Taxi Driver Online

Paint them all the same colour.


Cabbies furious at ‘bullying’ council

TAXI drivers are seeing red after being ordered by "bullying" councillors to paint all their cabs the same colour. Following last week's decision, trade bodies representing 90 per cent of cabbies in Welwyn and Hatfield issued an angry statement.

In it they say they are "disgusted by the way in which Welwyn Hatfield Council thinks that it can impose unfair restrictions on our business without proper consultation".

From April all newly-licensed Hackney Carriage cabs - which can pick people up from the rank - will be coloured silver with a maroon stripe. And all private hire vehicles - those that can only be pre-ordered - will be dark blue. The cabs will also have Welwyn Hatfield Council's crest on the back doors.

But the proposals were blasted at a special meeting of the council's environment committee, when around 30 cabbies turned out to tell councillors what they thought of the idea.

Andy James, a cabbie for 25 years, asked the committee: "Has any member of the public ever complained to the council that they can't distinguish a taxi in this district?"

Another cabbie, who has driven for five years in the area, added: "What makes us different from other towns like Letchworth or Stevenage? "It's going to cost the public and us, in the long run it's going to be difficult to earn a decent living."

Committee chairman Keith Pieri said: "One, it's safety for the public and two, it's a matter of identity, uniformity and professionalism. "We have just become a borough and we should make efforts to look like a borough."

Councillor Jacqui Russell said she thought the consultation had not been carried out properly. She and Labour colleague councillor Colin Croft both abstained from the vote. The plans were approved and will now be recommended to cabinet for ratification.

In their statement issued this week, the cabbies say: "We believe that crucial advice given by the chief legal services officer to members of the council was flawed.

"The trade also finds the way that Welwyn Hatfield Council employs bullying and antagonistic techniques totally alien to our democratic society.

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IDFIMH

I wonder how much consultation there was?

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

http://coins.welhat.gov.uk/commhtml/sub/4612.asp

CC

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

There seems to have been consultation for over 1 year, although it seems fairly apparent the local trade thought the 'Taxi Quality Partnership' was nothing more than a talking shop.

CC

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

Contact Aubrey Issaacson Solicitor. He is based in Manchester. He fought and won a case in Stockport where the council tried to impose a GREEN cab colour.

It cost the council over £27000 in legal fees and has set a precedent. They cannot do this.

JD the regular on this forum may have the full case details by now

The matter of a colour policy is also being consulted on here in Gateshead.

Some discussion has already taken place, and a consultation paper has been sent out to get the views of the trade individually ................ the answers will be diverse to say the least.

I am not aware of a court ruling removing the right of a council to implement policies they regard as within the interest of public safety .......... but some of the more legally minded people on here may be able to furnish us with that information.

The general consensus up here seems to support a policy where the front and rear bumpers are painted a specific colour leading to a specified body colour in the longer term ................... however I must point out that in order to get the support of the trade on such an issue certain other policy changes would need to introduced to properly distinguish HC from PH.

Another result we await with much interest, as my personal view is different from the majority.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

Published: 5th September 2001
Taxi drivers prepare to take green 'black cab' fight to the High Court



FUMING cabbies will fight the council's green 'black cab' scheme all the way to the High Court.

Stockport Owner Drivers Association has taken legal advice over plans to make all black cabs Sherwood Green - the council's corporate colour.

Now its solicitor has written to the council asking it to reverse the plan or face a challenge in the high court.

Drivers say it will cost around £2,000 to spray their cars plus the loss of lucrative adverts to make way for gold council crests.

They also claim people will not be able to tell the difference between dark green and black in the dark anyway.

Solicitor Aubrey Isaacson said: "Stockport Council can't use its powers to create a corporate image at the expense of others.

"If they go ahead with their decision we will take them to the High Court to get them stopped.

"But we are hoping they will give Sherwood Green the red card before it goes that far."

Mr Isaacson said the council could also be breaching the European Convention of Human Rights by forcing cabbies to fork out.

Steve Hulme, spokesman for the Owner Drivers Association, said: "We have got a good case and we hope the council takes our points into account and reconsiders this folly.

"If they continue they will be held up to ridicule. This is a total waste of money and we feel it is not possibly in the public interest."

The scheme was passed on August 20 but could be reversed by the environment and economic development committee tomorrow night.

Cabbies and their solicitor hope to speak at the meeting.

A council spokeswoman said: "Councillors will consider all aspects of the scheme including comments received as part of the consultation process. The letter will be considered as part of that."




First published by the Stockport Express

It got to court and the drivers won