..COUNCILS BOURNEMOUTH: CAR CAMERA PATROL IS HEADACHE FOR CABBIES
A Bournemouth taxi firm is appealing to the council to take a “common sense approach” in its use of a new car-mounted camera.
A director of United Taxis claims the mobile parking camera, which patrols outside schools and at bus stops, is stopping his drivers from providing a quality service to customers.
Derek Heritage said there had already been two instances where warning letters had been issued and driv- ers were now wary about picking up cer- tain fares.
He told the Bournemouth Echo: “We try and avoid dropping off on bus stops wherever possi- ble but sometimes they
are the only option. If someone persistently offends then they do deserve a ticket but in the majority of cases, I think a little bit of flexi- bility is required. “When we have dis- abled, elderly, partially sighted or child pas- sengers, we need to get close to their cho- sen destinations. It’s preventing us from offering the service that we are there for.” But Cllr Robert Law- ton, cabinet member for environment and transport, said taxi drivers were not exempt from road traf- fic offences and had to be treated like every other motorist when it came to enforcing traf- fic regulations.
He said they had already noticed improvements at
some schools and hoped the initiative would also reduce congestion on roads and make bus servic- es more reliable. “For those taxi drivers who have incurred a PCN due to parking at bus stops to unload passengers with dis- abilities, the driver is entitled to appeal like everyone else,” he said.
“Each appeal is taken on its merits and depending on reason- able representation, sympathetic consider- ation will be given.” He added: “The cam- era car is a unique road safety initiative aimed at reducing the number of road acci- dents involving children and keeping bus stops clear of parked vehicles.”
WEST LANCASHIRE: RED LIGHT FOR BARE CHESTED CAB DRIVERS
Cabbies who drive around bare chested in flip flops could risk their licence under new rules.
Licensing chiefs have put together a whole raft of recommenda- tions as part of a shake-up of the service. Bosses say they are not expecting drivers to wear shirt and ties but they do want driv- ers to dress “respectfully”.
Complaints about some drivers driving around bare chested in hot weather and others wearing flip flops have prompted the move.
The dress code is part of a series of meas- ures being put forward by West Lancashire Borough Council. Licensing Manager Paul Charlson told the Ormskirk Advertiser: “This is about appro- priateness, we’re not asking for a shirt and
tie but a reasonable standard of dress. The key issue is safety, for example flip flops. Loose or trapped footwear on a vehicle causes safety con- cerns.
“This is not about smartening up their image or improving it. But for example bare chests won’t be allowed; sometimes in hot summers we have had complaints about that.
“It’s not a criticism of drivers, a lot of what’s in the document (draft policy) is com- monsensical.”
The public will be asked what they think before councillors make the final deci- sion.
Council bosses say it is crucial that guide- lines are set to make sure taxis and drivers meet the required standards. Key proposals
AUGUST 2009 PHTM include:
•A new dress code for drivers
•Clarification of the medical fitness stan- dard drivers must pass
•15 year age limit for all licensed vehicles •An amended and improved knowledge test for new drivers •Hackney carriages not being licensed to carry front seat pas- sengers on safety grounds
Cllr Andrew Fowler, portfolio holder for community services and health, said: “We recognise the impor- tant transport service that the taxi trade pro- vide to our community.
“Therefore, we hope that this document will provide clarity for the trade, as well as the travelling public, by establishing clear and comprehensive standards.”
Angry taxi drivers claim that low staffing levels at Wigan Coun- cil’s MOT centre could force them out of work.
Drivers say that staff have recently left the Hindley MOT Centre leaving only two mechanics to service more than 600 private hire and hackney car- riage cabs.
According to drivers, as a result of the staffing levels they are having problems booking their taxis in for MOTs at the Wigan Road centre.
Ronnie Melling, who is branch secretary of Unite, told the Wigan Evening Post: “In other boroughs there
WIGAN: CABBIES’ ANGER AT BIG MOT DELAYS
are up to 32 garages where taxis can be MOT’d but in Wigan there is only one. “Something needs to be done to address this. We need a better system.”
Mr Melling also said that drivers are also being faced with peri- ods out of work because of a change in the system that means cars are being failed for minor prob- lems - and then can’t be re-tested immedi- ately.
“Some drivers have told me that their cars have failed an MOT because a headlight bulb wasn’t working. They are then out of work until they can
book their car in for a second appointment which, with the current staffing levels, can take days.”
A spokesman for Wigan Council said: “We are surprised at recent claims that delays are still being experienced at the council’s test centre. “Initially when two vehicle examiners left, teething problems were experienced in booking tests. Howev- er, this has now been alleviated, we believe. “Contingency plans have been put into place including addi- tional appointments being made available by the staff at the test centre.”
WEST LOTHIAN: CABBIES FEAR NEW PLANS TO UPGRADE FLEET
Taxi drivers in West Lothian say they are at risk of being driven out of business by new plans to upgrade the fleet.
The council’s execu- tive committee has pushed through legis- lation for 14 specific vehicle types to be used as taxis on county roads in future, but only four of these vehicles omit levels of C02 under the recommended 200g per kilometre. This would see a rise in emissions of between 30 and 40 per cent in West Lothian, accord- ing to a report by East Central Scotland Vehi- cle Emissions Partnership submitted to the council. Chairman of West Lothian Taxi Owners’ Association, Billy Hewitt, is also angry that the new legisla- tion will force many drivers out of the busi- ness due to costs. He told the Edinburgh Evening News: “It will cost anything from
£20,000 to £30,000 for drivers to buy these new vehicles and make the appropriate alterations, and this is at a time when the industry is on it knees during this recession. “The higher emis- sions cars will also increase monthly out- goings like fuel and finance deals for driv- ers, and it won’t be feasible for drivers nearing the end of their careers to buy new vehicles.”
The committee has also ignored the advice of its own emissions officers who voted against using ten of the new vehicles. But West Lothian Council says it has to upgrade its fleet of 167 licensed taxis to fall in line with new Scottish Government guidelines to make all cars wheelchair accessible for dis- abled people with side-loading vehicles. A spokesman for the council said: “We have carried out
extensive consulta- tion with the taxi trade on the new changes which will drastically improve the service for disabled people. “The taxi trade voted in favour of three of the 14 vehicles on the approved list and it will be a matter for the taxi trade to consider whether they want to opt for one of the lower emission level vehicles on the list or a higher emission vehicle. “Although the emis- sion levels from the approved list of taxis are expected to rise over the next few years, as these vehi- cles are gradually introduced the rise in emission levels will be likely to be offset by a decrease in the emis- sion levels from the larger private hire fleet, which will be reviewed shortly. “Many of the 14 vehi- cles on the approved list are already operat- ing in West Lothian as private hire cars.”
PAGE 85
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112
