causing traffic disasters, congestion, fumes, queues, and generating parking tickets by the thousands.
It is quite clear that the Law Commission did not have this information; they’ve started to get it now. Are you listening? Do you have a cam- era? Then get to work...
I am not saying for one moment that deregulation will not be on the agenda; it most certainly will. But the door has not been unlocked yet, and on Monday January 23rd the council that has probably spent more money in court costs and survey costs than any other – the Wirral – re-regulated taxi numbers. Quite amazing, isn’t it?
What’s next on the list to cheer us in this, my birthday month: How about Blue Line -v- Newcastle? Again. Yes, once again, on the 9th Jan- uary Mr Shanks, together with his legal team, appealed the revocation of his operator licence in Newcastle for using out-of-town licensed hackney carriages. You remember, the Berwick case. You remember, the Stockton case. Do you remember also that the Law Commission are specifically looking at this issue, because their boss, Lord Justice Munby, actually did the Stockton case himself and said that Parlia- ment should be getting on with this.
But it’s obviously not over yet – because things move on. In the Berwick case the Judge there suggested that when councils issue licences to hackney carriages, they might put a little rule in place which says they can only operate mainly in the area in which they are licensed. It hasn’t worked a lot in Northumberland; they became a Unitary Authority and, instead of being 70 miles away from Newcastle or North Tyneside, they are now three inches away – and that’s all right, isn’t it?
Of course it started happening all over the country... did you see our little front page about Shropshire? They suddenly decided to try the Berwick tack and, suggesting that if you wanted a private hire opera- tor licence in their area, you’d also have to not use out-of-town hackneys. You see, Newcastle had already done that; and that’s what this latest case is all about. And it got thrown out, and the conditions
restricting Mr Shanks from running out-of-town hacks were repealed by the Judge. Obviously I have ensured that a copy was sent to the Law Commission as soon as it was received. But no doubt even if the law does change in the next 12-24 months, it will give all that extra time for people to waste money in cross-border cases in court.
And finally in this strange and wonderful land, let us go back 165 years. Here we are in 1847, just 22 years after the battle of Waterloo, 18 years before the American Civil War finished... when hackney car- riages were first licensed in our green and pleasant land. In that green and pleasant land were councils – local authorities (called Commis- sioners in those days) – who started to make rules for taxis. I am told that, around the country, there are some rank spaces that are indeed that old, and you can see the paving stones worn away to prove it.
But not in Epping Forest. It may be a little late for you to go on their website, but if you do, you will see that they are currently in consulta- tion with the trade about providing rank spaces – after 165 years, yes. And you will also find out that there are a considerable number of driv- ers there who are strongly against this, as they are about the other consultation which suggests that the council should set fares and that meters should be installed in hackney carriages.
According to the Department for Transport’s latest figures, there are 377 hackney carriages in Epping Forest. I suppose they spend their days driving around, as they do in London... which is not a long way away. But you never know, a rank space or two might save them a cou- ple of pounds on fuel; it might relieve the congestion a bit. Having meters in the car might even protect some of the public from over- charging. But that never goes on, does it?
So here we are, in the second month of the year, going from the sub- lime to the ridiculous – every time you open your computer or look at a website, there is always something to make you laugh. Which of course is why I’m not going to give up.
So until next time I wish you sayonara.
Fleet cover from Swinton Taxi Division
We go the extra mile to get you cheaper insurance
Mick, Lyndy and Paul head up our dedicated fleet team, and they can get you a great price on your fleet cover… but they don’t stop there. They’ve got over 50 years experience of working with taxi fleets between them and they know what they’re talking about. Don’t arrange your fleet cover until you’ve spoken to them.
The Swinton Fleet Team can arrange: • Public liability cover
• A great quote by searching a panel of insurers
• Flexible payments • Tailored cover
Yasser Mansha, Albatross Cars, Derby “ Being with Swinton
Taxi Division has allowed us to cut our costs and invest this money back into our business. We’ve saved thousands!
For fleet queries only call today on or go online to
www.swintontaxi.co.uk For single vehicle queries call 0800 409 6498
FEBRUARY 2012 PHTM 0800 531 6125
Swinton Taxi Division is a division of Swinton Group Limited, registered in England number 756681, which is connected for the purposes of the Insurance Companies Regulations 1994 to MMA Insurance plc and Gateway Insurance Company Limited. Registered office: Swinton House, 6 Great Marlborough Street, Manchester M1 5SW. Calls may be recorded. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
PAGE 9
“
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88
