Taxi Drivers Hours

The news reported this week in the Sheffield Star was tragic about the young man being run over by the PRIVATE hire driver in Barnsley?
But to blame the driver who said he had worked 14 hours! can that be justice?
Yes he may have worked 14 hours straight but if he did a job waited 1 hour then did another job how do you work his driving shift?
Another thought is what state was the young man in? How much alcohol had he drunk and could he walk in a straight line? I don't want to speak ill of the dead but there is always 2 sides to every story

Fight to change taxi driver working hours


http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Fight-to-change-taxi-driver.4868380.jp
Published Date: 13 January 2009
By Richard Marsden
RELATIVES of a South Yorkshire teenager run over by a taxi driver who admitted he had been working 14 hours are pushing forward with their campaign for a change in the law.
Truckers and bus drivers are subject to a maximum number of hours and must take breaks but there is no restriction for taxi drivers.

The family of 18-year-old Gary Glymond have met with Barnsley Central MP Eric Illsley to discuss how the loophole could be closed and he now plans to raise the matter with the Government.

Gary's stepdad Stuart Jackson, of Wilthorpe, Barnsley, said: "Mr Illsley was very keen and didn't see why something should not be done about this problem. He said it was a matter of common sense and assured us he would get in touch with the Department for Transport. He seemed very confident changes were possible.

"I said to him that in these days of health and safety these guys should not be allowed to go out and do what they want, putting people at risk, and he agreed."

Mr Illsley said: "I will be talking to the Transport Secretary to see if the issue has been raised before and, if so, the reasons why restrictions have not been implemented.

"I would then like to find out the Government's attitude towards whether anything can be done to change things."

Gary was killed while walking back to his mum and stepdad's home. The family's campaign for a change in the law to restrict taxi drivers' hours also includes Gary's mum Susan Jackson creating a petition on the 10 Downing Street website.

If it attracts more than 200 signatures, they will receive a response on behalf of the Prime Minister.

And Gary's stepmum Teresa Glymond has set up a campaign group 'Justice for Gary Glymond' on social networking website Facebook. It has 511 members.

Teresa said Gary, a Barnsley College student, had just enjoyed the "best day of his life" after watching Barnsley beat Chelsea at Oakwell in the FA Cup then enjoying drinks with his friends to celebrate his 18th birthday.

Gary was hit by private hire driver Lee Sewell's Vauxhall Vectra at about 3.30am on Sunday March 9 last year as he crossed Huddersfield Road.

An inquest held in Sheffield heard, Mr Sewell, 26, of Worsbrough, Barnsley, was found by police to have been travelling at more than 40mph. Self-employed Mr Sewell, who worked for the A1 Ace Radio taxi agency, declined to answer questions about his speed.

But when Gary's dad Martin Glymond asked how long he had been working, Sewell replied: "Fourteen hours, I started at quarter past one."

He added that he had "not seen" the Barnsley College motor vehicle student cross the road into his path.

Police said they were unable to take action against Mr Sewell over the hours he had been working because there are no restrictions for taxi drivers.

Lorry drivers cannot work more than four-and-a-half hours without a break. And bus drivers are restricted to four-and-a-half hours in one continuous period and a maximum nine-hour working day.

- Mr Sewell has been charged with careless driving. He has pleaded not guilty and is due to go on trial at Barnsley Magistrates' Court in spring.

You are right Ian you cannot compare. Perhapse you could have an auto cut off switch to activate after so many miles of driving. You can phone me when yours cuts out outside of Manchester and we'll work out a deal
Usually schemes like these are thought up be people with zilch knpwledge of the trade. Trying to compare Lorry drivers work with that of a cab taxi driver is absurd to say the least.
Condolences to the bereaved family, and a fitting justice would be a fair trial a decision by a court of law rather than every taxi driver to be labled by a newspaper.

http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2008/12/17/48781/european-parliament-votes-to-scrap-uk-working-time-opt-out.html

European Parliament votes to scrap UK working time opt-out




The European Parliament has voted to scrap the UK's opt-out from the Working Time Directive (WTD), limiting the working week to an average of 48 hours per individual.

MEPs voted by 421 to 273 to end the UK's exemption to the WTD, which currently allows staff to voluntarily work more than 48 hours per week. The vote will now go to conciliation for a maximum of eight weeks while both the European Council and the European Parliament try to agree on the future of the opt-out.

Business groups including the CBI and manufacturers' body the EEF are hugely disappointed by the result and the Labour MEPs who voted to end the opt-out in defiance of the government.

EEF head of employment policy, David Yeandle, said: "By failing to follow their own government's stance, those Labour MEPs who voted in favour of ending the UK's opt-out have let down both employers and employees. Given the current economic difficulties, we need to be smarter than ever, and it seems odd that MEPs are taking away people's right to work overtime should they so choose.

John Cridland, CBI deputy director-general, said the vote was "misguided". "Trying to ban people from choosing to work more than 48 hours a week is a mistake, and would replace opportunity with obstruction.

"Many people want to work longer hours in professions ranging from manufacturing to medical research. They do so to further their careers or earn extra money, or to help their firm through difficulties. They should be able to do so if they choose."

Employers have previously told Personnel Today that scrapping the opt-out will lead to staff demanding pay hikes as they can no longer work overtime.

Jonathan Exten-Wright, senior employment partner at law firm DLA Piper, added: "Employers could now see their own costs soar as they are forced to cover the hours left behind by existing employees with additional appointments or agency workers to remain competitive."

However, calculating the number of hours an employee has worked on average would be done over a 12-month reference period if the opt-out was scrapped, giving greater flexibility for employing staff for long hours during busy periods. Potentially, employees could work for 79 hours a week over 29 weeks of the year. Currently, the reference period is four months.

Earlier this year the UK secured a deal with the European Council to keep its opt-out from the Working Time Directive after agreeing to the Agency Workers Directive, which will allow temps the same rights to permanent staff from just 12 weeks in a job. Those in favour of keeping the opt-out believe the EU Parliament has betrayed them.

Cridland added: "We hope the Council of Ministers stand firm against these amendments and back the compromise agreed in June in which the opt-out was retained."

The conciliation period will last until early spring next year. The directive will not have to be transposed into UK law for three years from the date of the directive's official publication, so it is unlikely to affect employers until 2011.

Although the chap may have brought it all on himself more so by opening his mouth about how long he'd been working, and that to the bereaved relatives. However the driver in question seems not to have been overly tired, but his worry is must be if he is found, through evidence, to have been speeding.

Wow, does that affect everybody then? How can they stipulate how a taxi driver works, do they check howmany miles or start of shift? If it's time restricted then we might as well look for another job. WHO IS GOING TO POLICE IT THEN AND HOW MUCH EXTRA IS GOING TO COST TO STOP PEOPLE WORKING FOR A LIVING WAGE? mE THINKS MANY MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS BUT WHEN HAS THE EU MADE A RULE THAT MAKES SENSE?

Yep we will all work exactly to time set by the European Parliament, but I will use my own watch to read the time on thanks