Taxi Driver Online

Shropshire Council pushing for taxi licence review

A root-and-branch review into taxi licensing is needed at a national level, according to Shropshire Council bosses.

The authority says it is backing calls from the Local Government Association (LGA) for a review into the private hire taxi industry.

It comes after concern from the council which says vehicles licensed by other authorities are operating in the county.

Some say it can be a public safety issue as drivers registered elsewhere do not have to work under the same conditions and restrictions.

Frances Darling, trading standards and licensing operations manager for the council, believes change is needed at a national level.

She says loopholes in the Deregulation Act allow operators to sub-contract jobs to drivers licensed elsewhere in the country.

She added that this needed to be looked at to make the issue of enforcement easier for councils and to protect local firms.

“There were a couple of elements of the act that allow operators to sub-contract so jobs can be booked through a Shropshire-based operator but sub-contracted to others who may not be licensed by Shropshire Council,” she said.

“It potentially is taking business away from operators here and I do have sympathy.

“I suspect the Government looks at it from the point of view of generating market forces and better customer service and generating choice for customers, but it can have an impact on local business.

“We work very closely with other councils but around enforcement the practicalities are not helped by the situation we have.”

She said that enforcement action has to be referred to the authority which has licensed a vehicle or driver, meaning an extra step in the process.

She said: “A national approach to the legislation would be helpful along with national enforcement powers so that it does not matter if the driver is licensed by Shropshire Council or another.

“We are really doing a root and branch look at the legislation to get the changes that are needed.

“The LGA is supporting that approach and that message is given to government.”

Telford & Wrekin Council says it is concerned as drivers not licensed by them operating in the borough are not subject to conditions imposed to maximise public safety.

source: http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/poli ... ce-review/

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

It comes after concern from the council which says vehicles licensed by other authorities are operating in the county.

I think the number of counties where that DOESN'T Happen can be counted on one hand

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

If only we could get someone to look into the mass of laws and regulations we have.

I wonder if the Law Commission would help us out.

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IDFIMH

Frances Darling must be the modern sleeping beauty wonder which prince kissed her to wake her up,she is repeating what everyone warned what would happen with the deregulation of x border hiring.

Passenger choice is totally removed in allowing sub contracting of bookings,Passenger makes a booking with the operator they wish to travel with,that operator then sub contracts the booking to someone else(private hire or hackney carriage),Passenger does not use who ever turns up under the sub contracting for various reasons,where does this leave the passenger not forgetting the original operator retains full responsibility for fulfilling the booking.
Where is passenger choice,it is non existent under the Deregulation Act passenger choice has been totally removed.

Maybe ??

But what about the TUC ?

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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

I don't think so I doubt EVERY firm in a given district is using the same subcontractor

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

Under the deregulation act an operator who uses a subcontractor must inform the customer beforehand. The customer can always say "NO" in the same way that they can refuse certain drivers.

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Grandad,

An operator does not have to inform the passenger that a subcontractor is being used.

The original question of passenger choice has not been answered.

It was my understanding that this was the case, however if you say different then so be it.
If I had ordered a cab from the company of my choice and got a cab from another company, it would be the last time I used that company unless there was a very good reason.

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Grandad,