The first meeting of the newly formed North Tyneside Hackney Carriage & Private Hire Licensing forum was held today at the Cobalt Business Park, Silverlink North.
It was agreed that the forum would be chaired by North Tyneside Council.
Members of the Forum included Ian Shanks,David Wilson,Alan Fiddler,David Walls,Marvyn Fereday,Paul barton,Bob Sneddon and several other representatives of the North Tyneside Hackney & Private Hire trade. I believe this to be a fair mix of both sides of the trade on North Tyneside.
Items covered were: Frequency of meetings,topics for future discussion i.e. vehicle specifications,enforcement issues and cctv to name a few. It was decided to have another meeting at the beginning of November when Northumbria Police and Disability awareness representatives will also be in attendance.
All in all I think it was a good start to a positive working relationship with North Tyneside Council and all sides of the trade but time will tell.
{ 78 comments… read them below or add one }
Admin, I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments.
I am aware that there are outstanding posts and requests for further information from me in relation to other topics; and I will get around to responding to them as soon as I have the time to give those matters the attention they deserve.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Re: North Tyneside Forum
Specifically with the use of CCTV in taxis/private hire vehicles
in North Tyneside.
This topic is listed as up for possible discussion
in the future within the forum.
But:
Is it OK to install recorded CCTV systems in taxis
in North Tyneside as there is no policy in place?
Do individual drivers need to be covered by
Data Protection. One cctv website says we don’t need
to because we are now covered by private use of
CCTV as in the home.
Anyone have any ideas because I’m thinking of
installing one.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@NT Badgeholder, According to NTC you can have cctv but in another breath,so to speak,you cannot. So the answer is yes but they have not yet decided how it will operate. i.e. the system will most probably have to be a sealed hard disc type where images may only be viewed by the police etc and not the driver. I think if you install one off your own back you may be wasting your money if the system you install does not meet with NTC’s yet to be known criteria.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Hmmm…
If they don’t have a policy then how can they object
at the moment. Other local authorities are well into
CCTV and there doesn’t seem a problem. The one
I was looking at records onto an SD card. The card
holds about an hours worth of video but it isn’t
sealed as you suggest. It has panic mode with a
remote activation to set the video recording.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Is the new forum aware that two South Tyneside Hacks are working out of Blueline as Private hire on North Tyneside.I thought this was not legal anymore.Is South Tyneside the new Berwick???
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
who picked the members of this forum?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@SC,members were not chosen as such,the majority of the trade were sent letters several weeks ago inviting them to put theirselves forward.Those that replied were then sent letters to invite them to the first meeting. If you are NT licenced and did not receive a letter you can still put yourself forward by contacting Joanne Lee at NT Licensing.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Admin, rang Joanne today but she’s off until Tuesday (must be nice)
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@SC,
Hello SC,
I would just like to update you as you have stated (must be nice)
Joanne is pregnant and due to give birth in the very near future, therefore Joanne is entitled to maternity leave, but has chosen to work until the last possible moment, therefore all Drivers should give Joanne credit for having such a positive attitude to her job and wish her well with the forth coming event of child birth.
I do understand SC, you are probably not aware as many drivers and Proprietors possibly were not aware until Monday 28th September 2009 at the Licensing Forum, where we were made aware of her current situation.
Hope you now understand why Joanne is not at work and Joanne is not skiving at the Council.
Dave Walls
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@David Walls, It was intended as a joke, I’ll put
next time.
Is Alan Newton pregnant? just I was told he was off until Tuesday as well
<joke
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade@Admin, replied to your email, but it keeps bouncing back? just to let you know signed up
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
We have had some good Articles on here, especially the one from Pete Cooper, but this one regarding this “Forum” is priceless!!, to say the least!
SC asks, who picks the members?, Good question SC.
What makes me laugh is the members, lets re-iterate who they are!, Ian Shanks, David Wilson (P.M.S.L), Marvyn, Bob Sneddon, David Walls, Paul Barton and of course that old Alan Fiddler, the laughter comes from these words in the Article “I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A FAIR OF BOTH SIDES OF THE TRADE ON NORTH TYNESIDE”, eh what????
Ian Shanks – Well he is a business man who has only gained financially from this horrid mess we are in, he can’t have a side if he employs Berwick, South Tyneside, Newcastle, Castle Morpeth, Durham (FKA as Derwentside), Tynedale, the reason for all these interlopers is due to him not liking NT’s Licensing???, is this correct?
David Wilson – Where do you start about him, he is the “Cancer to the local properly Licensed Driver”, he has run all NT Drivers down financially, the behavior of some of the Drivers he has licensed has damaged the name of the trade and pushed travellers back to public transport or using their own Car, because of bad experiences they encountered in Berwick Licensed Cars, not to mention the amount he licensed either.
Paul Barton – Don’t know him but if he is NT PH, then he is a minority of the mentioned and that is not a fair mix!
Bob Sneddon – A North Tyneside Hack gang leader
Marvyn Fereday – Done his bit for NT Drivers, started this great site where folk can get things off their chest and people can find out informative bits and bobs, fair to say that he has the right to be at this forum, but once again a HACK!!!
Private Hire Drivers, Company car drivers, small operators where are you???
David Walls – Another Hack Driver hmmmm, this fair mix does’nt add up, he should have stayed at home and researched some more Transport acts etc
OK whats left….. Fiddler!
Alan Fiddler – He is like Nick Griffin leader of the BNP working part time for the “Hope not hate campaign” and “Show Rascism the red card organisation”, He Champions drivers and the Trade ???HAHA, yet he works at the big two, I am surprised he got to the forum and he was not elsewhere researching long winded words or working for David Wilson’s former best customers!!!!!!!!
I bet NT Council had a good chuckle!
Lets be fair, yes FAIR!!!!, no Offence please to any of you Guys but you are certainly not a fair mix are you, A big Operator, a ex Licensing Officer from a Council 70 miles away, a bunch of Hacks and some old bloke in a Blue Bus!!!!!
CRACKING!
Come on where are the NT PH?
Company Car Drivers who feel the downturn in business more than some!
Moderate size operators like Preston or Briardene?
Multiple Plate Holders
Berwick Drivers, could have shown up to express there beliefs.
Members of the Public who use Taxis and PH regularly??
Anyway this is my opinion and I don’t want to hear who earns more than who, who is experienced more than who etc, this is just a passing opinion.
Thank You
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Upset NT Driver,
Hello Stephen(aka upset NT Driver),
Can I just start off by giving a brief outline of why I decided to return my reply strip to North Tyneside Council to be considered for a seat at the Licensing Forum, not the Drivers Forum, as you seem tho think the Forum is about.
Stephen, as you do know me pesonally I think?(If you are, who I think you are, you will also know my 5 Brothers and Sister and maybe you have a problem with one of my Family, or maybe you have a problem with me, I am not sure?) Can I now explain I do not have any personal problem with you, or any other person sitting within the Forum, even though at the Forum all people present do have their own reasons for being there, some will be personal and some not personal.
I decided to request the seat at the table, because since around 2001 I have been challenging the Council Officers of North Tyneside, but until I decided to study for my National Road Passenger Transport Management Certificate of Professional Competence, which I achived in April 2007, I found I was not taken seriously by North Tyneside Council, but in more recent times because of my understanding of the Business Law and Acts of Parliament, I wish to act, as the voice of reason at this Forum.
