO Front-page, and brings a little more clarity to the situation in Leeds.

The proposal was made by a few Private Hire Companies that would rather have drivers using their vehicles than their own vehicles as that is more profitable for them. The Licensing Department have failed to provide proof to the trade to confirm the 30% failure rate was due to the age of the cars or lack of care by drivers. This particular meeting was supposed to be a “final mop up” of the consultation. This meeting was arranged on the insistance of the trade as the 3 previous meetings were arranged but majority of the drivers only found out a few days after they were held. The Licensing department left the news letters at only a few bases.A very small number of drivers found out before them dates.On the insistance of the trade drivers were directly notified by post of this meeting on 1st June, their are approx. 6,000 private hire and hackney drivers. The Licensing department working to their very high organisational standards and considering the public safety arranged the meeting in four sessions all taking place on the same day and each session to hold a MAXIMUM OF 40 DRIVERS!!! That simply means that only 180 drivers would be allowed in to the meetings. Where Mr Broster did you arrange to meet the remaining 5,820 drivers!!!

Alex

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why the WAV exception, dont they age/wear like the vehicle they are based on?

scrappage vehicle must be over 10 years old and been owned for 1 year.

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

They are really really not happy.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/localnew ... 5339159.jp

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IDFIMH

What exactly is their problem with this I have to meet those standards every year with the exception of the service history, which I could provide if they asked for it.

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

THE GMB KNEW ABOUT THESE MEETINGS SO WHY DIDN'T THEY INFORM THEIR 500 PRIVATE HIRE MEMBERS.

THE COUNCIL EVEN ORGANISED FOR ONE OF THEM TO BE HELD IN BRADFORD TO ACCOMMODATE THE 1700 DRIVERS IN BRADFORD.

THEY WORK IN LEEDS, THEY SHOULD HAVE COME TO LEEDS.

WHAT HAPPENED ON MONDAY WAS PRE ARRANGED AND THE PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED SHOULD BE ASHAMED IN THE WAY THEY ACTED.

OFF THE 5,500 DRIVERS IN LEEDS, 500 SHOWED UP 10% MAXIMUM

WE WANT TO SEE THE TRADE GOING FORWARDS NOT BACKWARDS.

THE AGE LIMIT IS NOT BEEN REDUCED TO 6 YEARS, THE COUNCIL ARE FOR-WARNING YOU THAT ONCE YOUR VEHICLE REACHES 6 YEARS OLD THEY WILL BE TAKING IT IN FOR A THOROUGH INSPECTION EVERY 6 MONTHS AND IF IT ISN'T UP TO STANDARD THEN THEY WILL NOT RENEW THE LICENCE.

IF YOU LOOK AFTER YOUR VEHICLE AS YOU SHOULD THEN YOU WILL STILL GET 8 YEARS LICENCING.

Looks like a job for . . . . Flannaguff Man.

For the taxi/PH trade I would say 10% is a good show.

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IDFIMH

The other 90% obviously understand what the new age criteria involves and are not listening to the minority who do not understand it.

The council should just go ahead with this, there are more than enough mobile sheds as PH in the UK and its about time councils took a stand.
Get them painted yellow as well, like i think Birmingham proposed, or who ever it was, this would make it easy for the enforcement to spot them illegally plying for hire like they do in there droves in Leeds

There are just as many HC sheds on the road!! Perhaps we should paint you bright yellow just so we can see you coming Skip

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

Ah but , Toots, a HC can be found quit easily the PH tend to hide when there is an inspection on. or are harder to spot in some areas although they can be found by the public without them looking for them

Not so sure about that Skip.

Down here when the LO is out and about the number of taxis working is often down a third.

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IDFIMH