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Taxis flagging due to out-of town cabs
A FRUSTRATED taxi driver is demanding to know why cabs licensed in Berwick are still able to touting for trade in Darlington.
George Jenkinson said business for the town's cabbies was suffering from the influx of private hire taxis with plates from Berwick, where licence fees cost half as much.
He said: "There is a loophole in the law. There are about five new cars appearing with a Berwick-upon-Tweed licence each week and the problem has been going on for a year."
The cost to test and license a private-hire taxi and driver in Darlington for a 12-month period cost £529 last year, but only £258 in Berwick.
But the law states that as long as the taxi remains for private hire use only the licence is transferable anywhere in the country.
He said: "We have been told that there is a loophole in the law as drivers can get a much cheaper licence in Berwick.
"These cars are not DSA (Driving Standards Agency) tested and cars are not up to scratch.
What is taking Darlington Borough Council so long to act on this, our livings are at stake. They have taken away lots of our business."
Mr Jenkinson added: "We are not the only ones angry about this, it is effecting taxi drivers in Derwentside and Newcastle too.
"The issue is being sent to the High Court but it has been adjourned and adjourned."
A Darlington Borough Council spokesman said licensed Hackney carriages could collect private hire bookings anywhere in the country.
He added: "We have no authority over vehicles licensed by other councils but, if they do something illegal in Darlington, such as picking up unbooked fares, we can prosecute the driver.
"Newcastle City Council has been granted permission to judicially review Berwick Council for granting licenses to vehicles that are only being used outside of the Berwick district and we have written a letter of support for this action. We await the hearing."
In August last year Ace Cars, a local taxi firm, had its licence revoked by Darlington councillors who ruled that the firm was jeopardising public safety by licensing some of its taxis with Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council.
11:30am Friday 14th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: anon, D'ton on 4:38pm Fri 14 Mar 08
I'm a little confused if Ace had its licence revoked last year. Why are its taxis seen all over D'ton and why is it advertising in one of the free papers that came through the door today? Or is being licensed by another town a loophole that allows it to do this?
I'm a little confused if Ace had its licence revoked last year. Why are its taxis seen all over D'ton and why is it advertising in one of the free papers that came through the door today? Or is being licensed by another town a loophole that allows it to do this?
Posted by: Dave, Darlington on 5:42pm Fri 14 Mar 08
Pity the poor cabbies;those knights of the road, what with their curteous and competent driving...they're always complaining about profits but most cabbies I know only declare a 16 hour week to the tax man...
Pity the poor cabbies;those knights of the road, what with their curteous and competent driving...they're always complaining about profits but most cabbies I know only declare a 16 hour week to the tax man...
Posted by: paul, darlington on 12:41am Sat 15 Mar 08
you only need a operators licence to operate private hire vehicles since the berwick on tweed plated taxis are hackney carrages a licence to operate is not required if you operate a hackney car outside the borough it is licenced in it is classed a private hire that is how you could order a darlington taxi to pick you up in say newton ayclife if you ring a darlington taxi firm but you coulnd flag a darlington taxi down in aycliffe it would be breaking the law
you only need a operators licence to operate private hire vehicles since the berwick on tweed plated taxis are hackney carrages a licence to operate is not required if you operate a hackney car outside the borough it is licenced in it is classed a private hire that is how you could order a darlington taxi to pick you up in say newton ayclife if you ring a darlington taxi firm but you coulnd flag a darlington taxi down in aycliffe it would be breaking the law
Posted by: brian, darlington on 9:50am Sat 15 Mar 08
wingin taxi drivers i have yet to meet one that has the respect for punnters,as for road worthy cabs they want to learn how to check lights all work do they not no it is part of the m.o.t so why are there s many drivin round wit one head light or the indicators dont work or is it that they are to lazy to use them or no how to read speado slow down
wingin taxi drivers i have yet to meet one that has the respect for punnters,as for road worthy cabs they want to learn how to check lights all work do they not no it is part of the m.o.t so why are there s many drivin round wit one head light or the indicators dont work or is it that they are to lazy to use them or no how to read speado slow down
Posted by: Brendan, Darlington on 2:16pm Sat 15 Mar 08
Its called competition! Its alive in any industry,stop moaning and drop your fares to compete
Its called competition! Its alive in any industry,stop moaning and drop your fares to compete
Posted by: Jack, Darlington on 11:16am Mon 17 Mar 08
There are taxis in Darlington with a Berwick license but with Darlington telephone numbers on their doors, they clearly have no intention of trading in Berwick.
There are taxis in Darlington with a Berwick license but with Darlington telephone numbers on their doors, they clearly have no intention of trading in Berwick.
Posted by: harry, darlington on 12:50pm Mon 17 Mar 08
why dont all the taxi drivers go to berwick for thier paperwork if it is going to be so much cheaper.
these drivers obviously are from darlington and not berwick. berwick is a long way to come for a day.
and ace taxi use them all the time.
why dont all the taxi drivers go to berwick for thier paperwork if it is going to be so much cheaper.
these drivers obviously are from darlington and not berwick. berwick is a long way to come for a day.
and ace taxi use them all the time.
Posted by: trailertrash, north east on 12:59pm Wed 19 Mar 08
Brian, Oh dear! I'm sure that many a Darlington cabbie who has picked you up, perhaps very early in the morning, or even very late at night, has been suitably impressed by your command of the English language. To accuse taxi drivers of being too lazy to check their cars is a bit rich. Have you ever heard of a spell checker?? Yes there are taxis licensed from Berwick for the plain and simple fact that it is cheaper to do so. Much in the same way that we buy petrol from the cheapest garage. Who wants to pay more than they have to? Darlington Council have for many years been far too greedy with licenses for this that and the other. Serves them right!!
Brian, Oh dear! I'm sure that many a Darlington cabbie who has picked you up, perhaps very early in the morning, or even very late at night, has been suitably impressed by your command of the English language. To accuse taxi drivers of being too lazy to check their cars is a bit rich. Have you ever heard of a spell checker?? Yes there are taxis licensed from Berwick for the plain and simple fact that it is cheaper to do so. Much in the same way that we buy petrol from the cheapest garage. Who wants to pay more than they have to? Darlington Council have for many years been far too greedy with licenses for this that and the other. Serves them right!!
Posted by: Garry on 2:28pm Wed 19 Mar 08
In the interests of competition, I'd like to follow the example of the taxi drivers and get my council services from a neighbouring council that provides the same services for a lower fee. It doesn't have to be as far as Berwick - can Richmondshire come empty my bins and provide a bit of street-lighting, please? Why should Darlington have a stranglehold over residents?
In the interests of competition, I'd like to follow the example of the taxi drivers and get my council services from a neighbouring council that provides the same services for a lower fee. It doesn't have to be as far as Berwick - can Richmondshire come empty my bins and provide a bit of street-lighting, please? Why should Darlington have a stranglehold over residents?
Posted by: Dave, Darlington on 2:50pm Wed 19 Mar 08
...I think you answered the question Garry with your comment "Why should Darlington have a stranglehold over residents?"...maybe because they live there?
