MAJOR DECISION IN LIMITATION OF TAXIS

Taxis Drivers in Salford face a huge bill for contesting the Council's right to de limit the number of Hackney Carriages it Licenses,

The Article below is from Taxi Driver on line and is not the full findings of the hearing if we can get these I will post the full decision on here.

http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/?p=1370

Salford taxi drivers hit by legal bill

Posted by admin on December 30th, 2009

Source: MEN

TAXI drivers say they will be crippled by costs after losing a landmark court case. Salford hackney cab drivers went to court to overturn the council’s decision to implement new rules across the city.

But their fight against the plans to delimit taxis failed, leaving the drivers almost £50,000 out of pocket. The drivers, backed by national union Unite, will now have to find the money to pay the legal fees.

Dave Evans, from Unite, said: “We are all devastated by the decision. “The drivers will have to club together and find the money themselves. “It’s really difficult because all we wanted was a guarantee to get people round the table again to talk about the plans.”

The drivers had sought a judicial review to overturn Salford City Council’s decision to delimit. Black cab drivers are against plans to scrap the limit on the number of hackney carriage licences issued by the council.

Instead, they want a ‘controlled increase’ of licences over the next three years. They believe the council plans will threaten the livelihoods of the 79 drivers who currently hold black cab licences.

The judge, Mr Justice Parker, in handing down his judgement, refused permission for Judicial Review proceedings and awarded costs to Salford City Council. It is understood the council’s costs amount to £16,000 and the taxi trade’s costs could exceed £50,000.

The new taxi rules, which will come into force immediately, allow for a removal of the current limits on the number of hackney cab licences the council can issue as well as other new rules which include refusing to licence any taxi which does not meet the council’s stringent emissions standards.

This potentially means all vehicles over seven years old cannot be licensed for use as a taxi. Councillor Norman Owen, who supported the taxi drivers’ fight, said: “The decision is deeply disappointing. “The taxi trade has been landed with huge legal costs, when all they really wanted was more meaningful consultation with the council.

“They have been forced down this road by the council’s unwillingness to listen and it is disappointing that Mr Justice Parker did not realise that.”