GA wrote:
As a person who rarely changes their opinion or retracts statements on the understanding that he believes in what he said, I draw the attention of the gentleman to his first statement within the thread
http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/vie ... t=carlisle where he stated he could make head nor tail of the situation.
I suggest and make the proposal that his stance should have remained as it was in 2005 when HE first had a conversation with Wayne Casey regarding this matter.
What is patently obvious is that myself and probably 99.9% of the UK public knew absolutely nothing about this illegal condition. In fact looking at that particular thread back in 2005 my opening remarks were of bewilderment? When I came across the story in 2005 I stated the following.
Anyone have any idea what's going on here in Carlisle? I can't make head nor tail of it, unless the reference to saloon Taxis really mean private hire vehicles. From reading that thread again it would appear I was initially under the impression that the rank was situated on station property. It eventually became apparent that the rank was situated on the public highway. However, the interesting point about that newspaper article is the reference to the fact that a turf war existed between saloons and WAVs. You stated that for 13 years everything has been hunky dory when in fact you knew it hadn't. Therefore your continued reference to passive agreement of the illegal condition by saloon owners is once again exposed as being hot air and mistruth.
You and everyone else who knew about the situation in Carlisle were no doubt aware of the animosity between both sides of the hackney carriage trade, as was pointed out in this article. The article also points out the opposition of Carlisle Taxi association in keeping saloon cars off the rank. All the denials of that the Carlisle TOA had no input into keeping saloons off the rank are exposed in this one article. If I had known of its existence I would have certainly referred to it in my article and subsequent debates surrounding this issue. The article practically substantiates everything I've ever said on the issue.
A TURF war by cabbies over the rank outside Carlisle railway station has prompted an investigation into the way the city’s taxi system is run.
City councillors called for a review this week after they denied saloon-style cab drivers permission to take fares from Court Square.
"This followed protests by saloon cabbies that drivers of Hackney-style taxis were the only ones allowed to work that rank, where most pub and club-goers queue after a night out."
They claimed the Hackney cabs alone could not cater for the amount of revellers, rail travellers and other customers seeking a ride.
Carlisle City Council’s licensing and regulatory panel, which oversees taxis, also heard claims that the number of cabs was not keeping up with a general growth in clubbers and shoppers. Saloon driver Steven Cupac told the committee: “We don’t want to just cherry pick on a Friday and Saturday evening. The queues are there every day of the week.
“People come to Carlisle and they leave the station and there are no taxis.
“I believe the public should have a choice of a saloon car, a black car or a bus. It is their choice and we are denying them their choice.”
Saloon drivers cannot stop at the Court Square rank even if there are no Hackney cabs there and people flag them down.
The rule, which dates back 10 years, arose from concerns from disabled organisations. The Hackney cabs are classed as “wheelchair accessible”.
"The saloon cabbies fought to overturn this rule by submitting an application to the licensing panel to gain a cut of this business." Carlisle Taxi Association (CTA), which
mainly represents Hackney drivers,
opposed the application. Its representatives responded by saying saloon cars were cheaper to buy than Hackney cabs.
Hackney driver Brian McCullough told the committee: “They (the saloon drivers) have no concern for the people of Carlisle. It is pure "greed". “They want to get the cheaper option and then change the rules to suit them.”
CTA secretary Wayne Casey said that if the rules were changed, Hackney drivers would just switch to the cheaper cars, which did not have the full facilities for wheelchairs. He also said there was a general problem with a lack of taxis in Carlisle and claimed that flooding the station rank with cabs would lead to fewer cars elsewhere. Quote:
This evidence, from this website is a clear indication that JD knew about this situation in 2005 so I wonder why he did nothing about it then as he expected others to
It may have escaped you but I was the one who first posted the article and it was me who expressed amazement at such a condition being in place. Once certain facts were known I made a comment in respect of the law and this illegal condition. At the time of this discovery I was heavily involved in several matters including events in Scotland and maintaining the quota list amongst other things. Otherwise I may have looked into it further, however the issue resurfaced in a committee report, which shed more light on the situation and as such the illegal condition became newsworthy. Not only because of its illegality but because the local taxi trade was operating out of the headquarters of the National Taxi association.
As the newspaper article states the local taxi association was dead against saloon cars plying for hire on the taxi rank in fact according to the newspaper they wrote to the council opposing saloon car use of the taxi rank and at least one person spoke out at the greed of saloon car owners who wanted nothing more than the same right as WAV users to ply for hire on the same rank. Was it Mr Casey who wrote on behalf of the local association opposing any change or was it someone else? Who knows?
Quote:
or was it because his relationship with Mr Casey had not been soured at that time and a mutual respect existed between them both.
As far as I'm concerned my whole approach to this matter has only ever been about the illegality of the condition. The fact that the condition is implemented by Carlisle council and certain Taxi drivers in Carlisle benefit from the condition at the expense of others is just a fait accompli, or it has been for the last 13 years. It is no wonder that Carlisle WAV owners are concerned about the prospect of losing exclusivity to the city's busiest taxi rank?
Quote:
JD you are accused of lying and witholding vital and signifigant information from the members who read your most recent posts on this issue and actually believe what you are saying, and of trying to discredit Mr Casey and the NTA even though it can be proved that you were in possession of the facts more than a year before you came out with the story AGAIN.
The story in question from 2005 was submitted by me and at that time it was a revelation, the fact that I forgot the story existed is neither here nor there. If I had known of its existence It would have assisted me greatly in disproving your continued referrences to local hackney saloon owners being happy with the condition, which supposedly had never been challenged?
The article proves beyond all reasonable doubt that the local Taxi association were against allowing saloon cars to ply for hire or pick up near the court square taxi rank. Knowing the articles existence would have allowed me to contact the person named and get his version of events?
Although the thread existed on TDO you should be thankful I didn't recall its existence because it would have made you squirm even more than you are now.
In respect of discrediting Mr Casey and the NTA, it is unfortunate that this illegal condition is taking place in their backyard but it is obvious by the newspaper article that the Carlisle TOA were against the rank being used by saloon vehicles. The fact that the NTA and the Carlisle Taxi association have their headquarters registered at Mr Casey's address is a significant factor and one that hasn't gone unnoticed. The opposition by the Carlisle TOA and the bias opinion of Mr Casey against having this rank opened up to all, is well documented, therefore the rest is history.
Quote:
I will not ask you to plead at this time ....... unless it is for forgiveness.
I think I have set out a clear enough picture in respect of Carlisle from start to finish. The condition is illegal, the Carlisle Taxi association wanted to keep its exclusivity to Wav only and saloon hackney carriage owners were discontented at the exclusion.
Those are facts and you can't escape them.
Perhaps you might reflect on what's been said on this matter instead of trying to twist things in a way that makes you look even more foolish with every I you dot and every T you cross.
Regards
JD
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