Pink Ladies Taxis

[tara_dad]

Peter we will go through this just for you mate .lol

 

Insurance for a taxi will come in at around 70 too 100 pounds a week, which includes public liability, which comes in around ? 10640 a year. By the law you can not drive the public around with out this as a licence taxi. To cut corners people do not pay this is why the enforcement offices job to check licensed taxi. As some just pay the deposit and do not pay any more for the year so they are not insured to carry the public around.

 

pink ladys are not licenced yet so do they pay it or not that what you should be asking your selfs on getting in one.

 

Now To the mot is to a higher standard than a normal mot, which is a mot to carry the public. So the Taxi must pass I higher test if it fails on even not having a plaster in the first aid box believe it or not. It will be taken off the road or not allowed a pass on its mot.

 

The enforcement offices job is to check any time day or night with the police customs tax and DHSS or on there own. That a number of things are in place from making sure the driver as identification along with the right badge to the car. and that all the paper work in order and most of all that the car is safe for the public from tyre pressure to as I said the first aid kit this only applies to licensed taxis cabs. You pay for the enforcement office in you council tax so what would you have no one checking these things or not.

 

Would you go in a car knowing they may not have a mot or insurance but knowing unless they get stopped by the police you would never know? Or would you get into a car knowing that any time a number of people can check the car or you know it will have been checked regular. Who would you now go with?

 

No one as ever said that pink ladies are not a good thing, or we do not want them in Warrington. all we are saying is to them do not brake the law like they are doing. and get licensed. why is it so hard? they run on the fear factor of come with us and you will be safe. well how can they be if they can not be checked? what have they to hide ?

 

peter you have said

 

Have you not noticed that the people complaining are a taxi driver and a person from London who I presume rightly or wrongly are/have been involved with one of the Pink Ladies companies, and seems to have an axe to grind, nence her admission about reporting them.

 

May be the public do not know about this? And laws and what is and is not, what would you want them to do not tell any one? You report facts about the council when they do things wrong we are only doing the same. I have all ways said report any one no matter who they are or who they work for, I bet on here a good number of people do not even know how to go about reporting a matter to the council on what they need and where to report it and who too.

 

Peter tell me? a drive as over charged you what do? how do you report it? what do you need to report it most of all? please tell us ?

 

I will say it again no taxi driver in warrington have said, they do not need the pink ladies only that they work within the law and get Licensed. how hard that

 

 

People have lost a lot of money peter on the franchise. but most of all there is a saftey issue to the public here as well. you complain and report on here if the council miss use your council tax. bit of Double standard there peter

 

[ 29.01.2007, 13:03: Message edited by: tara dad ]

[Paul Kennedy]

Interesting point about the MOT, doubt if many of the taxis I've been in have a complete first aid kit, amazed some of them could pass an MOT.

 

With regards to Pink Ladies vehicles most of the ones I've seen are less than 3 years old so wouldn't need an MOT, or is it that taxis have to have an MOT yearly, even if they are not 3 years old.

[Peter T]

TD,

I bet you wrote all that without taking a breath.

[tara_dad]

Peter when they first stated pink lades where licensed but they found a lope hole in the law that they used to get out of paying. not like the rest of us who stayed with in the law. That?s why the law was changed to stop the lope hole. in parliament not long ago they changed the law because the MPs where concurred about the public safety, which this would fetch about if we all use the lope hole. so thats why they have a time limit before they will be taken off the road to be Licensed. but you would think that they would all ready and be willing to work within the law. so are they NOT ?

 

 

AGAIN I WILL SAY WE WANT THE PINK LADYS IN THIS TOWN. BUT THEY ARE BRAKEING THE LAW AND THE PUBLIC COULD BE OR ARE AT RISK HOW PLANE IS THAT ?

 

 

god peter LOL would you put a child in stargers car knowing it could not be safe ? and have no way of checking if its safe and most of all your paying for it ?

 

and yes paul its public record that taxi have been taken off the road for not haveing a compleate frist aid box ie a plater. they are taken off the road for not haveing the stickers on the side when working. IE if not pre booked. no insurance. no ride.

