Taxi Driver Online

More taxis on the way

Ipswich Borough Council is this week due to decide whether to allow more hackney carriages in Ipswich. The town, which currently has 121 taxis, is being pressed by the government to lift restrictions on the number of Ipswich taxis.

The borough council's report into the matter agrees restrictions should be lifted. But it suggests that any would-be taxis would have to be wheelchair-accessible in order to get their first hackney carriage licence. This would help fulfil the government requirement for Ipswich to bring in wheelchair-accessible taxis over a ten-year period from 2010 to 2020.

Eric Pearl, secretary of Ipswich Taxi Drivers Association, welcomed this as a way to stop a mass influx of new taxi drivers. He said: “This is what we have been expecting. “We are worried about deregulation, but it's unstoppable by the taxi trade or by the borough council.

“But councils did have the option to open it up to all vehicles, which would have caused World War Three with the taxi world. “We would have had 300 taxis trying to get on to Lloyds Avenue instead of around 100. This would have been a disaster and would have made it difficult for customers to get a taxi by telephone.

“Obviously they are not taking that route and we are pleased there are looking at this way forward. “The principle reason we support this recommendation is that the council have put the emphasis on the transition of the taxi fleet to wheelchair-accessible taxis over a period of time. It's good for the taxi trade and for the public.”

The borough council's licensing and regulatory committee is due to make its decision on taxi deregulation on Friday. The only way the borough council could retain the limit on taxi numbers is by proving and publishing that restriction is in the public interest. The independent study could cost up to £20,000 and would have to be repeated every three years.

The Office of Fair Trading has said that restricting the number of taxis can result in people waiting longer for taxis, using less suitable means of transport or having to join long waiting lists in order to become a taxi driver.

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IDFIMH

I don't agree with all this mush says, but he has spoken more sense in those few sentences re: the cab trade, than anyone from the T&G's Cab Section has ever spoke about anything.

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IDFIMH

lol sussex agreeing with scata?

whatever next

Captain cab

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

I think that SCATA have done a 180 degree U-turn.

Aren't they the shower that doesn't want WAVs, yet when councils issue new plates, they suddenly want them.

What's that word begginning with H?

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IDFIMH

Helicopter

Captain cab

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

I dont think so Sussex.

I think Mr Pearl is actually quite intelligent, he's successfully negotiated the best of what he considers a bad job.

Captain cab

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

However, If the reiver suggested it, i suspect he (or she) would be lambasted

Captain cab

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

Don't you mean he's negotiated the most self-serving of what he considers a bad job?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

ahh, so total delimitation with saloons is better?

lol TDO come on shuuuuun what did you expect me to say?

hehe

Captain cab

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

I prefer a level playing field, whatever the type of vehicle.



Come on now, if you suck up to SCATA, what do you expect me to say

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

I didnt suck up to SCATA, I said Mr Pearl was quite intelligent.

hehe

(good try though)

Captain cab

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

In keeping with this sites policy of informing the Taxi trade of the latest developments as they happen, as of 10-30 this morning Ipswich council removed restrictions in favour of a policy of unrestricted quality control.

The details are as follows.

1. Vehicle not to be more than 4 years old and must be wheelchair compliant.
2. Existing Hackney carriage proprietors can retain their original vehicle policy until such time the council and or Government decide otherwise.

This policy is in line with the current trend, which is laid out in detail in the restricted quota database, which can be downloaded from the Front page.

The number of councils who now practice a control of numbers policy is down to 111. Or 32.3%

Regards

JD