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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:00 pm 
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JD wrote:
TDO wrote:
JD wrote:
The main concern is one of public safety," said Mr Chandler. "There is a limit on the number of licences issued because surveys show there are sufficient taxis in Newcastle and North Tyneside."
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Well that's bullocks if the cars are only doing PH work.

The crux of the issue is probably how do Berwick HC entry requirements compare to Newcastle PH requirements?


I'll dig out the details so we can all see what Newcastle council is on about. I wouldn't mind betting there isn't much difference either way.

Regards

JD


The standard of vehicles being licensed are quite high.

I saw a VW transporter type thingy conversion....licensed by Berwick 'operating' in North Tyneside as a PH.....the vehicle was the same colour that North tynesides H/C's were, infact the only difference between the N. Tyneside HC & the Berwick HC was the Berwick roofsign....it was a 06 plated vehicle.

The above aside, I understand Berwick accept applications by post and will send you all your liceses by return of post....should save people the bother of going up the A1. :roll:

Indeed, they've also opened a test centre in Newcastle...allegedly with a firm called 'Lansdowne'....who incidentally have a PH firm that 'operate' the out of town HC's......can't imagine many failures :roll:

CC

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:06 pm 
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skippy41 wrote:
and reminds you your licence will be suspended until he has inspected the cab

And how exactly is he going to enforce that if he never sees them? :?

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:51 pm 
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The Berwick licencing officer does periodically check all licenced taxis, and ph, and sends all operators letters stating that he wants to see them at an appointed time and place, and if you don't turn up he calls you, and reminds you your licence will be suspended until he has inspected the cab


Sussex read the post agin and it will tell you ](*,)


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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:58 pm 
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skippy41 wrote:
Sussex read the post agin and it will tell you ](*,)

My point was that he can suspend a license but how can he enforce if the driver carries on working?

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:55 pm 
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skippy41 wrote:
Quote:
The Berwick licencing officer does periodically check all licenced taxis, and ph, and sends all operators letters stating that he wants to see them at an appointed time and place, and if you don't turn up he calls you, and reminds you your licence will be suspended until he has inspected the cab


Sussex read the post agin and it will tell you ](*,)


But if what CC says is correct then the licenses are awarded without any kind of initial test?

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 10:04 pm 
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JD wrote:
GA wrote:
The fact remains that these vehicles and drivers are working in contravention of their local by-laws


I suppose after making such a statement you have the means by which to back it up?

This should be interesting from the GMBU rep.

Regards

JD


I'm not about to start pointing out where the vehicles licensed by Berwick Council are in contravention of the local bylaws on here ............... especially when it forms part of the case against them.


B. Lucky :D

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 10:08 pm 
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Sussex wrote:
skippy41 wrote:
and reminds you your licence will be suspended until he has inspected the cab

And how exactly is he going to enforce that if he never sees them? :?


And there boys and girls is the exact point.

B. Lucky :D

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:37 pm 
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Just want to add that as a Newcastle hack driver I see it every night - the amount of Berwick plated vehicles (especially from Blue Line and lansdowne) that are "ranked up" in the town centre.

If you're on a booking you'd maybe expect to sit for 10-15 minutes for your job and if you haven't picked up in that time you'd say that its a "blank" and drive off. However, the same Berwick Plated vehicles (yes some £20,000+ vehicles... in black too) sit continually outside certain pubs and clubs in the City Centre. If you ask them what they're doing you'll be told to "P!ss off" or the like.

There are a high percentage of drivers who have managed to get these plates/badges that couldn't give a S*** about the passengers, councils the Police or honest drivers that have actually studied the knowledge for Newcastle and received a badge to inform their passengers of this.

I don't have a problem (to a certain degree) with people getting a Berwick Plate.....just decide that you are going to work an Office and stay there. Don't nick our work - its hard enough as it is!

Chris


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:38 pm 
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TDO wrote:
But if what CC says is correct then the licenses are awarded without any kind of initial test?


Sounds like a licence for every fly-by-night to take the p*ss

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:51 pm 
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chris007 wrote:
I don't have a problem (to a certain degree) with people getting a Berwick Plate.....just decide that you are going to work an Office and stay there. Don't nick our work - its hard enough as it is!

Chris


So your main complaint is that private hire vehicles are parking up outside public places? I have news for you, Newcastle is not unique in that respect. If these guys you refer to were not using Berwick plated vehicles the likelihood is that they would be using Newcastle private hire cars so you would still be in the same situation. Unless of course you are implying that Newcastle private hire drivers don't park up in public places then it that case newcastle would be unique.

Its up to your licensing authority along with the police to enforce the law if any particular law is being broken. Newcastle is affiliated to the NTA which is an organisation that thinks tinkering with legislation is all that is required.

You know the law and likewise the people who represent you, therefore if you want change you guys know what to do about it.

Regards

JD

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:00 pm 
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GA wrote:
JD wrote:
GA wrote:
The fact remains that these vehicles and drivers are working in contravention of their local by-laws


I suppose after making such a statement you have the means by which to back it up?

This should be interesting from the GMBU rep.

Regards

JD


I'm not about to start pointing out where the vehicles licensed by Berwick Council are in contravention of the local bylaws on here ............... especially when it forms part of the case against them.


B. Lucky :D


Well I knew you couldn't back up your ficticious statement and as expected your response was predictable.

