Taxi Driver Online

Bournemouth Taxi Association fears over new bill to cut red tape for drivers


Taxi deregulation is a "charter for rapists, thieves and paedophiles"

CONTROVERSIAL plans to cut red tape for taxi and private hire drivers have been slammed as “a charter for thieves, rapists and paedophiles.”

The stinging criticism from the chairman of Bournemouth Taxi Association, John Tye, comes as Dorset’s PCC, Martyn Underhill, prepares to fight the changes currently going through Parliament.

He believes if they go ahead it could risk increasing the incidents of people being raped and sexually assaulted after a night out.

Currently, only licensed private hire drivers can get behind the wheel of a marked private hire vehicle; drivers have to be relicensed and there are restrictions on vehicles operating across local authority boundaries.

But under the Deregulation Bill, the limited safeguards are to be swept away, despite widespread opposition.

And in a bid to try and prevent the much-feared changes, Mr Underhill has joined forces with PCCs across England and Wales to lobby Ken Clarke to remove a series of measures from the Deregulation Bill.

The concerns are backed by licensing officials, police, the taxi trade and organisations that work with victims of rape and sexual assault.

The group is calling on the government to ensure that people can be “Be Sure, Be Safe” when getting into a private hire cab.

It follows two high-profile court cases concerning taxi drivers committing sexual offences.

In 2009, former Bournemouth taxi driver John Worboys was jailed indefinitely for drugging and sexually assaulting female passengers.

And last year, Bournemouth cabbie Terence Collins was jailed for 16 years after raping a 14-year-old girl and 20-year-old woman.

Mr Underhill said: “People need to be sure that when they get into a marked private hire vehicle they know it’s genuine and driven by a licensed operator.

“These new measures put people at risk which is why we have written to Ken Clarke, to urge him to introduce a dedicated Taxi Bill.”

John Tye, chairman of Bournemouth Taxi Association, said: “I would put it to Parliament that it is a charter for thieves, rapists and paedophiles.

“That may seem extreme but that is an understatement, especially in Bournemouth considering our nightlife.

“You are going to have young girls trying to find a taxi and putting themselves at risk through no fault of their own.

“The Government will be putting them at risk. It’s insanity.”

The issue is being discussed at a meeting of Bournemouth council’s licensing board this morning.

source: http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/1 ... ?ref=var_0

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

ERM> both of these people appear to have been licensed. So the changes would not have stopped them.

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Grandad,

the police and TFL failed with worboys

Bournemouth council were warned about Collins by various members of the Bournemouth taxi trade

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

Clearly it would not have stopped them but to enable others without licenses to procure victims by default is even more foolish imo

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

But by citing irrelevant situations just makes the people making the comments look stupid. IMO

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Grandad,

The changes will make no difference, and I'm really surprised people who are usually on the ball are having kittens over this.

The vast majority, if not all, of sexual assault that relate to our trade are undertaken by licensed drivers in licensed vehicles, or unlicensed drivers in unlicensed vehicles.

As I mentioned above the proposed changes will not effect that one iota.

But will save the PH trade millions.

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IDFIMH

do you have a source for that snippet?

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

It is in the article regarding the amendments to the deregulation bill.

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Grandad,

I'm not sure, I've heard figures banded about - but I don't have a source.

Considering there are thousands of PHV's in England & Wales - and considering some drivers are married, some drivers aren't married some drivers are married but their wives don't drive - I just wondered where the figures come from - I mean the government stated the figures and I wonder if they are made up or factually based.

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

Only the bleeding obvious.

There are about 200-250,000 PH vehicles/drivers in the country, at a guess.

If only 10% of those didn't now need to have a second car for the other half, then I would say the millions quote is accurate.

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IDFIMH

I love the use of the word 'if' - you should use it in conjunction with 'maybe', 'at a guess' and the classic 'a bloke down the pub told me'

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

And that works both ways. What evidence is there to say that more assaults and rapes WILL happen? maybe, at a guess?

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Grandad,

Well the if is only because no one will ever know, in fact I think it will be more than 10%.

I'm almost certain that locally more than 1 in 10 PH set-ups will benefit.

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IDFIMH

that's true - we only have to wait and see - and hope it doesn't

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

Irrelevant

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!