The Reiver
Sent to Coventry local authorities, they were replaced by larger do? It is true, an age limit is not a guarantee
I went to the taxi and private hire exhibition a unitary authorities whose new function included of a well maintained vehicle, this is why most
couple of months ago in Coventry, it was the taxi licensing. Many of you are intelligent O R F D O D X W K R U L W L H V E U L Q J L Q D ¶ V D Y H H [ F H S W L R Q D O
À U V W W U D G H H [ K L E L W L R Q , D W W H Q G H G L Q P D Q \ \ H D U V enough to realise that the licensing function F L U F X P V W D Q F H · F O D X V H % D V L F D O O \ L I \ R X N H H S
L Q G H H G W K H O D V W R Q H , D W W H Q G H G Z D V W K H 1 7 $ · V varies from area to area. For example, some
your vehicle well maintained it can go beyond
back in Telford a great many moons ago. D U H D V O L P L W K D F N Q H \ O L F H Q F H V V R P H G R Q · W V R P H
W K H D J H O L P L W L I \ R X G R Q · W P D L Q W D L Q L W L W Z R Q · W
D U H D V R Q O \ O L F H Q F H F H U W D L Q Y H K L F O H V V R P H G R Q · W
Recently there has been uproar in Leeds
I learned a few things too. some areas charge small fees by comparison
where the Yorkshire evening post reported the
with their neighbours, and invariably most areas
following startling statistics.
Primarily that people from the south are actually have differing fares. You would have thought
very noisy and have a deep seated requirement even in something as simple (to you and me) as
R I S U L Y D W H K L U H F D U V Z K L F K Z H U H R U G H U H G
to be heard by everyone, I also learned that the taxi licensing that before anything was decided
to attend a council-enforced MOT-type test,
Scottish (or Scotch to annoy them) still have an in relation to making a massive new local
S D V V H G À U V W W L P H 2 I W K H S U L Y D W H K L U H F D U V
un-burning desire to invade England at every authority the basics needed to be sorted out in
possible opportunity.
R U G H U H G W R E H W H V W H G G U L Y H U V I D L O H G W R W X U Q X S
view of the above.
Z H U H V X V S H Q G H G X Q W L O W K H \ À [ H G W K H I D X O W V D Q G
Why are southerners, cockneys in particular, so
You would be mistaken if you thought this
O L F H Q V H V Z H U H U H Y R N H G L P P H G L D W H O \ ) R U W \ À Y H
O R X G " , G R Q · W U H D O O \ Z D Q W W R N Q R Z K R Z P D Q \ F D U V
massive change to local administration had
drivers surrendered their taxi licences voluntarily.
W K H \ R S H U D W H H V S H F L D O O \ Z K H Q , · P \ D U G V D Z D \
any degree of planning or forethought, we now
R X W R I + D F N Q H \ F D U U L D J H F D E V Z H U H
neither do I have any craving to know how much
À Q G P D Q \ O R F D O D X W K R U L W L H V K D Y H Q · W J R W D F O X H
G H F O D U H G À W I R U V H U Y L F H 2 Q H F D U Z D V V R V K D N \
drink they had the night before, or how much free
Z K D W W K H \ · U H J R L Q J W R G R Z L W K W D [ L V D Q G D U H Q R Z
that when a tester sat on a seat, it collapsed
drink they managed to blag off exhibitors.
hurriedly making up consultations and new
under him.
regulations. Little wonder I consider the trade to
The Scotch, as previously reported in this column,
be in a Parlous state.
, W L V D O L W W O H G L I À F X O W W R G H I H Q G V X F K D V W D U W O L Q J O \ E D G
have a long term issue with the English, this is why
record and I cannot do so, but some have tried;
they are often found on English streets, special
% H V W 3 O D F H G W R ' H F L G H "
E U H Z L Q K D Q G À J K W L Q J Z L W K W K H P V H O Y H V
“Taxi” drivers accused the council of taking a
I am becoming increasingly exasperated by
hardline approach – punishing the drivers for
some local authorities, whose decision making
I wandered around the show looking for the
minor faults in troubled economic times. The tests
D S S H D U V W R E H R Q D S D U Z L W K & D V H \ · V G X E L R X V
lesser spotted LTI vehicle, it is a rare bird and
were done on cars over six years old. The council
to say the least. I make particular reference to
was nowhere to be seen at this particular event,
Z D Q W V W R O L P L W W K H D J H R I W D [ L V R Q W K H F L W \ · V V W U H H W V
those who have unmet demand surveys, then
they are obviously saving themselves for the NTA
from eight to six years old on safety grounds.
irrespective of the results, decide to deregulate
conference in Eastbourne this coming October.
