Taxi Driver Online

Video on the website, which is almost four minutes long, but to be honest a minute's worth is all you need to see, if that.

But certainly a bit angrier than the last 'angry' meeting. Last thread on this was getting messy, so started new one.


Angry taxi drivers force council meeting to be suspended in Birmingham

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/m ... l-16109079

Drivers claim they are being 'forced off the road' by the pollution charge


Image: Birmingham Mail/LDRS

Angry taxi drivers brought a council meeting to a halt as a row broke out over the impact of the Birmingham city centre Clean Air Zone.

They claimed they are being 'forced off the road' and warned that further go-slow protests around the city centre are now likely.

Birmingham City Council's Licensing and Public Protection committee passed a controversial new emissions policy which means hundreds of Hackney Carriage and private drivers will have to upgrade or replace their vehicles if they are to continue working in the city from next year.

But the meeting this week (Wednesday) spiralled out of control when drivers were told they would not be allowed to speak about the changes.

They voiced their dissatisfaction and approached committee members to remonstrate prompting a number of councillors to leave the room.

The meeting was adjourned for several minutes before it resumed and the committee approved the policy.

The new policy introduces a raft of changes, but in the main it replaces the Euro 4 (petrol) and Euro 6 (diesel) vehicle standards - applying to other cars entering the Clean Air Zone - with an age limit.

From January 2020 no diesel Hackney Carriages older than 15 years old will be granted a licence, unless they have been converted in the council's LPG pilot scheme.

It means out of around 1,120 black cab drivers only 493 will be licensed with more than 620 forced to upgrade. Although the council said 350 of those would be eligible for an LPG conversion.

The age limit for private hire vehicles was set at 12 years meaning around 2,700 out of more than 4,100 drivers will be licensed from January.

An 'exceptional condition test', which previously allowed older vehicles to operate longer, will be scrapped and only applicable to vehicles which have been retrofitted by a Government-approved scheme.

Another controversial proposal in the policy means that from January 1, 2021, all newly licensed vehicles will have to be ultra low emission, when previously the date had been 2026.

The policy has been changed significantly from original plans following consultation with drivers who put forward alternative suggestions and made a list of requests.

But not all their demands have been met.

Chairman Cllr Barbara Dring said: "We have done the best that we can, that's the commitment I have given to you (drivers) and that's the commitment I have made."

Craig Johnston, regional organiser in the Midlands for the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, said: "This will drive people off the road. Many members have told me this will push them into financial hardship and some of them will have to give up.

"Managing change is difficult and meeting these targets (for air pollution) was going to be challenging however taking people with you in this is more likely to lead to a successful conclusion than brassing everyone off which is what the council has managed to do today by shutting down the meeting."

Mr Johnston added that he remained hopeful further discussions could take place with the council to hopefully change the policy, but confirmed that drivers were likely to hold go-slow demonstrations in the city.

The Government approved the council's Clean Air Zone business case earlier this year, which will impose an £8 daily charge to high-polluting cars travelling inside the A4540 ring road - but not on it - from January 2020.

They also approved £15m worth of funding to support the black cab and private hire trade.

Measures include providing 50 ultra low emission Hackney Carriages for lease and £5,000 support packages for 1,000 black cab drivers which could be used to pay for a retrofit conversions.

Financial support will also be available for private hire drivers.

While licensing is not supposed to be political, fingers were pointed at the Labour-run council introducing the Clean Air Zone and equally the Conservative-led Government for demanding the authority drastically reduces air pollution.

It was also pointed out that only Labour councillors left the meeting as it was suspended.

Chris Neville, the council's head of licensing, said: "The Clean Air Zone is the solution the city has adopted to respond to the Supreme Court's ruling that we have to achieve European air quality standards in the shortest possible time.

"In theory there are different ways of doing it, however the technical advice and scientific advice in Birmingham is such that there is no other way of achieving it without a Clean Air Zone, so effectively we are faced with no choice."