Stephen, I do not have any hidden agendas for this Forum, and If you allow me to show to you through this Licensing Forum seat I have you will discover I am your best chance of achieving the changes you so badly want, because at the end of the day when you have people stating this is what I want, I am able to after the views have been stated by the people round the table, I will enter the Dragons Den, as it were with my display of what the Act of Parliament states, on the subject matter, and then hopefully, only then will the true considered opinion of the Acts of Parliament be reconised and decisions taken based on the Lawfulness of the request. If I am not at the Forum Stephen, you and all the Drivers, either Hackney Carriage or Private Hire, will continue to suffer wrongful decisions possibly being taken, as being acceptable practice for the future.
Hope this full and honest expression of intent is acceptable to you Stephen, and if you see me on the street come and speak to me and I will happily listen to your views.
Thanks
Dave Walls
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@ dave walls,
sausages after gaining your transport qualification do the council now take you serious??… as for you sitting on a masterplan of a business opening can you remind everyone of how succesful your prior venture with taxicall was? the vast majority on the forum seem to be people who spout a load of crap and whos input into the taxi industry isnt making a single bit of difference.lets hope yous spend time questioning the councils inflation busting proposed increases rather than blowing your own trumpets
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@kings ransom,
I have no doubt that the general level of uninformed comment which circulates around the trade will see the recently announced variation of fees proposed by the Council for the running of the Licensing Section as a huge increase beyond reasonable justification – as required in the Act.
Just a few points. Fees have not been increased since 2003/04 because following a detailed Enquiry carried out by the District Auditor following a formal objection to the Councils Annual Accounts, submitted by me on behalf of the entire trade, a substantial number of errors and inappropriate charges were reported by the Auditor resulting in a Reserve account of some £180,000 approx. becoming available to hold fees down.
For the past 5 years I have scrutinised the annual accounts of the Licensing Section and, taken with the vacancy in Paul Tyrie’s position – now to be scrapped – we have enjoyed a long period of stability in fees.
Those who wish will assert that this happened out of the goodness of the council’s heart. I know differently and the council did not willingly disgorge that amount of money until they had their collar felt by the District Auditor, after a complaint by the trade.
For the past four years I have had regular discussions with the council, monitoring the ongoing financial position and have recently accepted that the pot is empty after 2009/10 and reluctantly we must face a rise in fees.
Anyone who believes they can prove waste or mismanagement is able to put in an objection to the proposed fees increases which will be advertised shortly with 28 days to lodge such an objection.
Be warned, merely objecting without providing some concrete evidence to support your objection will not get you very far.
The increase in vehicle test fees is the most significant because the Council garage has for the past four years been claiming a much higher fee than was included in the ‘build – up’ for the current fees.
For many years the charge for tests charged into the fees rates was £38 when the garage has been paid up to £53 currently. Catching up on this has produced the significantly greater increase for vehicles than for drivers.
If anyone wants a few pointers to areas for objection how about mentioning the fact that the council – in common with many others- does not account for driver licensing separately from vehicles and ooperators, as provided for in the two separate sections of the Act S53(2) AND S70.
Since David seems intent on creating some sort of ‘apartheid’ between the ‘investors in the industry’ and the mere mortals who drive for a living then perhaps it is time to have separate licensing fees accounts showing the ‘cost of issue and administration’ for driver licences and all other costs associated with vehicles and Operators in another account.
Good luck with that one.
There is never a good time to increase fees. If the influx of drivers returning from the ‘northern wastes’ comes about – as endlessly predicted – then we might avoid a fee increase in 2011/12. The current fee increase proposal is for the period to 31 03 2011.
Rest assured, I have no intention of ceasing to monitor the accounts of North Tyneside Council in many many aspects – God willing.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Upset NT Driver, Stephen, I see you havn’t lost your knack for being outragious,offensive and Tish stirring. The fact is that entry to the Forum was open to everyone.In the weeks running up to the time of the first meeting I spoke to many drivers who had received their letters and were asking me what it was all about. I explained to them and said they should reply to the letters but for most it was a non starter as they had already ‘Binned’ them. Anyone who is remotely interested in their trade would surely make an effort to be a part of this forum. Just because you don’t know some of the people now sitting on the forum does not make them unworthy. There ‘is’ a good mix and a lot of knowledgeable people were sitting around that table on Monday. Yes,there will be people who might hope to gain from it but is that not why any of us come to work. Things don’t happen in this world because people have a laugh on a website but they can happen when people sit down and talk with decision makers. So Lighten up a bit mate.
P.S. When the forum membership is finalised I will,with the permission of the members, provide a list of members and their respective positions within the two halves of the trade.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Admin,
Personally I’d prefer not to be categorised, because I don’t think my contributions will be (or should be) limited to private hire matters, just because I’m retained by Blue Line to provide advice and assistance to the firm and its drivers.
After all, much to “Upset NT Driver’s” annoyance, I do have some history of hackney carriage licensing too.
However, above all else, I hope this Forum provides an opportunity for the trade (and I’d prefer for the two sections to consider themselves to be one) to achieve the changes (or at least some of them) that it wants for the better.
There were 13 of us present on Monday and, if nothing else, there was agreement as to what needed to be discussed. I’m sure there will be different views expressed about some of those items, but I’d also hope that some would attract unanimous agreement.
However, most importantly, this is not a Forum at which decisions are to be made or votes cast, but at which views are to be expressed and reported to councillors so that they can make informed decisions, rather than only being told what officers think.
As a former officer, I can accept officers don’t know everything, but similarly nor does the trade. It’s time to listen to each other (and I mean everyone, not each side!) and to talk to North Tyneside Council.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@David Wilson, You can’t change what ‘is’ David! “Upset NT Driver” is my resident ‘MANIAC’ and as such I usually totally ignore him. You should too.
You have just categorised yourself as Bluelines retainee so you have in effect blown your chance of not being categorised.
Chill out!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@David Wilson, You may think you know a lot about the taxi trade David but until you’ve sat behind the wheel for a good few years you really don’t know anything. I think this is what the taxi drivers dislike so much,that there are people with no knowledge of the daily lot of a taxi driver from the perspective of the drivers seat, who come along and mess things up. You are a prime example. you may be a very nice bloke I don’t know but at the end of the day you couldn’t just do your job in Berwick could you? you had to go the extra mile and turn your job into a fully fledged business issuing Hack licences to all.This is what is meant when people say that there are people who would exploit us.For this reason I for one am not really happy about you being a part of our forum, a taxi drivers forum.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Well said NTHack!, they will probably have a NVQ Assessor or a Doblo salesman at the next Forum!!!!
Now David Wilson works for Blueline, he should get himself a badge and work at another Office and see what it’s like for a few weeks and he will end up angry like us!
I am sure he is a decent bloke as himself, but he clearly will not acknowledge what he has done, and escaping to BLT does not do him justice!!!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@NTHack,
Hello NT HACK and for that matter UPSET NT HACK who are two totally different people.
David Walls 1987 until 1994 was a Driver in the Passenger Carrying Vehicle Industry for 7 years who was Elected to the Branch T&G Union in 1989 at the age of 25 and held the position of Head Schedules Design Representative at Percy Main responsible for ensuring Drivers Working Conditions were followed within the Design of the Rosta and Duty Content of the Shift Patterns for Five years I was re-Elected until I left in December 1994.