D Q \ Z D \ , W · V D O L W W O H O L N H E H L Q J J L Y H Q D G Y L F H E \ D
Indeed the GMB were quoted as follows;
brain surgeon and deciding to not bother with
As many of you will be aware, I did give a
his advice and asking a lumberjack what he
begging letter to all advertisers in desperate
' H V S L W H W K H À J X U H V W D [ L U H S U H V H Q W D W L Y H V W R G D \
thinks. I wonder why these local authorities do
K R S H I R U D 0 H U F H G H V ¶ ( · F O D V V D Q G F K H D S
K L W E D F N D W W K H F R X Q F L O · V D S S U R D F K % L O O & K D U G
this? Are they mental?
insurance, none of which was actually
Z K R U H S U H V H Q W V P R U H W K D Q S U L Y D W H K L U H
forthcoming. I was therefore naturally pleased
drivers on the GMB Yorkshire union, said many
They put the survey out to tender, interview
to hear that my very presence at the show
cars had failed for minor issues.
F R X O G V H H P H M X V W L À D E O \ U H Z D U G H G Z L W K D I U H H
companies, pay the companies money and in
return are told precisely what their area needs
Mercedes in the free draw.
“In most cases once they had a bit of work they
I R U W K H E H V W S R V V L E O H W D [ L V H U Y L F H 7 K D W · V W K H
were back on the road. No car is going to be
Unfortunately (and I can only presume there
¶ % H V W 3 R V V L E O H · W D [ L V H U Y L F H E \ W K H Z D \ Q R W
perfect all the time and some might have been
has been a mix up of Iraq war type proportions)
Z R U V W R U H Y H Q D Y H U D J H L W · V ¶ % H V W 3 R V V L E O H · 7 K H \
due their MOT anyway. “Six years is a ridiculous
W K H À U V W Q D P H R X W R I W K H K D W Z D V Q · W P L Q H L W Z D V
then, completely without forethought or any
age criteria in the current climate,” he added.
someone else; indeed it was a woman from
knowledge of the transport industry whatsoever,
0 D Q V À H O G , D P T X L W H F H U W D L Q W K H U H K D V E H H Q D P L [
decide to ignore advice and deregulate numbers
Mr Chard said cars had been forced to undergo
X S , P H D Q G R Q · W W K H V H S H R S O H N Q R Z Z K R , D P "
K R S L Q J W K L V Z L O O À [ D S U R E O H P W K D W W K H V X U Y H \
rigorous two hour tests, and drivers were
This greatly reduces my faith in these exhibitions,
F R Q V L G H U H G D Q G L V Q · W D F W X D O O \ W K H U H 7 K L V L V D Q
expected to produce “pristine” service records
and lessens my faith in Mercedes Benz. In truth
astonishing waste of cash to do something they
even if they had bought the vehicle second hand.
\ R X F D Q V K R Y H \ R X U ¶ 0 H U F · Z K H U H W K H V X Q G R Q · W
G L G Q · W Q H H G F R Q V X O W D Q W V I R U L Q W K H À U V W S O D F H
V K L Q H , G L G Q · W Z D Q W D 1 D ] L V W D I I F D U D Q \ Z D \
“We are not gong to jeopardise safety. We want
$ J H / L P L W V
J R R G V W D Q G D U G V W R R µ K H V D L G ´ % X W / H H G V · D F W L R Q
1 H Z Z R U G R I W K H P R Q W K ¶ 3 D U O R X V ·
I am generally against age limits, but I can see
compared to other local authorities is extreme.”
why councils consider them. We are all aware
Parlous: - perilous; dangerous.
of the ongoing problem in Blackpool, where a , G R Q · W V H H K R Z D Q \ U H S U H V H Q W D W L Y H F D Q G H I H Q G
number of vehicles were stopped and found to this; the fact the vehicle may be due its MOT
I suppose the above word could be used in
have faults. The Blackpool trade were upset
D Q \ Z D \ G R H V Q · W Q H F H V V D U L O \ P H D Q W K H S D V V H Q J H U
U H Á H F W L R Q R I D J U H D W P D Q \ W K L Q J V F R Q F H U Q L Q J
the vehicles were stopped on a weekend,
V K R X O G S D \ W R W U D Y H O L Q D Q X Q U R D G Z R U W K \ Y H K L F O H
the cab trade, but I wish to make particular
understandably so, but surely a weekend is
reference to our new super local authorities. At often the only time some vehicles are known
Till next month
the beginning of April various areas lost their W R E H D W Z R U N V R Z K D W · V D F R X Q F L O V X S S R V H G W R The Reiver
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