The Casey Column
By Wayne Casey
(LL SC NTA & BAR)
The views expressed in this column are not the views of the National Taxi Association
Driving Hours would hate to be in his position, the ʻwhat ifsʼ and call, I promptly fell asleep but was rudely woken
I received a phone call from Talksport radio reminders of the accident would be on my own, or up by the data unit bleeping at 7.55am giving me
station (1053 /1089 am) during August; they were any other decent personʼs conscience for many a job that went RTFC, my next job was at 9am.
wanting someone from the NTA to be interviewed years, if not a lifetime. Iʼm not however convinced Strictly by the book I was at work for two hours,
on the thorny issue of driver hours. that regulating driver hours will solve this type of even though I had 50 minutes sleep, doing one
As many of you will be aware, Talksport is my incident. Iʼm pretty sure speed may have been a job, earning a fi ver, but my real working time
favourite radio station, I like listening to and factor with one hand and alcohol will have been a was probably about 5 minutes POB and perhaps
disagreeing with Mike Parry, who was the factor with the other. another 5 minutes getting to the fare.
interviewer on the day in question, in spite of this
and Talksport being the radio station of the cab I know in Carlisle we have a main thoroughfare Liverpool…be careful what you wish for
driver, I refused to be interviewed. closed off to motorists from 9pm every Friday The magazine (courtesy of our esteemed editor)
and Saturday evening, this is due to reasons managed a taxi talk exclusive last month, being
ʻBuck passingʼ is an ability I have developed of public safety, as many of you are aware, the fi rst to report the news of the Liverpool
over many years, I therefore gave them the NTA the public, when intoxicated, tend to do some wheelchair judicial review. Before people start
chairmanʼs telephone number, who in turn when really strange and silly things, including a belief celebrating too much perhaps we should consider
interviewed, gave a pretty decent account of how they have superman type powers and vehicles some possible repercussions from this case. As
regulation of driving hours was complete lunacy. will bounce off them, not causing any physical many of you will be aware, Liverpool City Council
It was nice to hear many other cab drivers phone harm. Incidentally, prior to this particular stretch currently have a regulated numbers policy, this
in and give their views, particularly a chap from of carriageway being closed there were two being the case, even though Mrs Luntʼs wheelchair
Liverpool who seemed to sum up my own views to accidents including one tragic death, a bus driver cannot fi t into a TX4, the chances of it fi tting into a
a tee. In general and like me, the major majority of and a policeman were the unfortunate victims Liverpool licensed E7, at least near future, are still
callers were opposed to hours regulation. of the public staggering out in front of their going to be limited. After all, whilst a council can
vehicles. Strangely enough, the aforementioned effectively allow other types of WAV to be licensed,
I have written on this subject before, the people occupations already have restricted hours. it doesnʼt actually buy them or put them on ranks.
calling for the new regulations were at that time a
pressure group called BRAKE. In my view BRAKE Other towns and cities have also brought similar Indeed, even if the council change their policy
are a collective of health and safety busybody such schemes into place. Yes, by removing traffi c tomorrow morning, the chances of the E7
upstarts they appear to be the Al-Qaeda version the results are no more road traffi c accidents, being on the streets of Liverpool in numbers
of ROSPA. Instead of venting their bile at the cab but the same results would possibly occur if you suffi cient enough for Mrs Lunt to actually fi nd one
trade, they should perhaps concentrate on people removed the alcohol, or arguably made landlords available for immediate hire, would presumably
who are actually crap at driving; naturally this is and pub staff act responsibly and not serve be akin to fi nding a rather small needle in a
everyone in the world, except me. people who are obviously drunk. I wonder why rather large haystack. I therefore wonder if
there is surprise? No Cars = No Car Accidents, Liverpoolʼs limited numbers policy will last, as
I would like BRAKE to provide evidence and ainʼt that like saying No Iceberg = No Sunken surely greater numbers will increase Mrs Luntʼs
fi gures showing how many accidents by cab Titanic? or No Graham Norton = No foot through chances of fi nding a cab capable to take her
drivers are directly linked to extreme hours, then I television set? Perhaps we should look at the wheelchair. I also wonder if this potential spin
would like the hours separated between Hackney reason why our streets are full of drunks on a off was thought of by the ʻgroupʼ of cab drivers
