To Frank Shaw

Good for you. I hope others have the sense to join you and confront the unreasonable Council. To 'suspend' your license and remove your livelihood on such a petty point as a shallow and inconsequential course is totally out of proportion. I would be surprised if a court did not support you.

But If you had to pay more, much more, for a licence without this idiot course (as you would be less ‘qualified‘) would you then feel inclined to do it, taking into consideration that it is free ?

well done frank hope you beat these quango dictators its a shame the taxi association did not have your backbone and refused to take part in this farce. just how much public money has all this nonsense cost us? maybe enough to pay a councillor or three for a week. anyway frank good luck in court mate i for one am backing you against the brown envelope boys.

Dear Nick
I have known frank for twenty years mate he is about the safest driver there is the best but you do make a good point the public money wasted on this crazy course could have been better spent on advanced drivng courses for certain idiots who drive taxis badly.

Before I left the army I enquired about getting a taxi licence in Germany. They have to do a full apprenticeship of 3 years with a state registered test after it. It cost about £2.000.00 to get a licence there.
This is more than just the “Knowledge Test” required in London. It includes customer satisfaction too.

Nick
you sound like the type of decent chap we need to clean up our trade but its gonna take a lot more than a stupid btec like finding out how people who do not know the routes or speak english managed to pass the knowledge test

Dont support the taxi drivers of Bournemouth they are very rude and need this new test.

Dont support the taxi drivers of Bournemouth they are very rude and need this new test.

I haved lived in Bournemouth for 14 years and i find the salloon cars that alot to be desired much prefer the traditional black cabs and the dress code could be better please take pride in the service you pruvide.

quote

Whether any driver is against the course or not. If by decree of the Council Licencing Board who have said all drivers will do the test, then so be it. If any driver revokes this, then they are suspended. This means that their licence and badge are suspended. So even if they do continue driving, passengers be warned you will not be insured in this taxi, and it will be illegal for the driver to pick up, either in transit or at a rank.

Frank Shaw may very well be a good driver, and I believe he is but he does not show good driver attitude if he intends to drive unlicenced. Surely is it much simpler just to do the course, and get it over and done with.

Christopher sounds like a councillor,you know the ones who are world class at wasting public money and there is no bigger waste than this farcical btec it seems the EU is a licence to squander taxpayers cash

The councils aim to improve taxi service is a good one. But I'm not convinced that this one training course will make any difference at all.

I use (pre-booked) taxis about half a dozen times a month and am no longer amazed at the poor standard of driving shown by drivers. I would have thought the obvious thing to do would be to say that all drivers need to have passed either the RoSPA or IAM advanced driving test. Job done. No need for additional courses to be set-up with associated costs etc... And no excuses from the drivers about the course being of no value.

If you get a cab and the driver is rude/smells/whatever
..then you have the choice of complaining to the local licensing authority. If a cab cuts you up, or you see one driving dangerously, then take the license number of that cab..and complain. Of course cabbies have a bad name in driving, they always have had, but you can't tar all with the same brush.

Good for you Frank Shaw for putting your foot down...(excuse the pun!)

a very good suggestion from PokesdownMark but you see those courses he suggests does not provide cash for the snouts in the trough at the council

This can happen in any profession. In catering, regardless of how many sandwiches you have prepared in the past, or how many cups of tea served in your roadside kiosk, Food Hygeine Certificates became compulsory.

With Councils "offering" courses, and also policing and regulating food preparers, peopel who have been doing the same job for many years suddenly hade to "qualify" or stop working. No if's or but's.

It happens in many professions, rules are changed, new qualifications and requirements take effect and, if you don't (or can't) comply, you either carry on before and face a penalty, or you change jobs.

At 67 Frank should be thinking of hanging up his professional keys and retiring gracefully. As for the other 100, it's simple. You either comply, or you look for another job!

PokesdownMark wrote:
The councils aim to improve taxi service is a good one. But I'm not convinced that this one training course will make any difference at all. I use (pre-booked) taxis about half a dozen times a month and am no longer amazed at the poor standard of driving shown by drivers. I would have thought the obvious thing to do would be to say that all drivers need to have passed either the RoSPA or IAM advanced driving test. Job done. No need for additional courses to be set-up with associated costs etc... And no excuses from the drivers about the course being of no value.

The problem here is the cost. The Council is offering a course that is FREE to drivers. It is a Nationally recognised BTEC and is all that the Council is asking of them. (apart from a short spell off the road).

IAM and ROSPA costs money, needs a lot of time off the road to complete the courses, and on-going costs to renew your membership of these organisations in order to carry their "good driver" plate on the car. These courses do not conet customer care and courtesy, which appears to be the main thing lacking with todays taxi drivers.

Sorry: "These courses do not COVER customer care"

Another stupid red tape law from the council as if we havn't got enough. Do Bus Drivers have to take this course also

GOOD ON YOU FRANK!
LIKE MOST CAB DRIVERS YOU SEEM TO THINK THAT ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROAD ARE AN INCONVENIENCE.
I MEAN IF YOUR LICENCE IS SUSPENDED WHO CARES?
UNLESS OF COURSE YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND SOMEONE GETS HURT.
WITH NO LICENECE YOU HAVE NO INSURANCE, BUT WHO CARES?
IT IS ABOUT TIME YOU RETIRED.
AT YOUR AGE YOU REALLY SHOULD KNOW BETTER!

The btec is not free it is paid for by the always clobbered taxpayer and feeds the snouts in the trough at the town hall

LICENSE: SEE FRANK I AM IN MY 60s. I ADMIT THAT I AM NOT AS GOOD AS I WAS 25 YEARS AGO!
I AM STILL A "HUNK" HOWEVER, JUST ASK MY WIFE!

mmmmmmmmmmmm wrote:
Dont support the taxi drivers of Bournemouth they are very rude and need this new test.

Not all of them are rude probarly only the odd few, its their diet that I find offensive some of them seem to survive on nothing more than hannah kebabs and garlic filled sandwiches this is the reason for the stench,
I have never met a rude taxi driver also I never met one who did not have B O, then again it don't smell any worse than a fart in a greenhouse.

Why dont the taxi drivers just do the course instead of trying to prove a point?..Ok it is probably a waste of time and a waste of tax payers money but if it means they can keep their license then just get it over with. We all have to do things we dont want to do sometimes in life.

HEY LAURIE
I THINK ALL THAT HOT SUN AND FOSTERS HAS GONE TO YOUR HEAD MATE
JUST PUT ANOTHER WALLABEE ON THE BARBY
AND BE GRATEFUL YOU ARENOT SIGNED UP TO THE LISBON TREATY

laurie marsh, australia on 11:06am today

What an abusive and mindless rant. You should be ashamed of yourself putting on such a pitiful comment. And what is the upper case text for !! As Frank is appealing against the suspension as far as I am aware he is still licensed.

