Taxi Driver Online

Glasgow taxi drivers call for tougher punishments for illegal pick-ups

GLASGOW taxi drivers are calling for tougher laws against pirating to be introduced in the city.

They believe pirating, where private hire car drivers pick someone up off the street who hasn’t pre-booked a lift, should be made a criminal offence leading to court action instead of appearing at the council’s licensing committee.

Taxi drivers are asking the City Council to look at measures taken in England, including Birmingham, where an enforcement officer works with police to catch cab drivers committing offences.

Representatives from the local authority will attend the Taxi and PHV Licensing Policy Updates and Best Practices conference in London at the end of the month to discuss how situations like these can be prevented.

Speaking about the issue Steven Grant, secretary of the Glasgow CAB Section of Unite the Union, said: “In Glasgow there is a lot of potential for crime. Drivers who pirate ask people for ridiculous sums of money.

“When you see them in front of the licensing committee for pirating, they are not even being charged with a criminal offence.

“We don’t believe a four-week suspension is enough and does not act as a deterrent. But if someone gets six penalty points on their licence for pirating they are less likely to do it again.”

Calum Anderson, chairman of the Glasgow CAB Section, added: “These people are willing to break the law and the council know this is a problem.

“This is something which needs addressed. We believe taking those who pirate to court is the way forward.

“Most motorists have three penalty points on their licence. If private hire drivers are caught pirating and given six more penalty points as a result, they won’t be able to get insurance to allow them to drive.

“We don’t think we will stamp it out completely but tougher punishments may act as a deterrent.”

Councillor Alex Wilson will attend a conference in London which looks at the latest changes to licensing policy as well as discussing public safety and what other measures can be taken to improve this.

Mr Wilson said: “It is not our job to limit the number of private hires, it is our job to protect public health and safety. I am attending the conference in London this month.

“We will be looking to see what is and isn’t working. “

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IDFIMH

So four weeks without pay is not a deterrent?

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IDFIMH

Well let's just make things up as we go along?

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IDFIMH

Slight conflict of view there. The secretary thinks six points would simply be a deterrent to doing it again, while the chairman thinks culprits would be un-insurable and thus unable to work in the trade at all.

But suspect the chairman's point is complete nonsense anyway.

A fuller quote on another website is:



Scottish councils can cap both HC and PH numbers, so not obvious what the relevance of the distinction here is, except that it reflects the status quo - ie HCs capped, PH unlimited.

so much drivel in such a sort space of time,


very rarely will you see a first offence pirate handed a 4 week suspension - Glasgow council are soft on piracy. and generally couldnt give a monkeys about any side of the trade unless someones giving them a shoeing over something in which case they will pay lip service to it for a week or 2.

enforcement are almost non existent especially at weekends


and protecting public health and safety my backside- especially when you look at the nature of the convictions of some ph and hc drivers licenced in Glasgow. and as for insurance since when did an increase in premium stop people getting insurance, two of my drivers are currently sitting on 9 points and still driving PH in Glasgow I dont even think the increase in insurance was that high, couple of hundred a year more at most.


the HC trade in Glasgow is struggling just like the PH trade is up here and they've had a fare increase passed which didnt seem to go down well with the public, so its the usual deflect attention attitude. The problem is the trade has moved on in the last 10 years, no one wants to stand in a queue at a rank on a cold February night getting vomited on or having to put up with idiots fighting each other, Sit in the bar book on an app and have another drink. job done.The publics approach to obtaining PH and HC services are changing and if Glasgows cabbies cant move with the times then their going to be entering a whole new world of pain over the coming years. regardless of how loudly they shout blaming others

So you advocate those people who are the no ones of this world which includes those vomiting and fighting at the RANK to just stay in the pub,have another drink,get you car through the app then throw up once on board.

well I suppose that would be one way to nobble the competition

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