 

you know me peter anything to keep the ball roleing .lol but this is a public safty issue

 

[ 29.01.2007, 18:57: Message edited by: tara dad ]

[Paul Kennedy]

Just a thought, if they are breaking the law, why don't the police stop their vehicles when they see them on the road and why don't the Council obtain a court injuction stopping them from plying their trade, as I understand it, and I accept I might be wrong, haven't Pink Ladies found a loophole in the law relating to licensed taxis, and in so doing are not actually breaking the law, until the law itself is altered to close the loophole they are taking advantage of. :confused:

[tara_dad]

Paul the lope hole is closed by our laws this as just been passed by Parliament

but the council have to wait till they get the fail closer from the European court. the pink ladys have been given a grace time and after that date the council then can act. But till the European court makes there ruling no one can act yet. as pink ladys are useing every trick to get out of not paying for a licence

 

hope that put some light on it for you paul

 

[ 29.01.2007, 19:07: Message edited by: tara dad ]

[Paul Kennedy]

Thank you, it does.

[Peter T]

TD,

I wouldn't KNOW if I was being overcharged, nor would I know if the bus fare was too much.

 

Don't they have a picture and a number in the cab?

Last taxi I rode in coming back from Liverpool had the wrong picture for the driver as they shared the taxi and worked shifts.

 

I prefer not to use taxis anyway, as you can't get one when you want one, and they are always just around the corner on their way. Very unreliable, and they can't even blame the leaves or the wrong type of snow.

And I would NEVER put a youngster in a car with someone who was not a close relation or a closer friend of the family, no matter how safe the vehicle was.

 

Bit confused, if the loophole has been closed in the UK, WHY have the EU got to endorse the law, before any action can be taken? :confused:

[Bazj]

I have heard in the past of taxi drivers swapping wheels and tyres with other cars when it was MOT time just to get the car through the test so I'm sure they would only need to borrow a first aid kit to achieve the same result!

 

I wonder of that battered old M reg astra private hire car has a full first aid kit and tool kit on board!!?

 

Taxis should be taxis....big, black type cabs; not some dodgy old 10 year old toyota. Especially as you pay the same for travelling in the minging old runabout as you do for the nice new shiny proper cab.

 

Baz

[Paul Kennedy]

Originally posted by Peter:

Bit confused, if the loophole has been closed in the UK, WHY have the EU got to endorse the law, before any action can be taken? :confused:

Possibly part of the appeal process/implications for other EU members/distorts competition and therefore EU Commission might have an interest.

 

[ 30.01.2007, 09:01: Message edited by: Paul Kennedy ]

[Bazj]

Here's one for Taras Dad....

 

If you know the driver of the Silver Skoda BL06 *** and badge number 337; tell him that the zig-zag lines on the zebra crossing outside St Philips School (08:50 this morning)are not "taxi stop here" markings!

 

Bloomin amateur driver.... and there have been comments on here about safety??

 

[ 30.01.2007, 08:54: Message edited by: BazJ ]

[Peter T]

Nah Baz,

He didn't mean that kind of safety.

Didn't you realise that taxi drivers use a different set of rules to the rest of us?

[tara_dad]

Baz

Here the good example. You have put, if this was true when the enforcement office is out and about you can not get the time to swap anything around. This is was I am saying about t the enforcement offers. If he stops you he will check every thing and if anything is not right you are taken off the road, there and then. You have to report to the council asp to say why the things where wrong in the first place. Then the taxi will be checked again at the bus station if it?s a mechanical fault. If its paper work you have to take your paper work in. But you are not allowed to work until the council says you can. If you are found still working when you have been taken off the road its an Offence and you will lose youre badge.

 

 

The hackneys as they are call have till the year 2010 to change there car to a London stile cabs. Which must have disable access. until then they can drive when they like. but all new plates that are given out you must have to have the London TX1 2 3 cab no matter how old it is. the cars that are on now it will not matter how old the car is. plus some of the london cabs ie the TX 1, 2, 3,s in warrington are even older than 20 years. so about the cars just this allown blow you out the water about the age of other cars and the state they are in.

