tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67963019895395789142024-03-14T00:40:31.122-07:00Case LawUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-5024871638297248162019-10-28T12:42:00.004-07:002019-10-28T13:25:31.860-07:00Les Hoath (Chairman) London Suburban Taxi-drivers’ Coalition, Gives
Updates On Sutton On Demand Buses And TfL's Lack Of Taxi Rank
Enforcement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xG9nGZP6ePU/XbdLJhf0h5I/AAAAAAABG1c/3LbYhuluUTgPeHrOxgqc9H7Ldb5hPScjQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/CD02EC2B-ABA8-494D-993D-854A3EF19B67.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xG9nGZP6ePU/XbdLJhf0h5I/AAAAAAABG1c/3LbYhuluUTgPeHrOxgqc9H7Ldb5hPScjQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/CD02EC2B-ABA8-494D-993D-854A3EF19B67.jpeg" width="640"></a></div>
<br>
<br>
Taxi Leaks has been asked to post the following information as a follow up to two articles posted on Taxi Leaks. <a href="https://andersonshelter.blogspot.com/2019/10/a-pilot-of-gosutton-on-demand-bus.html?m=1">https://andersonshelter.blogspot.com/2019/10/a-pilot-of-gosutton-on-demand-bus.html?m=1</a><br>
<br>
Th first update pertains to the vehicles being used as a 'bus service' in Sutton, which under legislation should have more than 9 seats, charge per person, and stick to a ridged route and time table.<br>
So why are the vehicles and drivers licensed as PHV & PHD.<br>
<br>
What is ‘hire or reward’?<br>
Where minibuses are operated as a core business activity for personal or commercial profit, this is deemed to be for ‘hire or reward’. Hire or reward' encompasses any payment in cash or kind by (or on behalf of) passengers which gives them the right to be carried.<br>
<div>
<br>
Some commercial businesses i.e private nursing homes and school nurseries etc, operate minibuses as a small part of their business activity. In these cases, because the business gets paid a fee by their clients to be residents of their home, or children in their care, which indirectly includes the use of the minibus, this would be classed as ‘hire or reward’. Other examples of ‘hire or reward’ include where petrol money has been taken for taking children to school every day; or where courtesy coaches have been provided by a hotel as part of their amenities.</div>
<div>
<br>
If the minibus is to be used for 'Hire and Reward', then a Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) - Category D Licence is required.<br>
<br>
<br>
Driving a mini-bus with nine seats or more, for hire or reward<br>
In most circumstances you will need to obtain passenger carrying vehicle entitlement (PCV) which will involve a requirement to meet higher medical standards and take a further driving test. You will need to apply to your appropriate Traffic Commissioner and fulfil the necessary legal requirements. If you are being paid to drive a minibus for hire or reward under a PCV Operator’s Licence, you can only do so if you have full Category D1 entitlement obtained through the passing of the theory and practical test for this class of vehicle irrespective of when you passed your driving test to drive a car.</div>
<div>
<br>
However, up to two vehicles each carrying no more than sixteen passesngers can be used for hire or reward under a restricted PCV Operator’s licence by a person or company that is not in the business of carrying passengers in vehicles adapted to carry more than eight passengers i.e by a taxi firm, where use of this size vehicle is not ‘regular’.</div>
<div>
<br>
If you drive a minibus for an organisation under the minibus or community bus permit scheme, you will not need to have the higher PCV entitlements. Application can be made to a voluntary organisation that is acting as an umbrella body or alternatively the Traffic Commissioner.<br>
<br>
<b>PCV (PSV)</b><br>
Getting a PCV driving licence (previously known as a PSV - Public Service Vehicle) If you want a licence to drive a minibus,and you currently hold a valid full driving licence you will need to apply to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for a provisional entitlement to drive a PCV. You will need to complete the application form D2 and the medical report form D4. These are available from the DVLA form ordering service. The D4 has to be completed by a doctor (including a doctor’s fee of £50-£70) and you will need to meet the PCV eyesight requirements. There are also requirements ie. being of good character and over 21 years of age.</div>
<div>
<br>
The UK driving theory test was introduced in July 1996 as a written examination and updated to a computer based test in 2000. The test is conducted by the DSA (Driving Standards Agency). The PCV (D1) driving test is similar to the test taken by coach drivers, only the vehicle you would drive is a minibus. The Driver CPC Module 1 PCV theory test costs £50.00 and.is divided into two separate parts; the Multiple Choice Test (100 questions) £35.00 and the Hazard Perception Test (19 interactive clips) £15.00.</div>
<div>
<br>
The multiple choice questions are about a wide range of driving related topics such as the HIghway Code, vehicle weights and dimensions, drivers' hours, the carriage of passengers, hazard perception, environmental issues plus other matters relating to passenger carrying vehicles and driving law. Mock theory tests can be found on the DSA website www.dvsa.gov.uk The second part is the Hazard perception test which must be passed at the same time. The pass mark for the multiple choice part of the theory test is now 51 out of 60 . Those taking LGV or PCV (lorry or bus) tests must also score at least 50 out of 75 in the hazard perception test. If you pass one part and fail the other you'll fail the whole test, and you'll need to take both parts again.</div>
<div>
<br>
From 1 January 2012, new theory tests will be introduced using questions and answers that the candidates will not have had access to - a change to the Q&A banks that had previously been published by the Driving Standards Agency since theory tests began in 1996. </div>
<div>
<br>
From September 2008 new legislation will require drivers with vocational licences (PCV D or D1 categories obtained by a separate test) to undertake additional regular training and be required to undertake and pass an additional Driver CPC module containing case scenarios before you’re even allowed to take practical driving lessons in a minibus in order to keep their vocational licences valid. This training is to ensure that all bus and coach drivers understand their responsibilities and keep up to date with new laws and regulations. The PCV minibus practical driving test lasts 90 minutes . During the driving test the examiner will give you directions which you should follow. Test routes are designed to be as uniform as possible and will include a range of typical road and traffic conditions. More information is available on the Transport Office website.<br>
<br>
<b>What are the rules on drivers’ hours for minibuses?</b><br>
Further information on both the EU and Domestic Drivers’ Hours Rules is published by VOSA in (PSV 375) obtainable as above. <br>
A vehicle which is being used on a Section 19 permit is still a public service vehicle and is subject to domestic drivers’ hours rules when a person is driving in the course of his/her employment. Therefore if payment to the driver has taken place (unless it is out of pocket expenses) then domestic drivers’ hours rules apply.<br>
Domestic drivers’ hours rules do not apply for the private use of a minibus or when permit vehicles are driven by volunteer (i.e. unpaid) drivers.<br>
Obviously if a vehicle is being used as a PSV on a Regular Service (local/ non local) then the relevant domestic drivers’ hours rules apply (or in the case of a route exceeding 50 km, EU Hours’ Rules).<br>
For PSV non-regular services when a minibus is being used for a non-regular national service, then domestic rules apply. For international services then the EU rules apply.<br>
If a minibus is being used for international journeys (including private use) then EU drivers’ hours rules apply.<br>
<br>
<b>
Minibus permits</b><br>
Minibus and Community Bus Permits (Section 19 permits) are issued to organisations concerned with education, social welfare or other activities of benefit to the community. They allow certain organisations, including schools, to make a charge without having to comply with the full public service vehicle operator requirements and without the need for the driver to have a PCV (Category D1 or D) entitlement.</div>
<div>
<br>
Certain organisations can apply for a Minibus Permit, (Section 19 -Transport Act 1985) for vehicles that can carry between nine and sixteen passengers. The Permit allows organistations like volunteer groups concerned with education, religion, social welfare, recreations and other activities that are beneficial to the community to make a charge without having to comply with the full passenger carrying vehicle entitlement (PCV) operator licensing requirements and without the need for their drivers to have PCV entitlement.</div>
<div>
<br>
Many community transport organisations and charities now operate minibuses under a section 19 permit which, allows for the service provided to be for the organisations’ own members or for groups of people whom the organisation serves. Such organisations can charge or accept a form of remuneration for providing transport at a level to recover some or all of the costs of running the vehicle, and may even include an allowance for vehicle depreciation but the service must not be provided to members of the general public and the charges made must be on a non-profit basis. This non-profit requirement extends to cover any direct costs connected with a particular trip such as expenses incurred by volunteers, but not the wages of any staff involved.</div>
<div>
<br>
A driver of a Section 19 permit minibus can either be paid or an unpaid volunteer.<br>
It should be noted however, that volunteer minibus drivers who passed their car driving test after 1st January 1997 are restricted to drive minibuses which weigh no more that 3500kgs gross vehicle weight.<br>
<br>
NB. Schools must hold a ‘Section 19 permit’ if minibus journeys are funded to any extent by outside sources such as parents or parent teacher associations. Schools and educational establishments who do not charge their pupils do not normally need a section 19 permit. See driving a school minibus. Section 19 permits can be obtained from your local Traffic Area Network Office or visit the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency website: www.vosa.gov.uk.<br>
<br>
<b>
Driving a school minibus abroad</b><br>
The Section 19 permit arrangements apply only in the UK and you cannot take a permit minibus abroad, if it is used for hire or reward, unless you hold either PCV D1 or D entitlement. When a school minibus is taken abroad, a tachograph must be fitted and used throughout the journey , observing EC drivers’ hours regulations. </div>
<div>
<br>
How can I tell if a minibus is being operated on a commercial operators licence (PCV) or under a section 19 permit?</div>
<div>
<br>
Above the tax disk on the windscreen of the minibus should be another disk. If the minibus is being operated under a PCV licence the disk will be either blue or green. A white disk indicates that the minibus is being operated under a section 19 permit. <br>
<br>
<br>
A Section 22 (Transport Act 1985) permit allows a minibus to be operated by bodies on a local bus service on a voluntary non-profit basis but only using unpaid volunteer drivers. Application needs to be made to the Traffic Commissioner for your area.</div>
<div>
<br>
Section 19 and Section 22 permits are only applicable to the United Kingdom. <br>
What are the rules on drivers’ hours for minibuses?<br>
Further information on both the EU and Domestic Drivers’ Hours Rules is published by VOSA in (PSV 375) obtainable as above.</div>
<div>
<br>
A vehicle which is being used on a Section 19 permit is still a public service vehicle and is subject to domestic drivers’ hours rules when a person is driving in the course of his/her employment. Therefore if payment to the driver has taken place (unless it is out of pocket expenses) then domestic drivers’ hours rules apply.</div>
<div>
<br>
Domestic drivers’ hours rules do not apply for the private use of a minibus or when permit vehicles are driven by volunteer (i.e. unpaid) drivers.</div>
<div>
<br>
Obviously if a vehicle is being used as a PSV on a Regular Service (local/ non local) then the relevant domestic drivers’ hours rules apply (or in the case of a route exceeding 50 km, EU Hours’ Rules).<br>
For PSV non-regular services when a minibus is being used for a non-regular national service, then domestic rules apply. For international services then the EU rules apply.</div>
<div>
<br>
If a minibus is being used for international journeys (including private use) then EU drivers’ hours rules apply.<br>
This Guide is only intended for general help; it is not a legal document. Therefore you should seek your own legal advice if you have any doubts with these issues.<br>
<br>
<br>
See also Renault Trafic LL30 9 Seat LWB, Ford Custom Tourneo Titanium 9 Seat, Lightweight minibuses for car licences<br>
<br>
<br>
This Guide is only intended for general help; it is not a legal document. Therefore you should seek your own legal advice if you have any doubts with these issues.<br>
<br>
<b>
TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT : Article Two</b><br>
<b><br></b>
<a href="https://andersonshelter.blogspot.com/2019/10/what-are-tfl-waiting-for-why-did-uber.html?m=1">https://andersonshelter.blogspot.com/2019/10/what-are-tfl-waiting-for-why-did-uber.html?m=1</a><br>
<b><br></b>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BmT3njsNtuo/XbdJ1R0pUHI/AAAAAAABG1Q/_52xwiTXiAcKvFY4n_UJMtN9AyQ4MB7pACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/AA375CC8-A053-4002-AE3A-F9D0031F375E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="612" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BmT3njsNtuo/XbdJ1R0pUHI/AAAAAAABG1Q/_52xwiTXiAcKvFY4n_UJMtN9AyQ4MB7pACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/AA375CC8-A053-4002-AE3A-F9D0031F375E.jpeg" width="640"></a></div>
<b><br>
<br>
Taxi Ranks</b>
<br>
<a href="http://content.tfl.gov.uk/taxi-drivers-abstract-of-laws.pdf">http://content.tfl.gov.uk/taxi-drivers-abstract-of-laws.pdf</a></div>
<div>
<br>
40. Appointment of and Regulations for taxi ranks (London Hackney Carriages Act of 1850 s4) TfL may appoint taxi ranks and make regulations as to the limits of the ranks, the number of taxis to be allowed to ply for hire there, the time during which they may ply for hire and also for enforcing order at the ranks, and removing any person unnecessarily loitering there.<br>
<br>
It is TfL/T&PH (Gary Snewing – Rank & Infrastructure Manager) who appoints the ranks, therefore, it is their responsibility for enforcement and not down to the local councils.<br>
<br>
<br>
Yours Sincerely<br>
<br>
<br>
Les Hoath (Chairman)<br>
London Suburban Taxi-drivers’ Coalition</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-88908989210472176002019-10-10T07:29:00.000-07:002020-03-30T07:31:19.364-07:00Uber’s UK VAT liability confirmed<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Earlier this week Uber London Ltd filed its full accounts up until December 2018 <a href="https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/08014782/filing-history">at Companies House</a>. </span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">The big news wasn’t that the division made a relatively meagre profit of £5.1m. (The profit is hardly indicative of anything due to the group’s structural complexity.)</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">It was Note 13 which recounted the following about Uber London’s contingent liabilities: </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VrZ0gNDaDlQ/XoICFQnL6RI/AAAAAAABK0Q/x168m61w5YUQUB858GAgI8LQ1WXxAZ-tQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1CE14435-C7EA-4174-B6E5-BB37CB61E49C.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="668" height="254" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VrZ0gNDaDlQ/XoICFQnL6RI/AAAAAAABK0Q/x168m61w5YUQUB858GAgI8LQ1WXxAZ-tQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/1CE14435-C7EA-4174-B6E5-BB37CB61E49C.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">The most newsworthy part was arguably this one: “the Uber Group is involved in an </span><span class="s2" style="font-weight: bold;">ongoing dialog </span><span class="s1">with HMRC, which is seeking to classify the Uber Group as a transportation provider. Being classified as a transportation provider would result in a VAT (20%) on Gross Bookings or on the service fee that the Company charges Drivers, both retroactively and prospectively.”</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Uber London’s accounts do not provide any indication of the total sum being recorded as a contingent liability at Uber London’s parent, the Uber Group.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">But various sources tell us the bill could be as large as £1bn, or more. These are not small sums.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">But the statement is striking for other reasons too.</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">First, Uber says it’s in an “ongoing dialog” with HMRC which hints at a negotiation taking place to potentially lower Uber’s liability. But that’s a big no no for HMRC. The tax authorities are not supposed to cut deals with corporations on unpaid back taxes, not least because of the scale of <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/b9b71ae2-b1a1-11e2-b324-00144feabdc0">public outrage</a> associated with legacy sweetheart deals, which prompted <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/84b73c48-c439-11e5-808f-8231cd71622e">far-ranging internal policy reviews.</a> </span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">HMRC told FT Alphaville that on an ongoing basis it investigates about half of the UK’s large businesses at any one time. As part of that process companies are man-marked with HMRC officers whose job it is to speak to the financial people at the organisation. So it could be that Uber is treating this sort of relationship as a dialogue. </span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">But a source tells Alphaville the view at Uber seems to be that the company sees itself as in negotiations with HMRC, with a view to settling the case before the all-important outcome of its UK Supreme Court appeal regarding its employer status is determined.</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">The other issue is the nature of the exposure and HMRC’s overall responsibility to capture its full extent.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">It’s worth noting Alphaville first alerted readers to Uber’s<a href="https://ftalphaville.ft.com/2016/12/21/2181626/ubers-potential-european-vat-exposure/"> potential VAT tax exposure</a> in December 2016. At that time it was well known that the tax exposure in question was contingent on Uber successfully defending a tribunal case regarding the employment status of the company’s drivers. A loss would see the company’s drivers <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/7cdcf52c-03a5-11e9-9d01-cd4d49afbbe3">classified as workers </a>not contractors, which would incur costly employer liabilities upon Uber, among them a VAT liability.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">This is a big deal because the threshold for UK businesses having to pay VAT at the time was a turnover of more than £81K (it’s now £85k).</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Since Uber drivers mostly earn much less than that, most do not incur VAT liabilities. If Uber is deemed an employer, however, those revenues would then be deemed Uber’s rather than drivers’ — more than surpassing the VAT threshold and thus exposing the company to potentially huge VAT liabilities from then on.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">But the ruling would also reveal how much tax revenue the state will have missed out on over the years because of Uber’s potentially incorrect insistence it is not an employer.</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">The problem for HMRC is that there is a statute of limitation that ensures the tax authority cannot claim unpaid sums beyond the past four years.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">This poses a bit of a quandary for the revenue services. What is a tax authority to do if it suspects a company may be hugely underpaying tax liabilities because of an incorrect employer classification, but cannot claim those sums until a final court ruling about that classification is determined.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">One course of action according to Jolyon Maugham QC, who fronts the Good Law project — a non-profit that seeks to support progressive law change in a way that reduces public distrust of the establishment — is for the tax authority to engage in something called a protective assessment as soon as possible. This would allow HMRC to protect its position by flagging that an effective inquiry has begun, in turn allowing it to seek back-taxes from four years before that point even as more time passes.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">In Mr Maugham’s opinion it would be a failure of governance at HMRC for the authority not to have issued such an assessment as soon as it was made aware of the issues at stake, irrespective of the pending nature of the all important employer status appeal.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">When Mr Maugham made this view known to HMRC back in March in a <a href="https://d2l6cjylzkj2qa.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/12162927/Letter-Before-Action.pdf">letter before action,</a> however, the authority’s <a href="https://d2l6cjylzkj2qa.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/29150909/HMRCResponse.pdf">view</a> seemed to be that it would need to wait until the case was determined to do so. And so, in bid to get to the bottom of the legalities of the situation, the Good Law Project announced on May 29 of this year that it would <a href="https://goodlawproject.org/good-law-project-sues-hmrc-ubers-tax-dodging/">be suing HMRC</a> via judicial review for failing “to stem losses due to Uber’s tax dodging.” </span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">It is Mr Maugham’s contention that up to £1.1bn of tax is at stake. You can read Mr Maugham’s witness statement, which offers more details on how that figure is arrived at,<a href="https://d2l6cjylzkj2qa.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/29151322/JMQC-WS-pdf.pdf"> here. </a></span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">But there’s another issue in play. As an interested party in the action, Uber has a right to legally represent its interests in the case if it wishes. One of those interests is that the case does not inadvertently expose its private tax affairs to the general public given that in the UK, all tax affairs are deemed private and confidential, including the issue of whether protective assessments have been initiated.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Uber has made it known to Mr Maugham that it will be engaging in the case to ensure any privileged information revealed by the process stays private and confidential and subject to an order that it is “protected from onward disclosure to third parties”. </span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">A hearing on the matter is due on November 6 at the High Court.</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Of course, the fact that Uber London since filed a company account noting that a dialogue with HMRC over a VAT liability is ongoing implies some sort of protective assessment may already have been initiated. So to some extent the cat is already out of the bag.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Commenting on the case, Mr. Maugham told FT Alphaville:</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">It has taken three years for us to force HMRC to collect tax from Uber. Many hundreds of millions of pounds will have been lost because of its inaction. We will now turn our attention to ensuring that other big transport suppliers — such as Addison Lee — comply with the law. And to those, like Amazon, operating arrangements that seem to us to be similar in character.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">In response Uber’s spokeswoman said: </span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">We can't comment on any discussions with HMRC but we will always fulfil the tax obligations in any country in which we operate.</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Finally, HMRC told Alphaville:</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">We don’t comment on identifiable businesses. HMRC will always make sure that every business, no matter its size, pays all the taxes due under UK law and we don’t settle for less.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25.7px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 21.5px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">One thing’s for sure. It’s a tax case that could have a huge bearing on Uber’s profit-and-loss at some point, with equally important implications for Uber’s operations in Europe, which also bear similar VAT exposure.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-46881231355286772832018-12-10T02:14:00.001-08:002018-12-10T02:15:24.187-08:00High Court Quashes Wakefield Taxi Fees<div class="field field-type-entityreference" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="field-items" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="field-item even" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DZrG2iK1uJI/XA4xJqufD5I/AAAAAAAA-s4/jp7ytKOnOiwF1hmSVJFxjPl65epvtZKhQCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--1881590966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DZrG2iK1uJI/XA4xJqufD5I/AAAAAAAA-s4/jp7ytKOnOiwF1hmSVJFxjPl65epvtZKhQCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--1881590966.jpg"></font></a></div></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div></div></div><div class="field field-type-datetime" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em;"><time datetime="2018-12-07T00:00:00+00:00" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Friday, 7 December, 2018</time></div><div class="field field-type-text-with-summary" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The High Court has quashed the licensing fees charged for private hire vehicle and Hackney carriage licences set by Wakefield City Council, following a claim for judicial review by the Wakefield District Private Hire and Hackney Association.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;">His Honour Judge Saffman, sitting as a deputy judge of the High Court, held that the fees charged by Wakefield were unlawful. In particular, the Council had wrongly interpreted section 70 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and had erroneously charged the costs of enforcement against drivers (for speeding, bad parking, dressing inappropriately and a miscellany of uncivil or illegal conduct) to the control and supervision of vehicles. Wakefield’s case had been that the costs were properly accounted for against vehicles because the errant drivers were driving vehicles. The learned judge described that as ‘stretching beyond breaking point’ the language of the section.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;">The case is of wider importance as it dispels any suggestion that there is a general principle of law that licensing regimes should be self-financing. The judge made it clear that a local authority’s entitlement to recover from the licence fee the costs of administering a licensing regime is governed by the words of the empowering statute. Where Parliament has awarded local authorities a broad discretion (e.g. “such fee as they think reasonable”) the courts have upheld policies of full cost recovery on the sole ground that the policies, being reasonable, are intra vires; but where, as in s 70 LGMPA 1976, the power to charge a fee is circumscribed by reference to specific heads of recovery, recovery is restricted to those specified heads. Licensing authorities are creatures of statute, and have no powers beyond those which statute has given them.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;">In the course of the High Court action it became apparent that Wakefield Council has overcharged private hire vehicle licence fees by an aggregate sum in excess of £1million, which will form the subject of a claim for restitution.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://www.ftbchambers.co.uk/barristers/gerald-gouriet-qc" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; -webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; transition: color 0.1s linear;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Gerald Gouriet Q</strong></a>C and <a href="https://www.ftbchambers.co.uk/barristers/charles-streeten" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; -webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; transition: color 0.1s linear;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Charles Streeten</strong></a> acted for the successful claimant, with the assistance of A2Z licensing</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT :</b></p><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As the article states, the greater legal significance of the judgment was to recognise that there is no general principle of law that requires licensing regimes to be self-financing, but for members of the Wakefield trade, it might be the prospect of being able to bring a restitution claim for in excess of £1 million that was the most significant thing to come out of the case, which was heard by the High Court in Leeds last Wednesday (5 December 2018).