Half of taxis in Rossendale crackdown had defects (From Lancashire Telegraph)

How many more times ? . . . it's every community. The SAME story !! When are us victims going to realise that the taxi drivers don't just take short cuts through the streets when they are driving us home. One day there will be a story about an HONEST taxi driver . . . now that WILL be news !

What a surprise, the most expensive taxis in the north west once again falling below minimum standards. This has been going on for years yet still rbc seem to put very little resources into tackling this problem. Let's face it, 9 out of 10 of these taxi firms are dodgy to say the least.

The whole point of taxi licensing is to make money for the council, not you're safety. This is yet another example of how councils operate. Despite all the red tape, regulations and policies in play to protect YOU, the fare paying passenger, look at the results! Read the headline again! You are probably safer sticking your thumb out for a lift off a random stranger lol!

Name and shame......

Perfect cover for dealing a little 'hows your father'

typical innaccuracies once again from LET , tonight there is a licensing committee meeting at which the council will be made to answer for these blatent lies.

operation maestro in May this year involved 9 vehicles being stopped, 2 of which were given prohibition notices and 1 given suspended prohibition notice (these are normally issued for simple things like a brake light out) no details as to the reasons are given as is usually the case, therefore the quoted faults are unfounded at best.but in any case, this is not half, so it would be nice for the reports to at least have the benefit of simple maths.

In april this year over a 2 day period in operation spartacus, 10 vehicles were checked with quoted from the enforcement report "no faults found."

the report is actually quoting defects found over the last 3 years, so 365 vehicles stopped around 4 times per year is 1460 checks, 4 defects found, what a good result, well done taxi drivers!!!!

Almost one and a half thousand checks and only four defects - we don't believe that. That flies in the face of all previous experience, reports and reported articles.

Take away their licences. Every time there is a check on taxis anywhere in East Lancs a large percentage fail. The owners just don't give a ****. Oh, and isn't it about time we had proper taxis not family cars with a sticker on?

thats the whole point burner, inaccurate reports, this report is quoting items from a collection of the last 3 years if not more, and yet quoting them all as being current.

the actual report which will be submitted to committee tonight states clearly that of the 19 vehicles checked since april this year, there were only 3 faults found, one of which being minor enough to warrant only a suspended prohibition

izaneers would you say that 3 out of 19 is a large percentage, and you would rather be taken to your destination in a black cab than a mercedes, bmw or other "family car"

@ mysay, . . . . "3 out of 19 " is FAR removed from your " 4 from 1460" - not very consistent, is it? Pretty damming, in fact. 3/19 is around 15%.

visit websites of LOADS of local news reporting from all over the country. They ALL consistently report similar results. It's NOT a Rossendale story.

........ and YES, I definitely want every cab to be a black cab, not a big car with a sticker on.
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Hope you have a good night on duty tonight . . . . Mr Cabbie !

actually burner, 3 out of 19 is "FACT" as it will be reported to licensing committee tonight, in the actual enforcement report as opposed to the glory seeking, misleading, re-quoted details which have been in the press for many years and have no place in responsible reporting.

lets face it "15%" is a far cry from half isn't it? (although i would agree, it is still unacceptable)

and central government disagree with the black cab thing as they say, and i quote "it is unreasonable and unnecessary to refuse to license any make or type of vehilce to be used as taxis", as do most business and corporate taxi users.

and thanks for the well wishes in relation to my profession, very thoughful of you, but incedentally, my personal vehicle has NEVER failed any spot checks, 6 monthly MOt or 6 monthly taxi test.

actually burner, 3 out of 19 is "FACT" as it will be reported to licensing committee tonight, in the actual enforcement report as opposed to the glory seeking, misleading, re-quoted details which have been in the press for many years and have no place in responsible reporting.

lets face it "15%" is a far cry from half isn't it? (although i would agree, it is still unacceptable)

and central government disagree with the black cab thing as they say, and i quote "it is unreasonable and unnecessary to refuse to license any make or type of vehilce to be used as taxis", as do most business and corporate taxi users.

and thanks for the well wishes in relation to my profession, very thoughful of you, but incedentally, my personal vehicle has NEVER failed any spot checks, 6 monthly MOt or 6 monthly taxi test.

