'Rude' cabbies face crackdown
RUDE and rule-breaking cabbies in Torbay are to face a blitz, councillors have warned.
Torbay Council licensing officer Steve Cox (pictured) said: "We want to make it clear if their behaviour doesn't improve, we may bring them in front of the licensing committee."
Drivers could face fines or even be hauled before the authority with the threat of their licence to operate being suspended.
The warning came at Torbay Council's licensing committee after councillors complained about the attitude of some Hackney cab drivers.
Cabbies are accused of waiting in parking bays, dodging and abusing traffic wardens, double parking and being rude verging on aggressive.
However, the Bay's cab trade says it does condone rudeness or aggressive behaviour.
But one councillor wants taxi rank spaces closed down as a punishment for offenders.
Mr Cox said taxi drivers and their companies have been written to and officers will be out gathering evidence.
He told councillors: "My officers will be out collecting information on abuses.
"There will be one hell of a stink from the trade you can be assured as they are struggling for work."
There are more than 160 Hackney cabs licensed in the Bay with 368 authorised drivers, as well as 338 private hire cars and 281 drivers.
Cllr Christine Scouler said she was concerned at cabbies using street parking bays in Preston, Paignton, to wait for trade rather than authorised ranks.
She said: "I would like to see some enforcement to make sure they are in line with their licences.
"Some of the drivers are rude, almost aggressive."
Cllr Alan Faulkner said some Torquay town centre ranks have particular problems with double parking and intrusion into bus bays.
He said: "We have written to them so many times we should take the taxi rank away from them."
Mr Cox said traffic enforcement was not part of licensing, although he knew of the difficulties as offending cabbies drove off as soon as they saw a warden take out his note book and so a ticket could not be issued.
He said: "Some drivers have been the subject of complaints and they have been written to and we will be talking to them."
He said he has told the trade those who flout the rules will get fixed penalties tickets but added new technology is needed to catch offenders and that costs money.
He added: "We will be writing to drivers and then evidence will be collected. I am not happy about it, but we will bring them in front of the licensing committee to have their licence suspended for traffic offences."
Committee chairman Peter Addis said it seemed there were not enough spaces on the taxi ranks or they are not in the right places but added: "Surely the technology exists to take photographs of them?"
David Green, chairman of the 75-strong Hackney Carriage Taxi Association, said: "We do not condone aggressive or rude behaviour towards any council officer."
He said no taxi driver waits in Preston and added: "It is not an area where we go as there is no trade.
"As an association we have a good working relationship with the council licensing department and are trying to solve the problems of taxi ranks."
10 Comments
by jimmy, paignton
Tuesday, November 24 2009, 8:43AM
“why is it that ALL the taxi drivers think they are above the law? There driving is shocking!!
They park were they like, They Cross lane to lane in traffic and someone should make spot checks on there cars. I have seen them outside paignton train station with balding tyres.”
by taxi drivers wife, paignton
Tuesday, November 24 2009, 12:11AM
“i feel that the real issue surrounding taxi drivers comes down to our local council yet again ,yes some might park on bus lanes ,yes some might block roundabouts,but if the council built bigger taxi ranks problem solved ! they are quick enough to take taxi owners money for licences and plates but give nothing back in return .as for being rude never heard such rubbish ,im sure there are some as with every line of work. but who are the ones dropping children of to school first thing in morning and doing pick ups after school often contracted from the council to do this .you have all been watching there driving skills but have you also been watching the way they help elderly into there cars helping with there bags of shopping ? lets not forget getting the drunks home at 4 oclock in morning so if the cabs are a bit smelly thats because some drunk has had a cheese burger in the back not because the drivers smell of b.o !!!!!!getting back to more pressing issue ,weekends at torwood street , all the private hire plates (red) like to park, picking people up and touting for work ,which is against the law only blue plates can do this ,parking on pavements ,u turn in middle of road .maybe some one from council would like to come down on a friday and saturday night and take some numbers of taxi drivers really breaking the law ,and not parking in an odd bus lane or two .”
by Dave, Paignton
Monday, November 23 2009, 7:32PM
“I was driving up Hamelin Way recently and as I approached the dual carriageway section, a taxi coming down, did a U turn in front of me. Not only was this illegal, but extremely dangerous. As I overtook him and tried to point out the foolishness of his actions, he waved back, indicating that I had come second. Well, I think that's what he meant.”
by Observer, Torquay
Monday, November 23 2009, 7:08PM
“At lunchtime today, one was blocking all the traffic from Fleet Street and Pimlico by waiting for a non-existent space on the Tesco / PO roundabout.”
by Len Viaduct, Brixham
Monday, November 23 2009, 5:27PM
“Dear Torquay Resident,
Do you refer to a 'parp'?
At least it probably masked the ambient smell of BO in the good man's carriage!”
by james, Torquay
Monday, November 23 2009, 3:29PM
“I agree mark stagecoach need to train there bus drivers on how to conduct themselves on our roads, they seem to have there own set of rules !”
by Torquay Resident, Torquay
Monday, November 23 2009, 3:28PM
“I was in a Taxi the other night and I am sure the driver let out a sly fart !”
by MARC, TORQUAY
Monday, November 23 2009, 3:18PM
“NEVER MIND ABOUT THE TAXI DRIVERS, THEY ARE ANGELS COMPARED TO THE BUS DRIVERS !!”
by david, torquay
Monday, November 23 2009, 2:55PM
“I dont know about the rudenes of taxi drivers because i dont use them but some of their driving habits are terrible agood place to watch is the Tesco rounabout in Torquay”
by hackney driver, torquay
Monday, November 23 2009, 1:11PM
“Great news,I like some other taxi drivers have kepy out of the bus bays outside debenhams since our letters and had to watch the rule breakers cream off the work from the fastest moving rank whilst sitting on the other rank on the harbour,i have asked for clarification on this matter before but got told "you know the answer" As for the rudeness this is common with some drivers turning away customers because they don't want to got far enough. whilst none off us are whiter than white don't tarnish us all as we do make an effort”