Move up on the taxi ranks or risk colleagues behind facing fines, warns LTDA

Move up on the taxi ranks or risk colleagues behind facing fines, warns Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) representative.

Lloyd Baldwin, a Senior Officer within the LTDA, brought attention to the difficulties and frustrations encountered by cab drivers, notably around Harrods on Brompton Road and the feeder rank at Bishop’s Bridge near Paddington Station.

Baldwin reports that the area around Harrods is particularly problematic, where drivers find themselves inadvertently caught on the zigzag lines at taxi ranks, leading to costly Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) from Transport for London (TfL), each amounting to £80. This situation highlights the importance of drivers moving up the ranks to avoid such penalties for themselves and their colleagues behind.

Furthermore, the LTDA senior officer sheds light on the challenges faced by taxi drivers trying to access the Paddington feeder rank at Bishop’s Bridge.

Additionally, Baldwin advises drivers to be mindful of the 20mph speed limit on the approach westbound to Travis Perkins Roundabout, especially when coming off the Westway slip road towards Paddington.

Baldwin said in TAXI Magazine : “It’s that time of year again when your patience can run thin. I’ve taken quite a few calls from members complaining about us moving up on whatever rank you may be on.

“Harrods Brompton Road seems to be a place where this happens a lot and where cabbies end up getting stuck on the Zig Zags and Transport for London gleefully send a PCN, which, at £80 a pop at this time of year (or any time of year for that matter), is going to hurt. Please keep an eye out for when the rank moves and move up with it.

“I am also getting reports from frustrated cabbies, who struggle to get on the feeder rank on Bishop’s Bridge. Then when they finally enter the station, one of the two lanes is half empty meaning 15

to 20 cabs can get on. It’s easy enough. My advice is, if you have to go past the cab you went in behind, you just make a note of the reg or take a look at the cabbie, make eye contact and if you get to the U-turn in front of them, you wait for them to go round.

“While we are talking about Paddington, please be aware of the 20mph speed limit on the approach westbound to Travis Perkins Roundabout, particularly as you come off the Westway slip road on the way to Paddington. There is an entrance to the road sweepers depot on the right. The people often found standing there looking at the approaching traffic are not road sweepers.”