David Walls 1994 until 1997 was a Driver in the North Tyneside Private Hire Industry for 3 years.
David Walls 1997 and still currently a Proprietor and Driver in the Hackney Carriage Taxi Industry for 12 years so far.
David Walls becomes a Qualified Road Passenger Transport Certificate of Professional Competence Management Holder in April 2007.
This is not a case of me Marketing Myself and Charging for my Services, as I am trying on all Drivers behalfs to assist Free of Charge my knowledge to the Forum and all North Tyneside Drivers, but the one thing that all you Drivers out their have to accept and I know it will be hard for some to understand, but these are the facts that I set out below if you work as a Hackney Carriage:
You only require a Vehicle and a Drivers Licence and Badge all Hackney Carriage.
but to work as in the Private Hire Industry Section 46 is the “Cornerstone of the Rules” and they state you need an Operator Licence to be able to accept and make the provisions for hirings, then you need a Vehicle, and finally you need a Drivers Licence and Badge.
This unfortunately means a Hackney Carriage Driver and a Private Hire Driver operate two totally different “Hire or Reward” Systems, as Hackney Carriage is from the “Street ranks of the Council Area or being Hailed in the Streets of the Council Atrea that Licensed that Hackney Carriage Vehicle.
A Private Hire Vehicle and Driver has no such entitlement to anything other than being “Pre-Booked in Advance” and this is why there will always be a Two Tier System in England and Wales.
I hope the Private Hire Operators and Drivers that subscribe to the Alan Fidler or David Wilson belief, that England and Wales should be a One Tier System for “Hire and Reward ” is now Finally understood, that this can never be achieved as the Two Industries are totally different in there approaches to Operational Conditions in Existance, that would mean the Public Transport Systems of Great Britian would have to be changed, and the Multi-Million Pound PCV Bus Operators are never going to allow that to happen.
Those are the True Facts, not the properganda, and so I now hope all Drivers weather Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Drivers accept, that I have a sound understanding and knowledge of what is Lawful and what is not on your behalf, Free of Charge to you sitting at the seat in the Licensing Forum assisting all Drivers within the North Tyneside Licensing Council Control.
Thaks for reading this.
Dave Walls
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Hello Dave
First of all I have nothing against you or any members personally, I am sure you are good folk, I was just simply saying that six of the named members of this Forum are not a fair mix of both sides of the trade, once again THREE NT Hacks and Mr Shanks of BLT and his two star employees Mr Wilson and the Riddler!!
Come on please…………..
P.S. I am sure SC was only having a bit banter about a absent NT worker!!!
Regards
Stephen
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Why does every discussion topic end in abuse. Upset NT driver, why don’t you start your own constructive
discussion on a topic and see how many respond.
This thread is about CCTV in taxis not let’s have ago against people you are obviously jealous of.
I can be just as critical as anyone both potentiall here and elsewhere but I know where my bread is buttered.
Going back to the original discussion which was abou CCTV’s IN TAXIS IN NORTH TYNESIDE
I understand I will be the first to install such a system. But be warned, you need
to register as a data user under the Data Protection Act.
That will cost you £35 per man. Also I spoke with AN today and had a discussion which was very positive.
I think it is useful to engage in meaningful discussion than to slag off authorities.
But you can’t sherk from the Data Protection issue -
you can’t take pictures or images of people without
their consent or prior authorisation by the
Data Protection Commissioner – no exemptions in our case.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@NT Badgeholder, beware AN has got more faces than a dice, in simple terms he says what he thinks you want to hear !
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
For the avoidance of doubt let me clarify a few matters
1) I am not employed in any way by BLT – I have known and worked with (not for) Ian Shanks, who I regard as a long time friend, for the past 7 years.
ii) I have known David Wilson since October 2006, mostly by telephone contact. Presently, since David left the employment of NCC/Berwick, I have worked with him on a number of issues elsewhere. David has assisted me in cases in Barnsley, Halifax, Stockton on Tees, Cheshire and Scunthorpe.
iii) In some instances we are working together and in others I have passed to him issues for which David has particular experience, as you might pass on a fare you could not accommodate.
iv) As for my own business, it involves work across the country on issues related to licensing and council’s relations with the trade – both Hackney carriage and PHV.
v) However humorous some corespondents may intend to be, I caution anyone about inferring that persons are associated with particular groups of whatever hue.
The odious views of some are permitted exposure by virtue of our democratic system which allows freedom to all;a freedom which certain groups would deny to others, by reference to the colour of their skin or their professed political or religous beliefs. Take a trip to Auschwitz and then look for humour in these peoples’ policies- BNP etc.
vi) As stated by many previous correspondents, an invitation to participate in the new Taxi Forum was mailed to every NTC licnce holder of which I am one of the Combined Badge holders, working at EastCoast (as most people know).
As with the recent opinion survey (well, November last year)conducted as part of the ‘Unmet demand ‘ exercise, the response was to say the least disappointing – less than 11% of the trade and many more proportionatelty from the Hackney side than the PHV the latter of course are numerically 4/5 times greater – if the PHV side is not represented to anyone’s liking then do something about it.
Write to Mrs Joanne Lee and ask to be advised of the next meeting. We are not at the stage where we need to book St James Park to accommodate all those wishing to participate.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Well Chaps I’m back!! Hope you have all been keeping well and can I say I like the new site.
Now down to business. Well said upset NT driver. I totaly agree that the members of the forum are a joke and unfair.
And I also believe that there is Two members on that forum (not mentioning names as I’ll just get wrong)that not so long ago were trying their best to line their pockets and shaft the ligit drivers of Newcastle and North tyneside by issueing badges to and suplying datas to anyone they wanted regardless of the affects it would have on the trade. Yet now they want to work with the drivers of North tyneside hmmmmm I’m confused because if they are working with and on behalf of the NT drivers what are their policys on the use of out of town plates???? Have they changed or do they still believe that locality tests and the regulation of plates is the wrong way to do things and that we need to move into the 20th century be getting rid of the tests and regulations and allow anyone with a drivers licence to get plated so we can end up the same as the drivers in Dublin.
However I do agree on the use of cctv in taxis an PHV but I believe that the cctv system should be fitted by the local counci who issue the plate for that vehicle as soon as the vehicle passes the test. Then the local council can say that they are looking out for the drivers and members of the public, the drivrs can feel a little safer when trying to do their jobs, the public will feel safer when entering the vehicle and the enforcement team and police would have solid evidence to prove flimping or blame at any incident that takes place with in the vehicle.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@MB 27, Everyone with a north tyneside licence had the opportunity to put themselves forward for membership of the forum. The lack of response is to blame if there is anybody sitting round that table that the trade think should not be there. Like everything else lots of people shout after the fact but if they really wanted to be heard they would have answered the invitation and been sat at that table where their voice has the opportunity to be heard. I know for a fact that one or two new members have been accepted who are NTPH drivers. So now the PH drivers,Hack drivers,Operators, Trade associations & 1 ‘Other’ are all represented. I will also say that pen,paper & e-mail do exist and if anyone has any grievance you do not have to be on a forum to voice your opinions. If anyone feels strongly enough about anything trade/licensing related, let them know! otherwise they think everything is sweet and they will take it as read that the operators present at the forum are the voice of the PH trade.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@ admin,
unfortunatly I am not a North tyneside driver so I couldn’t put myself forward, I am a Newcastle PH driver and I have been trying to get a drivers association going in newcastle (NPHDA) but keep hitting brick walls with the licencing section and local councilors. Infact the only council member interested was John Stokel-walker who believes like us that forums and committees are the way forward for the trade.