...I think you answered the question Garry with your comment "Why should Darlington have a stranglehold over residents?"...maybe because they live there?
Posted by: John, Darlington on 5:33pm Thu 20 Mar 08
No- Gary is right. Free competition, just like you can now choose your gas/electricity supplier. And why not? I bet our rates would decrease in price and services would improve. Darlington Council are having a f*#&ing laugh by charging us more and more each year....
No- Gary is right. Free competition, just like you can now choose your gas/electricity supplier. And why not? I bet our rates would decrease in price and services would improve. Darlington Council are having a f*#&ing laugh by charging us more and more each year....
Posted by: merryn gibson, darlo on 10:19pm Wed 26 Mar 08
as i understand it, the opperators are not only sending people to berwick to get their badges to save money, but the only check they have to have have to get their badges is a medical. no police check involved. so who exsactly are we getting in a taxi with?
as i understand it, the opperators are not only sending people to berwick to get their badges to save money, but the only check they have to have have to get their badges is a medical. no police check involved. so who exsactly are we getting in a taxi with?
Posted by: merryn gibson, darlo on 9:12am Thu 27 Mar 08
another point - the taxis are berwick badges the drivers are local. they are being sent up there to get their badges! it still scares me that they arent getting the propper checks. dbc at least look after our interests!
another point - the taxis are berwick badges the drivers are local. they are being sent up there to get their badges! it still scares me that they arent getting the propper checks. dbc at least look after our interests!
Posted by: Lizzi, darlington on 3:24pm Thu 27 Mar 08
All I can say is eveyone has to make a living ! Me personal I have worked for one of this 'berwick taxis fims' , I dont think we do anything wrong our lads have top class cars , they cars are always washed and cleaned regular, our staff wear uniform and look and speak alot better that other firms in the town. The only reason we use berwick for licenses is they are cheaper ....like everything in life we shop around for the best deal .If you dont want to use berwick taxis dont !! But we have alot of people that do use us or we wouldnt be in business still will we ??
Not all Darlington Registered Taxis Drivers are against Berwick Drivers !! Mr. Jenkinson himself talks to Berwick Drivers !!Everyone is making a living leave Berwick lads alone !!
All I can say is eveyone has to make a living ! Me personal I have worked for one of this 'berwick taxis fims' , I dont think we do anything wrong our lads have top class cars , they cars are always washed and cleaned regular, our staff wear uniform and look and speak alot better that other firms in the town. The only reason we use berwick for licenses is they are cheaper ....like everything in life we shop around for the best deal .If you dont want to use berwick taxis dont !! But we have alot of people that do use us or we wouldnt be in business still will we ??
Not all Darlington Registered Taxis Drivers are against Berwick Drivers !! Mr. Jenkinson himself talks to Berwick Drivers !!Everyone is making a living leave Berwick lads alone !!
Posted by: trailertrash, north east on 8:25pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Well said Lizzie!! Sometimes Mr. Jenkinson plays right into the hands of Darlington Council, by causing a rift between taxi drivers themselves. The Council are rubbing their hands together! But believe me, the next time Mr. Jenkinson comes knocking for support over some or other issue, he'll be the first to start shouting if the Berwick lads don't support him!!
Well said Lizzie!! Sometimes Mr. Jenkinson plays right into the hands of Darlington Council, by causing a rift between taxi drivers themselves. The Council are rubbing their hands together! But believe me, the next time Mr. Jenkinson comes knocking for support over some or other issue, he'll be the first to start shouting if the Berwick lads don't support him!!
Posted by: lizzi, Darlington on 8:44pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Berwick Lads are good honest and hard working !! These lads work 12hrs a day !!
Give the lads a break they are earning a living like everyone else !!
Berwick Lads are good honest and hard working !! These lads work 12hrs a day !!
Give the lads a break they are earning a living like everyone else !!
Posted by: john, newcastle on tyne on 6:04am Fri 28 Mar 08
Having read most of the comments,id just like to make a coupl;e of points;
firstly,Im a cab driver in Newcastle,where Im often asked why a particular company can do a 10 mile job for &14 when I carge &19/20.
Answer is I have to pay the full licence fee,test fee and badge fee.Im licensed in the local area,not 60 miles away,and I know my area. Fuel is 112.9 per litre,im not running on home made diesel or red diesel.as I tell my customers,If you pay peanuts,you get monkeys.
As for Berwick plates,yes they are cheap,BUT if a passenger flags one down in the street,the drivers insurance is invalid if he accept the job.
Mr Wilson told me that non of the drivers he licenses do anything illegal and would not accept a flag down. Unfortunately for Mr Wilson,the CRB people inform me that they have yet to do a check on an `angel`,there are so far very few `angels` licensed to drive cabs in Newcastle...other areas...maybe...who knows.
Finally,all I hear nowadays is we want cheap this,that and the other. Those who say we should work for less money,would they do that,if their boss reduced their wages for his own reason...I bet they would.
If your son or daughter gets into an uninsured cab,with a driver who should not be driving it and he or she is assaulted or worse (GOD FORBID) its me and my collegues who get the flak,not some idiot who just dissappears with no trace.MY insurance and reputation NOT YOURS.
As Im often refered to a `black cab rip off merchant` while some idiot is a good cabbie as he charged me £5 when the fare is about £9,as pocket money and hes back at work on monday for £500 a week.
Think about it!
Having read most of the comments,id just like to make a coupl;e of points;
firstly,Im a cab driver in Newcastle,where Im often asked why a particular company can do a 10 mile job for &14 when I carge &19/20.
Answer is I have to pay the full licence fee,test fee and badge fee.Im licensed in the local area,not 60 miles away,and I know my area. Fuel is 112.9 per litre,im not running on home made diesel or red diesel.as I tell my customers,If you pay peanuts,you get monkeys.
As for Berwick plates,yes they are cheap,BUT if a passenger flags one down in the street,the drivers insurance is invalid if he accept the job.
Mr Wilson told me that non of the drivers he licenses do anything illegal and would not accept a flag down. Unfortunately for Mr Wilson,the CRB people inform me that they have yet to do a check on an `angel`,there are so far very few `angels` licensed to drive cabs in Newcastle...other areas...maybe...who knows.
Finally,all I hear nowadays is we want cheap this,that and the other. Those who say we should work for less money,would they do that,if their boss reduced their wages for his own reason...I bet they would.
If your son or daughter gets into an uninsured cab,with a driver who should not be driving it and he or she is assaulted or worse (GOD FORBID) its me and my collegues who get the flak,not some idiot who just dissappears with no trace.MY insurance and reputation NOT YOURS.
As Im often refered to a `black cab rip off merchant` while some idiot is a good cabbie as he charged me £5 when the fare is about £9,as pocket money and hes back at work on monday for £500 a week.
Think about it!
Posted by: merryn gibson, darlo on 2:59pm Fri 28 Mar 08
at the end of the day if you get into a berwick taxi or dbc taxi, you are charged the same. so the company is saving money but not passing the savings onto us. another thing is that no matter how much the lisence costs they will make the money back up.
at the end of the day if you get into a berwick taxi or dbc taxi, you are charged the same. so the company is saving money but not passing the savings onto us. another thing is that no matter how much the lisence costs they will make the money back up.