Are you an ex-council employee, early retired to Australia on your fat golden pension, by any chance !

By the way, the taxi driver’s course is not ‘free‘. It is paid for by the council tax payers - that is myself and others here. I never agreed to this and I suspect that the course was very expensive indeed. Good old council - throwing our money around for us. How would we spend all our money if the council didn’t take it off us and spent it for us.

Another point, the present situation is a direct result of deregulation by Thatcherism. Perhaps the situation as described by ‘Nick, Bournemouth on 11:28pm Fri 21 Mar 08 ’ in Germany is the way ahead for us.

Nick wrote:
Before I left the army I enquired about getting a taxi licence in Germany. They have to do a full apprenticeship of 3 years with a state registered test after it. It cost about £2.000.00 to get a licence there. This is more than just the “Knowledge Test” required in London. It includes customer satisfaction too.

The way ahead for us ?

laurie marsh, australia on 11:06am today

What an abusive and mindless rant. You should be ashamed of yourself putting on such a pitiful comment. And what is the upper case text for !! As Frank is appealing against the suspension as far as I am aware he is still licensed.

Are you an ex-council employee, early retired to Australia on your fat golden pension, by any chance !

By the way, the taxi driver’s course is not ‘free‘. It is paid for by the council tax payers - that is myself and others here. I never agreed to this and I suspect that the course was very expensive indeed. Good old council - throwing our money around for us. How would we spend all our money if the council didn’t take it off us and spent it for us.

Another point, the present situation is a direct result of deregulation by Thatcherism. Perhaps the situation as described by ‘Nick, Bournemouth on 11:28pm Fri 21 Mar 08 ’ in Germany is the way ahead for us.

How did that happen!

my granny wants to know if the EU can fund an egg sucking course at Poole college

bobo wrote:
my granny wants to know if the EU can fund an egg sucking course at Poole college

Not if your granny is 67 year old, Mrs Shaw. Only a yoke!

just seen RONALDO score again for UNITED now theres a good egg

Eggsiting stuff for Easter!

have to go to work now to make eggstra money to pay all the eggspenses on my taxi

bobo
How about eggstending your knowledge with a BTEC (Bournemouth Taxidrivers' Enlightenment Course)?

would this have EggU funding under the eggciting lisbon treaty

Like 99.9% of the population, I have not read the Lisbon Treaty, so I do not know the answer to that. However, I shall not just be believing what the Daily Eggspress tells me!

well there's egg on your face as we,re gonna be handing money out to all sorts of crazy eggsperiments like this obscene taxi btec

Sorry but I did not want to post on here after Hannahs unfounded ramblings on the original 101 cabbies off the road but feel I have to as just about everything about her posts on the Taxi trade are totally unfounded & with communist views.

Firstly, the Bournemouth Taxi (Hackney Carriage) trade is NOT deregulated as she says (one of the last British bastions that are not), get your facts right before spouting off!

Secondly, she seems to know everything there is too know about this Btec course & its follow up the NVQ level 2. Even I do not know it all as I am sitting my NVQ2 at the moment having already passed my Btec qualification over 3 years ago & I am the Chairman of the trade! The reason I WANT TO (& nothing to do with the Council) is relevant laws, proceedures, etc change & it is my wish to keep abreast of matters & offer my customers the best possible professional service that I can.

Thirdly, how many disabled people are there living in this connurbation? Do you know Hannah? You seem to know most things! Well I certainly do not & nor does anyone else. Each passenger that gets into a cab could be disabled, no not in a wheelchair which 95% of people seem to wrongly assume means disabled but there are visually impaired disabilities, deafness, autism, epilepsy, diabetes, etc, far too many to mention & we the drivers have to deal with many situations arising from the above, so a little bit of training can save someones life who knows Hannah IT COULD BE YOURS ONE DAY but there again if the driver is not trained you could be in trouble.

I now know you will post back how rude I am, bad mannered, etc but I don't care for people ignorant of the facts. This course does not cost US the tax payers a bleeding penny. It is European funded because (wait for it Comrade Hannah) it is the European Union that wishes ALL Taxi & Private Hire drivers to take up the offer of a "Free" course before it becomes mandatory. THAT is why Bournemouth Council have persuaded us drivers (& Poole cabbies have been taking this course for nearly 3 years as well but I don't hear you mentioning anything about them taking it - oh sorry you didn't know?) to take up the offer of free places over the past 3 years.

Anyone not wishing to has their right which Frank Shaw is doing but having been at last wednesdays Licensing Board meeting representing the Taxi Trade I heard from the legal team that the council have sewn up ALL loop holes on this issue & are expecting appeals against their decision & have the neccessary legal documentations in place to win any appeal. My heart goes out to Frank because I have known him for many years & he is one of the better, kinder & safer drivers who I have ever met in the trade & I do genuinely feel that the Taxi Trade will be losing a very good ambassador.

By the way Hannah, I can arrange anytime you like for you to go on this course but beforehand I will give you a mock exam to see what you really DON'T know about my trade.

This is becoming typical of this council PC almost to a man(or woman), HOWEVER IT HAS BEEN MADE ONE OF THE CONDITIONS OF HOLDING A LICENSE not only that plenty of lead in has been given. i hope any drivers found breaking the law in this way are proscecuted to the full extent of the law. it is most common that the ones who say "I've been doing this for years, I dont need telling" are the very ones who caused this new regulation in the first place. 67 year old EX taxi driver

maybe frank could appeal to the eu human rights court of appeal but hey dont hold your breath as hes white working class and english

Ashley Miller
Many thanks for the trouble you have taken to tell those that will listen the facts about this course and the background to it.You seem to be a credit to your trade.

John wrote:
Ashley Miller Many thanks for the trouble you have taken to tell those that will listen the facts about this course and the background to it.You seem to be a credit to your trade.

Thankyou John for your comment & very much appreciated. It makes it all seem worth while!

I just wish people who know nothing about a particular subject would listen & not pretend they do know all about it.

You would not see me post on a subject I do not know about because it would be wasting my time & fellow posters time as well.

You will have to excuse me but I've got a taxi to catch (with appropriate Btec qualification) to go to my "Brain surgery enhanced level 73 refresher class"!!!