Also I am not suggesting that the forum should not be open to all. I am simply voicing my opinion about members who are showing an interest in the forum and looking to improve the trade for the NORTH TYNESIDE DRIVERS yet they were and possibly still are the biggest problem with the trade.
If the member are intersted in the trade then surely they should be trying to rectify the mess that they have got the trade into and stop exploiting the taxi laws and start putting there energy into cleaning up the local trade inorder to improve the trade for all and not using any and all opportunitys to bend the laws to line there pockets.
Surely the members concerned about the trade who are opperators would be Flying the NORTH TYNESIDE banner high in the sky for all to see. They would be setting an example by going NORTH TYNESIDE PLATES ONLY and apologising to the trade for their moments of madness and greed.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Well said MB 27, your a Toon driver and you still see a unfair mix at this Forum!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Stephen Arthur, Stephen, have you rang Alan Newton to be added to the forum? if not why not?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Stephen Arthur,How many times does it have to be said? It’s open to all,if you think the mix is unfair step up! and make it more balanced.You can’t keep coming here spouting on about an ‘unfair mix’ Those that could be bothered and didn’t bin their letters are the people who care about their business, coming onto a website repeating the same thing is not very helpful Stephen, when even you could be a forum member, NTC offered everyone the same chance. Anyway which part of the mix would you be? as you have been Berwick, NTPH & latterly NT Hack and even though you have tried your hand at all of these…in my opinion you will never make a Taxi driver as long as your arse points down.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
For the record Admin, I did’nt get a Letter.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Stephen Arthur, maybe you didn’t but it’s been said often enough on here and other drivers have taken advantage instead of whining on about it.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Admin,
I stand to be corrected on this Admin, but I do believe Stephen could be telling the truth on this occassion, because my understanding was that only people who had invested in the trade, as a Proprietor of their own Vehicle, or, a Proprietor of a Private Hire Operator Licence within the trade of North Tyneside, would have been invited originally, as a mere driver has not invested any Collateral into the Trade, therefore does not deserve a voice!, as depending on circumstances they could be seen as only an Employee, because they cannot make the provisions to accept the hirings directly from the customer and control the situation, this factor, therefore means they cannot be Self-Employed or a Sub-Contractor according to a Court Case in 1968, that established the law in relation to “Owner Drivers”.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
First of all I would like to thank Alan Fiddler and Admin for their response to David Walls’s arrogant comment – I mean that, I am not being cheeky on this occasion or offensive!!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage TradeFirst of all Mr Walls as I am a humble EMPLOYEE, will I get a Tax return, because as a mere EMPLOYEE, all the Taxi firms I have worked at should have paid my Tax & NI, SECONDLY, I can’t recall over the years the Council giving me reduced rates for my Badge or CRB OR my EMPLOYERS paying for it on my behalf, correct me if I am wrong, but I do believe I pay the same as you for my Badge and CRB!!!
Thirdly, I have owned my own Car before and own the Car I have now, but not the plate, I pay £65 a week for the honour of rubbing shoulders with the elite like you!!!
Question!, Would anyone pay up to £12,000 for a Saloon Plate at the moment???……to sit outside of Pizza Cottage for hours doing sweet FA!
Obviously when you were at the top of your game investing millions into public transport, as a MERE BUS DRIVER, you managed to purchase several Optare single Deckers and keep them on your driveway until you decided to be a Taxi Driver and then you sold them for a six figure sum to purchase your plate and pay for your 7 day course in Professional Arrogance, sorry competence!!
How can someone with your opinions state that they are best to represent the Drivers, when you think that Company Drivers, PH Drivers and Lads that Rent a Hack plate don’t have a voice!!
When you are at your next meeting, inform Mr Shanks that his 400 Drivers don’t have a opinion and are second rate!!!, he will not be pleased, and ask Mr Wilson where his white Plate is?, Oh, send Mr Fiddler home as he too is a humble Private Hire Driver.
So you have probably owned your Plate for years, and your Car is 03, so what have you invested into the Trade?
Anyway what happened to you, it was not long ago you were writing a few “home truths” about a well known coastal firm in the Upfront Mag that got you into a little hot water, I thought your were the Boyo!
Anyway, Mr Lighthouse, Sausage, Best Bus Driver, Investorand best qualified
Goodnight
@David Walls, OK! so why is David Wilson there?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Admin, Alan might have fiddled while North Tyneside burned but David Wilson is not a member of the Forum he’s a very naughty boy.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
speaking of forums, any idea why there hasnt been a ‘monthly’ update from newcastle hack forum for 2 month now?
i only know a couple of faces from the forum and only see them in passing, very rarely on the rank.
wonder if you had any idea.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
I have always believed that David Walls expresses his honest beliefs, which, however far they might be at odds with my own, were his opinion of the best interests of all those working in the taxi trades – well perhaps not all.
David has now stated in the seemingly never-ending saga of who was/should/could have been invited to join the new Taxi trade Forum – which is a purely consultative body – that Private Hire drivers (not owning their own vehicle) should not be represented in that body.
Well David, when you were representing the members of a
trade union in the bus industry did you have shares in the bus company or own your own bus?
As an example of an anti-democratic sentiment that must take the biscuit – a TAXI perhaps!
At the initial meeting of the forum I made it clear that comments suggesting the body was somehow ‘unbalanced’ would lead us down the road of arid chasing after a mathematical balance, which would certainly not be to the advantage of the person who had expressed concerns about the balance of representation at the initial meeting. As the Forum was convened on the basis of voluntary attendance it was not going to be, except by pure chance, numerically reprresenattive of the various interests in the trade.
At this stage it is too early to suggest that the body is ‘unrepresentative’. More volunteers could be accommodated before the body would become too unwieldy.
In David’s latest contribution I am reminded of Monty Python’s ‘Four Yorkshiremen’ sketch.
‘Luxury – we had to get up in the morning, half an hour before we went to bed, ………..work 28 hours a day ‘on the circuit’ and pay’t operator for permission to come to work to drive t’tcar. And without any representation.
The prospects for the Forum took a hit last week when the the Regulation and Review Committee refused to submit the findings of the consultants, to the Forum for comment, before considering the results of the much delayed Survey of Unmet demand.
So much for the kind words in the new policy adopted in April this year about consultation and listening to those interested in the work of the committee.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@alkan fidler,
Hello Allan and Stephen,
I have read both your comments with much interest and to Stephen please bear with me for a moment, even though you seem to be a little upset as I will explain all to everyone.
Now Alan, back in 2006 there were newsletters going around with advice that everything had been checked out and it was all acceptable to go to Berwick for a Hackney Carriage Plate and then work Private Hire at 2 large North Tyneside Private Hire Operations, this cannot be denighed because most people have copies of the newsletters.
