Taxi Driver Online

Obviously this issue has been mentioned in several Glasgow threads recently, but particularly here where the licensing convener called for more *criminal prosecutions*:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33243

However, that threat got sidetracked slightly on the issue of HC/PH ratios, so a new one here, although there's nothing particularly new here other than that they're trying to do something about it - same old, same old...

Tougher taxi pirating laws to be introduced in Glasgow

https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glas ... d-15910515

In the past five years a total of 108 private hire car drivers, across Glasgow, had their licence suspended for pirating by the city council.

Tougher laws could be introduced to expose private hire car drivers in Glasgow who pirate fares and charge extortionate amounts of money for journeys.

Ministers at Westminster are currently working on a bill to address issues within the licensing trade and protect public health and safety.

In the past five years a total of 108 private hire car drivers, across Glasgow, had their licence suspended for pirating by the city council.

In 2014, 14 people were caught pirating. This increased to 17 in 2015. There was a slight dip to 11 in 2016 but figures climbed to 34 in 2017 and 32 in 2018.

Councillor Alex Wilson, chair of the Licensing Committee, believes the issue is more widespread than it seems and tougher laws could be the answer to catching more perpetrators.”

He attended a conference in London this week to talk about the problem and has arranged a meeting to speak to the Scottish Government.

Pirating is where a private hire car driver picks up passengers off the street who have not booked in advance.

Drivers often charge them a higher fare than they would have, had the lift been properly arranged through a booking system.

Those who commit this offence invalidate their insurance and breach their licence terms.

Mr Wilson said: “The problem is more widespread than it seems. These are figures from the council’s enforcement officers so the number could well be higher.

“Ministers at Westminster are currently working on a Bill that would address concerns with the licensing trade and protect public health and safety.

“If it is passed it will hopefully give licensing boards more powers to crack down on the problem. This would hopefully mean tougher introducing tougher sanctions.

“But this idea is in the very early stages. I think more will be done when we speak to the Scottish Government.”

At the meeting in London pirating and licensing issues across the country were compared.

Mr Wilson continued: “Glasgow is ahead of the game and we are leading the way in tackling the issue, but pirating is not an issue unique to Glasgow.”

He added he doesn’t think they have enough enforcement officers patrolling the streets and would like to see more.

Councillor Wilson said: “At the end of the day pirating is not just a council issue and I don’t think it is fair to say it is the council’s fault. We cannot enforce every single street in Glasgow.

“The chairwoman of Licensing at Edinburgh has contacted the Scottish Government to see of there is anything they can do. If we work together we can put pressure on them to make sure tougher penalties for pirating are introduced and for others who break the law.”

The issue is hardly new, and the Scottish Parliament has had two major reviews of the legislation in the last 15 years or so, and can't recall any changes being made.







Backhanded swipe at police and prosecutors there, I suspect, particularly in view of his comments in an earlier piece about the need for more criminal prosecutions rather than simply a licensing issue.

But he's right that it's all about enforcement on the streets, and if there was more of that then the current sanctions would be adequate, because drivers wouldn't think they would get away with it so easily.

And perhaps a bit more action rather than fannying about at conferences in London and meetings with other people who seem keen to effectively shift the blame onto others.

And there was me thinking Scotland has the powers to set their own rules and not rely on the Mother country to help.

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IDFIMH

I get that they can't be everywhere, but they are the ones with the powers to act, and the duty to act.

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IDFIMH

Well, precisely

But a nice wee junket to London, then calls to the great and good of the Scottish Parliament to do their stuff, which they've obviously failed to do since its inception twenty years ago.

Yet the convener can still say this about Glasgow (and what does this say about other LAs as well?)

Because more crap spews out of Holyrood than an there is from an overflowing septic tank.