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Plans to reduce the age limit for untested taxis in Leeds have been approved after the council agreed to a compromise with cab drivers.

The council had wanted the maximum age for hire cars without inspection to be reduced from eight to six years.

Cabs that were more than six years old would have to undergo a £30 inspection, which drivers complained would be an extra financial burden.

The council has agreed to set the age limit at seven years instead of six.

The council said the measures would improve safety for the public.

It said the plans were sparked by the "high number of vehicles currently failing checks".

Compromise welcomed

Council leader Richard Brett said: "We welcome a tightening up of the minimum age for testing - seven years is an improvement - and we will continue to monitor very carefully vehicles that are not properly maintained.

"We are allowed to test vehicles up to three times a year and we will continue to do that where complaints mean there is reason to investigate."

About 200 taxi drivers demonstrated against the six-year age limit outside a meeting of the council's licensing and regulatory panel at the civic hall on Tuesday.

After the meeting, Bill Chard of the GMB union, said: "I am not entirely happy but it's a compromise and we welcome that.

"All in all, though we haven't achieved our aim of leaving [the age limit for taxis] at eight years, we do realise there's been compromises," he told BBC News.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/8137651.stm

 

Take it from me thats only the start for this council !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

how many members do you have in Leeds ? cant imagine the 200 drivers that turned up were all members surely ?

with the hardships drivers are facing and things such as age limits on vehicles which at the end of the day mean compulsory purchase of replacement younger vehicle and the costs incurred in doing so while earnings are at an all time low. local associations dont seem able to do anything.

so whats the choices.......... NTA GMB NPHA

all 3 are good at what they do

NTA = Hackney carriage

GMB = both Private Hire and Hackney [ within London mini cab only]

NPHA = Private hire association = owner operators

Membership in Leeds is in EXCESS of 500 and growing FAST suspect the Council will enjoy their hols knowing the GMB are gearing up?

Local Associations are a start, but then when your round the table it soon becomes apparrent that YOU need the Big Guns we dont take no prisoners, when a Council declares WAR as many do we are ready and willing! Ask St Albans, Southend, Bracknell, Clacton and now Chelmsford are in for a portion, wht not your Council or are you happy??????????

not happy at all Mr secretary, but you sound as if your a bit provocative round the table when sometimes its people dealing with people that wins the day. you seem a bit too much in the faces of those you oppose. dont know who you are from adam, its just what ive picked up on reading your bits on here

Night Owl have trouble reding do you lets elaborate

~Terence Flanagan Branch Sec GMB Professional Drivers Branch London region GMB and National Organiser GMBPDB's 07958 275 339 give me a call ??????????

Provocative too true when Licensing Officcers or Councils are victimising or riding roughshod over OUR members we regard that as a declaration of WAR and they will bloody well get it rest assured on that, what normally amuses a Council is the threat of no CABS on a Saturday night and the associated havoc of many thousands of drunks left to amuse themselves until the Bus or Train service starts, associated with no Cabs at the train station or local hospitals all without prior notification and with the BLAME laid fairly and squarely at their door!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! which is what they clearly deserve then subsequently negotations commence, unfortunatly Council's are that peurile that these tactics MUST be used

Councils employing tin pot litlle Hitlers to harrass and destroy the industry must be stopped, and that needs action we supply it!!

NIGHT OWL,it should be remembered that the union has many ways with which problems are overcome, The general idea is that we secure the best possible outcome for our members,sometimes this means using the mailed glove, and sometimes the silk one.Normally when meeting an intangient council it is no use being meek.This union is the fasest growing drivers organisation in the country,and has secured many victories for our membership.you can pm me or ring me on 07956-884076 for further details.regards Don.

Mr Night Owl,

TF is in anyones face that takes the p$ss out of the GMB PDB members, its no good being nice all the time!

Regards
TUM

The GMB will never GROVELL, you want to dont join carry on getting mugged off you deserve it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hundreds of Private Hire and Hackney Cab Drivers will turn out in force today (Tuesday 7th July) at The Leeds Civic Hall, to hear the long awaited decision of The Licensing Committee in relation to age limits.Leeds City Council are expecting a large turnout at The Licensing Committee meeting tomorrow of interested drivers that have campaigned against the proposals to bring down the maximum age of licensed cars from eight to six. Usually the meeting is held in one of the smaller committee rooms but on this occasion the meeting will be held in the main council chamber.

 

Bill Chard, Regional Organiser, for the GMB union representing private hire drivers said: “Attendees will start to congregate in preparation for the meeting at 9.00am in order to show their opposition before the full licensing meeting at 10.00am. They will be armed with placards demonstrating their disgust at the unnecessary and extreme proposal. GMB sincerely hope that the council have been listening to the constructive arguments that we have put to them, if not then we are on a direct collision course.”

 

Javaid Akhtar President Of The Leeds Private Hire Branch – A Branch Of The GMB, Stated: “We have met with council officials and councillors, we made a presentation to the full council, they know exactly where the trade stands on this. If they introduce this extreme policy in spite of the opposition then they will bring disruption to the City.”