Taxi Driver Online

Council to decide on cabbie arson victim's new vehicle


A WATCHET cabbie whose taxi was torched by arsonists will be hoping council chiefs approve his replacement vehicle despite it not meeting regulations.

Andy Virgin, who runs Data Cabs, was the target of firebugs back in December.

A Ford Torneo minibus – one of two cabs he operates – and his personal Land Rover discovery, worth a combined £20,000, were completely destroyed.

The 47-year-old is now waiting on West Somerset Council’s licensing committee's decision as to whether to allow his replacement vehicle, which fails to meet regulation 3.11, to be used as a taxi.

If the committee turns down his request, his private hire plate for the new vehicle would be revoked.

Regulation 3.11 within the council’s regulations states: “A vehicle used as a Hackney carriage/private hire vehicle shall be constructed and maintained so as to be safe and comfortable, the doors must open sufficiently wide so as to allow easy access to and egress from the vehicle and cause no inconvenience to passengers.

“Access to and egress from the vehicle must at all times be available in respect of each seat without the need to move or adjust any seating.”

The replacement vehicle does not meet the regulation due to the layout of the seating, which requires rear-seat passengers to use levers to get in or out. The vehicle complies in all other aspects.

The council will make their decision at a meeting on February 4.

Mr Virgin’s vehicles were torched while parked off-road outside his home in Rangoon Road.

A boulder was thrown through a side window of the minibus before being set alight. The flames then spread to the Discovery.

source: http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/

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

Is the seating layout different from the previous vehicle or have the local conditions been amended?

If the seating layout is different, his insurance should pay to put him back in the same situation that he was in before the incidnet occured.

If the local conditions have changed, would he have an appeal to the magistrates?

An interesting case to follow.

I take it by the description its a MPV like the Sharon or galaxy, that are widely used as hacks and ph all over the UK

http://www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/mi ... 4.2.10.pdf

http://www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/mi ... 4.2.10.pdf

I'm more confused now than ever

CC

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

Welcome to my world I thought he bought a replacement because his was tourched

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

If it's a Galaxy/Sharan then only the center middle seat has to be removed allowing access from the very back two seats and only allowing to carry 5 passengers. If it is and he wants to be Licensed for 6 then he hasn't got a chance.

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Wishing I was in Greenhall Whitley Land.

The council must have changed their conditions for a reason, so in my view it's tough luck.

If the vehicle had been written off in an RTA, then the same would apply.

If we have rules then they should apply equally to all, and the folks with the biggest gobs shouldn't be exempt.

So there.

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IDFIMH

The article refers to Data Cabs.....yet the letter asking for a vehicle to be licensed is from Coastline.......the letter basically says that Data Cabs has a vehicle licensed that doesnt meet the condition..and asks for a similar vehicle that also doesnt meet the condition to be licensed.

And I'm still confused!

CC

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

There is over 30 Galaxy/Sharons here and the seats all stay in, they are 6 seat vehicles passed by VOSA for use as such on the UK roads
Folk have no problem getting in or out as the driver just pulls a leaver and the seats fold to gain access to the rear
Takes less than 5 seconds to fold them
In an emergency rear passengers can use either rear passenger door or the rear one

Does the rear door have a handle to open it from the inside and how would the passenger know about this handle and also how would they get to in without having to climb over the seats. There is not a lot of room between the roof of the car and the head restaints.

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Grandad,

You can get out from the rear door there is a handle and there is plenty of room to get by the seats, some of the more energetic punters use the back door to get in and out

My spare car is a zafira and it is licensed for 6 the rear seat passengers can only egress by moving the complete centre row of seats forward there are at least 5 other Zafiras on in my town plus the other 3 towns of the district I hope councils up and down the country don't start following west somersets lead such vehicles satisfy VOSA's safety requirements so should that not be the benchmark ?

Not allowed here skip. Middle seat has to go for emergency access to the back two seats which is crazy as like you say the vehicle is passed through manufacture and on to the market. On the other hand it's better that way as even though you lose a seat it would be a pain in the neck having to jump out every five minutes to pull the lever as some passengers don't even know where the seatbelt goes. Also when you get those crazy women at ASDA who forgot to ask for an r tic rather than a taxi you end up doing your back in trying to find all the shopping which is stashed all around your car due to no luggage space.

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Wishing I was in Greenhall Whitley Land.

You have the right to challenge that through the court as it unreasonable if other council allow it

who is your council