Taxi Driver Online

Ban on taxis called for in street

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/ne ... ticle.html

RESIDENTS want taxis banned from their street – because cabbies keep using their quiet cul-de-sac as an unofficial rank.

They say up to 14 taxis at a time can be parked in Wadebridge Road, Bentilee, on Friday and Saturday nights waiting for their next fare.

The drivers are parking up because the area is practically equal distance to both Hanley and Longton.

And the residents also want to see the back of driving instructors who use their street to train learner drivers.

Now 12 residents have sent a petition to Stoke-on-Trent City Council calling for taxis and driving instructors to be banned from their street.


Petition organiser Bryan Machin, aged 67, said: "The taxis are a complete joke.

"At peak times on Fridays and Saturdays you get anything between eight and 14 private hire taxis parked all the way along the road.

"I know they are making a living but it's not fair on us for them to be parking here.

"I've been making notes of the taxis coming in and out and it's anything up to 100 vehicle movements per day.

"We need something like residents'-only parking to stop the taxis using the street as a rank."

The situation with driving instructors is made worse because of the cabbies.

Retired First Bus engineer Mr Machin added: "It's a quiet road with one access point, so you get a lot of driving instructors bringing their pupils down here to practice reversing.

"But with all these taxis constantly up and down the road, it's only a matter of time before there is an accident."

Neighbour Edward Brown, aged 66, said: "I don't see why we should have to keep paying full council tax when we have a taxi rank outside our windows."

By law, there is nothing to stop taxi drivers parking in Wadebridge Road.

But taxi drivers' representative Dave Burgess-Pearson blamed the city council.

The former chairman of Stoke-on-Trent Hackney Carriage Association said: "This is happening all over the city and it's got worse since the council deregulated hackney carriage services.

"Normally when you finish a job you go back to base but taxis are waiting all over the place for trade now."

A council spokesman said: "We are aware of the residents' concerns and will work with them. In the meantime, we urge taxi drivers to be considerate to the needs of local people."

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

They can petition the LA to make an Access Only Traffic Regulation Order on their street but they have two hopes of having it enforced. To prove contravention it has to be proven that vehicles parked in the culs-de-sac don't have occupants who wish to visit any of the addresses covered by the TRO.

I also think that because it's in essence a 'moving traffic violation' rather than a stationary one then enforcement is down to the Police. That's where Bob Hope and No Hope come in. This might have changed, though; as the powers devolved to LA's under Decriminalised Parking Enforcement are growing all the time.

Captain Cab, I hope you were highlighting the fact that this guy is talking complete rot.

Indeed, don't people on here argue that there would be LESS PH with deregulation?

If they do they are ill informed

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

Not really.....maybe highlighting an error in the article.

CC

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