IN THE NEWS
TAXI FIRMS CAST DOUBT OVER LINCS CC CHILD SEAT PLANS
Taxi bosses fear new plans to use booster seats while transport- ing county school children could cause more problems than it solves.
Up to £650,000 could be made available for the project in the next two years, as Lin- colnshire County Council attempts to improve road safety for primary school pupils. But with cash grants expected to drop and up to 800 jobs under threat at the authority, doubts have also been cast on the wisdom of spending more than £500,000 on something not required under law. Lincoln Taxi Driver and Private Hire Associa- tion spokesman Chris Weston said he helped transport children with special needs who
brought their own safety seat and kept it with them during the school day before the journey back.
He said this system worked better than taxi drivers being required to keep a booster seat with them at all times. He told the Lin- colnshire Echo: “You could be in as much trouble for using the wrong seat, as for not using one at all. Managing director of Silver Street-based Direct Cars, Mick Crow, said the new ini- tiative could require drivers to receive extra training to install the safety measures. “The problem is when you have three chil- dren in a car and you finish that run, what are you going to do with the booster seats? Are
operators or schools responsible?” he said. “My argument is, at the moment the cur- rent system seems to be working. If you have them for children going to school, will you have to have them for every child?” Liberal Democrat coun- ty councillor John Marriott said: “If I got more than half a million quid, I reckon I could spend it better than by buying booster seats.”
Mmm...Here’s a Coun- ty Council proposal that is destined to cause controversy from all quarters. In these recessionary times, how many of your councils would allocate over half a million pounds to booster seats? And how many readers would use them? - Ed
NEWQUAY DRIVER WINS EQUAL RIGHTS ON LICENCE FEE
A Newquay pensioner and taxi driver, who was being charged double for his licence due to his age, has won the right to pay the same as other cabbies. Roger Hobkinson, 68, was forced to fork out £207 to Cornwall Coun- cil for his taxi licence, which would be valid for three years.
But this is more than double the price for drivers under the age of 65 - who only pay £102 for the same licence.
The Newquay Guardian reported back in Sep- tember how Mr Hobkinson claimed he was a victim of age dis- crimination from the council but after Mr Hobkinson contacted his MP, Dan Rogerson, the council is now scrapping the higher
charge for those over 65.
Mr Hobkinson, who drives for taxi firm Bio- Travel, told the Guardian: “I was really pleased with the arti- cle in the paper but after a couple of weeks it felt like it had stalled, so I thought I’d better contact some- one else.
“I sent a letter to Dan, who replied straight away. Within a few days the council sent me a letter informing me that they would change the system. “Now an over-65 taxi driver, like me, can pay the same £102 as everyone else, but just has to send a medical certificate once a year to keep the licence valid for three years. “I think it’s perfect. No one would want to be
driving the public around without having been medically proven to be fit to do so and it’s now a fair system. “I just hope every taxi driver over the age of 65 in Cornwall will know this now and not be overcharged by the council.
“I hope this will make all of them happy with the savings they will make in 2010.”
Dan Rogerson MP said he was delighted to help.
“It was great news that the council agreed with my concerns and has overhauled the unfair charges he was paying.”
Mmm...Nice one, Mr Hobkinson! Yet anoth- er victory against ageism. Are you listen- ing out there BBC? - Ed
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PAGE 28
Motoring and safety groups have reacted with shock and anger at a survey showing a “significant” increase in illegal use of hand- held mobiles by drivers.
The poll from TRL (Transport Research Laboratory) showed driving with hand- held mobiles had risen sharply between 2008 and 2009 for car, taxi and van drivers. The figures, involving more than 14,000 Lon- don drivers, were also higher than for 2006, the last year before tougher penalties for using mobiles at the wheel were introduced in February 2007. AA president Edmund King told the Yorkshire Post: “I am shocked by these figures and the concern is that, generally, the level of enforcement of the law is low.” Sarah Fatica, from road safety charity
Brake, said: “It is incredibly worrying that people still don’t take seriously the dan- gers that talking on your phone while driv- ing pose.”
Similar surveys by TRL in 2007 and 2008 had shown a fall in the number of drivers using handheld mobiles following the February 2007 law changes.
But the most recent survey of 11,851 cars and taxis and 2,410 vans at 33 sites in Lon- don showed more road users are flouting the laws.
In the 2006 survey 2.6 per cent of car drivers used hand-held mobiles while at the wheel. This figure dropped to 1.4 per cent in 2007 and was at 1.9 per cent in 2008, before soaring to 2.8 per cent in 2009. The number of taxi drivers using hand- held mobiles was 1.1
per cent in 2006 and went down to 0.6 per cent in 2008 before ris- ing to 1.6 per cent in 2009.
The TRL report said: “In 2009, a significant increase in the use of hand-held mobile phones was observed for the drivers of all vehicles (in the Lon- don survey).”
Mmmm… Does this mean that yet again, the penalty for using hand held mobiles – both in DVLA points and fine levels – will have to increase? As readers will recall, originally the fine was £30, no points; then it increased to £60 with three points. Now we have Derby City Coun- cil who are considering penalising drivers for using hands-free mobiles whilst P.O.B.
And
operating/changing SatNavs whilst mov- ing. What’s happening in your area? - Ed
PHTM FEBRUARY 2010
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