Taxi Driver Online

Black cab drivers could be getting illegal state aid

Drivers of the capital’s 25,000 black cabs could be illegally receiving state aid, according to the Court of Appeal.

The ruling could ultimately mean the right to use London's roads could be decided across the Channel in a Luxembourg-based court


Part of minicab operator Addison Lee’s legal battle to win the same rights to use bus lanes as London’s iconic black taxis is heading for the European Court of Justice after the British court asked for a ruling on European anti-competition law.

The court has requested a European ruling on whether “making a bus lane on a public road available to black cabs but not minicabs, during the hours of operation of that bus lane, involves the use of ‘State resources’ of Article 107 (1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union”.

This is the section of the European Treaty originally intended to stop member nations from illegally supporting their major industries to give them advantages over other nations It was used to force RBS to sell hundreds of bank branches as a condition of its huge state bail-out during the financial crisis.

The ruling could ultimately mean the right to use London’s roads could be decided across the Channel in the Luxembourg-based court.

Addison Lee, through its subsidiary Eventech, has been fighting with Transport for London (TfL) for several years to win equal rights to black cabs. In April the battle reached the Court of Appeal with a ruling now awaited.

However, only in recent weeks have documents been officially released which revealed the court wanted a European decision on state aid.

A spokesman for Addison Lee said: “We are pleased that the matter has been referred to the European Courts as we believe that the current legislation is a breach of the EU and UK law. You can’t discriminate between two types of taxis and we are pleased to have the opportunity to continue the fight against this injustice.”

TfL was unavailable for comment.

source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/news ... e-aid.html

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

This is the section of the European Treaty originally intended to stop member nations from illegally supporting their major industries to give them advantages over other nations It was used to force RBS to sell hundreds of bank branches as a condition of its huge state bail-out during the financial crisis.

so are AL arguing that British businesses i.e. the London cabs are precventing foreign competition Addison lee from taking over the UK market

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

There aren't two types of taxi.

Minicabs are not taxis.

End of.

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

It's like comparing Becks and Tescos own brand.

correction, its like comparing becks to......errm feck all

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

Or a skoda to a hackney .......... !

Of course, Addison Lee need to be carful what they wish for. The way these things work they may well get a ruling that says that Hackneys and PH must be treated the same and this would probably result in the Hackneys not being able to use the bus lanes and the PH having to do the knowlege test.

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Grandad,

I will be checking your bins if I ever get an invite to one of your party's, just to make sure it is becks and not you buying cheap and swapping the labels

Just wondering could this rule apply to the London congestion area,??
Being the fact that some can use it for free, only if they buy a green vehicle or are a taxi or minicab

I have heard that the GMB are demanding equality either both in or both out ...............seems perfectly correct to me



now i'm running for cover ...............................GBC will have me bollox on this one

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All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

But he only said that to wind your lot up.

However the EU court wont be hung up on that fine minutia, they will consider the issue that matters i.e. is it within EU laws to allow one business free access whilst not allowing a similar business likewise.

The only difference between the two is the method one gains the work.

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IDFIMH

So a Rother licensed cab, where no knowledge is taken, even of Rother, is in your words a Becks that allows free access to the bus lanes?

Whereas a £50,000 Merc London licensed PH is a Tesco variety.

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IDFIMH

It's not the licensing criteria that is being challenged, but the Transport criteria.

As I alluded to above all the time hackneys from around the country (including those Skodas) are allowed free access to the bus lanes TfL are going to lose, IMO.

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IDFIMH

Shame they don't apply that in respect of taxi restrictions.

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IDFIMH