Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers ban councillors from cabs in row over tests

TAXI drivers have banned Labour councillors from their cars as a protest against a new advanced driving test. The Taxi Association of Sedgefield District (TASD) said new drivers in Sedgefield, County Durham, were the only ones in the area who have to sit the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) tests.

In April next year, Sedgefield Borough Council, along with six other district councils and Durham County Council, will merge into one authority. But association members said Sedgefield Borough Council has placed their operators at an unnecessary disadvantage and councillors have ignored the opportunity to "level the playing field".

Association chairman Ricky Matthews said the council's licensing committee could have revoked the decision on tests on April 2, but that Labour's majority on the committee pushed it through.

He said the decision to uphold the tests was wrong, and said: "They cannot admit that they have got it wrong. "The decision to keep the DSA test leaves the taxi proprietors of Sedgefield borough the only ones in Durham County who, upon entry of the new unitary authority, will be disadvantaged. It is because of this that we ask all Labour councillors not to use the licensed vehicles of Sedgefield borough.

"We feel the opportunity to do business with our competitors on a level playing field has been lost. "This will only exacerbate the problems the public are having finding a taxi service and proprietors are having in recruiting new staff."

Sedgefield has about 300 licensed taxis, two-thirds of which are association members. Mr Matthews said he hoped all members would uphold the decision, which was taken at a meeting on Wednesday night.

Colin Nelson, the Labour councillor and chairman of the licensing committee, said: "At the end of the day, the taxi drivers are entitled to welcome whoever they want into their cars, it is their business and it is their decision.

"As for the vote, I cannot go into the reasons an individual councillor might vote, but what I can say is it is an entirely democratic process."

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IDFIMH

They should have said feck the school contracts as well that would leave the council in the sheit, as they would have provide extra transport at additional costs

It's ok saying that but in the taxi trade there's always someone waiting to pounce on your work, if the drivers say sod the school runs another firm will hear whats happening then they'll tender for that work leaving you out of pocket and less a school run.

Typical dork, as I understand it you cannot you cannot refuse them (customers) without good reason, and as much as it would grieve them (Taxi drivers/companies) this would not be suffice.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

I was always under the impression that any cab driver standing or plying for hire in a street who refuses to drive without reasonable excuse is committing an offence? I wonder how these drivers intend to get around that one? Private hire radio work is another matter but I would watch out for the inevitable pit fall of refusing a disabled councillor.

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.

The old kill switch works wonders on the old purpose builts.

Don't like the look of them, hit the switch and "oh dear, my cab won't start"

Any "reasonable excuse" is purely subjective. There is no criteria, definition, or requisite knowledge required. I wouldn't touch a councillor with a barge pole - not a fit and proper person.

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

Btw, to justify oneself is an act of self-incrimination, whatever happened to ones right to remain silent?

I don't like the look of you now feck off!

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

The health and Safety Executive have confirmed that any wheelchair bound passenger over 6 and a half stones represents a health and safety risk for drivers loading such an individual into a taxi using a ramp based system where the driver has to physically push this individual up a ramp.

Have to say I have never met a councillor under this weight. Perhaps its all the sandwiches the greed bar stewards eat on taxpayers' money.

Here in Edinburgh, our licensing conditions have long stated that no fare may be refused except ... then there's a list of exceptions .... and the fwhich is " ... or any other reasonable reason ... ".

BTW I will never carry another councillor in the taxi. I will never vote for another councillor. I will never engage with them.

So don't give us all this forelock tugging, we must do this kinda tosh.

We have a condition which prohibits the carriage of vermin.......

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

And dead bodies, that covers most councillors.