Notice 02/12...Its Got To Be A Joke...Surely!

You just couldn't make this stuff up!


Notice 02/12

Transport for London

London Taxi and Private Hire

Use of Taxi Ranks

There have been several complaints regarding taxis being left unattended on taxi ranks – the most recent example being around Victoria Station and the surrounding roads, in particular Gillingham Street.

All taxi drivers are reminded that they must not leave their taxis unattended on a taxi rank. Unattended taxis cause obstructions to other drivers, passengers and road users and can also cause security risks. Transport for London (TfL) works closely with the London boroughs to appoint taxi ranks where road space allows.

Road space is difficult to obtain for taxi ranks and drivers abusing these ranks run the risk that the borough will reallocate the road space for other purposes if it isn’t being used correctly as a working taxi rank.

TfL has specifically been asked by Westminster City Council to inform drivers regarding the unacceptable situation on the taxi feeder rank in Gillingham Street. This rank is the final portion of the taxi ranks serving Victoria Station forecourt and is for three taxis. It is the only space in this street where taxis can legally wait to join the taxi rank on Vauxhall Bridge Road.

Unattended taxis left on this rank cause significant problems for other taxi drivers who then over-rank which, in turn, causes problems for other road users.

All drivers are also reminded that if there is no available space on this taxi rank, for any reason, then drivers should not stop but move on to another taxi rank where space is available.

John Mason

31 January 2012 Director, Taxi and Private Hire
For previous Notices visit tfl.gov.uk/tph

OK John you've made that perfectly clear....
So when can we expect to see Notice 03/12 informing private hire drivers that they cant park on licensed taxi ranks, or bus stops, or red lines, yellow line, zig zag lines, outside night venues, openly touting?

Has Westminster council shown any concern about private hire vehicles regularly parked in Taxi ranks such as Addison Lee using the taxi rank in Grosvenor Crescent, the Grosvenor House Hotel, the Dorchester, the pre booked radio TAXI rank at Paddington station?

John, tell Westminster that they can gladly ticked any vehicle that is left unattended on a Taxi rank that is not a designated rest rank, as the Traffic Management Order (TMO) is now in place and Code 45 in the wardens manual is reinstated. Then ask them why they are refusing to enforce parking restriction when it comes to private hire vehicles parking on the double yellow lines outside Swallow Street, reducing the road width to one lane causing tail back to Piccadilly Circus and beyond. Or what about the lines of illegally parked PHVs outside Heddon  Street, Shaftesbury Ave, New Burlington Street, Dover Street, Arlington Street, Berkeley Street, Conduit Street, Argyll Street.   If you get a reply from Martin Low or Kevin Goad I will gladly publish it on here for you.

Or once again is this another item designed to fragment the trade even further, as driver start shouting yes lets punish our own and say nothing to the touts...