Taxi Driver Online

Aberdeen Evening Express

November 6, 2006 Monday

HEADLINE: Customers pay for bus lane ban say taxis

BYLINE: James Tout

Taxi firms today claimed customers pay more because some cabs are banned from bus lanes.

The companies want the city council to change its rules keeping private hire taxis out of the lanes.

Currently, only occupied taxis with lit-up signs can use them.

Aberdeen Taxi Group chairman Russell McLeod said change would help cabbies and customers. "We feel we should be treated as public transport," he said. Around a third of the 290 vehicles Mr McLeod's firm, Rainbow City Taxis, uses are private hire, or minicabs, without lit-up signs. "Bus lanes nowadays are only operated in peak times," he said. "Obviously, those peak times are for all traffic, including ourselves and the customers are paying more to travel at those times. "We want the council to give all taxis the same access to the lanes as buses, as they do in every other major city," he said.

The Aberdeen Taxi Group, which represents city firms, has petitioned the council's environment and infrastructure committee on the issue. Committee convener Ian Yuill said it would be debated tomorrow.

He said it was looked at six months ago, adding: "We decided not to change anything for a number of reasons, principally the fact many Aberdeen taxis look like ordinary saloon cars." It was felt that seeing them in the lanes might encourage others.

A council spokesman said the rules had already been relaxed to let taxis with passengers use bus lanes.
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Hope he doesn't try to get a job as a taxi driver

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Well done and good luck to the Aberdeen Taxi Association in their quest to allow PH into the bus lanes.

A certain National Association down here might learn a thing or two about equality from them.

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IDFIMH

Well earlier on Captain Cab said that he likes level playing fields, so you never know.

On the other hand, he may just be a hypocrite

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Why not

CC

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