Taxi Driver Online

Drivers in court over taxi colour

Five taxi drivers from the Medway towns are taking the local authority to court in a row over the colour of their cars. They want magistrates to overrule a decision by Medway Council to only issue licences for white vehicles.

The council says a fixed colour will improve safety, quality and identity but drivers have said this is unfair. Ralph Jouxson, chairman of the Medway Taxi Drivers Association, said there was no other colour choice and a long waiting list to order a white taxi.

"The council started it as a corporate image, and then they dropped that because they lost city status for Rochester, and they came up with the idea of safety," he said.

Since last November, the council has only been issuing licences to drivers with white vehicles. Drivers of other coloured taxis have been issued a letter allowing them to continue driving pending the outcome of the court case.

If the council wins Wednesday's action at Medway Magistrates' Court, licensed drivers will be given six weeks to get a white vehicle. But Mr Jouxson said: "The problem with white cars is there is anything up to a three-month waiting list... they're a specialised order."

Taxi drivers want the council to allow some coloured cars and have claimed the authority has failed to listen to their concerns. They have also claimed that neighbouring areas with white taxis could poach their customers. Nobody from Medway Council was available for comment ahead of the court hearing.

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IDFIMH

Someone should introduce these guys to TDO and inform them about the Durhamn and Stockport cases?

Regards

JD

Having read an article from 2004 I think it may be the colour white they object to and not necessarily the imposition of one particular colour.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 921520.stm

Regards

JD

Sussex I have searched all the forum for the case re: Stockport, do you have a link?

Here's one, Durham, look at para heading, Durham magistrates court, but it says it went to appeal
http://www.tapin2taxis.co.uk/court-cases.asp

Stockport is not on the forum, I have still to type it up. Sorry your seasrch was in vain.

The case has been mentioned on TDO but the actual report has not yet been typed up, I dont have time to do it anytime soon, was it important to you or did you just wan't to read as a matter of interest?

Regards

JD

Was it about the colour or about signage?

Maybe these links will help out a tad.

http://www.stockportexpress.co.uk/news/ ... e_box.html

http://www.stockportexpress.co.uk/news/ ... olved.html

http://www.stockportexpress.co.uk/news/ ... hreat.html

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IDFIMH

Well found Sussex.

The bottom line is that the case went to court and the council lost. I think you will find most of these types of cases turn on what is deemed reasonable.

Most council at one time or another will try and get away with imposing unlawful regulations on the trade, it is having the resolve to do something about it that matters.

Regards

JD

Once again thanks for a quick response. No it is not urgent I was just curious.

Thanks

Hey Sussex, whats the point of having white cabs if you cannot wash them, someone could buy a brown one and no one would notice

Part of me thinks councils want white cars cos there are precious few second-hand ones, thus when drivers have to replace them they must buy new.

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IDFIMH

It’s the same old story, the act of enforcing observance of or obedience to the will of the council. Not so much the change in itself but how its applied.

The council wants to change something and out comes the big stick.

Well does everyone observe their omnipotent power?

Do you feel compelled to bend to their will?


Don't you have trade representative getting the council told like we have in Edinburgh?

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

all taxis in b&h have to be white with green bonnet and boot.
looks really nice.

I wondered if you were perhaps searching for the information as to why the wrong NTA legal advice leading up to this court case cost Stockport cabbies 4 grand? Its a good job they got sound advice from the Manchester TODA solicitor?

Regards

JD