The trouble is that local councils are scared of the taxi drivers. Whenever they talk about imposing legislation that the cabbies aren't happy with they just kick off and the council back down. It's about time there were more stringent age limits on cars used as taxi cabs. Not only that but the standard of driving for these so called professional drivers is absolutely atrocious, they are always double parking, causing obstructions, sounding their horn in a stationary vehicle, using mobile phones etc. What about advertised low fares and then when you get in the car they tell you it’s full price because the low fare only applies to the companies cars and that is their own. Sound familiar? Also, can someone explain to me how someone who doesn’t speak English can operate as a taxi driver? I mean it’s difficult enough to understand someone who is p***ed when you have a grasp of the ‘lingo’ yet licensing offices of local councils are always employing interpreters so that people can sit the required tests to get a badge. The whole system needs seriously looking at, it is rife with corruption in one form or another.

I actually wish that the true facts do surface, in the light of your input on here.
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I do like black cabs . . . sorry !
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I am pleased that there are responsible drivers, like you. Sadly you seem to be a minority. I have a suspicion it reflects an issue I may not mention on here.

It makes me wonder how the majority of these taxis and their drivers actually get a licence to operate. I have to say through experience that the taxis that I have used in the borough are the most unpleasant vehichles that I have travelled in. You order a taxi to take you somewhere, it arrives usually late when the door is opened there is a very very strong smell of body odour, the seats are stained with god knows what, there are trips hanging off all over the place, tape holding items in place, rattling noises coming from the wheels etc etc and then the driver trys his very best to rip you off. The taxis I mention and dont get me wrong I dont mean all of them need to be taken off the road and the drivers should be charged with endangering life because at the end of the day paassenger safety should be paramount...........
............

thats ok burner, everyone has their own choices and preferences and is entitled to them, personally i do not like them and wouldnt drive one but then that is my preference.

and i totally agree that true facts shoudl be reported instead of slating every trade at every given chance

Why not drive round the roundabout in convoy as its unfair to make taxis follow simple rules ie the highway code (which can be purchased in Urdu). Well I have news for you my taxi friends, drive in convoy round rawtenstall every time something doesn't go your way, you can't mess the traffic system up any more than Rbc already has with st Mary's way traffic lights thats for sure. I wish kenyons taxis would float on the stock exchange so I could invest and help them monopolise rossendale as they are the only decent firm.

I agree sogden, someone needs to takeover rossendale and do it properly, taxis here are a rip off compared to other towns that's for sure. Admittedly it's not a great job dealing with weekend warriors but do you not think they would be treated with more respect if they were:

A. Less of a rip off
B. Drove like professionals
C. Kept the cars in a reasonable condition
D. Less of a rip off
E. followed the law
F. Had some courtesy
E. less of a rip off

I think we should have some "secret shoppers" and post the videos on YouTube to name and shame.

Oh lord RBC don't go upsetting the taxi drivers again. You know that they will only spit their dummies out and threaten with strke action. I personally choose not to use taxi's as I find the smell of stale smoke in a car that is supposed to be a no smoking vehicle offensive specially when dressed for a night out. Do taxi drivers have to have regular medicals ? I know that they would rather sit in their cars and honk their horns at all times of the day and night rather than getting a bit of exercise (some look like they need to). I think RBC should come down as heavy as possible on taxi's that are not safe to carry the public.

yes gill, taxi drivers do have to take regular medicals, it is a small part of licensing conditions

mysay.com wrote:
yes gill, taxi drivers do have to take regular medicals, it is a small part of licensing conditions

But do they ignore this part like the rest of the licensing conditions?

oracle....clearly you have never been a taxi driver or attended any licensing committee meetings......if you had you wouldnt be asking such stupid questions

Mysay, how did you guess? I know it's unusual for somebody not to have been a taxi driver but you saw right through me there.

mysay.com wrote:
yes gill, taxi drivers do have to take regular medicals, it is a small part of licensing conditions

That's reassuring to know, as looking at some of the taxi drivers in Rossendale you wouldn't think so ! Do they have to pay for these like HGV drivers do ?

