TENDRING, NORTH EAST ESSEX

A Walton taxi driver feared he may be put out of business by a “ludicrous” council rule before securing victory in a court battle.

Tendring Council tried to revoke the taxi licence held by Derek Hicks, owner of Walton-based Shore Taxis, after discovering its own cab seat mistake.

The council has a 12-year-old policy in place restricting taxi drivers with certain vehicles – including the Ford Galaxy – to carrying five passengers.


Mr Hicks has been driving his Ford Galaxy taxi for several years and was given a six-seater licence by the council in error – breaching its own regulations.

But last year the council realised its mistake and tried to strip him of his licence.

Mr Hicks would have been ruined by the move and vowed to fight the council in court.

He said: “If this went ahead I would have had to remortgage my house. It would have had an awful effect on me and the business.

“I couldn’t believe the council wanted to do all this, and spend taxpayers’ money on fighting over what is a really ludicrous rule in the first place.

“I just knew I wasn’t going to back down and had to fight it.”

Mr Hicks clinched victory in court at the end of last year with the help of Powells Walton Solicitors and can now legally use his car as a taxi again.


A judge overturned Tendring Council’s decision to revoke the licence and ordered the authority to pay compensation, as well as the court and legal fees.

The council decided not to appeal the decision.

Mr Hicks said: “When the decision came in it was just overwhelming relief.

“It wasn’t a case of hands in the air and celebrating victory, I was just glad it was over. If it had gone the other way I could have lost everything.

“Hopefully the council will look at this and realise the rules need to change, but it’s a shame it has taken something like this for them to sit up and take notice.”

Tendring Council says its seat policy was created to make sure passengers are safe – but has now launched a consultation to explore updating it.

Members of the council’s licensing and registration committee have decided it is time for an update due to developments in vehicle technology and safety.


Committee chairman Mark Platt said the court decision only applies to Mr Hicks, but feels it is the right time for a full policy review.

“Times have changed and these type of vehicles seating up to eight people have improved and been upgraded in so many ways,” he said.

“The committee believes it is only right and proper to look into the issues again and take on board the views of all interested parties.

“The aim is to decide whether we need to make changes or keep things as they are with all options open.

      
“The over-riding consideration will be the safety of fare paying passengers in licensed multi-purpose vehicles in the Tendring district.”

The 12-week consultation will take on board views from taxi drivers and firm bosses, the Tendring District Taxi Association, the fire service, as well as mobility groups, safety groups and the wider public.

http://goo.gl/5C49Dg

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CANADA

After a series of meetings over a bylaw that would allow ride-sharing companies like Uber to operate in Edmonton legally, that bylaw was passed by City Council Wednesday.

With eight councillors voting in favour, the bylaw passed third reading late Wednesday afternoon.


The bylaw includes the creating of two licences: one for ride-sharing companies like Uber, the other for taxis. Plus, Uber would pay $70,000 every year for all of their cars to operate in Edmonton, in addition to six cents per trip, while taxis would have to pay $410 per year for their licence.

Discussion on the bylaw has been met with protests from taxi drivers – two separate council meetings on the subject were interrupted when the taxi drivers in attendance started protesting.

The bylaw passed Wednesday will go into effect March 1.

Shortly after the decision was made, a statement was released on behalf of Uber’s General Manager for Alberta, Ramit Kar.

“Uber applauds the City of Edmonton for its leadership in being the first Canadian jurisdiction to adopt progressive regulations that embrace ridesharing.

“While these newly adopted regulations contain concessions for ridesharing service providers, the rules put in place a workable regulatory approach.”

Later the Alberta Taxi Group issued a statement in response to the vote, saying the group was disappointed, and the decision leaves Edmontonians “at the mercy of an unregulated market”.

In the statement, the group said Uber “set the agenda” and operated in the City illegally “without regard for the democratic process”.

Pascal Ryffel, spokesperson for the group, called the bylaw “essentially exactly what Uber has asked for since the beginning.

http://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/uber-applauds-city-for-passing-vehicle-for-hire-bylaw-taxi-group-disappointed-1.2754940

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The owners of a Middlesbrough taxi firm have been landed with a court bill of more than £13,000 for operating vehicles without insurance.

The owners of Euro Cars – based in Marsh Road – were fined for causing or permitting the use of their vehicles without valid insurance.

Appearing at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Friday Zaber Elahi and Zubair Elahi, owners of the private hire operator, were fined £2,400 and £1,200 respectively.

The court heard how, despite a restriction on their insurance policy which did not authorise them to be driven by anyone under 25, council officers found the pair had, on a number of occasions, given permission for drivers under 25 to carry out private hire work which involved transporting members of the public.

The restriction on the policy effectively meant that there would have been no insurance cover on those vehicles in the event of an accident.

Zubair Elahi was fined a total of £1,200, made up of £300 for each of four offences, and ordered to pay £4,795 in costs. He was also banned from driving for six months.

Zaber Elahi was fined £2,400, made up of £300 for each of eight offences, and also ordered to pay costs of £4,795.

The court allowed him to keep his driving licence due to exceptional circumstances.

Councillor Julia Rostron, Middlesbrough Council’s executive member for adult health and social care, said: “Private hire operators provide an important service in and around Middlesbrough, and the vast majority are law-abiding and well run.

“However it is essential for public confidence and safety that they abide by the regulations attached to their operating licences and insurance certificates as these are there for a reason.

“This case shows that where breaches occur and the safety of the travelling public is potentially compromised, we will take action.”

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/middlesbrough-taxi-firm-owners-facing-10799318

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