Plymouth police and council crackdown on cabbies who flout city bylaws
TAXI drivers who flout licensing rules by parking illegally and letting their cars idle in residential areas are to face a police and council clampdown.
Police officers have received training from Plymouth City Council's taxi licensing team in the intricate bylaws governing both Hackney cabs and private hire vehicles to help them with the operation which will run on Friday and Saturday evenings for the foreseeable future.
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Sgt Tim Hinde, neighbourhood team leader for the city centre said the matter of antisocial driving was raised at a neighbourhood meeting by residents around the Barbican.
He said: "The residents were not happy with the taxi drivers and we found they weren't complying with the bylaws they signed up to."
He said ranks such as one at Basket Ope on the Barbican allowed for a set number of taxis – but additional taxis were parking up on double-yellow lines when the rank was full. Drivers were also "quitting" their vehicles – getting out and leaving their engines running, throughout the night, much to the consternation of residents.
He said: "The hotspots seemed to be in Union Street outside the Two Trees public house, Mutley Plain outside the Mutley Crown and Dog and Duck pub, North Hill by the Skiving Scholar and around View 2 where they made an illegal rank.
"The residents said the issue had been going on for many years and it recently came to a head. We got together with Plymouth City Council's licensing department to work together on the problem.
"Licensing have been teaching police officers what we need to look out for in regards to correctly maintained licensed taxis and we will be issuing tickets under the Town and Police Causes Act and contravention notices.
"We're also targeting vehicles we consider are unsafe and will be taking them off the road.
"We're happy to work with the taxi firms and they've all been sent letters explaining the operation.
"But the message to both the Hackney cabs and the private hire taxis is police are now fully aware of all the bylaws taxis have to abide by and we'll be taking appropriate action to ensure they comply."
A spokesman for Plymouth City Council said: "The issue of drivers not waiting in the proper taxi ranks and disturbing residents was raised as a priority at a neighbourhood meeting.
"The council has written to all drivers asking for their co-operation.
"Licensing officers are now working in partnership with the police, providing specific training to officers about exactly what taxis are allowed to do and how they can enforce the hackney carriage bylaw when they are out on the beat. Taxi drivers who don't wait in the appropriate ranks can cause public safety issues as well as a noise nuisance."
25 Comments
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by BS_Hater
Tuesday, February 28 2012, 9:27AM
“Put a camera on a mast on your roof, then you can park anywhere and break any traffic law you can think of ..........................................................”
by kersweaz
Tuesday, February 28 2012, 1:30AM
“narkybee
as an ex Councillor of this city i do under stand the problems that taxis have.and have,taken part in many a debate about the lack of ranks which cause the biggest problem in the early hours of the morning.
i am amusing from your comment you are from the taxi trade. i can see where you are coming from as the licensed trade are probably responsible for most of your night time trade (worked in the family own pubs for years).
that's all well and good, but every action as a cost to it, and has to be paid for by some one the council does not have a bottomless pocket nor does the police or the hospitals that end up with the silly one's.
each of these body's above together could and would fund a way forward just like you have recommended its a pity that your trade reps in the past that have come to council to represent the trade seem to not have had a brain cell between them.”
by kersweaz
Tuesday, February 28 2012, 12:51AM
“tessa43
have you been on something tonight, your comment as nothing to do with the debate in question
all you have done is make your self look like a very nasty person/idiot”
by Tessa43
Monday, February 27 2012, 11:29PM
“Never mind taxis if anyone tries to tailgate me I pretend to put my brakes on. If that does not work I then put them on, if that still does not work I slam them on. They slow down then, or they hit you and it is their fault for driving too closely. I also offer a condom for next time he wants to get too close.”
by narkybee
Monday, February 27 2012, 4:42PM
“Kearsweaz.... Great Comment Buddy, about as well thought through as your reasoning for making it in the first place. Lets blame the pubs & clubs shall we. No I've got a much better idea, why don't we blame the fishermen, its bound to be their fault. Better still lets blame the pensioners, there are loads of them after all...... Or shall we deal with the problem & solve it. Lets look at the highly inadequate taxi ranking system & utilise the space we need. After all the taxis are an essential tool in the fight against drink driving & getting merry customers home and away from residential areas before they start urinating in the streets or causing problems. You cannot possibly do this with the 8 bay rank on the barbican or the other ones that are currently mapped out around the city so these have simply got to be extended. You cannot continue to grow our economy & housing in the way you have without increasing the facilities & amenities to match. Simply make the on street parking areas revert to taxi ranks at the weekends after certain times ie. When they are most needed. A bit like car sharing policy but this is rank sharing.... Simples. Better than blaming this one or that one or just moaning about it..... Problems Are Just Opportunities In Disguise !!!!”
by kersweaz
Sunday, February 26 2012, 1:17AM
“Most of the problems seem to be out side clubs and pubs, easy sorted fine licensed venues. They will soon stop this them self's as they don't like paying for stuff.
Saving police time to do what they are paid for and if the council as the money to pay officers to go out on the streets of the city centre then I believe this council tax payers money would be better spent on night time noise abatement officers?”
by whiteman80
Sunday, February 26 2012, 12:57AM
“Mark2Plym you moron what is wrong with an English driver??? At least they will understand you”
by Mark2Plym
Sunday, February 26 2012, 12:32AM
“The ones I don't like have a sign over they windscreen saying English driver but charges twice as much!”
by renegade2009
Saturday, February 25 2012, 7:26PM
“i hate it when taxi double park ,,, or u trying to get into where u live and the park so u cant get by ,, leave their cab and u spend time waiting for them to come out of a pub ,
or taxis are using mobile phones while driving and they turn around in middle of road worse place is union strret at nite near toys are us ,,,
worse id the police watch em and do nuffin about it ,, just like parking there police see do nuffin and soon trafic builds up
come on police u there to do a job ,,,, do it ,,,, or leave and put someone there who can do it”
by evs72
Saturday, February 25 2012, 6:50PM
“how can people mark down my comment about the herald pre-warning taxi drivers what the police are up to tonight???
surely the whole point of this exercise is to catch bad drivers.can only think the people that marked comment down dont want to see bad drivers caught.”