IN ANSWER to your letter, New Taxi Laws Not In Stone, by the Secretary of Lancaster City Hackney Proprietors Association, who is he kidding?

Mr Spence contends that his Association represents 70 per cent of the trade in this area. If my maths is correct, I believe he represents only a quarter of the trade registered with the City Council.

He fails to say whether his 70 members were all at the meeting, or whether it was the majority of those who attended the meeting that voted in favour.

Some taxi owners I have spoken to are not in agreement, but do not want to stir the waters.

If Mr Spence agrees with the new laws, will we have taxis with three doors?

When did Mr Spence or his colleagues see seals put on taximeters, or when did he last see a flag meter?

Are Mr Spence and his colleagues in favour of the abolishment of door signs on Private Hire vehicles, because again this is another contentious suggestion. I believe that the new Licensing Committee have received direction without considering the implications.

There are approximately 260 vehicles on our streets undertaking Private Hire work, yet only 170 of us are licensed, and still the Hackney owners want to regulate our business.

On behalf of the Lancaster Private Hire Association, I wrote to the council asking if a representative group of members could enter into discussion with council members to air our views.

The reply from the council solicitor has indicated that before such a request can be permitted, I need to submit the number of members that our Association represents. Is this a democratic state of affairs that the council will only listen to the majority and not to a minority? What are they afraid of?

We simply wish to state our case and ask the council to answer some questions.I forwarded a letter to every member of the licensing sub-committee, making several points and inviting dialogue.

To date not one of the council members has contacted me on any of the issues; is it that they need someone to explain what I have mentioned in my letter? If they are not prepared to talk, how can they say they are working with the interest of the public.

Believe it or not but we are voters in this community, or haven't they realised that.

Jim Harrison

Secretary

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