Taxi Driver Online

Cabbies told 'enough is enough'


SEVEN cabbies could face having their licences suspended following complaints about their conduct.

Council licensing chiefs meet this week to discuss whether to impose week-long suspensions on the taxi drivers.

Torbay Council has lost patience with the Hackney Carriage drivers who they claim have ignored repeated requests not to park in bus bays.

But cab drivers have hit back at the council, claiming no help is being offered to alleviate the problem. The council says it sent out final notices asking cabbies to comply with the Road Traffic Orders, but these were also ignored.

It has been claimed by the council that people stepping off buses have narrowly avoided being knocked down by taxi drivers pulling into bays.


Further complaints from bus companies, members of the public and other road users dating back to last summer resulted in the council preparing cases for members of its licensing sub-committee.

Many of the incidents have occurred at the Strand on Torquay harbourside, where taxis queuing in bus bays have obstructed the Clock Tower roundabout. David Green, chairman of the 75-strong Hackney Carriage Taxi Association, said: "The council have done nothing to help alleviate the problems.

"They've offered us taxi ranks, then turned them down at committee. The drivers are just trying to make a living, and I just think the council is being heavy-handed.

"I understand the recommended suspension of a licence is for seven days. They can suspend licences, but the drivers will still park there. The fact is the Hackney Carriage trade needs more ranks. I'm so disheartened by all this, I shall resign my position as chairman at next month's annual meeting.

"We're banging our heads against a brick wall. I've lost faith. It's a complete waste of time. The council just do what they want and we don't stand a chance."

Mr Green said a seven-day ban for the cabbies could cost them about £300 in wages. Councillors will discuss the issue on Thursday at Torquay Town Hall although the seven drivers do not have to attend that meeting.

A council spokesman said that because of the 'sensitive nature' of the cases, they might be discussed behind closed doors. The spokesman added: "We expressed concerns last year about problems caused in the Torquay harbourside area as a result of Hackney Carriage drivers parking in bus bays.

"Three warning letters were sent to all Hackney Carriage licence holders, seeking their cooperation and advising them that they could face financial penalties or even the suspension of their licences if they failed to do so.

"Members of the licensing sub-committee will consider reports in respect of seven Hackney Carriage licence holders, and will decide what action, if any, to take.

"In addition, members of the licensing sub-committee will be asked to consider whether to go into private session to consider these reports.

"Each taxi driver will have the opportunity to attend the sub-committee meeting if they wish."

Last year, civil enforcement officers were sent out to patrol the Strand to make sure bus bays were kept clear of unauthorised vehicles. On Torquay harbourside there are about 23 spaces before midnight, and 32 after midnight, for Hackney carriage vehicles. Two years ago the council considered creating a taxi rank outside Debenhams in Torquay, but the application was turned down by councillors. Last year two separate applications were proposed for Torwood Street, also in Torquay, but those were rejected too.

source: http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/

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

Bus drivers in Dundee were taken note of taxis waiting in bus bays and reporting them to the council.The taxis were using the bus bay as a feeder rank .The council also threatened the drivers with suspension,they had egg on there faces when one of the drivers was told he faced suspension for waiting on the bus bay.He had CCTV in his car and at the time and date he was supposed to be on the bus bay his car was in his garage.He has taken legal action against the council as they had found him guilty without asking him.

One way for to solve this problem is for more rank spaces.

I think if you read towards the bottom of the article it states that cab ranks had been applied for and refused.

Which makes Torquay about the same as the rest of the uk

CC

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

I know it would be impossible to provide every car with a rank space but surely there should be some sort of ratio that councils have to abide by.ie 1 space for every 10 cars or something similar.

What is likely to be discussed that will be of a 'sensitive nature'

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

Not if the driver gets proper legal representation.

_________________
IDFIMH

Those drivers must attend, and take as many supporters as possible.

_________________
IDFIMH

This issue has been going on for 4 years now . We asked for a rank in a particular street ( where the p/h toute ) this would have killed of the touting . the council sent out 111 letters to the local residents .shops and like. 31 replys came back 12 for -19 against so the council went for the against votes. the rank would have been operating for aound 20 hours over the weekend and the rest of the week resorted back to normal pay parking.

it seems the council do not want to do anything to help the situation.

join the club

Suspension threat cabbie blames parking confusion

ONE of the Bay cab drivers facing a suspension of his licence has called for a more coordinated approach from council, traffic wardens and police.

Today seven Hackney carriage drivers are to face possible secret hearings before licensing councillors.

Torbay Council says it has requested cabbies to obey traffic rules and not park in bus bays which can put bus passengers at risk.

If the hearings find against a driver the councillors could impose a week-long ban which could cost them an estimated £300 in lost fares.

Can Rossi, 39, of Belgrave Road, Torquay, an independent driver, says he is one of the seven facing the threat of suspension.


He says he has been renting a cab to drive for around eight years, after working for a building supplies firm, and works seven days a week in the town centre and on the harbour.

