Gloucester taxi firms hit out at lights move
Taxi firms in Gloucester have hit out at new Government legislation to remove roof lights from private hire vehicles.
They believe the measure could put potential customers in danger of being picked up by unmarked, unlicensed drivers.
-
"It is ludicrous": John Dancey, owner of John's Private Hire.
John Dancey, owner of John's Private Hire, feels the new legislation could have a devastating impact.
"It is ludicrous," he said.
"There is a massive safety issue here. Anyone could pose up as a private hire driver in a bogus car.
"Within three months someone will get picked up and they will be raped or assaulted."
He claims he was given 48 hours notice by council officials on Friday last week to remove the lights from the private hire vehicles.
Meanwhile, he said members of the public will not be able to identify a private hire vehicle if the legislation is passed.
"If someone comes out of a club or bar at 1am, they're not going to be able to tell if the car is the one they booked or not," he said.
"People will just be getting into anything that is parked up and that is where the danger lies.
Crazy
"This really is absolutely crazy. We are trying to run a professional business here and this is a backwards step."
Les Hawkins, co-owner of Andy Cars, which is based in Eastgate Street and has a mixed fleet including taxis and 45 private hire vehicles, thinks the council is in the wrong.
He said: "This is totally out of order.
"The customers are up in arms as well. They are not going to know what is a taxi and what isn't."
A spokesperson for Gloucester City Council said: "Following Government guidance and consultation in October and November with private hire and taxi drivers in the city, the licensing committee is looking at updating the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licence conditions.
"This involves considering the removal of roof signage from private hire vehicles and the introduction of numeracy and literacy tests for all drivers and this was agreed in principle at the November meeting.
"The safety of members of the public is of paramount concern and to ensure this, the proposals would see the introduction of mandatory door signage for private hire vehicles in the city. This would be as well as the identification plate on the rear of the vehicle and the photographic driver identification cards.
"Private hire vehicles should only be picking up pre-booked customers and should have a name, location and time, which was pre-specified by the customer. They must not ply for hire."
46 Comments
View all
by AM, cheltenham
Thursday, December 10 2009, 2:32AM
“Nick Adams, Gloucester...mate you do not need to know if they are coming toward you or not because you cannot flag down PRIVATE HIRE anyway; they are only suppose to pick up the passengers those have pre. booked and if it's pre. booked then they know where their customer is and they can pick them from there, for customers, they can see door panels to identify their booked car.
City council should have done this long time ago as it is country's law that if a city have saloon taxi then private hire should not have roof sign on however if a city have internationl london type of taxis then private hire might do.
Lisa Jackson, Matson, Gloucester...Lisa you should not look at taxis roof sign to make sure that its proper taxi, what you should look for is drivers badge, plate (displayed inside and rear of a taxi) as in any case that is what you will need, not roof light!
after reading heading, Its shame even citizen do not know the difference between taxis and private hires. TAXIs ARE NOT TAKING THEIR ROOF SIGNS OFF IT'S FOR PRIVATE HIRES.
I think if everyone does their job in right way, without doing illegle things, no one will moan.
By the way it does not matter to me as i never did illegal job neither took some one else's job. :-)”
by happy private hire driver, gloucester
Sunday, December 06 2009, 3:40PM
“well the lights are off.
I dont want to look like a hackney anyway.there grumpy think they are above the rest.as a private hire driver i now save fuel, dont scratch my car anymore when i take it on an off when i do long distant work.
cheers u hackneys. keep on moaning you might do us even more favours”
by simon, gloucester
Sunday, December 06 2009, 3:33PM
“all this is about is linning the the hackney drivers pockets even more.id rather walk home than get into one of their cars.who do they think they all are.moan moan moan.
if they dont like things the way they are go and get another job.”
by Peter, Cheltenham
Sunday, December 06 2009, 7:23AM
“I think it is a good idea to remove top lights from Private Hire vehicles. Now people can easily tell the difference between Private and Hackney cars and door signs are perfectly adequate to advertise a hire company. Now also Private Hire drivers will have no excuse to pick up after being hailed in the street as people will not think they are Hackney cabs; perhaps that is the real reason for all the complaints from Private Hire drivers. Back in the 1980s Cheltenham banned roof signs on Private Hire vehicles and the same complaints arose.”
by Union Man, Kemble
Saturday, December 05 2009, 5:50PM
“Numeracy and literacy, thats why Privaate hire vehicles have to be pre booked and need roof lights, You order the cab by phone in fluent forest they translates it into Gubjurati and then you looks out for the cab with the right number,
The Cabbie knows any girl without a veil is a prostitute and he has a licence legal in Borkino Faso and a great chance of a misunderstanding results It all makes work for the bureaucrats to do.”
by Chan, cheltenham
Saturday, December 05 2009, 5:26PM
“If they can't have roof lights, will they now be able to afford optional extras, like-- indicators???”
by survivor, quedgeley
Saturday, December 05 2009, 9:42AM
“could someone explain to me why taxie drivers think they are greater than the law.Theypark in narrow roads and block all the traffic,theypull out on r/abouts cutting people up,if you gesticulate they turn around and laugh at you all the while they are on mobile phones.CANT BE RIGHT CAN IT?”
by John, Glos City
Saturday, December 05 2009, 8:03AM
“Gloucester City Council Quote of the year:- "An agreement is not an agreement until the parties to the agreement have reached an agreement." I do hope the Council changes its mind and does not ¿Free Gift¿ every ratepayer ¿The History of Communism¿”
by MHE, Gloucester
Saturday, December 05 2009, 7:36AM
“Is this a Gloucester Council idea ?
If it is there will be massive problems and when something goes wrong will they admit they are a complete load of IDIOTS...No.”
by G, Gloucester
Saturday, December 05 2009, 12:55AM
“Some of the comments on here prove the point that removing the roof signs is necessary. People say how can you tell if it's a taxi if it doesn't have a top light? The point is that now only taxis have top lights, private hires do not, therefore there should no longer be any confusion about what is and isn't a taxi, although the citizen reporters will continue their typically lazy and inaccurate reporting style to misrepresent the facts.”