TAXI ISSUES REMAIN: Do not drop off or pick up passengers on Sopwith Way warns LTDA

The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) has issued a stark reminder to taxi drivers, warning them not to drop passengers off on Sopwith Way near the Battersea Power Station complex.

Lloyd Baldwin, Senior Officer at LTDA, reminded cabbies to avoid picking up or dropping off passengers in the area due to ongoing challenges with a private parking company that enforces the area's road space.

The trade rep highlighted in TAXI Newspaper that despite initial communications from the management company requesting him to inform cabbies not to enter Sopwith Way, there has been no further dialogue. As a result, the warning stresses that the previously granted 15-minute grace period for taxi drivers in Sopwith Way is no longer available.

According to the LTDA, promises from the ground management company to assist drivers issued with a ticket within this timeframe have not been fulfilled.

Baldwin said: “It is still my advice that cabbies should avoid at all costs dropping or picking up in Sopwith Way for the Battersea Power Station complex.

“After receiving the original call from the management company, advising me to inform cabbies not to enter, I have had no further communications from them. I would be interested to know if any cabbies have gone down there in the last month or so and not received a PCN?

“Sopwith Way is policed by a Private Parking Company, and we all know how they can behave, so please be aware and pass on to your colleagues. I want to make cabbies aware that the 15-minute grace period we had is no longer in place and assurances made by the ground management company that they would assist, if a cabbie was issued a ticket within that grace period, have not been honoured. I will obviously let you know if this situation changes.

“One final thing to be aware of is that the restriction starts as you bear left and move further into Sopwith Way. We have not seen any tickets issued for the 100 metres of Sopwith Way that you turn into off Queenstown Road. We’ve also been contacted by residents who live in that section who were concerned about not being able to be dropped at their building by taxi.

“According to the residents, that initial section of the road is a council adopted road administered by Wandsworth and the warning signs do not start until further down the road. I had only just been sent this at the time of writing, so I am looking to confirm this with Wandsworth and check out where exactly the signage starts. I will update with any more info I get on this next time.”