On Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:46:52 +0100, Paul Terry
wrote:
In message , Basil Jet
writes

The only feature of London minicabs which is designed specifically to serve
the interest of the public rather than the interest of the minicab
drivers/bosses is the fact that the drivers are verified to have been
convicted of no rapes since coming to this country.

There's more to it than that. Vehicles have to be MOT'd every six months
rather than every year, drivers have to have a medical certificate
supplied by their GP and they have to prove that they have the
appropriate and current insurance for public hire.


There is a huge variation around the country in the local authorities'
requirements for minicabs. I have a friend who use to run a minicab
business in Aylesbury, but now runs a similar business in Middlesex.
The reason for the move was the exceptionally high cost of complying
with Aylesbury's requirements.

Apparently, the annual cost of complying with the requirements in
Middlesex (I cannot recall which Borough) is much less than half that
in Aylesbury.

Whether the enhanced requirements of one local authority over another
are intended serve the interest of the public rather than enhance the
accounts of the council's finance department is moot.