TAXI drivers fear vulnerable hospital patients are being picked up illegally by unlicensed cabs.

They say it is because the taxi rank at the Queen's Medical Centre is too far away from the hospital entrance – meaning some private hire vehicles are taking advantage and illegally picking up trade from the doors instead.

It is against the law for private hire vehicles to take passengers unless the journey has been pre-booked as, if there was an accident, the passenger would not be insured.

Kundan Singh Boyal, a Hackney carriage driver based at the QMC, said: "It's an issue that has to be addressed. Yesterday myself and the other Hackney carriage drivers sat in the rank for a couple of hours before we moved, and the private hires were doing two or three journeys to our one journey.

"You can tell they haven't been booked because they are hanging about by the door."

Only the dark green, London-style Hackney carriages can legally be referred to as a "taxi". The other type of cabs are private hire vehicles, which must be pre-booked by telephone or in person at the company's base. Mr Singh Boyal said the location of the Hackney carriage rank also made it difficult for disabled or frail patients to get there.

"The Hackney carriages are designed for wheelchair accessibility but wheelchair users can't even get to us, because the rank is positioned more out towards Derby Road than towards the entrance," said Mr Singh Boyal.

Barbara Venes, a patient representative, said: "If you come out and if you have been for treatment and you are shaky, you've got quite a walk to get to a taxi. If you are a bit shaky you will hop into the first thing."

Jamil Ahmed, secretary of the Nottingham Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, said he was aware of the problems at the Queen's Medical Centre and had contacted the hospital's logistics manager about them.

The Hackney carriage drivers would ideally like their taxi rank relocated, and the private hire vehicles to be moved on by hospital security.

A spokesman for the Nottingham University Hospitals Trust said: "The main entrance to the trust's Queen's Medical Centre is a busy, complicated area. We have to make sure it's safe and balance the needs of everyone using it.

"We discourage any illegal pick-ups on the trust property, and staff will move on any private hire drivers who aren't waiting for a previously booked passenger."

I'm popping over there tomorrow morning on a job I'll ask the lads 1st hand what's going on?

TAXI drivers fear vulnerable hospital patients are being picked up illegally by unlicensed cabs.

They say it is because the taxi rank at the Queen's Medical Centre is too far away from the hospital entrance – meaning some private hire vehicles are taking advantage and illegally picking up trade from the doors instead.

It is against the law for private hire vehicles to take passengers unless the journey has been pre-booked as, if there was an accident, the passenger would not be insured.

Kundan Singh Boyal, a Hackney carriage driver based at the QMC, said: "It's an issue that has to be addressed. Yesterday myself and the other Hackney carriage drivers sat in the rank for a couple of hours before we moved, and the private hires were doing two or three journeys to our one journey.

"You can tell they haven't been booked because they are hanging about by the door."

Only the dark green, London-style Hackney carriages can legally be referred to as a "taxi". The other type of cabs are private hire vehicles, which must be pre-booked by telephone or in person at the company's base. Mr Singh Boyal said the location of the Hackney carriage rank also made it difficult for disabled or frail patients to get there.

"The Hackney carriages are designed for wheelchair accessibility but wheelchair users can't even get to us, because the rank is positioned more out towards Derby Road than towards the entrance," said Mr Singh Boyal.

Barbara Venes, a patient representative, said: "If you come out and if you have been for treatment and you are shaky, you've got quite a walk to get to a taxi. If you are a bit shaky you will hop into the first thing."

Jamil Ahmed, secretary of the Nottingham Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, said he was aware of the problems at the Queen's Medical Centre and had contacted the hospital's logistics manager about them.

The Hackney carriage drivers would ideally like their taxi rank relocated, and the private hire vehicles to be moved on by hospital security.

A spokesman for the Nottingham University Hospitals Trust said: "The main entrance to the trust's Queen's Medical Centre is a busy, complicated area. We have to make sure it's safe and balance the needs of everyone using it.

"We discourage any illegal pick-ups on the trust property, and staff will move on any private hire drivers who aren't waiting for a previously booked passenger."

I'm popping over there tomorrow morning on a job I'll ask the lads 1st hand what's going on?

The passengers are insured. It is the driver and vehicle that aren't insured. This uninsured rubbish is spouted by people to try and push home the point about illegal pickups. After all if you told the punter the truth they would still get in.
I would be willing to bet that if someone was to actually stand at the hospital doors and warn punters that the car they were about to get into was not licensed to pick up without a booking, every single one of them would still get in.

You're right about them getting in, but mistaken in respect of insurance.

CC

Why am I mistaken in respect of the insurance?

Wasn't there a case in Telfod last year that put it to bed?

CC

Clearly this is a case of loads of work going out via a PH freephone.

Maybe the hackney lads need to stop moaning and put in a bid for the phone.

The days are long gone when punters need to walk distances to get a licensed vehicle.

I don't know you tell me.