Posted by: trailertrash, north east on 7:00pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Look, the rules are simple...if you flag a taxi down in the street, make sure it has a taxi sign on the top and a meter on the dashboard. If you are not happy with the fare then insist on a receipt from the driver,and take a note of the plate no. on the back of the car.Take the receipt to the council. The taxi Licensing officers will investigate, and if necessary check the meter in the taxi. Don't forget that a fare can vary depending on the time of day or night, and the route taken,traffic congestion and dropping off at various places. Oh, and one final word..Berwick licensed taxis are LEGAL in Darlington.
Look, the rules are simple...if you flag a taxi down in the street, make sure it has a taxi sign on the top and a meter on the dashboard. If you are not happy with the fare then insist on a receipt from the driver,and take a note of the plate no. on the back of the car.Take the receipt to the council. The taxi Licensing officers will investigate, and if necessary check the meter in the taxi. Don't forget that a fare can vary depending on the time of day or night, and the route taken,traffic congestion and dropping off at various places. Oh, and one final word..Berwick licensed taxis are LEGAL in Darlington.
Posted by: kevin, darlington on 7:19pm Mon 31 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Dave[/bold] wrote:
Pity the poor cabbies;those knights of the road, what with their curteous and competent driving...they're always complaining about profits but most cabbies I know only declare a 16 hour week to the tax man...[/quote] i agree with you dave, there are some taxi drivers who should never have been given a licence, and there is a few who like me take pride in there driving, always indicating when required and observing what is going on to my left and right not wearing blinkers as most seem to do.i am always curtious to my passengers and converse in conversation not like those miserable(@*&**^& as one passenger referred to them. you never know dave you might get in my taxi one day and be pleasantly suprised.
Dave wrote:
Pity the poor cabbies;those knights of the road, what with their curteous and competent driving...they're always complaining about profits but most cabbies I know only declare a 16 hour week to the tax man...
i agree with you dave, there are some taxi drivers who should never have been given a licence, and there is a few who like me take pride in there driving, always indicating when required and observing what is going on to my left and right not wearing blinkers as most seem to do.i am always curtious to my passengers and converse in conversation not like those miserable(@*&**^& as one passenger referred to them. you never know dave you might get in my taxi one day and be pleasantly suprised.
Posted by: j, j on 9:17pm Mon 31 Mar 08
[quote][bold]anon[/bold] wrote:
I\\\'m a little confused if Ace had its licence revoked last year. Why are its taxis seen all over D\\\'ton and why is it advertising in one of the free papers that came through the door today? Or is being licensed by another town a loophole that allows it to do this?[/quote] I just saw one of the cars today, that was Berwick registered.
anon wrote:
I'm a little confused if Ace had its licence revoked last year. Why are its taxis seen all over D'ton and why is it advertising in one of the free papers that came through the door today? Or is being licensed by another town a loophole that allows it to do this?
I just saw one of the cars today, that was Berwick registered.
Posted by: Andyt, North Tyneside on 8:28pm Tue 1 Apr 08
I am a Berwick licenced driver working in North Tyneside. I have 15 years experience in the trade and have been licensed at Berwick for two years. Lets dispel a myth, Berwick drivers have an ENHANCED CRB check on an ANNUAL BASIS. North Tyneside is 3 yearly as I am sure most other councils are. There are less restrictions on colour, you can have tinted windows, Ford Galaxys and the like can be registered for the full six passenger seats not five like my local council. In a trade that is in a financial decline, why shouldnt we use the Governments Best Value Policy? Wake up its the 21st Century!! They squeezemoney from us.
Finally, why does everyone presume that we are working as hackneys down here, we are highly visible with the logos on top signs, a lot easier to flimp a fare in a private hire with no sign!!
I am a Berwick licenced driver working in North Tyneside. I have 15 years experience in the trade and have been licensed at Berwick for two years. Lets dispel a myth, Berwick drivers have an ENHANCED CRB check on an ANNUAL BASIS. North Tyneside is 3 yearly as I am sure most other councils are. There are less restrictions on colour, you can have tinted windows, Ford Galaxys and the like can be registered for the full six passenger seats not five like my local council. In a trade that is in a financial decline, why shouldnt we use the Governments Best Value Policy? Wake up its the 21st Century!! They squeezemoney from us.
Finally, why does everyone presume that we are working as hackneys down here, we are highly visible with the logos on top signs, a lot easier to flimp a fare in a private hire with no sign!!
Posted by: Chris T, Newcastle upon Tyne on 4:37pm Wed 2 Apr 08
It's getting beyond a joke in Newcastle. Every Friday & Saturday night you see numerous Berwick Plated vehicles "flimping" the area as though they are sitting in a Newcastle Hackney taxi. They are totally uninterested in duty or care to their passengers. Newcastle Hackney taxi drivers are losing £50 (minimum) per week because illegal taxis (mostly from Berwick) are plying for hire in OUR boundaries.
It's quite easy to spot a Berwick vehicle (I can't call them taxi's), - they usually have their plate in the back of the window stuck on with blu-tack, their "top sign" will be in the boot of the car so no-body knows where the vehicle is from, their badges will be deep inside their pockets and they won't have ANY taxi signs on the side of the vehicles either. What chance has the public got? Not a hope! Lansdowne taxis are the worst culprits. Most of their taxis are floating around the City Centre instead of outside their office or atleast in the vacinity. By the way - if you hadn't guessed....I'm a Newcastle Hackney (fully licensed) taxi driver. With a family to feed. Chris
It's getting beyond a joke in Newcastle. Every Friday & Saturday night you see numerous Berwick Plated vehicles "flimping" the area as though they are sitting in a Newcastle Hackney taxi. They are totally uninterested in duty or care to their passengers. Newcastle Hackney taxi drivers are losing £50 (minimum) per week because illegal taxis (mostly from Berwick) are plying for hire in OUR boundaries.
It's quite easy to spot a Berwick vehicle (I can't call them taxi's), - they usually have their plate in the back of the window stuck on with blu-tack, their "top sign" will be in the boot of the car so no-body knows where the vehicle is from, their badges will be deep inside their pockets and they won't have ANY taxi signs on the side of the vehicles either. What chance has the public got? Not a hope! Lansdowne taxis are the worst culprits. Most of their taxis are floating around the City Centre instead of outside their office or atleast in the vacinity. By the way - if you hadn't guessed....I'm a Newcastle Hackney (fully licensed) taxi driver. With a family to feed. Chris
Posted by: Chris T on 7:41pm Wed 2 Apr 08
Someone told me recently that Edinburough don't allow Private Hire taxis into the City Centre (to drop off or pick up) - a Hackney taxi is the ONLY taxi you can get in the City Centre. I understand Liverpool do the same. Is this correct? If it was, this would be the best solution to defeat the flimpers. Chris
Someone told me recently that Edinburough don't allow Private Hire taxis into the City Centre (to drop off or pick up) - a Hackney taxi is the ONLY taxi you can get in the City Centre. I understand Liverpool do the same. Is this correct? If it was, this would be the best solution to defeat the flimpers. Chris
Posted by: Andyt, North Tyneside on 9:24pm Wed 2 Apr 08
Every single job I do is logged and registered by my private hire office. My vehicle is always fitted with top sign, badge on display etc. There are honest berwick drivers out there! My office is busy, I dont get a chance to "flimp", maybe there are as many "illegal" (yet to be proved in court) berwick taxis as there are flimping town private hires. I have been stopped on 2 occasions recently by berwick enforcement for a check and I think that this is neceesary and justified to get rid of the crooks in both our camps! I totally agree that if any driver (berwick, town or tyneside) are acting illegally they deserve the full weight of the law to drop oon them!