Now this is the point where David Wilson got involved and in April 2009 after the Newcastle verses Berwick Court Case Findings, David under Restructuring of the New Northumberland County Council, left his post to pursue new ventures as A2Z Licensing and good luck to the man, just like I say good luck to you Alan with your business venture as an Independent Consultant, and that is why both of you have a seat at the table as Independant Consultants, unless you are representing the NTTO and David stated he is retained by Mr Shanks.
I have a seat at the table as a Proprietor of a North Tyneside Hackney Carriage, who decided after the 2006 Berwick problem to go and get educated to National Road Passenger Transport Management Standards.
Now Alan with all the research you have put into the Berwick situation, I take it you thoughly researched the subject matter with Acts of Parliament that allow everything you want, but when I do the same I get slagged off for doing the right thing and checking out all the facts relating to Hackney Carriages in the Whitley Bay Town Council, Tynemouth Town Council and Wallsend Town Council that have documentary minutes going back to 1962.
Now why was 1962 such an important year, well that is because of the Town and Country Planning Act 1962, followed by the Offices, Shops and Railways Act 1963 and the need for Planning Permission from 1962 for all Business Premises. Then in 1968 the Transport Act 1968 turned the Hackney Carriage Taxi Industry on its head because of PLG Vehicles under 3500cwt not needing an Operator Licence anymore.
It was as a result of the 1968 Act that Ready Mixed challenged the Minister for Pensions about its trading position and the guidelines for “Owner Drivers” was established
Between 1968 and 1976 when the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 was written, and then in 1977 the Newly formed Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside adopted the 1976 Act.
Now Alan, is it so wrong for me and the Hackney Carriage Association to go to the same lenghts as you and the 2 large large North Tyneside Private Hire Operators in checking all the old Council Minutes to see what the actual truth is in relation to the way the Private Hire Industry is allowed to trade and what Planning Permissions were granted either Tempory or Full within the now North Tyneside Area?
It was not the Hackney Proprietors who to use your terminology from Star Wars about the “Empire Strikes Back” in a previous post.
The Empire was the Grand Council and they had Jedi Knights who had to investigate the Dark Side and and a previous Jedi Knight went over to the Dark Side and became Darth Vader, because the Empire did something he did not like in the past and so he and the Dark Side tried to smash the Empire with his Army of Storm Troupers and just like in Star Wars when all the facts are examined from the Historical Records “Good will triumph over bad” and the truth will find its way out.
I am not Luke Skywalker, but a totally honest hardworking North Tyneside Hackney Carriage Proprietor who works hard to protect my investment and trading position within North Tyneside, who will at some point move on into Management of some sort as I have some 22 years experience at the grass roots level meaning as I have done the job as a Driver I understand the Laws and how they relate to the TWO different Industries that are Hacknay Carriage, or Private Hire and a Two Tier System will always remain.
Now Alan and Stephen, love me or hate me, I have the honest drivers interests at heart, but the Law states the drivers are different even though they both carry passengers for “Hire or Reward” as one is “Hail and Ride” and one is “Pre-Booked in Advance Only”.
Thanks for taking the time to read this long post.
Dave Walls
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@alkan fiddler,mr fidler why would the regulation and review committee ask the forum to comment on an independant survey which has nothing to do with anyone but hackney carriage proprietors.the last survey was ignored and look at the damage its done to the hack trade!! and dont bleat on about ian shanks or anyone else having an interest,multi plate holders only have an interest in lining their pockets,they make a comfortable living off renting private hire vehicles out
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Andy Warhol, I might be wrong andy but I think they decided to make the newsletter quarterly and Newcastle City Council has taken on the task of editing and publishing the newsletter from now on. I have been assured,by a Newcastle forum member that the new format newsletter will be sent for inclusion in this wbsite.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
The Committee and the Survey of Demand.
It is not a question of whether I believe anyone other than HC proprietors has a legitimate interest in the matter; it is a question of North Tyneside Council ignoring the advice contained in the Department for Transport’s Guidance on the matter.
The Guidance, issued in June 2004, sets out clearly the ‘interests’ the Department believes should be consulted at intervals of not more than about three years IF a council wishes to go against the Department and government’s view that limits on HC plate numbers were/are against the consumers interests – for which read the travelling public.
The list of consultees, some of whom were prominently missing in the responses quoted in the Halcrow Report, includes a lot more than the self-interested members of the existing trade.
The council should have conducted a further survey in 2007 and did not. When challenged it merely asserted an intention to do so after the conclusion of the interminable (it seemed) review of general policy.
Now, 2 years later, we have a report which was commissioned to include a vast array of data collected on a wide range of issues unrelated to the ‘demand’ for the services of HC’s.
The Demand survey is flawed in a number of respects but now that will be a matter for another day.
A report which was 2 years late, is already out of date when presented (survey done in September 2008 before the efects of the credit crunch).
The Council will need to conduct another Survey in 2011 which will be paid for by all of us – including the Private Hire sector.
Perhaps King’s Ransom would care to suggest that the costs of the next survey are borne only by the HC proprietors. If that’s OK by you the Council can add about another £60 to the cost of your plate for the next two years to meet the £13,000 the latest offering cost us all and provide for another.
The Boston Tea Party was prompted over the issue of ‘no taxation without representation’
A 100 plus pages report, issued at six days notice, requires a little more consideration than it received.
Bulldozing it through the Regulation and Review Committee
may be to the liking of those who claim to have the sole legitmate interest in its alleged findings. Well you may be disappointed to find that a number of others are not content to have a questionable series of assertions accepted by a body which has legal obligations to respond to.
The Report’s authors stated that they were unaware of any current or impending legislation which would have any impact on the subject of their report. Well, which planet are they living on? I suggest they invest a few shillings of our money in the latest offering from Ms Harperson – the Equalities Bill, currently at Committee stage in the House of Commons.
Now if you really want a nightmare, take a look a look at that little gem.
Finally, I have no personal opinion or eveidence on whether there are objective and sustainable reasons why a limit on HC numbers is in the public interest. Neither do I believe members of the Regulation and Review committee would have found them in the latest ‘tome’ paid for by the trade, not the Council.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
The 2004 guidance Mr.Fiddler refers to was ripped to shreds by a government select committee.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@bobsnedden,
Bob, perhaps you could point me to the relevant ‘select committee’ and the Hansard reference for the date(s) and any report issued by the committee.
AS ever the devil is often in the detail.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
It’s so nice to see that, when I’m not posting comments on the site, you revert to fighting amongst yourselves!
Just in case it’s become wholly overlooked, can I remind everyone that this thread was about the newly formed Taxi Forum; and not who has the greatest knowledge, insight into the trade or the highest academic or vocational qualifications?
Previously I said I didn’t want to be “categorised” and, whilst that remains true, can I suggest to everyone (whether you attended the first meeting of the Taxi Forum or not) that none of us who attended (or attend in the future) should be categorised as being “a Member of the Taxi Forum”, but simply described as being people who attended a meeting?
The forum is not a decision-making body.
The forum will not make recommendations to Committee.
The forum is nothing more than a means for the council to conduct effective and meaningful consultation with a range of “stakeholders” and “interest groups” on a range of issues relating to taxi licensing.
