As A Council Is Set To Close Its Taxi Testing Base In A Bid To Save £110,000, We Ask Why The Need For Two MOTs ?

For too many years, bureaucracy and red tape have had a massive strangle hold on the London Taxi Trades conditions of fitness.

 

It appears TfL move the boundaries to suit their own purpose, when ever they like. Mainly for financial reasons and in some cases completely disregarding passenger safety. 

The yearly inspections have been acclaimed to be far from perfect as examiners refuse to licence vehicles with very minor scratches that make no difference to public safety. 

Previously, under the Met, conditions of fitness were not much easier, the Penton Street passing centre was full of jobsworth. 

Many years ago, a friend of mine was told his Taxi would not be licensed as there was a small crack in the lenseof the interior light. He looked up and walked away from the vehicle (still on a ramp) and the examiner said can you move your Taxi. 

He said “no, apparently it’s too dangerous to drive, I’m going to arrange for it to be picked up by low loader. 

The examiner went and told his supervisor, who soon arrived back, carrying a new plate and fixed it on the Cab. 

Meanwhile in Milton Keynes:

A yearly inspection and two MOTs and a 12 year age limit... if you thought that was over the top, give a thought to the drivers in Milton Keynes. But their system is about to be bought into the 21st Century... not for safety reasons, but to save money.

Twice yearly council-run mechanical checks on taxis are set to be axed by Milton Keynes Council in a bid to save money.

Since March taxis and private hire cabs have been allowed by the Government to stay on the road as long as they have an MOT certificate and the council is now set to make this a permanent policy.

The council says the decision to outsource MOT and licence checking will provide a boost to local garages and save cab licence holders money at a time when the trade is struggling to attract passengers. 

Each council test costs £61 and the MOT is priced at £54.85 or in some cases less.

It will need to be confirmed by the cabinet, and a date for a final decision has been placed in the council’s forward plan to be made on December 15.

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT: 

Thinking about the harshness of the Taxi system in London at these trying times, while we don’t want to see a massive drop in standards, the whole system is in great need of a tweak. 

One inspection on the anniversary of the Taxi’s first licensing is acceptable, but why on earth does the vehicle require an MOT as well? 

The vehicle has passed stringent checks by qualified examiners. This should be good enough for at least 6 months, when an MOT would cover the second 6 months of the licensing period. 

London’s Taxi fleet is shrinking and Taxi Leaks prediction of project horizon looks very much in line. 

The Mayor’s answer to a question at MQT, has stated that there are approximately 3000 Taxis in the existing fleet that would not be relicensed in the period between 1st November 2020 and October 2021. 

With the total number of Taxi vehicles currently standing at approx 16,000, we are getting closer to the project Horizon figure of 13,000. 

Next up in line from Horizon will be the issuing of rank permits at major Taxi ranks, plus a system of Gold, Silver and Bronze private hire licenses.... with permit holding Gold roundels (WAV) able to rank alongside Taxis on specific ranks. 

Won’t happen you say... just remember, you heard it here first.