Dont fool yourself, newcastle and n.tyneside councils are concerned about their loss in revenue, not about any other matter. North Tyneside are increasing vehicle test fees by £66 in the next month or so, what impact do you think that will have? It would be interesting to see how many extra taxis are on the road due to berwick, I myself also hold a tyneside badge, not new to the trade.
Have you thought of the wider implications should berwick lose? Lets see how many newcastle drivers will be proud of their win when they are told they can no longer work newcastle airport as it falls in castle morpeth area? They may think that as it is private land it will be fair game, initial enquiries suggest not!
On the other hand, should newcastle lose, when berwick council becomes northumberland county council on may 29th 2009, it will entitle all northumberland plate holders to apply for airport permits. Legitimate berwick drivers are not the enemy!!
Every single job I do is logged and registered by my private hire office. My vehicle is always fitted with top sign, badge on display etc. There are honest berwick drivers out there! My office is busy, I dont get a chance to "flimp", maybe there are as many "illegal" (yet to be proved in court) berwick taxis as there are flimping town private hires. I have been stopped on 2 occasions recently by berwick enforcement for a check and I think that this is neceesary and justified to get rid of the crooks in both our camps! I totally agree that if any driver (berwick, town or tyneside) are acting illegally they deserve the full weight of the law to drop oon them!
Dont fool yourself, newcastle and n.tyneside councils are concerned about their loss in revenue, not about any other matter. North Tyneside are increasing vehicle test fees by £66 in the next month or so, what impact do you think that will have? It would be interesting to see how many extra taxis are on the road due to berwick, I myself also hold a tyneside badge, not new to the trade.
Have you thought of the wider implications should berwick lose? Lets see how many newcastle drivers will be proud of their win when they are told they can no longer work newcastle airport as it falls in castle morpeth area? They may think that as it is private land it will be fair game, initial enquiries suggest not!
On the other hand, should newcastle lose, when berwick council becomes northumberland county council on may 29th 2009, it will entitle all northumberland plate holders to apply for airport permits. Legitimate berwick drivers are not the enemy!!
Posted by: Chris T on 3:01pm Thu 3 Apr 08
The blinkers need to be taken off some drivers. How many Newcastle Hackney taxis do you see working illegally in North Tyneside, Sunderland, Berwick (!) ? ....er I would say you'll be lucky to find one. However, even though there are "some" honest Berwick/Derwentside/
Tynedale drivers out there (percentage would be small), there are a huge amount of illegal taxis plying for hire on our streets day after day, week after week. You see the same vehicles working from the same areas night after night. You tell them to move on and they just move to another area of the City. There were 3 Lansdowne Berwick taxis parked outside the old Fire Station last night for over 1 hour. Were they on a booking?? I don't think so. They SHOULD have gone back to their base, but it's all to easy to park up in the City Centre and wait for a job to come to you. It's getting really bad now and I think if anyone not from Newcastle came to the area on a Saturday night out it would be 50/50 if they got into a Newcastle Hack or "another" taxi (be it an out of town taxi or a flimping private hire) - and they wouldn't know they are not insured if they decided to get into the wrong taxi.
The blinkers need to be taken off some drivers. How many Newcastle Hackney taxis do you see working illegally in North Tyneside, Sunderland, Berwick (!) ? ....er I would say you'll be lucky to find one. However, even though there are "some" honest Berwick/Derwentside/
Tynedale drivers out there (percentage would be small), there are a huge amount of illegal taxis plying for hire on our streets day after day, week after week. You see the same vehicles working from the same areas night after night. You tell them to move on and they just move to another area of the City. There were 3 Lansdowne Berwick taxis parked outside the old Fire Station last night for over 1 hour. Were they on a booking?? I don't think so. They SHOULD have gone back to their base, but it's all to easy to park up in the City Centre and wait for a job to come to you. It's getting really bad now and I think if anyone not from Newcastle came to the area on a Saturday night out it would be 50/50 if they got into a Newcastle Hack or "another" taxi (be it an out of town taxi or a flimping private hire) - and they wouldn't know they are not insured if they decided to get into the wrong taxi.
Posted by: David Patterson, Hartlepool on 5:42pm Thu 3 Apr 08
Its the same in Hartlepool where a load of cabbies from Middlesbrough are infiltraiting the town ranks and robbing people willy nilly i wonder how our council can allow them to operate in the town wiothout a lisence when i have to pay a fortune for mine
Its the same in Hartlepool where a load of cabbies from Middlesbrough are infiltraiting the town ranks and robbing people willy nilly i wonder how our council can allow them to operate in the town wiothout a lisence when i have to pay a fortune for mine
Posted by: Chris T on 9:07am Fri 4 Apr 08
Same 3 Lansdowne vehicles parked outside the old Fire Station last night along with 6 (yes 6) Berwick/Derwentside Plated vehicles parked up .....er sorry, make that "ranked up" on Bath Lane. Nice little secret pitch for them to work. Their Office is in Gosforth - NOT Newcastle City Centre. C'mon Newcastle Council - sort this bloody mess up!
Same 3 Lansdowne vehicles parked outside the old Fire Station last night along with 6 (yes 6) Berwick/Derwentside Plated vehicles parked up .....er sorry, make that "ranked up" on Bath Lane. Nice little secret pitch for them to work. Their Office is in Gosforth - NOT Newcastle City Centre. C'mon Newcastle Council - sort this bloody mess up!
Posted by: Andyt, North Tyneside on 1:38pm Fri 4 Apr 08
The office I work for operate almost 200 cars and probably 8 are Berwick licensed (NOT Blue Line). We operate on a data system where we are advised to park up in the zone where we clear if there are no jobs outstanding, save fuel (113p per litre) and to give a faster response time to customers. We are told to park in discreet area outside the town centre if waiting to get a return from Newcastle centre. If we pick up an unbooked fare it flags up on the base data system and they know whether it is a legitimate booking or not. On the odd occasion where drivers have been found to be acting illegally they have been dismissed immediately!
May I suggest if you do see the same cars acting suspiciously on a regular basis make a note of the time, reg numbers, plate numbers etc and contact dbw@berwick-upon-twe
ed.gov.uk or ring 01289 330044 (office hours). Believe me, they are extremely keen to catch the rogues and are regularly monitoring sites where people report suspected illegal behaviour. Lets be honest, its in everybodys interest if the bad drivers are caught, Berwick, Derwentside or your own enemy within! There are some offices which act in a less than professional manner and they are getting a bad name for genuine operators. The only reason I license with berwick is the financial saving, its not to cause civil unrest. The maths are simple, car and driver in berwick £259, North Tyneside (after April 08 rise) £420!
