Taxi Driver Online

TRADE-HUNGRY cabbies chasing business around Torquay's harbourside have been accused by council chiefs of abusing the rank system.
Warning letters have been sent to drivers to get their house in order or face legal action for breaking local road orders.
Some 250 taxi workers are being told how they should conduct their business to avoid penalties and the danger of 'a serious road incident' after two near misses.
But taxi operators say they are complying with the rules.
The directive about abuses on The Strand has come from Steve Cox, the Town Hall's principal safety and licensing officer, who has told them: "This could lead to a serious road incident, with potential injury or worse.

There have already been a couple of near misses. I am sure this is not something you would wish to see, and as a representative of Torbay Council I simply cannot allow it."
David Green, chairman of the Torbay Licensed Taxi Association, said his members complied with the rules of the road, but some independent operators were perhaps less diligent.
He said in a statement: "All members of the taxi association are more than happy to comply with the council's wishes. We have every confidence in Steve Cox and his team.
"However, there are one or two independent operators who may not be complying as readily as they should. We feel the council's comments would be better directed at them."
The issue under debate is the conflict between the use of congested taxi ranks and vacant bus bays around the harbourside, one of the busiest cab sites in the Bay.
Mr Cox takes drivers to task for using bus bays on the Debenham's side of The Strand for queuing. This leads to bus passengers being dropped off away from the occupied kerb side.
"It is creating a similar problem we were trying to resolve on the seaward side," he said.
"Buses and other vehicles using the area legally are potentially dropping off passengers away from the kerb side.
"This is also happening at the GPO roundabout at the top of Fleet Walk by Tesco.
"I must therefore insist you do not use these areas, notably the bus bays on either side of The Strand and at the old GPO roundabout.
"If anybody is caught using them they run the risk of action being taken against them, by way of fixed penalty notice or being brought before the licensing committee.
"I am sure this will be seen by many as unreasonable, but waiting in these areas is not in compliance with the Road Traffic Orders, which are there to give everybody a share in the road space available, and as I said in my previous letter, there isn't sufficient space for all the competing interests."
He said the council was trying to find further spaces to add to the 31 available after midnight on the harbourside.
Consultations are taking place to secure more rank space.
He said: "I cannot promise anything at this time, as at least one location will also require Department of Transport approval, which will take time."
A Torbay Council spokesman said: "We are taking this action following a number of complaints from other road users about obstruction of the highway and non-compliance with the Road Traffic Orders which are in place for these areas.
"The use of the bus bays in particular is causing problems for buses and other road users, as they are unable to stop adjacent to the kerb side, so putting the safety of their passengers at risk.
"The council understands the economic downturn has made it harder for Hackney Carriage drivers to make a living, so there are more vehicles waiting on the harbourside for customers, but it has to put the safety of people using these areas first."
He confirmed the council, with police backing, would be taking enforcement action over the coming weeks to ensure the Road Traffic Orders were upheld.
"We are asking drivers of Hackney Carriages to abide by these Road Traffic Orders to avoid the necessity of issuing fixed penalty notices.
"The enforcement action will continue, if necessary into the summer, and will be done without warning, should problems continue."
A police spokesman said: "The problem is very simple. There are too many taxis and not enough ranks for them."


But they dont go on to say that private hire cars are ranking up on legal parking bays and stopping the public from parking in the harbour area.

Perhaps representatives of the trade need to contact the press about that.

_________________
IDFIMH