Diversion Care Needed For Birmingham City Centre

The Bavarian and German fair in the centre of Birmingham is a great event for local shopkeepers. Bringing in people from all over the West Midlands to this colourful event.

However for taxi drivers in Birmingham it does offer some challenges in an already congested time of year. With much of New Street and surrounding roads closed or at least partially blocked it will often be necessary to take fares are slightly longer journey than they are used to. I have made a habit myself to inform any customers entering my taxicab that a diversion is likely before we even set off should their destination normally involve traversing through Birmingham’s festive town centre.

November 22, 2011 – 2:38 am Categories: birmingham taxi, taxi in birmingham | Post a comment

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Taxi In Birmingham Saves Time and Money

Taxi in BirminghamA few days ago I had a car accident, and although I am insured I was obliged to wait a day to get my courtesy car. In the meantime my insurance company paid up for me to use a Birmingham taxi instead.

I haven’t used public transport for many years so it was with some level of trepidation that I waited for the taxi to arrive. The idea of using taxis in Birmingham has never really appealed to me. Being the second largest city in the UK it’s a very congested area, and the thought of a journey taking hours costing me a fortune has always put me off the idea.

I was presently surprised when the Birmingham taxi turned up on time, and after a cheery “hello” from the driver we were on our way.

It is a distance of about 11 miles from my front door to where I work, and it normally takes me about 45 minutes during the rush-hour to get their, I had ordered a taxi and good 20 minutes before I would normally set off as I was aware that taxis in Birmingham would have to take even more care than a private individual in a car, after all they would want to lose their licence rushing to get me to work now would they?

What surprised me was how competent taxi driver was, he knew the best route without being told, which lays lie to the myth that taxi drivers rip you off by going on the longest route they can find.

We had a pleasant chat along the way, nothing particularly earthshattering, just a few words about the weather and stuff like that but it made a change to be chauffeured somewhere.

As I mentioned before, I was not paying to this cheery directly, it was going to be paid initially by my company and eventually by my insurance. But I did keep an eye on the fare meter as we drove along anyway, and was pleasantly surprised that taxis in Birmingham do not charge anything like the amount I thought they would.

The journey took barely longer than I would have taken in my own car and cost a fraction of what I expected it to. Had I wanted to do some work on routes that of course would have been possible as well ( although I would have had to forego the conversation with the taxi driver).

The Birmingham taxi had already been briefed and all I needed to do was to quote the account number that my company had given me and no money actually changed hands at all, I wondered why trains and buses can’t work on such a common sense system is this.

It occurred to me if I had two or three friends in my local area we could share a cab and it would cost us probably less than running all of our cars simultaneously.

Obviously I can’t speak for other areas of the country, but my experience of taxis in Birmingham is a wholly positive one, I can’t think why I haven’t decided to use them before.

September 14, 2011 – 7:37 am Categories: birmingham taxi | Post a comment

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Taxi Fares Questioned by Birmingham Public.

Birmingham TaxiA recent spate of letters in the Birmingham evening mail has questioned the cost of taxi fares in and around England’s second city. Taxes in Birmingham were considered extremely expensive, and comparisons were made to other forms of public transport as well as taxi and cab fares in other areas of the country.

The figures quoted in the letters were very atypical and required further investigation.

In one letter regarding, a Birmingham taxi fare was quoted at over £10 for a 4 mile trip between Kings Norton and Longbridge. The letter writer said that they had had a similar distance journey in London and at a cost half the price.

This did not seem right so I have investigated the costs of taxi fares in Birmingham and found that there are no circumstances where a journey of that length would have cost so much without a delay of at least 45 minutes. Even after midnight on Saturday night the journey would still have only cost six pounds approximately.

It’s hard to reply to these concerns in full and to everybody, but I would like to refer people to the house of commons transport committee report in 2004. Although a little anachronous, It does detail the cost comparison between various areas of the United Kingdom. It can be seen here that taxes in Birmingham are amongst the best value in the UK. In addition, it should always be remembered the extra value that is achieved by having more than one passenger. If five people had been on even this inflated car journey between Kings Norton and Northfield, the cost would have been two pounds per head for a door-to-door service.

August 17, 2011 – 2:19 am Categories: taxi in birmingham | Post a comment

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Council Quotes Birmingham Taxi Numbers

One of the most popular route taxis in and around Birmingham area is to Birmingham International airport. Once you get there you realise just how many taxis and private hire cabs there are in this area of the West Midlands.

I travelled back via Birmingham International from my last holiday, and I’m leaving the airport I noticed at least 50 taxis lined up on the taxi rank, there was no need to queue and I was soon on my way. I had a word with the driver and asked how many cars actually serves Birmingham International he told me it was a least 200.

It then dawned on me that taxes were becoming an increasingly popular form of public transport. More convenient than a train and less threatening than the bus. A door-to-door service which, if undertaken with several passengers is potentially cheaper than any of its rivals.

This may help put into context the half million pounds that Birmingham city council spent on taxi fares in one month in 2010. What the reports do not state is how much the same council would normally spend on running a fleet of cars or paying for first-class train transport. The figure would probably be even greater.

