COVID-19:
NEWS....COVID-19:
LONDON’S BLACK CABS BEING USED AS FUNERAL CARS AS THE COVID-19 DEATH TOLL RISES
Drivers from Lon- don’s licensed taxi trade have stepped in to help bereaved families to comply with the strict social- distancing rules im- posed on undertak- ers during the lockdown. In its latest guid- ance, the National Association of Funeral Directors states that “lim- ousines should only be used if there is no alternative option”, and some funeral firms have with- drawn them because of the risk of infec- tion inside vehicles. The new rules al-
most wrecked Olivia Pope’s plans for the funeral of her moth- er who died on 13 March. Olivia was informed
before the ceremony that her
takers could no longer provide cars. Olivia tried unsuc- cessfully to find transport from alter- native funeral dir- ectors, then in des- peration started sounding out taxi companies. She con- tacted Noir Taxi, a consortium of black cab drivers. The company’s co- founder, Peter Schive, a licensed black cab
the day under-
driver for 18 years, said: “When Olivia called, I could imme- diately sense that she was very close to breaking point. I told her not to worry and that everything would be OK.” Schive’s business
LONDON TAXI CRUSHED AFTER BEING STOPPED BY BOLTON POLICE
An old London taxi is set to be crushed after being seized by police. Police stopped the taxi on Worston Avenue in Johnson Fold, Bolton. Officers carried out checks and said that the driver was found to be disqualified and had no valid insurance for the vehicle either. A Greater Manch- ester Police spokes- man added: “The car has been seized
partner and co- founder Patrick Granger was as- signed the sensitive booking. He arrived the next day,
black tie. His black London taxi was highly polished and anti-bacterially cleaned, ready to take the family to the cemetery. Schive said: “We’ve now had a number of enquiries regard- ing black cabs being used to transport bereaved families, so we’ve launched a new sanitised taxi service designed to transport mourners for a flat rate.”
res-
pectfully dressed in a suit, white shirt and
As the pandemic sweeps across the country, Noir Taxi has also been help-
ing to transport NHS staff, self isolators who need ‘click and collect’ services, cancer patients with low immune systems and other people including key work- ers requiring a sanitised taxi for essential travel. The company’s new safety measures in- clude having drivers sanitise their hands, vehicle handles, card payment machines and disinfecting the passenger compart- ment before
each
ride, outside the pickup address.
SHETLAND DRIVERS QUIZ PASSENGERS IF JOURNEYS ARE ESSENTIAL
The London Taxi that was seized by police
and disclaimed and will be sent to the crusher.
The driver has been summonsed to appear at court.”
Taxi drivers will be asking passengers whether their jour- neys are essential during the current Covid-19 pandemic. Shetland Islands Council announced on Thursday 2 April that passengers should expect to be questioned as part of the government advice that every- one should stay at home, unless travel- ling for food, health reasons or work – and only if people cannot work from home. Taxis and PHVs can
continue to work, to provide transport for workers who cannot work from home, and for those in critical services, such as healthcare, key public services and utilities. The SIC stated in a press release: “The advice is clear: everyone should stay at home, and only go outside for food, health reasons or work – only if you cannot work from home.”
Mmmm… With respect, it is not the responsibility of
taxi/PHV drivers to vet the public and send them home to self-isolate. Further, hackney
carriage
drivers run the risk of prosecution for refusal to take a passenger under current health grounds; and cus- tomer aggression if they are offended by the questioning. This is a very tricky time for drivers and passengers alike; it is difficult for drivers to ask the right questions and react accordingly. – Ed.
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MAY 2020
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