"Mike Hughes" wrote in message
...
In message .com, Boltar
writes

John Rowland wrote:

Boltar wrote:
Most London roads do not have u-turn bans. Which road was it?

Farringdon road (or whatever its called) down near Blackfriars.

So what makes cabbies exempt?

The law. That's the whole reason red routes were invented, as distinct
from
Clearways (where not even taxis can stop).

I still don't see why taxis are a special case. Taxis are a virtual
irrelevance
when it comes to a list of relative importance of vehicles on the road
since there is always the public transport alternative.

WRONG. Trains, buses, planes, ships all stop at some time or other either
through breakdown, planned maintenance, no late night service or a variety
of other services. That's when the taxis fill in the gaps.

Indeed, London transport couldn't get their staff in and out of work when
the tubes are shut without taxis, many local authorities wouldn't be able
to get their disabled residents to and from hospital, etc. without having
to provide expensive alternatives to taxis which are available 24/7

Shops and
businesses
HAVE to have deliveries,

Agreed, but they can have them outside the 'rush' hours.

people do not have to travel by cab unless
they're
going way out into the sticks (and then the cabbie probably wouldn't
accept the fare anyway) where there might not be public transport.

Because those deliveries would take MUCH longer than the 5-100 seconds
that

Not necessarily. Depends what it is. If its just a parcel in might only
take a minute
if they've phoned ahead and someone is waiting to collect.
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Why don't Transport for London introduce a system whereby taxis & minicabs
are employed by them & are paid a regular wage just like bus & train
drivers,it would reduce pollution immensely because one cab could be used by
three drivers on a 24 hour shift rota,it would also mean no lack of cabs
late at night,just one thing though because there is no glass partition in
minicabs as in black cabs,I do find many minicab drivers appear to have a
problem with personal hygiene it would be a bonus if their job description
included brushing their teeth & taking a shower now & again.