Taxi Driver Online

Why Is Private Hire Not Allowed To Use Bus Lanes In Manchester To Pick Up Disabled / Elderly Customers

8th October 2009
john perry - Manchester

As a Private Hire Driver working in Manchester i often get fined for trying to pick up Disabled/Elderly passengers whilst Black Cabs do not. We do the same job and we are the only public service vehicle working 24 Hrs a day in local communities. We also get threatened by customers saying we are ripping them off when a Bus Lane is empty and they see Black Cabs flying down the Lane also empty as they dont understand that we are not Taxi's

There is currently 55 councils that allow Private Hire in Bus Lanes yet for some reason Manchester does not, it seems more concerned making revenue than looking after the Disabled/Elderly residents of Manchester

There are 15000 Private Hire in Greater Manchester and compare this to London's 50000, Manchester's argument that allowing 15000 Private Hire in Bus Lanes would cause congestion is neither fact based or correct.

Private Hire plays an important part in today's transport strategy. Did you know Private Hire in Greater Manchester alone carries more passengers around than the 2000 Buses on the roads today yet we are not subsidised or allowed to use Bus corridors to carry our second rate passengers (that is how they are treated)

All we ask is a fare level playing field as our Black Cab friends to be allowed to use the Bus Lanes to drop and pick up our Disabled/Elderly customers, we do not personally gain from being allowed in these lanes but the customer does.

(common sense 0 raising revenue 1).

Source; PublicService.co.uk

_________________
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.

This should be a good wind up article / post!!

_________________
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.

Couldn't agree more, in my mind it's a f***ing disgrace.

_________________
IDFIMH

In Brum bus lanes vary as to who can use them depending on the blue road sign. Some don't even allow taxis in, whilst others allow taxis & PH in, with PH referred to on the blue road sign as authorised vehicles.

But it's all a load of b*ll*cks anyway, because Brum has never, ever had any local laws, Byelaws or whatever passed to enforce bus lane regulations.

So nobody is ever prosecuted for unauthorised use of a bus lane.

And the council has spent tens of thousands of pounds in road markings & signs for something that cannot be enfored.

Brum's motto; Forward.

_________________
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.