Taxi Driver Online

Anger at cash lost on taxi application

THERE was anger today after an application to introduce the first non-Hackney cab into the city's 193-strong taxi fleet was withdrawn at the eleventh hour.

Peterborough City Council had spent thousands of pounds on legal advice and preparing a 76-page report in response to a request which could have re-written the authority's existing laws governing taxis.

There were fears that had the council's licensing committee permitted Tahir Chaudhary's Peugeot E7 to join the fleet, it would have opened the floodgates for a raft of further applications.

However, just five minutes before the scheduled start of the committee meeting, Mr Chaudhary dropped the bombshell that he was withdrawing his application.

In a letter read out by governance support officer Lindsay Tomlinson, Mr Chaudhary said: "After careful consideration and discussion with the trade, the majority view is that it is not in the best interests of the trade to continue with the application."

Committee member Cllr Charles Swift immediately branded the entire exercise a "waste of time", while Cllr Graham Murphy, who was sitting in the public gallery, said he was "appalled".

It meant that after just two minutes, committee chairman Cllr Harry Newton called the meeting to a close. Cabinet member for community safety and environment, Cllr Murphy said: "Time and effort has gone into this application – time and effort that could have been put to use elsewhere.

"I will be writing to city council chief executive Gillian Beasley and leader Cllr John Peach to see if we can recoup the costs from the applicant."

Principal taxi enforcement officer Ken Gray admitted he was shocked to hear the application had been withdrawn at such late notice. He added: "The money could have been spent on something else for the
trade."

Despite the confusion, there was one positive outcome for the city council – its fleet of cabs will continue to be made up purely of London-style Hackney cabs. The council is determined to keep a clear distinction between taxis and private hire cars.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Hackney Federation in Peterborough, Mahmood Khan said there was a split of opinion among city cabbies regarding non- Hackney cabs.

He said many drivers were concerned London Taxis International (LTI) – the manufacturer of the world-famous London taxi – had an unfair monopoly over the market in Peterborough.

However, Mr Khan said: "We are meeting with LTI to talk about rates and servicing vehicles."

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Chaudhary said: "There were discussions and issues with LTI, and on the subject of private hire cars picking up passengers, that led up to just before the meeting."

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IDFIMH

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IDFIMH

LTI's pitch is that if you allow other vehicles to be licensed you won't be able to distinguish them from private hire vehicles.

I haven't seen the report so if anyone finds the link on the council website please let us know.

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.

They should have gone ahead with the meeting and let the E7 be licenced it is, nearly everywhere else and its classified as a hack
The drivers and owners in peterborough must be brain dead wanting to keep on driving LTI's sheite

Trading standards should be looking into LTI's dirty tricks campaign, to force councils to keep there cabs on the road at all costs and feck other manufacturers, there cabs are the biggest load of sheit on the planet

It sounded a bit fishy to me as well

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=z07K29Fc15U

I don't know if this November report was part of the consideration but it certainly gives you an insight into the proceedings.
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Peterborough City Council: Licensing Committee (Reports)

Document dated 16.11.06

LICENSING COMMITTEE

AGENDA ITEM No.4

16 NOVEMBER 2006

PUBLIC REPORT

Cabinet Member(s):

Councillor Murphy, Environment & Community Services

Contact Officer(s):

Mike Brown, Head of Environment & Public Protection Services

Peter Gell, Section Head Trading Standards

Ken Gray, Principal Taxi Enforcement Officer

Tel. 01733 453527

Tel. 01733 453419

Tel. 01733 452352

PEUGEOT E7 VEHICLE

R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S

FROM : Ken Gray, Principal Taxi Enforcement Officer

Members are asked to select their decision from the following two options after full consideration of all the information presented.

(a) Retain the practice of Licensing only Hackney Carriage vehicles which have been approved by the Public Carriage Office in London which are wheelchair accessible and are either new or less than three years old when first licensed and licensed until twelve years of age.

(b) Alter the condition of fitness and accept the Peugeot E7 as a suitable vehicle to be used as a Hackney Carriage providing it is new or less than 3 years of age when first licensed and licensed until twelve years of age.