</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For the sake of completeness, I should advise that the Council was refused permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal, but does, of course, have 21 days in which to renew its application directly to the Court of Appeal.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">David B Wilson</b></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">a2z Licensing </b></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-82908695324574768042018-05-30T06:29:00.001-07:002018-05-30T06:48:51.500-07:00And So It Begins....Visa Doubles Transaction Charges to 8%<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0RtFKVdadpk/Ww6nHwo0yYI/AAAAAAAA2Oo/2xyUYKZUuhMYYX67-aAwmwja-PXs_a-LACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-1108815880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0RtFKVdadpk/Ww6nHwo0yYI/AAAAAAAA2Oo/2xyUYKZUuhMYYX67-aAwmwja-PXs_a-LACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-1108815880.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">£1bn assault on the High Street: Shopkeepers suffer as Visa hikes fees on card payments. Unfortunately, this will give the green light to increase transaction charges for Taxi drivers taking Card payments. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It's estimated that shopkeepers will pay £1billion extra a year to payments giant Visa after it hiked fees.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The increase comes as the Taxi trade faced a boom in customers who want to pay by card.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">But what many passengers don’t realise is that every transaction costs the driver, and Visa has been accused of cashing in, by hiking its fees.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Card sharks: Taxi drivers have seen a massive increase in customers who pay by card for even the cheapest journeys meaning that drivers with company's that charge the extra 20p on top of the transaction percentage, pay even more in fees</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Experts warned that some will see their bills more than double. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Obviously it's not just Taxis who will be affected, payments consultant CMSPI said that increased card costs will hit Europe’s shops for £2billion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In the UK alone, which has embraced contactless cards and chip and pin, the bill will be £1billion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Visa Europe has doubled charges since 2015 from an average 4p per transaction to 8p, says CMSPI. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Firm’s crippling £26,750 card bill </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Hardware store owner Vin Vara says his firm is struggling because of huge bills from credit card companies.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Vara, 58, employs 38 people at 11 Tool Shop stores in London and lost £20,400 in fees last year as shoppers paid by credit card. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Some 60 per cent of customers pay by card and he expects the bill to rise to £26,750 this year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">He said: ‘People don’t understand the damage this can do. I’m scared for others on the High St about what’s going to happen to them.’</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It used to keep just 1.5p of this as profit but now takes 5p after cutting costs, the consultant said.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">CMSPI chief executive Brendan Doyle said: ‘This is incredibly disappointing. Visa, a multinational that consistently reports profit margins in excess of 50 per cent on multi-billion-dollar revenues, is piling cost after cost onto retailers and the latest change will be particularly hard on struggling small businesses.’ </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">He added that CMSPI will complain to the European Commission about the hike.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Visa has become more aggressive since it was bought by its US sister firm for £15billion in 2016.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Until then, Visa Europe had been owned by banks, including Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland, and they made billions from its sale to namesake Visa Inc. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The American company’s chief executive Charles Scharf plotted to hugely increase fees – in 2015, he said he hoped to ‘expand yields in Europe’.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">MPs and business groups called for regulators to step in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">SNP MP Stewart Hosie, of the Treasury Select Committee, said: ‘It’s a scandal card issuers’ fees have increased massively. I would hope and expect card issuers would think again before they impose these costs.’</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Meanwhile, High Street retailers face average hikes for UK card fees of 75 per cent, and other European card costs will come close to trebling with an increase of 189 per cent.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">James Lowman of the Association of Convenience Stores said: ‘We encourage the Payment Systems Regulator to look closely at these fees to ensure fairness.’</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Andrew Cregan, at the British Retail Consortium, also backed intervention by the regulator.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Visa said: ‘The figures quoted are misleading and over-inflated. Our pricing means we can invest in world-leading cybersecurity and consumer protection, in innovation such as contactless and mobile payments, and in providing a global network which enables billions to make purchases safely, securely and reliably.’</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT :</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In the past, we've seen many retailers refuse to take Amex because of the time it takes them to pay up. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We could now see the same exclusion notices regarding payment with Visa cards.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The London Taxi trade haven't been granted the right to choose how they are paid as our largest org says "it was a done deal'....and it was the drivers who were done!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The trade were promised a increase in bums on seats and a massive publicity campaign from TfL.....it just never happen. </div><div><br></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-69969721842654839712018-05-30T04:38:00.001-07:002018-12-10T02:21:48.123-08:00Mike Brown Apologises For ‘Ill-Judged’ Expansion Of Cycle Superhighway,
Blamed For Gridlock And Increased Pollution<div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Farce of the cycle super highways: London transport chief apologises for ‘ill-judged’ expansion that’s blamed for gridlock and increased pollution</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4Q4O2-c65m4/Ww6RafqaCUI/AAAAAAAA2N8/Ss6GAcgrpxQnced01tL0YHockeJq7_kgwCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--2039546548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4Q4O2-c65m4/Ww6RafqaCUI/AAAAAAAA2N8/Ss6GAcgrpxQnced01tL0YHockeJq7_kgwCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--2039546548.jpg"></a></div> Mike Brown Will Norman</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Britain’s most powerful transport tsar has now admitted that the the speedy expansion of controversial cycle ‘superhighways’ has actually slowed traffic for motorists.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mike Brown, the commissioner for Transport for London, criticised the cycle lane expansion in London as ‘ill judged’ and ‘ill thought through’.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He apologised to motorists who say that the segregated cycle lanes are exasperating traffic problems.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mr Brown, who is a passionate supporter of cycle lanes, said that they had been hurried through under Boris Johnson during his eight-year tenure as London mayor.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3uW0RgD-5iQ/Ww6Rc72QfQI/AAAAAAAA2OA/GjW7GL8Xqug2tQ90dr1dwBr8-jvXPv3bACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-343336181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3uW0RgD-5iQ/Ww6Rc72QfQI/AAAAAAAA2OA/GjW7GL8Xqug2tQ90dr1dwBr8-jvXPv3bACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-343336181.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Cycling groups, council chiefs and safety campaigners said that the lanes would reduce congestion and pollution - which causes thousands of premature deaths in Britain every year - and that they make the roads safer.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But in practise, the lanes have infuriated most drivers who claim they are stuck in traffic for longer because part of the road has been taken over by bikes. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Now, Mr Brown's attack on one of Mr Johnson’s flagship policies will likely spark more contentious debate about the further roll out of cycle lanes around the country.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">LBC Radio host Nick Ferrari – who claims cycle superhighways have caused the biggest slow down in traffic since the Luftwaffe bombed London in the Second World War - was hosting a debate in London where Mr Brown made his controversial comments. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mr Brown said: ‘I apologise absolutely for the way cycle lanes were delivered in the last mayor’s administration’ .</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">‘I think it was ill-judged, it was too fast and ill thought through in the speed in which it was done, which I’m afraid is the main downside of living in a democracy – people want to do things in their term</span></div></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZZiz78-okwE/Ww6RYGo3XdI/AAAAAAAA2N4/EwIGcBsngSk4Ag7tENXak8Ua1usznq8KACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--637475292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZZiz78-okwE/Ww6RYGo3XdI/AAAAAAAA2N4/EwIGcBsngSk4Ag7tENXak8Ua1usznq8KACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--637475292.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But Mr Brown also insisted that that the routes have helped save ‘many, many lives’ and made the roads safer for cyclists. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Fourteen cyclists were killed in London in 2013 but this tragic number dropped to eight deaths in 2016.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Despite his clear concerns, TFL has now insisted that Mr Brown's negative comments about the cycle infrastructure actually referred to the disruption caused by roadworks as too many lanes were built at the same time - and not to any traffic after they were operational.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But the criticism will provide ammunition for those who believe that cycle lanes being built all over Britain are making the roads more congested by reducing space for motor traffic.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Critics claim that this may actually increase air pollution as cars are stuck on the roads with their engines running for longer as they idle in traffic.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Will Norman, Sadiq Khan's new cycling tsar wants to diversify cycling to stop London's cycling routes being overwhelmed by middle class men</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">And so-called 'mamils' (middle-aged men in lycra) were another target for criticism of a burgeoning British cycle culture.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mamils are dominating the cycling scene in London, leading to a false perception that cycling is not for everyone, Will Norman, Sadiq Khan's new cycling tsar claimed.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Too few females and people from ethnic minority backgrounds are taking to two wheels around the capital and the Mayor's office could introduce 'diversity targets' to combat the figures.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Despite millions being pumped into the cycling infrastructure in London the majority of those making use of it are middle aged men.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At present, black, Asian and minority ethnic groups account for about 15 per cent of cycled journeys in London – around two-thirds less than Transport for London (TfL) estimates it could be. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mr Norman told The Independent: 'There is a problem with cycling and the way it is perceived of getting middle-aged men cycling faster around the city, which is not the objective at all.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">'It touches on something which is a real challenge for London cycling, which is diversity.'</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Too many cyclists in London are middle-aged men according to the city's new cycling chief</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">London mayor Sadiq Khan said he would make cycling safer around London.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">However, members of the London Assembly said it is not being done quickly enough.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Now Mr Norman said more groups should be benefitting from the changes made.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He added: 'Even when we have seen the growth in the number of cyclists, we haven't seen that diversity.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">'There are a number of reasons for that. One is that safety is paramount for getting different people from different walks of life cycling: older people, younger people, those from different backgrounds.'</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The way in which the gap will be filled, Mr Norman says, is through projects such as promoting electric bikes, cycling courses and grants for community groups who do not typically cycle.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Schemes could be rolled out across London to diversify the cycling scene. (Pictured: One woman cycles among a pack of men)</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There was a six per cent recorded rise in female cyclists after the opening of Quietway 1, which links Waterloo with Greenwich, from 29 per cent to 35 per cent.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mr Khan promised an average of £169m annually for cycling schemes over the next five years.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">'Is it ambitious enough in the longer term? I think we need a higher level of change,' Mr Norman told The Independent.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">'The target that we have set out in the mayor's transport strategy is over that 25 years we want to shift to 80 per cent of journeys to be walking, cycling or by public transport.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">'That is a much more ambitious target and really is fundamentally rethinking the way that we move around our city.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Return to main blog, click Taxi Leaks button above under page title...or click link below</b></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div></div><a href="http://taxileaks.blogspot.com/">http://taxileaks.blogspot.com/</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-56729161410271456472018-05-26T03:52:00.000-07:002018-05-27T03:57:56.299-07:00Cross Border Hiring By Gerald Gouriet QC<br />
<header class="fl-post-header" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 25px;"><h1 class="fl-post-title" itemprop="headline" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--nzD684g_5A/WwqOwxHViRI/AAAAAAAA2JE/70bIgUIDzOc8_wMXmizk9uiyvFIRYLyPwCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--1041148660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--nzD684g_5A/WwqOwxHViRI/AAAAAAAA2JE/70bIgUIDzOc8_wMXmizk9uiyvFIRYLyPwCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--1041148660.jpg" /></a></div>
</h1>
<div class="fl-post-meta fl-post-meta-top" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="fl-post-author" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); box-sizing: border-box;"></span></div>
<div itemprop="publisher" itemscope="" itemtype="https://schema.org/Organization" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
</div>
<div itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="https://schema.org/Person" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
</div>
<div itemprop="image" itemscope="" itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
</div>
<div itemprop="interactionStatistic" itemscope="" itemtype="https://schema.org/InteractionCounter" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
</div>
</header><br />
<div class="fl-post-content clearfix" itemprop="text" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">
<strong style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); box-sizing: border-box;">Summary: cross border hiring & localism</strong></h4>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Cross border hiring” is a portmanteau expression covering a miscellany of different activities, some of which are lawfully undertaken, others unlawfully. There is no case law to the general effect that cross border hiring of PHV drivers is <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">per se </em>lawful; and PHV licences may be conditioned so as to prevent cross border hiring from undermining local licensing control.</span></div>
<h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">
<strong style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); box-sizing: border-box;">The ‘Right to Roam’</strong></h4>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The licensing requirements of PHV drivers and their vehicles, and the exemptions therefrom, are different from those made of PHV operators. The so-called ‘right to roam’ (insofar as it is a right) applies to PHV drivers and vehicles – not operators.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<u style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); box-sizing: border-box;">PHV drivers and vehicles</u></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Outside Greater London the owner of a vehicle may not use it as a private hire vehicle in a controlled district unless the vehicle is licensed under section 48 LGMPA 1976: section <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">46(1)(a)</strong>. Nor may the vehicle be driven otherwise than by someone licensed under section 51: section <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">46(1)(b)</strong>. It is also an offence for the owner of a vehicle to employ as a driver someone who is not so licensed: <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">46(1)(c)</strong>.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">No offence under sections 46(1)(a), (b) or (c) is committed in respect of the use of a vehicle in controlled district A if a driver’s licence and a vehicle licence issued in controlled district B are in force: section 75(2). All three licences, however, (operator’s, driver’s and vehicle), must be issued by the same authority: <em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">Dittah v Birmingham City Council</u></em> [1993] RTR 356.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The so-called “right to roam” of PHV drivers and vehicles derives from section 75(2). The right is not unqualified: PHV drivers and vehicles may not ply for hire, and may only fulfil a booking accepted by an operator licensed by the same authority as licensed them: <em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: underline;">Dittah</span>.</em><u style="box-sizing: border-box;"></u></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<u style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); box-sizing: border-box;">PHV operators</u></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Section 80(1) LGMPA 1976 provides:</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding-left: 30px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">operate” means in the course of business to make provision for the invitation or acceptance of bookings for a private hire vehicle.</em></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">An operator may only make provision for the invitation or acceptance of PHV bookings in the controlled district in which he is licensed: LGMPA section <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">46(1)(d)</strong>, applying section 80, subsections (1) & (2).</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Section 75 of the LGMPA 1976 does not provide an exemption for operators (from section 46(1)(d)), equivalent to that which it provides for drivers and vehicles (from sections 46(1)(a), (b) & (c)). Thus, whilst drivers and vehicles may lawfully undertake <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">journeys</em> “which ultimately have no connection with the area in which they are licensed” (per Latham LJ in <em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">Shanks v North Tyneside BC</u></em> [2001] LLR 706), lawful <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">provision for the invitation or acceptance of bookings</em> is anchored to the controlled district in which the operator is licensed.</span></div>
<h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">
<strong style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); box-sizing: border-box;">Unlawful provision for invitation of bookings by PHV drivers</strong></h4>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Whether or not provision has been made in breach of section 46(1)(d) is a question of fact. The following guidance emerges from the cases –</span></div>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It is simply a question of asking, in common sense terms, whether there has been provision made in the controlled district for invitation or acceptance of bookings”: <em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">Kingston Upon Hull City Council v Wilson</u></em>(1995) WL <a href="tel:1082181" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">1082181</a>, per Buxton J.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“There could well be provision for invitation of bookings in one place and for acceptance in another”: <em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">East Staffordshire BC v Rendell</u></em> (1995) WL <a href="tel:1084118" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">1084118</a>, per Simon Brown LJ.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“As the authorities clearly show, the main question is not where the act of accepting any particular booking or bookings take place, but where the provision is made”: <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">idem</em></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The determining factor is not whether any individual booking was accepted, let alone where it was accepted, but whether the person accused has in the area in question made provision for the invitation or acceptance of bookings in general”: <em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">Windsor and Maidenhead v Khan</u></em> [1994] RTR 87, per McCullough J.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If a PHV operator makes arrangements for drivers in his fleet to go to remote areas (i.e. other than the area of the authority that licensed the operator/drivers/vehicles) it may well be that, on the facts of a particular case, he is unlawfully making provision for the invitation of PHV bookings. If he has organised dedicated parking areas and pick up points for his drivers, and the means to let the public know they are waiting there and available for hire, it may be difficult to conclude otherwise.</span></div>
<h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">
<strong style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); box-sizing: border-box;">Undermining local licensing control: revocation or refusal to renew licence</strong></h4>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Section 62(1) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 gives a licensing authority power to refuse to renew (or revoke) an operator’s licence on the grounds that –</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding-left: 30px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(a) he has committed an offence under the 1976 Act (or an immigration offence);</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding-left: 30px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(b) he is otherwise not fit and proper to hold the licence;</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding-left: 30px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(c) there is a material change of circumstances: or</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding-left: 30px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(d) <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">any other reasonable cause</strong>.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Even in circumstances that are otherwise lawful, a PHV operator who knowingly sends drivers in his fleet to work (exclusively or predominantly) in remote areas where they are not licensed, is vulnerable to having his operator’s licence revoked or refused renewal under section 62(1)(d) of the 1976 Act on the ground that he undermines local licensing control. The threat to public safety (let alone the affront to local control) in the growing use of drivers who ‘shop’ to be licensed by authorities that demand only the lowest standards, so that they can work in an area where standards are higher but licences more difficult to obtain, is ample demonstration of “reasonable cause”. At least one PHV operator has been known to steer potential drivers to licensing authorities with minimal licensing criteria and low licensing fees.</span></div>
<h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">
<strong style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); box-sizing: border-box;">Erosion of localism: licence conditions</strong></h4>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Courts have said that “<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">the hallmark of the licensing regulatory regime is localism</em>”<a href="http://licensing-lawyer.co.uk/phv-cross-border-hiring/#_ftn1" name="_ftnref" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">[1]</a>, and that “<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">that the authorities responsible for granting licences should have the authority to exercise full control</em>” over “<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">all vehicles and drivers being operated … within its area</em>.” <a href="http://licensing-lawyer.co.uk/phv-cross-border-hiring/#_ftn2" name="_ftnref" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">[2]</a></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In <em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Queen on the application of Delta Merseyside Limited and Uber Britannia Limited v Knowsley BC</u></em> [2018] EWHC 757, Kerr J said –</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding-left: 30px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">I refrain from expressing any view on the point, but I am fortified in my conclusion in this case by the consideration that, in principle, a condition on a licence could be imposed which, if otherwise lawful, would require a fit and proper person who is a licence holder to abide by whatever restrictions are contained within a condition that are considered reasonably necessary to meet any perceived erosion of localism in the governance of PHV licensing</em>.”</span></div>
<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;">
<strong style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px;">Conclusions</strong></h3>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Although correction of the abuses of what may <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">lawfully</em> be done by way of cross border hiring may, as has frequently been said, require national legislative change, it is only necessary to enforce existing law to address some of the widespread concerns about unlawful cross border operations and the erosion of localism by some minicab firms and their drivers.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Gerald Gouriet QC</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-57627904938391257702018-01-08T23:49:00.001-08:002018-01-08T23:56:33.903-08:00Worboys - What went wrong? : Crimeline.info ..... By Andrew Keogh,
