Taxi Driver Online

Tendring: Cabbies in survey ballot



TENDRING taxi drivers are being urged to take part in a ballot on whether a survey should take place to restrict the number of cabbies in the district.

Almost 300 letters have been sent out to taxi owners in Tendring asking if they are prepared to pay for a survey which could result in a restriction of Hackney Carriage licences.

Taxi drivers called for the number of licences to be limited after claiming too many are being issued by Tendring Council, which they say is affecting their livelihoods.

Following a meeting with the Tendring Taxi Drivers’ Association and the GMB Union last month, the council said it would hold a ballot over whether there is a need for the restriction – and whether they agree to meet the cost.

The survey, which needs to be carried out by specialist company, will cost around £20,000 and will mean an increase of about £70 in next year’s Hackney Carriage vehicle fee.

Gill Downing, chairman of the council’s licensing committee, said: “A survey must be undertaken to determine whether there is any significant unmet demand for taxi services in Tendring before we can take this whole issue forward.

“Only on the outcome of that can the licensing committee consider whether or not taxi licences should be restricted.

“Therefore it is important that the owners let us know whether the feel if there is an unmet demand and if they are prepared to pay for that survey through an increase in their annual licence fees - as the cost should not come out of the public purse.”

Cabbies are asked to respond to the ballot by October 9.

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

No brainer this one.

"Do you want to limit competition and make your cab licences valuable, giving you the chance to sell them for an extortionate amount or hire your cab out for silly money to some poor shmuck who can't get his own?

Yes

No

Please tick one.

Can't see much of a "no" vote.

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

Yeah Gusmac it's got nothing to do with oversupply of taxis, nowhere to rank, drivers doing excessive hours and not making enough money to feed the family of a hamster, it's all about plate values.

CC

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

Are all of them going to agree not to rent out their cabs to new drivers?
I doubt it.
Nothing here will stop new drivers coming in. They will just rent or get a PH.

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

How do you know, are you suggesting there are fleets of HC's in tendring as opposed to all being single tracked one man bands like here?

CC

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

So no one in Carlisle rented a cab or drove a PH while your numbers were regulated?

They may well all be single tracked at the moment but that will change if they cap the numbers.

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

Or if they do it right and set plate numbers in tune with demand

CC

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

Demand from the public or demand from wannabe cabbies?

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

the public

CC

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

Demand from wannabes will create a market for double shifting and PH.
Sure as sh*t is brown.

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

"im a base owner so "NO"....."

cos then i can rent more radios out

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

The biggest winners in deregulation are radio circuits, who are answerable to......nobody.

This coupled with LA's seeing quality control revolve around drivers having to buy nearly new vehicles, which are in the majority of cases WAV's means greater debt.

CC

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

Radio circuits will make up any shortage of hacks with more PH. Their numbers cant be limited.

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

Which gives more power to my statement, they dont lose in deregulation, in actual fact they become more powerful, because the new HC's need radios to pay for vehicles they cant afford because the streetwork has collapsed due to oversupply.

CC

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

You still need to limit the supply of drivers, not their tools.

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