Carriage and Private Hire. I very often have the weekend? Maybe allowing pubs and clubs to stay who were in favour of the policy change? Yes
feeling that some PH companies operate at such open all day and all night wasnʼt such a bright I know LCC have a numbers policy in place, I
low prices, particularly on account work, their serfs idea after all? Incidentally, I recently saw a report know they have a survey to hide behind, but
must work long hours to make ends meet. I am which claimed that the liberalisation of licensing how long will the good faith (and thatʼs all some
waiting with eager anticipation the statement from hours hasnʼt led to any reduction in crime, limited numbers policies are) will last now theyʼve
BRAKE telling me the cab trade is the only part strange that, because I seem to remember the had a rather bloody nose in court? Obviously,
of the transport industry without regulated driving opposite being claimed! I might be scaremongering, Edinburgh Council
hours, which is probably true. But cab driving is changed vehicle policy last year and despite
also the only part of the transport industry which Perhaps we need to look at the reasons why legal challenges they have remained committed
has no form of subsidy, we are also the ones who drivers are working excessive hours; I donʼt to numbers control, however, the key difference
must not only face a court if found speeding, but subscribe to the theory that some do long hours between Edinburgh and Liverpool is that
also a council committee. I could go on but I donʼt because they actually want to, perhaps itʼs got Edinburgh council didnʼt go to court to defend
really want to play the ʻwe have a harder life than something to do with not making enough money to their vehicle licensing policy, unlike Liverpool
other occupations gameʼ. It comes as no surprise make ends meet? Too many cabs and not enough who have wasted millions of pounds of licence
the same group have re-emerged and started a punters spring to mind? As I have written before, fee money to prop up our ʻlearned friendsʼ once
fresh campaign against cab drivers. if my hours are regulated I will ʻcherrypickʼ the again, silly people.
hours of most profi t, thus neglecting the perceived
For those of you with a decent memory, you will quieter periods. I can only speculate what my Is it a coincidence that the T&G lot in Edinburgh
recall last time this issue reared its head BRAKE colleagues will do, I imagine they will follow suit. were in favour of the change of vehicle policy and
were backed by the GMB union, who had issues Itʼs supply and demand. Granny can walk for the elements (or former elements) of the T&G shower
with their London based minicab membership SAGA bus; I get £25 per hour on a Saturday at in Liverpool also took that particular route? As
being ʻforcedʼ to work long shifts by unscrupulous Midnight! The above being said, there are two everybody knows, the only sharks to win in court
minicab operators, thatʼs what they said anyway. things that can be said about a driver actually are solicitors; the legal fees and costs of this case
The GMB have since expanded into the working 14 hours solid. Firstly, there is a difference are expected to run into, as already stated, an
provinces, I wonder if this idea still has the GMB between being at work and actually working. estimated £6 million pounds. Yes folks weʼll remind
memberships backing? Secondly, in the majority of cases a good number you all again, someone will have to pay and as our
of drivers have regular breaks during their shift. editor alluded to last month, it is fully expected to be
The BRAKE campaign for regulation of driver hours Whatever happened to personal responsibility? If the licence holders of Liverpool.
comes on the back of a family from Barnsley calling Iʼm tired I go home.
for regulated hours. The family has due cause, their Many councils now operate like large businesses,
son was tragically killed by a licensed driver, who by In a typical shift from the other morning I started with different departments having their own
his own admittance had worked 14 hours, the 18- work when I dropped my wife off at 7am, I departmental budgets. Indeed, the taxi trade are
year-old lad was killed in a road accident after being didnʼt want to go to a cab rank because being a never short of telling councils that licensing fees
out celebrating his 18
th
birthday and Barnsleyʼs FA deregulated area even at 7 in the morning and should be ʻring fencedʼ and only used for licensing
Cup win last year over Chelsea. Indeed, any death little trade, there are still too many cabs in our matters, councils should not make a profi t from
is a tragedy, but there are always two victims. I city centre to get any fares. So I parked on a licensing and use that profi t to fund other council
donʼt know the driver ʻresponsibleʼ for the death, I street near the hospital and waited for a radio activities. Naturally, time will tell how of an affect
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