TDO wrote:
So it seems that one person is setting the pace, and effectively others are just following like sheep.
I have heard of others willing to pay the same money TDO, and if more than one person wants something and both are willing to enter into an auction who knows where the price would end up.
I don't think the plates were overvalued previously, I think that the price was about right, thats why I bought one. I think the figure continued to be correct up until about a year ago when the prices rose, as has been pointed out on here the comparative cost between a saloon plate (£6k) and car (£6k) and a decent WAV (£12-15k) showed the saloon plate to be a viable investment, even after derestriction.
The point is that saloon plate values are increasing, and we have derestricted and seen massive growth, I know it doesn't make sense but its whats happening, and I assume that it will or is happening elsewhere.
JD assumes that because I want to see restrictions on numbers in Gateshead I want them all over the country, not so. I believe that some areas need a dramatic increase in the number of vehicles but to allow unlimited numbers is equaly detrimental.
JD assumes that I want to see restrictions maintained to protect premiums, again not so. I believe that plates should remain the property of the council and a date should be set and policy enacted to assume proper control, I suggested that this could be in the form of a "annual permit to trade" but to be honest I can't remember where

.
Derestriction is not the long term solution to the problem, that my opinion based on my own experience, its an easy solution to a problem and as such is not undertaken with the best interest of the public.
IF I had control in Halifax say, I would open the door to anyone wishing to licence a WAV HC for 1 year, after that year I would undertake an unmet demand survey investigating every aspect of the service and decide policy dependant on the findings as well as the number of applications.
Unfortunatly this will not happen, as people believe that because they have longer service in the trade their ideas are the best, even though we find ourselves in this mess because of their actions in the past.
B. Lucky
