Our street is ruined by cabbies using our driveways as a TOILET… they poo & wee everywhere, swear at us & block the road
RESIDENTS near Heathrow airport face a “daily nightmare” as cabbies “defecate” and “urinate” just metres from their homes.
Locals have described how taxi drivers “refuse to move” from their front drives, making their lives “living hell”.
“The street is constantly lit up with bottles of urine,” Chloe said.
The 24-year-old described the cabbie problem: “They come at night and won’t move for you even if you live here.
“Always at least three or four bottles of urine down the road littered.
“They p*ss over there in that tree, not even out of sight.
“It’s disgusting, don’t even get me started.
Steve Pearce, 56, who lives at home with his wife and daughter explained how the issue “winds him up”.
He said: “They’re really rude, when my missus comes home they swear at her.
“It happens to everyone around here, it’s a nightmare.
“We only have one car between us because we have such a time with that.
“At night all we hear is beeping when the cabs get stuck in the car park across the road. They drive in but those not meant to be there can’t turn around.”
The bus driver for British Airways described how car parks across the road are “no good” as they have to pay for them.
He also explained how he regularly “sees drivers getting out of their cars to urinate at night”.
Steve said: “They think no one’s watching them.
“It’s so bad if we hadn’t lived here for nearly 28 years, I wouldn’t have moved in if we had known what it’s like now.
“Our neighbour has ruined his grass drive having to park off the road as there’s never any space.
“Why should we pay £40 for a permit that doesn’t stop others parking there?”
Ashleigh Marshall, 27, said: “They use my driveway as a toilet.
“I’ve been spat at, sworn at but nothing going to change so there’s no point thinking it will.”
The full-time carer described how she previously called the police “but nothing has been done”.
“I’ve seen people weeing, defecating down the street.
“We are forced to deal with it everyday.”
The problem has become such a “nuisance” that even the council has had to get involved.
Cabbies have been stopped from waiting in three areas neighbouring the airport – which is the busiest in Europe – over the rise in anti-social behaviour.
Two drivers who were waiting outside Heathrow airport explained how they “had not heard” about such changes.
They also described how the waiting area charges £6 for a limited time, meaning they get moved on if their customers take too long or there is a delay.
Instead of stopping in residential streets to avoid parking charges, Ubers, private hire taxis and black cabs, will have to go into these designated zones inside the airport.
Major UK airport will hike drop-off parking charge from TOMORROW – find out how much more YOU’LL have to pay
By Jacob Jaffa
A MAJOR UK airport has hiked its drop-off parking charges.
The rates will apply 24/7, 365 days a year, with millions having to pay up or face a long walk to the terminal.
London Heathrow regularly ranks among the world’s busiest airports, with over 79 million in 2023 alone.
To try and ease congestion, bosses have placed a charge on the drop-off bays outside terminal buildings for years.
From New Year’s Day 2025, the charge must be paid by anyone dropping off passengers, regardless of how long it takes or whether they are travelling.
Previously, the levy stood at £5 but this has now been hiked to £6.
The charging zone has no toll barriers but is enforced by ANPR cameras which record your motor’s license plate.
The fee is applied as soon as you enter the charging zone, even if you do so by mistake.
Even worse, the drop-off area is covered by the London ULEZ charge so non-compliant cars have to pay an extra £12.50 to enter.
That means you could be paying a total of £18.50 just to drop family and friends off..
Many cab firms also add the levy onto the price of your journey if you travel to the airport.
You can pay the charge online or by phone either in advance or by midnight the day after your visit.
Alternatively, you can pay on the spot by setting up an autopay account linked to your number plate.
Failing to make a payment can result in an £80 fine.
However, if you don’t fancy shelling out for the drop-off charge, you can get up to 30 minutes of free parking at the Park & Ride facilities around the airport.
You’ll then have to catch a shuttle bus or make the long walk to the terminal and get back before your ticket expires if you want to see your passenger off at the terminal.
Hillingdon Council brought in the ban after local residents complained drivers were littering, going to the toilet in residents’ gardens, racially abusing neighbours and parking illegally.
Civil Enforcement Officers found there were over 900 cases of notices being given for “vehicle idling, littering, urination, spitting etc” over a seven-month period.
Councillors voted at a cabinet meeting on Thursday (Jan 9) in favour of the ban and slapped on a “Public Spaces Protection Order”.
This order “prohibits taxi and private hire vehicle drivers waiting in the area… which may better deter [the] drivers from waiting at the roadside near the Airport”.
In council documents, officers said: “We continue to receive reports which evidenced that residents living in the area are continuing to be negatively affected by the behaviours of private hire vehicles (PHV) and taxi drivers, who choose to wait at the roadside before collecting passengers at the Airport.”
One resident told the local authority “When I return home I find taxi drivers parked in the permit holders bays and when I [tell] them I need to park as [I] live here, their reply is I don’t care and on many many occasions [they] have become abusive.”
Another person alleged: “I have suffered for 12 years having taxi drivers park outside my house, I have been physically and racially assaulted when I have approached them asking them to leave.”
A particular issue seemed to be the drivers going to the bathroom in public spaces.
Another person complained, “it’s hard to find parking, they overcrowd and litter our areas, they urinate in public view”.
The council received over 365 reponses on this issue from residents, with 303 responders either in favour with or not opposed to the new prohibitions.
There areas where the changes are coming into effect, expected from 1 February 2025, are: Pinkwell, West Drayton and Heathrow Villages.
Heathrow has created an “Authorised Vehicle Area” for PHV drivers, who are often Uber drivers or those from other ride hire apps. It costs £1 per hour and has “parking, refreshment, toilet and prayer facilities”.
The “Taxi Feeder Park” costs £3 and also has similar facilities.
Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Environment, said: “The introduction of a PSPO is a significant step towards improving the quality of life for residents living near Heathrow Airport. We have listened to the concerns of our community and are taking the necessary action to address the issues caused by these vehicles waiting in residential streets.
“This new PSPO will provide the council with the necessary enforcement options to deter problematic behaviour and ensure we are delivering the solutions that our residents need for them to enjoy cleaner, safer streets.”
A Heathrow spokesperson said: “Everyone travelling to Heathrow should respect our neighbours and we work closely with local community groups, councils, law enforcement and transport partners to make this a great place to live and work.
“We are supporting local authorities as they step up enforcement and exclusion zones while we continue to invest in dedicated waiting areas at the airport, to keep drivers off nearby roads.”
The Sun has approached London Taxi Drivers Association for comment.