Considering you are a rep for the GMBU its about time you considered what you say before you put your fingers to the keyboard because your ill considered ramblings won't get past first base on this forum.

Now how about explaining your misconceived notion "that these vehicles and drivers are working in contravention of their local by-laws"

Regards

JD

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:18 pm 
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JD wrote:
chris007 wrote:
I don't have a problem (to a certain degree) with people getting a Berwick Plate.....just decide that you are going to work an Office and stay there. Don't nick our work - its hard enough as it is!

Chris


So your main complaint is that private hire vehicles are parking up outside public places? I have news for you, Newcastle is not unique in that respect. If these guys you refer to were not using Berwick plated vehicles the likelihood is that they would be using Newcastle private hire cars so you would still be in the same situation. Unless of course you are implying that Newcastle private hire drivers don't park up in public places then it that case newcastle would be unique.

Its up to your licensing authority along with the police to enforce the law if any particular law is being broken. Newcastle is affiliated to the NTA which is an organisation that thinks tinkering with legislation is all that is required.

You know the law and likewise the people who represent you, therefore if you want change you guys know what to do about it.

Regards

JD


Hi JD

Cheers for your post.

You say that "If these guys you refer to were not using Berwick plated vehicles the likelihood is that they would be using Newcastle private hire cars so you would still be in the same situation".

I think you are wrong on that statement as if they were not using a Berwick Plated vehicle to "flimp" the arse of the town they couldn't use Newcastle Private Hire vehicles as the vast majority will not have Newcastle Private Hire badges as that is the whole point of getting the Plate from Berwick .... they are getting their badges too without any knowledge test.

Therefore, if we had no Berwick Hack Plated vehicles working in Newcastle the amount of flimping would surely reduce - its got to.

We all know it goes on.....you just need to try and reduce it and look after the public.

Chris


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:30 pm 
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chris007 wrote:
I think you are wrong on that statement as if they were not using a Berwick Plated vehicle to "flimp" the arse of the town they couldn't use Newcastle Private Hire vehicles as the vast majority will not have Newcastle Private Hire badges as that is the whole point of getting the Plate from Berwick .... they are getting their badges too without any knowledge test.


I thought you guys in Newcastle were complaining that Ex Newcastle private hire drivers were obtaining hack plates from Berwick? Therefore it stands to reason that these same people would be be sitting outside night clubs etc regardless of what they had on the back of their vehicle. You can't convince anyone on here that private hire vehicles don't sit outside nightclubs in the larger cities and for you to say they don't do it in newcastle is an insult to our intelligence.

Therefore the plate on the back of the vehicle is meaningless, ask Any hack driver from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow, etc etc etc.

Quote:
Therefore, if we had no Berwick Hack Plated vehicles working in Newcastle the amount of flimping would surely reduce - its got to.


Flimping as you call it is commonplace where I come from and its not from hack drivers licensed in other authorities its nearly always from private hire vehicles licensed by Manchester City Council and surrounding areas.

Quote:
We all know it goes on.....you just need to try and reduce it and look after the public.


Of course we all know it goes on thats what makes your statement even more remarkable. If you wan't it to continue then support your local TOA because they are the ones who support the NTA policy of tinkering with legislation.

Get your guys up there to support a brand new taxi act and you might get somewhere.

Regards

JD

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:39 pm 
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chris007 wrote:
I think you are wrong on that statement as if they were not using a Berwick Plated vehicle to "flimp" the arse of the town they couldn't use Newcastle Private Hire vehicles as the vast majority will not have Newcastle Private Hire badges as that is the whole point of getting the Plate from Berwick .... they are getting their badges too without any knowledge test.



Yes, that's what I said earlier about comparing the entry requirements for an HC in Berwick and comparing them with a PH in Newcastle.

The main differences will related to:

- badge requirements, eg knowledge, DSA

- vehicle requirements, eg age limits, size, colour

- license fees

Obviously which ones are encouraging drivers to shop around depends on their stringency.

For example, I doubt if £50 difference in license fees would be a huge factor, whereas a stiff knowledge test compared to none at all might be significant.

So we've established that Newcastle PH need a knowledge test while Berwick HCs don't?

How stiff is the Newcastle PH knowledge?

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:50 pm 
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JD wrote:
Well I knew you couldn't back up your ficticious statement and as expected your response was predictable.


Its not a case of backing anything up Just a Dodo ............

JD wrote:
Considering you are a rep for the GMBU its about time you considered what you say before you put your fingers to the keyboard because your ill considered ramblings won't get past first base on this forum.


What the fook has the GMB got to do with the actions of Newcastle City Council ................ you really are a sad fooker JD .................. please feel free to advise everyone of how the GMB are involved in any way shape or form in this action ................... or indeed this thread THAT YOU STARTED.

JD wrote:
Now how about explaining your misconceived notion "that these vehicles and drivers are working in contravention of their local by-laws"



As you are quite obviously working towards helping this kind of activity, I will point out a single contravention to help you convince authorities with the same train of thought as Berwick Council, who do not properly accept the responsibility of operating the licensing function professionally, that you should be considered an "expert" in advising councils.

Berwick local bylaws state that no advertising can be displayed on, from or in a HC without the approval of the authority ................ vehicles operating outside of the borough are carrying advertising.

Its only one of many (indeed probably of least importance) but the fact remains they are not in a position to check these vehicles on any regular basis.

B. Lucky :roll:

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