Barrister<p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One newspaper questioned how justice had been served after reporting that convicted sex offender John Worboys was to be released from prison following a decision by the Parole Board.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The headline, one of many similar ones, read:</span></p><blockquote style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; quotes: '';"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">'Black Cab rapist John Worboys to be freed after eight years – that’s just TWO WEEKS for each of 200 victims'</span></p></blockquote><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On the face of it, eight years imprisonment for 200 sexual crimes does appear remarkably lenient, and it is no wonder that members of the public not appraised of the full facts should express outrage on social media and elsewhere.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The facts reveal a very different story.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Was Worboys convicted of 200 offences?</strong></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The simple answer to that is no. Worboys was tried in 2009 on an indictment containing 23 allegations. In March 2009 he was convicted of 19 offences, including one charge of rape, the other charges related to sexual assaults and the administration of drugs to his victims. At the time of the offending Worboys worked as a taxi-driver and used that position of trust to take advantage of his victims.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The trial Judge, Mr Justice Penry-Davey sentenced Worboys to Imprisonment for Public Protection' ('IPP), with a minimum term before any possible release of 8 years.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Eight years reflects the sentence he would have received had an IPP sentence not been imposed (more on that below) and is based on a determinate prison sentence equivalent to 16 years (because he would have served half of that 16-year term before release).</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, why is the press reporting that he has committed more offences?</strong></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A substantial number of victims of sexual assault have come forward. It is apparent from evidence given at his trial that although 105 victims came forward, and are accepted by the police as having been subjected to assault by Worboys, these may represent only a small proportion of those assaulted.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the words of prosecuting counsel at the trial:</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"As you will see from the time span on the indictment the Defendant was able to cruise the nightclub areas of London identifying and picking up girls upon which to carry out his assaults for some time. Each girl felt concerned at the very least when she awoke the next morning, feeling that something was wrong but many did not make a complaint to the police at the time. It is perhaps easy to see why. Each of them could remember getting into the Defendant's cab. Many could describe the cab driver. Each could remember the conversation in the cab and the offer of alcohol. But many who had consumed that alcohol could remember very little of what had happened thereafter. They could remember little about which to complain. Many spoke to friends and family about the matter but left it there".</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Some of these complainants won a civil action against the Metropolitan Police, although that is subject to an appeal, with the Supreme Court expected to give judgment later this year.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The quite horrific extent of police failures to properly investigate Worboys <a href="http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2014/436.html" target="_blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none !important;">can be read here</a>.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, although there is a body of evidence to suggest that Worboys committed a very large number of crimes, the simple fact is that he was tried and convicted of only 19.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What about the sentence length?</strong></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There are some things to note about the sentence.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The first is that despite the number of convictions (19), some of the allegations (i.e. the drugging) are part and parcel of the main sexual offending. While properly charged separately, the sheer number of offences is not always a good indicator of the length of sentence that might follow.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The most serious offence for which Worboys was convicted was the single count of rape, although that is not to suggest the other offences were in any way insignificant.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sentencing for sexual offences in 2009 is not the same as it is today.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Beyond any doubt, the treatment of those convicted of serious sexual offences today is very different from even a few years ago.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">And finally, an IPP sentence is itself a particularly stringent form of punishment, stripping the offender of the privilege of automatic release, ensuring Parole Board scrutiny before any release, and also leaving the offender under supervision, potentially for life.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But overall, when you look at a sentence equivalent to 16 years, with no automatic release, it does not strike me as lenient, or at least not to any extent that it looks appealable.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Could the sentence have been appealed?</strong></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yes, it could. The Attorney General had the right to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal, and argue that it was 'unduly lenient'.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We know that the sentence was referred to Baroness Patricia Scotland, the Attorney General at the time. The AGs office issued a statement saying:</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“John Worboys’ sentence was considered by the attorney-general at the time. There are sentencing guidelines that judges must adhere to and, in this case, the sentence given fell within the guidelines available for this offence at that time.”</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, the sentence was the correct one?</strong></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yes, the sentence was in accordance with the law. Judges can only sentence offenders for the offences that they have been convicted of.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">People may feel in any event that the sentence was lenient, and they may well have a valid point of view. But so far as the law is concerned there appears to be little of concern here.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Why weren't there more charges brought?</strong></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The CPS has issued a statement dealing with that point, <a href="https://www.cps.gov.uk/news/cps-statement-john-worboys" target="_blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none !important;">read it here</a>.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The legal principle of 'totality of sentence' is of importance here and very much explains the thinking of the CPS at the time.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At its simplest, if an offender commits one crime deserving of (say) a three year sentence of imprisonment, and another offender commits (say) 10 crimes each deserving of 3 years imprisonment, the second offender would not receive a sentence of 30 years.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There comes the point when loading the indictment with further offences is largely pointless, and it was not the practice at the time to pursue further prosecutions that could (in some cases) and perhaps should, have been pursued at the time.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It is interesting that despite the stance of the CPS, the police did, in fact, refer at least one further case of sexual assault.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Again, it is worth contrasting the view in 2009 with that now, we have seen in more recent years a much different practice emerge, the case of Rolf Harris is a good example of that, with new allegations being pursued after his initial conviction.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Is there any chance of new criminal allegations being pursued now?</strong></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If there is evidence to support any new prosecutions, then I think it highly likely Worboys may face further proceedings.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Why has the Parole Board ordered his release?</strong></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Parole Board is under a statutory duty to consider Worboys release once the minimum term of 8 years has expired.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A release must be ordered unless detention remains necessary for the protection of the public.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, what we know is that the Parole Board has concluded that Worboys is a manageable risk if released.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That's Bonkers!</strong></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It seems a lot of people think so. The Parole Board has however evaluated all of the evidence and thinks differently. Due to secrecy <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/1041/article/25/made" target="_blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none !important;">rules passed by parliament</a>, the reasons for the Parole Board's decision cannot be published, so we have no means of evaluating the decision made.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Can the decision be appealed?</strong></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The only possible challenge is by way of judicial review - where it could be argued that there was something procedurally wrong with the decision making progress, or that the decision to release was so wrong that it cannot stand (in legal terms often referred to as 'Wednesbury unreasonable').</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The courts will, however, be slow to interfere with the expert assessment of the Parole Board, so a successful challenge is not likely.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We know that the victims were not notified of the Parole Board hearing or release decision and no doubt lawyers will be looking at whether that might form a basis for a challenge. It is unlikely in my view.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Who could bring the judicial review?</strong></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There is no doubt that the Secretary of State could challenge the decision, and some lawyers suggest that victims could as well, although I am doubtful as to whether victims would have the required 'standing' in law to bring a challenge. However, it is highly likely that this move is being contemplated.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, he is free then?</strong></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He will be later this month unless further charges are brought, and he is remanded in custody (which is unlikely in that very short timeframe).</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He will remain under supervision (on licence) for the remainder of his life. He can apply for that licence to be revoked, but given what is known about Worboys that seems unlikely to happen.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, to sum it up</strong></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Worboys is a violent and prolific sexual offender, but the failings, in this case, appear to lie at the door of the Metropolitan Police Service, not the courts and Parole Board.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-39270423754684418752017-12-20T16:35:00.000-08:002017-12-20T16:41:15.368-08:00US-Style Class Actions Introduced Into The UK : Solicitor Anna Morfey
explains why the change is "really significant"<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 33px; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VkBotkwwvDk/Wjr1OBrk6jI/AAAAAAAAvqM/EWwgKWwoe3cnJRsg8wXkHVmyQlORzV61ACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--215295448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VkBotkwwvDk/Wjr1OBrk6jI/AAAAAAAAvqM/EWwgKWwoe3cnJRsg8wXkHVmyQlORzV61ACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--215295448.jpg"></a></div>
<br>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 33px; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A newly introduced law allows British courts to hear US-style class actions - where one or several people sue on behalf of a much larger group.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 33px; font-weight: bold; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Consumer Rights Act 2015 will make it far easier for groups of consumers to seek compensation from firms that have fixed prices and formed cartels.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It introduces "opt out" actions where everyone affected is automatically a member of the "class" which is suing.</span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Consumer groups say it is a huge step forward in helping secure compensation.</span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Fixing the prices</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Previously, when groups of consumers or small and medium-sized businesses wanted to take action against companies who fixed the price of goods or services, on - for example - replica football shirts or air fares, it was very difficult.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">All of those affected had ether had to "opt in" to the action or bring a claim in their own name. As individual losses were small and legal costs and risks high, few did.</span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Such were the problems with opt-in actions that there has only been one of note. This was when consumer body Which? sued JJB Sports which had taken part in fixing prices</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> of some replica football shirts. </span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The action was settled and consumers who joined it who had paid up to £39.99 for certain England and Manchester United football shirts, during specific periods in 2000 or 2001, received a payment of £20 each.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">JJB Sports also agreed to compensate those who bought one of the shirts but did not join the claim.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">They were entitled to £10 if they presented either proof of purchase or the shirt itself, with its label intact, at a JJB Sports store.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was all a bit messy and many who bought the shirts did not join the claim and so did not get any money back. </span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Under the new law, everyone who purchased the overpriced goods can be automatically "in" the claim unless they opt out. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It means there will be strength in numbers and consumers could get their money back without lifting a finger.</span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"The new collective redress rules will give consumers more power against unscrupulous businesses that have been found guilty of anti-competitive practices," said Which? executive director Richard Lloyd.</span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Now everyone who has been affected will be automatically included so more people should get redress and sooner."</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He added the move was good news for consumers and responsible businesses because "those caught acting illegally will be made to pay the price". </span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">'<b>Billions in damages'</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Under the new law, claims have to be approved by the Competition Appeal Tribunal.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">They can be brought by a suitable representative of the group affected by the price fixing, who then advertises the claim in order to make others in the group aware of it and would then distribute the money. Any residue goes to charity.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Two kinds of claims can be brought. </span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Firstly, so-called "follow on" claims that follow a competition regulator's finding that there has been an infringement of competition law. </span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Secondly, "standalone" claims which are not based on an infringement decision. This frees up claimants to seek damages for any competition law violations - not just those the regulators have chosen to pursue.</span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the US, class actions are far more widespread with damages awards running into billions of dollars.</span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Class actions have been filed in the US over the Volkswagen emission test scandal</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">They are not confined to cases where companies get together and fix prices. </span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Claims against retailers and manufacturers relating to faulty goods and services can also be brought. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Class actions have been filed in the US by groups of consumers affected by the recent Volkswagen emission test scandal. </span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the US, juries hear the cases and set the damages, which can then be trebled by the judge.</span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">'<b>Safeguards including'</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, will the new regime really see US-style class actions with huge pay outs?</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"The regime incorporates a number of safeguards against what are perceived to be the 'excesses' of the US system," said Anna Morfey, a specialist competition law solicitor with the London firm Hausfeld.</span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"In particular, the fact that the losing party is typically required to pay the winner's costs acts as a deterrent to frivolous claims in the UK.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"But there are other important differences - no treble or 'exemplary' damages, and no jury trials of these claims in the UK, will mean damages awards really are compensatory and not windfalls for claimants."</span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What is clear is that companies who fix prices now face a much greater risk of being sued by all of those who have paid the inflated prices.</span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
<span style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 33px;"><b>Class Action Explained</b></span><br>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Competition Appeal Tribunal decides whether the "class representative" is representative of anybody else who would want to sue </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Safeguards to prevent frivolous claims include strict conditions to be met before a claim is approved as "opt-out" as opposed to "opt-in"; and rules governing damages and costs</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Opt-out" provisions only apply to UK-domiciled consumers or companies.</span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Taxi Leaks Extra Bit : </span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mkesoPH18_E/WjsCqCttQEI/AAAAAAAAvqw/QxrTfQOwCXotZ6fnBct3YvFCWJLlFU4QQCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-1118433131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mkesoPH18_E/WjsCqCttQEI/AAAAAAAAvqw/QxrTfQOwCXotZ6fnBct3YvFCWJLlFU4QQCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-1118433131.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KfjvJdIgbuE/WjsCr2TCLiI/AAAAAAAAvq0/AXvDfvrGBnAMzrt08kRWR1QoNq1dqihAgCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-582678569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KfjvJdIgbuE/WjsCr2TCLiI/AAAAAAAAvq0/AXvDfvrGBnAMzrt08kRWR1QoNq1dqihAgCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-582678569.jpg"></a></div></div></div></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; max-width: 100%;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-77716903119184452402017-09-18T12:52:00.001-07:002017-09-18T12:54:46.421-07:00Tony Frew: Sadiq Khan's 40,000 pollution deaths a year is a zombie
statistic, it's simply not true.<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="370" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TI794N4ea2A" width="680"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-36096537398638808312017-07-18T14:43:00.001-07:002017-07-18T15:55:39.908-07:00Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing in England & Wales<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0itz7-17TH8/WW6OOD0L-6I/AAAAAAAApjs/_GCCvXqIDeklIBeRemGrt2yNfslsOGc9wCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-1500640755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0itz7-17TH8/WW6OOD0L-6I/AAAAAAAApjs/_GCCvXqIDeklIBeRemGrt2yNfslsOGc9wCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-1500640755.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This paper sets out the licensing arrangements for taxis and private hire vehicles and their drivers and the enforcement of those licences. It also looks at some of the issues currently of concern to the industry and licensing authorities.</span></div><div><br></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As taxi licensing is devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland this paper only deals with England and Wales. Once the Wales Bill becomes law, licensing will also be devolved in Wales and this paper will be amended to cover England only.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The present law varies depending where one is. The licensing conditions that are applied to taxis and PHV drivers and the local conditions of vehicle fitness are for each local licensing authority to decide, so can vary considerably from area to area.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In England and Wales, outside London, taxis are licensed by district councils under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847or that Act as amended by the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. All taxis and their drivers must be licensed. Private hire vehicles (PHVs), sometimes referred to as minicabs, drivers and operators are subject to licensing if a district council has adopted Part II of the 1976 Act (most have) or has similar provisions contained in a local Act.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In London, the taxi legislation dates back to the nineteenth century, but the main licence conditions are made under the London Cab Order 1934. The minicab trade in London is licensed by regulations made under the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In Scotland taxis and PHVs are licensed under Part II of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, as amended. Licensing works in much the same way as in England and Wales.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In Northern Ireland taxis are licensed under the Taxis Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 and PHVs</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The legal framework in England and Wales, including London, was reviewed in 2012-14 by the Law Commission, which published recommendations and a draft Bill in May 2014. The Government has yet to publish a response to this and indicate whether it intends to implement the wholesale reform proposed by the Commission. The Coalition Government made minor changes to the law in the Deregulation Act 2015. The Wales Bill includes proposals to devolve responsibility for taxi licensing in Wales.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Both the taxi and private hire industries are facing challenges from new technology, and from legislative change, causing concern and anger amongst a number of operators and drivers. This is a particular issue in London where Uber has been subject to legal challenge and its use by PHV drivers in London has proven deeply controversial.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The issue of quantity restrictions is dealt with in a separate note (SN2772). Information on other roads- and traffic-related issues can be found on the Roads Topical Page of the Parliament website.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Commons Briefing papers SN02005</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Author: Louise Butcher</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Topic: Roads</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Download the full report</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing in England & Wales ( PDF, 501.12 KB)</span></div></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><a href="http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN02005/SN02005.pdf">http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN02005/SN02005.pdf</a></div></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-33305314610326276842017-05-11T07:04:00.001-07:002017-05-11T07:18:11.444-07:00Advice From An Ex Copper About Video Evidence ... By Jason Clauson.<p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6w03KRAyF0k/WRRyohyC8XI/AAAAAAAAnHc/WTjrmGnKNmU0DUdM-MEd9IPPq7z0mDnvACHM/s640/blogger-image--902483960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6w03KRAyF0k/WRRyohyC8XI/AAAAAAAAnHc/WTjrmGnKNmU0DUdM-MEd9IPPq7z0mDnvACHM/s640/blogger-image--902483960.jpg"></a></div><p></p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">I would like to offer some advice re video evidence.. as a ex Copper (and now GB) i have dealt numerous times with video evidence ....and behaviour WHEN being videoed.</p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">Best advice ... SPEAK ... you may see whats happening on footage but as you all know different interpretations or releasing footage after a certain event can change what people think.</p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">So .... commentate .... if you are dealing with a vehicle ... say out loud the reg number .. location .. number of occupants .. description of driver. </p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">So if its not evident on tape it is because you said it.</p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">Swearing in the heat of the moment cant be helped ... but staying calm does help. Deep breaths. Dont focus on one thing ... keep aware of all around you.</p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">Personal confrontation .... say lots ....</p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">'Keep away' or 'keep back' ... shows the direction of aggression .. ie towards you..</p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">If you raise your hands ... do it open handed ... it shows no weapon .. shows less aggression coupled with verbal description of get back or get away .. so if you are being filmed by them or us you are not seen as an aggressor.. </p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">If attacked ...by all and any means defend yourself</p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">• 1st rule ... RUN AWAY .... cant get hurt if you aint there.</p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">• 2nd rule ... if you cant do 1st rule ... strike and retreat ... </p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">• 3rd Rule ... DONT GO TO GROUND ... you are too vulnerable..</p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">I have won cases on video evidence because of clear and unambiguous verbals.</p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">Speaking as someone who was injured many times on duty in my 30yrs including knife wounds I know my actions saved me from much worse injuries ..</p><p style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">Lets be safe out there and back eachother up whenever we can.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-78186529993756112362017-03-03T02:47:00.001-08:002017-03-03T02:50:42.678-08:00Mobile Phone In Vehicle Use....New Penalties ....by Jason Clauson<div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VJ-yRmIdJCQ/WLlKgZQR-7I/AAAAAAAAj0A/LGo5CG2aEa8/s640/blogger-image--1790704789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VJ-yRmIdJCQ/WLlKgZQR-7I/AAAAAAAAj0A/LGo5CG2aEa8/s640/blogger-image--1790704789.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Many of you may know that Iam a retired PC now GB. I was a Traffic Cop for 10 of my 30yrs. I have been heavily involved in dealing with many serious and fatal collisions and hundreds of prosecutions for these offences. I have read and heard a lot about the 'changes' in Mob Phone law so I thought I would try and clarify some things including some misleading info from Govt / police. Take it or leave it but its free advice and a bit of clarification.