re: >> But how long will they last
The Ordnance Survey is a independent non-ministerial government department with Executive Agency status and is accountable to Parliament though the Secretary of State in Communities and Local Government.
3 publicly visible posts • joined 5 Nov 2007
"what's to stop groups of people banding together and running private, private hire for the school run, got three families with big cars taking the nipper to school, well then, register them all as private hire cars under a shell company, "Notting Grove School Cars" that specializes in delivering your child safely to the school gates. Register each school run as a journey, and your trip to Waitrose"
I guess the £2,410 total fee for the grant of an Operators License (required by all mini-cab companies) plus the £298 (plus about £80 for a medical) the License required by each driver plus each driver would have to pass the Medical, Criminal Record Bureau check and Topographical (knowledge) test. Not to mention the cost keeping track of all the paperwork in order to comply with the Operators License (although there are several companies offering nice expensive IT systems to help with this).
I would also like to add it's not just the Mayfair set are doing this, I regularly see a blue Toyata pick-up truck with license stickers.