JNugent wrote:
On 27/04/2016 17:21, Robin9 wrote:

'JNugent[_5_ Wrote:


If his
experience is that it's pretty pointless to try to find a
Hackney cab, that's enough reason for him to opt for a
minicab instead. Like everyone else, he is under no
obligation to use Hackney cabs.

Quite so.

But so-called private hire cars have to operate within a set of
restrictive rules. Those rules exist at least in part so as (attempt) to
prevent them from operating as if they were taxis.

If the rules were tightened (as they have been - after all, it's a
comparatively short time since registration was even introduced in
London), that would become the new background and the new environment in
which hirings took place.

Some people seem to have either forgotten (or not to know) why the
loophole of "private hire" exists in the first place.

Why would they care? Minicabs provide an efficient, economic, popular
service that meets the needs that old-fashioned taxis don't. Like many
other people, I regularly use minicabs, but go out of my way not to use
black cabs. That was true even when I could claim cab fares on expenses.