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Firstly ...the Law has not changed .. only the Penalties relating to phone use.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">There are many offences relating to behaviour in a vehicle that are being discussed and not just the Mobile phone Law.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">In so far as a phone goes .. the offence of Using a Hand Held Mobile phone relates to an unsecured Mobile phone that is used .. meaning Calling Texting Interacting with the phone whilst in the hand, on the lap, on shoulder up against ear.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">So any interaction with phone not in a cradle can fall into this.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Not being in proper control of a motor vehicle covers everything else .. not just phones .. drinking, eating, driving one handed, reading a book, interacting with a phone in a cradle or a satnav. Literally anything .. the evidence must show that whilst doing the 'Thing' the vehicle was not controlled properly .. ie steering or braking impeded, wandering from lane to lane, not looking whilst moving, turning too wide or cutting a corner etc etc. ie anything that distracts you from driving safely and carefully.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Driving without a Proper View Ahead .. this relates to anything positioned in front of or blocking the view of the driver.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">The area that this relates to has been described as the 45 degree view etc etc .. dont confuse yourself .. the drivers side wiper blade arc is a great guide to show the bare minimum .. I would have dealt with offences on the 2 thirds of the screen from the drivers side. Certainly NOT the area where the Tax disc and now the TFL CC sticker is ..as some have commented on.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Now the subject of the engine on off .. the law re mobile phone use {handheld} tells you that to safely make a call the engine should be off and key out. This is right and stops the defence of sitting in traffic and using the phone . pull over stop safely and make the call. </div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"> Ineraction with a phone in a cradle. Well interaction with any control of the vehicle instrument radio dashboard etc if not done safely would fall under Driver Not in Proper Control. Same as a phone in a cradle. One single tap to accept a call or a job on an app and NO MORE if done in a safe manner will not fall foul of this offence .. more than that yes it will.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">To accept a call in a vehicle it must be via a bluetooth headset , in car bluetooth or Bluetooth speaker all requiring one single press or tap to accept or cut off the call.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Note this does not include a wired headset .. these by definition are Personal Hands Free Kit and not for use either by defibition or design in a vehicle .. for that you need a Vehicle Hands Free Kit. </div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Any use of a wired headset would most likely fall under Not in Proper Control .. but also if the phone is loose .. between your legs .. on the dash .. in the centre console etc would also be under Hand Held Phone Use.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">In the wrong circumstances it could stretch to Dangerous Condition as it may interfere with ANY controls of the vehicle ... inc indicators lights steering etc. You have to think of worst case scenario here as well as a Collision investigator will pick apart everything and present it to the Crown or Coroners Court.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Dangerous Condition could also relate to positioning of phones or satnavs.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Driving Without Due Care & Attention WDC .. this covers almost anything you do in a vehicle .. meaning driving that falls below the standards of a carefuland competent driver.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">The bottom line is that these offences have been around a long while and the raising of the Phone Offence Penalties is a reflection on the epidemic use of phones and all the other offences that come along with them. The legislation may not have changed but the manner in which these offences are detected and dealt with has .. and court fines and punishments will go up as well to set examples.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">So my advice is .. when you take a call .. if you have to do it with a bluetooth bit of kit and make it short and sweet.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Idfd you use an app .. accepting a job with a single tap if not done safely maay lead to one of the above offences so think carefully about how you do this .. and in any event .. pull over safely .. read the info you need and then get on with the job.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">When taking a card payment .. again .. pull over somewhere safe .. not a corner or crossing nor over a side road etc .. and once there handbrake on & in park .. then do what you have to do.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">This is not what the targetting is about .. sensible responsible behaviour is whats needed to stand us out away from the crowd .. allow the focus elsewhere.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">My thoughts are based on strong experience of death and injury and destruction that you should feel lucky not to have seen.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Ask yourself this .. the person you care about most in the world is walking across a road ahead of me .. how do you want me to be driving?</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Attentive ...Concentrating .. Alert .. OR</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Distracted by a phone or satnav or app?</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">You know the answer .. so give that same respect to other peoples loved ones.</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px;">Thank you if you got this far</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-23108160741597045532016-06-30T10:46:00.003-07:002016-12-27T19:10:11.904-08:00What is a RIPA (RIP) ?<span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (c.23) (RIP or </span><b style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">RIPA</b><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;">) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, regulating the powers of public bodies to carry out surveillance and investigation, and covering the interception of communications.</span><br><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DinZkW-J7po/V3Va6izDtII/AAAAAAAAdv4/LlaXspiBm4w/s640/blogger-image-1881511900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DinZkW-J7po/V3Va6izDtII/AAAAAAAAdv4/LlaXspiBm4w/s640/blogger-image-1881511900.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2JhU5KLLi1M/V3Va5J02GvI/AAAAAAAAdvw/L6lrp7SqOQk/s640/blogger-image-1100034843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2JhU5KLLi1M/V3Va5J02GvI/AAAAAAAAdvw/L6lrp7SqOQk/s640/blogger-image-1100034843.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; clear: both;"><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: none;">It doesn't always have to be Photographs. Any employee of a public body must have a RIPA to carry out <b>any</b> form of survalience or investigation. </span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gCBjT5w6sOI/V3Va7xnUF8I/AAAAAAAAdwA/6I_803Wj90s/s640/blogger-image-1896524904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gCBjT5w6sOI/V3Va7xnUF8I/AAAAAAAAdwA/6I_803Wj90s/s640/blogger-image-1896524904.jpg"></a></div><br></div><h1 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></h1></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-77346429851820469842016-06-04T17:18:00.001-07:002016-06-04T17:38:06.663-07:00What is Plying For Hire....by Alan Fleming<div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I read with interest in the last edition of United Cabbies News the proposals of T&PH, for allowing PH ranks. </span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Some ten years ago when at the Club I was informed that this was going to be the case in Kingston. I informed the other trade organisations but had no response. </span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I did take it up with the then PCO but my observations fell on deaf ears. </span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I thought that your readers may wish to know what constitutes plying for hire.<br><br>What is plying for hire? That is a question that we all think we can answer, but can you? Since I first became a cab driver almost forty years ago I made it my business to understand the laws that we have to abide by. Further very early in my time as a driver I spent many hours reading all the stated cases involving plying for hire. Because I have done this many consider that I am an expert on the subject. Knowing what I do it has long been my opinion that the relevant laws that govern both taxis and PHV are not fully understood by those, who regulate both trades. </span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This also applies to those who make the laws and the solicitors who advise them. Most will know that PHVs have been licensed since 1976 under the Miscellaneous Provisions Act. It was always said that London should not and did not need mini-cabs to be licensed as London was a special case. What ever was meant by that has always been a mystery. So now let us get on with the question of what constitutes plying for hire.<br><br><br>There has never been a definitive explanation for this particular part of a taxi drivers daily work. However, Butterworths legal dictionary states that the phrase is akin to waiting. Never the less we have to look at the many cases that have gone to the High Court to find the true definition. I will take you back to one of the earliest cases of unlawfully plying for hire this took place 140 years ago. The location was Harrow Railway Station in 1871. The case in question is Clarke & Goodge v Stanford. The facts of this case are that a driver a Mr. F G Clarke took up a position on the station forecourt to await being hired. Clarke and the owner of the vehicle obviously felt they were safe as the forecourt of the station was private, but they were wrong. The driver Clarke was convicted of plying for hire and the owner Goodge convicted of owning an unlicensed hackney carriage, which both of them appealed against the conviction.<br><br><br>On April 29 1871 the case came before the Court of the Queens Bench in the High Court.<br>Lord Chief Justice Cockburn presided over the case accompanied by Mr Justice Mellor and Mr Justice Lush. The conviction was upheld. The summing up of the Lord Chief Justice is very interesting as you will read. This was what the LCJ had to say about the activities of F G Clarke. The carriage was on the private forecourt of the station and was available for anyone who wished to hire his carriage, it was plying for hire. </span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Although the place is private property the public are entitled to travel by train, and has a right to pass over the premises of the railway to get in or out. Therefore if a man is standing on those premises with his carriage to take persons who are desirous of hiring said carriage, he is plying for hire. So the essence of plying for hire is being on view to the public at the time of hiring. Mr. Justice Mellor stated in support the following. <br><br><br>It is said there is no plying for hire as the carriage is admitted on the railway premises under certain regulations, that is it is only to carry persons who come by train. But what is the carriage there for? Though the driver makes no sign he is there to be hired by persons who arrive by train, and there is no restriction as to the persons who, arriving by train shall hire the carriage, therefore it is plying for hire. <br><br><br>Now let me rephrase that comment and apply it to Leicester Square as it was at Xmas<br>The cars are in Whitcomb St under certain regulations and are only to carry passengers who make a booking at the ticket office in Leicester Sq. But what is the car there for? Though the driver makes no sign he is there to be hired by persons who apply to the ticket office, and there is no restriction as to the persons who apply to the office to hire the car, therefore it is plying for hire<br><br><br>Further to this as you know there is a taxi rank in Whitcomb St outside the hotel were cabs ply for hire, by waiting to be hired. So what is the difference between the cabs on rank and the cars who wait to be hired on the opposite side of the street? The answer is obviously none at all. So where does this leave PHVs who stand round London, and await to be hired by radio. If they are standing in a public place at the time of the hiring they must be on view to the public. Therefore they are unlawfully plying for hire.<br><br><br>During that same year of 1871 there was another case came before the courts. This was Allen V Tonbridge. The case was about a Mr. Tonbridge who owned a carriage and was allowed to stand on the property of Cannon Street railway station. He had permission to do this by the railway company. Tonbridge had placed his carriage a Brougham on the arrivals platform and waited for the train to arrive. </span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The sole purpose of this was so that his carriage could be hired, which it was. However, a Met police inspector Robert Allen saw the carriage hired and Tonbridge was summoned. He was convicted of plying for hire in the magistrates court and consequently appealed against, the conviction. The appeal came before what was then known as, The Court of Common Pleas. This was where three Chief Justices sat in Judgement. Counsel for Tonbridge argued that there was no plying for hire as the station was private property. The senior Chief Justice summed up and delivered this judgement.<br><br><br>Mr. Justice Willes made the following judgement.<br>The carriage was in the station and was intentionally exposed so as to be hired by any person. Moreover it was proved that actual application was made to two persons who arrived by train to hire the carriage. And the decision of the magistrates court to convict must stand. As you can see the conviction was based on the fact that the carriage was on view to the public at the appropriate time. <br><br><br>Mr Justice Smith in support agreed with the judgement stating the following.</span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>I base my judgement on the case in the Queens Bench referring to the case of Clarke and Stanford V Allen. This was his judgement. It was held that if a person exposes his carriage where every body passing by may be willing to hire it, that is plying for hire.<br><br><br>I now come to the case of White V Cubitt 1929 LCJ Hewart presiding in the Kings Bench Division of the High Court. This little escapade occurred in the private yard at the side of The Railway Tavern public house at the junction of, Rocks lane and Upper Richmond road. The owner of the vehicle rented the space in the yard from the publican to carry out his business. Two ladies walked into the yard from the street and hired the car to go to Richmond Park Golf Club. The owner of the car a Mr. Charles Cubitt was seen by Sgt White of the Met police accepting the hiring, and Cubitt was summoned to appear in the magistrates Court, where he was convicted. He appealed against the conviction and the case came before the High Court.<br><br><br>The argument put forward by his defence counsel was that he did not ply for hire in a public place as, the yard was private property. Counsel further laboured the point that the public did not have access to the yard. However the Lord Chief Justice stated the following facts.</span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>Although the car was on private property and the public did not have access to the yard, the vehicle was plying for hire. Again his comments in summing up are very interesting for the following reasons. The Lord Chief Justice made the following Statement. The car may have been on private property but it had been placed in such a way in the yard and with the gates to the yard wide open, it was on full view to the public. And the conviction in the lower court was upheld. Again I have to say this puts PHVs in a position of breaking the laws of plying for hire. This for the simple fact they are on view to the public at all material times.<br><br><br>Lets us now come forward a few years to 1946 this is the case of Gilbert V McKay.<br>McKay had an office in Rupert St. with a sign over the shop window showing that cars were for hire. Several cars belonging to McKay were standing in the street outside of the office.<br>Several people were seen to enter the office for the purpose of paying for the hire of anyone of the cars, in which they were driven away. McKay was charged with being the owner of unlicensed hackney carriages. He was convicted and fined by the Magistrates court and lodged an appeal, the appeal was dismissed. </span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Lord Chief Justice Lord Goddard had the following to say. In my opinion even if the cars had been standing in a private yard and could not be seen by the public, there could still have been a plying for hire if they had been appropriated for immediate hiring. The important thing here is the reference to a private yard and not on view to the public at the time of hiring. Even more important is his reference to an immediate hiring. This is what was happening in Leicester Sq. As you can see the essence of plying for hire is being on view to the public. Is this the position of the PHV or not?<br><br><br>We now come forward in time to 1962 to the case of Rose V Welbeck Welbeck motors being the first minicabs to hit the streets in London. This was brought to court by a London cab driver, Emanuel Rose. The car was standing in the street at Stratford Broadway obviously waiting to be hired. The police were summoned to the scene by Mr. Rose and the upshot was that the driver of the car was summoned to appear in court, for plying for hire.</span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>When the case was heard the magistrates court dismissed the case so an appeal against the decision was entered. The case came before LCJ Parker in the Queens Bench division of the High Court. The car had Welbeck motors emblazoned on the side of the vehicle and a telephone number. It had been argued by counsel for Welbeck motors that the advertising on and the appearance of the car were incapable of conveying to the public an invitation that the vehicle was for hire. The following is the judgement of LCJ Parker. <br><br><br> It is perfectly true that the inscriptions were advertising Welbeck motors and if you ring Welbeck 4440 you can have one of the vehicles that they hire, known as a minicab. He went on to say that the inscription was saying more. What it was saying was the following. I am one of those minicabs and I am for hire, I think in that connection that the reference to minicabs is important as it is saying I am one of those vehicles and I am for hire. And referred the case back to the lower court where Welbeck motors were convicted for plying for hire. Again the conviction was due to the fact the vehicle was on view to the public.<br><br><br>Just a few days later the case of Vincent V Newman came before LCJ Parker the circumstances were similar. The vehicle had been stood in Addison Crescent were it was observed by a police officer and was summoned to appear before the Magistrates court, for unlawfully plying for hire. The magistrates dismissed the case and the Met police appealed.</span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>The appeal was upheld and referred back to the Magistrates, where the driver was convicted. Once again due to the fact that the car was standing in a public place.<br><br><br>I now come to the most recent case which occurred in Eastbourne in 2000. This case came before Lord Justice Pill and Mr. Justice Bell. This was in the Queens Bench division of the High Court. The case had been brought to court by Eastbourne Borough Council against two PHV drivers. They had been found on the rank of the forecourt of Eastbourne station. And were summoned under sect.37 of the Town Police Clauses Act of 1847 of plying for hire without a licence. The magistrates dismissed the case on the grounds that the forecourt was not a public place. Lord Justice Pill quoted the case of White V Cubitt where a vehicle parked in a private yard was plying for hire, as it could be seen from the street. He went on to say applying the principle in White V Cubbit since a vehicle parked in the station forecourt was likely to attract custom from members of the public using the adjoining street, the defendants were plying for hire. Again we have the situation of being on view to the public.<br><br></span><div class="separator" style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; clear: both;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This now brings me to the situation in Leicester square where the theatre ticket booking office has been licensed as a Licensed PHV Operator centre. Not only has it been licensed it advertises the following by a revolving neon sign, the following message. Need a safe journey home fully licensed private hire minicab service available here. </span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That in itself is unlawful as it is soliciting business and is tantamount to touting, under sect 167 of the Criminal Justice and Public order Act 1994. The cars are parked up like a taxi rank in Whitcomb street and are waiting to be hired, and are on full view to the public. A person goes to the booking office hires a car and is taken by a marshal to the waiting car. This is a repeat of Gilbert V McKay 1946 which was judged by LCJ Goddard to be plying for hire. <br><br><br>Now Westminster City councils director of transportation Martin Low states this is not plying for hire. Well I have news for Mr. Low he is 100% wrong. For his enlightenment and for the PCO I will tell you why. Sect 35 of the London hackney carriage act of 1831 states the following. Every hackney carriage which shall be found standing in any street or place, unless actually hired, shall be deemed to be plying for hire, this is what the cars were doing in Whitcomb St. The powers that be would of course argue that the cars are not hackney carriages. Well the 1907 London Cab and Stage Carriage Act sect. (6) is laid out like this.<br><br><br>It Is hereby declared that for the purposes of any Act relating to hackney carriages, stage carriages, metropolitan stage carriages, or cabs, in London, the expressions “ hackney carriage,” “stage carriage” “metropolitan stage carriage,” “or Cab,” shall include any such vehicle, whether drawn or propelled by animal or mechanical power.<br>As you will have observed a hackney carriage is a vehicle that is not necessarily a taxi, although a taxi is a form of hackney carriage. What this means is that any vehicle that carries passengers is a hackney carriage. </span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As you all know a hackney carriage to be able to carry passengers for hire, has to be licensed under sect 6 of the Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869. The offence that was being perpetrated here is that we had a situation where unlicensed hackney carriages were plying for hire. The cars in Whitcomb St may have had a PHV licence, however, they were in fact unlicensed hackney carriages. Therefore as the vehicles were unlicensed all persons who entered one of these cars were a passenger in an uninsured vehicle. And this with the approval of the police and TFL/ PCO. <br><br><br>Sect 4 of the 1831 Act states that every carriage with two or more wheels which shall be used for the purpose of standing or plying for hire in any street road or public street or road at any place within 5 miles now 12, from the General Post Office in the City of London, whatever may be the form or construction of such carriage, or the number of persons which it shall be calculated to convey, shall be deemed and taken to be a “ Hackney Carriage” within the meaning of this act.<br><br>It seems quite obvious that a pedicab is a form of hackney carriage as it has 3 wheels, and is propelled by mechanical power, that being the pedals. Further as they wait to be hired they are plying for hire. The Pedicab comes within the scope and definition of a hackney carriage. Any hackney carriage that takes passengers for hire has to comply with the Metropolitan Conditions of fitness (MCF) This is covered by the 1934 London Cab Order, Statutory Instrument 1634. Therefore as Pedicabs do not comply with the MCF they cannot wait to be hired. As I have said earlier the essence of plying for hire is being on view to the public at the time of hiring.<br>Further as has been stated in many cases if the vehicle is waiting to be hired, it is plying for hire.<br><br><br>So as you will observe the brain dead at TFL/ T&PH do not know what they are doing, or do they? For hear we have a group of people who do not know the laws that they are charged with enforcing. The phrase, “Not Fit For Purpose” comes to mind.</span><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><b>MORE COURT CASES</b><br>During that same year of 1871 there was another case came before the courts. This was Allen V Tonbridge. The case was about a Mr. Tonbridge who owned a carriage and was allowed to stand on the property of Cannon Street railway station. He had permission to do this by the railway company. Tonbridge had placed his carriage a Brougham on the arrivals platform and waited for the train to arrive. The sole purpose of this was so that his carriage could be hired, which it was. However, a Met police inspector Robert Allen saw the carriage hired and Tonbridge was summoned. He was convicted of plying for hire in the magistrates court and consequently appealed against, the conviction. <br><br>The appeal came before what was then known as The Court of Common Pleas. This was where three Chief Justices sat in Judgement. Counsel for Tonbridge argued that there was no plying for hire as the station was private property. The senior Chief Justice summed up and delivered this judgement. Mr. Justice Willes said: “The carriage was in the station and was intentionally exposed so as to be hired by any person. Moreover it was proved that actual application was made to two persons who arrived by train to hire the carriage. And the decision of the Magistrates Court to convict must stand. As you can see the conviction was based on the fact that the carriage was on view to the public at the appropriate time.”<br><br>Mr Justice Smith in support agreed with the judgement stating the following.<br>“I base my judgement on the case in the Queens Bench referring to the case of Clarke and Stanford V Allen. This was his judgement. It was held that if a person exposes his carriage where every body passing by may be willing to hire it, that is plying for hire.”<br><br>I now come to the case of White V Cubitt 1929 LCJ Hewart presiding in the Kings Bench Division of the High Court. This little escapade occurred in the private yard at the side of The Railway Tavern public house at the junction of, Rocks lane and Upper Richmond Road. The owner of the vehicle rented the space in the yard from the publican to carry out his business. Two ladies walked into the yard from the street and hired the car to go to Richmond Park Golf Club. The owner of the car a Mr. Charles Cubitt was seen by Sgt White of the Met police accepting the hiring, and Cubitt was summoned to appear in the magistrates Court, where he was convicted. He appealed against the conviction and the case came before the High Court.<br><br>The argument put forward by his defence counsel was that he did not ply for hire in a public place as, the yard was private property. Counsel further laboured the point that the public did not have access to the yard. However the Lord Chief Justice stated the following facts. Although the car was on private property and the public did not have access to the yard, the vehicle was plying for hire. Again his comments in summing up are very interesting for the following reasons.<br><br>The Lord Chief Justice made the following Statement. “The car may have been on private property but it had been placed in such a way in the yard and with the gates to the yard wide open, it was on full view to the public”. And the conviction in the lower court was upheld. Again I have to say this puts PHVs in a position of breaking the laws of plying for hire. This for the simple fact they are on view to the public at all material times.<br><br>Let us now come forward a few years to 1946 this is the case of Gilbert V McKay.<br>McKay had an office in Rupert St. with a sign over the shop window showing that cars were for hire. Several cars belonging to McKay were standing in the street outside of the office.<br>Several people were seen to enter the office for the purpose of paying for the hire of anyone of the cars, in which they were driven away. McKay was charged with being the owner of unlicensed hackney carriages. He was convicted and fined by the Magistrates court and lodged an appeal, the appeal was dismissed. </span></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>The Lord Chief Justice Lord Goddard had the following to say. “In my opinion even if the cars had been standing in a private yard and could not be seen by the public, there could still have been a plying for hire if they had been appropriated<br>for immediate hiring”. The important thing here is the reference to a private yard and not on view to the public at the time of hiring. Even more important is his reference to an immediate hiring. </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-69796865990742431562016-04-24T10:32:00.001-07:002016-04-24T10:32:57.666-07:00Complaint To ASA over LBC Advert.<blockquote type="cite"><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Your complaint: Legal Taxis Ltd<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thank you for contacting the Advertising Standards Authority. I’m sorry to learn this matter caused you concern.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I should say that our role as an organisation is to assess the content of ads and consider whether they are likely to breach the UK Codes of Advertising on the basis suggested. We may consider there is likely to be a breach of Code if, for example, we deem the ad likely to materially mislead the majority of consumers, or cause serious or widespread offence or harm. Our main sanction, as non-statutory regulator of advertising in the UK, lies in ensuring that material deemed to breach the advertising Codes is either removed or amended.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We assessed the sponsored search ad and the website you object to, and considered your complaint in terms of the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising (BCAP). However, there does not appear to be a case to answer under the Code. I realise this response may be disappointing so I will explain the reason behind our decision below.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Whilst I understand your reasons for objecting to the use of the words “licenced taxi” to describe a private hire service, we have to consider how the majority of consumers are likely to interpret an ad, and whether they are likely to be misled. I should say that previously we have considered this issue in advertising, and the ASA Council considered that, regardless of any legal distinction, <b>most readers would understand the word “taxi” as a generic term meaning a hired car.</b> You can find more about the independent ASA Council and it’s members on our website,<a href="http://www.asa.org.uk/">www.asa.org.uk</a>. In light of Council considering consumers will interpret “taxi” as a generic term, we consider that the ads are unlikely to mislead consumers. In the absence of an apparent breach of Code, we do not propose any further action on this occasion. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As I mentioned, the ASA is not a statutory body and we therefore are unable comment on legislation and whether this has been breached. If you remained concerned about the legality around the use of the term “licenced taxis” you might want to seek further advice from Trading Standards. As such, I would suggest contactingthe Citizens Advice consumer service for further advice. You can contact their helpline on <a dir="ltr" href="tel:03454%20040506" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1">03454 040506</a> (<a dir="ltr" href="x-apple-data-detectors://8" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors-result="8">Monday to Friday</a> from 9am to 5pm) or you can find further information at<u><a href="http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/">www.citizensadvice.org.uk</a></u>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I realise this may not have been the outcome you were hoping for but I would like to thank you nonetheless for taking the time and trouble to raise your concerns with us. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yours sincerely<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sophie Marchant<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Complaints Executive</span></b></p></div></blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-87485787132740493612015-03-28T16:54:00.001-07:002015-03-28T16:54:37.847-07:00Original Email Train Re The Shard Rank And Licence Renewals<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Re: An Open Letter To Sir Peter Hendy KBE, Re London live interview.</div><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Dear Mr Thomas,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I refer to your email to Sir Peter Hendy regarding the provisions of section 17(7) of the Transport Act 1985 in relation to taxi drivers renewing their licences. Please accept my apologies for the delay in providing a reply.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As far as is possible we will issue a driver his or her new licence in advance of their old licence expiring. However, this is dependent on the driver submitting a complete and timely application, which includes the result of the DBS check and any other information that is required, as we cannot make a licensing decision until this information is received. It is therefore imperative that drivers start the application process in good time to allow for all necessary checks to be completed before their licence expires.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Where we are provided with a complete application, including the results of the DBS check and any other necessary information, but have not yet made a licensing decision before the old one expires, the existing licence will remain in force until a decision is made in accordance with section 17(7). In these circumstances, a driver will not be issued with, nor require, a temporary licence pending a decision being made on their application. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Please note that contrary to the comment in your email, section 17 of the Transport Act 1985 only applies to London taxi driver and vehicle licences, not London private hire vehicle driver licences.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kind regards<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Leon Daniels</b> | Managing Director <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Transport for London</b> | Surface Transport | Palestra |<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">11th Floor - Zone R4| 197 Blackfriars Road|Southwark|SE1 8NJ<br><a href="mailto:leondaniels@tfl.gov.uk">leondaniels@tfl.gov.uk</a> | Tel: <a href="tel:020%203054%200178" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors-result="3">020 3054 0178</a>| Auto: 80178<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><img src="cid:image001.jpg@01CFD8D7.262AA150"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div style="border-style: solid none none; border-top-color: rgb(181, 196, 223); border-top-width: 1pt; padding: 3pt 0cm 0cm;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><span lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> The Anderson Shelter [<a href="mailto:downtheoak@aol.com" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="link" x-apple-data-detectors-result="4">mailto:downtheoak@aol.com</a>] <br><b>Sent:</b> 30 June 2014 00:17<br><b>To:</b> Hendy Peter (TfL)<br><b>Cc:</b> Daniels Leon; <a href="mailto:gareth.thomas.mp@parliament.uk" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="link" x-apple-data-detectors-result="7">gareth.thomas.mp@parliament.uk</a>; <a href="mailto:jenny.jones@london.gov.uk" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="link" x-apple-data-detectors-result="8">jenny.jones@london.gov.uk</a>; <a href="mailto:caroline.pidgeon@london.gov.uk" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="link" x-apple-data-detectors-result="9">caroline.pidgeon@london.gov.uk</a>; <a href="mailto:darren.johnson@london.gov.uk" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="link" x-apple-data-detectors-result="10">darren.johnson@london.gov.uk</a>; Hudson Teresa<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: An Open Letter To Sir Peter Hendy KBE, Re London live interview.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><o:p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </o:p></p><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Dear sir Peter<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thank you for your honest answer to the first part of my query, (which I note) has now seen the placement of a two cab rank outside the Shard in St Thomas Street SE1.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><o:p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </o:p></p></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Any chance of the promised response the rest of my comments in my email?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><o:p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </o:p></p></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Jim Thomas <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><o:p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </o:p></p></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Editor Taxi Leaks Blog.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><font color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7019607843137254)"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://www.taxileaks.blogspot.com/">www.taxileaks.blogspot.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sent from my iPad<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>On 12 May 2014, at 17:55, "Hendy Peter (TfL)" <<a href="mailto:PeterHendy@Tfl.gov.uk">PeterHendy@Tfl.gov.uk</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><blockquote style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 33px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I'm sorry, I made a mistake about St Thomas' Street.<br>We'll respond to the rest of your comments below in due course.<br>Peter<br> <o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-style: solid none none; border-top-color: rgb(181, 196, 223); border-top-width: 1pt; padding: 3pt 0cm 0cm;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>From</b>: The Anderson Shelter [<a href="mailto:downtheoak@aol.com">mailto:downtheoak@aol.com</a>] <br><b>Sent</b>: Monday, May 12, 2014 05:14 PM<br><b>To</b>: Hendy Peter (TfL) <br><b>Cc</b>: Daniels Leon; Gareth Thomas <<a href="mailto:gareth.thomas.mp@parliament.uk">gareth.thomas.mp@parliament.uk</a>>;<a href="mailto:jenny.jones@london.gov.uk">jenny.jones@london.gov.uk</a><<a href="mailto:jenny.jones@london.gov.uk">jenny.jones@london.gov.uk</a>>;<a href="mailto:Caroline.Pidgeon@london.gov.uk">Caroline.Pidgeon@london.gov.uk</a><<a href="mailto:Caroline.Pidgeon@london.gov.uk">Caroline.Pidgeon@london.gov.uk</a>>;<a href="mailto:darren.johnson@london.gov.uk">darren.johnson@london.gov.uk</a><<a href="mailto:darren.johnson@london.gov.uk">darren.johnson@london.gov.uk</a>> <br><b>Subject</b>: An Open Letter To Sir Peter Hendy KBE, Re London live interview. <br> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style="margin-bottom: 18.75pt; min-height: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><o:p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </o:p></p><div id="post-body-7645854163687984098"><div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Dear Sir Peter.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I have great concern for the future of our industry.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At present it seems to us as licensed Taxi drivers, that yourself and your immediate subordinates have completely given up administering legislation appertaining to Taxis and Private hire.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After watching your performance on London Live's "PowerLunch" it would seem you have no idea about what you can and can't do to facilitate the everyday running of the licensed Taxi trade.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Specifically, problems our trade are presently facing regarding a suitable rank/standing in close proximity to the Shangri La Shard Building in St Thomas Street SE1. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">You stated that: <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">'<i>There is a limit to what I can do, it's not my street actually. Apart from anything else the hotel is private property and the street is the London borough of Southwark'.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Well Sir Peter, that not quite true. </b><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I would like to bring to your attention the notice that recently appeared in the London Gazette. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It state:<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Transport for London hereby gives notice!</b><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>The notice also refers to the A200, St Thomas Street, as a GLA Road. </b><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Notice category: TransportNotice type: Road Traffic ActsPublication date: 17 April 2014 <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Edition: The London Gazette <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Notice ID:2111082<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Notice code:1501<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Issue number:60846<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Page number:8028 <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Share Transport for London<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE GLA ROADS AND GLA SIDE ROADS (SOUTHWARK) RED ROUTE CONSOLIDATION TRAFFIC ORDER <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://30" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="address" x-apple-data-detectors-result="30">2007 A200 GLA ROAD</a> (ST. THOMAS STREET) EXPERIMENTAL VARIATION ORDER 2014<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">See full announcement here:<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><font color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7019607843137254)"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://taxicaselaw.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/notice-from-london-gazette-17april-2014.html"><span style="text-decoration: none;">http://taxicaselaw.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/notice-from-london-gazette-17april-2014.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sir Peter, unless I'm much mistaken, this order gives TfL the right to appoint a Taxi rank/standing anywhere they choose in St Thomas Street.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So could you please explain your statement made on the TV interview?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But Sir Peter there is an even bigger issue and that is with the hold ups concerning the renewals of drivers licences. An issue that is causing many hundreds of drivers and their families hardship, in as much as you are telling them they can't work until they are in receipt of a new licence.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Licence Renewals:</b><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Under current legislation, a Taxi or private hire driver has the right to carry on working while waiting for a renewal for as long as it takes, unless he is informed that his licence application has been unsuccessful. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I would like to bring your attention to the transport act 1985 section 17 subsection 7 which clearly states:<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(7) Where a person holds a licence which is in force when he applies for a new licence in substitution for it, the existing licence shall continue in force until the application for the new licence, or any appeal under this section in relation to that application, is disposed of, but without prejudice to the exercise in the meantime of any power of the licensing authority to revoke the existing licence.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">See<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><font color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7019607843137254)"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/67/section/17"><span style="text-decoration: none;">http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/67/section/17</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Therefore, in our legal teams opinion there is no need for TfL to issue temporary licences and the driver should carry on working as his old licence will remain in force until he either receives a newly issued licence or receives word his application is turned down.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As hundreds of drivers have lost many days-weeks-months income, after being of the opinion they can't work, could you please make an immediate statement informing these drivers that under the act of 1985, they can in fact carry on regardless. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One word from you Sir Peter would mean they could carry on earning a living and would put an end to the massive amount of stress TfL have inflicted on these drivers and their families.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Space will be mad available for your reply on the Taxi Leaks blog.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Regards <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Jim Thomas <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Editor Taxi Leaks Blog.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><font color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7019607843137254)"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://www.taxileaks.blogspot.com/">www.taxileaks.blogspot.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p></div></div><div style="border-style: none none solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(127, 127, 127); border-bottom-width: 1pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 4pt; margin-left: -1.5pt; margin-top: 15pt; margin-right: -1.5pt;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><o:p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </o:p></p></div></div><p style="margin-right: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm;"><br></p><p style="margin-right: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p></blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-25874424713862251702014-10-22T20:23:00.001-07:002016-06-04T17:07:31.515-07:00Debate on whether Clause 10 should stand part of the Bill..<div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Baroness Thornton: My Lords, I understand that the Minister has something new for the Committee, which it may be better to hear before we proceed any further.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Baroness Kramer) (LD): My Lords, as you will know, the Government introduced three measures into the Bill earlier this year relating to the regulation of taxis and private hire vehicles. Although an extensive review of the legislation has been carried out by the Law Commission and its recommendations are being considered, the Government decided that three measures could be taken forward separately to help reduce burdens on businesses more quickly. This clause is one of those.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Its purpose was to allow the use of private hire vehicles for leisure purposes. Noble Lords will be aware that, outside London, a person who is licensed as a private hire vehicle driver cannot use the family car and therefore has to purchase a second car. At £20,000 or £30,000, or the lease equivalent, that is a barrier which denies people employment. It is an issue that we need to address at some point. It also means in particular that in a number of rural areas there is, frankly, a shortage of private hire cars and taxi services. Bringing in more of those vehicles and their services for local people could be helped by removing this barrier.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">However, after the Government listened closely to issues raised about the way in which we have presented this clause, we have decided that listening, as we always do, is important, and concluded that although we can still see arguments for tackling this underlying problem—I think that there is general agreement on that—it would be better done as part of the package of measures recommended by the Law Commission in a broader reform of taxi and private hire vehicle licensing than through this clause.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">It is therefore my intent—although I am not sure how the procedure works—to withdraw this clause, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to do so.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Clause 10 disagreed.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">5.45 pm</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Clause 11: Taxis and private hire vehicles: duration of licences</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Debate on whether Clause 11 should stand part of the Bill.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Baroness Thornton: My Lords, I am very grateful to the Minister for withdrawing Clause 10 and I hope she will feel that Clauses 11 and 12 deserve the same treatment, given that the Law Commission has been asked to look into the current legislation. We are very glad that Clause 10 has been pulled from the Bill, but Clause 11 has problems and Clause 12 is just as dangerous as Clause 10.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Clause 11 will end annual licence renewal and set a three-year standard duration for licences. The annual licence renewal helps licensing authorities to recognise changes in a driver’s convictions or medical status. The reform is likely to make it more difficult for licensing officers to monitor behaviour, ensure that drivers are fit and proper to drive and take action when necessary. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Effective implementation of this clause will require local authorities to sign up to the Disclosure and Barring Service’s updates service and receive information about convictions during a licence term. This is a relatively new service and it is not yet known how it will work in practice. It is clearly important, so I hope that the Minister will explain why this matter cannot also wait.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Clause 12 will enable PHV operators to subcontract a booking to another operator who is licensed in a different area. We and many others believe that passenger safety will be undermined because only licensing officers from a licensing authority where a vehicle and driver are registered currently have the power to take enforcement action. The Law Commission has recommended that licensing authorities would have the power to enforce standards in respect of out-of-area vehicles, which will be crucial for their safety. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The public, and vulnerable passengers in particular such as women or disabled people, may call specific operators because they feel that that operator is reliable and safe to travel with. This reform means that the public will lose their right to choose which operator they travel with. If someone calls operator A, their preferred choice, operator B may turn up.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The Law Commission’s work was undermined in January 2014 when the Government announced a 10-day consultation on these three measures of PHV deregulation. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">In March, they were introduced as last-minute amendments in Committee in the Commons.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">21 Oct 2014 : Column 593</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The clauses aim to meet the Red Tape Challenge. The challenge is not about putting people in unsafe situations and Clause 12 does just that.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Richard Burden MP’s office contacted the Department for Transport on 1 October to ask whether an impact assessment had been prepared. The impact assessment was published online on 2 October and was signed off by the noble Baroness. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Page 11 revealed many of the issues that have allowed Clause 10 to be withdrawn. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Page 16 of the impact assessment states:</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">“There has been minimal analysis”,</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">due to what has happened. The analysis, it continued, was, “based on the data provided by the PHV trade associations. Due to time constraints there has not been a significant amount of analysis”,</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">to justify these clauses being in the Bill. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The Government have tripped over themselves to fulfil, as I said earlier, the Red Tape Challenge of bringing in deregulation. In this case, it means that they are putting people’s safety at risk.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The reason that Clause 12 is so important has been brought to our attention by a number of organisations, including some student bodies, Milton Keynes Council and Alexis Jay in her report into child sex abuse in Rotherham, in which she highlighted significant concerns about taxi licensing. We have spoken to her personally about this and she is very worried about the implications that these changes have. Her report says that, at a number of council meetings, “One of the main items for discussion … was safe transport”.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">When asked about minicabs,</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">“there was an immediate and consistent response from … young women and men”,</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">on all occasions. In fact, all of them avoided taxis “if at all possible”. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">People do not have any choice in remote areas late at night but to use taxis. If someone finds a safe taxi company—there are ones who focus particularly on women—they do not want someone to turn up whom they do not know and who may not be the appropriate person to drive them.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Our experience in Milton Keynes, where serious errors by a sub-committee of councillors on licensing led to an inexcusable decision to allow a convicted sex offender to operate a private hire vehicle, illustrates the importance of getting the balance of this regulation right. The leader of Milton Keynes Council has written to us personally, asking us to oppose the clause.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Warwick Students Union wrote to us, saying that its primary concern on Clause 12 is the effect that it would have on preferred suppliers. It says:</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">“We are working with local authorities to put together a tendering document for a preferred private hire service—using our strong collective consumer power to stipulate better standards of service, safety and fares. Lots of other Student Unions do this such as Leicester and Birmingham to protect their members”.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We know that two women students were raped in Warwick because they got into a minicab—possibly they should not have done so, but that is what happened. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The student union continued:</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">“We feel that this Clause would largely undo the work done by Students’ Unions across the country to ensure the safety of their members”.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">It is quite clear that the Government need to take this away and think again. That is what we are asking them to do. I am sure that the Minister would not want to have students and disabled people finding themselves in unsafe situations, but this is what we think the impact of the clause will be.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Lord Bradshaw (LD): I support what has been said by the noble Baroness, Lady Thornton. Anybody who knows anything about the taxi trade knows that some parts of the trade are of questionable integrity. The annual licensing inspection by the local authority where the taxi is based is the best safeguard that we can have.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">On the Minister’s point that this saves people buying a second car, saving them £20,000 to £30,000, I can assure noble Lords that most private hire cars are nowhere near that standard. In fact, I can reminisce about my time in Manchester, when I was being driven to the airport in a private hire car. We passed a very used car depot. I said to the driver that his car was very old. He said, “Yes, it’s got a few months to run on its MOT. When its MOT is up, I just go into the car auction and buy another one with a few months on its licence”. He was talking about spending £200. I think that is much nearer the truth.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I also dispute the view that many rural areas do not or cannot get taxis. I live in a rural area with big rural surroundings and there are plenty of opportunities to get taxis if one thinks about it and phones them up beforehand and that sort of thing.