I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH, PLEASE REPORT THE ROGUES! TAKE AS MANY DETAILS AS POSSIBLE, REPORT TO DAVID OR CLAIRE AT BERWICK AND THEY WILL ACT! WITH THE PROPOSED LEGAL BATTLE THEY ARE KEEN TO SHOW THEY ARE ENFORCING THE CURRENT LAWS AS THEY STAND!
The office I work for operate almost 200 cars and probably 8 are Berwick licensed (NOT Blue Line). We operate on a data system where we are advised to park up in the zone where we clear if there are no jobs outstanding, save fuel (113p per litre) and to give a faster response time to customers. We are told to park in discreet area outside the town centre if waiting to get a return from Newcastle centre. If we pick up an unbooked fare it flags up on the base data system and they know whether it is a legitimate booking or not. On the odd occasion where drivers have been found to be acting illegally they have been dismissed immediately!
May I suggest if you do see the same cars acting suspiciously on a regular basis make a note of the time, reg numbers, plate numbers etc and contact dbw@berwick-upon-twe
ed.gov.uk or ring 01289 330044 (office hours). Believe me, they are extremely keen to catch the rogues and are regularly monitoring sites where people report suspected illegal behaviour. Lets be honest, its in everybodys interest if the bad drivers are caught, Berwick, Derwentside or your own enemy within! There are some offices which act in a less than professional manner and they are getting a bad name for genuine operators. The only reason I license with berwick is the financial saving, its not to cause civil unrest. The maths are simple, car and driver in berwick £259, North Tyneside (after April 08 rise) £420!
I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH, PLEASE REPORT THE ROGUES! TAKE AS MANY DETAILS AS POSSIBLE, REPORT TO DAVID OR CLAIRE AT BERWICK AND THEY WILL ACT! WITH THE PROPOSED LEGAL BATTLE THEY ARE KEEN TO SHOW THEY ARE ENFORCING THE CURRENT LAWS AS THEY STAND!
Posted by: Andyt, North Tyneside on 7:04am Sat 5 Apr 08
With reference to Chris T's comments regarding the "peoffesional" approach of Berwick drivers. I was yesterday working from The Port of Tyne Ferry Terminal in North Shields where a number of Newcastle hack drivers were returning fares to the boat. I witnessed one of the so called proffesional Newcastle Hack drivers dropping a fare off with no plate on the rear of his vehicle. It was an 08 reg Doblo, whilst wearing the door crests, no plate was attached to the rear of the car (can supply photograph if you choose). Then on top of that 2 passengers got out of the car clearly smoking cigarettes. This was witnessed and commented upon by a number of drivers and two taxi marshalls on site.
Before you call the Berwick drivers lack of interest in "duty of care" or even "they usually have their plate in the back of the window stuck on with blu-tack" please ensure that your own drivers now the law, your lot are certainly "not angels" either. Thanks for the quotes! By the way, the driver of the 08 Doblo will be reported to Newcastle City Council on Monday morning, along with photographic proof of the plate and witness statements of breaking the law regarding no smoking in the workplace. Like I said, lets get the rogues off the road, yours and ours!
With reference to Chris T's comments regarding the "peoffesional" approach of Berwick drivers. I was yesterday working from The Port of Tyne Ferry Terminal in North Shields where a number of Newcastle hack drivers were returning fares to the boat. I witnessed one of the so called proffesional Newcastle Hack drivers dropping a fare off with no plate on the rear of his vehicle. It was an 08 reg Doblo, whilst wearing the door crests, no plate was attached to the rear of the car (can supply photograph if you choose). Then on top of that 2 passengers got out of the car clearly smoking cigarettes. This was witnessed and commented upon by a number of drivers and two taxi marshalls on site.
Before you call the Berwick drivers lack of interest in "duty of care" or even "they usually have their plate in the back of the window stuck on with blu-tack" please ensure that your own drivers now the law, your lot are certainly "not angels" either. Thanks for the quotes! By the way, the driver of the 08 Doblo will be reported to Newcastle City Council on Monday morning, along with photographic proof of the plate and witness statements of breaking the law regarding no smoking in the workplace. Like I said, lets get the rogues off the road, yours and ours!
Posted by: trailertrash, north east on 2:21am Sun 6 Apr 08
well said Andyt. Like i said in an earlier post, taxi licensing officers will investigate any complaint from the public or indeed another taxi driver. These days nearly everyone has photophones, USE THEM!!
well said Andyt. Like i said in an earlier post, taxi licensing officers will investigate any complaint from the public or indeed another taxi driver. These days nearly everyone has photophones, USE THEM!!
Posted by: Chris T on 1:10pm Sun 6 Apr 08
[quote][bold]trailertrash[/bold] wrote:
Look, the rules are simple...if you flag a taxi down in the street, make sure it has a taxi sign on the top and a meter on the dashboard. If you are not happy with the fare then insist on a receipt from the driver,and take a note of the plate no. on the back of the car.Take the receipt to the council. The taxi Licensing officers will investigate, and if necessary check the meter in the taxi. Don't forget that a fare can vary depending on the time of day or night, and the route taken,traffic congestion and dropping off at various places. Oh, and one final word..Berwick licensed taxis are LEGAL in Darlington. [/quote] It's not as easy as that, as I'm sure you'll agree. Not every taxi vehicle that has a "taxi" top sign can be stopped LEGALLY. However, I do agree with you that Berwick vehicles are legal in Darlington as well as Newcastle and North/South Tyneside. What isn't legal is for many of them to pick up flag downs and rank up on official taxi ranks out of their boundaries. (like many ABC and Lawnsdowne private hire vehicles were last night). I don't have a problem at all if the Berwick plates are used correctly - if someone wants to work Blue Line taxi (for agruements sake) with a Berwick plate and maybe finds the locality test too difficult for Newcastle City Council, then thats fine....but do just take booked jobs only.
As for Andyt comments - I applaud you...you must have been very quick thinking to grap your phone to take a picture of the guys smoking. I'm just unsure if it could be proved they "lit up" before or after they got in/out of the vehicle. I'm not saying it's right what has happened....just that if your photo is of them outside the taxi, you'll not have a leg to stand on. As for the plate - well as it was an 08 vehicle it would seem obvious that he must have purchased the vehicle very recently and will almost certainly have paperwork from the council which allows him to operate while he waits for his plate to be picked up. This happened to me last year, when I went from a 4 seater to a 7 seater - I needed to wait around a week for the plate details to be changed. If it was a competition to take photos of possible illegal activity, I would win hands down. Again, last night was a disgrace to the private hire trade. Blantant flimping happening in almost every street of the City Centre. But, as they all know its impossible to prove 100% that it is not a booked job as we, as Hackney drivers have no authority at all and can't inforce the law unlike Councils. Chris
trailertrash wrote:
Look, the rules are simple...if you flag a taxi down in the street, make sure it has a taxi sign on the top and a meter on the dashboard. If you are not happy with the fare then insist on a receipt from the driver,and take a note of the plate no. on the back of the car.Take the receipt to the council. The taxi Licensing officers will investigate, and if necessary check the meter in the taxi. Don't forget that a fare can vary depending on the time of day or night, and the route taken,traffic congestion and dropping off at various places. Oh, and one final word..Berwick licensed taxis are LEGAL in Darlington.
