AIRPORT AILMENTS
HEATHROW CABBIES BANNED FROM WAITING IN NEIGHBOURHOODS AFTER ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Taxi and private hire drivers will no longer be permitted to wait for fares in residential areas near Heathrow Airport following com- plaints of “urinating and defecating” outside homes. Hillingdon Council has implemented a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) banning drivers from parking or waiting in streets within Pinkwell, Heathrow Villages and West Drayton. This decision comes after residents raised concerns about noise, littering and aggressive behaviour from some drivers. The council held a public consultation last year where
residents and cabbies were given the opportunity to contribute. One resident reported: “It’s hard to find parking, they overcrowd and litter our areas, they urinate in public view.”
Another alleged that drivers typically become aggressive. They said: “I have suffered for 12 years having taxi drivers park outside my house, I have been physically and racially assaulted when I have asked them to leave.” While some drivers argued they were being unfairly punished for the actions of a few. One driver said: “I have never indulged in any of the practices described. Why
should a section of the community be punished for the behaviour of a few idiots” Traffic wardens noted over 9,600 instances of parking violations and issued over 900 fines in seven months for offences including ‘vehicle idling, littering, urination, spitting etc’. Cllr Eddie Lavery said: “We will be using this to target the registered owner of the vehicle -if you drive off you will still be sent the notice. Camera technology will be used to collect evidence and charge the relevant taxi drivers.” The PSPO will come into effect on February 1, 2025.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT SLAMMED OVER “SENSELESS” DISABLED PASSENGER PICK UP RULES
Manchester Airport is facing criticism after a taxi driver was threatened with a £100 fine for picking up three disabled passen- gers at the terminal drop-off zone. The incident, which was shared on social media, involved a driver from Nolan Airport Service who was collecting three elderly women with mobility issues. The women were unable to easily reach the designated pick-up area located in a nearby car park, all of them possess blue badges. “I asked a marshal if we would be okay to pick them up from the T3 drop off area when they came back, and he said it would be alright due to their disabilities,” explained John Nolan, owner of the taxi firm. “Then, on Sunday, my driver went
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to pick them up from the terminal drop-off zone, believing he was acting within reason given their disabilities, where he was confronted by airport marshals. “He told them he was picking up three disabled ladies, to which he was told it would be a £100 fine.” The video shows the driver arguing with marshals, stating: “They are disabled, there’s three of them, and now they are going to have to get out because of these guys over here. She can barely walk and you’re going to make them go to level three, yeah?” John added: “They actually allowed him to put the ladies into the car in the end after saying he wasn’t allowed to pick them up, and told him to drive to the T3 car park and back out again. My driver said it
was clear they were disabled. “It’s scandalous. There were four or five marshals around him on that video, it’s completely unnecessary. “The main issue is just the lack of compassion and common sense.” Mr Nolan emphasised the women’s difficulty walking and the un- necessary stress caused. Manchester Airport defended its policy, stating that drop-off zones are for dropping off passengers only and that designated pick-up areas with longer dwell times are available for passenger collection. “Passengers being picked up after a flight, including those with reduced mobility, should use our designated pick-up areas,” said a spokesperson. “A charge of £6.20 applies to these areas to make sure they are not misused.”
FEBRUARY 2025 PHTM
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