P.S. You will probably now be on the Hannah Hit Squad list & will join me as being first up against the wall to be shot come the revolution!!!

theres a job waiting for you on the council ash then you can really shaft the otherr hacks

Good driver ,nice bloke ,experienced taxi driver,thats as maybe - yes Frank ,but also a stuck in the past fool ,if you go up against the authorities you'll lose - big time .everyone else is biting the bullet and so must you .you will not be the exception and at your age people are not clambering over themselves to give you a job. so do the right thing for your own benefit and get it done ,its easy.... or its ancient B&Q 'advisor' for you,and a course comes with that job too.

yeh frank just let these guttersnipes walk all over you just like our parents and grandparents did in the wars just give in like the spineless ones

bobo wrote:
Christopher sounds like a councillor,you know the ones who are world class at wasting public money and there is no bigger waste than this farcical btec it seems the EU is a licence to squander taxpayers cash

Sorry Bobo, yet someone else who assumes.

I do not claim to be, and very doubtful if I would want to be. However, I do become concerned when policies that are made to enhance a service for the better inflicts such criticism as the likes of yourself and others have.

It must be said again. What ever job one takes now, because of the "keep your job scenario" everyone will do some sort of course to keep one updated with new policies, legislation, etc etc.

This will be the same whether you are a taxi driver, work for a supermarket chain, or working in big business in the cities.

It is called reviewing the work force.

Actually I might stand for Councillor now that there are some vacancies

bobo wrote:
yeh frank just let these guttersnipes walk all over you just like our parents and grandparents did in the wars just give in like the spineless ones

when everyone else has complied with the requirement it leaves hm no alternative ,two things you have to preserve in life is 1 your income 2 the roof over your head. its nothing to do with being walked over ,you cant beat the system so go with it !!! its common sense - moan after your postition is secure

bobo wrote:
theres a job waiting for you on the council ash then you can really shaft the otherr hacks

Sorry bobo they don't pay enough & I can never see my self being a "Shiny arse", also I would have no one to argue with & be threatened with suspension!

Anyhow why would I want to shaft the other Hacks, I own most of them!!!

Ashley Miller, Bournemouth
Sorry but I did not want to post on here after Hannahs unfounded ramblings on the original 101 cabbies off the road but feel I have to as just about everything about her posts on the Taxi trade are totally unfounded & with communist views…..

Possibly Marxist?

…..she seems to know everything there is too know about this Btec course & its follow up the NVQ level 2. Even I do not know it all as I am sitting my NVQ2 at the moment having already passed my Btec qualification over 3 years ago & I am the Chairman of the trade! The reason I WANT TO (& nothing to do with the Council) is relevant laws, proceedures, etc change & it is my wish to keep abreast of matters & offer my customers the best possible professional service that I can…….

Be grateful. Other firms have to go down the ISO 9000 quality assurance route (old BSI 5750). This is more expensive than a Btec or NVQ!

Thirdly, how many disabled people are there living in this connurbation? Do you know Hannah? You seem to know most things! Well I certainly do not & nor does anyone else. Each passenger that gets into a cab could be disabled, no not in a wheelchair which 95% of people seem to wrongly assume means disabled but there are visually impaired disabilities, deafness, autism, epilepsy, diabetes, etc, far too many to mention & we the drivers have to deal with many situations arising from the above, so a little bit of training can save someones life who knows Hannah IT COULD BE YOURS ONE DAY but there again if the driver is not trained you could be in trouble.

Yep I do! The amount of Taxis parked in “Ambulances Only” bays at RBH is incredible. It is hard to get a stretcher onto an Ambo when a Taxi parks behind you!

Nick, if as you say a Taxi or Private Hire vehicle is parked in an Ambulance bay or hindering an Ambulance in any way, get straight (during opening hours) onto the Public Protection team at Bournemouth Borough Council by telephoning 01202 451180 quoting the Licesed Plate number (attached to rear of vehicle) & time of offence.
If outside of office of hours, take a note of the details & pass details at earliest availability to the Public Protection Office.

Hope that helps the situation Nick.

I’m more a live and let live person.
I know they are trying to get close for their customers. I stopped reporting vehicles when I stopped being a Copper….
It just gets frustrating when my customers can’t walk!

so you own most of the
taxis as well as a monopoly on the temp plates watch out they may deregulate if you aint careful ashley

Maybe any member of the public who wishes to use a taxi should take a btec on "How To Treat a Taxi Driver Whilst Under The Influence Of Ten Pints Of Stella". They could show their certificate as they enter the taxi. And maybe the council should be tracking down all those drivers who obtained their licence through bunging a currupt licensing officer £500, instead of victimising decent taxi drivers.Get me stirred up, and I will blow the taxi trade apart.

Anon wrote:
Maybe any member of the public who wishes to use a taxi should take a btec on "How To Treat a Taxi Driver Whilst Under The Influence Of Ten Pints Of Stella". They could show their certificate as they enter the taxi. And maybe the council should be tracking down all those drivers who obtained their licence through bunging a currupt licensing officer £500, instead of victimising decent taxi drivers.Get me stirred up, and I will blow the taxi trade apart.

Now this is a story thats interesting, please tell more

Ashley Miller, Bournemouth on 2:31pm today

Check your driving license !

Your wild and exaggerated claims about me indicate that you are under a lot of pressure over this. I am sorry about that, but getting aggressive and indulging in rude and inaccurate replies just weakens your case.

No matter how supportive your mates are, the plain fact is that you are wrong in this particular matter, and depriving over a 100 people of their livelihoods because of a silly shallow course is out of all proportion. And I think that you know it which is why you are so angry.

If the people responsible for this get away with it, then the future looks grim for us all. Please confine yourself to the points I raise in future replies and argue the case without becoming so angry and personal.

It is not good for you, or the others, to get so worked up about these things. We’ll all be dead in a few decades anyway, so what does it really matter ?

I think this is great.

Maybe any member of the public who wishes to use a taxi should take a btec on "How To Treat a Taxi Driver Whilst Under The Influence Of Ten Pints Of Stella". They could show their certificate as they enter the taxi. And maybe the council should be tracking down all those drivers who obtained their licence through bunging a currupt licensing officer £500, instead of victimising decent taxi drivers.Get me stirred up, and I will blow the taxi trade apart.

Oh please do not get me started!
I pity the bus drivers who have to take 70(ish) of the drunken so and so’s. A taxi driver only gets a few. I have seen 3 bus drivers unloading a wheelchair 5 ft from the curb because a taxi driver has parked in bus clearway. Personally I do not think you can get enough training, no matter what profession you are in.

Thank heavens the doctors (Surgeon Barbours) still do not bleed us to let the devils out ….

By the way. This is a comments. To chat try the Forum.

hey nick
who picks up the drunken scum after midnight when the bus drivers are tucked up safely in bed?

The bus drivers who work until 02.30hrs of course. Wilts and Dorset are thinking about 24hr bus services on the More route.
This could put a lot of Taxi Driver out of business.

and you can ride shotgun for them in your ambulance presumably

No, used to have to do that all as a Copper.
Now I do nothing more hard that getting a 25 (ish) stone person down and up their own stairs.
(Down is easier).

