Safety Tips for PHV Drivers in London During Christmas And New Year Festivities
As per the TfL’s guidelines for Christmas and New Year Travel 2024-25, taxis and private hire cabs will be among the only transports available on Christmas Day, along with a limited number of coaches, dial-a-rides, Santander Cycles, and electric scooter rentals available in some boroughs.
TfL made several changes to the London Taxi and Private Hire
or PCO license application
requirements earlier this year, which is important for passenger and driver
safety. PHV drivers need to prepare and ensure a safe drive during peak
festivities. Here are some pointers from PCO License East London.
Time to Implement the Safety, Equality, and
Regulatory Understanding (SERU) Training to the Fullest
The Safety, Equality, and Regulatory Understanding (SERU)
Training was brought into effect by the TfL on 1 October 2021. Now a mandatory
step and part of the PCO licence cost, including the English courses. The SERU training and test
prepares PHV drivers to offer an enhanced level of public safety and customer
service. The training and online concentrates on specific parameters of safety,
equality, and regulations for taxi drivers. These values and skills will play
an important role during the peak times of the festive weeks.
●
Road and Vehicle
Safety: Ensure keeping your vehicle serviced and winter-ready. Be careful
when driving through crowded streets and take the responsibility to
outmanoeuvre the passengers in hostile situations.
●
Regulations: The SERU training imbibes an intuitive
understanding of the driver’s obligations as per the PHV (London) Act 1998 and
the Equality Act 2010. It works the same for new PCO license applications as well as renewals.
●
Protection: These
parameters apply for PHV drivers to protect, guide and assist their passengers
in different situations and those with disabilities. PHV drivers need to cut in
to protect children and adults from any kind of harm or abuse during the
ride.
Encourage
Planned Journeys From Passengers
Planned journeys are encouraged during the festive season to
control the amount of traffic congestion and risks of collisions. As a PHV
driver, you can do the same by sticking to the plan and having a predetermined
number of passengers and routes to cover.
When you stay on familiar routes, it reduces the risk of getting into
unprecedented situations and no-entry lanes that are hard to get out of.
Allow Ride Sharing Only from Licenced PHV
Operators
When accepting bookings of rideshare, ensure they come via
licenced operators of PHVs. During the festive season, the ridesharing facility
can attract complications like extensive time delays or create a rift between
passengers. Rideshares work best when all passengers have the same route and
have to reach at a similar time. Licencing and reputed PHV operators will
ensure a well-managed ecosystem to offer a quality customer experience.
Prepare for The Road
As a PHV driver, you must take the time to check out daily
traffic reports, keep knowledge of any closed roads or traffic delays, and
consider alternative options in case of excess congestion.
Before you head out, take some time to plan your journey.
Check traffic reports, plan your route, and consider alternative options in
case of road closures or severe delays. Using apps like Google Maps or Waze can
help you avoid congestion and potential hazards. Moreover, weather conditions
are an important factor for safe driving. Therefore, monitor the occurrence of
fog, snow, or drizzle during this period. Preparing in advance reduces the need
for rushing or any mistakes during the ride, thus reducing the risk of
accidents and improving safety.
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