Taxi Driver Online

At least no cabs damaged, but of course it might be a different story if they were unoccupied


Taxi drivers causing 'nuisance' near Liverpool John Lennon Airport

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... r-32578620

Extra police patrols have been requested in the area

https://i2-prod.liverpoolecho.co.uk/art ... irport.jpg
Image: Liverpool Echo

Some taxi drivers are "causing a nuisance" to residents on a busy Liverpool street. Hale Road in Speke is minutes away from Liverpool John Lennon Airport (JLA) and has become a hotspot in recent years for people looking to avoid paying the parking fees at the airport.

Residents say that black cabs and private hire vehicles have been using the road for this purpose, as well as regular drivers and holidaymakers. The issue has reached boiling point in the last few days as cars that appear to belong to holidaymakers have had their windows smashed and tyres slashed.

When the ECHO visited Hale Road yesterday, we spotted two cars, a white Hyundai and blue Volvo, which had been damaged. People living on the street said the cars had been parked there for several days and added they had spotted the damage on Saturday (September 27).

Michelle Ingram, the Neighbourhood Policing Inspector for Speke, has said the force is working closely with Liverpool City Council and the airport to address the situation. Extra patrols during the night have also been requested.

Ms Ingram said: “We are aware of vehicles being damaged in the area and the additional problems with some taxi drivers causing a nuisance to residents and the wider community.

“We have set up a working group with the airport and Liverpool City Council where we are looking at long-term problem solving and the implementation of traffic controlling measures in an effort to reduce the problems being caused to the community.

“We have also requested extra high visibility patrols to the area particularly during the night when there is an increase in issues.

“In addition, we have community surgeries regularly in the area to listen to the concerns of the local residents and would encourage anyone with questions to attend one of those surgeries.”

The express drop-off point at JLA is located directly opposite the terminal. It costs £6 to stay there for up to 10 minutes and £10 for 20 minutes.

Passengers with a valid Blue Badge can claim up to 40 minutes of free parking, while motorcycles can park free of charge in designated outdoor spaces.

When the ECHO approached JLA for a response, an airport spokesperson said: ”We are looking at ways to try to deter passengers from being dropped off and picked up on roads close to the airport, which is also causing disruption and is a nuisance for local residents at all hours of the day and night.”

One resident said: “It happens all the time. You get people dropping off and picking up all hours of the day and night. Doors slamming, beeping, things like that.

“We’ve had people park in front of our driveway in the past so you can’t get out. Now we tend to park the car on the road instead. Sometimes they say, ‘we’ll only be 20 minutes’ but that’s still a problem.

“My wife’s just gone to pick up my son from school because he’s not well. We would have been stuck if a car had been parked there.

“People have been talking [about the smashed windows] on the local Facebook group. Some have said, ‘you’ve got to respect other people’s property’.

“But where’s the respect for my property when they park in front of it?

“I understand people want to save money, but you’re spending £300 on a holiday and want to save £6 on parking? Plus, if you park in one of the official car parks it’s a secure site.”

There is also a bus route off Hale Road which takes passengers directly into the airport, which the man said many people aren’t aware of.

Another resident also voiced his frustrations, adding: “Whether they’ve been targeted because they’ve parked for the airport or not, I don’t know.

“The blue car has been there for weeks and I saw the damage on Saturday. I don’t agree with people using the road for parking but I don’t agree with that either. It’s not just this road either - there’s damage to cars in other parts too.”

Liverpool City Council told the ECHO in August 2022 it would arrange a visit with Merseyside Police to the road to determine whether highways improvements were needed and the last three years of collision data for the area would also be reviewed.

The ECHO has approached the council for an update on its response to the situation.

Anyone with information about the criminal damage can contact the Merseyside Police social media desk @MerPolCC on X and Facebook. You can also report information via its website or by calling 101.

Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via the website here.

Looking at ways to make sure you milk as much cash from folks as possible, you mean

But that's the real cause of it all. I think airports who are charging money like that for drops and pickups should be duty bound to provide some sort of free holding area at a reasonable distance from the airport. After all, they generally don't have any shortage of space.

And people in the article missing the point about the £6 charge just for passing through the pickup point, essentially. Of course, some will be trying to avoid the charge entirely, but it's not that for me at Edinburgh - it's finding somewhere to park fairly close by so that you can pick someone up for just the £6 charge. And, of course, like many other airports, if you exceed the £6/ten minutes limit, it's a pound per minute thereafter.

So even accepting the £6 charge, it would be good if they could provide a space nearby to park so that you don't have passengers waiting too long for you on the one hand, and to minimise the chance of exceeding the ten minute limit for the £6 before the fee starts skyrocketing. Chance of that happening? Nil

And, of course, exactly the same for drivers at all airports, and the chances of any improvements there also effectively nil.

whilst I agree about airports providing some parking I doubt they all have enough space for it or sufficient of a case to present to their shareholders for diverting capital away from revenue generating investments.

maybe charge every passenger going through the airport a parking provision tax to cover the cost of such provision or

A scheme by which people can be dropped off at a railway or bus park and ride and arrive/depart the airport that way and then charge people £10 for the convenience of being dropped or picked up right outside

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

The fault for all these 'parking around airport' problems lies fairly and squarely at the feet of the greedy airport operators.

The utter greed of charging to drop off merely confirms they couldn't care less about their punters, all they care about is money.

My sources tell me (good ones that control the planes coming and going) that Gatwick passenger numbers are currently down about 10%, and I rejoice in that news.

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IDFIMH

I see TaxiPoint is promoting a Public Spaces Protection Order to deal with those dastardly drivers

I always thought TaxiPoint was producer-captured, but at other times it seems officialdom-captured


SIDE ROAD WAITING: Heathrow’s PSPO approach could offer lessons for Liverpool‘s airport taxi and private hire parking problems

https://www.taxi-point.co.uk/post/side- ... xi-and-pri

Residents on Hale Road in Speke say taxi drivers and holidaymakers are creating a nuisance by using the street as a waiting zone for Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The problem has grown as people seek to avoid parking fees at the airport, with black cabs, private hire vehicles and holidaymakers’ cars all lining the residential street.


I'm sure that'll go down well with drivers there

To be fair, there is a bit of subtle criticism of the authorities, and of course some in the trade do go over the top in scenarios like this, and are basically an embarrassment for the trade. Of course, I'm always a model taxi driver

Blackpool Airport did this back in the mid 2000's, £10 per person (over 16) for the airport development fund, but got you free parking. This didn't go down well with Jet2, or was it Ryanair, or passengers. Airport closed in 2014 when Balfour Beatty couldn't find a buyer, but re-opened the following month but without any scheduled flights. Now it's executive flights, helicopters to the gas rigs, flight training and private light aircraft and the base for the local Air Ambulance.