The road to reform - report due Tuesday 19th July 2011

 Taken from: MRBLACKCAB FORUM Manchester.




The clock is ticking. Tuesday am will tell us what is to happen to our trade.

I initially feared the worst; I felt that it would result in deregulation and a single tier licence allowing private hire cars to operate like Hackney’s.

The whole select committee process was the result of Unite Liverpool constantly complaining about Delta cars Sefton working out of their area and having cars parked AWAITING bookings in Liverpool centre. Liverpool Licensing have a much better enforcement policy than Manchester, they operate large operations monthly and publish the results of those operations to the PUBLIC, thus reassuring everybody that professional operations and the drivers involved are quite safe.

What I failed to realize was the power and influence some of the big private hire operators have. We should have been warned, last year when the equality bill was being debated, the effects to private hire were suddenly withdrawn at the Lords stage of enactment. How much did that cost to do, what arrangements were made? Whatever the price.. What a great result..

The big boys in the private hire trade were the last to give evidence at the select committee. Three in particular were INVITED to appear and assist the committee. The were Griffin (Addison Lee), Mc Laughlin (Delta Cars) and Shanks (Blueline Newcastle).

I realize now that a single tier licence would have wiped out these companies and every other PH company in the country, why would anybody pay £100 a week subs when their was no need. The following guys gave oral evidence to the committee and whilst I am a cab man and generally in opposition to PH, I am reluctant to say they gave good account of themselves and I feel held some sway over the Committee.

I have selected (cut and paste) some of the remarks which caught my eye, I have marked in bold salient points. Read for yourself and let me know what you think.


Q62 Chair: Do you accept that your activities have affected taxis in Liverpool adversely?

Paul McLaughlin: I think they have affected the hackney industry per se, but the individuals within that industry haven’t been affected in the same way as you might think. There was a rather important question asked about the livelihood that Mr Maynard made earlier. He asked the question whether any hackney drivers had left the industry and the answer from the Unite the Union was no. I strongly dispute that. There are hundreds and hundreds of drivers who have left the hackney carriage industry to work with a different business model. Those drivers are joining Delta on an almost daily basis and they do a different style of working within exactly the same area.

Q64 Chair: Mr Shanks, what effect has the prohibition on subcontracting of bookings to a private hire operator in a different district had on you?
Ian Shanks: A little bit like Mr McLaughlin here, we are 57 yards the other side of a boundary. Some 75% to 80% of our business is in Newcastle where we aren’t licensed, and it causes a huge amount of difficulties. Again, we have been through various High Court cases and we just want national standards with local control. We would like the Committee here to look at trying to roll out what we have in London, because if it is good enough for one third of this country’s trade, we would like it for the other two thirds.

Q65 Chair: Mr Griffin, would widespread subcontracting be likely to lead to the biggest private hire firms controlling a network of smaller operators?
John Griffin: We can subcontract nationally if we choose to, and we do. If we have a pickup in the north of England, we have reciprocal arrangements with other companies in the north and we will use them because it is sensible to do so. What I would like to say is that during these discussions what we are missing out here is a very important ingredient, which is the impact as a transport industry we have on pollution. It is very important to understand that. Drivers driving around empty, going back to bases where they are polluting the environment, is a very serious issue. In London alone there are 4,000 premature deaths entirely related to pollution from motor cars. We have to look at revisiting the whole licensing strategy and the impact it has on our society in pollution terms.
What we should be considering is having a national standard, controlled by local interests, but we should have the vehicles tested in Ministry of Transport-MOT-stations. They should be trained up to do the work. They would be delighted to have it. They would charge more for it. It would work. I believe that we just need to revisit the whole thing because the way that we are approaching it is becoming so Dickensian. Everything I hear today underlines that.
What are we dealing with here? If we are dealing with service to the public, then a person driving back empty to a location for some spurious reason does not in any way contribute to that. We need to look at that. We need to look at the impact that person driving empty back to base has on our atmosphere. We need to address that. We have a responsibility to do that. That is very important and it should be number one on the agenda here today.
From my point of view, we are not in any way offended by what is going on in the provinces. It is not what concerns us. We have an open house in London which works very well. The service is very good; it means we compete very fairly. Everybody is under the same restrictions, has to meet the same criteria and it works. Nationally there is no reason why that shouldn’t work. There is no reason why we should go back to these archaic conditions. Everything that we do in London works and I recommend the rest of the country takes it on board.
The idea that one authority is trying to find some magical financial interest in lowering the standards for financial gain is unacceptable. Let’s tell these people, "This is the standard. Comply with it. Do whatever it takes to make sure it happens", and after that let anybody who wants to pick up anybody, as long as he is licensed and he has the credentials to do so, do it. Don’t restrict him.