The comments of all will be reported back to Committee to assist it in making “informed decisions”. That’s not to say everyone (or anyone) will be pleased with everything (or anything) the Committee decides in the future, but at least the decision should have been made by councillors who were in full possession of the facts! That’s all this forum can ever be expected to achieve.
Anyone, who believes the forum to be more important than that, is deluded by their own self-importance as a “Member of the Taxi Forum”.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@David Wilson,
Hello David,
It appears this post above has some reference to me personally and so let me just make it clear to you the facts.
For years Mr Fidler has medled in North Tyneside looking for ways to get round the Act of Parliament and doing a great deal of damage to the North Tyneside Driver weather Hackney Carriage, or, Private Hire.
Then along came you in 2006, November 2006 Berwick Advertiser quoted as saying you know only to well that the Proprietors who come to Berwick from outside Berwick have “No intention of ever working in Berwick” and so the Berwick Hackney Carriage Trade have nothing to worry about with what is happening as they will be working “Private Hire outside Berwick in most cases all the time”.
Funny how Northumberland County Council now state;
Prior to 5th November 2008 Berwick upon Tweed Council had taken a view that it was unable to refuse to grant a Berwick Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licence, Licensed solely on the grounds that the vehicle MAY be used remote from Berwick. (Important word is MAY, not the Month)
Mr Wilson you were quoted as saying you knew full well before they were Licensed by you, that they will probably never work in Berwick with your quote in the Berwick Advertiser back in November 2006, when there were only a few vehicles, not the many that followed after Mr Fidler, and his NTTO newsletter did its best to be Leslie Crowther with his catch phrase of “Come on Down, The Price is Right”. With of course the two Private Hire Operators stating in their newsletters contact/ask your local person for details at the Office. (not naming people stated in newsletters)
The two of you have now set-up as “Independent Consultants” and I say good luck to you for that, because you will get work from Private Hire establishments who want to not comply with the “Acts of Parliament”.
I however could look to establish myself as an “Independent Consultant”, but unfortunately I choose not to look to find ways round “Acts of Parliament” and wish to comply with “Case Law” that is rulings passed by “Judges” in a “Crown Court” or even a “High Court”, and this means I will not find much work as you Gentlemen seem to be seen as the way forward with no rules looking to be applied, until you read the small print on the rear of your application or membership form Mr Wilson, that informs Applicant that any cost will have to be paid by them should action be required, meaning £2 does not get you protection as such,but only a listening ear.
A Driver would of course recieve with a proper Trade Union, who for £2.68p a week will give you benefits and if you pay £80p a week extra your Drivers Licence is Protected throughn Driver Care for upto £7000, should you lose it on medical ground mainly.
I did not set out to become deluded by my own self importance, and nor do I intend to think I am something special as you appear to be referencing, but I attend the Licensing Forum, because I care about Intergrated Public Transport and its role in Society today.
Thanks for reading this honest statement of facts.
Dave Wallls
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@David Walls,
David, You say you want to see an integrated transport system. How will we ever achieve that with the siege mentality which exists at the moment across almost the whole country.
As for seeking to find ways around the law, most of my current workload involves fighting to get Council’s to comply with the law.
E.G. Barnsley MBC – Four tests per annum on vehicles over 5years old for 22 years – no one is still around who can remember exactly when this illegal requirement of the council was first imposed.
Eventually, after years of protests from the trade I have succeded, along with a few members of the Hackney Carriage trade, in getting the District Auditor to rule against the council using a technical device in the Public Inspection of Accounts Regulations. We have yet to get the council’s response and offer to compensate for this unlawful action.
Then let’s take a look at Calderdale MBC. Fines of £75 for ‘failing to carry your insurance certificate with you in the car at all times’ or ‘having an empty fire extinguisher’ Refuse to pay the fine imposed by the Council Enforcement officer and you can go to court. Small problem – we cannot find anywhere in the law of the land which allows a council to create a Fixed penalty fines scheme for breaches of the
LG Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1976 (Part II).
This one is ongoing, with the council seeking a barrister’s opinion on the propriety of the scheme.
Sometimes the law can be interpreted differently by two or more Councils. However there can only be one correction interpretation of what Parliament intended.
Unfortunately that can cost a lot of money to sit in front of a panel of Judges.
As for trades unions being a better option for fighting your problem, take a look at what happened in the case of Kaye v Darlington Borough Council.
Having won in the Magistrates Court, Malcolm Kaye was abandoned by his union who took a pragmatic view of their chances of fighting off the appeal lodged by the Darlington Borough Council (backed by over 50 other councils)and left Mally to fight on alone in the Divioinal Court in London. End result, compulsory DSA tests for all drivers, with no grandfather rights for existing drivers.
Some issues require to be ‘meddled in’ often for years and without any support from bodies who set themselves up to fight for the rights of the little man.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@alan fidler,
Hello Alan,
I am more than happy to keep things on a peaceful note, but sometimes things will be stated that one side do not like.
Barnsley, I totally agree that 3 tests is the maximum stated in the Act.
Calderdale, well do not know the full facts or background, but the answer will be in the Council Minutes from some year, and you may find it was done as part of “Any reasonable condition attached to a Licence” as this clause appears in the Act as a fall back clause.
Darlington, well suprisingly I do agree there is no such thing as a under 3500cwt vehicle driving test outside the normal driving test even though the vehicle is a Commercially Licensed “Hire or Reward” Vehicle that does need to comply with Returning to the Private Parking Zone when empty that must have written permission from the Landowner for the use of the land and North Tyneside Council on 3rd July 2001 stated at the Licensing Committee that Queens Counsel had revued the Zoning Policy that had been adopted and it was a sound policy that would resist challenge in a Court of Law.
I passed my PCV which is the largest category of Hackney Carriage Licence in 1987, but I will come clean and admit it is a 1a Licence meaning restricted to Automatic category, but then again I drive an Automatic Hackney Carriage for it is a smoother ride and gearchange, when gearbox is set-up correctly as you will know with your MPV.
I have passed my manual car licence.
Hope we are still on speaking terms.
Dave Walls
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@David Walls,
Dave,
If you’re interested in the facts of Calderdale and the legal issues, email me directly and I’ll let you have a copy of my legal submission to the council, which resulted in the Head of Legal deciding the council needed to obtain counsel’s advice.
You can either click on my advert at the top of any page on this site or email me directly at david.wilson@a2zlicensing.co.uk
David
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade@David Walls,
Good evening David,
When we cease to talk to each other the game is up.
As Winston said “better Jaw Jaw than War War”
Whilst we may disagree we can always keep open the dialogue.
St Paul was converted from Tax Collector to Gospel Writer so there’s hope for one of us: but which one?
Good night
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade@David Walls,
David,
I note your reply.
I was going to respond at length and in detail, but have decided not to do so, because I really don’t need to justify what I do, or who I do it for, to you or anyone else. The simple fact is, I have acted for people on both sides of the trade with, I hope, equal success.
Perhaps, as people who attended the forum, we could collectively try to lead by example; and promote constructive discussion and debate about the trade and what would improve it for “all stakeholders”.
Over to you . . .
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@David Wilson,
Hello David.
I have never wanted to go down the path of which you took things last night on hear with the comment of “deluded by their own self-importantance”.
I do wish to keep things on a peaceful level and so I am happy to attend the Licensing Forum, and address subject matters in a responsible way with the aid of the Acts of Parliament, Passenger Safety, and Case Law.
