‘Don’t rock the boat’ warns boss of taxi association (From Daily Echo)
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‘Don’t rock the boat’ warns boss of taxi association
6:30am Friday 10th February 2012 in News
‘Don’t rock the boat’ warns boss of taxi association
THE chairman of a taxi body in Southampton has criticised fellow trade leaders for “rocking the boat” over a review into the number of cabs in the city.
Transport consultants Halcrow have been paid £15,000 to recommend whether or not a limit of 282 Hackney Carriages in the city should be raised.
Taxi union chiefs and the Southampton Hackney Trade Association warned a street survey was “flawed” as it was carried out before eight new plates were issued in December.
But Clive Johnson, chairman of the Southampton Trade Association, which has around 450 members including 100 Hackney Carriage drivers, said: “I don’t believe we should be jumping up and down before we get the result in. The way the economy is I can’t believe there is a shortage of taxis. There is a shortage of customers. I’m confident the findings will show there is no|un-met demand for taxis.”
The council will consider the findings later this year.
Comments(8)
Stykxx
says...
7:15am Fri 10 Feb 12
bigfella777
says...
7:38am Fri 10 Feb 12
SkiesTheLimit
says...
11:07am Fri 10 Feb 12
British asian
says...
2:19pm Fri 10 Feb 12
j1306
says...
3:15pm Fri 10 Feb 12
And have a fair and open market for all
The names you see in the echo time and time again are the lucky few that received free plates but don't want anyone else to have them feathering there own nest most rented drivers are earning less than the minimum wage because most of the money goes to the greedy plate barons typically £260/80 per week for a crap car that's worth £2/3 grand the only reason the council are allowed to retain a limit is for the safety of the public how can more cabs be less safe for the public ? There is no limit in Eastleigh or iow or fareham or new forest or Winchester etc etc why retain one in Southampton ? Let's have a fair system for all decent cabs will survive sharks will fail democracy at work
rightway
says...
5:58pm Fri 10 Feb 12
British asian
says...
6:00pm Fri 10 Feb 12
j1306 wrote:Over the years every driver has had the chance to have their own plate but didn't as they preferred to rent as they had no queries of maintenance & paying for replacement vehicles. Also you will now find that there will be many drivers complaining about numerical limits because they have sold their plates to ethnic drivers for large sums and have squandered the windfall now they can't find a car to rent. Also these guys wanting to delimit will then not have the means to buy a vehicle to put on that plate.
Just follow oft and gov guidlines and delimit stop the " multi plate holders"
And have a fair and open market for all
The names you see in the echo time and time again are the lucky few that received free plates but don't want anyone else to have them feathering there own nest most rented drivers are earning less than the minimum wage because most of the money goes to the greedy plate barons typically £260/80 per week for a crap car that's worth £2/3 grand the only reason the council are allowed to retain a limit is for the safety of the public how can more cabs be less safe for the public ? There is no limit in Eastleigh or iow or fareham or new forest or Winchester etc etc why retain one in Southampton ? Let's have a fair system for all decent cabs will survive sharks will fail democracy at work
Re multiple owners this mainly came about as some drivers had their heads screwed on right and were buying taxis to help friends out who owned plates but then could not afford to repair, maintain or replace cars. This was at a time when the taxi business was in its prime and was predominantly white british drivers. They would sell then trent back - well whose fault is that? None other than themselves!! I bet you are a driver who is more concerned with when you are going to have your next beer or flutter on the horses than your next job!
derek james says...
6:46am Fri 10 Feb 12