Q66 Kwasi Kwarteng: There are two issues here. There is one about the standards in terms of a national standard and then there is the separate issue of where people operate. What you are saying is you would have a national standard and allow everyone to operate anywhere.

John Griffin: Absolutely.
Q67 Kwasi Kwarteng: But a lot of other people are suggesting that there should be some sort of local licensing.

John Griffin: Why?

Q68 Kwasi Kwarteng: From a personal point of view, I am inclined to agree with you, but I want to put that case forward. People would say that there is a certain way that a local authority works in terms of transport with localized licenses. You have no truck with that argument.

John Griffin: None at all. That is where we are and that is where we need to leave from. We need to put that behind us. We need to revisit the whole strategy. What are we trying to achieve here? Are we taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut? Is this a problem? Where is the evidence for this problem? The evidence we see before us is that there is a great deal of pollution being gathered and drivers are being disadvantaged because they could earn money they are denied. The whole thing is a nonsense; it really is. It’s pathetic.

We need to look at the whole strategy. There are vested interests here and those vested interests have to be told, "We have bigger interests than you." We have this whole question of pollution; we have the service to the public and the levels of that. All of that is an issue.

Kwasi Kwarteng: Your position is very clear. Thank you very much.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul McLaughlin: Could I add something more on the standards, using Liverpool and Sefton as a point of comparison? You will have read in the Liverpool City Council submission that Liverpool operates higher standards than some authorities. They were careful not to mention Sefton but they might have. We’d be forgiven for inferring they might have been referring to the neighboring authority to which they were losing drivers. In the case of Sefton in comparison with Liverpool, I think it is important to mention CRB Enhanced 2 on both sides of the border; the medical is exactly the same standard. There is practically no difference, except for the knowledge test.
If you look at how the customers have responded to those standards, of course the area we operate in-Merseyside-is 200 square miles of people all descending on one tiny city centre, which is a quarter of a square mile. Everybody then comes back out of that quarter of a square mile city centre. It is reasonable to assume that, if thousands of people are using Delta to go into that city centre, when they come back they have the option of using a locally licensed cab or they can ring the firm that took them in there. Because the amount of work we are doing has become so apparent now, over the recent years, out of the 8.5 million bookings we do, 1.25 million bookings last year were within one quarter of a square mile. I would argue that we couldn’t have generated the custom for 1.25 million people to be asking us to pick them up if we hadn’t maintained standards.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q33 Kwasi Kwarteng: I have looked through your written evidence and, sure, I think there should be national standards applied; I completely understand that argument. But the word that comes across a lot in this is the "low" standards, yet there is no real description of what these "low" standards are. Could you give me a bit more colour on that, perhaps,

Q50 Kwasi Kwarteng: I am sorry, but can I just be a devil’s advocate? I use cabs all the time, certainly in my constituency, and I would not be able to tell you what make of car they were. Generally, I get to where I want to; generally, they use satnav. I wouldn’t be able to tell you where they were licensed. I just use a cab and I get from A to B, and that experience is pretty much the same every time I use it. When you say to us that this will be a much better experience, I am still trying to get my head round that. I am not denying what you are saying, but I am just trying to understand how a better trained car driver is going to make my experience better. That’s all I’m saying.

Tommy McIntyre( UNITE) Could I just go on a bit with my answer? Our licensing officer is here so you will be able to ask him the same question later on, if he sees any difference. But certainly from our side, talking to people, they say, "It was brilliant. I got in the cab and the driver started talking about architecture and things like that", when they were going through the city. "Did you realize what this building was or what that building was?"

Kwasi Kwarteng: I travel at night.

Tommy McIntyre: They have lights on these buildings.

