Taxi Driver Online

Not sure what's going on here - presumably it's some kind of plotting/app issue, but if drivers supposedly have their own holding area at the airport then why are they clogging up the streets elsewhere, unless it's just cars waiting for work not directly associated with BHX.

But I'm sure someone on here with better knowledge than me can shed some light...


Locals living near Birmingham Airport demand action over Uber drivers lay-by behaviour

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/m ... t-28632247

West Midlands Police have resorted to handing out £100 on-the-spot fines to Uber drivers causing chaos on a red route near Birmingham Airport, with the local council confirming they have visited the spot a whopping 417 times since Christmas


Image: Birmingham Mail

Uber drivers waiting to pick up customers on a route near Birmingham Airport are being slapped with £100 on-the-spot fines after reports of 'illegal manoeuvres, littering and even using a lay-by as a toilet'. BirminghamLive heard from local residents about chaos on the red route close to BHX allegedly caused by the private hire taxis. Pictures show queues of vehicles parked dangerously on the A45 between Damson Parkway and Goodway Road, blocking access for motorists as well as bus passengers.

Solihull Council confirmed it had visited the site a whopping 417 times, issuing 91 penalty charge notices since Christmas. West Midlands Police also confirmed they have been patrolling the area since January, issuing on-the-spot £100 charges.

'Drivers have been seen to use the lay-by as a toilet and leave litter'

Residents and local councillors provided pictures of drivers parked up on the red route between jobs, which can include fares to BHX as well as in the local area.

A Solihull resident who wished to stay anonymous provided pictures of repeated incidents to BirminghamLive from January, and said: "People were struggling to get off the buses and the taxis were stopping on main carriageways, causing us to brake heavily.

"They park on the road to the left of Coventry Road too." Elmdon ward councillors Yvonne Clements (Cons) and Laura McCarthy (Lib Dem) also spoke of public health and safety concerns caused by Uber drivers parked illegally on verges.

When we put local concerns to Uber, they responded to say they are "working on a technical change to help address this issue."

Outlining the issues, Coun Yvonne Clements said: "The most blatant has been the private hire taxi drivers parking on the A45 between Damson Parkway and Goodway Road. [I have been] working with the council and the police on ways to halt this anti-social behaviour.

"It is an offence to park on a red route or in a bus stop. Unfortunately, vehicle drivers have been seen to use the lay-by as a toilet and continually leave litter behind."

She added: "There's nothing wrong with earning a living and many of us have the need to use a taxi from time to time, however it cannot be to the detriment of the wider public and a cause of concern to public health.”

'The current situation isn't safe'

Coun Laura McCarthy said BHX has a "duty of care" to its neighbours. “The police and council are doing a good job of moving drivers on and issuing fines to anyone caught parking illegally" she said.

"I have contacted taxi company Uber myself asking for help due to the danger innocent people are facing, but the problem persists. Taxi drivers need to be able to rest and earn a living.

"The current situation isn’t safe for them or other road users. The airport and the taxi companies must work together to find somewhere safe for taxis to park up, before a serious or fatal accident occurs.

"Birmingham Airport has a duty of care to its neighbours in Elmdon and Sheldon. That’s why we are calling for a long-term and sustainable solution for everyone concerned.”

The Lib Dem group added they have dash cam footage showing Uber drivers pull dangerous manoeuvres such as sudden stops and reversing into the dual carriageway. Taxis are also understood to be churning up the verges, littering, and blocking the bus stop leaving alighting users vulnerable.

BHX - 'Taxis have an on-site holding area'

A Birmingham Airport spokesperson said: "Birmingham Airport's official on-site black cab provision is easily accessible 24 hours a day, directly outside of the terminal building.

"Private hire drivers in the area are not just for Birmingham Airport. However, for those serving Birmingham Airport customers we have an on-site holding area which all Uber drivers have to use in order to be allocated airport pick-ups. This is in agreement with our Uber partner."

West Midlands Police said they were running extra patrols. A force spokesperson said: "We are aware of the issue of cars parking illegally on the A45. The Lyndon, Elmdon, Olton and Silhill neighbourhood team has been carrying out traffic enforcement in the area since the start of the year.

"As part of this enforcement action, some drivers have been fined £100. We are continuing patrols in the area and are working with the local authority around this issue."

