Permit requirements for taxi drivers at railway stations

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

This is one reason why I seldom meet Mrs FT,N! at the main entrance. Another is the sheer kerfuffle involved at times in just getting into the station approach. I was there a couple of weeks back, and traffic was stationary from the Gyratory roundabout and beyond, in a solid line to the station road. To make matters worse, a couple of clowns in taxis had decided to take the middle lane, then make a left. This man^uvre clearly wasn't popular with those doing it "correctly", who made sure they stayed stuck there, so limiting all other traffic to one-third of the usual capacity. It needs dealing with, and will be dealt with when the new station entrance is complete. I hope.

[thetrout]

Mr Power added: "The problem is getting worse. More and more drivers from outside Bristol are coming in, and they don't have to abide by the same rules we do. People just see a taxi sign and presume they can operate here and be flagged down but that's not the case."

That's rather insidious and significantly flawed. If a booking is made with the taxi driver/company outside of the Bristol Area in advance. Then they are allowed to pick up that/those passengers. It's only the case where for example a Wiltshire Registered Taxi or Plymouth Registered Taxi where touting for casual pickups as a Hackney Carriage. i.e. Hail for a ride. Where this is not allowed. Also, if you were to board, you would not be insured in such vehicles.

On a number of occasions I've booked a taxi with an independent firm in Frome for collection in Bath, Westbury, Trowbridge and in very rare cases Bristol. I think in the last 3 years or so myself and my taxi driver have been challenged a couple of times.

In all cases a prearranged booking was made so everything was without issue. I can understand that cabbies would be, and are upset about bringing in a taxi from outside the town/city. As this causes them to lose business. But the amount of times I've got in a Taxi in Bath and asked for Frome only for the driver to ask for directions is comical...

[ChrisB]

That's rather insidious and significantly flawed. If a booking is made with the taxi driver/company outside of the Bristol Area in advance. Then they are allowed to pick up that/those passengers. It's only the case where for example a Wiltshire Registered Taxi or Plymouth Registered Taxi where touting for casual pickups as a Hackney Carriage. i.e. Hail for a ride. Where this is not allowed. Also, if you were to board, you would not be insured in such vehicles.

Which is what he's complaining about.

If they're coming in from outside to pick up a booking, why would they be in the taxi rank? Their more likely to be waiting in the short-stay park which if they're collecting, is exactly what that park is meant for. Taxi or not.

[Red Squirrel]

That's rather insidious and significantly flawed. If a booking is made with the taxi driver/company outside of the Bristol Area in advance. Then they are allowed to pick up that/those passengers. It's only the case where for example a Wiltshire Registered Taxi or Plymouth Registered Taxi where touting for casual pickups as a Hackney Carriage. i.e. Hail for a ride. Where this is not allowed. Also, if you were to board, you would not be insured in such vehicles.

Which is what he's complaining about.

If they're coming in from outside to pick up a booking, why would they be in the taxi rank? Their more likely to be waiting in the short-stay park which if they're collecting, is exactly what that park is meant for. Taxi or not.

Not sure what point you are trying to make: Private hire cars, wherever they come from, are there to pick up the person who booked them. They haven't come to ply for hire, so they shouldn't bother the cabbies any more than members of the public coming in to pick up friends and relatives. If they were planning to ply for hire (and I think they'd be pretty brave to do so given the numbers of hackney drivers around) then we'd all agree that they were acting illegally and should be properly penalised.

In practical terms private hire cars may find it impossible to stop in the short-stay car park on account of it being full of illegally-parked cabs; in that case they may end up picking up their booked fare from the taxi rank, which could be misunderstood.

[ChrisB]

A quick question to the minicab would elucidate that answer, and as its the hackneys causing said problem in the short stay park, you'd think they'd be understanding of each other.

And this problem seems to last at best 90 mins....

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Bristol Post:

Bristol taxi drivers prosecuted after refusing to carry blind man's guide dog


Andrew Goddard and his guide dog Sammy were refused a lift in a taxi at Temple Meads        Barbara Evripidou BRBE20141121C-2

Two taxi drivers from Bristol have been prosecuted for refusing to allow a registered blind man to take his guide dog in their cars. Andrew Goddard, 57, of Badgers Walk, Brislington, booked a car to take him and his guide dog, Sammy, to a social event at the Louisiana pub in the city centre.

But two drivers refused to take him to the event in their private hire cars before he was eventually taken to the venue by a third driver. As a result, Mr Goddard arrived very late for the event, and both he and Sammy got soaking wet.

The incident led the city council's licensing enforcement team to prosecute the drivers for refusing to convey an assistance dog under the 2010 Equalities Act.

Mr Goddard hopes that by bringing this case to court, it will prevent other people from having to go through the same ordeal. He said: "I got Sammy in May last year, and he has given me the confidence to go out to social events on my own. I don't have any problem with my normal taxi firm, who are always happy to take my dog, and if it hadn't have been raining, I would have probably got the bus. I am pleased that both drivers were prosecuted, and I hope that by highlighting this issue other people will not have to suffer."

The first driver, Khader Ahmed Sharif Abdi admitted the charge before Bristol magistrates and was given a conditional discharge, and ordered to pay a contribution to the prosecution costs.

The second driver, Sheikh Omar Mohamed, was found guilty by Bristol magistrates and fined a total of ^340.

Assistant mayor Gus Hoyt said: "Taxis and Private Hire vehicles form an integral part of the transport system in Bristol and are often relied upon by people suffering from visual impairment. It is simply not acceptable that drivers don't comply with their legal obligations by refusing to carry assistance dogs. We are delighted that we have brought these successful convictions, and we hope it sends out a strong message that this is simply not acceptable."

Alun Gwernan-Jones, regional manager for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, welcomed the tough stance from the licensing department. He said: "Guide Dog owners depend on their dogs for independence, and they, and any other assistance dog users, need to have confidence that no Bristol taxis will refuse them access."

[Red Squirrel]

From the Bristol Post:

Taxi drivers at Temple Meads protest and refuse to pick passengers up after row with Network Rail



Taxi drivers at Bristol's busiest station refused to take any fares on Monday morning over a dispute about driver numbers.

Commuters arrived at Temple Meads this morning to find few taxis were willing to pick them up at the rank outside the station.

The protest will be lasting from 8am to 11am on Monday, December 1.

It comes after an argument between the drivers and Network Rail, who issue their permits to use taxis.

Network Rail currently allow 400 drivers to use Temple Meads as a pick-up point, but there is only space on the forecourt for 46 cars. Now, Network Rail have allegedly decided to start taking away the licences of some drivers, to reduce congestion around the station.

Driver Tim Lloyd said: "Drivers pay ^450 a year to use Temple Meads station, but now we are living with the threat of going into work and having our licences taken away.

"It does get congested on the forecourt leading up to the station. The big London trains which arrive every half an hour usually work us all out, and it is coming up to the busy time of year.

"We had a meeting with Network Rail last week, and our proposal to solve the problem is to have an overflow rank slightly away from the main one, where we can park up and wait."

The overflow rank would be on the left-hand side of the station, as you drive down to the main road.

But Network Rail dismissed the proposal, and are instead reducing the number of people who can work there.

Mr Lloyd added that he apologized for any inconvenience caused to the public while the protest was being staged.