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Students and all women are very vulnerable when they get into a taxi where the driver has not been properly licensed and had his credentials inspected—indeed, if the vehicle itself has not been properly inspected. When I was on Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City used to call in its taxis or private hire cars every six months because they have a high mileage and the annual check does not show up the defects. If we are talking about people having a licence to operate a taxi, an awful lot of things can happen in three years. Extending the situation so that a taxi could operate in an area where the driver is not licensed is potentially dangerous.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I do not see this as much in the way of deregulation. Local authorities do not spend a huge amount doing this work and the drivers have to pay a fee for it. However, I think it raises considerable dangers, to which the noble Baroness, Lady Thornton, has referred, and it would be far more sensible if the Minister were to take this away and carry out some more work on it. The Bill has some time to run. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The protests I have received from local authorities and organisations that are concerned with the welfare of people—notably, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust but lots of others—are that people are genuinely concerned about safety. That is what I believe should be taken properly into account.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Lord Skelmersdale (Con): My Lords, before the noble Lord, Lord Bradshaw, sits down, I wonder whether he can educate me. If the hired car driver of which he has just spoken replaces his car for a short period, surely that replacement car would also need to be licensed. It would be very helpful for me and perhaps the rest of the House if he could explain that point.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Lord Bradshaw: I think that most people who are in this position make proper provision to have their car serviced so that it is safe. It is their responsibility to provide a safe car. If he is unable to produce one, I do not think he should be carrying passengers. I have had experience of this in Oxford, where the inspectors—there are not many of them—find a car with defective tyres. Well, I am sorry, but if the driver has chosen to drive a defective car, it is hard luck if he has to wait for it to be repaired. He is supposed to keep the car in a good and safe condition in which to carry people.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Lord Skelmersdale: My Lords, I really must protest. That was a beautiful answer, but unfortunately not one to which I was addressing my question, which was whether the council would or would not license the driver in the new car.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Lord Bradshaw: The answer to that is yes, it would. If the driver was able to produce a better car—it may not be a new one—and he went to the local authority and says he has given up using car A and is going to use car B, yes, it would. Local authorities are not, as sometimes painted in your Lordships’ House, absolutely unfeeling and draconian bodies.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Lord Greaves: My Lords, like my noble friend Lord Bradshaw I can see a great deal of merit in these clauses, but like him I hope, since we are at an early stage in the Bill, that the Minister will say some soothing words and agree to consider these matters further. It would be unfortunate to take this to a vote today and simply reject these clauses and not be able to bring things back later. There are really serious concerns here on the part of lots of reputable organisations, and local authorities and their representatives around the country.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I should declare an interest as a member of a taxi licensing authority, Pendle Borough Council. I should also say that taxi licensing and taxi operator licensing is something I keep as far away from as possible because it is one of the biggest cans of worms in local politics, especially in an area such as mine. I do not have direct, hands-on experience of this and I have not prepared anything to say today so I may be wrong in what I am saying. Would the Minister agree with me that there is some confusion about the discussion here?</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">As I understand it, Clause 11 refers to the licensing of people—either operators or drivers—and not the licensing of the vehicles themselves. Therefore, there are two separate things here. The Minister is nodding, so I shall continue with more confidence than I had when I started my speech. There is the question of whether individuals are sufficiently proper, upstanding and reputable to run a taxi business and whether individuals are appropriate to drive a car in the very intimate circumstances of taking passengers whom they do not otherwise know. That is obviously a situation where people have to be proper and upstanding.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Then there is the question of the licensing of vehicles, which is another great can of worms. As I understand it, the Government are not proposing to make any changes here and it would be helpful if the Minister could confirm that when she replies. Any reduction in the powers of local authorities to check vehicles and make sure that they are in good condition would be appalling.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">So far as individuals are concerned, travelling in a taxi is a very personal thing. If you hail a taxi in London, it is a black cab and you drive around London with people all around you. The layout of the black cab is less personal than that of an ordinary sedan-type car. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">You have to rely on the driver, first, to be a competent and safe driver and, secondly, to be trusted not to do things that they should not do—not to cheat you when they tell you how much to pay, not to molest you in some way and not to behave in a generally unpleasant and deplorable way. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">That is very important, and there are complaints about those things all the time—some obviously more justified than others. However, it seems to me that the idea of reducing the opportunity to question people and to check that they are appropriate as drivers needs to be thought about very carefully.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I am more concerned about a private hire firm being able to subcontract a fare to another private hire firm. This needs to be looked at very carefully, although there are clearly circumstances where that is sensible. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">If you ring up your normal taxi firm and it says, “Sorry, our vehicle adapted for your disability is out of action and we would like to subcontract to somebody else. They’re a good firm”, and explain where they are from, that is obviously a sensible arrangement, but it is up to the person who has called the taxi firm to decide whether it is sensible from their point of view.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> However, I would be concerned about a taxi firm being able to do that without telling the customer. If a firm turns up at your door when you are expecting a different one, you cannot be sure whether the cab has come from the firm from which you ordered the cab. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">You might think that someone has overheard the call and is trying to steal the fare, which is the kind of thing that goes on.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I am simply saying that there are circumstances in which it is sensible for fares to be subcontracted in this way but it has to be done by giving clear information to the person asking for the ride and it has to be with their absolute consent. If the Government want to make this change, we want some clear assurances, preferably written into the legislation, that it will be done on that kind of basis and that very clear safeguards will be in place. At the moment, it seems that those safeguards are not there and that there is an opportunity for people to make these arrangements willy-nilly. I am not happy about that.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">There may be people here who are wondering what on earth we are talking about. They may be asking why we believe that these safeguards should be there, and why we believe that some taxi firms are better than others and that some are firms that we would not under any circumstances ever use again. I can think of at least two occasions when I have been catching a taxi to the station to come to your Lordships’ House and I have come near to death because of the incompetence of the driver. I would not under any circumstances want to use those firms again, but there are other taxi firms in which I have great confidence.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Some people hire taxis on a regular basis. They may live in a village and want to go to the town, and they need a taxi because there is no local bus service, or they may have a large family and know that going in some sort of private hire vehicle is cheaper than going on the bus, as is the case nowadays in many places. If you are in this situation regularly, you build up a personal relationship with the drivers. When you phone the firm, you tell them which driver you want. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">You might say, “I don’t want him again but I’ll have her. She was very nice”. As the noble Baroness, Lady Thornton, said, in some cases women will want a woman driver, and who is to say that they should not? Therefore, it is a personal relationship, and allowing a firm to subcontract in a willy-nilly way is not acceptable.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">There is a huge amount of concern about this around the House and in different parts of the country, and I think that it would be very sensible for the Minister simply to say, “We understand these concerns. We’ll go back and talk about it and then perhaps come back at a later stage of the Bill either having changed our mind or with some assurances”.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Lord Curry of Kirkharle: My Lords, I have some sympathy with the comments just made by the noble Lord, Lord Greaves, but let us be clear: these are deregulatory measures. The annual licence fee for a taxi is a cost on business, and extending the period would be deregulatory and welcomed by taxi firms.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I challenge the assertion that under Clause 12 individuals will be placed at greater risk. Of course, those of us who use taxis prefer to use our regular firms. As someone who has a very keen family interest in disability, the last thing I would wish would be for any individual to be put at greater risk. However, we are not suggesting in Clause 12 that unlicensed taxis be used. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">These are taxi firms that have been licensed by a neighbouring authority, so they have been subject to the same licensing process as the firms to which the request for a cab has been made. In my own case, like other noble Lords I use taxis from time to time. If my preferred taxi firm is unable to transport me to the station or the airport, I have to go further afield and find another firm. That taxi firm then loses that business and maybe will lose my future business because I have transferred my allegiance to another firm.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">This is an opportunity to free up the market for taxi firms and to allow them to operate outside their immediate geographic area. It is something that we should support.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Viscount Ridley (Con): My Lords, I apologise to the Committee for not being present at Second Reading, but perhaps I may be allowed to comment on Clause 12, which I believe is a fair and reasonable measure that will bring improvements for customers.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">At the moment it is only outside London that a private hire operator cannot subcontract a booking in a different district. Is there something peculiarly wicked about provincial private hire firms that does not apply in London? A London-based private hire firm can subcontract, as can a foreign unlicensed company, and this gives it a huge advantage. It puts private hire firms outside London at an iniquitous disadvantage, but it also leads to perverse, inconvenient and even unsafe consequences for customers. I shall give your Lordships a real example.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">There is a private hire firm in Birmingham that has a contract to transport any staff with minor injuries from Jaguar Land Rover’s plants to hospital. As the firm cannot subcontract a booking to an operator in another district, if the injury occurs in the Wolverhampton plant, the car does a 55-mile return journey to take the person to a hospital 2.6 miles from the plant. For most of that round trip the car is empty. Jaguar Land Rover wants to deal with a single operator, but this is the result.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Another real example is of a private hire operator in Derby asked by a customer to collect an important client in another district. It must refuse the job, and refuse to arrange it with another firm in that district. The firm appears unhelpful to its customer. I have a third real example. A private hire firm in north Tyneside has a member of staff with a terminal illness. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">He would like to continue working, but from home. Since he lives just outside the north Tyneside border, that is illegal. I have another example. People often hire private minibuses to do long journeys for groups of up to six or eight people—to an airport, for example. That vehicle must return empty. If it breaks down en route, the operator is breaking the law if he asks another firm in the district where the breakdown happens to take the customer on. This measure would reduce congestion, pollution and noise a little, too.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Please note that the beneficiaries of this change in the law would include people with disabilities. That is because a wheelchair-enabled vehicle that has taken a customer from his home in district A to a hospital in district B would now be able to collect a different customer at the hospital and take him back to district A. As far as I can tell from Hansard, when exactly these measures were discussed and passed in this House in 1998 for London, one organisation that was widely praised in the debate for its support of the measures was the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">It therefore surprised me to hear today that it is against this measure. If this rule is good for London, it is surely good enough for the rest of the country. Can it be that London-based private hire firms are worried about competition from firms based outside London? This is an excellent and sensible measure that has benefits for customers.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Baroness Kramer: My Lords, Clauses 11 and 12 cover separate, different but sensible measures. Obviously, a thought for safety penetrates all of our thinking as we address this range of issues.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">To pick up on the issue raised by my noble friend Lord Bradshaw and explained by others, particularly my noble friend Lord Greaves, the amendments do not in any way change the rules on vehicle licences. Those are tough and carried out by local authorities and there is absolutely no change. If my noble friend Lord Bradshaw knows a firm that thinks it can run a £200 car for successful private hire and meet the standards, I suggest that he call the local authority. It would be extremely difficult for a car that has that kind of market value to achieve the standards that are rightly required by local authorities in licensing those vehicles.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Clause 11 aims to reduce the administrative and financial burdens on some taxi and private hire drivers. The measures we have included in the Bill, which I will address in relation to Clause 12, will also help to improve the experience of booking taxis and private hire vehicles.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I join with others in saying that in making his case my noble friend Lord Greaves prayed in aid London. Both the measures in Clause 11 and Clause 12 are already the status in London. Indeed, when we turn to London as the example that we are trying to copy, that is exactly what Clauses 11 and 12 do. It means that we have a good history of the way in which Clauses 11 and 12 function.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Clause 11 will standardise at three years the duration of both taxi and private hire vehicle driver licences; and at five years the licence for a private hire vehicle operator. Shorter periods would be permitted only where there are specific circumstances around a particular application. For example, a local authority might decide that a probationary period was necessary. Typically the duration would be three years for the vehicle driver licence and five years for the operator licence. Frankly, it means that those people will not have to renew their licences as frequently as they do in some areas.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The Department for Transport carries out a biennial survey of licensing authorities. Our 2013 survey showed that nearly half of licensing authorities grant taxi and private hire driver licences for three years, so this is not a sudden revolution. A number of local authorities use a shorter term but we can see by comparing safety records that there is nothing to suggest that those local authorities that grant their licences at three years have an inferior record. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">That is important to note. When it comes to the operator licences, a number of licensing authorities routinely grant private hire operator licences for five years although the substantial majority do less than five years. Again, there is nothing to suggest that there is a difference in safety between one authority and another on the basis of those differences in licensing terms.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The Government therefore consider that this is an area of taxi regulation that would benefit from deregulation. By setting a standard duration of three years for taxi and private hire vehicle driver licences and five years for private hire vehicle operator licences life will be made a lot simpler and substantially cheaper for licence holders. We estimate that the measure will save drivers around £8 million per year and operators around £1 million per year. People who are in this trade are not wealthy people. They find it tough to make a living and any little help we can offer is valid when it is not putting safety at risk.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I appreciate that some stakeholders have expressed concern about safety implications. There may be a slight misconception. It is now the case that many licensing authorities that grant annual licences actually carry out criminal record checks only every three years. Although the licence is annual, the criminal records checks—the issue that has noble Lords exercised—are typically a three-year process. Of course, we are now saying that the standard for criminal records checks will be three years. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">That would be a relatively small change for most authorities. They will continue to do those formal checks. As I said, we have examples in London and in the many local authorities that already use that three-year cycle that it is not associated with additional risk.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Clause 12 will allow private hire vehicle operators to subcontract bookings across licensing boundaries. Again, this is a capacity that has been available continuously for London. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The noble Viscount, Lord Ridley, made the case extremely well and illustrated the many situations in which this is an extremely important measure and the extent to which car hire companies outside London are put to a disadvantage compared with London operators. One of the main motivators behind this measure is that it is so difficult when people call a taxi firm that cannot provide a taxi and are then turned away. I have a relevant personal experience, which could have turned out to be extremely difficult. I was in Gloucestershire and going to visit an elderly friend in a nursing home. I got to the station and there was no one around. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I looked at the board and started calling taxi firms and car hire firms and not one could supply a car. They explained to me that they could not call someone else because they would have to call out of the area and they could not do that. In such cases one would hope to have a mobile phone that is smart-enabled to get onto the web to try to find other firms in the area to call. I was glad that I was not a mother with three children, that it was not getting dark and that it was not raining. It seems unreasonable not to allow the taxi firm to subcontract in order to be able to meet the booking.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We are often concerned about young people out late at night who try to find a taxi to take them home safely. In that situation, we do not want them having to track down one company after another. They should be able to call an operator who they have confidence in who can find them a taxi, even if it is subcontracted from out of area. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">You can already subcontract in area, and I should make that clear to those people who may have used subcontracted taxis or private hire vehicles and were not aware of it.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The noble Lord, Lord Greaves, said that he was concerned about disabled people. Surely that is the group which has the most to benefit from this change. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Most car hire companies have a limited number of wheelchair-accessible vehicles and there may be circumstances where a disabled person needs to travel in a particular kind of vehicle. It is all very well to say that disabled people need to make advance bookings, but I want people with disabilities to be able to live their lives as freely as the rest of us can and not always have to think about things in advance—or, frankly, have to do without. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We have a mechanism here which gives an operator the scope to reach out of area and subcontract to someone else who has a wheelchair-accessible vehicle to meet a need. That is exceedingly beneficial.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I want to make it clear that the initial operator who takes a call and makes a booking remains liable to the passenger who made the booking. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">He is the person with whom the contract has been established. If someone chooses to call a particular operator, that operator retains the liability for the subcontractor, so the terms and conditions, the recording of the booking and the fare, if it has been agreed, all remain with the operator who the customer has contacted.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Baroness Thornton: I should like to ask the noble Baroness two questions. First, has she taken into account the fact that enforcement works differently in London, with TfL working in conjunction with the police on street enforcement, yet there is still a huge problem of sexual assault involving licensed minicab drivers? Secondly, how many disabled groups has she consulted about this deregulation and can she tell us what they had to say about it?</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Baroness Kramer: I personally have engaged more with disabled individuals rather than with groups, which were approached by the Law Commission as part of the consultation. But the Committee will understand the reality of what I have just described. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Many Members of the Committee will have friends with disabilities or indeed may themselves have them, and they will recognise what I have just described. It is for the Committee to make its decision, but I think that noble Lords will recognise the particular set of problems and will empathise with those who have a disability.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Enforcement against an operator continues to be the responsibility of the local authority which licensed that operator. Where there is an issue of enforcement against a driver, again it is for the local authority which licensed that driver to enforce. However, to make life easier and help things to work more smoothly, in some places around the country local authorities have concordats between each other so that they can delegate enforcement powers and thus make the process more simple and straightforward. Liverpool and South Bucks already do this, and I would think that it is a logical direction for many local authorities to go, not because enforcement is difficult but because it is even easier if ongoing relationships with neighbouring areas where subcontracting may take place are developed. We already have vehicles from out of area coming into area. When you order your private hire vehicle, you may be sending it out of area, so cross-boundary issues arise on a regular basis even as it is. As I say, some areas have decided that the sensible way to deal with this issue is to work together with a concordat between them.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The noble Lord, Lord Greaves, raised one issue which I thought was interesting and is one that I will take away and think about, and that is the issue of disclosure; that is, where an operator looks at the cars he has available, cannot find a vehicle available in his own company, and therefore looks elsewhere. That is something I will take a look at. However, I want to make it clear that there are real anomalies which we have to deal with. At the moment we have a silly situation in some parts of the country where related companies cannot subcontract to each other.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Although they may be part of the same company, one branch will be licensed in one area and the other in another area. That, quite frankly, is one of the silly anomalies that we want to get rid of. Also, because the company you call and the individual you call is liable throughout, in order to uphold its reputation the company will make sure that the people it subcontracts to meet its own standards and are reputable. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We have just heard today that very many people will turn to a company which they consider to be reputable. The notion that such a company would subcontract to drivers who let the company down, drive customers away and ruin its reputation is, I suggest, reasonably far-fetched. Under all circumstances, the driver to whom the business has been subcontracted has to meet licensing standards, and that is something we should not forget.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">These are, frankly, two relatively small measures. The subcontracting issue is particularly helpful for someone with a disability who needs to call for a vehicle when many of a company’s cars within the area are already taken. We have to take that seriously. I go back to the issue on licensing. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The three-year period is a reasonable standard that is used by many local authorities. It delivers the same level of safety that we see in other local authorities so why not relieve of an extra burden those who function at the margin in terms of income, if there is no safety price to pay?</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Clause 11 agreed.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Clause 12: Private hire vehicles: sub-contracting</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">6.23 pm</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Division on whether Clause 12 should stand part of the Bill.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Contents 221; Not-Contents 175.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Clause 12 agreed.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-3963933875987147432014-09-24T11:55:00.001-07:002014-09-24T11:58:54.611-07:00Barring private hire from London's bus lanes is legal<p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NMXS9rNelVM/VCMUaxF0tYI/AAAAAAAARjY/aYKRwvG95jg/s640/blogger-image-2045244928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NMXS9rNelVM/VCMUaxF0tYI/AAAAAAAARjY/aYKRwvG95jg/s640/blogger-image-2045244928.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;">BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Allowing London's trademark black cabs to use bus lanes while excluding other minicab companies does not constitute illegal state aid, an adviser to the highest European Union court found on Wednesday.