Taxi Driver Online

That isn't going to happen if they want a survey that will stand up in court.

Firstly the council will have to commission a survey through competitive tendering.

Then the survey company will have to give a time. Now for some reason the survey companies are really busy at the mo, so that alone will take months.

Then the survey and it's findings will have to be evalulated, and that alone will also take months. And then the council will have to consult on what they do or don't do, and then change their policy if need be.

I would say all of that will take at least a year, so maybe November 2005, but no-way November 2004.

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IDFIMH

Now what I am trying to weigh up is this.

Mr Preece runs a Private Hire company where he has drivers who have to come to him for work because the licences for the hacks are restricted.

That gives him some control over these guys.

If they could walk away and hit the ranks that would undermine his control.

Guess he is gambling that he can undermine the hackney ranks making them unviable and making hacks dependent on a busy circuit as well to survive.

Or is he after a station rank? Having the ability to add hacks to his fleet would enable him to make a bid for such a contract.

That seems a big gamble to me.

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A member of the Hire or Reward Industry

Maybe he is doing it out of the kindnest of his heart, or maybe with all these new taxis he will make a bid for the station.

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IDFIMH

It surely doesn't take much working out.

PH firm (derestricted) unable to cope with demand to the tune of 3000 journeys per week from the largest PH operator, shall we say another 2000 from other offices and 5000 punters a week are unable to get a PH when they want one in a deregulated sector of the market.

The HC sector call for a unmet demand survey to asess demand, it seems the HC owners are looking for more HC vehicles to be licensed providing they are WAV


If Mr Preece is looking to destabilise the HC sector in order to force drivers to work on his companies circuit, and pay him for the privilege, then it should be reported that he seeks derestriction in order to increase his companies profits and not, as has been reported, to modernise the sector.

I wonder how many of the jockies around the country would suddenly come into money were the plates to be derestricted. I say this because everyone seems to think that anyone who currently "jockies" will go out and buy their own WAVs particularly if the council decide to derestrict for brand new WAVs only. I'm sure Mr Preece will be able to afford some and get them out on his circuit, I just wonder how many drivers will want to jockey them with his INCREASED fee's.

These PH operators also will expect the drivers of any new vehicles to give priority to office jobs over streetwork, I wonder how this will elliviate the unmet demand for HC availability for streetwork.

My opinion is that these people need to force people onto their circuits, and they need to do this because no-one is approaching them voluntarily, I wonder why that is?

hasn't this topic gone quiet.

I think we are awaiting an update from good old Steveo.

wont be any news for a while. not due in court again until the 19th november.

It would seem this appeal is being conducted through the Magistrates court, would that be right? The normal procedure is to conduct this type of appeal through the higher courts because ultimately thats where it will end up.

Best wishes

JD

Perhaps they went to the mags court, only to be told to go to the crown court.

Or they went to set a date and an approx time-scale.

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IDFIMH

I'd like to know what evidence will be provided to prove beyond any doubt that by derestricting the HC market in this area that the public will see a better service.

Bear in mind, that by his own admission, his office, the largest in the area, operating under no quantative restriction, is unable to meet current demand to the tune of over 3000 jobs per week.

I would guess that on average a driver working average hours would be lucky to complete 100 jobs per week, therefore in order to meet the demands, on his office alone, he would require a further 30 drivers. If he can't get the drivers he so desperately needs in a un restricted market why does he believe that he will get them by derestricting the HC sector.

Government has stated quite clearly that those areas imposing quantative restrictions should look to remove these restrictions if they believe its within the customers best interest, however they have also stated that the issuing authority are best placed to make that decision and they retain the power to impose a restriction should they see fit.

I would suggest that by derestricting the HC market current PH drivers would leave the PH offices to work independantly and use their previous office fees to finance a HC. It is clear to me that by doing so unmet demand within the PH sector would rise well above the reported 3000 customers a week from his office alone, now I don't believe that's in the best interest of the consumer.

The argument for deregulation therefore, from this site, is not about fulfilling consumer demand but fulfilling drivers ambitions on one hand, and increasing the profits of a PH operator on the other.

You may like to know, but you ain't going to find out, because in law those defending quotas have to prove everything, and those challenging quotas have to prove nothing.

But you already knew that.

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IDFIMH

Trying to muddy crystal clear waters methinks.

Councils have a legal duty to meet significant unmet taxi demand, if they have quotas.

Whereas councils have no duty to meet significant unmet PH demand.

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IDFIMH

Listen Sussex, you cannot consider yourself to be a taxidriver, your vehicle to be regarded as a taxi as well as calling the office you work from "SUSSEX" TAXIS and then when you let people down by not meeting their demands, revert to "but I'm not a taxi I'm private hire".

This bloke in Plymouth is refered to as "a taxi firm boss" but is later refered to as the person "who runs Plymouths largest private hire company". Its certainly not me thats "trying to muddy crystal clear waters" as I am identifying where the real unmet demand is, and by an areas largest PH operator admitting to letting down 3000 customers a week I think my opinion has been vindicated.

You constantly call for fairness, yet in most cases the context of your argument is wholly unfair. The public consider both PH and HC to be taxis, and their complaints about unmet demand are levelled against both sides. I doubt whether the HC industry in any area, including Plymouth, let down 3000 customers a week, so the real problem lies with the PH sector so derestricting the HC sector will have no effect on unmet demand and possibly even lessen public service.

In order to solve a problem you need to identify the cause, your not willing to accept this as your only interest is getting a HC to serve your own desires, you couldn't give a stuff about consumer demand.

What legal obligations do councils have other than forming policies they believe are in the best interest of the people of their borough.

You refer again to taxi demand but again fail to accept that in the eyes of the public PH are taxis, if your claiming that councils have a legal obligation to meet unmet demand for HC then say so, as any court would want to see evidence that it is indeed this sector where the complaints of unmet demand have been made.

As I have stated many times on here, when a member of the public complains about not being able to get a taxi they are probably more likely to be complaining about PH offices than they are about HC. When we accept that this is indeed the case we can assume that unmet demand on HC is not as great as you make out and certainly not signifigant.

over a 45 hour week i normally average about 120 jobs.