MOBILITY MATTERS


SIX POINTS AND £600 FINE FOR CABBIE WHO NARROWLY AVOIDED INJURING WESTON CYCLIST


A taxi driver has been fined after a cyclist narrowly avoided being “wiped out” in Weston-super-Mare. Screenshots of video footage released by Avon and Somerset Police show a grey BMW cab coming perilously close to the cyclist after entering a mini- roundabout. The pictures, dated August 9, appear to show the cylist giving way to a grey Honda at the mini- roundabout, before entering it themselves. As they reach the centre of the roundabout, the taxi - which ought


to have given the cyclist priority - passed the cyclist close on their left-hand side. The driver was fined £600 and handed six penalty points after the incident. A roads policing unit spokesperson said: “Only the quick reactions of


the cyclist prevented them from getting wiped out and potentially seriously injured by this taxi driver in Weston-super-Mare. Sections 184 to 190 of the Highway Code cover roundabouts and mini- roundabouts. The code tells drivers to “give priority to traffic approaching from your right, unless directed otherwise by signs, road markings or traffic lights”. They must also “watch out for all other road users already on the roundabout” and “look forward before moving off to make sure traffic in front has moved off”.


ANGER OVER UNFAIR LEEDS PHV ‘NO GO AREAS’ WHICH FORCE DRIVERS ONTO LONG DETOUR


Leeds City Council has been urged to relax rules around so-called “no- go zones” in the city centre for PHVs which are banned from using or picking up passengers on a number of roads before 10pm. The zones have been phased in by the council over the last couple of years to ease traffic, as only buses and hackney carriages are allowed to use them 24 hours a day. But Labour councillor, Arif Hussain, said he wanted a cut-off time of 6pm. A senior council officer said he was willing to look at reaching a compromise. Cllr Hussain, a former taxi driver himself, told a recent scrutiny meeting: “PHVs are providing a public service to local residents after the bus services have stopped. But they don’t have the right to go through certain places before 10pm. I don’t understand


PHTM NOVEMBER 2022


why? Customers are complaining because their driver has to go round. That’s one issue. “From my own experience, they should be allowed through these places after 5pm or 6pm, because peak times finish after that.” Speaking after the meeting, chair of the Leeds Private Hire Drivers Organisation (LPHDO), Ahmad Hussain backed those calls. He said: “It’s not fair for us or our passengers. It creates more pollution as we’re stopping and starting more and we’re right in amongst the traffic. The quicker we’re out of the centre the better.” “I don’t go into the city centre before 10pm as it’s not worth it. Many drivers are saying the same.” Drivers who do pick up passengers in the zones are subject to fines. Speaking at the meeting, the council’s chief officer for highways,


Gary Bartlett, suggested the authority could alter the policy if a consultation showed widespread support. He told Cllr Hussain: “Those restrictions can be looked at. They’re imposed by a traffic regulation order and they’re subject to statutory consultation. “If there is feedback around, ‘Can it be relaxed to 8pm or 9pm?’, that’s something that could be considered.” However, Mr Bartlett appeared to rule out changes to a new city centre bus gate, which bans most traffic from accessing Wellington Street from Bishopgate Street. Cllr Hussain said this was unfair, a view also later backed by LPHDO. But Mr Bartlett said: “Because PHVs look more like cars I think it encourages other private vehicles to follow them”.


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