Chair: Can we keep the answers short? (Chair is a UNITE Member assisting McIntyre)

Kwasi Kwarteng (MP) I just want to get from A to B. I don’t really want an architectural experience.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tommy McIntyre: All we are saying is that that vehicle shouldn’t stop there. I have tried to say from day one that we are not trying to restrict the traveling public. My wife or anybody else’s wife can order a cab from wherever they want to. For argument’s sake, if I was in Liverpool and I am dropping off in Manchester, if I haven’t got a fare, then I would have to return back. But if, while I was going to Manchester, over the radio system I got another job, fine; there is absolutely no problem with that. What we are talking about is the guy or the girl, when they have finished doing the job, sitting in a neighboring borough, in some cases for several hours.

Q39 Mr. Leech(MP Manchester) That’s the issue about whether or not it is enforceable. How do you prove that Mr X has taken a job from Manchester to Stockport and he just happens to be waiting for the next fare which isn’t for another 10 minutes, so he is just waiting on the street for that next fare back? How do you actually enforce that change?

Tommy McIntyre: It’s so simple now with the event of satnavs and the way satellites work these days. All the data heads in a cab or private hire vehicle show where that vehicle was sent to and, indeed, will show if he is booked to do anything else. All licensing officers are trained to be able to get in that vehicle and read that machine. That is exactly where it would come from. An enforcement officer would look in and say, "You are sitting here. You have been here for half an hour or whatever. You haven’t got a job. Why are you sitting here?"

Q40 Mr Leech: The answer could be, "Well, I am actually on my break. I just happen to be here on my break."
Tommy McIntyre: "Take your break in your own area", I would have said.

Q11 Mr Leech (Manchester) : Mr McIntyre, I can understand your argument for wanting to make the change and, certainly, on the comment that Mr Rix made about Berwick Council licensing taxis that were operating in Paignton, clearly that is ridiculous and the enforcement of those taxis would be incredibly difficult. But in certain areas, and I will use my own constituency as an example, my constituency borders both Stockport on one side and Trafford on the other side, and there are private hire operators who are based in Manchester but incredibly close to the border with Stockport or the border with Trafford on the other side. Surely, in terms of customers who might live on the Stockport side of the border as opposed to the Manchester side of the border, they may be disadvantaged in certain circumstances if a taxi base is very close to their house but on the wrong side of the border. Wouldn’t it be better to have an area within which a base could operate as opposed to necessarily just the local authority?

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa....0-i/uc72001.htm

After reading this evidence and the replies from the Committee members I believe that the forthcoming report will recommend a National Private hire licence for both Drivers and vehicles. Local authority licenses for Operating bases. I also believe they will de-limit all taxis in area’s where a limit still exists.

The whole report talks about the difficulties in taking enforcement action because of costs, ability or inclination. The answer to this is, if you cant stop the crime, decriminalize, stop it being an offence.

The report will be the first step of a huge argument across the nation. As Griffin says in his evidence “There are vested interests here and those vested interests have to be told, "We have bigger interests than you.”

Please read the full report and let me know if I have it all wrong.

Read more: http://www.mrblackcab.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=861#ixzz1SNOSg3co

Black Cabs to rise £3000 to meet emissions target

As previously announced, the only change to the current TX4 range of vehicles is that by January 2012 they will need to meet Euro 5 emissions regulations. There will not be any other specification or mechanical differences to the vehicle. However, due to the engineering changes including the new exhaust system, a Diesel Particulate Filter and the engine recalibration, there will be a £3000 increase in price across the range. This will make the TX4 (Euro 5) Style models £32,995.00 and the TX4 (Euro 5) Elegance models £35,995.00. The Euro 5 TX4 models will go on sale in the last quarter of 2011.

This price increase will be introduced only on the Euro 5 versions of TX4; the current Tx4 (Euro IV) will remain at the price it is today, starting at £29,995.00.

Euro 5 requires all automotive manufacturers to reduce the level of particulates and Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) released into the environment through the tail pipe. To achieve this we have worked with our partners at VM Motori to modify the exhaust and Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) aspects of the existing engine.

Apart from changes to the exhaust and EGR design of the existing engine there will be absolutely no other internal or external differences between the Euro IV and Euro 5 versions of the TX4.

Final calibration and testing of the system is currently taking place in Italy, but The London Taxi Company do not anticipate any significant changes to fuel economy or CO2 emissions between Euro IV and Euro 5.

