Taxi Driver Online
http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/

Austerity measures play part in taxi death?
http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20906		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  captain cab [ Thu Dec 13, 2012 12:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Austerity measures play part in taxi death?
Tragedy fuels call for lights re-think

TAXI drivers are urging council chiefs to turn streetlights back on at night following the death of a teenager in Leamington - less than a week after the start of the controversial cost-cutting switch-off.

Archie Wellbelove was killed on Friday morning (December 7) after being hit by a taxi while walking out of Leamington on the Kenilworth Road around 3.45am.

Cash-strapped Warwickshire County Council took the decision to switch off streetlights in certain areas from midnight until 5.30am in a bid to save £500,000 a year. The council's ruling Tories pushed through the plans in October, just days after revealing they planned to bring forward the switch-off in Warwick district by four months to December 1.

The owner of the taxi firm whose driver was involved in the crash - in which the 18-year-old Warwick University student died - branded the move "completely irresponsible".

Dil Ramzan, of Leamington-based My Taxis, said: “The council have made a howling error. They are implementing cost-cutting measures that put the public at risk. As taxi drivers we simply cannot see anything on the roads any more and this is extremely worrying for both drivers and passengers.

"I've been driving for 16 years and I actually fear driving around the town now as people step into the road without even thinking about it.

"Before we could at least see people but now our peripheral vision has been taken away. Both taxi drivers and the public are petrified at night now and the council have no justification to risk their personal safety like this - it's completely irresponsible.

"The streetlights should be on in the hours of darkness regardless of cost - after all, what is the cost of a life?

"Someone with a bright future has died within the first week of the council turning the lights off. Surely that says something?"

Police even had to get the council to switch-on the streetlights so they could find Mr Wellbelove's body following the accident near the roundabout and the turn off to Stoneleigh.

Liberal Democrat county councillors pushed in vain for a delay to the switch-off until the new year, and the group's transport and highways spokesman, Coun David Johnston, reiterated their concerns this week.

He said: “To implement such a change in December is reckless. We have grave concerns about it.

“Christmas and New Year are the busiest periods of the year for late night revellers, often making their way home on foot.”

A spokesman from Warwickshire County Council said they were unable to comment during the police investigation.

He added: "We have always said we would be flexible and switch lights back on in areas if requested by the emergency services and we did so in this case immediately."


Read more: Tragedy fuels call for lights re-think

http://leamingtonobserver.co.uk/2012/12 ... 58074.html
Author:  trotskys twin [ Thu Dec 13, 2012 1:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Austerity measures play part in taxi death?
No doubt cllrs of all party's will be doing similar across the Nation Govt has reduced grants to all Councils to help pay the Bankers gambling debts, how many will die as a result COULD IT BE YOU :?: :?: :?:
Author:  captain cab [ Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Austerity measures play part in taxi death?
trotskys twin wrote:
No doubt cllrs of all party's will be doing similar across the Nation Govt has reduced grants to all Councils to help pay the Bankers gambling debts, how many will die as a result COULD IT BE YOU :?: :?: :?:


And of course bad regulatory controls of banks - and of course bailing out banks and now selling them off at a discounted price on the orders of Europe.
Author:  bloodnock [ Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Austerity measures play part in taxi death?
Surely Headlights will offset the Lack of Street lights...they Illuminate the road pretty well.
Author:  captain cab [ Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Austerity measures play part in taxi death?
bloodnock wrote:
Surely Headlights will offset the Lack of Street lights...they Illuminate the road pretty well.



yeah, right :roll:
Author:  edders23 [ Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Austerity measures play part in taxi death?
and what did we do before all these street lights were put in were cabbies knocking down pedestrians left right and centre ?

It happened round here twice over the last 15 years but in one instance it was along a well lit road the other was right out in the countryside but in both instances the unlucky victims were paraletic drunk and that is usually a major contributory factor. Whilst I'm sure the streetlights might have helped along with some sort of higher visibility clothing I doubt it was the only factor
Author:  Skull [ Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Austerity measures play part in taxi death?
I'm surprised the council hasn't made night-vision goggles compulsory as part of their austerity measures? It seems to me. It's always a case of half measures. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
Author:  gusmac [ Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Austerity measures play part in taxi death?
edders23 wrote:
and what did we do before all these street lights were put in were cabbies knocking down pedestrians left right and centre ?
perhaps pedestrians had more sense in those days.
Author:  wannabeeahack [ Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Austerity measures play part in taxi death?
I have to drive 5 miles to see a streetlamp....
Author:  wannabeeahack [ Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Austerity measures play part in taxi death?
Well lit road, 30mph limit, the deceased was on the footpath, he and his dog died..

http://www.itv.com/news/central/story/2 ... kills-man/
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/