Image: Birmingham Mail/LDRS

So 56% of the HCs will be more than 15 years old.

And around a third of PHVs will be more than 12 years old.

Not acceptable.

The council should have acted years ago.

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IDFIMH

and are over reacting now they need to give drivers more time to change their vehicles

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

Yes, some councils seem to be going from one extreme to the other with this.

But looks like BCC have compromised hugely on this.

I mean, 15 year age rule for HCs, and 12 years for PHVs, and the trade's still on the verge of collapse?

I actually agree with that.

Five years ago they should have put in place a phased change, not the rushed one the trade are having to deal with at present.

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IDFIMH

Most of this is about 'hate and harassment' targeted at Birmingham councillors generally rather than specifically about the licensing committee meeting, and is quite a long article


Taxi driver protest triggers review of security at Birmingham Council House

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/m ... w-16195181

Probe into security measures at Council House under way, allied to review of support for harassed councillors

New security precautions are being considered at Birmingham Council House and more support provided for councillors amid rising levels of 'hate' and harassment.

The trigger for the review of new measures came earlier this month when angry taxi drivers confronted members of the city's licensing committee.

Some councillors reported feeling intimidated and left the meeting room as cabbies voiced protests against a new emissions policy which they say could damage their trade and livelihoods.

It was the latest incident amid rising concerns among some councillors about personal harassment and abuse.

For some councillors the personal abuse they have endured has got so bad they have considered quitting; others have retreated from social media and even avoided public events under police advice after particularly nasty anonymous threats.

"You get to the point where you feel you are going to have a breakdown if you carry on, and you think about quitting. This is not about legitimate criticism and political dispute, which can be painful but is fair," said one councillor, Nicky Brennan (Lab, Sparkhill).


Councillor for the Sparkhill Ward Nicky Brennan pictured in Sparkhill Park (Image: Birmingham Mail)

"This is harassment driven by a desire to undermine people, particularly women. I have been afraid in my own home; I have been advised not to hold public surgeries for constituents after one particularly horrible threat. That is just not on."

Cllr Brennan has previously spoken out about the level of abuse she has endured since being elected as a councillor last year. "It seems to be a regular feature of being in public life for women. I have been threatened with rape and violence, called stupid, called all sorts of swearwords.

"I've had hardcore pornography sent to me, usually when I've been talking about domestic violence, or rape, or sexual assault."

She said she wanted more done to support councillors facing abuse, including counselling support.

Her views were echoed by the city council's deputy leader Brigid Jones, who spoke frankly about the issues that she had experienced personally and her desire to ensure her fellow councillors felt safe going about their work.

She said the recent confrontational licensing meeting at the Council House, combined with individual concerns raised by several councillors, had triggered a review of security.


Coun Brigid Jones, deputy leader, Birmingham City Council (Image: Birmingham Mail)

"As local politicians we do not have police protection or access to the level of advice that MPs have, nor is the Council House or other places where we carry out our work subject to protective security blocks and bag searches and so on.

"Yet many of the issues we deal with do arouse extreme emotions.

"We take decisions that affect people's personal lives, their families, their livelihoods and jobs.

"We have had to make cuts for four years in a row. Particularly over the last couple of years, we have not been meeting expectations and cannot afford to save all services, or need to impose measures that are unwelcome. Naturally people get angry."

Said Coun Jones: "The behaviour that happened at licensing (over taxi services) was horrendous. As a result we have asked for a review of security at council meetings.

"The principle of open democracy and keeping meetings open to all is really important but we also need to ensure we are robust in the level of security we provide."

She added: "We have been grappling with how to make things better and raise the level of debate for some time. We cannot control social media and Facebook and Twitter but we can set an example in how we treat each other.

"We are also reviewing the support we give to councillors to ensure we are providing all the help we can and keep on supporting each other through this, including calling each other out when things are said or done that are unacceptable."