In London all new vehicles registered after April 2012 must be Euro 5 compliant, however vehicles with Euro IV engines registered before April 2012 will be able to operate without modification for 15 years in line with the Mayor’s recent Air Quality Strategy statement.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Rob Laidler, Sales Director for The London Taxi Company, said “we are announcing our strategy for the introduction of Euro 5 today so that drivers and fleet owners understand our plans for the future. We hope this advance warning will allow our customers to make their purchasing decisions with the full knowledge of the pricing for TX4 (Euro 5).

“We recently made a radical change to our model range with the removal of Bronze, Silver and Gold and the introduction of the Style and Elegance models. When we introduce the Euro 5 changes at the end of this year it will only be the technical changes in the exhaust and engine, there won’t be any other specification or mechanical changes.

“The technical hurdles associated with Euro 5 have been challenging and we have done our best to minimise the on-cost for drivers, however due to increases in component and design costs, the necessity to increase the price is unavoidable. The current price structure of £29,995.00 for Style and £32,995.00 for Elegance models will continue on the TX4 (Euro IV) until we have sold out of the last vehicles in stock”

http://www.ukexportnews.co.uk/news/1192/The-London-Taxi-Company-And-Euro-5

Press release: Manchester Bogus Taxi Rape Capital

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1426715_jailed-predatory-sex-beast-who-disguised-his-car-as-a-taxi-to-pick-up-and-rape-a-young-woman-on-night-out-in-manchester

Howards Solicitors

Press release – Manchester and Salford

14^th July 2011

The authorities need to act decisively now to restore confidence in taxi trade say professionals after another non-licensed taxi driver sent down for rape

LOCAL TAXI LAW expert Peter Eatherall has slammed the lack of licence checking in Manchester as another rapist is sent down for crimes committed while posing as a cab driver.

Eatherall, a partner of specialist taxi and criminal legal practice Howards Solicitors, believes more regular enforcement of taxi licensing could reduce the high incidences of violent crime committed by illegitimate taxi drivers.

The recent case of Amine Kacem is the latest of a spate of serious offences by non-licensed taxi drivers.  Kacem deliberately put a large yellow sticker on his car to make it look like a private hire vehicle. 

He received a 9-year sentence for rape this week after his unsuspecting victim believed that it was safe to accept a ride.  Only DNA evidence gathered from an unrelated offence of theft 18 months later led police to Kacem.   

Manchester does not have a good record.  Last year there were 98 bogus cab related rapes and sexual assaults according to Greater Manchester Police.  London with a population four times as big suffered 143 by comparison.

RAINN, an anti-rape charity based in the US states that as many as 60% of rapes go unreported.

Les Reid a representative for Manchester based taxi co-operative Mr Black Cab, which runs 70 vehicles, comments: “No-one has checked my badge in over 25 years.  We need Manchester’s Licensing Unit to be highly proactive, so that the public feels safe.  The horrific cases in the news tarnish the name of all law abiding professional taxi drivers who want to simply offer a great service and make a decent living for their families.”

Peter Eatherall, who ran his own cab firms before transferring his industry knowledge to law comments: “Stricter enforcement of taxi licences is crucial to deterring and reducing serious crime in the taxi trade.”

“The public and trade need to see more visible and proactive activities to drive unlicensed taxi drivers from the roads.  More spot checks by enforcement officers from the local authority as well as the police, with the results published and on view, would be a good start to restoring confidence.”

Reid states: “There are 1,000 Hackney cab drivers and 2,000 private hire professionals within the city boundaries, not including Greater Manchester.  Anyone of them would gladly help the police to significantly reduce the issue.” 

Notes

Howards Solicitors is a Manchester based specialist taxi, motoring and criminal law practice.

www.howardssolicitors.co.uk

Contact details

Rob Baker

Artisan Marketing Communications

07957611834

rob@artisanmc.co.uk

TAXIS AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES: THE ROAD TO REFORM Publication of Transport Committee Report

The Committee has agreed to publish its Seventh Report of Session 2010–12, Taxis and private hire vehicles: the road to reform (HC 720), at 00.01 am on Tuesday 19 July 2011.

Embargoed advance PDF copies of the Report will be emailed on Monday 18 July at 9.30 am to all those who gave oral evidence.

Media representatives wishing to receive an embargoed PDF copy of the document should contact Hannah Pearce pearcehm@parliament.uk.

