Birmingham cabbie, Toheed Mirza, has been left livid after receiving £540 worth of driving fines in just one week for using the city’s bus lanes.
Mr Mirza, a member of The Birmingham Black Cab Drivers Association, protests that the new rules on Priory Queensway were not made clear to drivers and that the first he heard of it was when he received nine fine notifications in the space of two days.
Dangerous Manoeuvres
Until now, taxi drivers have used the lanes to transport passengers to both the court and Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Drivers have reported that they now have to make a dangerous u-turn or face a £60 penalty.
Similar changes have also been introduced on Moor Street Queensway, causing longer and more costly journeys for their passengers.
Mr Mirza said: “We’re struggling enough as it is. The passengers get in and say: ‘I hope you’re not going the long way round’ – but now we have to.”
Entrapment
Fellow cabbie and Birmingham Black Cab Association representative, Mohammed Taj, said: “It’s entrapment pure and simple.
“There is no other explanation. One sign says taxis are allowed so many have carried on and then received fines in the post.
“Taxis are part of the public transport network and should be allowed to travel as we did before.”
The majority of the cabbies have written complaints to Birmingham City Council Chief Executive Stephen Hughes in the hope that the new rules can be overturned.