NORTH Somerset Council has drawn up a draft document to try to change the way taxis and private hire cars operate. It will put loads of taxis and private hire cars off

NORTH Somerset Council has drawn up a draft document to try to change the way taxis and private hire cars operate. It will put loads of taxis and private hire cars off the road if implemented and drivers out of jobs. Most of these new rules went out with the ark, and have been abolished by other councils, like the internal measurements of the cars. If they go ahead with these measurements nearly every taxi and PH will be off the road, as there are few manufacturers who make saloons big enough.Who gives the council the right to give drivers points for misdemeanours, like the outside of the car being dirty? That driver may have just come down a farm track and when they get to 12 points they are off the road. Only a court of law can put a driver off the road, or the police if the offence is serious enough.A PHC should not be more than three years old at first licence, have a minimum of a 1400cc engine and be able to carry four or more passengers in comfort. Even the council's web page has the wrong information regarding HC.All Hackney cabs will be wheelchair accessible by the year 2012 and the London-style taxis are already capable of carrying wheelchair users. This Government document says they don't. www.equalityhumanrights.com/documents/disability/transport/taxisprivagehire.pdfGRAHAM GRAY - Plymouth