Taxi Driver Online

Whats the situation with private hire cars using bus lanes like these? Are we allowed to use them or not? some people say yes some say no....

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Leon, Ellesmere Port.

It all depends on what the local council (or county council) have put into their rules.

All I can say is if that sign was in place anywhere in Sussex (east or west), then PH from anywhere in the country would be more than welcome to use those bus lanes.

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IDFIMH

If you use the bus lanes in Chester as a ot of PH do, you may get away with it but a lot have been caught and had to pay a fine. According to Chester Council a Private Hire Vehicle is not a taxi. also a minibus is not a bus!

Ok cheers mate. I already got fined in chester for turning right at a bloody left turn only, so will be carefull from now on !

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Leon, Ellesmere Port.

And Chester Council are spot on.

A PH is NOT, repeat, NOT a TAXI.

A minibus, unless it has more than eight passenger seats, and is licensed by the traffic commissioners as a PCV, is not a bus.

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Former taxi driver

Well it depends on what context the term is being used and who's doing the defining.

And Chester Council isn't the Security Council of the UN

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

When is a PH a taxi? when they are illegaly plying for hire?

But when a TAXI is required to be PCO standard, or at least WAV, they (PH operators) want the definition to be clear. Cake and eat.

The bus lane dilemma was easily solved in Exeter, with a bumper sticker stating, "Authorised bus lane user" on Hackney and PH. Why would that not work elsewhere. I am not against PH using bus lanes, but I can see where it could cause confusion amongst the (easily confused) private car drivers.

Chester Council are not, it should be noted a member of NATO, either.

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Former taxi driver

79.46% of LA's do not allow PH's to use bus lanes.

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Former taxi driver

Not sure about that cos most LAs don't control their main roads.

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IDFIMH

Most councils allow saloon taxis, so in most areas they also cause the confusion.

The answer is in hand, the gov will allow councils to enforce their own bus lanes soon, and as all the money will stay with the council, then I don't see too many private cars trying it on.

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IDFIMH

Some LAs certainly use the term taxi generically, and certainly as far as the roads department are concerned I suspect quite a lot of them do as well - I mean, I've never seen a sign for a bus lane mention the term PH although many LAs allow them to use them?

Terminology means different things to different people - I mean, when you say 'bus lane', you can't really mean a lane just for buses jimbo?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Regarding the bus lanes up here in glasgow ph cars use them all the time. Up here it seems the normal route we all use, it makes a big difference in journey time.

Funny, but I do think that is what is meant by a bus lane. But don't let me put you off using them if you want to. Council's, I noticed on the politics show, are now using cctv for revenue collection.

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Former taxi driver

But if anything other than buses are allowed to use it then surely the terminology 'bus lane' is misleading, so if you're using the term without qualification then you're doing exactly what you're complaining about as regards the term 'taxi'?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Well, it is certainly the case in Lincoln that bus lanes are precisely that, as only buses are allowed to use them.

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Former taxi driver