Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver prepares for court battle over cab limit

A TAXI driver hopes to take the council to court to force them to increase the number of black cabs on Edinburgh's streets.

For the past four years, city chiefs have refused to allow any more taxis on to the roads because they believe there is little unmet demand.

Jim Taylor, of Edinburgh, has now submitted an application for a new licence, which he expects the council to refuse - paving the way for a legal challenge.

"Council leaders tell us Edinburgh's economy is booming. However, no new taxi licences have been issued for around four years," he said.

"Meanwhile, there's been a four-fold expansion of the private hire fleet."

Mr Taylor, an outspoken critic of the licence "cap", also cited the new Lothian Buses taxi-bus service to the airport as evidence of the demand for more taxis.

Councillor Chris Wigglesworth, convener of the council's regulatory committee, said: "The council constantly monitors the demand for taxis and transport marshals will continue to do so over the festive period.

"The matter will then be considered again in the New Year."

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

And the comments of readers so far;

Ye still can never get a cab when you need one.
The current licence holders, many of whom are millionaires, need competition especially from enthusiastic folk like Mr. Taylor

Time for a competitive market, with a huge increase in licences and the ability to compete fares down. Then we would see if there is currently unmet demand.

Well Done Jim. You are one of the very few taxi drivers who admits there are not enough taxis on the road. I hope yours, and many other applications for a licence are successfull. Perhaps then, we can see market forces at work which will result in a fair price to the consumer. I also believe, with vastly cheaper and more numerous taxis on the road that more people will use taxis and your (albeit astronomical) earnings will not suffer. Lets just hope that the usual band of sellfish, lazy, rude taxi drivers don't scupper this progress with their "I'm alright jack" mentality.

More cabs will have no effect on fares. These are set by the Council. Competition issues won't come into it at all. The only benefit would be that you might actually manage to get a cab if there were more.

you lot are forgetting about the wee tailor who will lose out. who else is he going to make wee black masks for

Unless it's raining or late at night Edinburgh seems to be overrun with Cabs looking for a fare. Private hire cabs have taken up a lot of the market and are generally a lot more comfy as well and don't have those annoying TVs that seem to be fitted into some black cabs. This seems to be one of those one man crusades which will cause pointless legal expense for the council payer. Do private hire or become a bus driver and get on with your life please

In the last two years the C.E.C spends tens of thousands of pounds losing legal cases in an attempt to stop driver’s owning their own cabs, and then launch a taxi - bus service to the tune of £300,000 – you have got to be having a laugh.

Taxi plates are changing hands for over 50K each and yet the council claim there’s no demand – what planet are they on?

Give the guys their plates.

C'mon at least it's not ANOTHER story about a taxi driver moani...hang on, well at least he's not moaning about private hir....oh, emm ah, well at least he's not having a go at the counci...aw for f*ck sake - blo*dy taxi drivers.

There's plenty taxis on the road - just not at the right time. They roam around and sit empty in ranks during the day and are nowhere to be seen after midnight when public transport shuts down. They should make it a condition of their liecens that they must have at least 50% of the taxis on the road between midnight and 6am... or give private hire cars the ability to ply for hire openly instead of just "by phone".

The council keeps the number of taxis at the minimum that they think is required and the fares at amongst the highest in Britain (if not the world) it makes me think that some of our councillors are driving taxis on the side. No surely not, our councillors have to much integrity for that.

Councillor Chris Wigglesworth needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Why do you need transport marshals if no one is waiting on taxis? This must be the demand that doesn't exist.

Good one Chris, how much is this little lot costing the Edinburgh Public?

You lot are barking!

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

Many of whom are millionaires? WTF

CC

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

Does anybody actually know of any cases where fares have ever went down in price as a result of more licenses?

These people are mental, truly mental.

Just think, if they issue enough licenses taxi drivers will take people home for free!

FFS

CC

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

Publicity in tonight's Evening News in Edinburgh. Check out the comments from the public after the article.

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinb ... 1782922006

The momentum is gathering.

I don't know of any fares that have gone down, but I bet once a council has de-limited most don't go up as fast as they would if they stayed restricted.

Good luck Jim, I'm quite sure the right people are behind you.

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IDFIMH

I think it would be worth the time and effort to see if there is any link or differences between fares in regulated areas and fares in delimited areas.

Fares here I would say are quite high compared to the rest of the County, and we're delimited. We're on £2.00 per mile day rate, whereas Barrow in Furness who are regulated are running on £1.70 per mile.

I suppose the fact that Cities in general are more expensive than smaller towns is a factor, regardless of the issue of licenses.

CC

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

Is this not the same Mr Taylor who previously had a cab licence and sold it on at a vast profit?

Ahh now that was a strange comment to make

http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=1782922006

CC

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

I'm pretty sure Mr Taylor has never been a taxi owner.

But have a good feeling that will change soon.

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IDFIMH

maybe but his alter egO mR sKULL used to have two plates, he was and still is the original taxi baron cartel operating baron

Well let's see you start a campaign to stop drivers having more than one plate each, and stop the transfers of licenses.

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IDFIMH

or just profiteer from it all

I can confirm that I have never owned a taxi licence before.

Perhaps its relevant to pint out that the reason for this application, at this time, is to bring about modernisation of the taxi trade using the council's own rules of engagement. We're playing it their way. This should be within their comfort zone.

The first thing I'm going to say to the Sheriff on appeal is that I apologise for coming to court to represent myself, because I can't afford to play according to the rules demanded by the legislation which force those like me to pay inordinate amounts of cash, which we don't have, just to achieve justice.

Then I'm going to take the argument to the Scottish Executive and ask why the full weight of the justice system is used to deny licence holders their rights.

Thank you for clearing the plate issue up.

You state; Then I'm going to take the argument to the Scottish Executive and ask why the full weight of the justice system is used to deny licence holders their rights.

do you mean purely in respects of appeals of plates?

Because if you do the system is to the advantage (in England anyway) of the applicant.

CC

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

No CC, I'm referring to the disciplinary process.

Here in Scotland, councils use the means of suspension of licence as a punishment. This is not provided for in the legislation, which allows councils to determine that a licence holder is not a fit and proper person to hold a licence. I have no objection to this.

However this is used by councils to pass myriad sentences of suspension on licence holders as a temporary punishment. There is not only no provision for this in legislation, there is no table of sentences, and no right of appeal within the process. This is a breach of natural justice.

because no one has hitherto challenged the councils in their interpretation of the law, they have ridden roughshod over the trade, knowing full well that the only recourse was through the courts. Of course, who could afford to do this. Most felt it was better to take the punishment rather than incur the huge course in defending oneself. This is the way our councils operate. This is democracy in action?

When the plate issue is resolved, this is next.

The message to the council, all councils, is, you're time is up. You will behave responsibly. You will stop treating taxi licensing as your own persoanl fiefdom. You will be held to account for your actions.