All private hire is now going over to newer car already. but we are not allowed to use the London site. the euro cabs we can cabs

 

baz was he picking up a disable child from this school? If so he is allowed but if not you have what you need to report him so why have you not?

 

 

Paul and peter for you they lost in court now they have taken the matter to the European courts for them to look at there case on why they should pay for a council licence like I said they are using every trick in the book so until they rule we can not do anything yet. That why. they just do not whant pay for a licence so they can not be checked on by council to make sure every things ok and lawful when they take paying public around.

 

 

so in other words peter you do not know

 

[ 01.02.2007, 16:17: Message edited by: tara dad ]

[JayC]

Picking up a disabled child from school or not it is a traffic offence to park on the zig zag lines at any time.

 

In general I find the taxi drivers in this area as being the worse I have ever come across, I was picked up on Monday morning to be driven to Bank Quay to be met by "I hope you've got the right money I have'nt got any change so if you have'nt got a fiver I cant take you.

 

Then I get in the cab to see NO SMOKING stickers all over his cab and the driver puffing away not a good start to the day is it.

 

Taxi drivers in general need to understand they are paid to provide a service and part of that services is a decent attitude.

[Tilly]

Yipppeeeee - am delighted to see we're still at it

 

They DO tell you what your fare is adn can do before you take the ride and can tell you the balance of your account as they dont use cash in the cars.

 

Carry on

[Bazj]

Originally posted by tara dad:

baz was he picking up a disable child from this school? If so he is allowed but if not you have what you need to report him so why have you not?

TD, he is not allowed to park on zig-zags at any time and would have been booked had he been seen by a traffic officer (however I would be even more suprised if he had seen a traffic officer!) We are only just into 2007 and you say they have until 2010 to change the cars to hackneys and people carrier type vehicles....why so long? why not make it next year or this year? Why do we have to continue to pay to be carried round in 10 year old cars?

 

As for reporting indiscretions of taxi/private hire drivers, if I had the time and inclination to do it, I would do; however I wouldn't hold out much hope for the windows of my house! and anyway, I bet it would be a full time job! As for the tricks played by taxi drivers regarding swapping wheels and such like; it has happened for years, I had a friend who worked at the bus station and they all knew it was going on. Wether it still does I couldn't say; I was only pointing out what I had heard about past occurances.

 

Tilly, this thread (as is the way with forums) has spawned into an all-encompassing thread regarding general taxi provisions in Warrington. Personally I agree with a lot of the issues raised and think that some raise some very important points. It has been suggested by some; that PL are not insured to carry passengers and that they are not 100% legal. I would take this with some reservations personally because if that were the case, WBC and the Old Bill would be neglegent in allowing them to carry on trading and carrying passengers.

 

I do like the smugness of your retorts however; brightens up my evenings no end!

 

JC, hello to a fellow Westbrook resident!

 

[ 05.02.2007, 20:12: Message edited by: BazJ ]

[tara_dad]

Baz do take your point on the zig zag lines but did you know that taxi drivers are exempted from some laws like not wareing seat belts when taking passages? And if the public in the cabs do not wear them they are breaking the law not the driver. Also buster seats for children when carrying them we do not have to carry them? Also picking up from zigzag lines. So some laws are different for others and taxis

 

Also yes in the year 2010 is a long time but the plates uptill the change all hackney drivers had to pay about ?25,000 plus for them. so would the council repay that back to them? So they can get the new cab which cost about ?30.000? This is where the problem is they have all ready payed for their licence. but they have to give them a time limit to change over. but now all new ones do have to have the new cabs. so we are getting there slowly yes

 

We trying to get with the publics help that all cabs in Warrington have to be hackney i.e. de regulation. But Warrington wants to hold the number back to 200 plus. when other smaller towns as in excess of 300 plus. Because on Friday and Saturday nights. if it was not for the private hire cabs. People would find it very hard to get home or get a taxi at all on these nights. as its even hard now as it is with them. Now many people have tried to flag down a cab at night but the cab-gone pasts them with out stopping. That?s because it?s been a private hire cab that can not pick up on the street.