He claimed the hearings have arisen because of confusion over where cabbies can and cannot park while waiting for fares.

Mr Rossi said: "There is a lack of communication between the council and drivers.

"There is a common feeling among the drivers that the council is happy to take the £300 a year rent for a badge but are not prepared to give the ranks space in return.

"All the drivers are back-biting about queue-jumping because there is not enough space on the ranks.

"If the council shut the rank opposite Cafe Mambo for a week that would direct trade to other ranks. There is just not enough space on that particular rank."

He said: "If I am suspended from driving I will have to look for work as I cannot afford to have no income."

Meanwhile cabbie Dave Ingham, who is not one of the seven facing suspension, said the threat of suspension is unlikely to affect a driver greatly.

"Most Hackney cab drivers work seven days a week, and never take a holiday, so the ones I know of are just saying they will take a week off."

Mr Ingham, 41, of Hennock Road, Paignton, also called for more rank space and queuing space, as well as pedestrian signs to ranks.

He said he works the Torquay Strand on Friday and Saturday nights only due to family circumstances.

He said there are about 50 cabs out but only spaces for 32 vehicles.

He said most of the trade is centred on the small rank near Cafe Mambo while two other larger ranks at Cary Parade and near the Clock Tower are virtually empty of customers and drivers.

He said: "We need to educate customers and drivers alike that there are other ranks available.

"The rank opposite Cafe Mambo has only three spaces but it turns round very fast so customers wait and the cab drivers go there because they know they are waiting — it is a Catch 22 situation.

"We need to teach drivers and customers to use all three ranks and not just the one.

"There are no signs directing pedestrians to the other ranks and perhaps there should be.

"The council also need to give us more waiting space to get on to the rank or more rank space as cabbies want to get on to a rank that works."

source: http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/

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

Cabbies licences suspended over bus bay parking
Friday, February 19, 2010, 09:27
2 readers have commented on this story.
Click here to read their views.

SEVEN cabbies had their licences suspended by Torbay Council yesterday.

For 18 months the council has cracked down on Hackney Carriage drivers who repeatedly park in bus bays.

This year, council licensing chiefs decided enough was enough — and they called on the seven cabbies to explain their actions.

The drivers were Jordan Brokenshire, James Cameron, Harry Orwell and Can Rossi, with Ryan Ford, Clint Hart and Peter O'Brien opting to stay away from Thursday's meeting.

The four who appeared at Torquay Town Hall told licensing sub-committee members why they had ignored three letters demanding they cease parking in bus bays.


The drivers said the main problem was there were too few taxi rank spaces available to too many vehicles.

Many of the alleged offences took place at the Strand on Torquay seafront, with some cabbies reportedly queuing across the Clock Tower roundabout.

The committee was told members of the public had almost been knocked down after getting off buses and walking in front of a taxi driving illegally on to the bay.

Steve Cox, Torbay Council licensing officer, said: "Every driver was written to, advising them of our concerns, and at that time a couple of fixed penalty notices were issued.

"That seemed to quieten it down for a bit, but the incidents then began again and another letter was sent out.

"Drivers have been given sufficient warning, but a certain percentage have ignored that."

The sub-committee heard each of the drivers called to yesterday's meeting had been seen by council officers parking in bus bays at the Strand.

Jordan Brokenshire said: "We're all trying to earn a living, and that's why we want to be on the short-rank side.

"People are willing to change the way things are done, but nothing is being done from the council side. There's a lot of confusion and inconsistency."

Mr Cameron was accused of being parked in a bus bay twice in one evening. He denied the second instance but said he could not 'confirm or deny' the other because he had no recollection of it.

He added: "I don't feel a suspension is a solution to this problem. It's a punishment for the few. We want a solution for all."

Mr Orwell told the sub-committee he was only in the bus bay because he was waiting to 'slot in' to the rank queue.

He added: "One minute you're allowed to park there, and the next you're not. We've got nowhere to park. The councillors have put us in this spot by not finding a solution."

Mr Rossi told the sub-committee that suspension of his licence would not guarantee he would not park in a bus bay again, because 'we've all got families to feed'.

He added: "I've been ticketed three times for this, so I've been punished, but now you've called me here. I feel like you have picked out a few to make an example of us."

Cllr Peter Addis, chairman of the licensing sub-committee, told the drivers they had been called to the town hall because they had broken clear guidelines and ignored warnings.

After consideration, Cllr Addis and his fellow councillors informed the drivers that their Hackney Carriage licences would be suspended for seven days.

The cabbies were told that they have a 21-day period in which to appeal but then, if required, the seven-day suspension would begin.

source: http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/

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

They need to contact a solicitor, and appeal.

But will they?

It's at times like this drivers really need to be in a national union/association.

_________________
IDFIMH

The local TOA aint been in touch.

CC

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

Maybe they are happy to have seven less cars on the road for a week.

_________________
IDFIMH

Maybe they have contacted their region rather than head office.......or maybe the folks concerned aren't members?

CC

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