London Mayor to face questions over growing concerns surrounding taxi charging facilities

The London Mayor will face further questions as concerns over taxi charging facilities being ‘Iced’ or used incorrectly by other vehicles grows.

‘Iced’ is the term given to electric vehicle (EV) charging bays being made redundant by non-charging vehicles parking on the bays.

Sadiq Khan, the capital’s Mayor, will take questions on the subject by London’s Assembly Members (AM) as part of November’s Mayor's Question Time. Questions on the topic are expected to be delivered by cross party AM’s.

Brexit Alliance Group member David Kurten AM has submitted a question asking the Mayor: “What will you do to tackle the urgent and growing problem of private hire drivers and other electric vehicles using dedicated charging points for black taxis?”

On a similar topic, Lib Dem’s Caroline Pidgeon AM, will ask: “Please set out what actions are being taken to ensure rapid charging points reserved for electric taxis are being solely used by taxis?”

Green Party Assembly Member, Caroline Russell, will also touch on the subject by asking: “How many Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) have been issued for vehicles other than taxis stopped within an E-taxi bay?”

TaxiPoint recently exposed the ‘daily abuse’ cabbies are being subjected to due to lack of enforcement on designated electric taxi charge points in the capital.

Grant Davis, Chairman of the London Cab Driver Club (LCDC), said last month: “Unfortunately we see on a daily basis licensed taxi drivers face abuse and physical threats with vans and lorries parking up on our conventional taxi ranks, but to see a driver who has made the massive commitment in investing in a LEVC taxi making London a greener and cleaner place facing both verbal abuse and as we see a physical assault is awful."

Image credit: LEVC