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Taxi driver highlights a dilemma

28/ 2/2008

TAXI driver Sajawal Hussain was faced with a major dilemma as he tried to rush a pregnant woman to hospital – should he break the law or risk her giving birth in his vehicle?

Now he is calling for a change to rules that do not allow private hire cars the same freedom as Hackney carriages in the borough’s bus lanes.

Sajawal was taking the pregnant woman to hospital when he became stuck in traffic on Lees Road. Had he been driving a black cab he would have been allowed to drive in the bus lane and avoid the hold up.

He said: "This lady was in labour and needed to get to hospital urgently. If I had been allowed to use the bus lane we would have been able to get to hospital far quicker.

"I had to queue for 15 minutes on Lees Road, which could have made a real difference. I had to explain to her that we had to stay in the queue and she wasn’t very happy. She was already worked up and in pain so this didn’t help.

"It’s very unfair that Hackney carriages can use the bus lanes but private hire cars are not allowed."

Mr Hussain says he has had a number of passengers in emergency situations in the past year.

He said: "It’s difficult to explain the rule to customers, especially when they are already distressed.

"Hackney carriages carry the same people we do so why is the law different? I just want clarification as to why it’s one law for one and one law for another."

Tony Noblet, assistant director of highways at Oldham Council, explained: "According to the council’s Traffic Regulation Order, saloon-style private hire vehicles are not legally allowed to drive in the borough’s bus lanes.

"The council recently changed its policy to allow Hackney carriages, many of which are traditional black cabs, to use bus lanes as they are easily distinguishable from cars and other vehicles not permitted to use bus lanes."

He said that Oldham’s regulations are based on national legislation, but accepted that each local authority interprets the rules differently.

Mr Noblet did not comment on whether or not action would have been taken against Mr Hussain if he had broken the rules because of the nature of his dilemma.

Thankfully, Mr Hussain’s passenger was delivered to the hospital before the baby made its entry.