DEAR HANNAH, (YOU ARE FEMALE I TAKE IT?)
I NOTICED THAT YOU ENTERED TWO IDENTICAL E-MAILS A FEW MINUTES APART. (SHAKY HAND DARLING?).
THE UPPER CASE JUST MAKES IT EASIER TO TYPE WITH TWO FINGERS!
THATCHERISM?
I KNOW, YOU ARE THE DAUGHTER OF AN OUT OF WORK COAL MINER!
WELL MOVE ON SWEETHEART AND MAYBE SOMEONE WITH A HUMVEE JUST MIGHT STOP AND OFFER YOU A LIFT!
BUT TRY AND STOP YOUR WRISTS DRAGGING ON THE GROUND WHEN YOU WALK! (FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING OF COURSE)
HAVE A GREAT EASTER AND HAPPY DATING.

THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THIS STORY READ:
"A FURIOUS TAXI DRIVER VOWS TO KEEP DRIVING DESPITE BEING SUSPENDED"
MADAM IF YOU FIND THAT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND LET ME CONSTRUE: FURIOUS = MAD, VOWS = PROMISES,DESPITE = EVEN THOUGH, SUSPENDED = DEBARRED.
IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER PROBLEMS, CONSULT A DICTIONARY

I think the best solution to this, is to introduce it to new cabbies, and leave the rest alone. I think New Forest taxi drivers have to take a simple English test before being issued a license..the drivers already holding a license do not have to do so...this is fair..not being made to sit in on courses.

THAT WOULD BE THE COMMON SENSE APPROACH BUT THIS IS BRITAIN IN 2008 AND WHY PEOPLE ARE LEAVING IN DROVES BUT AT LEAST LAURIE MARSH LEFT WITH UM

Aye!

UM?
I REALISE THAT I MIGHT BE LEADING WITH MY CHIN!

bobo wrote:
hey nick
who picks up the drunken scum after midnight when the bus drivers are tucked up safely in bed?

Its there choice to do the job they can always get a job at tesco. or maybe not as they are not polite they would get the sack.

Message to ignorant stuborn frank shaw take the test or get out the job, as they say if you cant stand the heat get out the kitchen.Bournemouth taxi drivers are rude and need this test.

mmmmmmmmmmmm, dorset on 10:20am today

Bournemouth taxi drivers are rude and need this test

If rudeness is the reason for the test then one or two posters on this thread should do it as well! :)

Nick wrote:
I think this is great.

Maybe any member of the public who wishes to use a taxi should take a btec on "How To Treat a Taxi Driver Whilst Under The Influence Of Ten Pints Of Stella". They could show their certificate as they enter the taxi. And maybe the council should be tracking down all those drivers who obtained their licence through bunging a currupt licensing officer £500, instead of victimising decent taxi drivers.Get me stirred up, and I will blow the taxi trade apart.

Oh please do not get me started! I pity the bus drivers who have to take 70(ish) of the drunken so and so’s. A taxi driver only gets a few. I have seen 3 bus drivers unloading a wheelchair 5 ft from the curb because a taxi driver has parked in bus clearway. Personally I do not think you can get enough training, no matter what profession you are in. Thank heavens the doctors (Surgeon Barbours) still do not bleed us to let the devils out ….

Nick,you really dont have a clue do you? You have spent your life cosseted in either the police force or the ambulance service, with your subsidised mortgages and car finance, 5 weeks paid holiday a year, and a month off for stress if you experience something "nasty" or maybe a couple of weeks away at one of those nice police convalescent homes tuck away in the country all for free (taxpayers).Nick, when you go on a training course,do you do it in your own time whilst not getting paid? Didnt think so.Every comment or argument you have come up with Nick, I could easily blow out of the way,but I cant be bothered, because you are not interested in listening to "ordinary" people. Thats part of police training isnt it? I'm sorry if you were bullied at school nick, but you really should have got over it by now.

Boscombe Red wrote:

Anon wrote: Maybe any member of the public who wishes to use a taxi should take a btec on "How To Treat a Taxi Driver Whilst Under The Influence Of Ten Pints Of Stella". They could show their certificate as they enter the taxi. And maybe the council should be tracking down all those drivers who obtained their licence through bunging a currupt licensing officer £500, instead of victimising decent taxi drivers.Get me stirred up, and I will blow the taxi trade apart.

Now this is a story thats interesting, please tell more

I'm sorry, but I couldnt pour it all out to some journalist who isnt bothered about the real plight of real people. But only bothered about scoring brownie points with the editor.

Can ASHLEY MILLER tell us something about this corrupt licensing officer it may warrent fraud squad investigation

Its common knowledge, has been for a long time.Its down to the council to come clean, admit it, tell the people of Bournemouth what happened, and trace the drivers who are affected and prosecute them.Trouble is, i think the drivers concerned are all "friends from overseas" so we couldnt possibly do something as un pc as that, could we ?

Maybe a crime reporter with the Echo could investigate it would make pretty spicy story and also explain why the 101 lads are being victimised

bobo wrote:
Maybe a crime reporter with the Echo could investigate it would make pretty spicy story and also explain why the 101 lads are being victimised

Unfortunately, what would the council say? " Sorry, dont know what your talking about"
Thinking about this you know, the btec course was introduced shortly after this scandal came out in the open. Maybe the two things are linked. Maybe thats why the first question you have to fill out on the btec is "what is your N I number." Or am I being too cynical.

bobo wrote:
Can ASHLEY MILLER tell us something about this corrupt licensing officer it may warrent fraud squad investigation

Allegations were made a few years ago about an Officer but an investigation failed to find any proof.

If anyone knows any different then please let me know as I have no further information.

Anon wrote:
Maybe any member of the public who wishes to use a taxi should take a btec on "How To Treat a Taxi Driver Whilst Under The Influence Of Ten Pints Of Stella". They could show their certificate as they enter the taxi. And maybe the council should be tracking down all those drivers who obtained their licence through bunging a currupt licensing officer £500, instead of victimising decent taxi drivers.Get me stirred up, and I will blow the taxi trade apart.

By all means, go ahead & BLOW THE TAXI TRADE APART as you say.

What point are you trying raise?

Why are you so bitter?

Are you one of the 101 that have been taken off the road because if you are then good, because over 90% of us have given up a few hours of our time to secure our future in the trade.

As you can see, I use my name on the postings why do you go under ANON? Something to hide?

Hannah wrote:
Ashley Miller, Bournemouth on 2:31pm today Check your driving license ! Your wild and exaggerated claims about me indicate that you are under a lot of pressure over this. I am sorry about that, but getting aggressive and indulging in rude and inaccurate replies just weakens your case. No matter how supportive your mates are, the plain fact is that you are wrong in this particular matter, and depriving over a 100 people of their livelihoods because of a silly shallow course is out of all proportion. And I think that you know it which is why you are so angry. If the people responsible for this get away with it, then the future looks grim for us all. Please confine yourself to the points I raise in future replies and argue the case without becoming so angry and personal. It is not good for you, or the others, to get so worked up about these things. We’ll all be dead in a few decades anyway, so what does it really matter ?