Hope this is acceptable to you, as I did make it clear I wished you David, and, Alan well in your Independent Consultant Businesses.
Dave Walls
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@David Walls,
Dave,
It’s not for me to direct blame for the way this discussion had deteriorated, but having highlighted the fact that it had deteriorated, I very much welcome and acknowledge your public declaration to deal with matters at the forum (and I trust on this site too) in a responsible way.
For those who doubted it, Dave, I think you and I have just proved we can work together – I suggest neither of us tells anyone, because they won’t believe it!
Let’s see what can be achieved at the next Taxi Forum, by those who choose to attend.
See you there,
David Wilson
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade@David Wilson, I’m not a member of your Fan Club but I think you hit the nail on the head there! Shall we just sit back and see where this opportunity takes us…
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
And on that basis, surely the Committee could have given the new forum the opportunity to comment on perhaps one of the most contentious issues in the trade across the country.
Other than that, spot on David.
A consultative body is just that. Pity the House of Commons pays so much attention to DPTAC – the advisory body for the disabled and their transport needs which, strange to relate, has been operating for 13 years without any representation from the taxi trade – the people who actually try to meet their needs.
Ah well – plus ca change.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Hackney Carriage Driver!
Hello
It appears that two members of this Forum who feel that they are “Investors” and “stakeholders” in the Trade, have totally forgot the mess that we are encountering with the Berwick cars that are still at large, the two members of this NT Forum think that they work for Northern Rock or HSBC, not a North Tyneside Hack feathering his own nest and some retired dude from Berwick Council who is trying to escape the destruction that he has caused down here!!!
One thing I will correct you on is your comment on North Tyneside Cars in town, I think you mean North Tyneside BASED cars in the Town!, with infamous green and white Plates or all red Plates on!…Well, stuck in the back window!
“A Bird will only build it’s own nest, it will not try and re-arrange the Tree”
And sadly Hackney Carriage Driver, we have two Birds at this Forum at least, that being Mr Walls and Mr Wilson the ex Berwick Licensing Officer.
Regards
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Stephen Arthur, Your comments are quite correct regarding the green and white plates and also the all red plates which are the closest in appearance to a Newcastle Hackney Carriage plate. There are now a significant number of Derwentside plates on black saloon cars that are also fitted with Newcastle Hackney Carriage top signs and between the two authorities a very high proportion of these cars are devastating our trade in Newcastle.
As bad as all this sounds even this is not the whole picture.
We also have a very high proportion of cars with North Tyneside plates from almost every private hire office you care to name, who are picking up illegal non-booked fares on the streets of Newcastle every night of the week. We have had this problem for a very long time and certainly long before the situation was dammed to hell by Berwick and Derwentside licensed cars.
When you take all of this into consideration the final nail in the coffin for Newcastle Hackney Carriage drivers is having to contend with their very own Newcastle Private Hire cars doing exactly the same thing in very large numbers. As you can imagine this amounts to an unabated fiasco, both NTC and Newcastle City council have effectively swept the whole problem under the carpet.
I work the streets of Newcastle every night and I see this problem every night and all the pompous trumpet blowing and back slapping that prevails on this site is doing nothing to resolve this fundamental issue. Some of us in the trade have talked about using a high quality night vision camcorder and compiling some extensive film footage over a one month period to highlight exactly what is going on here. This same footage could also be used by both NTC and Newcastle City council to bring about mass prosecutions of the offenders caught on film because the members of the ‘public’ getting in their cars will actually be part of this planned production.
I know this means that initially we would be doing the job of the enforcement officers for them at this point but once they finally realise the true extent of these violations in our city maybe they will start to take enforcement seriously.
I can still remember the comment that Mr. Fidler made at one council meeting when he said: “Oh, is there a problem with enforcement in Newcastle?
I am very tempted to attend his next Forum meeting and put that film in his lap and let him work out the answer to that question for himself. Having viewed this film he might then want to choose his friends a little more carefully in the future.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Hello again!
I think you should go to the next meeting, Mr Walls may say that you are not welcome in his deluded world of “Stakeholders”, but just tell him to “get on his Bus”, anyway, why give your Film to Mr Fidler??, why not to the “Route of all Evil” (Mr Wilson), show him what mess he and his ex-employers have caused!!!!!!!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Stephen Arthur,
Hello Stephen,
You are a star who will always shine brightly with your little outbursts on here, but the thing you must remember is, for any peace process to work between two factions that are at odds with one another, there must be constructive, meaningful dialog between the parties of both sides.
Now the fact that I Dave Walls, Alan Fidler and David Wilson, along with Ian Shanks, Greame Kennedy, Frank Wafer, Bob Snedden, Marvyn Fereday and possibly Paul Irwin, if he decides to attend, can sit in the same room with different views and still talk to each other in a civilised manner is something that should be considered for the Noble Piece Prize some may think, but I think if you were there, you would be the irritating little Chow Wow Wow yapping away, snipping at each of us, who are trying to establish a workable environment within the Two Tier System that exists within Licensing of the “Hail and Ride” and the “Pre-booked in Advance” Industries.
Stephen, I do hope you are not offended, and hope you will think about your little outbursts before posting in future, as at times you need to inject humour, when you decide to criticize people on here.
Dave Walls
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Hello again Dave
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage TradeFirst all i don’t doubt your intentions, secondly I have only been snapping at some members of the original named Forum, not the “operators” Forum you have named above.
I disagree with some of your views and beliefs, if your Badge runs out in August for example like my Badge does, and we both go together to renew it, when we arrive at Harvey Combe, we see one of those “Virgins”, just getting his first Badge after years of delivering Pizzas or driving a Bus, you know the ones that think they can earn £1000 a week!, we all would pay the same for a combined Badge, even though you are very experienced, I am established and still need to learn a little, and the new Guy knows Jack Sh*t, we all pay the same and we are all equal, good or bad, so I object strongly to anyone who says different and has to refer to Acts and legislation to prove otherwise!
So Dave we now need a Drivers Forum?, not a Operators forum with Gatecrashers like Mr Wilson!
I’ll have one of what you have had Stephen.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Hackney Carriage Driver, TooManyTaxis is behind you 100% and if you get such video evidence we would be happy to post it here and e-mail all licensing officers & Councillors a Link so they can view it for themselves. A vehicle splashed some kids at a bus stop and videoed the prank and posted it on YouTube. Now the driver of the car is looking to be prosecuted. If they can prosecute a prank like that on video evidence then why not flimpers.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Stephen Arthur,It’s a ‘Licensing forum’. It hasn’t even had a first meeting to discuss anything other than it’s own future agenda! This is proof that the trade is it’s own worst enemy as we have bickered on about this for some weeks now and we havn’t even seen what it can achieve.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Sietnav Eisnogud
I am strongly object to Meester Wallis him say only proper rioter can be on these forum. Thees no
right cos Meester Shanks him I give you car and you make plenty money in my country. I come from Polski and I support many children some of them want to taxki drivers when they get passport.
I can make ideas about taxkis i pay good rent meester shank I come to forum not make trouble for him.
Yuo listem my voice here now. Thenkyou.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Hello Dave
I am glad you have the same opinion as me about “weekend Warriors”, you get sick of them running from a well paid regular job on a Friday night to grab the first Taxi/PH they can get there hands on, a few I know don’t pay Tax, they think they pay enough with their 1st Job!
