Taxi drivers say U turn rules are now a daily hazard as fines rise across key London junctions
- Perry Richardson
- 5 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Taxi drivers are voicing growing frustration over an increase in penalty notices linked to U turn restrictions across several London roads. What was once a routine manoeuvre using their tight specially designed turning circles is now, according to many in the trade, a financial trap triggered by unclear layouts and strict camera enforcement.
The discussion has been pushed forward by industry writer and Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) representative Sam Houston in the latest TAXI Newspaper. He says he has received a steady run of penalty notices from beleaguered cabbies in recent months and believes too many long standing turning points have quietly become high risk. “I’ve seen a few Penalty Charge Notices lately,” he wrote, adding that while signs may be present, the locations are catching out drivers who have used the same moves safely for years.
Shortlands features heavily in these complaints. Drivers travelling from Hammersmith Road Eastbound say they have been penalised for a manoeuvre they saw as a simple setup turn rather than a prohibited U turn. Houston noted that drivers he spoke to regarded the move as harmless until they received the fine. He added that if an adjudicator sees the action as a U turn, a notice follows regardless of intent. That confusion, he says, leaves many drivers asking whether the manoeuvre is even worth attempting.
Another flashpoint is the area around Park Plaza Westminster. Houston explained that the space available often makes it hard for drivers leaving the hotel to position themselves legally. His advice is clear. “If you wish to go westbound, it’s not enough to make a brief left, brief left and then a shallow U turn. You need to go east beyond the first traffic island where there is plenty of room for a legal turning manoeuvre.” He says small misjudgements here are leading to avoidable penalties.
Drivers serving hotels at New King’s Road, Wandsworth Bridge Road and Harwood Road report similar issues. Many insist they are not attempting sharp U turns into traffic, but simply trying to line up for junctions or ranks. Houston accepts that rules exist, yet questions the gain where a safe turning movement helps drivers operate efficiently. “I’ve never understood what the gain is,” he said, pointing out that enforcement appears to focus on movements that pose little risk when carried out correctly.
Some cabbies feel design choices and camera placement are now doing the heavy lifting instead of clearer guidance. They argue that if a council notices repeated mistakes at a junction, the first step should be to improve layout or signage rather than rely on enforcement. Houston suggested that many contraventions stem from councils having observed several vehicles doing the same move or after complaints are made. Either way, he says, it puts drivers in the position of being penalised for a move they believed was commonplace.
The wider complaint is that too many turning restrictions have been introduced without practical alternatives. Many cab drivers say they cannot safely complete certain pickups or repositioning turns without briefly crossing into an area later judged to be a banned movement. That mismatch between real world working conditions and rigid enforcement is now, according to several drivers, the root cause of rising fines.
Despite the frustration, Houston advises caution. He urges cabbies to avoid familiar habits at junctions where enforcement is known and to plan their moves with extra care. He also believes councils could reduce conflict by engaging more closely with those who use the road network daily. In his view, the penalties are not improving safety; instead they are creating point-scoring exercises that add cost and stress to ordinary working days.
