Taxi Driver Online

Cabbie claims council forced £1,000 repair

15/05/2011 09:30

A private hire driver who paid £1,000 to meet licence regulations said he feels ‘unfairly treated’ after figures emerged that identical vehicles dodged such rulings.

Liaquat Ali, 54, of St Paul’s Road, Queens Park, Bedford, was told by Bedford Borough Council that the passenger window of his Ford Tourneo was tinted too dark.

As a result Mr Ali, who works for A1 Cars in Mill Street, Bedford, then paid £1,000 to increase the visibility from 34 per cent to 45 per cent so he could get his licence.

He got in touch with the MP for Bedford and Kempston, Richard Fuller, to help with his battle, and he submitted a Freedom of Information request to find out how many cabs had been given licences with visibility at less than 45 per cent.

Mr Ali said he felt victimised when the figures revealed that 11 licences had been granted for such vehicles by the authority since 2008 and he claims three were given the green light in the last two months that were identical to his.

The cab driver said: “I understand that you have to have rules but there has to be consistency across the board. I feel unfairly treated and victimised by the council.

“I’ve spoken to a friend at another taxi firm who has exactly the same vehicle but didn’t have to make modifications.

“I lost four weeks work while I was waiting for the decision on my licence as well as the £1,000 for a new window but if the council is in the wrong I will be looking for compensation.” A council spokesman said: “Private hire drivers who buy a vehicle with non-compliant windows are at risk of having to change them.

“Mr Ali had the ability to appeal against the decision but has chosen not to.”

Richard Fuller MP who backed Mr Ali said: “I have had two drivers come to me with regards to similar problems. I think if the council is to have this rule they need to be applied consistently and that doesn’t seem to be the case at the moment.”

Source; http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/News ... 052011.htm

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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Why do they need timted windows anyway ?

It sounds like he's got a good point though be interesting to know if any of those allowed through went to the same testing station ?

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Many of lads buy the car with those windows second hand so in effect they don't need them. But it's costs a fortune to change them.

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IDFIMH

£1000 seems a bit steep though for a window

Probably more than one window.
If privacy glass is fitted, it's usually all windows except windscreen and front doors.

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It would be cheaper to smash them and claim off the insurance the excess is only around £80

Apart from being fraud, some policies only cover the windscreen

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