Taxi Driver Online

PCO Notice 42/05

Transport for London

Public Carriage Office

Late Night Taxi & Private Hire Schemes in Kingston

After discussions between the Public Carriage Office, Royal Borough of Kingston, the Metropolitan Police and the licensed taxi and private hire trades, the following late night travel schemes have been set up in Kingston town centre.

Marshalled Private Hire Pick Up Points

Kingston Council have designated two marshalled private hire pick up points in Kingston town centre: these are at Kingston railway station forecourt and Thames Street (near McKluskys Nightclub).

The marshalled pick up points will be in operation between 11:30pm to 5:00am every night of the week.

Private hire operators and drivers are reminded that all passengers collected from the pick up points must have pre-booked their journey through a licensed private hire operator. Failure to do so could result in prosecution and suspension of the scheme.

Marshalled Taxi Rank

A marshalled taxi rank scheme will operate from the taxi rank on Clarence Street (outside Oceana nightclub). The scheme will operate between 10:30pm and 3:30am on the following dates only.

Wednesday 30 November 2005

Wednesday 7,14,21,28 December 2005

Friday 2,9,16,23 December 2005

Saturday 3,10,17,30 December 2005

Late Night Taxi Rank

A new taxi rank has been appointed on Wood Street (outside Kingston railway station), which will operate between 11:30pm and 1:30am. The taxi rank located at Kingston railway station (number 5554) will no longer be available between 11:30pm and 5:00am. New signage at the rank confirming these details will be installed in the New Year.

All of the above schemes will be monitored over the forthcoming weeks and their effectiveness fully evaluated early in the New Year.

6 December 2005
Roy Ellis
Head of the Public Carriage Office
MAYOR OF LONDON

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Happy to be legit.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Maybe they don't need a six week KOL anymore, just a few more PH ranks.

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IDFIMH

we have ph ranks down here.
they are called every street and road in the town centre.

Oh! You wait untill GBC gets on...

I am going to hide untill it's safe to come back.

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Make trafic wardens redundant. PARK LEGALLY.
Congestion charge! Before it was free.

We have mobile licensing enforcement officers in Manchester, they drive around town looking official but don't do an awful lot. On one occasion a few weeks this mobile patrol parked their vehicle next to a Taxi rank which just happens to be situated outside a very busy public house in a very busy club area.

Sat on the taxi rank was a private hire vehicle who had been there for some considerable time, this vehicle by the way is only one of many P/H vehicles that frequent this rank but in this instance the licensing officials got out of their vehicle walked past the P/H vehicle parked on the rank and proceeded to go and chat with the doormen of an adjacent night club. That was until I pulled one of the licensing officers to one side and asked him what he intended to do about the vehicle plying for hire on the Taxi rank? He said to me he's all right and that he is probably waiting to pick up a fare? lol I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

I informed the licensing officer that it was an offence for any vehicle other than a licensed hackney carriage to park itself on a Taxi rank and ply for hire. I also advised him that it was an offence under the 1976 lgmpa for any vehicle that isn't so authorised to wait on a taxi rank.

In the end the point got through to the licensing official and he moved the offending vehicle on, however it just goes to show that those charged with upholding the licensing laws are not always up to the job. It might be best if licensing officers had to do a knowledge test so those of us who pay the license fee can feel comfortable in the knowledge that those who are employed to uphold the law are capable of doing so.

Regards

JD

BEING A PH FROM BRIGHTON, IT SEEMS KINGSTON'S TRIAL WILL BE OF GREAT INTEREST, IF PUBLICITY IS DIRECTED CORRECTLY IT COULD WORK IN OUR CITY. ANYONE KNOW OF ANY OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE TRIED THESE MARSHALLED AREAS.

Another example if officialdom blurring the edges between the two trades, as per the roofsigns discussed in another thread.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

I suspect they just follow the example set by the police

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

I don't understand this, if the job is pre booked what is the point in a Marshall?

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There's no excuse for animal abuse. If you ain't vegan you are an animal abuser.

It's a central pick up point.

But as we all know, it will be a central iffy point with things happening that really shouldn't.

That said, I'm not sure there is a proper answer to the problem if councils continue to stick their heads in the sand.

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IDFIMH

Maybe I will see him down on the rank tonight.

Ollie

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Happy to be legit.

We have marshal's here outside the PH Offices in town (weekend nights only), and they have a Police Radio to summon help if needed. But a ticket system works ok and there's not a lot of trouble.

But what will this 'safe pick up area' acheive?

The touts, both licensed and unlicensed will still be at the doors of all the pubs and clubs, asking people if they need a taxee, specially driven by an illegal immigrant.

The law abiding minicab drivers will go to their various f collection, as most people wont want to trek halfway across town to this 'safe pick up point'.

And the Kingston Licensed London taxi's will continue to go about their buisiness.

You'll be the one selling burgers from the van then?