1. ORIGIN OF REPORT

1.1 This report is submitted to Committee to consider a request from a Licensed Hackney Carriage Driver to licence a Peugeot E7 as a Hackney Carriage Vehicle shown at Appendix 1 on page 7

2. PURPOSE AND REASON FOR REPORT

2.1 The purpose of this report is to obtain the Committee’s view on a proposed review of licence conditions.

2.2 This report is for the committee to consider under its terms of reference number 2.2.1.4: To approve (and periodically review) the standard conditions to be attached to any licence / permit / consent issued by the Council.

3. BACKGROUND

3.1 Peterborough City Council Licence Hackney Carriage Vehicles under the 1847 Town Police Clauses Act and the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

Section 47 of the Act states:

(a) A district council may attach to the grant of a licence of a Hackney Carriage under the Act of 1847 such conditions as the district council may consider reasonably necessary.

(b) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing sub-section, a district council may require any Hackney Carriage licensed by them under the Act of 1847 to be of SUCH DESIGN OR APPEARANCE OR BEAR SUCH DISTINGUISHING MARKS AS SHALL CLEARLY INDENTIFY IT AS A HACKNEY CARRIAGE VEHICLE.

3.2 On the 13th June 2000 the Environment Committee resolved to remove the limit on the number of Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licences and to issue licences to purpose built London Cabs with Public Carriage Office Approval, suitably equipped to carry a disabled person confined to a wheelchair.

3.3 There are currently 193 Hackney Carriage Vehicles licensed by Peterborough City Council. These are either the TX1, TX11 or Metrocab models. These are the only vehicles approved by the Public Carriage Office (the Authority responsible for approving, testing and enforcing vehicle types in the City of London) as being suitable to be used as a Hackney Carriage Vehicle.

4. MAIN BODY OF REPORT

4.1.1 London Cab currently licensed in Peterborough

This vehicle is of a distinctive design and an easy recognisable symbol both to the citizens of Peterborough and visitors to the city. The TX and Metro cab are the only vehicles currently meeting the very strict conditions of fitness of the Public Carriage Office in London.

Wheelchair accessible with an unique turning circle this vehicle has a proven safety record for both drivers and passengers.

The TX and Metro cab have “Whole Vehicle Type Approval”. This is the most stringent of type approval regimes and requires compliance with over 50 European Community directives. Compliance must be demonstrated by a series of witnessed tests some of which are destructive. This regime enables vehicles to be sold throughout the European Community.

4.1.2 Peugeot E7

Based on a Peugeot body shell this vehicle is converted by the manufacturers Allied Vehicles. The manufacturers claim the E7 offers lower acquisition and operating costs, greater fuel efficiency, and better environmental performance for the benefit of operators passengers and residents.

The vehicle is wheelchair accessible and has gained “Whole Vehicle Type Approval”. The vehicle has passed the most stringent of type approval regimes and complies with over 50 E.C. directives.

The Peugeot E7 along with the VW Transport Shuttle and the Mercedes Benz Vito after consideration was not accepted as suitable for use as a Hackney Carriage Vehicle by the Public Carriage Office in London.

4.2 Your officers with the support of members have over many years in negotiations with the taxi trade achieved a fleet of highly distinctive quality vehicles which compliments the image of the city. The introduction of the Peugeot E7 would dilute the recognition factor between the Private Hire and Hackney Carriage, particularly as the Council licenses people carriers similar to the Peugeot E7 as private hire vehicles.

4.3 To move away from the stringent Public Carriage Office standard of fitness would result in a lowering of standards and undoubtedly see a challenge by other manufactures to allow their vehicles to be licensed in Peterborough.

4.4 It is not the intention of the Council to discourage vehicle competition within the market. Competition can give consumer choice, reduce prices, promote innovation, as well as increasing efficiency in production. To date competition has been encouraged within the boundaries of the Public Carriage Office Conditions of Fitness.

4.5 To relax the conditions of fitness and allow cheaper vehicles as Hackney Carriages could result in a sizeable increase to the number of licensed Hackney Carriage Vehicles. This could be adverse to the wishes of currently licensed Hackney Carriage proprietors who continually report that there is an over supply of Hackney Carriage vehicles at present. It has served well in the past to control quantity by requiring a high quality vehicle.