The Report will be available on The Stationery Office (TSO) Ltd’s and the Committee’s website shortly after the publication hour has passed: Transport Committee Publications.

The Report may also be purchased from TSO—Tel: 08457 023474.

FURTHER INFORMATION:



Committee Membership is as follows:

Mrs Louise Ellman (Labour/Co-operative, Liverpool Riverside) (Chair); Steve Baker (Conservative, Wycombe); Jim Dobbin (Labour/Co-operative, Heywood and Middleton); Mr Tom Harris (Labour, Glasgow South); Julie Hilling (Labour, Bolton West); Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative, Spelthorne); Mr John Leech (Liberal Democrat, Manchester Withington); Paul Maynard (Conservative, Blackpool North and Cleveleys); Gavin Shuker (Labour/Co-operative, Luton South); Iain Stewart (Conservative, Milton Keynes South); Julian Sturdy (Conservative, York Outer).

National Cab Act Manchester latest

The following web article, would indicate that we have caused a bit of a panic around the country with our little local blog. We only aim to keep you informed, something other organisations find unsettling. NALEO the association of Licensing officers are telling thier members not to panic for NOW.

That message does not seem to have worked in Manchester; news this week indicates that the main GMB rep, a forty year veteran has sold his plate, the acting Chairman of TODA has sold his and the Radio companies trade representative has placed all 3 of his cabs on the market.

All 3 of these people sit on the trade liason committee which meets the Cities Licensing unit every month or so. Do they know something, we dont. Surely these leading luminairies have not been paniced by a harmless little blog like this? 


taken from: rainycityripoff

Disability group targets cabbies

July 7 2011

The treatment of the disabled by some bus drivers and private taxi firms will be highlighted at Westminster by a campaign group.

They will tell MPs how disabled passengers have been left stranded at bus stops or refused entry to buses.

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign's Trailblazers group will also speak of how disabled people are repeatedly ignored by taxi drivers or have been charged double the usual fare.

One of the group, Judith Merry, 22, a wheelchair user from Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, was left stranded at a bus stop late at night in a quiet part of London.

She and her mother attempted to board a bus, but after Ms Merry's mother got on, the driver pulled away instead of putting down the bus's ramp, claiming not to have seen her.

Trailblazers also spoke of disabled people being sworn at by cabbies.

Trailblazers project manager Bobby Ancil said: "Disabled people have the same need to use buses and taxis as non-disabled people - to get to work, to get to appointments and to socialise with friends and family.

"Unfortunately, our public transport system and taxi companies have not moved forward enough to offer a basic service and fair standards to disabled passengers.

"Be it physical access or the attitudes of business owners and drivers, disabled travellers are facing obstacles daily that should have been left way back in the past."

Huge shake up of Taxi industry

IMMINENT changes to legislation in Northern Ireland are causing concern among taxi operators across the rest of the UK.

Three years on from the passing of the Taxis Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 in the assembly, the implications of the new rules are about to be felt by local drivers — with taxi drivers in other regions expressing fears of a similar shake-up.

The changes will bring about a “single tier” taxi licensing system, leading to customers being able to hail private hire cabs in the street. Under existing legislation, it is illegal for a private hire taxis to pick up a fare that hasn’t been pre-booked.

Belfast’s public hire (black taxi) drivers are vehemently opposed to the changes, claiming they will be forced out of business.

Many taxi driver web forums in mainland Britain have published concerns that the changes will threaten their own livelihoods once established in the province.

“If the UK’s mainland taxi industry thinks this is an ‘across-the-water’ issue and they shouldn’t worry about it, well, perhaps they should think again,” is one typical comment.

Following a recent consultation with all relevant stakeholders at Stormont, the changes are expected to be rolled out within months, with all aspects of the bill introduced by 2015.

Environment committee chairwoman Anna Lo said the changes are “good news for consumers” and have come about as a result of complaints from customers.

“Once this system is implemented, then you can put your hand up to any taxi coming down the road and hail the taxi — this will increase the number of available taxis all over Northern Ireland,” the Alliance MLA said.

“Also, there will be meters for all taxis and there will be a maximum fare so that disabled people will not be told there is an extra charge for putting in an extra bit of wheelchair.”

Kevin Doherty, of Disability Action, said the bill is an important piece of legislation that “makes sure people with disabilities can no longer be discriminated against when using taxi services”.