Hannah

I am not wrong for sticking up for over 90% of my trade because we have done this "silly course" to secure our futures & 101 have not.

Two of the drivers who have already passed the course have held Bournemouth Hackney Licenses since 1963 & proudly boast of their new found knowledge & one of them is in his 80th year!

I am certainly not wound up, in fact I find it all rather amusing how people want the 101 Taxi & Private Hire drivers who have not taken the course to continue driving "unlicensed" & face possible disqualification from the road because as you are probably aware driving a vehicle whilst unlicensed means there is no insurance & thus becomes a Road Traffic Offence.

For the sake of a few hours in the classroom is it really worth losing your livelihood over some daft principle?

None of us wanted to do it but as it was brought in under "fitness of licence" then unfortunately we have had no choice but to get on with it.

There, I said all that without being rude or angry in fact I've been smiling like I have all the way through the other postings!!!

Regards your last paragraph, let us hope that we will be around for quite a few more decades.

Happy Easter Hannah from Ashley XXX

It is a pity there is no quality standard for the "taxis", especially in Poole. The cars they use are mostly the cheapest junk they can pack a few passengers into. There is no comaparison with the old fashioned black cab. In most of the rest of the world at least they standardise on a Mercedes with some space in the back.

dear nick,as you seem a little ignorant may i enlighten you.you need a full driving licence BEFORE applying for an hackney licence.i also held an hgv1 licence, which i used all over europe, middle east and east africa. enough experience ??

Christopher wrote:
Whether any driver is against the course or not. If by decree of the Council Licencing Board who have said all drivers will do the test, then so be it. If any driver revokes this, then they are suspended. This means that their licence and badge are suspended. So even if they do continue driving, passengers be warned you will not be insured in this taxi, and it will be illegal for the driver to pick up, either in transit or at a rank. Frank Shaw may very well be a good driver, and I believe he is but he does not show good driver attitude if he intends to drive unlicenced. Surely is it much simpler just to do the course, and get it over and done with.

christopher,i do not intend to drive illegally,as we have 21 days to appeal against this ruling,i believe we may carry on working until the appeal has been heard.i will clarify this with the hackney carriage office on tues. morning.i have NOT driven since recieving the letter,and the echo did slightly misquote me.

Jerry wrote:

PokesdownMark wrote: The councils aim to improve taxi service is a good one. But I'm not convinced that this one training course will make any difference at all. I use (pre-booked) taxis about half a dozen times a month and am no longer amazed at the poor standard of driving shown by drivers. I would have thought the obvious thing to do would be to say that all drivers need to have passed either the RoSPA or IAM advanced driving test. Job done. No need for additional courses to be set-up with associated costs etc... And no excuses from the drivers about the course being of no value.

The problem here is the cost. The Council is offering a course that is FREE to drivers. It is a Nationally recognised BTEC and is all that the Council is asking of them. (apart from a short spell off the road). IAM and ROSPA costs money, needs a lot of time off the road to complete the courses, and on-going costs to renew your membership of these organisations in order to carry their "good driver" plate on the car. These courses do not conet customer care and courtesy, which appears to be the main thing lacking with todays taxi drivers.

this course does not include any driving quals.

laurie marsh wrote:
GOOD ON YOU FRANK! LIKE MOST CAB DRIVERS YOU SEEM TO THINK THAT ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROAD ARE AN INCONVENIENCE. I MEAN IF YOUR LICENCE IS SUSPENDED WHO CARES? UNLESS OF COURSE YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND SOMEONE GETS HURT. WITH NO LICENECE YOU HAVE NO INSURANCE, BUT WHO CARES? IT IS ABOUT TIME YOU RETIRED. AT YOUR AGE YOU REALLY SHOULD KNOW BETTER!

READ MY EARLIER REPLY !!

Ashley Miller wrote:

bobo wrote: theres a job waiting for you on the council ash then you can really shaft the otherr hacks

Sorry bobo they don't pay enough & I can never see my self being a "Shiny arse", also I would have no one to argue with & be threatened with suspension! Anyhow why would I want to shaft the other Hacks, I own most of them!!!

sorry ashley, is that why you also want all replacement vehs. to be yellow, so you can rent out your vehs. to the unfortunate who have broken down or had an accident?? youve just shown yourself as very arrogant!!

Frank I wish you well with the appeal & will be watching to see the result.

In the mean time why do you not at least sign up for the course (fast track) on tuesday & then you will have until 31st May to pass it?

That way you can remain driving & earn yourself a living.

Hannah wrote:
mmmmmmmmmmmm, dorset on 10:20am today

Bournemouth taxi drivers are rude and need this test

If rudeness is the reason for the test then one or two posters on this thread should do it as well! :)

i agree a few drivers are rude, i could name a few. it is up to the public to complain, with thier plate number, but if you think sitting a btech will improve thier manners, you are in cloud cuckoo land

frank carl shaw wrote:

Ashley Miller wrote:

bobo wrote: theres a job waiting for you on the council ash then you can really shaft the otherr hacks

Sorry bobo they don't pay enough & I can never see my self being a "Shiny arse", also I would have no one to argue with & be threatened with suspension! Anyhow why would I want to shaft the other Hacks, I own most of them!!!

sorry ashley, is that why you also want all replacement vehs. to be yellow, so you can rent out your vehs. to the unfortunate who have broken down or had an accident?? youve just shown yourself as very arrogant!!

Sorry frank, wrong . . . that was not my decision. Why would I cut my living down because now I am stuck with 2 vehicles that can only be used as Private Hire cover & not what I originally purchased them for.

Please check your facts first as opposed to assuming that it was my idea.
I do have plenty of witnesses that I went before the Licensing Board to have the yellow replacement car rule overturned. In fact it was the day you were there, so I think being arrogant is way out of order & more out of pocket springs to mind.

Also let me put the record straight, I do not make the decisions about the Taxi & Private Hire Trade, that's what the members of the Taxi & Private Hire Joint Committee do. As Chairman I am instructed by the Committee what to do & what to say & often disagree with their views but if something is voted on & I'm against it then it's tough for me because I have to go along with their wishes.

Oh, who makes up this Committee? The radio circuit companies, Bournemouth Station Taxi Association, Independant owners & drivers, private hire owners & drivers, ethnics, & females, so all corners are covered.

The company that you are driving for probably has the biggest influence so you can blame them, not me as after all it was your ex secretary who introduced this Btec course! Does that ring any bells? It had nothing to do with this or any other Committee.

