While for many years
London’s Licensed Taxi drivers have been
able to place "thank you for not
smoking" signs inside their cabs, these
have just been polite requests and not
enforceable. If the passenger insisted,
then the driver had no power to compel
him or her to put the cigarette out. But
now TfL/PCO with the support of the
Mayor and following recent medical
reports that reinforced the dangers of
smoking particularly those of passive
smoking, have reopened the issue of
smoking in taxis and drivers can now
officially ask passengers not to smoke -
provided they have the relevant signs
attached to their cab.
Head of the PCO, Roy Ellis told Call Sign:
"Whilst the legislative situation remains unchanged in that only
primary legislation can ban smoking in
taxis, the PCO has sought to reinforce
the message already displayed in the
passenger compartment thanking customers
for not smoking. To that end it has been
agreed that three additional double
sided ‘no smoking’ signs can be
displayed. These will be located on the
rear fixed side windows of the passenger
compartment and front windscreen of the
taxi. This will clearly inform
passengers prior to entering the
vehicle, that the driver does not wish
passengers to smoke and the double-sided
signs will reinforce that message. It is |
Passengers can see
a 'no smoking' cab before they enter.
Inset pic: Sign seen in passenger
compartment acts as a reminder |
hoped that the great
majority
of customers will comply
voluntarily with the signs.
However, in the event of a passenger lighting up in the vehicle, a polite
request by a driver not to smoke should
resolve any remaining problems. It
must be stressed that these stickers do
not allow drivers to refuse a fare or
terminate a hiring on the basis of a
passenger deciding to smoke.
Additionally, drivers of taxis
exhibiting these signs should comply
with them and refrain from smoking
whilst using their vehicles.
Proprietors / owner drivers who wish to display these additional
signs in their vehicles should write to
the Technical Office Manager, Public
Carriage Office, 15 Penton Street,
London N1 9PU giving their name, vehicle
registration mark(s) and licence
number(s) of the taxis on which they
intend displaying |
these stickers. The
stickers and
instructions will be posted.
Any other no smoking signs must be removed from taxis when the new
stickers are fixed."
Call Sign asked DaC driver Len Bell (L01) for his view on the
turnabout:
"I’m absolutely delighted that the PCO have finally
allowed us to forbid smokers from
lighting up in Taxis. As an asthmatic, I
always felt it wrong that I was
compelled to take a taxi-load of
passengers and allow them to smoke in
the back of my cab, something that not
only made me cough, but which also made
the vehicle smell awful! That smell
often affected some of our disabled
passengers who use the Westminster
TaxiCard when they enter the cab after a
heavy smoker had exited and then start
coughing. I’d like to congratulate the
PCO on this move. A bit late, perhaps,
but nonetheless welcome…" |
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