Taxi Driver Online

Well this looks quite straightforward, if an interesting article, but the piece raises more questions than it answers


Luton Airport opens new environmentally-friendly taxi rank for local drivers

https://www.bedfordshirelive.co.uk/news ... ly-6368944

Addison Lee had previously been the only firm serving the airport


Image: Councillor Javid Hussain/BedfordshireLive

A new taxi rank has opened in Luton Airport, meaning Addison Lee will no longer be the only firm available at the airport.

Councillor Javed Hussain made a manifesto pledge to open the Hackney Carriage rank at the airport to give better job opportunities for local drivers.

They have been unable to wait at Luton Airport for customers since Addison Lee took over the contract, leading to many drivers being stuck in the town centre competing for fares.

The councillor's pledge became a reality on Wednesday (December 15) and followed a large amount of investment into new cars for the drivers.

All are ULEZ compliant, meaning they can take fares to London at no additional cost to the drivers and many are electric in an aim to bring down pollution in the town.

Comfort and accessibility are at the forefront of the new firm, with all cabs being wheelchair and visual impaired accessible, and guide dogs are accepted.

Drivers have a dress code and standards to adhere to and will undertake any journey requested, no matter how far. They also accept cards and fares are set by the council.

Cllr Hussain told Bedfordshire Live: "I had the immense pleasure of delivering on a manifesto pledge of a Hackney Carriage rank at Luton Airport albeit in a temporary location in the drop off zone until the proper rank is constructed.

"This is excellent news for local drivers who can finally work from Luton Airport again while removing polluting old vehicles from our town.

"It will also reduce the number of taxis in the town ranks and offer drivers the opportunity to work for a local business rather than a large corporation."

The new rank will be temporarily available from the drop off zone at Luton Airport.

So what's changed since AL took over the contact? They can't have given it up like Arrow at BHX, for example?

Interestingly, the official Luton Airport site says:


So either the contract has now ended, or been breached by AL being unable to properly service it, or they've renegotiated the exclusivity clause, or whatever


So who's invested in all these shiny new cars *for* the drivers. Certainly makes it sound like it's not the drivers themselves


Love it when a legal requirement is spun for PR purposes as something voluntary


They sound quite tightly controlled. Hope they're employees on PAYE


So presumably this is some kind of HC organisation controlling the airport rank, but not clear whether the HCDs are owner-drivers or jockeys

But would be interesting to know the relationship between the good councillor and the new business managing the HC rank, not to mention Luton Airport itself.

And also the relationship between the new 'circuit' managing the rank and the drivers in terms of employment status

I suspect it is the drivers themselves.

The airport during normal times would be quite lucrative, and hopefully those normal times will return this year.

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IDFIMH

“Many are electric” ???
I can see 1 out of 9!

I have to say that the fleet looks more modern than last time I visited that airport and the new rank looks as if it is even further from the terminal than the open air one that was in use before Addy Lee took over

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

This answers some of the questions raised by the earlier article regarding EV numbers, ownership etc. Looks like the council effectively owns the airport, and it's a permit system for the HCDs.

And nice of all the bigwigs to hog the photo op, but no sign of any of the plebs, aka drivers


Hackney cabs make welcome return to Luton Airport as Addison Lee monopoly ends

https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/business/h ... ds-3533432

Taxi rank temporarily in the passenger drop-off zone, but will move to dedicated area immediately outside the terminal later this year


Pictured are Cllr Javed Hussain, Luton Council cabinet member, Cllr Javeria Hussain, chair of Luton Rising, Cllr Hazel Simmons, Leader of Luton Council and Alberto Martin, Chief Executive Officer, London Luton Airport Operations Ltd (Image: Luton Today)

The owner and the operator of London Luton Airport has announced the return of a new, improved and greener local hackney carriage service at the terminal.

The move has come about as part of the joint new partnership agreement signed by the parties in November, aimed at supporting a sustainable aviation system in Luton and local jobs through the ongoing pandemic, the recovery and beyond.

The taxi rank has initially been located in the passenger drop-off zone, and during 2022 will move to a specially-constructed and dedicated area immediately outside the terminal.

Already 40 drivers attached to the Luton Hackney Carriage Association have obtained permits, and it is expected numbers will increase to around 100 over the next 12 months.

A spokesman for the Hackney Carriage Association said his members were happy to be back at the airport. Addison Lee, which has been at the airport since 2016, will continue to provide a service there. Back in 2016, local taxi drivers staged a protest at the Town Hall and also blocked roads to the airport over the decision to award a five-year exclusive airport contract to the London-based firm. Drivers claimed it would put them out of business.

Nine of the new taxis are fully electric and the rest meet the latest carbon-efficient Euro 6 standards. This already represents an investment of more £800,000 by the trade, and the figure is expected to pass £1.5m in 2022.

All the vehicles are fully accessible to people with disabilities, including wheelchair users and people with guide dogs. Drivers have signed up to a service charter, including smart dress code, with all vehicles also accepting credit cards and providing USB charging points. The local hackney carriages will operate alongside the executive vehicle service currently provided by Addison Lee.

Of the new arrangements, Councillor Javeria Hussain, chair of Luton Rising, the Luton Council company that owns the airport, said: “This is a hugely welcome step to support local employment as our company focuses on demonstrating with everything that we do how we are much more than an airport, and continuing to provide maximum economic and social benefit into the local area.

Jonathan Rayner, Chief Commercial Officer at London Luton Airport Operations Ltd, said: “This is great news for our passengers offering them more choice for their onward journeys. It’s also another example of us working in partnership with Luton Rising to support the thousands of people and the many local businesses who rely on us through the supply chain.”

As the UK’s fifth largest airport, in 2019 London Luton served almost 18 million passengers, supported 27,000 jobs in the regional economy – including 10,000 in Luton – and delivered £1.8bn economic activity for UK GDP.

Councillor Hazel Simmons, Leader of Luton Council, said: “We know how important our airport is to local people, supporting frontline services, improving the lives of people most in need, and supporting the livelihoods of thousands of families. This is very welcome good news for our town’s hard-working taxi drivers.”

Luton Council cabinet member Councillor Javed Hussain added: “This is a win-win, improving emissions for Luton residents, and providing employment for our delighted local taxi drivers and an extremely high level of service for airport customers with fares regulated by the council.”