Taxi Driver Online

Can anything be done to close the loop hole? Up and down the country these people are causing mayhem, yet the government turns a blind eye in the name of competition and free markets.

Why do you say "loophole"? Vehicles that are on a taxi rank when they shouldn't be are not exploiting any loophole. They are breaking the law and that is down to the Council and/or the police.

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Grandad,

It's the out of town taxis pretending to be private hire in another district loophole grandad

That isn't a loophole. That is the law.

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Grandad,

What ever it is, it's a very poorly thought out law

It has been there for a long time.

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Grandad,

I know its a poor law

None of the vehicles were Hackney carriages licensed by Oxford City Council and therefore should not have been waiting at the rank in the first place.

they can be pirate hire in oxford but NOT Hackney

was the crash deliberate ?

“They are always outside the bars and clubs waiting to pick people up.”

sounds like your enforcement team need to be a little more proactive

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

Guy lost his temper when asked to move by station master, they're out of town hackneys working as private hire

to avoid clicking the link and it stays on TDO forever

Crash sparks warning over 'out-of-town' taxis touting for business at city ranks


BLACK cab drivers have warned revellers to steer clear of ‘out-of-town’ taxis over the Christmas period after an incident which left a driver in hospital.

A cabbie was taken to the John Radcliffe on Sunday morning after a collision involving three vehicles at the taxi rank at Oxford Railway station.

None of the vehicles were Hackney carriages licensed by Oxford City Council and therefore should not have been waiting at the rank in the first place.

Eyewitness and licensed Oxford hackney carriage driver Darran Beal said: “One of our licensed drivers walked over to chat to the other driver as he knew one of them and they shouldn’t be there.

“Suddenly there was a large bang and he had been hit and was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

He added: “It’s getting out of hand, when I go to work on Fridays and Saturdays there are more out of town taxis compared to Oxford City Council licensed cabs.
“They are always outside the bars and clubs waiting to pick people up.”

Great Western Railway - which runs the station - confirmed the crash took place at its customer drop-off point and British Transport Police said it was investigating the circumstances of the collision just before 8.30am.

Under Oxford City Council licensing rules, only Hackney Carriage vehicles licensed by Oxford City Council can pick up from the city’s ranks and carry passengers without a booking.

Sajad Khan, secretary of the City of Oxford Licensed Taxicab Association - which represents drivers of 107 black cabs in the city - said cars were coming from as far as Birmingham.

He said: “Thousands of revellers are set to be out and about in Oxford during Christmas and especially New Year’s Eve.

“Passengers must be aware of the illegal touting that’s going on and reminded that the Private Hire vehicle or taxis licensed outside of Oxford are not allowed to pick up passengers if hailed.

“If they do they will be doing it illegally which makes their insurance invalid.”

Those licensed by Oxford City Council provides passengers with insurance cover against accidents, but vehicles licensed outside the city may only cover customers for bookings.

- Private Hire vehicles and Hackney Carriages not licensed by Oxford City Council cannot access the city’s 13 taxi ranks.

Taxi marshals are hired by Oxford City Council to reduce ‘illegal pick ups’ and ‘touting for business’ by taxis not licensed to take passengers.
Every driver pulling up at a rank must show their badge to identify they are licensed by Oxford City Council.

Only Hackney Carriages licensed by Oxford City Council can be hired immediately - at a rank or by hailing one down - without pre-booking.

For information visit www.oxford.gov.uk

source: http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/149766 ... ity_ranks/

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

I'm struggling to understand why the council aren't prosecuting for illegally plying for hire.

If PH vehicles are waiting either on or adjacent to an adopted taxi rank, then it's plying for hire.

Case law is quite extensive on this matter.

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IDFIMH

http://taxicaselaw.blogspot.co.uk/2012/ ... g.html?m=1

Maybe the council just want the easy life, lots of case law but they seem not to be interested.

Eastbourne case springs to mind

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

It seems to me that councils throughout the country are not enforcing anything at the moment, probably because they've used the ring fenced money for something else or because, as is normal practice, they intend to say the system is broken and needs to be put in to private company hands.

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