Taxi Driver Online

Bedford taxis and private hire on strike this weekend



TAXI and private hire vehicle drivers are set to go on strike in Bedford on Saturday evening (December 10).


The action follows a disagreement over new rules adopted by Bedford Borough Council at a meeting on Thursday evening.

It is set to take place from 11pm and continue until 11am on Sunday.

Balal Shah, a private hire vehicle driver, said there had been unhappiness building among drivers for some time over changes to rules on issues including vehicle tyre treads, CCTV in cars, window tints, vehicle capacity, and existing school transport drivers having to pay to sit new tests.

He said: “Our trade has already gone down because of the financial climate.

“The council doesn’t seem to understand that every year our costs go up by more than inflation.

“Drivers are completely fed up and this has been brewing for a long time.

“We are sick to the back teeth and this is the result.”

A spokesman for the council said: “We are disappointed to hear that taxi and private hire drivers have chosen to strike over proposals to improve their safety and that of passengers and other road users.

“Earlier this year we asked people to help us set new standards to keep licensed vehicles safe and meet passengers’ expectations. The proposals that were considered this week include the ROSPA recommendation that tread on tyres should be a minimum of 3mm to maintain safety levels.

“Having listened to concerns from licensees, the council’s licensing committee has determined that vehicles must have a minimum of 2.5mm tread. New tyres have a tread of 8mm.

“We have advised taxi and private hire drivers that we are happy to discuss this issue further before it is implemented in April next year. However, we have a legal duty to make sure licensed vehicles are safe.

“Recent testing of 20 licensed vehicles identified three instances when tyres were below the legal limit of 1.6mm. This is unacceptable to the council and local residents.”

A spokesman for Beds Police said: “We want people to be aware that the taxi and private hire vehicle drivers have decided to take this action, and to make alternative arrangements where possible to make sure that they get home safely.”

source: http://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/news/

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

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

I shall rpeat myself again its no good hurting the punters what they should have done is blockaded the town in the hour before the council meeting making it very difficult for councillors to get to their meeting they might have thopught twice about it then !

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

An extra millimetre doesn't sound a lot in the context of 8mm on a new tyre, but of course the the first few mms disappear a lot faster than the last few, so it'll cost a tad more than it might look at first glance.

You will have to explain that to me.

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Grandad,

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

Well it's not the kind of thing manufacturer's will want to say in their official bumph, but I have read people making this particular point, but at this point in time can't quite remember where.

But it certainly concurs with my own observations - put a new tyre on and the tread seems to disappear at an alarming rate, but the last few mms seem to go on and on and on.

Not sure about the science, but I think one theory is that if there's a big tread then the rubber is slightly more malleable, thus wears away more quickly.

On the other hand, it could all be complete bullocks

Perhaps the heat generated by friction and flexing somehow changes the tyres chemical composition making the rubber harder ?

Or maybe the local pikeys are seeing your nice new tyres and swapping them for their part worn ones !?

Yes, isn't the theory that the higher the tread is the more it flexes, thus wearing more rapidly?

Or the more tread a tyre has the greater the 'rolling resistance', which perhaps equates with more rapid wear?

Worthy of note

CC

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