we have to pay for everything gill, the CRB checks (£48 currently) the dvla driving test (£98) the same medical as HGV drivers take (anything from £90 to £250 depending on GP) which must be from your own GP, the statutary declaration, the passport photos on each renewal plus the application (£120 for new applicants followed by £85 per year for renewals) totalling up to £450 per year depending on age.

this is all before we even look at the vehicle which must be less than 7 years old on first application and dead at 10th birthday regardless of mielage or condition (this has just been extended from 8th birthday), 2 MOT's per year including RBCs cleanliness, overall condition and equipment test, insurance (minimum £1500 per year with 9 years no claims bonus or up to £15k per year with no no claims bonus.

We have only 2 nightclubs in the area, 26 day time rank spaces for 139 licensed vehicles, 56 rank spaces in total and no shopping precincts, and yet we have the 4th highest license fees of 24 surveyed local councils, beaten only by the likes of manchester who are only £20 per year more than us.......so we will continue to struggle to make ends meet while the people we work all hours to take home safely continue to slate us and slag us off at every given opportunity.

it is nice to be appreciated....thank
s everyone

mysay.com wrote:
we have to pay for everything gill, the CRB checks (£48 currently) the dvla driving test (£98) the same medical as HGV drivers take (anything from £90 to £250 depending on GP) which must be from your own GP, the statutary declaration, the passport photos on each renewal plus the application (£120 for new applicants followed by £85 per year for renewals) totalling up to £450 per year depending on age. this is all before we even look at the vehicle which must be less than 7 years old on first application and dead at 10th birthday regardless of mielage or condition (this has just been extended from 8th birthday), 2 MOT's per year including RBCs cleanliness, overall condition and equipment test, insurance (minimum £1500 per year with 9 years no claims bonus or up to £15k per year with no no claims bonus. We have only 2 nightclubs in the area, 26 day time rank spaces for 139 licensed vehicles, 56 rank spaces in total and no shopping precincts, and yet we have the 4th highest license fees of 24 surveyed local councils, beaten only by the likes of manchester who are only £20 per year more than us.......so we will continue to struggle to make ends meet while the people we work all hours to take home safely continue to slate us and slag us off at every given opportunity. it is nice to be appreciated....thank s everyone

All that said, all taxi's companies MUST make money or else they wouldn't be in the business and am or wrong to assume that all taxi's driver have chosen the career ! Life is what you make of it and if you are unhappy in your job look for something else to me it is as simple as that or go to college and train to do something else !

quite right gill,

but to me personally, it is a calling, the pensioners and infirm who would be hermits if I was not there to get them out of the house,

you know the ones who only have us "rip off" taxi drivers as "courteous" communication,

we look out for them, help them with their shopping, take them for their blue rinses, to the doctors etc, even to their families for christmas dinner,

our job....or my job job is not about taking abusive drunken idiots (who kick off with us and become agressive with us, damage our cars and us, for the sake of 50p whilst standing there holding boxes of pizzas chips and kebabs after spending £3 or more on one pint of liquid) home from pubs and clubs, that just brings a little extra income in which may go towards cover the cost of supplying the vehicle or cleaning the vehicle after they have been sick in them or spilt garlic chips or beer all over them or repairing the damaged panels and wing mirrors that they have damaged just so that we can be there again for more abuse the next week.

having written all that down and thought about it whilst doing so, maybe you're right, maybe the service provided to the pensioners is not worth the hassle, maybe i should go back to my training, mechanic, auot electrician, care assisstant or fall back on my many other qualifications from school and college, or maybe even just stack shelves at asda, get paid more, do less work, and provide a service which is less noticed, less important, and have a better social and home life, have set shift patterns.

which do you think i should so gill?

mysay.com wrote:
quite right gill,

but to me personally, it is a calling, the pensioners and infirm who would be hermits if I was not there to get them out of the house,

you know the ones who only have us "rip off" taxi drivers as "courteous" communication,

we look out for them, help them with their shopping, take them for their blue rinses, to the doctors etc, even to their families for christmas dinner,

our job....or my job job is not about taking abusive drunken idiots (who kick off with us and become agressive with us, damage our cars and us, for the sake of 50p whilst standing there holding boxes of pizzas chips and kebabs after spending £3 or more on one pint of liquid) home from pubs and clubs, that just brings a little extra income in which may go towards cover the cost of supplying the vehicle or cleaning the vehicle after they have been sick in them or spilt garlic chips or beer all over them or repairing the damaged panels and wing mirrors that they have damaged just so that we can be there again for more abuse the next week.