 

As for smoking I do agree its bad if a driver smoke`s why you?re in the cab. But good new this will soon stop. as it will be another offence soon that the driver can be taken off the road for and even finded.

 

Also if the public do not report things we can not make things better in the taxi game. It?s up to the public to report things. Because there is only you and the driver and he is not going to report it is he, that he done something wrong. So you as the public are the ones who are not reporting it and them go on to say this and that. its up to the public if they do not make a stand things will not get changed for the better.

 

I have checked with the bus station and the report back to me is that they would know if any one changes a tyre before the test. And if they think this as been done they would inform the enforcement officer who would on his rounds check the car after to see that they still have the tyres on. so that is fact I also have spoken to the council and I have see the report where five driver have been taken off the road because of tyre related offences. see baz things do get changed for the better. and thanks to you i have said things as well.

 

If there are any other problems that you think should be addressed I will ask on your behalf to find the answer but other that that its up to every one to reporter a matter them self?s

 

 

all the above can be done as we are Licensed and the police and enforcement offers can act on them. now look now at the pink lady?s whom are not who is checking them ?

 

as jay c as said Taxi drivers in general need to understand they are paid to provide a service and part of that services is a decent attitude.

this is true

 

[ 06.02.2007, 15:27: Message edited by: tara dad ]

[tara_dad]

baz YOU SAY that PL are not insured to carry passengers and that they are not 100% legal. I would take this with some reservations personally because if that were the case, WBC and the Old Bill would be neglegent in allowing them to carry on trading and carrying passengers.

 

all i can do is for you to ask the Council then. why is when people are given the facts, they find it hard to belive.

OR ASK gary to find out he is good at things like this he will get to the truth

 

here is some help and information

 

The Difference Between a Hackney Carriage (Taxi) and Private Hire Vehicle

 

All Hackney Carriages (taxis) are required to display an illuminated ?TAXI? sign. On licensed cars the sign is fitted to the roof and the word ?taxi? is visible from the front. During hours of darkness all taxi signs are illuminated when the vehicles are available for hire.

 

Private Hire Vehicles are not permitted to display any sign on the roof of the vehicle.

 

All taxis and Private Hire Vehicles have to display licensed plates, one fixed to the rear and the other to the internal dashboard of the vehicle. The plate displays the licence number and the number of passengers that a vehicle is allowed to carry. The exterior plate affixed to a Hackney Carriage (taxi) are white, whilst a yellow plate is affixed to the rear of a Private Hire Vehicle.

 

Hackney Carriages (taxis) can be hailed (flagged down) directly from the street or hired from taxi ranks, which are situated in each town. Private Hire Vehicles must by law be pre-booked.

 

All Hackney Carriage (taxis) are fitted with fare meters, which should be used for each journey within warrington. Fares are fixed for each vehicle by the District Council, a fare card must be displayed inside the taxi. Passengers should refer to the fare card to see if the correct fare is being charged. If in doubt as to the correct fare being charged, passengers are advised to request a receipt from the driver.

 

The Rights of a Passenger

When you hire a taxi or pre-book a private hire vehicle you have certain rights. These are:

 

The driver must only charge the fare that is shown on the meter or from the milage clock and taff sheet unless the fare is agreed before the journey commences.

The driver must comply with your instructions as to route etc.

The driver must take you to your destination by the shortest possible route.

The driver must not allow other passengers to share the vehicle without your agreement.

When requested, the driver should assist in loading and unloading luggage.

 

In Case of Complaint

Check fare shown on meter or from mailage and taff sheet (if possible obtain a receipt).

Note the drivers badge number and name.

Note the vehicle licence plate number, vehicle registration number, along with the make and model of the vehicle and any other signs of identification.

Note time, date and details of the journey.

Make a note of any other relevant factors e.g. description of the driver.

