Addison Lee to break London bus lane ban. Should we too?
Discussion
So if everyone suddenly starts using bus lanes, and then appealing against every decision, would it jam up the system?
add lee said:
A minicab company has asked its drivers to drive in the bus lanes in London, so ignoring the restrictions.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17722416
king hate the b
Jasandjules said:
Could do.
I certainly question why a Bus should have a private lane. Especially if they are privately run companies.
The issue is more about why one sort of taxi (black cabs) are allowed to use them, while another sort (private hire) is not.I certainly question why a Bus should have a private lane. Especially if they are privately run companies.
TfL response: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/2...
Jasandjules said:
Could do.
I certainly question why a Bus should have a private lane. Especially if they are privately run companies.
I agree with the principle of bus lanes if the roads are big/wide enough to support themI certainly question why a Bus should have a private lane. Especially if they are privately run companies.
London's roads are obviously not.
this is how the Chinese do it
and the Turks
If I was King of London I would severely limit private cars in the central area and regulate van and lorry delivery times, whilst promoting buses and taxis of all kinds. Taxis are a form of public service, for those who don't wish to use buses and tubes. I don't think that Addison Lee drivers are all that bad - I use them a fair bit and the drivers are generally OK. Many of them are training to be black cab drivers. I would like to see black cab drivers revalidate their skills every few years. I take on average about two or three black cabs each working day, and the standard of driving is generally good, but variable.
Mr Gear said:
Keep ALL taxis out of bus lanes. They are not a public service, they are business traffic same as mini-cabs.
My tinfoil helmet bit of my brain has always suspected that our various organs of government's enthusiasm for bus lanes is founded on their staff's predeliction for travelling by taxi. Most government staff that I have worked with are not allowed to use taxis on expenses, and have to go by tube. Similarly, even very senior people have to go standard class by rail, which is daft, as it is harder to work in standard class than in first class.
I took a train with the four most senior people in the NHS, and they had to sit in a crowded standard carriage with no tables and no wifi. This did not strike me as a sensible use of public time and resources. I went and sat at the front and got some work done, because I could.
I took a train with the four most senior people in the NHS, and they had to sit in a crowded standard carriage with no tables and no wifi. This did not strike me as a sensible use of public time and resources. I went and sat at the front and got some work done, because I could.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 16th April 10:46
I dont know if black cabs are the same in England as here but ours pick up as many people as possible, split the cost and drive pretty fixed routes, you cant always ask to be dropped off at home or outside the pub but they are about £2 where normal cab would be £5+, they work alot like buses so can see why the excemption.
Mini cabs though, dont think so.
Mini cabs though, dont think so.
Decky_Q said:
I dont know if black cabs are the same in England as here but ours pick up as many people as possible, split the cost and drive pretty fixed routes, you cant always ask to be dropped off at home or outside the pub but they are about £2 where normal cab would be £5+, they work alot like buses so can see why the excemption.
Mini cabs though, dont think so.
Completely different. In London, black cabs are the only taxis allowed to pick up people who hail them on the street. Minicabs can only take pre-booked passengers. Also, black cabs are restricted to being a certain type of car (the famous London Taxi) and the driver has to pass an extremely difficult exam called the Knowledge which tests navigation around London. Minicabs can be any type of car and the driver doesn't have to take the Knowledge.Mini cabs though, dont think so.
What you're calling a "Black cab" is I think a shared taxi, what they call a marshrutka in Eastern Europe or a dolmus in Turkey. I don't think we have those in the UK.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
A quote from the Tfl site "Allowing 60,000 additional vehicles into bus lanes would have a negative impact on bus journey times, potentially creating delays for millions of passengers."Doesn't he realise bus lanes have a negative impact on all other road users creating delays for them. Why should bus passengers be given priority over car passengers?
Black cabs and minicabs are commercially run businesses so both should be allowed in bus lanes.
If an ordinary motorist drives in a bus lane it is just a motoring offence. Why should it be a criminal offence for a minicab driver?
Breadvan72 said:
If I was King of London I would severely limit private cars in the central area and regulate van and lorry delivery times, whilst promoting buses and taxis of all kinds. Taxis are a form of public service, for those who don't wish to use buses and tubes. I don't think that Addison Lee drivers are all that bad - I use them a fair bit and the drivers are generally OK. Many of them are training to be black cab drivers. I would like to see black cab drivers revalidate their skills every few years. I take on average about two or three black cabs each working day, and the standard of driving is generally good, but variable.
So you would want trade vehicles and delivery vehicles to operate outside office hours? Increasing costs with overtime and reducing the number of jobs or drops that can be made and making life crapper for people who don't have a choice when their boss sends them to central London. I'm guessing you work in an office.
ETA
From what I have witnessed over the last 20 years of London driving, A L minicabs like a lot of minicabs are nowhere near the standard of black cabs.
Edited by james0 on Monday 16th April 18:00
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