“Disability Action welcomes the fact that the environment committee has asked the department to ensure that people with disabilities are treated fairly in regard to fares and access,” he said.

Proprietor of Fon a Cab private hire company, William McCausland, explained that requests for specific kinds of vehicles can lead to varying charges but said there was no question of disabled customers being overcharged.

“As far as I am concerned, the more regulation and the more enforcement, the better for everyone,” Mr McCausland said.

A spokeswoman for the Consumer Council acknowledged the “important role” played by taxis and said: “We strongly support the objectives of the Taxi Act to raise service standards within the industry, deter unlicensed taxiing and to improve consumer protection, safety and accessibility.”

A spokesman for the Department of the Environment said the minister “is very aware of the potential impact of the proposals, and will in particular listen to the environment committee, taxi drivers and operators”.

Hackney Cabs Stockport

Station Cabs Stockport

It might surprise many passengers arriving at Manchester Airport to find that the new "Arrow Cars" taxi/private hire are a lot more expensive than using a traditional Black cab.

A Black cab can usually be found right outside the door at all three terminals, the drivers will be happy to give you a price for your chosen destination. You may then compare this to the Arrow cars price.

National Taxi protest??

In the early 1980's a National protest was organised against the (then) proposals by Steven Norris, who was Tory transport Minister. The same national deregulation was on the cards.

Hundreds of cabs travelled from the North (I was one) and we met up with the Merseyside fleet, travelled on to and around Birmingham causing chaos.

The M6 had a rolling 50mph taxi roadblock before meeting up with the London trade, who were at that time protesting about the proposal to license minicabs.

London was brought to a standstill, whilst we met Mr Norris at the commons and we all filled in some sort of a paper which meant if your MP was present, they had to come and see you.

Anyway, we made National news, the police helicopters were all over the M6, Mr Norris was almost assaulted by the Merseyside brigade - But best of all, section 16 was born.

All this was arranged without the interweb or mobile phones and it achieved it's goal.

If the London trade are to protest about the Olympic VIP lanes, then you have a "perfect storm" for a National protest.

It has been done before, will it be done again?

de-reg dilemma

Further to our breaking news on the proposal to have a National de- limit, our email box has been busy. Some tell us it’s a lie, we have made it up to buy some cheap plates. So be it, that COULD have happened.  July 19th is the deadline for the Select Committee report. If our source is lying you will know in 3 weeks time.

PS. don't shoot the messenger(s)

£300k claim against taxi driver

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/9086318.__300k_claim_over_taxi_door_injury/

Is de-regulation nation wide back on the agenda?

Thursday, 16 June 2011

The National Cab Act 2011.

We have received an Email today from our source close to Westminster, “TheMouseInTheHouse” tells us the report from the commons select Committee is almost ready and MUST be published online by July 19 this year. This is obviously when Parliament rises for summer recess. This would follow the same path and time scale of last year’s Equality bill. We would expect this bill to clear Commons before Xmas 2011 and clear Lords before March 2012. The Act can then be ratified around October 2012.

We are told the report recommends the repeal of section 16 of the Transport Act 1985. This in effect will de-limit Hackneys nationwide. The purpose is to remove the burden of bi-annual market research surveys to limit the number of hackneys on the road. “TheMouse” further alleges that a better way to contain numbers is by quality restrictions. To that end it is proposed that all new Hackney and Private hire vehicles being licensed for the first time will be required to pass Euro 5 emission standards.

Further speculation of the report is not needed. “TheMouse” promises us we will have a sneak preview before publication. However if you were toying with the idea of selling, do it on the “Hurry Up”.

