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TfL targets supercar drivers in minicab con
Sri Carmichael, Evening Standard06.11.07
Drivers of suspect minicabs are being sent letters by transport bosses demanding that they justify their use as cabs.
The clampdown comes after the Standard revealed how motorists have been registering prestige cars as private hire vehicles to beat the congestion charge.
Drivers of Bentleys and Aston Martins are among those suspected of exploiting the loophole, which exempts them from the £8-a-day charge.
Minicab drivers are supposed to pay the toll if they are not carrying fares, but it is almost impossible to check this.
Now Transport for London is sending letters to the owners of suspect minicabs and introducing spot checks to catch offenders. A TfL spokesman said: "We will be contacting any owners over the coming days to clarify how their vehicles are being used. If any owners are found to be using their private hire licence simply to avoid paying the congestion charge, they will be removed from the exemption list immediately."
Minicab exemptions are obtained by paying an £82 registration fee followed by a £27-a-year licence fee. Exploiting the loophole can save motorists more than £1,500. There are claims of builders and pick-up truck firms registering their vehicles as minicabs.
The London Private Hire Car Association said it is not necessary to be a minicab operator, or even a licensed minicab driver, to get a vehicle licensed as a cab. Owners must show a valid MoT certificate but no checks are made on the suitability of the car.
A TfL spokesman said a small number of expensive cars were registered legally by hotels and chauffeuring firms.
Reader views (11)
Get rid of the silly congestion charge....just another TfL racket.
- G Sarin, london
So what, they register their cars as cabs. Mr Ken Livingstone is happy. There should be no congestion charge in the first place. They going to do random checks now. Great pay somone else more money make life more expensive and miserable.
I have tried to get a pco licence to do chauffering the procedure is long and takes months. these people with these prestige cars should work as a chauffeur or register than they won't have to pay. Sick of people complaining and making a big deal because they have already paid to get the licence in the first place.
- Sam, London
I don't know how they managed to ge all these two doors and pick ups registered as private hire vehicle cars in london, when my car was inspected the paperwork that came with said it had to have enough leg room and have appropriate number of doors, all this is from memory as I now use a company car. I think the blame lies with the contractor that does the inspections, a company called SGS. Who are now responsible for the inspections on London black cabs.
- Justin, London
All TFL has to do is make sure that all vehicles have hire and reward insurance, and four passenger doors, it is illegal to operate a private hire vehicle without the proper insurance.
- Graham Gray, Galashiels, Scotland, United Kingdom
What I'd do is this:
1. Give the list of dubious minicabs to the taxman.
2. He can write & tell them they owe £x thousand in taxes from their undeclared extra earnings as a minicab driver.
3. The only way they can't pay is by admitting their car isn't actually a minicab.
4. They lose their minicab licence AND get stung for unpaid congestion charges.
- Factual, Linton UK
Of course all these gimmicka would not be needed if we got rid of Congestion Taxing!
- Howie, London NW1
Cancel C-taxes! Red Ken is lacking.
- Chantel, London
TFL are only interested in easy targets using CCTV and bailiffs to do the dirty work. Any real C-charge enforcement would involve far too much effort to be of interest to them.
- Secker, Stanmore, UK.
Perhaps they avoid this tax because, like everyone else, they've already paid their car tax and feel it should be avoided where possible.
- Nick Cooper, London
I'm sorry but I find it astonishing that to quote from the article "to get a vehicle licensed as a cab. Owners must show a valid MoT certificate" and that's it? No PCO licence checks nothing? Quite laughable, in that case TFL deserve to be criticised on this one. The ease of this loophole and the lack of checks is astounding.
- John, London, UK
This whole C-tax scheme was such a silly thing to try anyhow. It is a disaster. Ken just wanted his taxes. Londoners in the meantime are suffering on or in a messed up transport system. The last 10 years it has got really bad!
- James, London