The review would consider if any additional practical measures should be introduced at the Council House to enhance safety, and whether additional help should be introduced to support individuals targeted by abusive messages or encounters.

Donald Trump and Brexit debate 'have shifted what is normal and acceptable'

Coun Jones is one of the most high profile local politicians in the city, deputy to leader Ian Ward. She has held high profile Cabinet roles since 2012, including overseeing what was then an 'inadequate' children's services through the Trojan Horse inquiry and investigations into child abuse.

"That was a really difficult time as the post came with lots of challenges, not least high levels of press scrutiny. I got a ton of criticism because the service was inadequate and our handling of some issues generated a lot of negativity. It is difficult and painful but it is also fair that people can have a go, and I accept that is part of the job.

"But the level of personal abuse some of us are seeing has definitely gone up in the last year.

"I think Donald Trump has shifted the boundaries of what is normal and acceptable to say, and the debate around Brexit has given a platform to some terrible comments and attitudes.

"As a council we have had to make cuts for four years in a row that directly affect people's lives. We do not want to make any cuts or lose any services that people need and love."

"The Cabinet had a particularly nasty campaign against us where a group took exception to something we were proposing and put out very personalised leaflets which were inflammatory and designed to whip up opposition to us as individuals.

"The first time one of these went out I was physically sick and did not want to step foot outside of my house.

"The campaigners were also putting out messages saying when they would be putting out leaflets next, and that they were knocking doors telling people all about me - it felt very intimidating.

"If I knew they were going to be in the area I did not want to be around, I did not want to risk running into them.

"It's just a constant at the moment, and it's not nice to be on the receiving end of comments demanding you resign, telling you that you are useless, and you should just pack it in.

"It takes a while to get used to."

The campaign she refers to but does not mention by name was led by the union Unison during December and January in the long-running enablement workers' dispute, which has still not been finally resolved.

The workers, supported by union members, delivered leaflets in the ward Coun Jones represents, contrasting the pay of workers with the allowances paid to Coun Jones, and accused her of betraying Labour values. They also knocked doors to urge people to sign letters to the councillor.

"I definitely do wish politics was less confrontational," added Coun Jones.

"Lots of it is driven by social media. I have muted Twitter on my personal phone and don't read emails and posts at night. I used to be on alert 24/7, always checking emails and social media, but some nights what I read would make me feel sick to my stomach and I couldn't sleep as a result.

There are few direct threats but often it is the accusatory tone and menace behind the messages that can be difficult to deal with.

"We are seeing it everywhere, in comedy shows and entertainment, this constant series of low blows and comments on people's appearance and so on. I watched Have I Got News for You comparing Michael Gove to a frog - I don't like his politics at all but this was so mean-spirited."

She added: "We should be encouraging people, particularly women, and not constantly running them down and putting them off. There are plenty of men queueing up for political roles; we need to ensure women are encouraged, not deflated.

"Trolls are a constant menace. One man had pursued me relentlessly on social media, saying really nasty things, then approached me as if we were mates and it was all banter. I made him aware he made me feel awful and almost made me give up politics. He seemed to have no idea.

"I hugely admire Jess Phillips (Birmingham Yardley MP) - what she puts up with is awful and horrific most days.

"I see other colleagues too putting up with awful abuse.

One pregnant colleague who has been suffering with serious sickness that has hospitalised her several times has faced a concerted campaign by a small number of people wanting to get her out for not attending meetings she has been too ill to be at.

"Just the other day on Facebook there was a suggestion that activists should be out filming councillors going about their day and should hold protests outside their homes.

"It's just all got very nasty.

"I think the worst thing for me has been coming to terms with being hated, really hated, often by people who have never met me.

"All of us, on all sides, want the best for the city. There will always be legitimate criticism and that must not be shut down, but there has to be a sense of what's right and fair and what has crossed the line. Too often the line is being crossed."

Interested to see that President Trump is getting the blame for this as well.

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IDFIMH