Taxi Driver Online

Leeds: Council chiefs act on city taxi queue chaos

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... 5702786.jp

They have pledged to create more ranks and get tough with cabbies parking illegally.

The council is to work with police and transport officers at Metro to step up enforcement.

Fines will be issued to drivers who stop at green lights, park on double yellow lines and block the Headrow. Regular offenders could have their taxi driver licences suspended.

The move follows high numbers of complaints about queueing taxis at various sites in the city centre causing traffic chaos by blocking buses and other drivers, highlighted by the YEP.

According to the council, the problem is particularly bad during the rush hour and is believed to be caused by a lack of waiting areas for taxis to pick up passengers at the rail station and the removal of a rank at Leeds-Bradford Airport.

Since the airport operators agreed a contract with a private hire firm, taxis cannot "rank up" outside the terminal and drivers are coming into the city centre looking for business.

Coun Richard Brett, council leader and executive member for taxi licensing, said: "This is a huge problem affecting a lot of people and cannot be allowed to continue.

"We are seeking to provide additional ranks, permanent or temporary at Meadow Lane and Lower Briggate to help the situation and we hope to have these in place by the end of October.

"However, while we do understand the taxi drivers' situation and are keen for them to work with us to find a solution, they also need to know that we are stepping up enforcement activities.

"Traffic enforcement work is being targeted at problem areas and offenders who flout traffic regulations will be fined.

"We have asked officers to take further enforcement proposals, which could involve repeat offenders seeing their licences suspended, to the council's Licensing and Regulatory Panel for their consideration and approval.

"We will continue to work closely with Metro and West Yorkshire Police to resolve this problem."

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

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