</p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The opinion is the latest stage in a longstanding dispute between the British capital's transport authority and Eventech, which owns a minicab fleet used by the cab firm Addison Lee. </span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">An advocate general, who advises the European court in Luxembourg, found that Transport for London's (TfL) policy of only allowing black cabs to use the city's bus lanes did not constitute an unlawful transfer of public resources -- essentially a subsidy -- to registered taxis.</span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Where state authorities make a bus lane on a public road available to black cabs but not to PHVs (private hire vehicles) during the hours of operation of that bus lane, that does not involve a transfer of 'state resources', provided that all comparable undertakings are granted access on equal terms," Advocate General Nils Wahl said in his opinion.</span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Opinions from advocates general are respected by the court in a majority of cases.</span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The dispute comes at a time when alternative taxi providers, such as the car-sharing service Uber, have clashed with traditional cabs concerned about what they call unfair competition. The conflict has led to Europe-wide taxi strikes and temporary bans on Uber in Germany.</span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Eventech had argued that TfL's bus lane policy was an infringement of the freedom to provide services and also amounted to illegal state aid to the benefit of black cabs.</span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But Wahl rejected those claims, saying that under EU state aid rules it was not necessary for member states to demand payment for access to public infrastructure, such as bus lanes.</span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"If...state aid rules were interpreted as generally requiring member states to charge for access to public infrastructure or state-controlled resources, this might deter states from creating or opening up areas to which there has previously been no, or only limited access," Wahl said.</span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Eventech had also argued that exempting black cabs from paying fines for using the bus lanes amounted to an illegal transfer of public money to their benefit, a claim again rejected by Wahl.</span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The dispute began in 2010 when two of Addison Lee's drivers were fined for driving their cars along a bus lane in central London. Eventech challenged the fines but lost before the High Court, leading to its appeal to the EU's top court.</span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em; margin: 0.2em 0.6em 0.8em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-53876703730254401672014-09-24T09:46:00.001-07:002014-09-24T09:56:38.642-07:00High Court Bus Lane Conclusion.... Round one.<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">Below is the conclusion of the case currently going through the Europian Court, appertaining to private hire use of bus lanes.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">It would seem that today, addison Lee have lost the first round.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">It is now up to the licensing authorities in the membered states to show that Taxis and Private Hire do not have comparable need to use Bus Lanes.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><b>CONCLUSION</b> </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"> In light of the foregoing, I propose that the Court respond to the questions referred by the Court of Appeal (England and Wales) (United Kingdom) as follows:</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">On a proper construction of Article 107(1) TFEU, where the authorities of a Member State make a bus lane on a public road available to taxis but not to private hire vehicles during the hours of operation of that bus lane:</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">– this does not involve a transfer of ‘State resources’, provided that access is granted on equal terms to all comparable undertakings; and</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">– this does not amount to ‘favouring certain undertakings’, provided that those authorities show </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">(i) that taxis and private hire vehicles are not legally and factually comparable, owing to objective considerations relating to the safety and efficiency of the transport system, and </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">(ii) that such a measure is suitable for achieving that objective and does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve it.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">It is for the referring court to determine whether that is the case in the circumstances of the main proceedings. If that is not the case, the mere fact that the right to use the bus lanes is conferred in the context of a local traffic policy does not, in itself, exclude the possibility of trade between Member States being affected, which also falls to be determined by the referring court.</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_UDYIVG94EE/VCL2IYJxJ0I/AAAAAAAARi8/l-8n9cLGBg0/s640/blogger-image--1647333134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_UDYIVG94EE/VCL2IYJxJ0I/AAAAAAAARi8/l-8n9cLGBg0/s640/blogger-image--1647333134.jpg"></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-30193010375822093932014-06-20T08:43:00.001-07:002014-06-20T08:52:34.267-07:00Uber, Unlicensed Minicab Firm? By Jim Thomas.<span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">It has come to our attention that on the 22 May 2014, Uber London Ltd moved to a new registered operating centre on the first floor of Focus Point, 21 Caledonian Road Islington, from the former Winchester House Old Marylebone Road.</span><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Dle-RQY8qnU/U6RYv1SSi6I/AAAAAAAAQC8/LLxcqtYzBr0/s640/blogger-image--1279733485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Dle-RQY8qnU/U6RYv1SSi6I/AAAAAAAAQC8/LLxcqtYzBr0/s640/blogger-image--1279733485.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></span></font><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">It would appear (referring to the TfL private hire checker) that Uber are licensed to operate from registered offices within the City of Westminster. After checking TfLs PH licence checker again, we found that Uber have no such licence to operate from within the London borough of Islington. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Either TfLs website is incorrect, or Uber hasn't submitted a PHV/106 variation application form. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ZPFQFPoM1uI/U6RYtQfcbFI/AAAAAAAAQCs/03FR2y--UMc/s640/blogger-image-763600101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ZPFQFPoM1uI/U6RYtQfcbFI/AAAAAAAAQCs/03FR2y--UMc/s640/blogger-image-763600101.jpg"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ZPFQFPoM1uI/U6RYtQfcbFI/AAAAAAAAQCs/03FR2y--UMc/s640/blogger-image-763600101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mSzsxIFQb1Q/U6RYsem0qcI/AAAAAAAAQCk/3XtjFOVgeEA/s640/blogger-image--746705674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mSzsxIFQb1Q/U6RYsem0qcI/AAAAAAAAQCk/3XtjFOVgeEA/s640/blogger-image--746705674.jpg"></a></div></div><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The private hire act 1998</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The legislation contained within the PH Act of 1998 is very clear on this issue. If A licensed PH company is operating from unlicensed premises, their licence should be immediately revoked (Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998.s.16 and also the TfL staff manual 10.5)</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The legislation does not say TfL should give them a period of time to sort the issue out, it clearly states their licence should be immediately revoked. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We have written to Sir a Peter Hendy outlining this complaint and due to the serious nature of this issue, we expected a swift reply.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">As of today, we have received no reply. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Source:</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> http://companycheck.co.uk/company/08014782/UBER-LONDON-LIMITED#event-history</span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xoq4M5D_4-4/U6RYufFhCiI/AAAAAAAAQC0/TuDDBRYr0Bg/s640/blogger-image--1519174748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xoq4M5D_4-4/U6RYufFhCiI/AAAAAAAAQC0/TuDDBRYr0Bg/s640/blogger-image--1519174748.jpg"></a></div><br></span></font></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-38451522222995059022014-06-20T07:47:00.001-07:002014-06-20T07:49:20.462-07:00Taxis and private hire vehicles: the road to reform - Transport
Committee Contents Dec 2010<div id="banner" style="padding: 0px; height: 0px;"></div><div id="maincontent" style="clear: both; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><table border="0" width="90%"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td valign="TOP" align="left"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br></span></font></td><td valign="TOP" align="right"></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" width="90%"><tbody><tr><td valign="TOP"><hr size="3"></td></tr><tr><td valign="TOP" style="font-size: 0.9em;"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td valign="TOP"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font><b>Written evidence from London Suburban Taxi-drivers' Coalition (TPH 35)</b></font><br><br></span></font><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In response to the above consultation, we would like you to take into consideration the following items regarding the London Suburban Hackney Carriage issues.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(1) Publish documentation to define where London Suburban Hackney Carriage drivers can accept pre-booked work when outside of their licensed sector, but are still within the Greater London Authority's controlled licensing zone.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Luke Howard, Senior Strategy & Integration Manager, TfL Taxi & Private Hire was asked this question about a year ago, including "What Act of Parliament prohibits suburban drivers from doing so".</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">His reply was "...As I said, the prohibition on drivers accepting bookings outside their area is a matter of how 'plying for hire' should be interpreted in this context. There is no paperwork as it is simply the advice of our legal team—we do not think this has been tested in court."</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We were not shown what the legal advice was or even if it came in a written form.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We believe it is time to properly define this matter once and for all so that the ambiguities of the law are removed. As you know many suburban drivers are prosecuted for out-of-sector violations and the law must be clarified. Suburban Taxi drivers should not be playing "Russian Roulette" when they go out to work. If the law is unclear or untested it is surely time to review, amend or draft more up-to-date legislation to cover this aspect of their working lives.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Office of Fair Trading state in their Legal framework of taxi and PHV licensing in the UK, Annexe A, November 2003 http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/comp_policy/oft676.pdf</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1.10 Taxis can pick up passengers that have pre-booked without needing a separate PHV licence.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"A campaign to reduce the number of women sexually attacked in minicabs over Christmas was launched, in the wake of a 54% increase in serious sexual assaults including rape and a 50% decrease in detection/conviction. The scheme aims to warn Londoners about the dangers of getting into minicabs without pre-booking and to help them get home safely."</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">However, leaders of the Safer Travel at Night (STaN) scheme say women are putting themselves in danger by getting into minicabs (licensed and unlicensed) that line up outside pubs and clubs and are given an 'air of respectability' by TfL in doing so. This is clearly wrong and needs to be addressed. Reports from the "Havens Rape Crisis Centres" have shown much higher figures. They also state that most rapes go unreported, so the true figure could be even higher.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We believe that if London Suburban Hackney Carriage drivers were allowed to pick up the pre-booked hiring's when outside of their licensed sector, but still within the Greater London Authority's controlled licensing zone, then this would go, not only some way to reducing the serious sexual assaults, including rape, but also reduce the carbon emissions issue by utilising those taxis to bring passengers back into their licensed sectors with a better utilisation of these vehicles.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/16746.aspx</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(2)<b> </b>We would like to have rescinded or amended the 12 mile (or one hour's duration) rule in respect of suburban drivers. It is most unfair that London Suburban Hackney Carriage drivers are the only licensed drivers in England and Wales that are compelled to accept a 12 mile hiring which in most cases take them well outside their licensed sectors.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We believe that this issue is a restrictive practice and places an unfair disadvantage on London Suburban Hackney Carriage drivers as a whole as their sectors are much smaller than that of the All-London (Green Badge) drivers, who in many more instances can do a 12 mile hiring and still be well within the area for which they are licensed.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Being compelled to accept a hiring from a smaller sector makes having to accept a hiring so far away from where they are permitted to ply for hire is indeed unreasonable compared to their Green Badge counterparts. It would be more tolerable if this 12 mile compulsion was reduced to eight (8) miles or even to the previous six (6) miles. It is our understanding that this ruling was changed due to problems of "refusal" that arose primarily in the All-London area and the consequent changes placed an unnecessary burden on suburban drivers when the rule was changed under Ken Livingstone's Mayoral term of office.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There is a precedent for a differential in the compellable distance where it was amended to 20 miles in respect of hiring's from Heathrow Airport several years ago.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There are more issues that really do need to be discussed in relation to the London Suburban Taxi service we provide, but as requested we need to keep this letter short, but would appreciate it if we could meet and present our views to members of the Transport Select Committee in the near future.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(3) We believe it would be helpful if the terms "minicabs", "licensed minicabs", "unlicensed minicabs" and Licensed Private Hire were more clearly defined as there is a lot of confusion at present even in the literature that TfL provide.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If it confuses those in the trade it must be quite perplexing to the travelling public who may be the victims of unclear definitions.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This does not occur with licensed taxis as ANY taxi is by its very nature "Licensed". There is no such thing as an "unlicensed" taxi even though the newspapers AND the TV media often talk about misdemeanours by a taxi driver (to make the headline "sensational") but in reality the driver often turns out to be a minicab driver (whatever that is).</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">TfL must bear the brunt of this criticism through poor descriptive terms in its documentation. If any person trying to get through to a Taxi operator and gores on the Internet they are almost always directed to a Private Hire company in spite of the fact that these companies are contravening the Licensed Private Hire (Vehicles) Act 1998 to advertise in this way, and in spite of the warnings not to do so by TfL.</span></font></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"><i style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">December 2010<br><br><br></font></i></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px !important;"></p><hr>Source: <br>http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmtran/720/720vw25.htm</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-79269189200771859992014-06-19T10:01:00.001-07:002014-06-19T10:01:31.067-07:00Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998.s.16 : Power to suspend or
revoke licences.<div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998.s.16</b></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><br></b></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Power to suspend or revoke licences.</b></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(2)A London PHV operator’s licence may be suspended or revoked where—</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(a)the [F1licensing authority] is no longer satisfied that the licence holder is fit to hold such a licence; or</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(b)the licence holder has failed to comply with any condition of the licence or any other obligation imposed on him by or under this Act.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">s. 18 Variation of operator’s licence at the request of the operator.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(1)The [F1licensing authority] may, on the application of a London PHV operator, vary his licence by adding a reference to a new operating centre or removing an existing reference to an operating centre.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(2)An application for the variation of a licence under this section shall be made in such form, and include such declarations and information, as the [F1licensing authority] may require.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(3)The [F1licensing authority] may require an applicant to furnish such further information as he may consider necessary for dealing with the application.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(4)The [F1licensing authority] shall not add a reference to a new operating centre unless [F2the authority] is satisfied that the premises in question meet any requirements prescribed under section 3(3)(b).</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(5)An applicant for the variation of a London PHV operator’s licence under this section may appeal to a magistrates’ court against a decision not to add a new operating centre to the licence.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">s. 19 (1)The [F2licensing authority] may—</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(a)suspend the operation of a London PHV operator’s licence so far as relating to any operating centre specified in the licence; or</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(b)vary such a licence by removing a reference to an operating centre previously specified in the licence,</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">if [F3the authority] is no longer satisfied that the operating centre in question meets any requirements prescribed under section 3(3)(b) or for any other reasonable cause. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(2)Where the [F2licensing authority] has decided to suspend the operation of a licence as mentioned in subsection (1)(a) or vary a licence as mentioned in subsection (1)(b)—</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(a)[F3the authority] shall give notice of the decision and the grounds for it to the licence holder; and</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(b)the decision shall take effect at the end of the period of 21 days beginning with the day on which the licence holder is served with that notice.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(3)If the [F2licensing authority] is of the opinion that the interests of public safety require [F3 authority’s] decision to have immediate effect, and [F3the authority] includes a statement of that opinion and the reasons for it in the notice, [F3 authority’s] decision shall take effect when the notice is served on the licence holder.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(4)If a licence is suspended in relation to an operating centre, the premises in question shall not be regarded for the purposes of this Act as premises at which the licence holder is authorised to accept private hire bookings, until such time as the [F2licensing authority] by notice states that the licence is no longer suspended in relation to those premises.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(5)The holder of a London PHV operator’s licence may appeal to a magistrates’ court against a decision under subsection (1).</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>London Taxi an Private Hire Staff Manual. </b></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">10.5 Change of/acquisition of new operating centre </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">If an operator wishes to change the address of an operating centre or add an operating centre to his licence he must submit a PHV/106 variation application form. Arrangements will be made for the new operating centre to be inspected before the licence is changed. A licence will not be varied to add reference to a new centre until that centre has been approved by a Compliance Officer following an inspection. The operator must not begin trading from the new address until it has been included on his licence. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">If an operator is found to be trading from an operating centre not specified in his licence he should reported for prosecution, told to cease trading from that premises and submit a variation application immediately. In most cases this should not preclude the variation application being considered favourably. However, if an operator is found trading from a nightclub or other late night venue (see section 10.15) that is not specified as an operating centre in his licence any subsequent application to vary the licence to include that centre should be refused. </span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">If TfL becomes aware that an operator has started trading from a centre not on his licence on more than one occasion, consideration should be given to revoking his licence.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">If, having been told to cease trading, an operator continues to trade from the unlicensed premises and fails to submit a variation application within 14 days of the visit from a Compliance Officer, consideration should be given to revoking the licence.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-21440076344116951022014-05-25T04:38:00.001-07:002014-05-25T05:31:33.270-07:00Full List Of Law Commission 84 Recommendations<div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-VPpkz-FFzi0/U4Hg_F3X6QI/AAAAAAAAPqI/zDkwCwI8-N8/s640/blogger-image--623253491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-VPpkz-FFzi0/U4Hg_F3X6QI/AAAAAAAAPqI/zDkwCwI8-N8/s640/blogger-image--623253491.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Recommendation 1</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend retaining the two-tier system. Regulation should continue to distinguish between taxis, which can be hailed or use ranks, and private hire vehicles, which can only be pre booked.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 2</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that the offences relating to plying for hire should be abolished. We propose replacing the concept of plying for hire with a new scheme of offences, resting on the principal prohibition of carrying passengers for hire without a licence, alongside a new offence making it unlawful for anyone other than a local taxi driver to accept a journey starting “there and then”.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 3</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend a statutory definition of pre-booking in order to create a clear distinction between the work of a taxi in its licensing area and the work of a private hire vehicle.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 4</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that the term “hackney carriage” should be replaced in legislation with the word “taxi”. The term “private hire vehicle” should remain unchanged.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 5</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that only the providers of licensed taxi services should be allowed to describe themselves using the term “taxi” on vehicles or in advertising materials.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 6</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Operators across England and Wales (dispatchers under our Bill) should be under a duty to provide a price or an estimate of the fare on request, as is already the case in London.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 7</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that taxis picking up passengers outside their licensing area should be subject to a pre-booking requirement, which would be statutorily defined for the first time. This would require provision of an estimate of the price for the journey in advance, if requested, and record-keeping obligations. These </span></font><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: x-large;">requirements could be further refined through national </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: x-large;">standards as set by the Secretary of State.</span></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 8</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We do not recommend the introduction of record-keeping requirements in respect of taxis except where they are picking up passengers outside their licensing area.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 9</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that local authority stopping officers should have a new enforcement power to require licensed vehicles to move on where the officer considers that:</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(a) there is a reasonable likelihood that the public may</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">believe the vehicle is available for immediate hire;</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(b) the vehicle is causing an obstruction to traffic flow; or</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(c) the driver is attempting to take work away from ranked taxis.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 10</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend introducing a new offence which makes it unlawful for anyone other than a locally licensed taxi driver to accept a booking for a journey starting there and then.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 11</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that compellability should be retained in its current form. It should be open to licensing authorities to express compellability as a time or distance from the point of hire, or as extending to the boundaries of a licensing zone. </span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Licensing authorities should also be able to extend the compellable distance up to seven miles beyond the boundary of the licensing area, or twenty miles in the case of Transport for London.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 12</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Licensing authorities should have the power to make a determination that in their areas, taxis should be under a duty to stop when hailed. In such areas, it would be an offence for a taxi driver in a vehicle displaying a “for hire” sign to fail to stop in response to a hail, without reasonable excuse.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 13</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Licensing authorities should be under a duty to consult on the need to alter rank provision and to consider whether new ranks should be appointed, or current ones moved or removed, on a periodic basis not exceeding every three years.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 14</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that those acting in the course of a business who pass taxi or private hire bookings to providers who they know or suspect to be unlicensed should be guilty of an offence.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 15</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We do not propose to require intermediaries working solely with licensed taxis (which we refer to as “radio circuits”) to be licensed.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 16</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that licensed operators (in future to be referred to in legislation as “dispatchers”) should be retained as a necessary element of the regulation of private hire services.