Call to limit hours cabbies can work; ROAD SAFETY: Long periods spent behind the wheel 'putting lives at risk'.

Byline: Gregg Evans

CALLS for official legislation to limit the number of hours taxi drivers are allowed to work have been backed by Birmingham Airport's cab provider - Passenger Transport Solutions (PTS).

Road safety charity Brake is calling on the Government to act fast to avoid further casualties similar to Gary Glymond, who was knocked down and killed by a taxi in South Yorkshire on his 18th birthday last year.

The driver admitted he had worked over 13 hours and Mr Glymond's family have joined Brake in their rally for legislation to be introduced.

Chief executive of PTS, Mike Gilmore, said he would be behind any form of legislation that helps protect the safety of both passengers and taxi drivers at one of the biggest ranks in Birmingham. "At PTS our first concern is delivering safety to all of our passengers," he said.

"Because of this I'm fully behind the idea of introducing legislation that aims to protect both passengers and drivers."

Many taxi drivers' contracts make them exempt from the European working time directive, which would limit them to working a 48-hour week with a 20-minute break every six hours.

But Mr Gilmore insists that drivers should not work around the clock because it slows down their reactions and puts passengers at risk. "We are very conscious at the airport and do not allow workers to work very long shifts. If we can see a driver nodding off in the taxi rank then we'll make sure he's not on the road with customers."

The Department for Transport said drivers had a duty not to drive tired, but said there were no plans for regulation.

Currently taxi drivers can choose to work as many hours as they like but Mr Gilmore said the usual pattern at the airport is a 12-hour day or night shifts.

Research from Brake found that 60 per-cent of taxi drivers worked at least 11 hours per shift while half worked more than 70 hours a week.