Heathrow taxi feeder park chaos continues as LTDA demands urgent meeting over driver sanctions
- Perry Richardson
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) has strongly criticised Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) for threatening to penalise taxi drivers amid ongoing problems at the airport’s taxi feeder park.
In a letter to HAL, the LTDA called for all disciplinary action to be halted until a full meeting with trade representatives can take place. The association argues the current issues on Newall Road are a direct result of HAL’s decision to suspend taxi wardens, who previously managed the feeder park’s flow and capacity.
Since the suspension, Newall Road has been overwhelmed with cabs, while empty spaces remain unused in the South Park. The congestion has led to frequent police attendance and repeated closure of the road to taxi traffic.
Despite this, HAL initially denied any problem existed. They have since written to trade groups outlining a list of sanctions for drivers stopping on Newall Road, including the removal of their airport operating tags, effectively barring them from working at Heathrow.
LTDA General Secretary Steve McNamara said in TAXI Newspaper the wardens were a trade-led solution that prevented these exact issues. He described the claim that the taxi community had failed to act as inaccurate. The LTDA has submitted multiple warnings to HAL since the wardens were removed and sought meetings to address the situation.
In their response, the LTDA stressed that their members are now facing threats for issues not of their making. They argue that without an on-the-ground presence to manage the flow of taxis, such as the wardens or a suitable replacement, the problems will persist.
The LTDA has reiterated its request for a meeting with HAL and warned that unless the wardens are reinstated or a similar system is implemented, taxi operations at the airport will continue to suffer.
The open letter to HAL reads: “We are deeply concerned by the attached letter and would urge you not to take any action against any taxi drivers until there has been real dialogue on this matter.
“As discussed over the phone immediately after this was received, the problems on Newall Road referenced in the letter are a direct result of a recent decision to stand down the taxi wardens. The warden scheme was a trade-led solution ensuring that these problems and resulting disruption did not occur, and that if problems ever did arise, they were resolved swiftly.
“Your letter states that “the taxi community has failed to take action.” This is by no means the case. We have repeatedly raised concerns with a number of HAL representatives, including everyone cc’d in this email over the last six weeks since the wardens were stood down, without any real consultation and no detailed explanation as to why.
“We have in no uncertain terms warned all involved that these problems were happening and would continue to happen without urgent action. We were therefore appalled to receive this threatening letter suggesting we have taken no action and that our members would be penalised forthwith, with the potential to profoundly impact their ability to earn a living.”
The letter goes on to add: “As the largest trade body, we represent the vast majority of drivers at Heathrow. They are all deeply concerned by the disruption and inability to access their workplace. Arriving to find the feeder park closed repeatedly in recent weeks due to blockages and inefficient use of the space, has been hugely disruptive and many drivers are unsure what to do in these circumstances, which leads to the problems you describe.
“We have been trying to work to minimise this disruption by issuing warnings to our members and urging them not to queue on Newall Road, but we can only do so much without an on the ground presence such as the wardens or an effective alternative.“
Finally it concluded: “We agree that the current situation is “wholly unacceptable”, however it can only be addressed through real engagement to find an equitable and eff ective solution, which is reflective of the realities of how the TFP operates and grounded in a strong understanding of what it takes to keep it running efficiently and prevent these problems occurring.
“Our members should not be unfairly penalised for a situation not of their making. I would like to reiterate our request for a meeting to discuss this properly with all the relevant parties.
“We will do everything in our power to help try to resolve this but without a longer-term solution - one which emulates the role the wardens have been successfully fulfilling since 2018 or reinstating them - it is likely problems will recur and taxi operations at Heathrow and the vital service we provide will be negatively impacted, with wider implications for HAL.
“As I explained on the phone, if the Wardens came back tomorrow, we believe this problem would immediately go away and we would of course accept responsibility, and consequences should you encounter any further issues or health and safety concerns.“
