Taxi Driver Online

Nottingham Evening Post

October 10, 2006 Tuesday

HEADLINE: Cabbies threaten road block in city

BYLINE: CHRIS BIRKLE

Private hire taxi drivers are planning to block city roads in protest against restrictions in the Turning Point zone. A rush-hour rolling roadblock is being considered after new restrictions were imposed stopping drivers using some routes.

The plans would involve protesters on foot carrying placards walking beside the roadblock, while demonstrations would also be held outside the Council House in Old Market Square.

The council has stopped private hire vehicles entering the £11.7m Turning Point zone from the Glasshouse Street/Lower Parliament Street end. They are also barred from the Shakespeare Street/Milton Street point unless passengers are going to the Hilton Hotel.

Hackney carriages, however, are still granted full access.

Private hire drivers are hoping to get the backing of the Association of Notts Private Hire Operators at a meeting on Thursday. Darren Cotterell, 30, of Trent Cars, said: "The protests would be for the public's benefit.

"We are supposed to take people the quickest and shortest route. "With this coming into force we are going to have to go the scenic route around and so it is going to cost the customer more. We will lose business. "We won't get an idea of the numbers (of protesters) until the meeting itself."

The restriction order, which came into effect this weekend, is initially for 18 months. Cars were barred from Milton Street and Parliament Street as part of the Turning Point scheme just over a year ago. Buses, hackney taxis, blue badge holders, delivery vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians and people going to private car parks in the zone still have access.

Ray Butterworth, spokesman for the Association of Nottinghamshire Private Hire Operators, said: "We want the city council to understand the nature of the issue. "We will be taking action that will hopefully draw attention to the public in general.

Coun Brian Grocock, the city council's executive member for transport, said: "The Turning Point is about giving pedestrians a safe way through that area. The restriction is there for 18 months.

chris.birkle
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