Taxi Driver Online

Birmingham Evening Mail

May 22, 2007, Tuesday

HEADLINE: The World: Classic cab snub

A TAXI driver fears he will lose his livelihood after council officials refused to renew a licence for his lovingly maintained classic car - because it is "too old".

Bob Coles's Mercedes LWB 1982 had proved a huge hit with tourists and locals in Bath, Somerset, by offering an old-fashioned alternative to the city's modern minicabs.
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I bet this guy just plods around giving the customers their monies worth.

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

I'm afraid i'd be on my bike inspecting EVERY bus that is used in that area, and if there's one as old as that Merc there'd be hell to play!

Buses are not licensed by the LA.

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Grandad,

A quality standard should be applied to the grant of a vehicle licence .................... and as long as it passes a stringent test by the licensing authority two or even three times a year then it shouldn't be removed from service.

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.

Agreed, so long as the vehicle is safe and legal then what the hell

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Legal and proud

Loads a love from BERTIE !!

This guy obviously looks after his car and why should he have to replace it? Its probably in better condition that a say 04 Mondeo and has a reputation so leave well alone - if it can pass a compliance test then let it keep on cabbing!

I've always said that a vehicle should be inspected and if it is in good roadworthy condition then it should be granted a license regardless of its age.

I'm sure it's true to say that there will be cars out there that are four or five years old and which would be put to shame by the 1982 Mercedes.

I've used the same example before, but there was a 1973 FX4 working Wirral up until 2004. This cab was just as reliable as many fifteen or twenty years newer. The cab was in fact - the driver tells me - only removed from work as it is now classed as a classic and as such the insurance rocketed.

Licensing should definitely take into consideration a vehicle's condition as well as its age.

I've seen some TX1s and even TXIIs that look as though they are in far worse condition that some older Fairways. A vehicle's condition is in most cases down to the way that it is looked after.

No, But the LA are the council and the council run/authorise the busses!!!!!

I agree, but this is the kind power the likes of you want councils to have.

The fact that someone wants to be a councillor should make him exempt from being elected. It seems you need to have something wrong with you to want to do the job in the first place?

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

Yeah but Skull who else would oversee the licensing function .............. I'm sure you'll come up with alternatives but they ar not local but regional and I doubt they could handle the function as efficiantly as the councils.

Standing by ..........................

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.

I just hope that everyone complaining on this forum about poor Bob's Merc, have signed the petition for NEW TAXI LAWS.
Then maybe we'll get away from the prejudices of local tyrants masquerading as local councillors.

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Our safety is Paramount