Taxi Driver Online

Fair deal for all in taxi war

The taxi business in Oxford is clearly a very lucrative one.

So much so that black cab licences are said to be changing hands at up to £70,000 each .

With such huge figures, it is hardly surprising that cabbies are reluctant to see any changes in the way the city council controls their trade.


They fear that if the number of licences is increased, their little nest egg or pension will go up in smoke.

Another worry for them and their drivers is that with more taxis on the streets, business will be harder to come by and income will drop.

But the real test should be whether such changes are in the public interest.

A council group which has been investigating whether the rules need to be relaxed, says in an initial report that more taxis would benefit passengers and reduce waiting times.

But it accepts that there could be an effect on drivers' working conditions.

The group plans to continue its studies and report to the council in due course.

What is clear so far is that it is unhealthy for so much financial clout to be in the hands of a select few.

Taxi owners and their staff deserve a fair deal - but so, too, do the passengers who pay their wages and keep them in business.

6:00am today

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Mick Hildreth (07814 032002)
GMB PDB P39 Southern Region Branch Secretary
mick.hildreth@gmbtaxis.org.uk
www.gmbpdb.org.uk

£70 g's is a bit off the mark,

What is £100,000 a tad nearer?

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IDFIMH

A similar article with a bit more meat on.

http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headline ... cences.php

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IDFIMH

Love this bit.

Alan Woodward, secretary of the City of Oxford Licensed Taxis Association, said cabbies were fearful about the possible change.

He said the drop in plate value and a lack of customers would lead to financial ruin if the market became a free for all.

He said: "At the moment there are lots of drivers earning less than the minimum wage, as it does not apply to self-employed people. Lots of blokes are working 10 or 12-hour shifts, earning £40, because business isn't there. It's there on Friday and Saturday night, but you don't make a living on two shifts."

Well Oxford must have the thickest cab drivers in the UK. Pay £70-100,000 for a plate, £35,000 for a motor, to earn less than the min wage.

Or is someone a big fat

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IDFIMH

City councillor Sid Phelps, who is heading the group investigating derestriction, said the group had been told £50,000 was the rate for an Oxford plate.

Mr Phelps added: "I am not happy they are changing hands for so much money. It is a bit like, if you're in the club, great; if not, then it is really difficult to get in."

Hmmmmm !!!!!!

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IDFIMH

the unholy alliance must have "nobbled" oxford city council, i think they may be getting thier way

I think the most pleasing part of this is that I put Oxford down as never going to change without a change of law.

But I very much doubt they will go the whole hog, just issue a few plates here and there to keep some folks happy.

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IDFIMH

So are the GMB (Oxford?) branch for or against? Or does it change depending whether it's the second friday of the fourth month or the third Monday in March?

Same old shiet (NOT)

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Mick Hildreth (07814 032002)
GMB PDB P39 Southern Region Branch Secretary
mick.hildreth@gmbtaxis.org.uk
www.gmbpdb.org.uk

Shake a Leg by ACDC(sorry wrong forum)

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=z07K29Fc15U

70 and 50 grand? Quite a large gap when you consider the real plate value is nearer 85 grand. Obviously these councillors didn't get their figures from TDO.

What the future holds for Oxford is anyones guess but Oxford owners can rest assured that whatever the council decides, will be based on the assumption that "councillors know best". Considering Oxford owners are paid up members of the "council knows best club" then they won't have any grievance with the councils collective decision.

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.

One of the worst thing that could happen to a restricted taxi area is for a group of councillors to wake up to the price of plates.

And then when the press get hold of it, well the end is nigh.

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IDFIMH

I thought that the DFT and DFT had already changed it, and that all councils in England and wales had to comply and derestrict

Aye you can say that again, trouble is it's usually from the GMB's mouth . . . . depending which area you work in.

Mind you, you can expect no more from an organisation that represents the 23 minicab drivers from a potential 40'000 in London.

Speaks volumes.

By the way, the 'shock' smiley is in the wrong place.