Subject:	FW: Comments on revised Licensing Policy

Importance:	High



From: Licensing  
Sent: 19 February 2018 09:41 
To: Mark Marshall 
Subject: FW: Comments on revised Licensing Policy 
Importance: High

Hi Mark

Think you had better respond to Martin Smith on his comments/concerns, as you can see he has copied 
in Mark Menzies & Gordon Marsden. It’s also worth mentioning that Mr Smith has the oldest vehicle on 
the fleet at 21 years and 5 months!

Thanks
Ryan Ratcliffe  
Licensing Officer
Licensing Service 
Blackpool Council | Municipal Buildings|Corporation Street| Blackpool | FY1 1NA
T:   01253 478 343 
W: www.blackpool.gov.uk



From: Jackie Smith [mailto:jackie.smith08@sky.com]  
Sent: 17 February 2018 16:37 
To: Licensing 
Cc: Mark Menzies; gordonmarsdenmp@parliament.uk 
Subject: Comments on revised Licensing Policy 
Importance: High

I am in receipt of the letter regarding the new Licensing Policy and I am outraged at point 1 
noted below regarding 5 problems and taxis are removed from the road completely for taxis 
over 14 years old.  I was under the impression from BLOATA that this was being looked into and 
was being amended but I see this has remained.

To remove a vehicle with 5 faults or more and not allow a retest is outrageous and surely 
illegal.  You are making taxi drivers already undertake 3 pits tests a year at a cost of £56 per test 
and at each one of these we may be at risk of being taken off the road permanently and will 
have no vehicle therefore no income.  This puts taxi drivers in Blackpool in threat of 
bankruptcy.  

I have personally paid £3500 recently for another taxi which could be removed at the first 
test.  Your inspectors are inconsistent and one individual (Kevin Ronson) who actually has been 
noted as saying he ‘hates taxi drivers’  does anything he can to fail a vehicle.

I have copied into this email, Mark Menzies my Fylde MP and also Gordon Marsden who covers 
the Blackpool area for their help and advice.  I am also thinking of contacting the Driver and 
Vehicle Standards Agency ( DVSA ) for their views on Blackpool’s over excessive and now 
draconian procedures.

As you know Blackpool council has the monopoly on the licensing of taxis, if this was open to 
independent garages the vehicles will still receive a legal test of road worthiness and it is about 
time that taxi drivers had this choice to remove this unfair process.

No driver, in their right mind would take their vehicle to Blackpool Licensing and be bullied and 
harassed in this manner if we had a choice.

 



Martin Smith





 
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