Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver slapped with parking fine claims he stopped to help distressed passenger with learning difficulties

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/not ... ne-2447460

Nottingham City Council has rejected his appeal


Image: Nottingham Post/Marie Wilson

A taxi driver slapped with a £70 parking fine claims he had no choice but to stop illegally when a passenger with learning difficulties unexpectedly exited his car.

Alan Taylor, who has been a Nottingham cabbie for more than 30 years, landed the penalty charge notice for leaving his cab on double red lines in Station Street while he escorted a distressed passenger into Loxley House, her desired destination.

The 63-year-old, of Bulwell, told Nottinghamshire Live that he had been waiting for a container lorry to leave the drop-off zone to park correctly when his passenger - a young woman with learning difficulties - became anxious and panicky, opened the door and left the car.

He said: "As she was already out of the vehicle and had no intention of getting back in, and with no way of making her, I had two options; leave her standing there and drive off or take her inside as quickly as possible so as not to cause an obstruction for any longer than necessary."

Mr Taylor, a Central Cars driver, says escorting the passenger into Loxley House only took a minute or so and while he knew he would have obtained a fine he thought on appeal to Nottingham City Council his fine for the incident on January 7 would be overturned.

In a letter to the authority's Parking Regulation and Compliance department Mr Taylor described waiting for the container lorry to move to park correctly. He said: "My passenger who was sat in the front passenger seat became quite anxious at this stage and went to open the door but I told her she couldn't get out until I could park correctly.

"She didn't understand this and said repeatedly that she had to go to work. I tried to calm her down but she became panicky and started acting very strangely bending forward and then sitting back."

The passenger then left the car and stood next to it expecting Mr Taylor to take her inside, he claims.

The appeal was rejected.


Image: Nottingham Post/Marie Wilson

Councillor Toby Neal, Portfolio Holder for Community Protection at Nottingham City Council, told Nottinghamshire Live the decision had been taken after reviewing CCTV footage of the incident.

He said: “We reviewed CCTV footage after Mr Taylor appealed his fine, and have listened to his explanation of what happened. However, there are designated bays along Station Street for drop-offs and pick-ups and it is the driver’s responsibility to find one of these to safely park.

“These restrictions were introduced last year to ensure pedestrian safety at the very busy junction between Trent Street and Station Street, where drivers were continually ignoring the existing no-stopping rules.

“Following the improvements to Station Street a couple of years ago, the needs of taxis drivers were carefully considered and built into the scheme. While stopping is not allowed on the pedestrian-friendly area outside Loxley House, there are plenty of other options available.

“We’ve increased the number of drop-off bays nearby on Station Street from four to an initial seven, and these are available for both the public and taxis.

“The red lines have been introduced to allow us to enforce no-stopping, but mostly to remind motorists that they cannot wait on that junction – we have to keep the traffic moving. Stationary vehicles cause congestion back along Trent Street and block visibility at a busy crossing point for pedestrians.”


Image: Nottingham Post/Marie Wilson

This is not the first time Mr Taylor has appealed a parking fine. In October 2015 he contacted Nottinghamshire Live about a penalty notice he received for staying 41 seconds longer than he should have when dropping off an elderly disabled passenger at Nottingham Railway Station.

It was eventually overturned.

Just how long was he stopped for? The sign says you can have 5 minutes.

_________________
Grandad,

That's presumably for the designated bays. By the looks of it he was waiting to get into such a bay when the passenger got out, so when he got out to assist her he was on the double red lines.

If you were allowed to stop for five minutes then that would be *less* restrictive than double yellow lines (ie you can stop to drop/pick up passengers on double yellows) whereas the red zone idea seems to be to forbid stopping at all.

This article is misleading the public and obviously some in the trade going off the posted comments.

A licensed TAXI is allowed to stop,to set down or pick up a passenger on red lines.
Private hire vehicles are not allowed to stop on red lines.

Evidence?

Google stopping on red lines

Yes, I have, and the taxi exemption applies to London. Elsewhere it depends on the restrictions specified - the plates in the photograph would seem to indicate that there are *NO* exemptions in Nottingham?

Well I’m sure Alan can afford it.

Motorists are not allowed to stop, wait or drop off for any reason on double red lines. Those with a blue disability badge will still be able to be picked up and dropped off but cannot wait or park on a double red line.

Taxis will also be able to pick up and drop off customers but will not be allowed to park and wait.

Nick McDonald, the council’s portfolio holder for transport, said: “We believe this will help to keep Nottingham moving along the routhern relief route.

“Red routes have been very successful elsewhere and will ensure these roads remain clear so that traffic can continue to flow smoothly through the city during the exciting redevelopment of the Broadmarsh.

“We have also created loading bays along the route for businesses we feel may need them. We have considered all types of motorists so disruption is minimised.”

Suspect you're wrong there. The taxi exemption only applies to London, according to the Highway Code. There are *no* exemption on the red lines, even for blue badges.

Suspect Nottingham a mixture of the two below from the Highway Code - thus a blanket stopping ban on the red lines, and exemptions in designated bays. As the Highway Code says, you must consult the plates for the precise local exemptions. The plates in the Nottingham photo indicate that the designated bays allow five minutes parking for everyone, and unlimited parking for blue badge holders, but just in the bays.


Image: Nottingham Post/Marie Wilson

These are the two Highway Code entries relevant to Nottingham, as far as I can tell. For the other main variations on the red zones, visit the link at the bottom:


Red Route stopping controls

Red lines are used on some roads instead of yellow lines. In London the double and single red lines used on Red Routes indicate that stopping to park, load/unload or to board and alight from a vehicle (except for a licensed taxi or if you hold a Blue Badge) is prohibited.

The red lines apply to the carriageway, pavement and verge. The times that the red line prohibitions apply are shown on nearby signs, but the double red line ALWAYS means no stopping at any time. On Red Routes you may stop to park, load/unload in specially marked boxes and adjacent signs specify the times and purposes and duration allowed. A box MARKED IN RED indicates that it may only be available for the purpose specified for part of the day (eg between busy peak periods). A box MARKED IN WHITE means that it is available throughout the day.

RED AND SINGLE YELLOW LINES CAN ONLY GIVE A GUIDE TO THE RESTRICTIONS AND CONTROLS IN FORCE AND SIGNS, NEARBY OR AT A ZONE ENTRY, MUST BE CONSULTED.





No stopping at any time







Parking is limited to the duration specified during the days and times shown

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway ... arriageway

Not my words that was a quote from Nottingham city council.

The Highway Code is an advisory code only, it says so in the book. It is not the law, despite what some may think.

I assumed the quote was referring to the designated bays:


The article today quotes another councillor as saying:

Indeed, which is why it tells you to refer to the local signs for the particular restrictions in place. Can't see any evidence to suggest that taxis are allowed to drop on red lines in Nottingham, or any other vehicle for that matter.

www.trafficsignsandmeanings.co.uk/expla ... route.html

This informs you that a licensed TAXI is allowed to stop to pick up or set down a passenger.