'Taxi-sharing – it's a good idea in theory, but realistically it is awful'
PLANS to replace night buses with a taxi-sharing scheme could cause a risk to passenger safety and damage the cab industry, a former Hackney carriage driver has claimed.
The six-month trial that will see taxis pick up from the city centre late on Friday and Saturday nights begins on November 12 as part of Bristol City Council's spending cuts.
Retired cabbie Mark Jenkins says the plan is flawed, could put passengers and drivers in danger, and could leave them out of pocket.
But Tim Lloyd, chairman of the National Taxi Association for Bristol and district, said the changes would provide an "enhanced service" for the public and that it would be safe.
Bristol City Council announced last week that the £25,000 pilot would replace night buses running to Avonmouth and Henbury from St Augustine's Parade with Hackney carriages that would run every half hour from midnight until 4am.
Passengers would pay £4 per person, with four people per car.
But Mr Jenkins, from Brislington, who drove taxis in Bristol for 20 years, said it could be unsafe and create unfair competition between drivers. He said: "In theory it isn't a bad idea but realistically it is awful.
"I always advised people 'Never share a cab', because you don't know who is getting in. You don't know if people have any criminal intent, and it isn't worth it.
"Before I have been flagged down by two girls, and two guys also got in as well, and you think they are their boyfriends. They shared the cab and then tried to sexually abuse them.
"I had to eject them from the cab and put myself in danger.
"When people are drunk and don't know one another, fights break out, often over the fare. Police will be going to cabs to deal with that."
Mr Jenkins also said taxis would end up in competition with each other, as those at the ranks will be charging more expensive metered rates.
He said: "They will be charging lower fares, so everyone will go from the rank to the bus stops. The guys who have these ideas should go in a cab and drive some of those people home on a Saturday night and see what people have to put up with."
But Mr Lloyd said the pilot scheme had the backing of both the association and drivers.
He said: "Marshals will have head cameras to identify people getting into taxis, which gives a degree of safety to the cabbie and passengers.
"It offers no greater risk than the bus, and I think it will be safe and that taxi drivers will take their own initiative on it, if someone is at risk, to take them home safely."
Mr Lloyd said the number of people using the night buses would mean drivers would not face having to take one person a long way for a short fare, and said smaller numbers of people together would be safer.
He said: "I think it is quite exciting for the public. At the moment with the recession, if you can go out with £4 in your pocket and know you will get home safely, it is a good thing for the night-time economy of Bristol."
A spokesman for Bristol City Council said: "We are aware of the concerns that have been raised and will be monitoring the situation closely."
18 Comments
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by bril_lil
Wednesday, November 02 2011, 12:46PM
“by MightySwordy: so as not to be ripped off even more, people should dash off home like Cinderalla before the clock strikes 12am!
In London a 1-day bus pass is valid until 4.30am; and for the past 6 years has had a significant increase in passengers.”
by MightySwordy
Wednesday, November 02 2011, 12:17AM
“@bril_lil
...Dayrider tickets can't be used at night...
Incorrect. Although they are called Dayriders....Or FirstDays....They are valid till Midnight.”
by dancingdaz
Tuesday, November 01 2011, 2:57PM
“bad idea stick with the buses it cheaper”
by dancingdaz
Tuesday, November 01 2011, 2:56PM
“**** idea stick to the buses”
by smoosername
Tuesday, November 01 2011, 1:21PM
“@TimKent,
One further thing if I may. I imagine the reason Mark Jenkins approached the Evening post direct rather than yourself would be the lack of response he would have got.
If he had responded to draft proposals - he would have been ignored
If he had responded to an informal consultation - he would have been ignored
If he had responded to a formal consultation - he would have been ignored
If had signed a petition - he would have been ignored
If he had attended an open meeting - he would have been ignored
If he had responded to anyone at BCC - he would have been ignored
If his local Neighbourhood Partnership had responded on his behalf - they would have been ignored
If he invited you to witness the problems first hand - he would have been ignored
This attitude of 'His opinion doesn't match mine so isn't valid' is exactly the reason you (and Bristols Transport) are in this horrible mess.”
by bril_lil
Tuesday, November 01 2011, 1:14PM
“Places like the Caribbean the cab/taxi driver will squeeze in five/six strangers in his car, or pick up on the way. The problem here is the likelihood of taxi-sharing with the severely intoxicated and generally bad behaved.
My athlete, blind nephew travels all over the country and world (many European countries, Russia, Japan, China), and has said Bristol taxi and cab fares are one of the highest, if not the highest. I guess they get away with high fares because we don't have late night trams/subway system, and Dayrider tickets can't be used at night (unlike London).”
by smoosername
Tuesday, November 01 2011, 12:45PM
“@TimKent,
748 people objected to the informal consultation on Whiteladies GBBN (compared to 209 positives) and yet work has already started before the formal consultation has begun. Why?
Only 1 out of 22 of the elements received a more positive response than negative, so why are you going ahead with all parts?
Our city is talked down because you refuse to listen to the public.
I don't expect a response from yourself.”
by DM_Fishponds
Tuesday, November 01 2011, 12:31PM
“@TimKent - ""One former taxi driver out of thousands raises a concern and so the Evening Post once again talk down our City. It seems the Evening Post will do anything to undermine attempts to improve transport in Bristol."
Tim, 1,600 people told you that the Fishponds Bus Lane including that built-out bus stops were a bad idea and you still spent £1.9 million making Fishponds a WORSE place.
How many people do you need telling you something is a bad idea before you do something about it?”
by PaulS81
Tuesday, November 01 2011, 11:50AM
“Why are taxis fares so expensive in Bristol compared to other cities? Do the councils charge more for licencing? To be fair, I'm still paying around £10 for my journey from town to knowle/bedminster which is roughly the cost for past 10 yrs or so on a fri/sat night (The driver usually gets my tenner whether the fare is £8, or £9.50) but i recently was out in the Midlands and a longer journey was only just over £6, similar story when i've been in Plymouth/Taunton/Warrington.”
by roly12345
Tuesday, November 01 2011, 11:42AM
“Many years ago in my home town a scheme was initiated by the council, that allowed taxis travelling empty back into town to be flagged down by people waiting for a bus.
The fare was fixed at a low rate and everyone benefited.”