Sussex wrote:
I bet a pound to a penny 90% + of the people signing that petition are saloon drivers who hate the idea of paying for a WAV but support the idea of paying twice as much for a plastic plate to put on the back of it.
I'll be one of the 10 per cent of WAV drivers that have signed then. Maybe thats because things are different round here to other parts of the Country - put a saloon car on as a Taxi and pay a five figure sum for the limited number of plates available; put a new WAV on and get a plate FREE. And these days an E7 / Voyager etc can be purchased for not much more than a high spec Saloon.
Whilst I can agree with the original intention all this meant was that plate owners upgraded to WAV's and sold their existing plates at huge profits and forced an almost over night double in the number of Taxi's fighting for rank space. On paper this is an excellent idea but please let some of the saloon car drivers pass over the little old ladies that are their bread and butter and just see whether they can actually get into a WAV.
Also; what legislation is being introduced to coincide with the WAV mentality to ensure that all drivers are aware of the Health and Safety of carrying people in wheel chairs - and what LO's will do if drivers are found not have strapped wheelchairs in correctly and if they are using the additional space for carrying children in prams etc. Surely ANY person agreeing to carry disabled people confined to a wheel chair should have to under go training / examination to ensure that they are fit and able to safely transport that person. Grr! I've started now, so I'll add that surely some of the older drivers would have to worry about their own health is say asked to put a 20 stone person in a wheel chair into a car? Will the Medical requirements for Drivers be changed to ensure that the driver is not putting themselves under undue pressure and we all know an old guy who is just plodding with the old 'uns to the supermarket each week - they will be out on their ears! And what is the view of Health and Safety? If we are moving wheel chairs and they are of a certain weight; does this mean that we will need steel toe caps boots etc? Sounds far fetched but just wait for these to all rear their heads!
Whilst I have steps, hand rails, ramps etc. (oh and an original plate!) at the end of the day not every disabled person is in a wheel chair and the needs of all disabled people need to be taken into consideration or there could be the possibility of more abled bodied disabled people using the Disability Discrimination Act back at the WAV trade as they are unable to use the Taxi service as they require a saloon vehicle.
There are two sides to every story - please look at both carefully.
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