Dusty Bin wrote:
toots wrote:
That's not strictly true that they just issued plates numerically. Plate 400 was originally issued years ago and what the council tend to do here is ask the driver what number they would like from plates that they already have 'in stock'. There was initially 400 vehicle plates issued when the council first derestricted but the numbers fell quite quickly when drivers realised they weren't going to make a living. I don't understand why they restricted again, the numbers haven't change much for years it seemed to me that the market did indeed find it's own level and contrary to the Halcrow report many think that limit was too high.
OK, so the figures for the last few years as provided in the article and in the DfT stats are:
2012 - 286
2011 - 282
2009 - 298
2007 - 292
2005 - 214
In 2005 this appeared in TaxiTalk magazine - I think the author was Derek Cummins, who was/is assistant editor and was/is a trade rep on the Wirral:
"
My area Wirral has delimited and the fleet has grown from 126 to 220 in little over 2 ½ years."By the same token, someone posted this on a taxi forum at around the same time:
"It is three years this month since Wirral BC took the decision to deregulate. In that three years, the number of plates has risen from 126 to 216."Now Toots you're not trying to say that numbers increased from 126 to 400 and then almost halved to 200 in just over 2 years?
At the very least you'd have thought Mr Cummins would have mentioned that fact, which would probably be unique in the history of taxi regulation.
To be honest I think you and Brummie are talking out of your backsides.
If anyone is interested in the true numbers, or the true explanation for the figure of 400, then I suggest they contact the licensing section at Wirral MBC.
licensing@wirral.gov.ukThe figure of the 400 was given to me a while back from a hack driver and is not something I fully researched
It is said that when the council derestricted in 2002 the plates rose sharply to the 400 as mentioned. Either way one shouldn't invest a large sum of money without first doing a business plan/research to ensure it is, as near as possible, able to be realised. Another point is one might wonder why they re regulated numbers if it is clear from the figures provided show little has changed after initial increase and the market seems to have found it's level.
It also shows that the council did just issue plates numerically one after the other and did not do as they say and recycle old numbers, which is what they do now.
Having such a delightful ass, even if I say so myself, who cares if I talk out of it on a forum
Login
Register
FAQ
