Taxi Driver Online

Chester Licensed Hackney Association fear job losses and claim Cheshire West and Chester Council is granting too many licences

ANXIOUS taxi drivers in Chester are fearing for their jobs.
Members of the city’s Licensed Hackney Association are angry about how many licences are being granted by the local authority.
The black cab drivers say they are being forced to work dangerously long shifts to make ends meet as customer numbers drop and taxi driver numbers increase.
Now they are calling on Cheshire West and Chester Council to investigate the issue and postpone the granting of licences until a resolution is found.
Cabbie Ian Barlow said: “The council has made a mistake by derestricting numbers of licences, there is over-ranking all over the city.”
Chester Licensed Hackney Association secretary Chris Farrell has sent letters to the 72 councillors serving the unitary authority demanding action.
He said: “Our trade has seen a 30% increase of cabs plying for hire to reduced customer numbers.
“To make matters worse the council has been issuing plates to people who live 50 miles away and do not have a clue where they are going. This has resulted in over-charging, arguments and complaints.
“Our excellent service is in danger of collapse, so we urge the new council to act now to prevent any further damage to our trade and the livelihoods of hundreds of Cestrians.”
Cheshire West and Chester Council plans to address the issue. Spokesman Mike McGivern said: “The former Chester City Council and Vale Royal Borough councils had de-limited hackney carriage numbers in their zones and Cheshire West and Chester Council is bound to operate within the rules as they now stand.
“We are aware of Chester Licensed Hackney Association’s concerns and the council will be looking in detail at the issue later this year”.
http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/chester-news/local-chester-news/2009/07/16/chester-licensed-hackney-association-fear-job-losses-and-claim-cheshire-west-and-chester-council-is-granting-too-many-licences-59067-24163353/

How can they get around the issue of having a new district with some delimited areas, and some limited areas, without becoming one big delimited area.

If they wanted to zone they really should have done that prior to the marriage.

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IDFIMH

The whole unitary super dooper authority thing wasnt thought through at all.

CC

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

But where were the trade reps when the merger was being planned?

Neigh on impossible to change things once the councils joined up.

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IDFIMH

Is there a problem with smaller councils or is it a case of fixing something that wasn't broken in the first place with these unitary councils



Possibly in their ivory towers, but, to be fair I do believe that the reps did voice concerns prior to the 'marriage' of councils only to have them dismissed. IMO I think it's just been a case of change now and fix later without any real thought as to what was going to happen. It wouldn't have been so bad if all councils worked to the same regs but they don't. Due to the very varied standards right throughout the country it is never going to be easy to merge councils

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

They save money by not duplicating staff.

i.e. If seven councils merged into one unitary authority, then you could do away with at least three LOs. Times that by the amount of departments in a council and you have a massive saving.

It's also better in relation to highways as you don't have two (district and county) different councils dealing with roads, you just have one.

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IDFIMH

Possibly being told like our mightly unions that nothing would actually change.......god these people ARE stupid aint they

ffs

CC

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

Which people The councils for believing nothing would change or the unions/reps for believing them

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

Anyone who thinks making one council out of half a dozen was in the interests of the public or council employees, instead of saving money on services and employees really needs to get their head examined.

The only people seemingly unaffected are the f*ckwitted councillors.....till of course we get changes to the councillors boundaries

CC

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

Stupid, who knows?

Naive, without a doubt.

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IDFIMH

Manchester and Leeds are to pilot the first Unitary City area's. The trade here in Manchester do not even know about it yet. If we follow Cheshire East our Hackneys will be zoned, BUT our private hire will not. Every hire vehicle in The Greater Manchester area (as far as Wigan) will be convergeing on Manchester every Friday and Saturday Night. The same obviously applies to our friends in Yorks. Who ever thought this up is barmy.

Private hire can go where they like now so how will this make any difference?

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Grandad,

They will be able to advertise in a greater area than they do now

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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 just will not, but can not.

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IDFIMH

there is nothing to stop them doing it now all legal.