It's not as easy as that, as I'm sure you'll agree. Not every taxi vehicle that has a "taxi" top sign can be stopped LEGALLY. However, I do agree with you that Berwick vehicles are legal in Darlington as well as Newcastle and North/South Tyneside. What isn't legal is for many of them to pick up flag downs and rank up on official taxi ranks out of their boundaries. (like many ABC and Lawnsdowne private hire vehicles were last night). I don't have a problem at all if the Berwick plates are used correctly - if someone wants to work Blue Line taxi (for agruements sake) with a Berwick plate and maybe finds the locality test too difficult for Newcastle City Council, then thats fine....but do just take booked jobs only.
As for Andyt comments - I applaud you...you must have been very quick thinking to grap your phone to take a picture of the guys smoking. I'm just unsure if it could be proved they "lit up" before or after they got in/out of the vehicle. I'm not saying it's right what has happened....just that if your photo is of them outside the taxi, you'll not have a leg to stand on. As for the plate - well as it was an 08 vehicle it would seem obvious that he must have purchased the vehicle very recently and will almost certainly have paperwork from the council which allows him to operate while he waits for his plate to be picked up. This happened to me last year, when I went from a 4 seater to a 7 seater - I needed to wait around a week for the plate details to be changed. If it was a competition to take photos of possible illegal activity, I would win hands down. Again, last night was a disgrace to the private hire trade. Blantant flimping happening in almost every street of the City Centre. But, as they all know its impossible to prove 100% that it is not a booked job as we, as Hackney drivers have no authority at all and can't inforce the law unlike Councils. Chris
Posted by: Andyt, North Tyneside on 9:06pm Sun 6 Apr 08
The photo taken was of the rear of the vehicle and side. And as I'm sure you are aware it is illegal for a hackney or private hire vehicle to be driven for hire and reward or for private use at any time without displaying a valid taxi plate on the rear of the vehicle. I could probably fish out the exact offence details and the time it became law if you wish. Secondly, the area where we pick passengers up from at the terminal is monitored by a constant cctv system installed by The Port of Tyne Authority. It is there to ensure that drivers pick up correct fares and also for security, immigration service etc. The car in question was filmed pulling up outside the terminal with the two passengers smoking in the rear and getting out with cigarettes still lit.
Lets not turn this into an us against them debate! I am sure that we all share the common desire to get rid of the idiots that are bringing the taxi trade into disrepute. Whatever the outcome of the Berwick review, lets try to rid our streets of the people who constantly flout the law and act illegally to make a quick buck.
Please, I ask that if you see a vehicle (which ever council) which you suspect to be acting illegally take details, ask your fellow hacks to do the same. Report these people. They maybe picking a member of your family up in an unlicensed, uninsured vehicle!!
The photo taken was of the rear of the vehicle and side. And as I'm sure you are aware it is illegal for a hackney or private hire vehicle to be driven for hire and reward or for private use at any time without displaying a valid taxi plate on the rear of the vehicle. I could probably fish out the exact offence details and the time it became law if you wish. Secondly, the area where we pick passengers up from at the terminal is monitored by a constant cctv system installed by The Port of Tyne Authority. It is there to ensure that drivers pick up correct fares and also for security, immigration service etc. The car in question was filmed pulling up outside the terminal with the two passengers smoking in the rear and getting out with cigarettes still lit.
Lets not turn this into an us against them debate! I am sure that we all share the common desire to get rid of the idiots that are bringing the taxi trade into disrepute. Whatever the outcome of the Berwick review, lets try to rid our streets of the people who constantly flout the law and act illegally to make a quick buck.
Please, I ask that if you see a vehicle (which ever council) which you suspect to be acting illegally take details, ask your fellow hacks to do the same. Report these people. They maybe picking a member of your family up in an unlicensed, uninsured vehicle!!
Posted by: Chris T, 544-717 on 11:32am Mon 7 Apr 08
Fair comment - The sooner the flimpers are caught the better for the trade and all of us. I intend to photograph taxis with the wrong top signs/plates not secure/no door crests etc this week and make a formal complaint to Newcastle City Council (and possibly Berwick). I will be asking if it's possible for drivers to pay maybe £40/£50 more per year on top of the existing fees to pay for a part time enforcement officer who will be available EVERY Thursday/Friday/Satu
rday (on the streets of Newcastle) and for drivers to have access to his mobile phone. If any illegal activity is taking place in the City Centre we can therefore contact him direct and hopefully things could be sorted. I'm convinced every driver would gladly pay a little extra on the fees to stop this. Chris
Fair comment - The sooner the flimpers are caught the better for the trade and all of us. I intend to photograph taxis with the wrong top signs/plates not secure/no door crests etc this week and make a formal complaint to Newcastle City Council (and possibly Berwick). I will be asking if it's possible for drivers to pay maybe £40/£50 more per year on top of the existing fees to pay for a part time enforcement officer who will be available EVERY Thursday/Friday/Satu
rday (on the streets of Newcastle) and for drivers to have access to his mobile phone. If any illegal activity is taking place in the City Centre we can therefore contact him direct and hopefully things could be sorted. I'm convinced every driver would gladly pay a little extra on the fees to stop this. Chris
Posted by: Andyt, North Tyneside on 3:18pm Mon 7 Apr 08
[quote][bold]Chris T[/bold] wrote:
Fair comment - The sooner the flimpers are caught the better for the trade and all of us. I intend to photograph taxis with the wrong top signs/plates not secure/no door crests etc this week and make a formal complaint to Newcastle City Council (and possibly Berwick). I will be asking if it's possible for drivers to pay maybe £40/£50 more per year on top of the existing fees to pay for a part time enforcement officer who will be available EVERY Thursday/Friday/Satu rday (on the streets of Newcastle) and for drivers to have access to his mobile phone. If any illegal activity is taking place in the City Centre we can therefore contact him direct and hopefully things could be sorted. I'm convinced every driver would gladly pay a little extra on the fees to stop this. Chris[/quote] Berwick actually have two full time enforcement officers who work (mainly evenings, probably best time anyway) in the major cities where Berwick licensed cars are working. They drive a highly visible vehicle and attempt to flag down out of area taxis, particularly Gate and Quayside areas. They are actively trying to stop the rogues from there area and I can guarantee they will push for highest penalties possible. This will assist them in their case come the review and will aid to reassure members of the public, and hopefully legal taxis that they are carrying out enforcement duties.
If you contact David or Helen at berwick, I am sure they will be interested in a system where drivers can be reported on a hotline, definitely worth a try. Probably pointless approaching your council as they have no legal power to stop a berwick vehicle unless accompanied by a police officer and they are usually busy enough on a weekend!