4.6 To ensure fairness in making your decision, a presentation will be given by both London Taxis International and Allied Vehicles on their respective models which then can be viewed and demonstrated in St Peters Road.

5. CONSULTATION

Officers have consulted with the following bodies.

1. P.H.A.B.

2. G.N.E.R.

3. Deaf Blind UK

4. R.N.I.B.

5. Council for Disabled

6. Private Hire Drivers Association

7. Hackney Carriage Association

8. Cambridgeshire Constabulary

9. Peterborough Passenger Transport

10. Senior Citizens Forum

11. Age Concern

12. D.P.T.A.C.

13. Spinal Injuries Association

14. Transport & General Workers Union

15. Peterborough Evening Partnership

16. Additional comments from Taxi Drivers

Comments from the above persons are attached at Appendix 2 on page 9.

6. ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES

6.1 It is anticipated that the committee following consideration of this report, and presentations from the trade will determine whether there should be a change to the current licence conditions of only licensing vehicles approved by the Public Carriage Office.

6.2 If the Committee determines that there should be a change to current licence conditions, then it is anticipated that recommendations will be made as to whether the Peugeot E7 is suitable to be licensed by the Council.

7. REASON FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

The Council having received a request to change the present licence conditions of only licensing hackney carriages with Public Carriage Office approval, has put before Members two options to consider. The reasons given by the applicant to change the present licence conditions are:

1. The Peugeot E7 is a modern alternative taxi vehicle.

2. The trade is subjected to an effective monopoly in being required to accept the Public Carriage Office approved vehicle manufactured by London Taxis International now that Metro Cab have apparently ceased production.

3. Letter of application at Appendix 1 on page 7.

8. LEGAL & HUMAN RIGHTS ACT IMPLICATIONS

8.1 Contained within report.

9. WARD COUNCILLORS

The contents of this report are not specific to any particular ward.

10. BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS

In accordance with the Local Government Access to Information Act 1985 background papers used in the preparation of this report were:

1. Local Government (miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

2. 1847 Town Police Clauses Act.

3. Public Carriage Office Conditions of Fitness review.

4. Spinal Injuries Association Report.
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FFs the E7 has a built in top sign and one at the rear with the words taxi on them and decals with the word taxi on both sides, and it is of such design and appearance so how the hell does it look like a PH that cannot have a top sign

The PCO rules only apply to London so why have Peterborough council got there heads stuck so for up there rears they cannot see that LTI are pulling a fast one they need to get trading standards in to enlighten them

I think you have only 2 options.

PCO approved or anything.

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.

What do you mean by that GA?

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=z07K29Fc15U

Well what about the TW200 ?

amongst many others.

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.

Here is a list of vehicles that approximately 95% of councils licence as hackney cabs. along with the LTI sheit

Mercedes euro cab, Volkswagen taxi, fiat Scudo, Peugeot E7, ford journey, fiat freedom, fiat doblo, tw200, citron cab,

All above are wheelchair accessible, cheaper to run, have better access ,more room, and are cleaner for the environment as they are euro4 or better on emissions. and you will get 10 or more miles per gallon. but the biggest saving is the price of the vehicles over £10,000, or up to £20,000 depending what of the above you buy.

Newcastle has also just taken a VW CADDY on board as well!! and i do believe that it was converted by the same vw sharan adaptors

Anyway the asking price of a vw caddy is supposedly 21.000

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=z07K29Fc15U

The Council, the operators, the drivers, the police, the punters, all would appear to be happy to retain the status quo in Peterborough.

So why should anyone from outside of the town, or indeed outside of England, foist the less than wonderful van conversion on them when they clearly do not want it?

Local democracy at work in Peterborough, and well done them.

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Former taxi driver

If some don't want them, then they don't have to buy them.

But if one or two want to buy them, in the same way as most UK's cabbies can, then why should they not be allowed?

Lenin would have been proud of such polices.

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IDFIMH