Taxi Driver Online

We need more spaces, say angry taxi drivers


Taxi drivers parking illegally have been targeted by police amid controversial plans to move Cambridge’s main rank.

But drivers are furious that officers are taking a “zero-tolerance” stance on taxis over-ranking in St Andrew’s Street.

The move comes after 600 people signed a petition opposing the relocation of the rank to Drummer Street.

Struggling taxi drivers have been battling with police over the issue of over-ranking in a long-running saga.

Adrian Matlby, a taxi driver, said: “The police said recently they were not going to enforce the 20mph limit because it was a waste of resources, but isn’t giving taxi drivers tickets a waste of resources too?

“There are just six spaces on that rank and they want to get rid of it. And Drummer Street is no good since National Express coaches moved to Parkside. You can never get a fare there now.

“What they should do is put another four spaces in St Andrew’s Street and put a sign in the Drummer Street rank telling drivers if a space is free in the main rank.

“The drivers have no choice – unless they go around and around the block, but that uses fuel and causes more pollution.”

Fellow taxi driver Sean Whitehead added: “I think it’s crazy. Cambridge would be the only city in Britain without a taxi rank. I can understand why the police come down on over-ranking but all we need is a few more spaces.”

David Wratten, of Cambridge City Licensed Taxis, which represents the trade, is holding crunch meetings with the city and county councils this month.

He said: “The police are only doing their job because of complaints from residents in the past but drivers are trying to make a living.

“What we need is a solution to this problem and we are proposing a sign with cameras that will alert drivers in Drummer Street that there is a free space in St Andrew’s Street.”

Police have previously branded the rank as a “hotspot for the obstruction of vehicles” and have been issuing the tickets to taxis after calls from residents to make it a priority.

Sgt Andrea Gilbert said: “Officers take a zero tolerance approach to vehicles parked in dangerous positions or causing an obstruction of the highway, including the footpaths.

“On Thursday, officers were clamping down on parking restrictions at St Andrew’s taxi rank.

“We would urge motorists to park sensibly in Cambridge city centre.”

Taxi drivers have previously threatened to bring gridlock to the city because of a shortage of taxi ranks.

Cambridgeshire County Council has proposed closing the rank in a bid to speed up bus travel and promised there would be a major public consultation.

source: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/We ... 082012.htm

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

Looks like this will be the norm if the LC don't see sense and stop pandering to the free for all brigade - its gone from 107 cabs to over 300, but obviously no increase in rank space....

I find it hard to believe that there are only 78000 Hackney carriages in the UK when almost everywhere you look numbers are doubling and tripling but guess what rank spaces are not increasing

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

That's not the fault of the LC, that's the fault of a lazy council and/or a lazy taxi trade.

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IDFIMH

Maybe the LC should include a proviso that an LA must provide aminimum number of rank spaces in relation to the number of plated HC's. For example 30%?

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Nobody told me to use my initiative. To err is human to arr is pirate.

Indeed they should, but the cynic in me thinks large chunks of the restricted taxi trade choose to have fewer ranks so they can bellyache to buggery about how bad they are being treated.

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IDFIMH

If it were a requirement, LAs would put them in obscure locations, rather than give up part of their parking business.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

We were promised 50 rank spaces in 1994 upon deregulation, we now have 20 for 200 odd taxis.

What the LC havent considered is that whilst a council may control taxis, they may not necessarily control the highways.

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

You really do have a strange view of restricted areas if this is what you think,do you really think its that good ?

Look these nice LC people can't ignore the overwhelming evidence that deregulation doesn't really work. It creates more problems than it solves.

Some people put it down to over ranking and that thier should be harsher penalties for it, but that's going to create more problems.

You don't go to Cambridge or Oxford to see the place littered with cabs!

If you read their section in respect of over ranking - it is more or less word for word what the OFT concluded in 2003.

In other words;

While we accept that potential rank overcrowding is an issue for LAs without quantity controls, in our view it can be managed. For example new ranks or temporary ranks to cover weekend and evening peaks may be created. Marshals could also be used at peak times to help speed up traffic flow.

So it's the LA's fault, the problem is lack of marshalls and new ranks, and temporary ranks.

Of course this evidence wasnt actually cited by the OFT - in actual fact the lack of citations (or proof) was roundly condemned by the select committee due to the lack of evidence - but hey - lets thank the LC for not actually doing any research - or suggesting anything on ranking to come to the conclusion that we should deregulate anyway - then to state word for word basically what the failed OFT report said in the fisrt place.

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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 not a strange view at all when you think of his preferred agenda, everybody has one and Sussex is no different

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

Cambridge is supposed to be a good example of quality controls in action. Theyve made their tests easier, there's more cabs on the road, it's over supply in the market. LC don't seem to get the over supply part. Cambridge is supposed to be all about lower fares, more choice for customers etc etc, but no ones going to increase rank spaces.

So the world has ended in all 90 (ish) councils that have delimited in the last 10 years?

I don't think so.

What some can't really grasp, or choose to act the ostrich, is that just because you restrict taxi numbers it doesn't stop 100s and 100s of PH being licensed.

So it's the restricted lazy taxi trade that are the ones in trouble.

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IDFIMH

Says anyone bar you?

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IDFIMH