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Bus lane ban for private hire cars in Leicester
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Author:  captain cab [ Thu Jul 05, 2012 6:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Bus lane ban for private hire cars in Leicester
Bus lane ban for private hire cars in Leicester city centre


Council bosses have refused to let private hire drivers use bus lanes in Leicester city centre.

A delegation representing the drivers met with Leicester's deputy city mayor Rory Palmer to try to get permission to use the lanes.

From the beginning of this week, people caught driving illegally in bus lanes in Charles Street and Causeway Lane, will be fined £60.

Deputy city mayor Rory Palmer said no exception would be made to enable private hire vehicles to use the bus lanes.

He said: "The case is that private hire drivers have never been able to use the bus lanes in Leicester and that has not changed.

"What we have agreed to do is to meet them again in a month or so to hear from them what, if any, detrimental effect this enforcement has had on their business."

He said the council would be reviewing the bus lane policy over the next year or so.

John Lyons, who represented private hire drivers at the meeting, said: "Naturally we are disappointed with the outcome.

"As we see it, all we are doing is asking to be able to provide a public service as we have done for years. As far as we are concerned there has been an unspoken agreement that we can use the lanes if we need to and we will not get fined."

Only black cab drivers, buses and cycles are allowed to use the bus lanes.

In a trial period of two weeks, hundreds of people were sent warning letters for using the lanes illegally.

Cameras caught 245 people in the first three days.

Black cab drivers have said the installation of enforcement cameras in the two bus lanes has speeded up journeys.

RMT Leicester and Rutland branch secretary Gurpal Singh Atwal said: "We at the RMT brought our concerns to assistant mayor Rory Palmer previously about the problem of illegal activity in bus lanes and the impact this has to congestion.

"Taxi drivers have seen a huge benefit since these cameras went up – not only are the roads clear so we can pull over and access punters quicker, for example when picking up wheelchair customers, but journey times have also decreased as have fares."

Ady Culpin, marketing manager at First bus company, has also welcomed the clampdown.

Exceptions include emergency vehicles and the authorised vehicles of Leicester City Council and Network Rail.

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/B ... story.html
Author:  Sussex [ Thu Jul 05, 2012 8:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bus lane ban for private hire cars in Leicester
captain cab wrote:
RMT Leicester and Rutland branch secretary Gurpal Singh Atwal said: "We at the RMT brought our concerns to assistant mayor Rory Palmer previously about the problem of illegal activity in bus lanes and the impact this has to congestion.

So much for the workers united. [-(
Author:  grandad [ Thu Jul 05, 2012 8:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bus lane ban for private hire cars in Leicester
captain cab wrote:
Only black cab drivers, buses and cycles are allowed to use the bus lanes.


And licensed hackney carriages from anywhere else in the country. :D
Author:  Doom [ Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bus lane ban for private hire cars in Leicester
Ady Culpin, marketing manager at First bus company, has also welcomed the clampdown.


And that ladies and gentlemen is all you need to know, if the bus guys ain't happy then why should the hacks be either, both can see what PH would do to the efficiency of a bus lane.
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