Try emailing David dbw@berwick-upon-twe
ed.gov.uk or ring 01289 330044 and suggest the idea. I think you may be surprised at how happy they will be to cooperate, if ideas are put to them in a reasoned and calm manner (not another pointless blockcade of Berwick, no - one responds to threats!) they will certainly discuss some ideas and hopefully be able to come to a solution that satisfys all concerned!
Chris T wrote:
Fair comment - The sooner the flimpers are caught the better for the trade and all of us. I intend to photograph taxis with the wrong top signs/plates not secure/no door crests etc this week and make a formal complaint to Newcastle City Council (and possibly Berwick). I will be asking if it's possible for drivers to pay maybe £40/£50 more per year on top of the existing fees to pay for a part time enforcement officer who will be available EVERY Thursday/Friday/Satu rday (on the streets of Newcastle) and for drivers to have access to his mobile phone. If any illegal activity is taking place in the City Centre we can therefore contact him direct and hopefully things could be sorted. I'm convinced every driver would gladly pay a little extra on the fees to stop this. Chris
Berwick actually have two full time enforcement officers who work (mainly evenings, probably best time anyway) in the major cities where Berwick licensed cars are working. They drive a highly visible vehicle and attempt to flag down out of area taxis, particularly Gate and Quayside areas. They are actively trying to stop the rogues from there area and I can guarantee they will push for highest penalties possible. This will assist them in their case come the review and will aid to reassure members of the public, and hopefully legal taxis that they are carrying out enforcement duties.
If you contact David or Helen at berwick, I am sure they will be interested in a system where drivers can be reported on a hotline, definitely worth a try. Probably pointless approaching your council as they have no legal power to stop a berwick vehicle unless accompanied by a police officer and they are usually busy enough on a weekend!
Try emailing David dbw@berwick-upon-twe
ed.gov.uk or ring 01289 330044 and suggest the idea. I think you may be surprised at how happy they will be to cooperate, if ideas are put to them in a reasoned and calm manner (not another pointless blockcade of Berwick, no - one responds to threats!) they will certainly discuss some ideas and hopefully be able to come to a solution that satisfys all concerned!
Posted by: Angry Of Newcastle, Newcastle on 6:13pm Mon 7 Apr 08
After reading a lot of peoples comments on here I thought it about time I had my say.
Firstly I would like to challenge Andyt on the number of Berwick Hacks working at his office (Blue Line), you say there are only 8 out of 200 working there well I beg to disagree on that point.
I have just driven through Wallsend today & spotted all 8 of them then, but I guess as its Monday & the bit is due that all of the cars including the Berwick ones have to come into Wallsend, had I the time it would have been interesting to sit on Laurel street & watch exactly how many there are!!!
I would guess that the figure is nearer the 25 to 30 mark after seeing plenty of them (all different) in Newcastle on Saturday night, but of course all of these would have been on legitimate bookings as we all know.
This problem is not going to go away until the councils get out there on a Friday & Saturday night & do the job there supposed to be doing.
Whilst I agree with Chris T in his comments about another enforcement officer I fear the vast majority of drivers would not be prepared to pay any extra, the attitude of “let somebody else sort it” springs to mind, & after the protest to Berwick last week proves my point (poor turn out)
Perhaps Andyt would be interested in the job as he seems to have a vast knowledge of the licensing laws in both his own area (Berwick) & others, what do you say then Mr T, fancy giving up the day job as David Baileys apprentice (photographer in case you did not know) & seeing if you can sort the mess out as your talents are clearly wasted in the taxi trade!!!.
I will myself from today be keeping a close eye on the amount of flimping going on & will be taking note of which cars are doing it & whether or not they are indeed Berwick or another licensing authority along with checking to see if they are displaying the correct roof signs (another issue altogether) & will be passing the information on to the relevant councils.
[bold]If we all work together on this we just might eradicate the problem from our streets[/bold]
After reading a lot of peoples comments on here I thought it about time I had my say.
Firstly I would like to challenge Andyt on the number of Berwick Hacks working at his office (Blue Line), you say there are only 8 out of 200 working there well I beg to disagree on that point.
I have just driven through Wallsend today & spotted all 8 of them then, but I guess as its Monday & the bit is due that all of the cars including the Berwick ones have to come into Wallsend, had I the time it would have been interesting to sit on Laurel street & watch exactly how many there are!!!
I would guess that the figure is nearer the 25 to 30 mark after seeing plenty of them (all different) in Newcastle on Saturday night, but of course all of these would have been on legitimate bookings as we all know.
This problem is not going to go away until the councils get out there on a Friday & Saturday night & do the job there supposed to be doing.
Whilst I agree with Chris T in his comments about another enforcement officer I fear the vast majority of drivers would not be prepared to pay any extra, the attitude of “let somebody else sort it” springs to mind, & after the protest to Berwick last week proves my point (poor turn out)
Perhaps Andyt would be interested in the job as he seems to have a vast knowledge of the licensing laws in both his own area (Berwick) & others, what do you say then Mr T, fancy giving up the day job as David Baileys apprentice (photographer in case you did not know) & seeing if you can sort the mess out as your talents are clearly wasted in the taxi trade!!!.
I will myself from today be keeping a close eye on the amount of flimping going on & will be taking note of which cars are doing it & whether or not they are indeed Berwick or another licensing authority along with checking to see if they are displaying the correct roof signs (another issue altogether) & will be passing the information on to the relevant councils.
