Taxi Driver Online

Evening Herald (Plymouth)

August 9, 2007 Thursday

Residents to have a voice on taxi rules

Plymouth people are to have a say in how the city's taxis should be regulated.

The city council has reviewed the policies and byelaws for the taxi trade and is proposing a number of changes.

A new draft licensing policy has been published on the council's website at www.plymouth.gov.uk and the council wants customers and those within the taxi trade to comment.

Proposals include:

A recognisable livery for all hackney carriages so that drivers can choose from a wider range of vehicles.

A new dress code for drivers.

New controls to include stretch limousines, speciality vehicles and courtesy vehicles.

More regular vehicle inspections.

Door signs reminding passengers that private hire companies are only insured to carry people who pre-book.

A revised fee structure, including a new charge for missed bookings.

You can comment on the draft policy by downloading a questionnaire from the website or going to one of two drop-in events being held at the Guildhall on September 11 and October 3 from 10am to midday.

Glenn Jordan, the Cabinet member for Healthy Communities and Leisure, said: "The new policy is designed to make it easier for drivers and companies to understand and operate within the law, and to provide safe and convenient travel."
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IDFIMH

I think they have one of them in Angus:

"Where a taxi is called and not used - normal fare to be charged according to distance as if the taxi had been occupied from the time it left the stance or garage."

Whether or get this or not is probably another story altogether.

Dodgy ground this. In theory if a punter rings up to book a taxi, then a contract exists. A verbal contract is still a contract so yes the fare can be charged if the punter doesn't use the cab. Simple breach of contract. But if you look at the other side of this argument, how do we stand when the punter rings up and orders a cab for say 1.00 am, we accept the booking but we don't get there until 1.15 am. Again a breach of contract, can the punter claim compensation from us?

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Grandad,

Good point Grandad and an interesting one !!

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Legal and proud

Loads a love from BERTIE !!

Imposing this charge is one thing. Getting paid quite another.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

I agree, just as it's very difficult to get a soiling charge off a punter.

The problem one might have in bringing any court action to recover the couple of quid the driver might be out of pocket, is the fact that the law considers "nuisance and inconveniences" are not recoverable in claims for breach of contract unless under specific circumstances relating to damaged health or other exceptional cases.

For a claim to be successful one is going to have to prove that they suffered a financial loss of some kind. I suppose the loss might be calculated by the fuel consumed in the distanced travelled, the time it took and the prospective financial loss of not undertaking the journey. At least one of those three would probably be recoverable through the courts, if not all but who is going to go to all that trouble.

If the punter who pre books the cab cannot prove any financial loss, then I suppose they are in the same boat as the cab driver.

Regards

JD

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This document runs into 126 pages and apart from the Taxi trade I will be very surprised if any member of the general public actually reads it, never mind replies to it?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Why bother commenting ? , sounds like the council has already decided whats going to happen

Another phony 'consultation' ?

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxicabs_around_the_world