Taxi Driver Online

The Gloucester Citizen

November 28, 2007 Wednesday

Smoking cabbies fined £50

Two city taxi drivers have been fined for smoking in their cabs.

The pair have been issued with a fixed penalty notice of £50.

Now all taxi drivers are now being reminded that smoking inside their licensed vehicle is illegal.

The drivers can choose to go to court to contest the fine but risk a larger sum of up to £200.

Andrew Gravells, Gloucester City Council cabinet member for housing and health, said: "On the whole Gloucester is performing really well with the new no smoking laws.

"Only two verbal warnings had been given out until these incidents. Taxi drivers must stick to the rules like everyone else.

"We have provided lots of information and support to taxi companies to make sure they are familiar with the requirements under the new laws."

Lizzie Willis, Gloucester City's smoke-free enforcement officer, said: "We need people to realise that we are still remaining vigilant and that we take the new legislation seriously.

"It is not our aim to go out of the way to catch people smoking, but we have a responsibility for public health and will use our powers to enforce this if necessary."
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Leicester Mercury

November 28, 2007 Wednesday

Forced off bus because driver 'scared' to go on

Two pensioners were forced off a bus because their driver was too frightened to go any further.

Malcolm Shepherd and friend Reg Dunkley were left "fuming" and faced a long, cold walk home to Eyres Monsell, Leicester.

They said the driver told them it was too dangerous to drive through the estate as stones had been thrown at buses in the past.

Bus operator First said it had launched an investigation and would be interviewing the driver.

Mr Shepherd, 67, said: "They should provide a service.

"I was flabbergasted - I thought it was disgusting.

"I was fuming when I got home. I think it's got to be brought to people's attention."

He and Mr Dunkley caught the 11.05pm First 87 service to Eyres Monsell after a night out in Leicester city centre on Friday.

Mr Shepherd, 67, of Sturdee Road, said: "When the bus turned into Aylestone Drive, it should have gone down Sturdee Road, but it pulled over.

"The driver stopped the bus and switched the engine off.

"He said 'I'm not going any further because it's dangerous - we've had people throw stones at the bus before'.

"There were five or six of us on the bus and it was freezing. We had to get off and walk home. I didn't get back until 11.55pm."

The bus was supposed to go to The Exchange, off Sturdee Road.

Mr Dunkley, 60, of Red House Road, said: "We boarded that bus and I showed the driver my bus pass. He never said anything.

"When we got to the end of Aylestone Drive, he just tailed off to the left, which I thought was strange.

"The driver said the previous day he had stopped in the same place but when he told passengers they had had a go at him, which is why he didn't tell us before he stopped.

"If we had known, we could have got a taxi or used another route - it would have saved us a walk."

A police spokeswoman said there had been two reports of damage to a bus in Pasley Road, Eyres Monsell, in the past week.

Three youths, aged 12, 13 and 14, were arrested just before midnight on Sunday in connection with an incident of stone throwing at a bus parked in a layby in Pasley Road on Saturday night.

Another incident was reported on November 22. The medical centre in Pasley Road was also damaged last week in similar incidents.

Steve Zanker, of First Bus, said: "The driver will get interviewed.

"If we get problems in one area and it's safer not to operate there, then it makes sense not to go there.

"It seemed the driver should have informed people, but the last action we would take is to stop serving an area."
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