Contact the Taxi Licensing Officer

 

 

OR ASK gary to find out he is good at things like this he will get to the truth

 

[ 06.02.2007, 15:42: Message edited by: tara dad ]

[JayC]

Hello Baz.

 

And hello to you too.

 

John

[Gary]

TD - you are becoming a one issue poster!

[tara_dad]

Information, Information, Information , gary

 

[ 06.02.2007, 16:23: Message edited by: tara dad ]

[tara_dad]

for BAZ ......this was meeting with In Attendance

Barry Eaton (Passenger Transport); Phil Barnes (Taxi/Private Hire Licensing Officer); Mike Packer

(Taxi/Private Hire Licensing Officer); John Holmes, (Legal Section, WBC); Phil Bailey (Abba

Cars); Tommy MacIntyre (T &GWU); Bruno Bielizna (W.T.D.A.); Paul Smith (W.T.D.A.); Colin

Jenkins (One Voice)

 

this was back in 29th August, 2006 so you can see how long the problums as been baz

 

 

Pink Ladies

 

 

BE advised the meeting of the events of the afternoon of Friday, 25th August. One is that the

Warrington Guardian have requested information on Pink Ladies and the second is the advice from

Counsel.

BE outlined the events of the meeting held earlier in the year to which organisations such as DfT

were invited. He felt that there was an opportunity to put something out to the press on this situation and went on to remind the meeting of the back ground to the Pink Ladies issue. One of the results of the meeting had been Government amendments to the Road Safety bill.

The Pink Ladies are still operating in Warrington ? is this to continue? PS felt that there was a duty to inform the public of how Pink Ladies are operating i.e. playing on a safety element which doesn?t

exist. JH gave his opinion that this was an illegal operation as the vehicles are not exclusive to one person. The club is a separate company from the taxi company and the barrister feels that this is just a sham. Further advice had been requested as it would be January/February before the legal

action would be completed.

Even if the amendments go through the parliamentary process as hoped

for, it will be at least 6 months before the bill is passed. The issues are quite clear cut, but does this mean money will have to be spent now on this or would it be better to wait until October ( the law did come in ) when it

will be known exactly what the bill contains.

 

One Voice asked if the matter could be deferred to the next Taxi Liaison meeting. The problem here is that the press release for the Guardian will have to be done quite quickly. A secondary issue is that the bill has a clause relating to rights of appeal.

PBailey asked if the issue went to the press, what is to prevent another company setting up in the same way.

PBarnes replied none. If the details are put in the press then that might give other members of the public ideas of circumventing the law. Disability Forum asked what would happen

if Pink Ladies had an accident ? were they insured?

PBailey asked if a letter could be sent to Pink

Ladies asking for their insurance details. JH agreed to write. One Voice felt that if nothing was done, it would appear to the public that the Council and the drivers were sending out the wronginformation and it would seem that there was no regulation of Pink Ladies.

 

PBailey asked how far were the public aware of the problems and issues surrounding Pink Ladies.

T.Mac agreed that a press release had to be issued. PS asked if other councils would share any court fees. JH replied that other councils do not necessarily share Warrington?s views. BE was of the opinion that the press release had to be kept very simple. PBailey stated that if the press release were in the form of an advert, then the wording could not be changed. One Voice suggested letters

from individual drivers be sent to the press. Agreed to send out a press release.

 

the above is copyed from www.warrington.gov.uk/images/Joint%20Liaison%20Meeting%2029.08.06_tcm15-10365.pdf

 

[ 06.02.2007, 16:16: Message edited by: tara dad ]

[Tilly]

TD - I hope you've still time to eat and sleep and a get a brew etc - there is more to life than this post/topic - you'll end up having a canary ( tweet tweet )

 

[ 09.02.2007, 13:53: Message edited by: Tilly ]

[tara_dad]

lol tilly.... nor keep this going for a bit longer sleep what sleep ? ask peter i am like a dog with a bone will not let go .lol

 

[ 09.02.2007, 16:54: Message edited by: tara dad ]

[Peter T]

You reading my mind TD?

I was going to post that but hadn't got round to it.