Taxi Driver Online

Bradford Cabbies Blame Restrictions For Lack Of Interest

Sunday 13th September 2009

A policy change designed to boost the safety of Bradford taxi drivers has failed to have any impact since it came into force nearly two years ago, the Telegraph & Argus can reveal.

In late 2007, following pressure from the taxi trade, Bradford Council agreed to allow adverts to be displayed on Hackney Carriages and private hire vehicles with the proviso that money raised be used to install in-cab CCTV systems.

But today it emerged that cabbies in Bradford had snubbed the scheme, with no drivers applying to the Council to be allowed to advertising. The Council is now holding talks with other local authorities to see what else can be done to improve security in taxis.

CD Khalid, President of Bradford Hackney Carriage Association, said the current scheme was a “failure” because of restrictions on the size of adverts and their positioning on the vehicle.

Saloon vehicles can have adverts on the bonnet, rear doors, rear wing panels and boot, while bigger vehicles can have them on the bonnet, side panels to the rear of the side passenger doors or on the panel at the back.

Mr Khalid said: “We need to be allowed to advertise on the full scale of the vehicle.

“At the moment, the restrictions on the size of adverts mean the space available is too small and no use to the people who pay money for the adverts.”

Mr Khalid said there was a pressing need for extra security measures because cabbies were being harassed and assaulted by passengers frequently in Bradford.

Martin Hamer, Bradford Council’s principal officer for fleet management, said: “We are now working with other councils in the region on what can be done to improve security.

“We are also working on a driver training regime.”

Metro’s Taxi Liaison Committee has expressed concern that the taxi trade was slow to participate in schemes to assist them in security systems.

Stuart Hastings, of Metro Taxis in Keighley, said several advertisers had been keen to take space on his company’s cabs until the full extent of the advertising restrictions became clear.

He said: “The restrictions made a nonsense of the whole thing. If we could have the whole vehicle we would try to sell it.”

Source; TheTelegraphAndArgus.co.uk

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Whilst I understand that there are always going to problems with passenges within this trade one has to ask why it's a frequent problem in some areas and not others.

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Why don't they just pay for them and be done with it? Some people want all the world for nothing.

So the council allow adverts under the proviso the funds gained go towards driver security.

The trade then complain the restrictions on the adverts is the issue but they are very concerned about security of drivers.

Aint this the same lot that promised their council they'd voluntarily replace vehicles with WAV's and then didnt?

CC

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

It's an attitude problem.

The passengers have one, the drivers have one.

Racism works both ways, although we are supposed to accept that it is a one way problem.

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Former taxi driver

That's what I was thinking but didn't like to say. Could there be any other reason why some areas are more prone to trouble

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!