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Robin9 · May 3rd 11, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basil Jet[_2_]

On 2011\05\03 15:13, Mr. Benn wrote:
d wrote in message
...
I'm guessing there isn't one. Or they're exempt. Otherwise how can a
black
cab stop halfway across a signalled junction in the middle of the
road, on a
corner, on double red lines in central london, blocking the traffic
behind to
pick up a passenger and some plods in a van nearby do absolutely
bugger all?

There are exemptions in the Highway Code permitting black cabs and
minicabs stopping wherever they bloody like

No, there aren't - any taxi picking up on zigzags is likely to be busted
- but taxis and minicabs are explicitly allowed to stop on red routes.
The whole point of red routes was that normal clearways would prevent
taxis from being hailed on precisely the routes that they use to get
back into Central London, so the red route was dreamt up specifically to
compromise between the desire to have functional roads and the desire to
have a functional taxi service.

and for using their horns at
10 o'clock at night in residential areas.

I've never heard a taxi do that, but minicabs do that habitually despite
having no exemption.

Minicabs - otherwise known as Private Hire Vehicles - are allowed to stop on red routes only if they are displaying what TfL calls a "roundel". If they do not have a "roundel" on both front and rear windscreens, they have no special exemption. A "roundel" is a circular blue and white badge.