Source; http://rainycityripoff.blogspot.com/

Read more: http://www.mrblackcab.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=819#ixzz1PWXfaFeK

Salford licensing in £100k fraud investigation

A police officer and two town hall workers have been arrested in connection with a £100,000 fraud investigation.
The probe centres on the licensing department at Salford council.
One worker Jane Nugent, was arrested on suspicion of fraud at her home in Swinton.
Miss Nugent was principal licensing officer for the city until she took voluntary redundancy from her £30,000 post in January. She had worked in the department for several years.
Her boyfriend, Bury-based PC Graham Fox, has been arrested on suspicion of money laundering and placed on restricted duties by Greater Manchester Police.
The probe into Miss Nugent relates to an alleged fraud of more than £100,000 involving credit and cash transfers over a number of years.
Another council worker Gareth Robinson, from Radcliffe, a support assistant in the licensing department, was also arrested in a separate investigation. Mr Robinson was arrested on suspicion of fraud and has been suspended by the council.
It is understood the investigation into Mr Robinson centres on alleged misuse of a credit card amounting to about £7,000.
The licensing department is responsible for issuing licences for taxis, street traders, pubs, and dealing with fixed penalty notices.
Councillor Ray Mashiter, lead member for environment, said: "During one of our regular accounting reviews we uncovered some financial irregularities. As a result we contacted the police and our internal audit team has been supporting their investigation into this matter.
"As this is an ongoing investigation it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage."
In a statement Greater Manchester Police said: "A 43-year-old woman and 25-year-old man have been arrested by detectives investigating the theft of cash from licensing services at Salford council.
"Both have been arrested on suspicion of fraud and the man has additionally been arrested on suspicion of burglary.
"A 48-year-old man, a serving GMP officer, was also arrested on suspicion of money laundering as part of the investigation.
"He has been placed on restricted duties and the matter has been referred to the IPCC."
All three have been bailed pending further inquiries until August.

OUR VIEW: All of Greater Manchester Councils should carry out an immediate audit of their own licensing units, many have not produced detailed and understandable accounts for years!!  

Arrow at Manchester airport

 Manchester cab trade blog (CLICK HERE!!!)

 

 

Hi Viz waistcoats for sale.

Monday, 30 May 2011

Private hire expansion comes at a price.

It would appear the cracks are getting bigger with Manchester Airports new top class private hire service. The following mortgage taken out in March this year would suggest that their bank is getting anxious with the size of the overdraft.


http://www.mediafire.com/?twlhcdnn1e5hugd


Source = Companies House, via Capt John.

Government want your views on Taxi reforms

Taxi/PH red-tape Challenge

Taxi-ferrying drug barons jailed

27 May 2011 Last updated at 18:56

A father and son from Oldham who used taxi drivers to distribute drugs across the UK have been jailed at Manchester Crown Court.

Fazal Hussain, 43, and his son Faisal, 20, both of Cranbrook Street, Oldham, were sentenced to nine years 11 months and eight years four months respectively.
Ch Supt Tim Forber of Greater Manchester Police said that the pair "wreaked misery on the community" and that it was "extremely pleasing" that they were behind bars.
Both men admitted several counts of supplying drugs and possessing criminal property.
Seven other gang members received sentences from 15 months to seven years.
WATCH LINK HERE>
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-13580347

This is the future/ Taxi app

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zKAr2tcdjk&feature=player_embedded

Can the trade dinosaurs adapt to this type of technology? Well it's modernise or become extinct.

Black Cab Taxi sales plunge at Manganese Bronze

Taxi sales plunge at Manganese Bronze

Last updated: Tue 17th May, 2011 | Time: 08:20am

Sales of Manganese Bronze Holding's London taxi cabs have dropped by 5.2 per cent in the UK for the first quarter of 2011. The Coventry-based company said taxi driver earnings and confidence had been "negatively affected" by the economic climate.
The results were announced through an interim management statement for the period 1 January to 16 May 2011.
Manganese Bronze produced 524 vehicles compared with 553 in the comparable 2010 period.

Girl charged after rape investigation in Bolton

A teenage girl has been charged with perverting the course of justice after police investigated a rape in Greater Manchester.

Officers were called to a house in Great Lever, Bolton, on 8 January when a 17-year-old girl reported being raped by a taxi driver.
A 34-year-old man was arrested but later released without charge, a police spokesman said.
The teenager is due before Bolton magistrates on 1 June.

Lotus builds hydrogen fuel cell taxi for London 2012

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-10836132

World's top five taxis

The classic New York taxi is to be phased out and replaced with a Japanese minivan. Here is a list of some of the world's most beloved taxis:

10:30AM BST 04 May 2011

1. London's Black Cab

The world's most distinctive taxi cab, the first Austin FX3 "Black Cab" rolled off the production line in 1948. But it was its successor, the FX4, from 1958 that set the familiar design that is still in use today.