If we all work together on this we just might eradicate the problem from our streets
Posted by: R, south shields on 7:22pm Mon 7 Apr 08
the drivers have full CRB checks, so that is a red herring if all private hire drivers go to berwick they will drive the local council prices down as they currently have a strangle hold and they are robbing us blind, the only laws we need is that the greedy offices dont employ more than they need and none of them ilegally hack and in the long run it will be benificial to all taxi drivers cant anyone else see that the local councils have brung this on them selfs
the drivers have full CRB checks, so that is a red herring if all private hire drivers go to berwick they will drive the local council prices down as they currently have a strangle hold and they are robbing us blind, the only laws we need is that the greedy offices dont employ more than they need and none of them ilegally hack and in the long run it will be benificial to all taxi drivers cant anyone else see that the local councils have brung this on them selfs
Posted by: Andyt, North Tyneside on 11:59am Tue 8 Apr 08
[quote][bold]Angry Of Newcastle[/bold] wrote:
After reading a lot of peoples comments on here I thought it about time I had my say. Firstly I would like to challenge Andyt on the number of Berwick Hacks working at his office (Blue Line), you say there are only 8 out of 200 working there well I beg to disagree on that point. I have just driven through Wallsend today & spotted all 8 of them then, but I guess as its Monday & the bit is due that all of the cars including the Berwick ones have to come into Wallsend, had I the time it would have been interesting to sit on Laurel street & watch exactly how many there are!!! I would guess that the figure is nearer the 25 to 30 mark after seeing plenty of them (all different) in Newcastle on Saturday night, but of course all of these would have been on legitimate bookings as we all know. This problem is not going to go away until the councils get out there on a Friday & Saturday night & do the job there supposed to be doing. Whilst I agree with Chris T in his comments about another enforcement officer I fear the vast majority of drivers would not be prepared to pay any extra, the attitude of “let somebody else sort it” springs to mind, & after the protest to Berwick last week proves my point (poor turn out) Perhaps Andyt would be interested in the job as he seems to have a vast knowledge of the licensing laws in both his own area (Berwick) & others, what do you say then Mr T, fancy giving up the day job as David Baileys apprentice (photographer in case you did not know) & seeing if you can sort the mess out as your talents are clearly wasted in the taxi trade!!!. I will myself from today be keeping a close eye on the amount of flimping going on & will be taking note of which cars are doing it & whether or not they are indeed Berwick or another licensing authority along with checking to see if they are displaying the correct roof signs (another issue altogether) & will be passing the information on to the relevant councils. [bold]If we all work together on this we just might eradicate the problem from our streets[/bold] [/quote] Reference your above comments, I stressed in my earlier email, I DON'T WORK FOR BLUE LINE!!! Also, the reason I know parts of the law is to protect my own interests. At the office I work 95% of the drivers have sat (and all others are encouraged to sit) the BTEC Carrying Passengers for Hire and Reward qualification. This covers taxi law and licensing regulations, maybe this would be something that may interest others and allow them to speak with confidence. If you are going to make it personal, surely what I have stated beforehand is common knowledge, maybe not! Also your comment regarding a Newcastle Hack blatantly breaking the law, it was also caught on cctv so any sarcastic remark is surely petty and misplaced!
I will also be keeping a close eye on taxis, ours, yours and others. ChrisT has already offered a suggestion how to clamp down, lets hear more, not just pointless protests and aggressive
[italic][bold]LIKE YOU SAID IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER ON THIS IT CAN BE SORTED BUT IT TAKES COOPERATION FROM ALL PARTIES, NOT JUST YOU AGAINST THE WORLD WE ALL HAVE A PART TO PLAY![/bold][/italic]
Angry Of Newcastle wrote:
After reading a lot of peoples comments on here I thought it about time I had my say. Firstly I would like to challenge Andyt on the number of Berwick Hacks working at his office (Blue Line), you say there are only 8 out of 200 working there well I beg to disagree on that point. I have just driven through Wallsend today & spotted all 8 of them then, but I guess as its Monday & the bit is due that all of the cars including the Berwick ones have to come into Wallsend, had I the time it would have been interesting to sit on Laurel street & watch exactly how many there are!!! I would guess that the figure is nearer the 25 to 30 mark after seeing plenty of them (all different) in Newcastle on Saturday night, but of course all of these would have been on legitimate bookings as we all know. This problem is not going to go away until the councils get out there on a Friday & Saturday night & do the job there supposed to be doing. Whilst I agree with Chris T in his comments about another enforcement officer I fear the vast majority of drivers would not be prepared to pay any extra, the attitude of “let somebody else sort it” springs to mind, & after the protest to Berwick last week proves my point (poor turn out) Perhaps Andyt would be interested in the job as he seems to have a vast knowledge of the licensing laws in both his own area (Berwick) & others, what do you say then Mr T, fancy giving up the day job as David Baileys apprentice (photographer in case you did not know) & seeing if you can sort the mess out as your talents are clearly wasted in the taxi trade!!!. I will myself from today be keeping a close eye on the amount of flimping going on & will be taking note of which cars are doing it & whether or not they are indeed Berwick or another licensing authority along with checking to see if they are displaying the correct roof signs (another issue altogether) & will be passing the information on to the relevant councils. If we all work together on this we just might eradicate the problem from our streets
Reference your above comments, I stressed in my earlier email, I DON'T WORK FOR BLUE LINE!!! Also, the reason I know parts of the law is to protect my own interests. At the office I work 95% of the drivers have sat (and all others are encouraged to sit) the BTEC Carrying Passengers for Hire and Reward qualification. This covers taxi law and licensing regulations, maybe this would be something that may interest others and allow them to speak with confidence. If you are going to make it personal, surely what I have stated beforehand is common knowledge, maybe not! Also your comment regarding a Newcastle Hack blatantly breaking the law, it was also caught on cctv so any sarcastic remark is surely petty and misplaced!
I will also be keeping a close eye on taxis, ours, yours and others. ChrisT has already offered a suggestion how to clamp down, lets hear more, not just pointless protests and aggressive
LIKE YOU SAID IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER ON THIS IT CAN BE SORTED BUT IT TAKES COOPERATION FROM ALL PARTIES, NOT JUST YOU AGAINST THE WORLD WE ALL HAVE A PART TO PLAY! Posted by: geoff armstrong, south shields on 10:56am Mon 14 Apr 08
what a lot of fuss about nothing taxis drivers in all areas are sick of greedy council charging what they like why not go to the cheapest in south tyneside we pay £176 per 6 monthly test £48 for test £128 admind charges time that by over 800 taxis and and only allowed to go council test centre work that one out were the money going?
what a lot of fuss about nothing taxis drivers in all areas are sick of greedy council charging what they like why not go to the cheapest in south tyneside we pay £176 per 6 monthly test £48 for test £128 admind charges time that by over 800 taxis and and only allowed to go council test centre work that one out were the money going?
Posted by: grant miller, newcastle on 12:59pm Wed 23 Apr 08
come on not all berwick
plate taxis are on the take... i have worked newcastle and area for two years with berwick plate i take pride in myself and in the car i drive which i would like to point out is only 2 years old and in better con that most if not all newcastle taxis .I only got a berwick plate to save money [bold]bold[/bold]
come on not all berwick
plate taxis are on the take... i have worked newcastle and area for two years with berwick plate i take pride in myself and in the car i drive which i would like to point out is only 2 years old and in better con that most if not all newcastle taxis .I only got a berwick plate to save money
Posted by: fat man, newcastle on 12:22pm Fri 2 May 08
[quote][bold]merryn gibson[/bold] wrote:
at the end of the day if you get into a berwick taxi or dbc taxi, you are charged the same. so the company is saving money but not passing the savings onto us. another thing is that no matter how much the lisence costs they will make the money back up.[/quote] [bold]bold[/bold] [italic]italic[/italic] taxi drivers are self employed so when you are
charged £5 that money goes to the driver.i drove taxis (private hire)for 9 years,when i first started i could work a six hour shift and
take £120 now i make that in three shifts.my
badge is due this month but its not worth renewing it so im going on the dole.newcastle city council GREEDY @#/?ERS
merryn gibson wrote:
at the end of the day if you get into a berwick taxi or dbc taxi, you are charged the same. so the company is saving money but not passing the savings onto us. another thing is that no matter how much the lisence costs they will make the money back up.
taxi drivers are self employed so when you are
charged £5 that money goes to the driver.i drove taxis (private hire)for 9 years,when i first started i could work a six hour shift and
take £120 now i make that in three shifts.my
badge is due this month but its not worth renewing it so im going on the dole.newcastle city council GREEDY @#/?ERS
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