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Mayor Khan and TfL acted unlawfully over London Bishopsgate Streetspace scheme, high court rules Mark Bursa Transport for London and London Mayor Sadiq Khan acted unlawfully when they announced that taxis would be banned from parts of Bishopsgate under the Streetspace for London plan, the High Court has ruled. The plan called for taxis to be banned from two sections of Bishopsgate in the City of London between 7am and 7pm on weekdays to help speed up buses and “prioritise people walking and cycling”. But ruling on an action brought by the United Trade Action Group (UTAG) and the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA), Mrs Justice Beverley Lang described TfL and the Mayoral office’s decision-making process as “seriously flawed”. She also said the scheme would impact those requiring door-to-door travel, such as the disabled or elderly, adding that Mayor Khan and TfL “took advantage of the pandemic” to implement “radical changes”. Mrs Lang told the court the Mayor and TfL failed to distinguish taxis from “general traffic” and failed to recognise them as a mode of public transport. She said: “It was both unfair and irrational to introduce such extreme
measures, if it was not necessary to do so, when they impacted so adversely on certain sections of the public.” Mrs Justice Lang also said that as TfL’s bus lanes policy permitted taxis to use bus lanes in all but the most exceptional cases, the claimants had a legitimate expectation that they would be distinguished from general traffic and would be allowed to use the Bishopsgate bus lanes. She rejected the TfL and the Mayor’s claim that any departure from such policies was proportionate in light of the coronavirus pandemic. LTDA General Secretary Steve McNamara said: “It’s fantastic to see the Judge rightly recognising the key role licensed taxis play in our great City. This is an extremely important judgment for London’s hard working taxi drivers and the passengers who rely on them.” Shaun Bailey, the rival candidate in the forthcoming London mayoral elections, said: “Given the severity of the judge’s ruling, Sadiq Khan must now publicly apologise for the harm his Streetspace scheme has caused. And he must compensate the hardworking taxi drivers who lost even more business in the middle of a pandemic, all thanks to his scheme.” The High Court has now quashed the Streetspace
plan, Interim Guidance to Boroughs and the A10 Bishopsgate Traffic Order. TfL sought permission to appeal the judgment, but was denied on the grounds that there was “no real prospect of success on appeal”. A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “We are very disappointed by the court’s ruling. This route has long suffered with a poor safety record and slow bus speeds, and the scheme aimed to tackle these issues, reducing road danger for vulnerable road users and improving the flow of bus traffic. “Our temporary emergency Streetspace measures are vital to help support both walking and the huge increase in cycling we’ve seen since the pandemic began, reduce the risk of a damaging car-based recovery and enable social distancing and much faster journeys on public transport, reducing the risk of infection. We mustn’t get through one public health crisis only to face another caused by congestion and toxic air pollution.” A TfL spokesperson said: “Temporary Streetspace schemes are enabling safer essential journeys during this exceptionally challenging time and are vital to ensuring that increased car traffic does not threaten London’s recovery from coronavirus.”
ling said: “We already have 50 battery-powered cars on the road, but the eVito represents a new and exciting chapter. It’s our first electric vehicle capable of carrying eight passengers. We’re limited at the moment by social distancing restrictions, of course, but this capacity puts us in prime position to meet demand as soon as these are lifted.” He added: “We’ll be evaluating the eVito’s performance and usability over the next 12 months. The early
signs are very promising, though. It’s extremely smooth and quiet, so provides a very pleasant ride for our driver and passengers. The running costs are very low, plus it’s super clean.” The eVito is currently assigned to a school run contract, collecting pupils of a local special-needs school – which remains open during the latest lockdown – from their homes in the morning, and dropping them off at the end of the day. It is also undertaking general private hire duties in between. The eVito’s electric motor produces 114hp and drives the front wheels via a single-speed auto transmission. Top speed is restricted as standard to 50mph, although this can be increased on request. The eVito’s range of 90-plus miles – supplemented by recuperative charging but reduced by constant driving with a full load – is comfortably sufficient for Phoenix Taxis’ school contract and urban PH work.
Phoenix adds all-electric Mercedes-Benz eVito Tourer for school run work Northumberland-based electric taxi pioneer Phoenix Taxis has added its first all-electric Mercedes-Benz eVito hackney taxi to its fleet. The long L2 Tourer Pro variant offers flexible seating for up to eight passengers. Supplied by north-east dealer Bell Truck and Van, it is the subject of a yearlong Mercedes-Benz Finance contract hire agreement, which includes a grant contribution from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV). Based in Blyth, Phoenix Taxis is a Professional Driver QSi Gold Award-winning operator with a fleet of more than 200 vehicles, serving customers in Northumberland and on Tyneside. Business Manager Michael Car-
Drivers to receive free packs of medical grade PPE from Welsh Government Taxi and private hire drivers in Wales will be able to claim free PPE and vehicle cleaning material packs as part of a new scheme, funded by the Welsh Government. The pack contains medical grade re-usable face coverings and hand sanitiser, as well as all-purpose sanitiser, cloths, wipes and gloves, allowing drivers to clean their cars between rides. Medical-grade face coverings have been chosen to provide enhanced protection over standard face coverings. Ken Skates, minister for economy,
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transport and North Wales, said: “Details will be posted on the Welsh Government, WLGA and local authority websites, including how and where drivers can claim their free PPE kit. Every effort has been made to source
products from local suppliers, including Rototherm in Margam and Bio Hygiene in Caerphilly.” Each pack is worth £73.50, including free postage and packing. The packs, which are being put together by supplier Lyreco, will be delivered free of charge. The Welsh Government recommends that drivers wear face coverings when transporting passengers, so long as it does not interfere with their ability to drive safely. The legal requirement for passengers to wear face coverings remains in place. Skates added: “Taxis and private
hire vehicles are an essential part of our public transport network and we appreciate the vital role drivers have played as frontline workers during this pandemic. We recognise drivers are keen to make their vehicles as safe, clean and hygienic as possible, and these packs will contribute to the ongoing efforts they are making.” Russell George, the Welsh Conservatives’ spokesman for transport, said: “It’s about time this sector was brought into closer alignment with other public transport operators in Wales.”
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