More than 100,000 black cabs have been produced, but today Manganese Bronze, the company which owns the marque, is now importing parts from China, where it has a partnership with Geely, before assembling them in Coventry.

The company has struggled in recent years to make a profit, especially with other taxi cab manufacturers making inroads into London, but it did manage to sell 1,000 black cabs to Azerbaijan earlier this year.


2. Delhi's Ambassador

The Hindustan Ambassador, based on the Morris Oxford III, has also been in production since 1948 and is currently produced near Calcutta.

Despite its British origins, the Ambassador is known as the "King of Indian Roads" because of its excellent suspension. Its excellent reputation was bolstered by the fact that it was the car of choice for Indian political leaders until 2002, when the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee started travelling in an armoured BMW 7 Series.

3. Bangkok's Tuk-tuk

The auto rickshaws of Bangkok, or tuk-tuks, are often the best way to get around a city that is choked with traffic. These days, tuk-tuks are modernising, moving to low emission engines and sometimes being powered by Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG). Tuk-tuks do not have meters, however, and the cost of a trip has to be negotiated in advance. That has led to steep rises in fares with clueless tourists often willing to pay the asking price.

4. Mexico City's VW Beetle

Known in Mexico City as El Vocho, tens of thousands of VW Beetles have been painted green and white and have been a familiar sight for at least half-a-century. Now, however, the Mexican Transport ministry is out to get rid of the fleet of Beetles by next year, arguing that they should be replaced with more modern, fuel-efficient vehicles. To tempt taxi drivers to upgrade, Mexico City is offering 15,000 pesos (£790) to anyone who scraps their Vocho.

5. Venice's Gondola

The flat-bottomed gondolas that traverse the canals of Venice were the chief means of transportation in the city for centuries, reaching a peak of popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries, when some 8,000 to 10,000 operated in the lagoon. Gondoliers use oars to propel the boats and have to understand the hidden currents that run through the canals, making many of them impassable.

Source; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8491505/Worlds-top-five-taxis.html
_________________

Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy (London)

Important Information for Taxi and Private Hire Drivers and Operators

As you may be aware, in December 2010 the Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy was published which contained a wide range of initiatives aimed at reducing harmful emissions in London. The actions outlined in the strategy included initiatives focused on reducing harmful emissions from licensed taxis and private hire vehicles.

You can find a full copy of the Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy on the GLA website at: www.london.gov.uk/publication/mayors-air-quality-strategy.

The air quality initiatives for taxis and private hire vehicles included:
• From 1 January 2012 a 10 year rolling age limit will be introduced for private hire vehicles and a 15 year rolling age limit for taxis unless exempted
• From 1 April 2012, unless exempted, all newly licensed private hire vehicles must, as a minimum, meet Euro 4 standards for emissions and be no older than 5 years and all newly licensed taxis must, as a minimum, meet Euro 5 standards for emissions
• TfL will work with both the taxi and private hire industry to introduce eco-driving training from 2012 and to promote efficient driving techniques to reduce emissions with eco-driving elements being required for all new taxi drivers before becoming licensed

New assessments for Chichester taxi drivers

Would-be taxi drivers wanting to work in the area covered by Chichester District Council are now being assessed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) before being given a licence to drive a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle.

More than 160 councils throughout Britain have already agreed to take testing on board for hackney carriage and private hire drivers. Central operations change manager Phil Coop said: “We are delighted Chichester District Council (CDC) has decided to introduce this assessment as driving a taxi carries a great deal of responsibility.”

Taxi wars' in France as new businesses try to compete

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13320358

De-reg via the Human Rights Act?

Breaking news from Edinburgh. After a battle lasting over 3 years, two Taxi drivers won an appeal in the Sheriff’s court yesterday, granting them two Hackney proprietors licenses. Nothing new here, appeals are won all the time.

This time however, IT IS BELIEVED the drivers used the Human Rights act. The drivers claimed they were unfairly kept from the trade because of artificial restrictions to the tools of the trade i.e, plates. The City of Edinburgh had its own criteria system, similar to Manchester, this was found to be unlawful, as that to was an artificial barrier to the trade. We have been saying all along that Manchester’s criteria was unlawful so the Sheriffs judgment, when we receive it could have repercussions around the country.

Watch this space.

Read more: http://www.mrblackcab.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=740#ixzz1M3QCSKqe