Map picture

As for the sheer number of taxis in Birmingham, I was initially surprised that the figure was this high. My conversation with the driver taking money from Birmingham airport cleared this up. He said that many people required a long journey once back in the UK, and it was not uncommon to have 100 mile plus round-trip from the airport.

Something for anybody considering running a taxi service a quick trip to Birmingham International or perhaps even to the NEC would put in perspective just how many cabs there are in this major city.

June 17, 2011 – 2:22 am Categories: taxi in birmingham | Post a comment

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New 4 Wheel Taxi Spotted In Birmingham

I’m probably not the first to spot it, but perhaps the first to mention it in writing. A new four-wheel taxi is currently doing the rounds in Birmingham.

Birmingham taxis have always been at the forefront in terms of innovation and design, and are now stealing a march on their London counterparts with a taxi that steers with all four wheels.

So I’m not talking about four-wheel drive here, the four-wheel steering. Perhaps this video will give you a better idea of what I mean.

So that’s four-wheel steering, but the taxi in Birmingham is actually one up on this, the wheels are capable of locking at 90° to the direction of travel. In other words it is possible to perpendicular park. Something that these London cabs cannot do.

Of course, parking is not a major part of the taxi drivers day, and the manoeuvre has to be instigated whilst the vehicle is motionless, but all the same it is still one of the best innovations from the West Midlands in terms of Birmingham taxis for many years.

April 17, 2011 – 2:25 am Categories: taxi in birmingham | Post a comment

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Birmingham Taxi Ride

I was greeted by a taxi in Birmingham willing to take me wherever I needed to go. What a relief after a long day. I’ve only ever had good experience with Birmingham taxis, and this time was no exception. Picked up from Birmingham airport 30 minutes after my flight landed we were soon ready to go. I had arranged the price beforehand with the taxi company and for the four of us it was going to work out substantially cheaper than using any other form of transport.

A few things often concern me when I’m looking for a taxi in Birmingham, it can be a very congested city and journeys can take far longer than you imagine. Of course there is a tariff or waiting, and a couple of times during the journey I checked the taxis fare meter, and was always surprised that it was as low as it was.

I think the thing that people often forget about taxis in Birmingham is that the cost is for the journey regardless of how many people you fit in a taxi. We were in a four seater mini cab, and sharing the costs for ways, so even the £35 journey would only work out at nine pounds a head including tip. Not a bad comparison when we would have needed otherwise to catch a bus to the train station and then a train to our nearest stop and then another bus home. Not only would that have cost almost as much as a Birmingham taxi, it would have taken almost twice as long. It’s important to put a value on your time.

Unfortunately I cannot remember the name of the company. Otherwise I would recommend them here. The driver of the Birmingham taxi was very friendly and helped us with our luggage both loading and unloading. Again this is not something you’ll get on a bus or a train.

The seating is also a pleasant surprise. Not having to share a carriage or a compartment with others you do not know is something which appeals to me. I have used other forms of public transport and have sometimes found myself feeling a little threatened and claustrophobic. But here in a car with just my friends and a driver there was no such problem. A ringing endorsement for Birmingham taxis I believe.

I know I’m starting to sound like an advert taxis in Birmingham, but I can only speak as I find. It was an inexpensive and relaxing journey that cost less than the alternatives. Surely you can’t ask for more than that.

February 14, 2011 – 7:28 am Categories: birmingham taxi | Post a comment

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Great Service From Birmingham Taxi

Taxi BirminghamWith the cost of fuel rising all the time, I had almost expected my taxi ride from Birmingham to be extremely expensive. How pleased I was to find out that it was at least 30% less than I had budgeted for.

And that got me thinking, I was a single person riding in a taxi. The fair would have been the same for a taxi journey around Birmingham had I been one person or four. And of course with four people there would have been the opportunity to divide the cost of my taxi ride around Birmingham by four as well making it very much cheaper than any other form of public transport.

I don’t often look for taxis in Birmingham, I tend to walk a lot. But as Birmingham grows larger and larger then it becomes more and more necessary to use public transport. I have found that the services to be woefully inadequate. They are in frequent and very expensive. There is also often an undercurrent of violence on the bus with youths with loud music and on one occasion I saw one carrying a knife.

I much prefer to travel on my own and perhaps to get some work done. So using a taxi to get around Birmingham is now my preferred choice of transport. My main office is in the post could be one area of Birmingham, but I can travel almost 8 miles in any direction and still technically be in Birmingham or around the West Midlands.

Long gone are the days when I would consider walking from one side of Birmingham to the other, it’s just too far. Hiring a taxi in Birmingham, or using a Birmingham taxi company now seems like the only sensible option from getting around town. And of course, as I mentioned above it avoids all the other issues. It’s cheaper than most people think, and on some journeys it is quite possible to get on with a little work on my laptop or perhaps with a notepad.

It didn’t take me long to find a Birmingham taxi company that I could trust and rely on to get me from A to B on time. When I order a taxi now it arrives within five minutes, the driver is always polite and friendly, and I get to my destination with the minimum of fuss.

Of course, getting a taxi around Birmingham will not be to everybody’s taste, but for me it is the ideal form of transport.

February 8, 2011 – 1:59 am Categories: birmingham taxi | Post a comment

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