Taxi Driver Online

Cabbies threaten action as license fees are increased



TAXI drivers have threatened to bring Hereford to a standstill after being told that their license fees will be increased with immediate effect.

A council meeting on Tuesday agreed to the proposal after hearing that the service costs around £28,000 more than the total raised through fees paid by taxi drivers.

Normally, the extra costs are picked up by council taxpayers rather than the taxi trade.

The new fees, which were based on costs, were derived from estimating future activity based on applications received for taxi licenses in the last financial year.

But Keith Preen, from KMJ Cabs, said that many drivers cannot afford to pay the increases and are planning a protest.

“A programme of total disobedience is going to be discussed and we are very serious about putting an operation in place which will bring the city to a total and utter standstill and embarrass the council, especially when the Queen comes."

For the full story, see today's Hereford Times.

http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/local ... increased/

http://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk ... 3630&Ver=4

appendix 1 has the new fees.......I'm say many were dubious......£107 to change the name of a proprietor on a license?

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

What jumped out at me was £52.00 addition for Taxi Marshals.

Thou shalt not charge Taxi drivers for Marshals.

If I was there, I would nip into the Magistrates and lodge an appeal and, whilst there, would include the whole lot.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

It also looks like the PH are being hit for marshals as there increase is the same???

A council meeting on Tuesday agreed to the proposal after hearing that the service costs around £28,000 more than the total raised through fees paid by taxi drivers.

Is that the whole licensing section or do they account seperately for the bit that processes taxi Licensing ?

Sounds to me like there might be a bit of offloading council costs onto taxis and PH's

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

I didn't think the Council could make a profit or plug financial holes from licensing monies???

Are they allowed to charge for costs not yet incurred, and if there's an excess will the licence holders get a refund ?
I hear fuel and insurance are going up next year - can I increase my meter now to cover the future predicted expense ? (I'll give my customers a refund if the rise isn't as much as estimated )