A Word On Age Limits...from Alan Fleming.

Just read the article on age limits on your website.

I would like to inform you and your readers that it is unlawful
to place an age limit on any motor vehicle.

Back in the late seventies the age limit on a cab in London was ten years. However, a cabbie took the PCO to court on the matter and the case finished up before the Law lords.

They made the following judgement. So long as a motor vehicle complies with its construction and use regulations at the time of first registration and is safe for the road, an age limit cannot be placed on any motor
vehicle.

What TFL are proposing is unlawful.

Alan Fleming

Former Chair LCDC

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A word from the English Capricorn.

With the Consultation looming in the not too distant future and suggestions going forward from various bodies... including Taxi-Drivers, then maybe a good suggestion is as follows:

That all P/H have “inside their vehicles” front and back “clear guidelines” informing customers that in “any” dispute, and for whatever reason, that they should complain directly to Transport for London/Taxi-Private Hire, regarding “all” complaints and “not” to the Mini-Cab Company as this will fall on deaf ears.

There needs to be in every vehicle clear guidelines to this fact, front and back. It is the sole responsibility of T/PH to discipline P/H drivers and “NOT” the responsibility of the P/H Companies that hire these drivers. Let us not forget that the companies that hire “undesirable drivers” will “protect” these drivers in an attempt not to tarnish their good company name. We as London Taxi Drivers are “solely” accountable to T/PH and so should all Minicab Drivers. I repeat: This is “not” a debatable subject. P/H drivers are solely accountable to T/PH and “not” to the company they work for.

This also clearly needs to be understood by TFL/T-PH. Therefore, if we do not “lobby” TFL/T-PH then countless complaints will go by the wayside leading to more serious problems in the future. Bad P/H Drivers need to be “weeded out” before more serious matters occur.

Let “us” make this Consultation work for London Taxi-Drivers and not just for the P/H Sector.

Lastly, maybe this can also be another reason for demonstration, along with the countless other reasons to demonstrate, in regards of public safety ?

EC.