IN THE NEWS
MAJOR EXETER LOW TRAFFIC NEIGHBOURHOOD U-TURN ALLOWS TAXIS & PHVs THROUGH BUS GATES
After banishing taxi and private hire drivers from having access through bus gates imposed as part of Exeter’s controversial low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN) scheme, Devon County Council (DCC) has finally relented and will allow them entry within the next few weeks. It comes after ‘Stop the Block’ campaigners lobbied city coun- cillors and meetings were held with taxi operators in which significant concerns were raised about the safeguarding of vulner- able passengers, some journey fares tripling in price due to long detours and traffic, and drivers suffering violence and abuse. The amendment to exempt taxis and PHVs within the bus gate restrictions of the Heavitree and Whipton Active Streets scheme - which was introduced on August 3 - is due to come into effect on November 9. The change will also apply to the Wonford Road bus gate near the LTN area. The change means the council will now have to restart a new six- month statutory consultation period, but previous consultation responses will still be considered. However, it doesn’t change the end of the 18-month window within which the changes must either be removed or made permanent. Representatives of DCC, Exeter City Council (ECC) and chair of DCC’S Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC) - which brought in the scheme - met with Exeter taxi operators in September following a declaration by Exeter’s largest PH company, Apple Taxis, that it was considering axing rides within the Exeter road
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trial zones due to the impact it was having on business. Graham Hockey, general manager of Apple Taxis, has welcomed the amendment to the scheme but says they will continue to campaign for the LTN to be abolished. He said: “It has been absolutely horrific since the scheme was introduced. We told the council we would be looking at revoking services in the scheme areas if we did not receive a response from them by a certain date and then the meeting was called. “We then received an email to say that after our concerns were raised they will allow PHVs and taxis through the bus gates, which is amazing news for us so we don’t need to cut services now. “Our concerns were around the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children who use our services and are not able to access them anymore. For example, to get to and from schools, we
have
calculated that drivers have gone from completing three jobs in a school hour to just one. “Then there’s also the monetary value of fares which have almost doubled and even tripled. The abuse of drivers has continued and is still continuing to this day, and vehicles have been damaged by
angry passengers. “The detours mean drivers have to take longer routes and traffic is being forced onto two main roads. It is affecting all school runs, not just those in the LTN area. “The council pay for some of those runs so we pointed out that its bill for them will increase due to the changes made. Maybe that was a bit of a turning point. “Although we welcome the new access, our main goal is to have the scheme scrapped. It has been a tough battle but it feels like we’re getting somewhere and we will keep going.” Jonathan Kellaway, of the Exeter St David’s Taxi Association, has also welcomed the change. He said: “This will help mitigate the negative impact of the LTN on vulnerable children and adults who rely on our services. We look forward to continued dialogue with the highways authority on this and other related issues affecting our trade.” The council says it has acknow- ledged the impact of the trial scheme on some taxi passengers, and particularly disadvantaged were
those with disabilities,
including SEN children who rely on taxi journeys to special schools. To use the bus gates, hackney and PHVs must display ECC’s mandatory three bus lane stickers. Feedback regarding the amend- ment to the LTN will be discussed at a taxi forum meeting on November 21 which represent- atives from DCC will attend. An update on the progress of the trial was to be given at a meeting of Exeter HATOC on October 30.
NOVEMBER 2023 PHTM
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