Taxi!
THE taxicab situation, particularly in London, is a mess. An uneasy truce reigns between the old-style taxis and the minicabs; these last—at any rate the principal firm—have been unable to maintain the shilling-a-mile rate at which they started. Now there is to be a Private Member's Bill introduced by Sir Hugh Lucas-Tooth, which will apparently (the details are not yet an- nounced) have the effect of further regulating the taxicab trade, in the direction of making compe- tition for the old-style taxis more restricted. Such a Bill should be given short shrift. The taxi-trade spokesman, a few days ago, was referring to his business as a 'public service.' This is impertinent nonsense; the taxi trade is no more a 'public ser- vice' than the manufacture of bootlaces, and it is worth remarking in passing that if the manu- facture of bootlaces were conducted with the in- efficiency and incivility of the taxi trade, it would have gone bankrupt long ago. It is high time that the definition of 'plying for hire' was amended, and that the restrictions on doing so were lirgely waived by the licensing authorities. Apart from the benefits competition would bring, an increased use of taxis, particu- larly the small and manoeuvrable minicabs, would contribute greatly to an easing of the traffic situa- tion, by encouraging private motorists to leave their cars behind when coming to the centre of the city, and would of course also do much to relieve the parking problem. All in all, if re- ports of Sir Hugh's Bill are accurate, Parliament should make it clear that it is not wanted; what is needed is a Bill to make it much easier to put more taxis on the roads, and as soon as possible.
As far as the Confederation is concerned the c'ecision not to strike is entirely unofficial.'
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