Ever had to get a taxi from Heathrow, but not into London? Then you’ll know this story. Its happened to me twice recently. Fixed fares. What that means is the taxi driver gets £40 i.e. the fare back into central London, Regardless of a short local journey e.g. 5 miles.
Is this the way to represent the UK at its foremost border post?
When asking taxi driver, taxi wallah, taxi desk, BAA desk, the answers are the both the same and different.
Where they are the same is that it’s not their fault, they don’t know who you take it up with and sorry but nothing you can do about it. Where they differ is who made them do it.
So maybe I should send an open letter to all those who were cited as causing the poor taxi driver to have to charge £40. Dear Lord Mayor of London, CEO of BAA ( hola!) and Chief Constable of Surrey Constabulary. Of and all taxi drivers.
Snr CEO – Why do BAA charge taxi drivers £5.50 to pick up customers. Surely your airport would be rubbish without taxis.
If local runs are not what taxi drivers want because they’ve sat 2 hours waiting to get to the head of the queue, why not have 2 taxi ranks – London cabs and local taxis rather than a monopoly on cabs?
Mr Lord Mayor, why should you allow tourists and business men who aren’t going to central London to have their first rip off experience of London in their first hour in UK?
Taxi drivers – if your time is so valuable, why not just drive straight back to London rather than sit in a queue for 2 hours? And do a local fare on your way out please
Mr Chief Constable – I think you’re forgiven as the taxi driver just made that up….