Ashley
can we do something about the abuse of temporary plates?. it always seems to be the same owners every weekend and maybe bringing us into disrepute just seems a bit dodgy to me.
Also saw no mention on the Swindon.gov hackney carriage site about btec being forced onto their fine drivers.

Ashley Miller wrote:

Anon wrote: Maybe any member of the public who wishes to use a taxi should take a btec on "How To Treat a Taxi Driver Whilst Under The Influence Of Ten Pints Of Stella". They could show their certificate as they enter the taxi. And maybe the council should be tracking down all those drivers who obtained their licence through bunging a currupt licensing officer £500, instead of victimising decent taxi drivers.Get me stirred up, and I will blow the taxi trade apart.

By all means, go ahead & BLOW THE TAXI TRADE APART as you say. What point are you trying raise? Why are you so bitter? Are you one of the 101 that have been taken off the road because if you are then good, because over 90% of us have given up a few hours of our time to secure our future in the trade. As you can see, I use my name on the postings why do you go under ANON? Something to hide?

Ashley. I dont have any gripe with you, you are one of the few genuine guys in the taxi trade.And no, I havent been put off the road, in fact I was one of the first drivers to take the btec. Why am i "anon"? Because some of the things I would like to say about the Taxi trade means that I wouldnt be flavour of the month, and I value the safety of myself and my family.
Why am I bitter? Because the Taxi trade has become a group of have and have nots because the cost of hackney plates has gone through the roof in the last couple of years because somehow, our "friends from overseas" seem to arrive here, and within a year or so seem to have the CASH to go out and purchase a plate.This is something that needs to be addressed and investigated.Where does this cash come from? Do they have a cousin in Afganistan with a poppy field?
Ashley, shall we tell all the lovely people form Bournemouth (and the council) what sort of figures we are talking about? The vasts sums of money that are changing hands for something that has no intrinsic value and is the property of the council.
And shall we tell them also, if you are a have not,how much you will have to pay each week, if you would like to earn your living from taxi driving.
Ashley, you know as well as I do what is happening under our noses.
Also shall we tell the public all the new rules and regulations that have been thrown at us over the years from the council. I bet the public think we are all driving around in brand new vehicles because we are all loaded, and not because the council imposed an age restriction on any new plated vehicle, and for many of us, the only way to get a vehicle back on the road after a major accident or some such similar diaster, is to take out a huge loan with one of the "specialists" that can supply a new vehicle overnight.
And the fact that we now have MOT tests every 6 months, even if you have a brand new vehicle.Along with all the other rules and regulations that have been imposed on us over the years, with every "new broom" that is appointed as "Hackney carraige inspector"
That is why I am bitter Ashley, because if you are a have not, you dont stand a chance any more.So shall I tell every one what those figures are for buying or renting a plate? Or shall I let you?

bobo wrote:
Ashley can we do something about the abuse of temporary plates?. it always seems to be the same owners every weekend and maybe bringing us into disrepute just seems a bit dodgy to me. Also saw no mention on the Swindon.gov hackney carriage site about btec being forced onto their fine drivers.

Hi bobo

The temporary plate issue has been taken away from us at the weekend by the Council because as you say it was abused. One person imparticular (Yellow Seat Alhambra mysteriously changes into silver Mercedes saloon car) springs to mind. That is also why hackneys have to be yellow substitute vehicles as from last december ALL BECAUSE OF ONE PERSON!

So once again we in the trade who are struggling to make a living are penalised & can not even change over to a fully insured & appropriately m.o.t. vehicle to work on a saturday night where the majority of our money is made.

I will check with the Swindon LLA & report back re the Btec

Keep up the good work

Hi Ashley The parish of Charminster seems to be infested with ethnic taxis being parked on the rank unattended in bus stops yellow lines etc also giving us a bad name.
Also can you name one council other than our tyrants which has threatened to suspend drivers if they dont take part in the ludicrous btec.
Keep up your excellent work

Hi again Ash
could you tell me if any of the taxi association reps gained fincially from allowing this btec to be forced onto us

Thanks Anon for your kind comment about me. Nice to be appreciated for once!

I understand your reasons for wanting to remain "Anon", I unfortunately, would soon be rumbled by my comments to some of the postings by you guys!

I have had many a conversation recently with some of our "overseas" brethren re the price of rentals. They moan about it but in truth people who rent get a pretty good deal in general.
Here goes (and to hell with trade secrets!)

For the past 8 years I have rented out my Hackney Carriage Vehicles (HCV) for the sum of £300 per week (price has remained static - no increase in that time). That rental is 100% tax deductable so theoretically the driver has a car 24 hours a day 7 days a week to do with what ever he wants to do with it. The only other expense to the driver is his/her fuel (again tax deductable).
Now, that driver can take the kids to school, wife shopping, take it on holiday & of course earn a living from it & he has not had to purchase a car for shopping, kids to school,etc, money already saved!

On the otherhand he/she has not had to purchase the "good will of the business" (plate comes free but you pay for the goodwill attached to it) which can vary in price - put it this way, if I were to sell 4 of mine then I could easily purchase a nice house in the Charminster area.
So that is the initial high cost, then comes the purchase of the vehicle - all of mine bar one were purchased brand new, sprayed Jamaica Yellow (£350), meter, printer, roof light & in car electrics & ariel (approx £550), Insurance (£1000 per vehicle), Licence fee (£130), maintenance (approx £50 per week, tyres, servicing, general wear & tear, etc.), 2 M.O.TS a year (£98), plus any damage caused by people hitting it, bottles,stones, etc that are thrown at it, willful damage such as key scrapes, broken mirrors, smashed windows & much, much more that unfortunately happens to our cabs.

Not bad for £300 plus fuel per week (and it's all tax free!). Where else could you set up in business with absolutely no outlay in costs & start earning straight away?

One draw back, you must have passed your Btec exam to be able to drive though!!!

For anyone who doesn't know - the vehicles we put on have to be less than three & a half years old at first registration (Wheelchair Accesible Vehicles) are exempt from that ruling but the majority of us buy, finance or lease brand new vehicles.
These vehicles (if double banked) do in excess of over a 1,000 per week & have to be changed usually every 4 to 5 years.

Hell, I think I will sell up & go & rent one. Anyone got a car to rent please? And yes I've passed my Btec course so I will be fully insured to drive your vehicle!!!!

bobo wrote:
Hi again Ash could you tell me if any of the taxi association reps gained fincially from allowing this btec to be forced onto us

The only ones to gain financially are 4 or maybe 5 Bournemouth cabbies who were involved in the teaching of the Btec course at Poole College (I can not name them for legal reasons but you are welcome to 'phone me). Funny how I never got asked to be a tutor, they probably knew what my reply would have been & something to do with stick it where the sun doesn't shine!!!

