 Call Sign recently published an article on the merits of the Mercedes Eurocab. Birmingham Council has now licensed both the Mercedes and Peugeot Euro 7, but the Birmingham and Solihull Taxi Association tells Call Sign that the drivers don't want them. Just what is going on up there? BASTA Chairman Mohammed Zafar explains to Call Sign... "Birmingham City Council recently decided to licence both the converted Euro 7 and Mercedes vehicles for taxi use within Birmingham, but we are very much against the decision for many reasons. We are outraged by the Council's hasty action and feel that they have completely ignored the wishes of BASTA, the local taxi trade and I might add, the feelings of disabled campaigners who like us, believe that the Euro 7 is just not up to the job of safely transporting disabled people. Birmingham City Council has completely overlooked our views and concerns about the Euro 7, the problems of sliding door vehicles and the genuine fears we have for the safety of wheelchair passengers as well as able-bodied people, if these vehicles come on to our streets. Personally, I am wholly against a change of Council policy regarding thess |
BIRMINGHAM TAXI
DRIVERS SAY NO TO THE EURO 7 AND MERCEDES TAXIS |
|
| introduction of different vehicles for use as
taxis - as are 94% of my membership whose views we sought and whose findings we put to the
Licensing Sub Committee in August last year. We had carried out a
referendum in which we gave our 907 members the opportunity to vote for the vehicles they wanted. Only 6% of our drivers said they wanted tochange from the purpose-built taxis we drive at present (TX1 and Metrocab). We even invited the Licensing Sub Committee to carry out their own survey, but they ignored us completely. We believe that sliding doors are potentially dangerous for passengers who might walk out into traffic and won't have a door to protect them. Some 10 years ago we were given a taxi van on trial, but had to get rid of it after a few months of operation as we had serious concerns over it's sliding doors. I feel the problem has come back to haunt us. Decisions as to which vehicles are introduced as taxis should not be taken by lay people who know nothing at all about driving taxis. They should be left to the professionals, whose job it is to drive them and buy them. Only THEY know what is required of a vehicle for use in their profession! these vehicles come on to our streets. Personally, I am wholly against a change of Council policy regarding the introduction of different vehicles for use as taxis - as are 94% of my membership |
whose views we sought and whose findings we put
to the Licensing Sub Committee in August last year. We had carried
out a referendum in which we gave our 907 members the opportunity to vote for the vehicles
they wanted. Only 6% of our drivers said they wanted to How many times have you heard taxi drivers say: "Thank god I was driving a TX1 or a Metro" when they have been involved in a serious RTA? They are both built on a solid steel chassis which is there to withstand the most serious of accidents. The Council's decision to licence the Mercedes as a licensed Taxi is certain to cause confusion as they have already licensed this vehicle as Private Hire! Their solution to the obvious confusion was to stipulate that Hackney Carriages must be black and Private Hire vehicles may be any colour but black. At least one of the Private Hire Mercedes, which have already been licensed, is black. The Council intend writing to the owner to tell him to either change the colour, or change his vehicle. We think this man will have a very good case should he wish to challenge that decision. And remember, Birmingham is but 100 miles from London..." Mohammed Zafar Chairman, Birmingham and Solihull Taxi Association |
|
 |
Powered by NetXPosure |
| Copyright © 1997-2001 Dial-A-Cab Ltd, All rights reserved. |