having written all that down and thought about it whilst doing so, maybe you're right, maybe the service provided to the pensioners is not worth the hassle, maybe i should go back to my training, mechanic, auot electrician, care assisstant or fall back on my many other qualifications from school and college, or maybe even just stack shelves at asda, get paid more, do less work, and provide a service which is less noticed, less important, and have a better social and home life, have set shift patterns.

which do you think i should so gill?

all i can say to you then it is your choice of a career, if you feel you are doing the community a service as you say some people would not get out if it wasn't for you then good on you. So do I take it all these good deeds you do for the elderly and the infirm you do for free ? I think not ! You and all other taxi drivers are making a living that is something that you can not deny. I have worked with the general public and I know just how difficult they can be, but taxi companies and drivers have a duty to provide a safe vehicle for the public to choose to use, if RBC come down hard and take vehicles off the road then there must be a good reason. Some of the defects mentioned in the article about COULD not will have caused someone to be injured then what ? The council will get slated for not doing their jobs so in other words the council are damned either way.

Aww bless you, at £4 minimum trip you must feel like a saint only adding £8 to the pensioners blue rinse for 5 minutes work, it will match her blue lips in winter when she can't afford to put the heating on. I can't believe you have the brass neck to try and claim your some kind of pride of Britain candidate. If I opened a taxi firm I would charge them pence to cover costs, and as for all your "overheads" that equate to about £250 per month at a push, that's called business my friend, Its a lot less than running most business's, try paying rates, utilities, rent, tax (I'll explain what that is soon) vat, professional fees

Aww bless you, at £4 minimum trip you must feel like a saint only adding £8 to the pensioners blue rinse for 5 minutes work, it will match her blue lips in winter when she can't afford to put the heating on. I can't believe you have the brass neck to try and claim your some kind of pride of Britain candidate. If I opened a taxi firm I would charge them pence to cover costs, and as for all your "overheads" that equate to about £250 per month at a push, that's called business my friend, Its a lot less than running most business's, try paying rates, utilities, rent, tax (I'll explain what that is soon) vat, professional fees

gill, quite right too, if there are vehicles out there, be them taxis or otherwise which are in as bad a condition as reported, then quite right to take them off the road and take as harsh action as possible on them, but also take action against the garages which are passing these vehicles as not only road worthy but up to council standards not once but twice yearly, there is NO excuse for ANY vehicle to be be found in as bad a condition as is reported and i for one would not defend them in any way.

and yes i do choose this profession to provide a vital service to those who actually need it, but yes there is a charge for it which is metered and monitored by the council, after all I have to cover my costs or i would not be around for long to continue to provide this service would I?

Oracle....for your information the minimum fare is £2.50 get your facts right before you try to be a keyboard warrior there a good boy.....and the average running costs for a taxi......not including the drivers costs, just the vehicle....equate to £364 per week...to the penny....as worked out by the accountants "professional fees" running taxis is a hell of a lot more than running most businesses, i know this from personal experience.....and most other businesses are not dictated to and controlled as much by the local council staff...nor are they judged upon as much by the alcohol fuelled idiots who object to paying for the service they are being provided with.

our "overheads" include extortionate council fees which are nothing more than a way for the council to make money out of our profession.....if we wish to be authorised by them to work for a living....rates (non domestic of course in case you were not aware of the term for it) utilities rent. tax (i'll explain what that is soon) vat, are in additon to that.

