steveo wrote:
Surely any private hire company worth working for is going to be booked solid during those peak hours anyway, so how are they going to be able to stop for flaggers as well. the operators are not going to like it as they could end up losing customers in the long run as their greedy drivers will be calling in no fares for the booked jobs and picking up flaggers instead.
I don't know Blackburn at all, but I think some questions need to be asked before a solution can be found.
1. Has Darwin St always been accessible to taxis?
2. We know there are 2 PH offices there but has there been a rank?
3. How long had people previously HAD to wait for a taxi around this area, counting people waiting for a kebab doesn't really count?
4. An admission was made that people don't always make their way straight home, with the lads looking for "the one" to walk passed, is it not also fair to say that some of the lads are there looking for a fight, and when they see another bloke walking with a girl they believe are their "one" more trouble is more likely?
I agree with SteveO, this initiative may reduce waiting times for taxis but it will not reduce violent crime ......... that is an area to which the Police have to accept responsibility ........ as everyone else though it seems they are looking to blame everyone possible before admitting they don't police this area as well as they should.
I drive PH and wouldn't have time to pick up flaggers on a weekend, but there again I work from a good office which provides me with enough work, nearly every shift I work.