Taxi Driver Online

Private hire drivers want to use bus lanes

April 16, 2010

Private hire drivers quizzed Liberal Democrat and Green Party candidates demanding to know why they were not allowed to use bus lanes around town.

Some of Reading Private Hire Association’s 400 members attended the meeting at the Pakistani Community Centre on Tuesday where they put forward their concerns to Lib Dem councillors Ricky Duveen and Gareth Epps and Green Party campaigner Rob White.

Members of the council’s licensing sub committee and lead councillors for environment and transport were invited to the hustings meeting on private hire but sent their apologies for not being able to attend.

Smith Vanderpuye, chairman of the association, said: “The nature of our trade is customer orientated, we pick them up and get them to where they want to go.”

He said not being able to use bus lanes meant private hire drivers in Reading were losing a lot of work to neighbouring counties as taxis coming into Reading from adjacent counties were allowed to use bus lanes too.

Frustrated driver Manzoor Hussain complained: “We pay our rates to the council and we are not getting the services.”

Cllr Duveen, Lib Dem member for Tilehurst ward, said: “I have been pushing for the introduction of private hire vehicles into bus lanes.

“The council did introduce one in Kings Road which they introduced as an experiment and said they would review it after six months, then a year, but said they can’t possibly open it up further.”

Cllr Duveen listed a number of towns and cities including Oxford, Swindon, Doncaster and Bath where private hire drivers are allowed to use bus lanes.

He added: “Some councils still like to think our private hire vehicles aren’t part of the public transport system. The Liberal Democrats don’t think that.

“Over a number of years private hire companies haven’t been consulted on transport changes in Reading.

“From my perspective there’s no reason why private hire vehicles shouldn’t be using bus lanes. I think it’s disgraceful they don’t.”

Green Party campaigner Mr White added: “One of my priorities is improving public transport, and including private hire as I view private hire drivers as an integral part of the system.

“At the moment taxis are being looked after by the council and private hire vehicles are being neglected by the council and I think the balance needs to be restored.

“It seems like a total injustice.”

He added: “I think you should be on equal footing with taxi drivers.”

Source; http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2069 ... _bus_lanes

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Surely its even worse than that, when HCs from a different LA cant use the bus lanes....

so what do you do if your in a bus lane that leaves your LA, leave the bus lane?

A bus lane is no different to any other bus lane in any council district on the public road

Couldn't agree more.

If a taxi can use a bus lane then so should a PH vehicle.

_________________
IDFIMH

I agree but the general public will see a PH going down a bus lane and think Mmmmm I'll follow him he's a normal car.

Here we can use the bus lanes, its no diffrent to the others is it

Do they not think the same when an area has saloon taxis

_________________
Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

because of a run i do i see plated vehicles arrive from several LAs, the lack of consistency in plates/signs/roof lights is amazing

one HC (vectra) from derby has no door signs or rooflight, i see PHs with roof lights, PH with no "PH advice" door signs, every possible combination, even i would be confused (after a few drinks even more so)

If a PH or Saloon hack drove off a cliff would that same Idiot member of the Public think Mmmmm I'll follow him he's a normal car. No...because He'd Know it was wrong and stupid to do so.

I have to agree with you there is no consistency within the trade and it surely must be confusing, not only for locals or Uk visitors but more so for the tourists from other countries

_________________
Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Good.......hope they lose.

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Seems ironic that a coach from Bulgaria could use a bus lane but not a local PH vehicle....

It maybe the same in Bulgaria.

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Or a Reading PH can use Sussex bus lanes but not their own.

_________________
IDFIMH

new satnav message

"you are now entering XXXXXX, get the out the bus lane quick!"