Council has visited site 417 times and issued 91 fines

Confirming their crackdown, a spokesperson for Solihull Council said: “We are aware the police have been monitoring these two locations. The Council's civil parking enforcement officers continue to enforce the parking restrictions, visiting 417 times and issuing 91 penalty charge notices since Christmas, when the issue was first brought to our attention.

"The private hire drivers who use this route have been made aware that they are not to be parked in when waiting for their next customer and the situation is improving. Our environmental enforcement officers are also dealing with the litter issues in the area.”

Uber response

An Uber spokesperson said: “The safety of customers, drivers and the general public is a top priority for Uber and we are working on a technical change to help address this issue. Any driver found driving dangerously faces losing access to the app and all drivers are expected to adhere to applicable laws and regulations including the Highway Code.

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Maybe they should send over LOs from Wolverhampton to sort it all out - BHX is less than 30 miles from Wolverhampton, so a relatively short hop for them

So 326 times they went and everything was fine.

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IDFIMH

I suspect they have to pay in the holding area.

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IDFIMH

this problem has been ongoing for more than 5 years.

pre uber there was a nice short stay at the railway station (20 mins) and although the railway company used to occassionally enforce it was often possible to hang out there (for free) for 30 mins or more as there was no cctv controlling entry/exit. So many drivers used to wait in there and then nip round to the pick up/ drop off once their passengers phoned.

Then uber happened and this car park got completely choked with ubers waiting for a booking to come in on the app. In the end the railway had to do something about it and everyone lost the very handy free car parking point.

So now they are choking up the roads leading to the airport whilst they wait for bookings to come in on the app. There was a limited free parking in the long stay but of course the ubers haven't actually got a booking they are just waiting nearby so when one does come in they are in position for the algorithm to allocate them to the job.

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

Well if they have to pay to use the holding area (Sussex) or they need a definite booking to use the holding area (Edders), then that would certainly explain it.

But, of course, like the various parties involved at Winchester station, Uber spins it away as a 'technical glitch'

But you'd have thought the payment and booking pitfalls would have been evident by now and BHX and their Uber 'partner' would have come up with some system to sort it. Obviously the holding area arrangement indicates that they've tried to do something to sort it out in the past, but not a definitive solution.

But, who knows, it maybe is a technical issue.

And, of course, at this time of year there will be more idle cars than normal, particularly around airports

it's half term and the height of the skiing season ! recently booked an airport hotel for monday night (check in is 05.25 ) and the price is nearly double what it was in January !

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

Skiing holidays?

Not something that ever crosses my mind, but with your jetset lifestyle you're no doubt better qualified than me to comment on these things, Edders.

When I did £11 (two runs of less than a mile) late last Friday over three hours or so into the early hours, I assumed that was maybe evidence of the state of the economy more generally

But obviously people are too busy going off on skiing holidays to be going out on the pish

One thing I learned during my many years as a cabbie is that when things are tight money wise the LAST thing people stop spending money in is holidays

oh and this is my first holiday in 14 months and it's only 7 nights in malta you should try it a few days away from your 4 walls without the internet and experiencing a bit of history and culture in a foreign land it's good for the soul !

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

Thanks for the advice, Edders. I'll either put my £11 made late on Friday towards a fortnight in Cancun, or buy a gallon-and-a-half of diesel with it

To be honest I've got zero desire to go abroad on holiday anyway. Maybe I'd change my mind if I won the Euromillions, but the thought of airports, flights and all that just doesn't do much for me...

And talking of airports and taxis etc, there's doing folks a favour, and there's the odd freebie/cheap run, then there's this

And 'taxi driver' seems a bit of a stretch. Looks like a high end chauffeur-style operation doing tours, transfers and executive hire etc. Not the highest end stuff, but not quite your average 'taxi driver' either.


Hero Scots taxi driver saves family's holiday with 400-mile trip after flight axed

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scot ... s-32167466

John Murphy, 47, owner of Elite Central Travel, decided to go that extra mile and drive the 405-mile journey, battling treacherous conditions, to London Heathrow for free.

It would take Uber the best part of 10 minutes to sort it by not allowing cars to log on at that area.

They do it down here stopping their cars logging on near the taxi ranks.

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IDFIMH

but then of course people booking an uber from the airport would have to wait perhaps uber should be forced to do that and then maybe the local hackneys might get a bit more trade

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