£364 a week for a battered avensis? You should see your accountant a bit more often I think, someone is pulling your pants down. £2.50 is correct for the first 4 metres of your journey then it is £1.50 per lamppost isn't it? I also like the wear and tear horn surcharge of £1 per journey, wearing out a horn every week can't be cheap maybe I am coming round to the £364 a week idea after all.....my favourite charge is the £2.85 towards the phone bill as it can't be cheap ringing abroad all night without stopping for breath. I also like when I get charged up front then dropped off approx half a mile from my house, the walk home does me good and I know from your previous comments you taxi drivers are a thoughtful and caring bunch so I guess they are doing it for my own good. I would love to stay and chat about this all year but I am just registering a social enterprise to operate a not for profit people delivery service (less rules if you word the service better). I only need goods in transit insurance and a battered old transit woo hoo

£2.50 is for the first mile, followed by £2 per mile, with time and a half for after midnite which is £3.75 for first mile followed by £3 per mile, FACT

lamp posts? phone bills? horn?? surcharge, battered old avensis??? when was the last time you actually used a taxi within rossendale, talk sense at least,

the charges are metered and very clear and are available for viewing in ALL licensed vehicles,

we have audi's bmw's fords, peugeots mercedes and oh yes some toyota's, they may have a few dents in from when the drunken fools kick them for the sake of 50p or start kicking off and throw each other on our cars simply because we are there waiting to take them home and out of harms way.

personally i don't like this one but we are told by the council and the police to charge up front due to the number of idiots that think we are a free service and that working till 5am taking the drunks home should be without pay, and the service should be just for their benefit after they have spent all night drinking, without arguing to the bar staff and refusing to pay for the beer i may add.

we are a business, we provide a service, we are working, as such this servide is chargeable, if you are so unhappy with our service, either walk (stagger) home or stop drinking and drive yourself.

and for your information, if you are carrying passengers in any way shape or form, you need a license for yourself and the car, this changed followed the abolition of section 75 exepmtion, check the rules, but it is nice to see that you class people as "goods in transit" how compassionate of you!!

I must have missed this prestige fleet whilst driving round, I don't bother drinking anymore, I just drive round looking for people who need taxis and give them a lift instead when I'm bored. I ❤ the time and a half thing as well, coz everything else goes up by 50% at midnight so why shouldn't taxis, that's why you see people getting their garlic chips ready at 2359hrs so the price doesnt go up, ready to throw them in a cab.

Yes you are correct all cars are metered, as the article says, some are dodgy, most are switched off, the rest think we live in Monaco.

Im just looking at my transit now, do you think it really needs any seats in the back or not? I have some nice beer crates with cushions on?

try opening your eyes next time you are driving about, it does help to avoid accidents cos the vehicles are their, or look on the councils website, the details of make and model of licensing vehicles is there.

i think you are confusing products with people oracle, the people who work after midnite all get at least time and a half, if not more.....with a product, the taxi service is a service provided by people, do you really think that the police or the shelf stackers at asda get normal pay for the night shift?? and theirs start before 12......and if you really deem people to be that meaningless that you would put them on beer crates in the back of a transit then you are lower than any criticism you can come up with.....and you are clearly breaking the higways act which states that ALL passengers MUST have not only seats but seatbelts too..

and there was me giving you credit for being in posession of at least a little intelligence......my mistake!!

Have you not just blown your argument out of the water? The product is getting a lift from a to b, therefore why does the product price change after midnight? I don't see tesco adding 50% on bread between midnight and 7am. Police are salaried so no extra is payed for nights, as are all emergency services. Those that do get paid extra after midnight are normal nightshirt workers who will recieve a higher rate of pay or an uplift of some other kind. If you are an employed driver then it is your employers responsibility to pay for unsociable hours which should be built into any kind of business plan when looking at overheads. Name another "product" or service that adds 50% on at midnight if you can

the product is the mode of public transport ie licensed taxi...the worker is the driver who is providing the product, you are not paying for the product...ie the vehicle, you are paying for the time and labour of the driver.
i dont see tesco adding 50% to the product either, but i do see tesco workers getting paid more for night shift, police and emergency service workers are salarised, and the premium is built into their salary ie averaged out, the amount we charge is decided and dictated by the council as is the time at which we may charge more than normal rate...name me another business who is TOLD by the council what they can charge for the product or service and the per hour rate if you can,...or even better...go and get a life instead of sitting there spouting off about things you oclearly know nothing about. cos i for one am getting bored of your apparrent attempt at knowledge.