Taxi Driver Online

Now firefighters join police to target Cambridge taxi drivers in bid to clear road for emergency services


Firefighters have now joined police in a push to stop taxi drivers ‘over-ranking’ in Cambridge city centre in a bid to keep a key road clear.

The city’s Green Watch crews have been at the taxi rank in St Andrew’s Street to urge the commercial drivers to clear the way for the emergency services.

Residents and councillors set dealing with the perennial problem of taxis flouting their designated pick-up slots as a priority for police at a meeting of the west/central area committee.

Brenan Morgan, station commander at Parkside Place Community Fire Station, said: “Access for fire engines in some parts of Cambridge has been an ongoing problem for the service.

“Our crews often struggle to get fire engines along a number of streets in the city centre owing to inconsiderate parking – this includes over-ranking at taxi ranks.

“Cambridge Green Watch has spent more than eight hours visiting the St Andrew’s Street taxi rank and, when appropriate, engaging with drivers regarding access widths required for emergency vehicles to be able to access the city centre unhindered.

“It is imperative that when drivers park up they leave enough room for a fire engine to pass.

“A fire engine measures 2.6 metres wide and eight metres long. Drivers are asked to make sure they park up sensibly, even if only for a short period of time, to allow a vehicle of this size to get through.”

Cambridge City Council’s licensing and enforcement team has also been running checks each week and writing to drivers found to be over-ranking to remind them that it is an offence which could lead to a review of their licence to drive a Hackney Carriage, the report said.

And beat officers from Cambridgeshire police have continued to warn taxi drivers and issue £30 fines for over-ranking “causing an unnecessary obstruction”.

Officers have also issued fines to other vehicles that have been parked causing an obstruction on the rank.

The report added: “There has been some transfer of taxis to the rank at Market Hill, which has been re-marked and is now being used again – although this is not available between 10am and 4pm due to the traffic restrictions in the central area.

“Drivers were encouraged to use the Market Hill rank in a newsletter sent to all taxi drivers in July.”

source: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/

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

how many times has it been mentioned about issuing licenses without thinking about ranking space?

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

council greed thats what it is same problem here 20 to 30 taxis at times trying to us a rank designed for 8 spaces with the driver at the front insisting on sitting 1 and a half car lengths back !!!

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Why not just send the parking warden around?

How many tickets will drivers accept before they get the message.

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IDFIMH

And how many drivers group actively lobby for more rank space?

And once that new rank space is adopted still go to the old ranks.

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IDFIMH

We bring it up with our LO every time we can get them to hold a meeting they have a stock answer

ranks: they have no legal obligation to provide any be grateful for what we have and that we should drive around in circles waiting to get flagged !!!!!

Too many licenses: we cannot deny a person a right to earn a living ! And to the usual retort but what about the living of the existing drivers ? the reply is always market forces will sort it out or if you are not earning enough go and get another job !!

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector