Taxi Driver Online

Cheltenham taxi drivers plan go-slow protest over new regulations

TAXI drivers in Cheltenham are set to stage a go-slow protest over new regulations they say threaten their livelihoods. Dozens of drivers will form a convoy in the town this week over rules on carbon emissions, which are being introduced by the borough council.

Graham Foley, who has been driving taxis in Cheltenham for more than 20 years, said: "A lot of good taxi drivers will be forced to look for other work if this is introduced. The council is using a sledge hammer to crack a nut." The controversy centres around a European regulation known as the Euro IV test, which limits levels of emissions of nitrogen oxides and particles.

Mr Foley said drivers are concerned Cheltenham Borough Council is planning to force them to use vehicles which meet the standard. The regulations could be brought in by the end of the year. He said: "The council is effectively asking taxi drivers to update their vehicles. "With the financial situation no one is lending money to anyone, let alone a self-employed taxi driver.

"I've got 12 new vehicles of my own so financially I'm ok. I'm speaking on behalf of the other 500 drivers because I've worked in this town for a long time and I care."

Bosses at the borough council are thought to be trying to negotiate with the drivers to avert the action, which is scheduled for Wednesday. A convoy of drivers are planning to set off from the town centre at noon to cause disruption on the roads. Up to 25 taxis are expected to take part. All cars manufactured since January 2005 should meet the Euro IV standard, but older vehicles may not.

Gloucestershire police spokesman James Woodward said: "The protest will be policed. Under the Public Order Act we have powers to impose conditions on lawful protests. "We are waiting for the organisers of this protest to get back to us with more details."

A Hackney Carriage driver, who asked not be named, said the protest represented years of unrest. "Frustrations have built up over a number of years due to taxi drivers losing faith in the council," he said. Sometimes talking to the council is like talking to a brick wall. Now people have decided there is no point attempting to have a dialogue. "We've got to balance making a point with not annoying the public, because we want them on our side."

Trevor Gladding, community safety and licensing manager for Cheltenham Borough Council, said: "We are aware of the planned protest and we are working with the drivers and the police to ensure it brings the minimum amount of disruption to others.

"Following concerns from Hackney Carriage and private hire vehicle drivers about the emissions section of our new policy, we are revisiting this part as a matter of urgency. "This emissions section will be referred back to our licensing committee by Friday."

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IDFIMH

I believe that each council should by now have a written air pollution, or clean air policy. It's a statutory requirement & if my memory still serves the old brain, I think it has to be refreshed, renewed, revised (that's the word I was looking for - no it's not) updated every five years.

Brum tried to do this on the trade some two years ago, until I pointed out that taxis were not mentioned as a polluting source in Birmingham City Council's own report.

I would suggest that the guys in Cheltenham get a copy of the Cheltenham Council Report & pehaps it might help them in their cause.

The Brum document is called 'Air Quality Action Plan' & is available on this link;

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satelli ... rmode=live

Click on the first PDF file at the bottom of the page for 'THE PLAN'' & the second PDF file for the update.

And here's the link to Cheltenham's AQAP web page, although I can't find their 'PLAN' on the Internet.

http://www.cheltenham.gov.uk/site/scrip ... geNumber=4

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/ ... 186_en.htm

Euro 5 starts in Jan 2011

Another kick in the nutz for Cheltenham taxi drivers.

Nick.

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Airport Plus 01242 808090
http://www.airportplus.co.uk

On a go slow.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gl ... e-11682832

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IDFIMH

Council having a rethink after storm of protest.

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/ ... ticle.html

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IDFIMH

Skippy's link to the European regs suggest that all new vehicles from Jan 11 have to be Euro 5 compliant. will that include the TX4 ?

Only if its built after that date

surely most vehicles are already euro 4 compliant ?


and isn't the level of polution equally as dependant on the quality of the fuel used