Your other post re parked & abondoned cabs at Charminster (rank,etc) has been reported to the Council on many occassions but if you want a swift response telephone 01202 451268 which is Bmth Council parking management (and they would happily oblige with a few tickets!).

Happy postings

were any of these cabbies taxi assoc reps if so is it not a conflict of interest and why the lack of transparancy over finances sorry theres a very bad pong to all this

bobo wrote:
were any of these cabbies taxi assoc reps if so is it not a conflict of interest and why the lack of transparancy over finances sorry theres a very bad pong to all this

Bobo

None of the Taxi or Private Hire Committee are involved in the running of any courses. Former people were but not active apart from one who resigned because of a conflict of interest.

Sorry but I don't understand where you say about "Lack of transparency over finances"?

Do you mean how much the tutors earn or my pathetic income after expenses?

Ashley
Can you name and shame the guttersnipe who resigned so that he can be avoided like the plague in future dealings.
Also which other local authorities have threatened drivers with suspension if they do not take part in btec.
yours inquisitively

Ashley, your rental fees are very reasonable, most "Taxi Barons" are charging £350 per week.Also, you say if a taxi is operated night and day (double banked) it will take £1000.Fair enough, if both drivers work at least 60 hours then maybe.Then take out your fee and all the fuel costs and there isnt much left to provide 2 drivers with a living.Also, I know that if i wanted to "double bank" a rented car, then you would want more than £300, I know, I have asked you.
What i am getting at though, more importantly, is the cost of a plate, the "goodwill" as you say.I noticed you never mentioned how much plates are changing hands for at the moment, thanks to our "friends from overseas" upping the price.65-70 thousand pounds i would need right now wouldnt I Ashley? 65-70 Thousand quid, just so i would have the right to operate my own cab.
Which comes down to my real point. Where are our "friends from overseas" getting that kind of CASH from?
I have lived in this town and I think its a scandal that I cannot afford to operate my own Taxi because I dont have dodgy money coming in from abroad. And dont forget, this money is completely untracable as nothing is declared as a taxi plate has no value. you give the guy the cash, and he takes you down the town hall and the papers are signed.
I hope one of our decent councillors are reading this and now realise that these Taxi plates, which the council refuse to delimit, are changing hands for 65-70 thousand quid. And all of us "have nots" are suppose to keep our mouths shut to protect all of the "haves" while we watch any ambition of operating our own taxis getting more and more out of reach, and having to accept the fact that if we want to make our living from taxi driving, then we will have to pay a taxi baron. It is simple exploitation.The sooner this council delimit taxi plate numbers, the sooner the people of Bournemouth can have a fairer and more transparent taxi trade, without the risk of illegal money from overseas being laundered in this way. Sorry Ashley, have I said too much?

Quote Anon.
Nick,you really dont have a clue do you? You have spent your life cosseted in either the police force or the ambulance service, with your subsidised mortgages and car finance,...

Hi Anon.
Yep you are right. I haven’t got a clue. I spent most of my younger years getting shot at by nasty people with guns….
Been shot at by the Argies, Arabs Irish, Bosnians Somalians, and not forgetting the Yanks too. (They took out 17 of us in one go in the Gulf).
So I do not have your live experience of the nastier side of Taxi Driving.
Sorry about that! ;-)

But to reply.
If I was require by any of the firms I worked for to have a course or qualification they paid for it. Except while I was self employed, then I paid for it and claimed it back from the Tax Man later. If all the drivers who need this course are self employed then surely they can claim this back too.

I must admit that I am not a big fan of Taxi Drivers as a whole. Too many of them break the law on a regular basis. I get really anti to see people who are supposed to be professional drivers who do it deliberately. (Mind you, I’ve witnessed Coppers who think that the Law does not apply to them too, so it is not just a Taxi thing!)

I know it can be a hard life, I’ve attended more than a few incidents where a cabbie was attacked by his fare. (I caught one of the buggers and that was my first ever arrest). I have also NEVER had to ticket a cabbie, I know they are just trying to earn a crust, (and we used to get so much help from them too) . So I have always used my discretion there, preferring words of advice instead.

But sickness and R&R? There you are wrong. I know that self employed people get no sick pay unless they pay their stamp. (Been there too) . But as in all jobs the stress can get to you. It does not matter if you are pulling bodies out of a car or getting shot at in a distant land. I’ve seen too many people broken on the inside.
If you can’t take it why not try something else too. Try Wilts and Dorset, you get your PSV Licence for free, 5 weeks Holiday and £8.40 an hour. But please promise me not to swear at the Taxi Driver talking on his mobile phone in the bus stop when you unload an elderly lady with a Zimmer.

As I said before your astonishing outburst. All in all I would just like all professional drivers to be just that, professional.. To me it does matter if they are a Cabbie, White Van Man, Copper, Trucker, Bus Driver, Ambo Driver….. etc. For me all of those people should have more sense. If there is a qualification going, grab it. It is something that may, one day, aid you in a situation where you have to prove that you are, indeed, a professional driver.

Anon wrote:
Ashley, your rental fees are very reasonable, most "Taxi Barons" are charging £350 per week.Also, you say if a taxi is operated night and day (double banked) it will take £1000.Fair enough, if both drivers work at least 60 hours then maybe.Then take out your fee and all the fuel costs and there isnt much left to provide 2 drivers with a living.Also, I know that if i wanted to "double bank" a rented car, then you would want more than £300, I know, I have asked you. What i am getting at though, more importantly, is the cost of a plate, the "goodwill" as you say.I noticed you never mentioned how much plates are changing hands for at the moment, thanks to our "friends from overseas" upping the price.65-70 thousand pounds i would need right now wouldnt I Ashley? 65-70 Thousand quid, just so i would have the right to operate my own cab. Which comes down to my real point. Where are our "friends from overseas" getting that kind of CASH from? I have lived in this town and I think its a scandal that I cannot afford to operate my own Taxi because I dont have dodgy money coming in from abroad. And dont forget, this money is completely untracable as nothing is declared as a taxi plate has no value. you give the guy the cash, and he takes you down the town hall and the papers are signed. I hope one of our decent councillors are reading this and now realise that these Taxi plates, which the council refuse to delimit, are changing hands for 65-70 thousand quid. And all of us "have nots" are suppose to keep our mouths shut to protect all of the "haves" while we watch any ambition of operating our own taxis getting more and more out of reach, and having to accept the fact that if we want to make our living from taxi driving, then we will have to pay a taxi baron. It is simple exploitation.The sooner this council delimit taxi plate numbers, the sooner the people of Bournemouth can have a fairer and more transparent taxi trade, without the risk of illegal money from overseas being laundered in this way. Sorry Ashley, have I said too much?

