Taxi Driver Online

Bury black-cab drivers may protest at Christmas



BLACK-CAB drivers could protest over the festive period if crisis talks between Bury Council and drivers’ representatives fail.

That is the stark warning from Charles Oakes, chairman of The Hackney Drivers Association Ltd, who claims relations with Town Hall bosses on vehicle issues have turned sour.

Mr Oakes, who represents 105 black-cab drivers in the borough, wants the council’s licensing committee to consider changing the controversial five-point rule.

The rule states that vehicles aged six years or over cannot be used as taxis if they fail more than five elements on their MoT.

Mr Oakes claims it is unfair because the same rules are not applied to private hire vehicles and one in 10 of those are the same make and model as black cabs Mr Oakes said: “These private hire vehicles could get to eight or nine years and still be used even if they need lots of repairs, whereas a vehicle that is exactly the same make and model that happens to be a black cab could be much younger and in much better shape and fail. Where is the sense?”

He added: “The end result is that drivers’ livelihoods are put at risk because they end up stuck with cars that are five years old and they can’t make a living. It’s putting people out of work.”

However, Bury Council bosses maintain that the current rules are steadfast and keep taxi passengers safe.

Mr Oakes said he has referred the issue to the Local Government Ombudsman in the hope of breaking the stalemate.

He is meeting with local authority leaders next Tuesday and says that, if there is not significant progress towards exploring an alternative to the five-fault rule, his drivers will protest.

“It could be a go-slow protest drive through the town centre, or it could be a significant withdrawal of services over the Christmas period. We are considering all options,” said Mr Oakes.

He added: “We’ve threatened action for so long but never followed through. Now could be the time.”

The licensing committee chairman, Cllr David Jones, said: “We do want to help drivers where it is reasonable.

“In June this year, the five-fault rule was amended to make passing the test more achievable in respect of bodywork and paintwork damage.

“The first priority of us as a licensing authority is that taxi customers travel in safety and comfort.”

source: http://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/1084534 ... Christmas/

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

wtf is a number of faults rule?

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

Seem to remember meeting you there Capt BURY a complete karsie evidently populated by numbskulls

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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

An MOT is either a pass or a fail, there's no allowing one or two (or five) faults through.

Unless what they mean is if the vehicle fails on five elements you cannot have it repaired and re-tested, it's off for good. Or are they getting mixed up between the actual MOT and the additional council quality standards check ?

they mean that

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

Who's going to be stupid enough to submit a vehicle for testing without making sure it has no faults knowing that if it fails it's off for good ?

I've never had any car fail an MOT on more than two faults, would have to be pretty knackered to have five.

A driver wouldn't be stupid, IMO, to present a vehicle for a MOT that has a few faults, but he would be f***ing stupid if he presented a cab to this council's MOT testers if he hadn't already had it checked professionally.

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IDFIMH

any Hackney over 6 years old who as a test and fail on 5 or more faults they will not relicense the vehcile, how ever this is for HACKNEYS only.

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C. Oakes


The Hackney Association Ltd
bbha@btinternet.com

What exactly do you want the council to do? Do you want them to remove the condition from the Hackneys ir do you want them to put the same condition on the Private Hire?
Be careful what you wish for because if your idea is to get both types of vehicle to be tested the same then I would guess that you will not get it the way you would like.

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Grandad,

Don't they do a pre test up there where you can take the vehicle for a pre test and get all the faults rectified before the test?