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 17</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that operator licensing should only cover dispatch functions, and no longer apply to the invitation or acceptance of bookings as such. However, if it is shown that an individual or company accepted a hire vehicle booking, a presumption should arise that that person also “dispatched” the</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">driver. This ensures the continued accountability of those who, in the course of business, accept hire vehicle bookings from the public.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 18</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">It should be an offence, in the course of business, to dispatch an unlicensed vehicle or driver. It would also be an offence for a person to dispatch a private hire vehicle and driver unless that person holds a dispatcher’s licence. It would be a defence if the driver and vehicle were reasonably believed to hold appropriate taxi licences.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 19</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Persons accepting a hire vehicle booking in the course of business should be under a duty to provide information to the hirer in respect of any person to whom they passed the booking.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 20</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that our proposed reforms should extend to all of England and Wales, including London and Plymouth.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 21</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Taxi and private hire licensing should cover vehicles regardless of their form or construction, including non-motorised vehicles.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 22</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that taxi and private hire licensing requirements should only cover services provided for commercial gain.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 23</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that taxi and private hire licensing should not cover the carriage of a passenger as an ancillary or incidental part of another service.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 24</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that, for the purposes of taxi, private hire and public service vehicle legislation, all passenger seats and spaces capable of carrying a standing passenger should be included when assessing vehicle carrying capacity.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 25</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that consideration be given to revising the criteria for licensing a vehicle as a “small public service vehicle”, making them more clearly centred on local bus services.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 26</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend extending the reach of taxi and private hire licensing to larger vehicles in two circumstances:</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(a) on a mandatory basis, in respect of stretch limousines</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">and novelty vehicles; and</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(b) on an optional basis, where providers want to use larger vehicles in a taxi or private hire business.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 27</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that the Secretary of State should have the power to exempt certain categories of vehicle or services used to carry passengers for hire from the requirement to hold a taxi or private hire licence. Licensing authorities would, however,</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">retain the power to impose licensing requirements on vehicles used as taxis within their local licensing area.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 28</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that wedding and funeral cars should continue to be exempt from taxi and private hire licensing while the vehicle is being used in connection with a wedding or a funeral.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 29</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Non-professional use of licensed taxi and private hire vehicles, including by non-professional drivers, should be permitted, subject to a rebuttable presumption that such vehicles are being used professionally when they are carrying passengers.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 30</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend the introduction of national standards for taxi and private hire services.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 31</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">National standards should promote enforcement, protection of the environment and accessibility, in addition to safety.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 32</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">National standards for taxi services should be comparable but not necessarily identical to national standards for private hire services.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 33</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that driver and vehicle standards should be set in secondary legislation by the Secretary of State.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 34</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The standard setting power of the Secretary of State should be subject to a statutory consultation requirement.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 35</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that the ability to apply for a vehicle licence should no longer be restricted to vehicle owners.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 36</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Applicants for vehicle licences should not be subject to a fit and proper person test.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Recommendation 37</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that licensing authorities should not have a general power to impose individual conditions on the holders of taxi or private hire licences.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 38</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that the Secretary of State should exercise the standard setting power to provide that a conviction for specified offences is a breach of a licensing condition, or incompatible with eligibility to hold a licence.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 39</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The Secretary of State should have the power to designate specific licence conditions, breach of which will amount to a criminal offence.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 40</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Private hire services should only be subject to national</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">standards. Licensing authorities should no longer have the power to impose local conditions.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 41</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that dispatchers should continue to be subject to fit and proper person requirements as part of national standards.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 42</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that dispatchers should be subject to a statutory duty to maintain records in such form as may be prescribed by the Secretary of State.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 43</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Signage requirements for private hire vehicles should form part of the national standards determined by the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State should impose requirements that aim to ensure that the public are able to distinguish easily between taxis and private hire vehicles.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 44</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that operator/dispatchers should no longer be restricted to working only with drivers and vehicles whose licences are issued by the same licensing authority as the dispatcher.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 45</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Dispatchers should have the ability to sub-contract bookings to any dispatcher in England and Wales.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 46</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that licensing authorities should retain the power to set local taxi standards over and above national</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">standards.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 47</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Licensing authorities should be required to consult on additional licensing conditions for taxi drivers and vehicles.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 48</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Licensing authorities should retain the ability to regulate taxi fares, in respect of any journey within the compellable distance.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 49</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">A taxi driver should be allowed to charge more than the metered fare for journeys starting inside the licensing area and ending beyond the compellable distance only if this is agreed in advance. In the case of pre-booked journeys starting outside the compellable distance the price or an estimate should be given on request and, if so, recorded.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 50</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that licensing authorities should retain the power to regulate fares charged for pre-booked taxi journeys. However, there should be no power to regulate third party booking fees, provided these are agreed in advance.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 51</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The principle of cost recovery should continue to apply in respect of taxi and private hire licensing fees.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 52</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Licensing authorities should be able to collect and use licensing fees from taxi and private hire licensing only for the following purposes:</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(1) administration of the licensing system (including but not limited to processing applications for granting or renewing licences and carrying out inspections and tests);</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(2) statutorily required reviews of fare levels, rank provision, accessibility and existing quantity restrictions at least every three years;</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(3) enforcement of the licensing system including but not limited to the control and supervision of taxi and private hire services (whether licensed or unlicensed) and activities associated with suspending or revoking licences; and</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(4) providing taxi ranks.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 53</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that the Secretary of State should set a private hire licensing fee which could not be varied locally. Taxi licensing fees should continue to be set locally, but at a level no lower than the national private hire fee.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 54</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that the Secretary of State should have the power to set up a system of pooling private hire licence fees nationally, for the purposes of redistributing these to reflect enforcement needs, in accordance with such a scheme as may be prescribed.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 55</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Licensing authorities should have the power to combine their taxi and private hire licensing areas.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 56</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that licensing authorities should be under a duty to publish their driver, vehicle and operator licensing data in such form as the Secretary of State may require.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 57</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Licensing authorities should have a more flexible power to introduce and remove taxi licensing zones. This power would permit removal or introduction of zones within a licensing district. The power should be subject to consultation and a statutory public interest test.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 58</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that licensing authorities should continue to have the power to limit the number of taxi vehicles licensed in their area.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 59</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The power of licensing authorities to impose quantity</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">restrictions should be subject to a statutory public interest test. Further, the Secretary of State should have regulation-making powers prescribing how the statutory test should be applied.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 60</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Decisions to restrict taxi numbers should be reviewed at least every three years and be subject to local consultation in accordance with such procedures as may be prescribed in regulations made by the Secretary of State.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 61</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">In licensing areas where quantity restrictions already exist at the time of the introduction of our reforms, but not in other areas, vehicle licence holders should continue to be able to transfer their taxi licences at a premium.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 62</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that taxi and private hire drivers be required to undergo disability awareness training of a standard set by the Secretary of State.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 63</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that the Secretary of State require information on how to complain about taxi and private hire vehicle services to be displayed in taxi and private hire vehicles.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 64</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that local licensing authorities should display complaint information in offices, libraries and on websites.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 65</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that licensing authorities conduct an</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">accessibility review at three year intervals.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 66</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that the Secretary of State require holders of taxi and private hire driver licences and dispatcher licences to comply with the Equality Act 2010 as a condition of the licence.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 67</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that licensing authorities should reconsider rank design to ensure compliance with the Equality Act 2010.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 68</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that licensing conditions should provide that information about the licensing authority and local operators should be provided in alternative formats, as well as information about the types of vehicle available in their area.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 69</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that the Secretary of State should have the power to impose accessibility requirements on large operator/dispatchers. In particular, the power should permit the setting of quotas of accessible vehicles which must be available to such dispatchers.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 70</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that licensing officers who have been</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">suitably trained and accredited should be given the power to stop licensed taxi and private hire vehicles in a public place for the purpose of checking compliance with licensing requirements.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 71</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The offence of touting should be retained. It should continue to be an offence of broad application which extends to all persons, whether licensed or unlicensed.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 72</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that there should be a new defence to touting, where the solicitation is in respect of a licensed taxi or private hire vehicle, if the soliciting occurs in a place which has been designated by that licensing authority for that purpose, and that conditions as may be specified by the licensing authority have been complied with.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 73</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that the Sentencing Council consider amending the Magistrate’s Court Sentencing Guidelines in respect of taxi touting to take into account the vulnerability of the persons solicited as a relevant factor in sentencing.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 74</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that licensing authorities should have the power to impound vehicles used in connection with touting.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 75</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Fixed penalties should be among the sanctions available in respect of minor criminal offences under taxi and private hire legislation.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 76</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend extending the power to suspend licences immediately on grounds of public safety to all licence types, in line with the current position in London.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 77</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Licensing officers should be able to take non-criminal</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">enforcement action against vehicles, drivers and operators, licensed outside their licensing area.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 78</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that powers to revoke a licence should be available only to the licensing authority which issued that licence. However, enforcement officers in another area should have the power to:</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(a) suspend a licence when they consider this to be</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">necessary in the interests of public safety; and</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">(b) make recommendations to the home licensing authority as to appropriate sanctions, to which the home authority must have regard.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 79</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The right to appeal against refusals to grant or renew taxi and private hire licences or to suspend or revoke them should be limited to the applicant or licence holder.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 80</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that the first stage in the appeal process in respect of refusals, suspensions or revocations of licences should be the right to require licensing authorities to reconsider the original decision. Appellants should have the right to bypass</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">this stage and proceed direct to the magistrates’ court.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 81</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that all taxi and private hire licensing appeals should be heard in the magistrates’ court.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 82</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend the retention of an onward right of appeal to the Crown Court.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 83</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that applicants for a vehicle licence for an opt-in vehicle should have a right of appeal to the Upper Tribunal if their application is refused on the basis of an objection by the Senior Traffic Commissioner.</span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Recommendation 84</b></span></font></div><div><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" size="5"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">We recommend that a County Court judicial review procedure along the lines provided under the Housing Act 1996 should be available to challenge taxi conditions set by licensing authorities.</span></font></div></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-70053114024213942912014-05-12T04:11:00.001-07:002014-05-12T04:11:00.766-07:00Notice from the London Gazette 17April 2014<br><div><div>Transport for London hereby gives notice!</div><div><br></div><div>The notice also refers to the A200, St Thomas Street, as a GLA Road. </div><div><br></div><div>Notice category: TransportNotice type: Road Traffic ActsPublication date: 17 April 2014 </div><div>Edition: The London Gazette </div><div>Notice ID:2111082</div><div>Notice code:1501</div><div>Issue number:60846</div><div>Page number:8028 </div><div>Share Transport for London</div><div>ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984</div><div><br></div><div>THE GLA ROADS AND GLA SIDE ROADS (SOUTHWARK) RED ROUTE CONSOLIDATION TRAFFIC ORDER 2007 A200 GLA ROAD (ST. THOMAS STREET) EXPERIMENTAL VARIATION ORDER 2014</div><div><br></div><div>1 Transport for London hereby gives notice that on 14th April 2014 it made the above named Experimental Order under sections 9 and 10 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The Order will come into force on 25th April 2014 and may remain in force for up to 18 months.</div><div><br></div><div>2 The road affected by the Order is A200 St Thomas Street in the London Borough of Southwark.</div><div><br></div><div>3 The general nature and effect of the Order is to:</div><div>a Relocate the existing Loading Bay outside No.8 St. Thomas Street 11 metres north-westwards;</div><div>b Relocate the existing Borough controlled bay outside Nos. 20 - 26 St. Thomas Street 35 metres north-westwards;</div><div>c Introduce a 18 metre parking bay on the northeast side of St. Thomas Street 71 metres northwest of Weston Street with the hours of operation ‘No stopping at any time, 2 mins pick up and set down’;</div><div>d Introduce a 12 metre parking bay on the northeast side of St. Thomas Street 27 metres southeast of Nos. 21-27 with the hours of operation ‘No stopping at any time, 2 mins pick up and set down’;</div><div>e Introduce a 24 metre licensed taxi bay on the northeast side of St. Thomas Street opposite Nos. 24-26 with the hours of operation ‘No stopping at any time except taxi cabs at authorised times’;</div><div>f Introduce 28 metres of double red lines, ‘No stopping at any time’ outside No.19 St Thomas Street;</div><div>g Introduce 46 metres of double red lines, ‘No stopping at any time’ opposite Nos. 11-19 St Thomas Street.</div><div><br></div><div>4 Where it appears necessary for certain purposes, Transport for London or any person authorised by them may modify or suspend the Order or any provisions in it, while the Order is in force.</div><div><br></div><div>5 In due course Transport for London will be considering whether or not the provisions of the Order should be continued in force indefinitely. If the Order is subsequently varied by another Order or modified, from the coming into force of that variation or modification (whichever is the latest), any such objection should be made in writing, giving the grounds on which it is made, and sent to Transport for London, Streets Traffic Order Team, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ quoting reference RSM/STOT/TRO, GLA/2014/0245 Any objection may be communicated to other persons who may be affected.</div><div><br></div><div>6 A copy of the Order, a statement of Transport for London’s reasons for the proposals and for proceeding by way of experiment, a map indicating the location and effect of the Order and copies of any Order revoked suspended or varied by the Order can be inspected during normal office hours at the offices of:</div><div><br></div><div>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Transport for London, Streets Traffic Order Team (RSM/PI/STOT) Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road London, SE1 8NJ</div><div><br></div><div>• Southwark Council Public Realm Projects, 160 Tooley Street London SE1 2QH</div><div>(Please e-mail: traffic.orders@southwark.gov.uk to arrange an appointment)</div><div><br></div><div>7 The documents referred to in paragraph 6 will be available for inspection during the period within which objection can be made in accordance with paragraph 5 above.</div><div><br></div><div>8 Any person wishing to question the validity of the Order or of any of its provisions on the grounds that they are not within the relevant powers conferred by the Act or that any requirement of the Act has not been complied with, that person may, within six weeks from the date on which the Order is made, make application for the purpose to the High Court.</div><div>Dated this 17th day of April 2014</div><div><br></div><div>Mark Beasley</div><div><br></div><div>Head of Planned Interventions, Transport for London</div><div><br></div><div>Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ</div><div>ENDS.</div><div><br></div></div><div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796301989539578914.post-68499285118272728292014-05-10T17:31:00.001-07:002014-05-10T17:31:57.510-07:00Taxi and Private Hire Industry Debate. 8th May.<div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Central, Labour)</b></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">What representations has he received on his proposed reforms to the regulation of the taxi and private hire industry.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Robert Goodwill (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport); Scarborough and Whitby, Conservative)</b></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The Department undertook a targeted consultation in January with the intention of seeking immediate reactions to three proposed taxi and private hire vehicle measures, for inclusion in the Deregulation Bill. Our position on the measures is clear: they are liberalising, cost-saving steps that will benefit many thousands of small businesses and customers throughout the country.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Central, Labour)</b></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I must tell the Minister that drivers in Sheffield have expressed grave concern to me about his proposals. They fear that these rushed changes, which will allow minicab operators to subcontract bookings to other operators in a different district, could result in drivers working hundreds of miles away from their home licensing authority, and that our licensing authority in Sheffield would be unable to carry out effective enforcement. Does the Minister share those drivers’ fear that the changes will put the public’s safety at risk?</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Robert Goodwill (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport); Scarborough and Whitby, Conservative)</b></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">No, I do not. In fact, I believe that the changes will give the public a better service. For example, if someone rings a private hire vehicle company and all its vehicles—or, perhaps, all its disabled-access vehicles—are occupied, it will be able to call on another company from across the border to fill the gap. People will get the service that they want, and I do not believe that safety will be compromised at all.</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Richard Burden (Shadow Minister (Transport); Birmingham, Northfield, Labour)</b></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Will the Minister reflect on the fact that if his proposals are implemented, someone who gets into a minicab will not know whether it has come from the company that he or she telephoned, will not be able to assume that the person driving it is licensed to do so, and will not even be able to assume that the car itself has been passed as okay to carry passengers in his or her own town or city? Expert opinion after expert opinion has warned the Minister that all this could put passengers’ safety at risk. Why does he feel that he knows better than anyone else?</span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Robert Goodwill (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport); Scarborough and Whitby, Conservative)</b></span></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 24px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I do not accept those criticisms. The fact that a company is registered across the border in another local authority area does not mean that it will not meet the standards that apply in that local authority area. This is about more flexibility and a better service for people using private hire vehicles.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0