You have a lot to say, considering this is discussing BTEC and nothing else. Plate prices are only inflated by potentiel buyers and not existing owners, so therefore it is not the TAXI BARONS. Most people work their taxi and then retire and they do not just try to make money out of it. I f the Council delimit the amount of plates then the service would be poorer than now. What you should be doing is looking over the past 10 years and see has been issued a plate and sold it within 6 months, I think you will then see why the problems arrise. I for one do not care if you are a have not because youy have had the chane to be a have. Also just for the record I know of drivers who are financially better off on the current system. If you wish to discuss this further let me know, if not may I remind you this is a comments board not a Ashley and Anon chat room.

Anon wrote:
Ashley, your rental fees are very reasonable, most "Taxi Barons" are charging £350 per week.Also, you say if a taxi is operated night and day (double banked) it will take £1000.Fair enough, if both drivers work at least 60 hours then maybe.Then take out your fee and all the fuel costs and there isnt much left to provide 2 drivers with a living.Also, I know that if i wanted to "double bank" a rented car, then you would want more than £300, I know, I have asked you. What i am getting at though, more importantly, is the cost of a plate, the "goodwill" as you say.I noticed you never mentioned how much plates are changing hands for at the moment, thanks to our "friends from overseas" upping the price.65-70 thousand pounds i would need right now wouldnt I Ashley? 65-70 Thousand quid, just so i would have the right to operate my own cab. Which comes down to my real point. Where are our "friends from overseas" getting that kind of CASH from? I have lived in this town and I think its a scandal that I cannot afford to operate my own Taxi because I dont have dodgy money coming in from abroad. And dont forget, this money is completely untracable as nothing is declared as a taxi plate has no value. you give the guy the cash, and he takes you down the town hall and the papers are signed. I hope one of our decent councillors are reading this and now realise that these Taxi plates, which the council refuse to delimit, are changing hands for 65-70 thousand quid. And all of us "have nots" are suppose to keep our mouths shut to protect all of the "haves" while we watch any ambition of operating our own taxis getting more and more out of reach, and having to accept the fact that if we want to make our living from taxi driving, then we will have to pay a taxi baron. It is simple exploitation.The sooner this council delimit taxi plate numbers, the sooner the people of Bournemouth can have a fairer and more transparent taxi trade, without the risk of illegal money from overseas being laundered in this way. Sorry Ashley, have I said too much?

You have a lot to say, considering this is discussing BTEC and nothing else. Plate prices are only inflated by potentiel buyers and not existing owners, so therefore it is not the TAXI BARONS. Most people work their taxi and then retire and they do not just try to make money out of it. I f the Council delimit the amount of plates then the service would be poorer than now. What you should be doing is looking over the past 10 years and see has been issued a plate and sold it within 6 months, I think you will then see why the problems arrise. I for one do not care if you are a have not because youy have had the chane to be a have. Also just for the record I know of drivers who are financially better off on the current system. If you wish to discuss this further let me know, if not may I remind you this is a comments board not a Ashley and Anon chat room.

dont worry mate plate values are dropping like northern rock this time next year theyll be 2 a penney maybe the ethnics wiii drove off back to the casbahs and poppey fields

Just one other point.
This is only a Customer Care Program isn’t it? I have been speaking to a lady friend (ex Taxi Driver) who now works on the busses. It appears to be the same one as the buss drivers do too.
If you want to discuss this further try the Echo Forum. (I’ve made a start under Get it off your chest, Standards of Driving).

Anon

I wish the "goodwill of business" re a hackney plate was worth £65k - £70k. I'd be selling like a shot.

Unfortunately I can only dream on at those prices.

Delimitation would put many hundreds of drivers off of the road because nobody could make a living & no one could afford any maintenance bills so the cabs would be death traps.

Nick

I have a very big respect for what you have done & for who you are & thanks for your support.

All the best for the future

Ashley Miller wrote:
Anon I wish the "goodwill of business" re a hackney plate was worth £65k - £70k. I'd be selling like a shot. Unfortunately I can only dream on at those prices. Delimitation would put many hundreds of drivers off of the road because nobody could make a living & no one could afford any maintenance bills so the cabs would be death traps.

You know that I am telling the truth. You know someone not a million miles away from one of your cars each day that recently sold for £67k.
As far as delimitation goes, it seems to work in well over half of the councils in the country,with more and more going the same way.With two MOT's a year, cant see maintenance being an issue, especially with pretty good warranties being offered with new vehicles.
Maybe I should voice my concerns to members of the licensing board.
Maybe we could carry on this discussion at the "taxi-driver online" forum.

www.taxi-driver.co.u
k. Just looked on there,Ashley, and you've got a mention already.

darlington v kaye looked like fun ash

Hannah wrote:
Ashley Miller, Bournemouth on 2:31pm today

Check your driving license !

Your wild and exaggerated claims about me indicate that you are under a lot of pressure over this. I am sorry about that, but getting aggressive and indulging in rude and inaccurate replies just weakens your case.

No matter how supportive your mates are, the plain fact is that you are wrong in this particular matter, and depriving over a 100 people of their livelihoods because of a silly shallow course is out of all proportion. And I think that you know it which is why you are so angry.

If the people responsible for this get away with it, then the future looks grim for us all. Please confine yourself to the points I raise in future replies and argue the case without becoming so angry and personal.

It is not good for you, or the others, to get so worked up about these things. We’ll all be dead in a few decades anyway, so what does it really matter ?

Give it a rest,you think you are a expert on everything,and nobody must say a word against you,nobody can work out if your a man or woman,but obviously you have personal problems,which cause you to rant on.Ashley does his best for the taxi trade and does know what goes on,where do you get your "expertise" from.You are putting others off this site.

Anon wrote:
www.taxi-driver.co.u k. Just looked on there,Ashley, and you've got a mention already.

plenty of people with backbone commenting on that site ash

i can't think how plates are still limited in certain places,i thought deregulation happened throughout the whole country in 1988 when i got my first "free" plate from charnwood borough council. as far as i'm concerned if anybody wishing to apply for a plate can prove there is a "need" ie take a video or photo of people waiting at a taxi rank/stand to the council saying, "look there's work for more taxis" they can't legally refuse and wouldn't win in court anyhow.i believe thats how deregulation came about in the first place.
i've been in the job over 20 years,there's too many cabs most of the time and our council just keep plating more and more with no thought of our living being defeated,it's all about money for them just like the 3-year paid for up front badges we have now.as for the b-tech,i refuse to pay in excess of £120 for something that'll teach me absolutely nothing,i don't need teaching how to do something i've done successfully for so many long years,it's an insult,disgraceful and i'd sooner be out of work.anybody fighting it gets my praise.