They don’t help this slow stage we are going through, if they had sense they would deliver Chinese takeaways instead!!!, so no!, I would’nt like to see these at your Forum.
Anyway, thank you for calling me a “dog” in a recent post, Dogs love Sausages you know!!
Regards
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Stephen Arthur,
Hello Stephen,
I thank you for your honest and understanding of the reasons why some Drivers would be a bad idea at the Licensing Forum, but as you now understand to treat all Drivers the same it has to be Proprietors, and an Operator is a Proprietor, that is if they are complying with the 1968 “Owner Drivers” Case Law Judgement of 1968.
The thing that some Operators do not seem to understand is that a “National Road Passenger Transport Management Certificate Holder” is a “Deputy Marshall” of the Qualified North of England Traffic Commissioner, and, the Council should employ as the person who signs the Council Licences for “Commercial Licences for Hire or Reward” a person who holds the same Qualifications as the North of England Traffic Commissioner, as they are responsible for ensuring everything they Licence is of a standard to comply with England and Wales (outside London), in relation to under 3500cwt Passenger Carrying Vehicles with upto 8 passenger carrying capacity, Safety Issues and any other reasonably nessecary conditions the Council choose to adopt, as part of its Licensing Policy, because of the Local Government(Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976,because this introduced the Licensing of the Private Hire Industry also known as “Pre-booked in Advance” Operations.
In 1977 when the Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside decided to adopt Section 45 of the Act, I do believe it employed a suitably qualified person, but unfortunately standards have slipped as the years have gone by within North Tyneside Council and it appears to not employ in that position a person with my qualifications(as I have yet to here Ken Wilson confirm, he has the Qualifications for the job), after all Ken Wilson signs on behalf of North Tyneside Council all our Licences, but before Ken Wilson got the job, Martin Swales was the Signature on the Licence, that was until I pointed out to the Council that Martin was “Legally” responsible for the 2004 fiasco of none compliance “Wheelchair Vehicles” that were the “Current Regulations” at that time within the Council Policy, and before him was Peter B. Matthews and in Peter B. Matthews day “Planning” breaches were punished, and that is why the 1993 “Zoning Policy” was introduced, that had the same rules as with its larger over 3500cwt for parking of all the vehicles needing to be off the “Public Highway” with marked out parking spaces for the “Total” number of vehicles attached to an “Operator Licence” and not a partial ammount.
Although some Private Hire Operations do employ qualified “Transport managers” or “Deputy Marshalls” of the North of England Traffic Commissioner, some of these people do not have the power to stand up to their employer and are failing in their duty to ensure Transport Operations comply with regulations, and any Qualified person can have their “Fit and proper person” status removed for none compliance, if only the Local Council Traffic Commisioner was so powerful, as the North of England Traffic Commissioner, we would not have the fiasco we now have.
hope you agree with this posting as well Stephen.
Thanks
Dave Walls
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Hello everybody peeples,
Sietnav here again. I has to tell you I make beeg mistake I writing article for Up Yours tacski magazine and I has run out of the papers. Meester Shank he tell me go and find a little sheet and I come back with Meester Wilson. I not understand I am plumb in my country I fix the pipe of meester shank he give me cheap rents on my car. I will tell all the peoples on forum about this lovely meester shank he make everybody have good living.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Sietnav Eisnogud,
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
bring back ian shanks,a succsessful operator,maybe the rest of us could learn something
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@smokin joe, i successful in totally f******g the trade with all the out of town plates only interested in his greed for more and more cars meaning not enough work and meaning drivers have to illegally ply for hire as there is not enough work at the office can u not see if they was no out of town cars u would have less drivers more work to go round and less chance that the cars would have to illegally ply for hire so everyone would be better off if u r not good enough to pass a locality test u r not good enough to do the job ?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@hack driver (a real one ), who says there is not enough work hack driver ??? is it not the case that the work is just not where you would like it to be !!
maybe the public’s way of using our trade has changed and you need to change with it ? there are other ways to make money than siting on ranks and maybe its time you need to face facts ??
i gave evidence of our work loads and figures for a two week period some time ago to ADMIN to indicate that there has, in my opinion, been a shift in work towards the private hire industry,
I now give permission for him to display those figures if he wishes, for the purpose of informing you the work has not GONE, the public now have reasons and methods to use PH’s services.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@ian shanks, That meester shank i think he not tell me everything explain, he said everybody welcome me open arms very short of taxski drivers in north tynseide. I not so sure these Georgies I tell meester shank all this he say will pay for eenglish lessons for you and you will fit in no problem.
He say no time at all you speak eenglish just like me I say no, no meester shank i want to speak it properly.
I not come here make trouble like that meester wulson he very bad man upset lord mere in council. They are not his frend they say he get bad name in Scotland border they said they will remove something from his body i am not knowing this word testucals my spelling is not so good. Anyway they said it would sting a leelte bit and his voice would go high.
I come on forum soon have many good ideas i plumb in Polski. I tell drivers not to flimp to make living. Too many taxis not enuf work in office for all of them. I know this , drivers pinch hackney work on street.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@SC,
Hello SC,
I am glad you have not taken offence at my explanation of the facts along with Stephen Arthur, but as I am sure you will understand, when someone writes in text form it is quiet unlike spoken form and lost in translation can sometimes happen and the smiley faces is a good addition as it sets the tone of the message as to weather offensive or joking.
Thanks for responses as we all at the end of the day weather Hackney Carriage or Private Hire need to understand the background rules and from time to time a light hearted joke is welcome, its just text sometimes does not reflect without the symbol that what is said is a joke.
Dave Walls
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@SC, no alans a part time tranny and im not joking !!!!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
I think you will make a great “Couple”, you and Mr Walls
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@alan fidler, Now now girls, three little maids from school are we – destroying the taxi trade with glee! I can hardly get a word in edgeways for tripping all over your hand bags scattered everywhere on this site.
I have a topic for you to air at your next brownies meeting. Instruct the NTC enforcement officers to come into Newcastle City centre and give our part-time officer a helping hand to clear out all the North Tyneside ‘flimpers’ systematically destroying our livelihoods.
If you’re successful in this venture it will go someway in helping to eradicate one of the biggest problems in the taxi trade for both North Tyneside and Newcastle, a certain private hire operator whom some of you admit to calling a friend. I can already envisage the musical “The Academic and the Neanderthal”.
Why should Britain tremble?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Stephen Arthur,
Hello Stephen,
I am glad we have not fallen out, as it is always hard to have dialog with a person who has a closed mind set and I can see from your last post that I am responding to now you would like all Drivers to be treated the same.
Now what if, just hyperthetically mind, Drivers with no investment in the trade, who only cherry pick by working part-time to suppliment their daytime or other full-time job that pays a good wage, but they have a Drivers Badge to pay for say nice holidays, with their income from being a Driver in our Industry weather “Hail and Ride” or “Pre-booked in Advance”, but may not pay tax and national insurance on their second income and these Drivers had a voice at the Licensing Forum.
Would you then still think it was alright to see those Drivers at the Licensing Forum, as you want all drivers to be treated the same ?
Thanks
Dave Walls
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade