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EXCLUSIVE : In The Wake Of A Woefully Inadequate Licensing Authority WeNow Have Inept Heathrow Rank Agents.

February 12, 2018, 4:00 pm
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A Taxi driver has taped this message onto the canteen door at Heathrow airport feeder park (Lutheran style), asking other drivers to join him in action against the airports agents.


The London taxi driver is allegedly taking Apcoa Parking Uk Ltd (who are the agency in charge of running the feeder park and ranks at Heathrow) to the small claims court.

The driver is sueing APCOA for loss of earnings due to their ineptitude during the recent snow falls. 

It's claimed that on the 10th December and the morning of the 11th December 2017, due to snow/slush hundreds of flights were cancelled, massive queues formed on the terminal 5 taxi rank. But hundreds of vacant Taxis were kept waiting in the feeder park. 

Passengers, many elderly or with children were kept waiting for up to 3hrs in the queue, quite unnecessarily. 

Photographs (now submitted as evidence) were taken of long queues along with Videos and Audio recordings of customer complaints. 
It wasn't until 3am that the demand was fulfilled.

The claimant alleges he was kept back and claims to have lost around £70 on two occasions. The driver also claims that his reputation has been damaged by this incident. 

Photographs were made of the hundreds of Taxis held back in the feeder park by Heathrow's agents. Complaints have been made to APCOA but widely ignored. 

The claimant is alleging negligence and is claiming £240 plus £25 court fee. He is also making a claim for interest on the amount under section 69 of the county courts act of 1984, up until judgement is made. 

Question that needs answering :
Did the order to hold back the Taxis come from third party interests?

Passengers in the queue were being told to get the Heathrow Express, or jump on the Piccadilly line.

Not the first time our business has been ferreted away by interested third parties....we all remember the 24hr travel passes that were issued with tickets to the Olympic park back in 2012! 

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT

Taxi Leaks editor has also received a letter of complaint (below in full and unedited) from one of our regular readers.
Dated 7 February 2018 at 12:32:07 GMT
To: taxi.complaints@apcoa.com
Subject: Physical and verbal assault by your staff



06/feb/2018
21:41
Terminal 5 rank 

Dear Alison Crathorne
Just had a run in last night with a rank person (RP) on terminal 5 
Had a girl come up wanting fix price 2 Hilton term 5 
Said no thanks to RP wile he went down rank she asked me why ?
Told her why £25-£30 that I don’t need the argument that always happens at that hotel on short journey big price 
She only wanted to pay £10 ?
She walked.

Next job RP says “he won’t do it ?” Sneering and pointing towards me ?
He wouldn't tell me where this fixed price job was going & went straight to another taxi bypassing me ?

I explained to him that the point Taxi (me) has the right of refusal for fixed price if outside the met and that he had to tell me where it was going. 
He told me to “f@@k off you c@@t !” in front of customer 
I went to the other RP to asked him to come out of the box and witness what is going on !
While this was going on I saw him (1st RP) put his camera on as before it wasn't on him, just sitting on a trolly !

I asked their names, as I was going to make a official complaint, but they both refused, acting like children.
I went back to my Taxi, got my phone and told them as the refused to give names I would photo them so they could be identified later.
As I was trying to get a picture of there face, the childish behaviour continued.

It was then that the 1st RP, physically slapped my hand so hard it knocked my phone to the floor (which was obviously his intention) to stop me filming him or break my phone and then called me a something else very rude. The second RP said quote 
“oh shit ! that’s not good !”

The driver behind me witness it all!
and was just as disgusted as me with your staff actions. I have his phone number if it is needed.

As I have been physically & verbally assaulted by your staff, I made a point to speak to someone last night that claimed to be “the manager!”

She said she would go straight to terminal 5 to collect the camera data.
Did that happen ?

If so, I want a copy.
Don’t your employees have to have their cameras on at all times ?

As this is now time sensitive, depending on your reaction and your actions in this matter, I will give you 24 hours to confirm receipt of this complaint  and to get things moving ? 
Please phone me asap, as no manager is in today ? 
There is a surprise ?never is (According to your staff in the cabin at 11:00am).

I will be personally very upset if I find this childish person working on any rank till you sort this matter out with me personally.

I want to get police involved, but have been asked to let you try to do the right thing ?

I know there is a code of conduct for Taxi drivers at Heathrow ....What about your staff ?

I will not hesitate to splash this all over the internet 
all unions/orgs have also been informed.

I want a copy of your complaint procedure!
Looking forward to see what you have to say for yourself.

We now wait for APCOA's reply.

TAXI LEAKS LATE NEWS EXTRA :

We just heard this morning that RP1 has been called in and fired by APCOA for gross misconduct. 

Proving that it really does pay off to complain.
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Uber's Fourth-Quarter Loss Narrows To $1.1 Billion:

February 13, 2018, 8:17 pm
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(Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] narrowed its fourth-quarter loss to $1.1 billion from a loss of $1.46 billion in the previous quarter, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.


The ride-hailing company's quarterly revenue rose 11.8 percent to $2.2 billion from its previous quarter, the source said.

Uber has gone on to raise more than $14 billion in new funding and last month closed a deal with SoftBank Group Corp (9984.T) in which the Japanese conglomerate, along with other investors, took about a 17.5 percent stake in the company.

Silicon Valley-based Uber's quarterly gross bookings rose 14 percent to $11.1 billion from the third quarter, the person said.

The company had previously reported third-quarter net loss of $1.46 billion on net revenue of $2 billion. Uber had gross bookings of $9.7 billion in the previous quarter.

Uber said last week that it would pay $245 million worth of its own shares to Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Waymo self-driving vehicle unit to settle a legal dispute over trade secrets, allowing Uber's chief executive to move past one of the company's most bruising public controversies.

     FOR THE LATEST TAXI TRADE NEWS 


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TfL told to look into a London licensing regime for dockless cycle hireand driverless buses for the capital

February 14, 2018, 5:51 am
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OBike is one of a flurry of dockless cycle hire schemes which launched in London last year (Source: Getty)
Transport for London (TfL) and mayor Sadiq Khan have been told to look into a London-wide licensing system for dockless cycle hire in a new report from the London Assembly Transport Committee.

The report weighs up how the capital's transport body is preparing for the development of new technology in the transport sector, and calls for more research into driverless buses in London and a regulatory regime for "demand-responsive bus services" too.

The report said:

There have been recent failures in London's preparations for innovative transport services, notably the rapid growth of private hire operator Uberand the disruptive launch of dockless cycle hire service oBike.

OBike's launch last July did not go down well with councils, which said the firm had not consulted them before a raft of bikes was suddenly left obstructing footpaths and creating potential hazards. 

This has not dampened rising interest in dockless cycle hire services operated through apps in the capital though, with Ofo, Mobike and Urbo all cropping up. 

TfL launched a code of practice in September 2017, which the Committee welcomed, but said this could go further. The report calls for the number of operators to be limited "to allow for competition, but avoiding an excessive number of unused bikes being left to clutter pavements and roads".

Keith Prince, chairman of the London Assembly Transport Committee, said: "Autonomous vehicles could make roads safer. Dockless bikes could spread the benefits of cycling to the whole city and demand-responsive buses could give people a public transport service tailored to their needs.

"The opportunity to improve mobility for millions of Londoners is here but it will require proper planning, transparency and accountability, as well as cooperation with government, boroughs and development companies."

Other recommendations made in the report include considering the development and impact of driverless buses on London, with a review to be carried out in the next year, and further exploring the likely scale and impact of commercial drone use in the capital. 

The Committee says the mayor and TfL should also engage in discussions with the government, boroughs and operators to start developing a "new regulatory regime" for demand-responsive bus services. These should include requirements to serve areas with less dense public transport coverage, and accessibility for older and disabled passengers. 

Transport app Citymapper launched its own bus route last year, while Ford has also brought its Chariot commuter shuttle bus service to the capital across four routes.

Members of the GLA are also keen that TfL seek reciprocal agreements with app developers, so data produced by apps which are powered by underlying TfL data is then shared back with the organisation too. 

Michael Hurwitz, director of transport innovation at TfL, said:

"This report outlines the challenges that all cities across the UK, including London, face when considering how transport will operate in the future. We work with a wide range of tech companies around the world to support and learn from innovation that could improve transport across London.

“As part of the mayor’s Transport Strategy, many of these elements are already being considered and TfL is involved in a number of pilots and initiatives to help ensure that any introduction of new technology such as autonomous vehicles and drones is safe, environmentally-friendly and consistent with our focus on walking, cycling and green public transport," he added
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EXCLUSIVE : Massive Victory For Trade As Three Taxi Drivers Sue UberAnd Win

February 14, 2018, 9:36 am
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Although full details are not available at this time, three Taxi drivers have successfully sued Uber for compensation and won.


This is what’s been posted on twitter today by one of the drivers:

My claim against Uber for lost of earnings was settled out of court in my favour. 

So what are the unions doing on behalf of cab drs, if I can do it, why can't they do it?

I cannot disclose how much Uber paid me because I signed a confidential form not to openly say how much I got, nothing tried nothing gained.

Under the London Authorities Act, Tfl had a duty not to cause us harm or loss, well they broke that pledge when they allowed Uber on the streets of London, a class action is the way forward.

To all drivers, this now needs to be a class action going back over 4 years and it should be headed by the unions on behalf of us all, myself and 2 others have tested the water and it works, now press the unions.

Its not about what we got it was about opening the door so the class action could be taken for all drivers.


TfL have a MASSIVE problem now, because UBERS apology is an admittance of gross negligence with the safety of Londoners and TFL have been complicit!!!

Remember email Steve Mc sent out to all members, telling them this wasn't possible? 

 TfL are culpable. 

How often have the ITA said TfL neglected in their duty to check Uber's work model before licensing them, and in doing so harmed this trade? 

 Well done to the three drivers involved in this groundbreaking case against Uber. 

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA COMMENT from DDD.

 Let’s now remember everyone thinking we were mad to even contemplate suing Uber for compensation. 


Our union (GMB) has listened to us, while everyone else looked on clueless! 

 We'd come across like "Greedy cabbies" we were warned.

Nothing greedy in demanding what's rightfully yours!

Lenny Etheridge (Dads Defending Daughters)

This was the email sent to subscribers of the LTDA.


  MESSAGE TO ALL THE DOUBTING THOMASES




 

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Breaking News From Manchester : Uber’s New Rules + TfL New Policy ForPrivate Hire

February 15, 2018, 10:38 am
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News from our Manchester correspondence. 


Uber's TfL vehicles which work here in Manchester, are to be thrown off next month (There are some 300 TfL PH cars registered to Manchester addresses.)



 

The same is happening around the Country. 


I believe this is window dressing, but  it shows Uber are/were worried about the London appeal.

 

I attach a link proving this. 

 

Les. Manchester.

 


https://uberpeople.net/threads/only-tfl-licensed-drivers-will-operate-in-greater-london-surrounding-areas.240648/



TfL publish new policy on private hire/ride sharing click link below to read TfL document 


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Fighting The Wrong Enemy : Mayor of London Sadiq Khan does it again!

February 15, 2018, 4:00 pm
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We've now got gender neutral toilets! 
Toilets for use by bus drivers only!
He's introduced the Hopper Fare!
And now special coffee cup recycling bins! 
£6m quids worth of them in fact! 


Amazing...he can introduce coffee cup bins, cheap bus fares, gender neutral loos....and yet he can't stop London's women being sexually assaulted and raped by UBER drivers.

Last year Khan and TfL had the perfect opportunity to revoke Uber's Licence...remember his promise when canvassing for the job of Mayor..."if Uber commit one contravention, I will be the Mayor who shuts them down."


We've heard today that Lyft has been talking to TfL about a London licence for their ride share app. 

Fact:
Russia have been suspended from the Winter Olympics. They are appealing to the courts but still, are not allowed to compete in any event!
Fact:
Uber's licence has not been renewed over public safety issues, TfL found Uber were not fit and proper to hold an operators licence. Yet TfL say they must be allowed to carry on operating while awaiting an appeal which could take up to 3 years to complete!
TfL bottled it when it came to revoking Uber's licence, it's as simple as that.

Our largest representative org refuse to go up against TfL's decision in any way. 
Is this their way of best representing their subscribers....or best way of keeping onside with the regulator?

Earlier this week, three London Cabbies took on Uber in the court, off their own back with no outside help from any trade org. Their action had a victorious outcome. And yet, an email from Steve McNamara was allegedly sent to the LTDA's members claiming that the story published on social media was not as it seems.

When are the rank and file drivers going to understand that the engagement policy is no more than a gagging order!
It's time to cheer up this policy. We should not be going to TfL cap in hand, they should be coming to us, on our terms, for fully minuted meetings with all orgs, big or small.

It's time the trade woke up to the fact that Uber are not our biggest threat....that title lays at the feet of TfL.
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Anyone Looking For A Well Paid, Full Time Job Driving For A New App???

February 15, 2018, 5:27 pm
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Europcar, a leading mobility services provider, in partnership with OneTransport, are looking for PCO drivers for a fantastic new app based private hire service using Porsche cars.

So the idea that Gett’s promotion was to encourage people to use Taxis on a regular basis was in fact BS.

The real idea behind the scheme appears to have been a promo for a new app in partnership with Gett’s PH arm One Transport. 

Naughty OneTransport, picking up on a ZigZag.

Their advert for drivers goes on to say :
* Drive a Porsche with a guaranteed annual salary of £31,200 (pro-rata), with a bonus potential

* Be employed by Europcar on a six month contract with potential to extend

* Porsche, insurance and fuel provided!

* Only work five days per week across a seven day period

* Holiday entitlement, pension and other benefits

* Majority of work in central London (Zone 1 & 2)

* Driver training and induction day at Porsche Experience Centre Silverstone

* Potential bonus at the end of the contract

* Uniform provided

If you have a PCO license with a minimum of one year professional driving experience in London and great customer service skills, we'd love to hear from you!


So, they’ve allegedly used Gett’s app to test the waters for an app being launched by europcar in partnership with Gett’s partner OneTransport. 

The LCDC have taken steps to ban Gett advertising in the badge Taxi news paper, after a vote carried out amongst their membership. 

Is it now time for the LTDA to man up and take a similar vote of it's members 
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HMRC Win Case Against BBC Presenters Over Tax Alleged Avoidance

February 15, 2018, 7:32 pm
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Over 100 BBC stars face paying back hundreds of thousands in tax as HMRC wins claim against presenter


Oh dearie me, looks like some of these overpaid presenters on the Beeb have got more in common with Uber than we previously thought!

It's been alleged that many the beebs big pay packet earners have been avoiding UK taxes.

More than 100 BBC presenters are facing tax bills that could run into hundreds of thousands of pounds after a former star lost her case against HMRC.


Christa Ackroyd earned more than the Prime Minister as co-host of the regional Look North programme on BBC One.

She was paid as a freelancer through a personal services company at the BBC's request, but HMRC ruled that she should have paid the same level of tax as a BBC employee. Ms Ackroyd must now pay back £419,151.

In its ruling, the tax tribunal in Leeds said that, while this was not a test case, "we understand that the present appeal is one of a number of other appeals involving television presenters and personal service companies."

At least 100 past and present BBC presenters are under investigation for alleged tax avoidance by using personal service companies to register as self-employed thereby minimising their tax bills.
 
The case could also have ramifications in other industries.
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After Always Stating That Their Drivers Can Work Anywhere, Uber Now SayThey Can't...by Lee Ward

February 15, 2018, 6:15 pm
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Uber have made a huge announcement on Valentine ’s Day, but I wonder just how heartfelt it truly is…

On the 14th of February 2018 Uber made the bold statement that they have changed where their drivers can work on its platform, this brought a great cheer from some, and a low moan from others.

An excerpt from Ubers newsletter states that;


They have chosen to Geo Fence areas of the UK, covering just about the whole of the UK in fact, but this Geo Fence is not exactly what both drivers and the authorities wanted.
It’s a half pregnant attempt to make it look like they have listened and acted, but have they really?

For years Uber’s defence of the question about drivers working remotely, or cross border, has always been this following go to statement as taken from the news article in regards to the failed license renewal in York.


So, the question has to be… Do Uber accept and agree that the drivers should not be working out of their licensing area, and if so, then why have they made the Geo Fence in such a way that they have?

Or, have their talks with local licensing authorities struck home, because the reason for this change is not that local drivers working on the Uber platform have demanded it, oh no, it’s because they have listened to the concerns of the local authorities..


Basically, the authorities are not happy with the amount of drivers working in their area from other licensing authorities, so how does this new change from Uber assist the local authority?

As you are aware by now, my local authority is Sheffield, let’s have a look at what the new Uber Geo Fence of Sheffield means as to who can work in Sheffield on the Uber platform shall we?

That magical Geo Fence that Uber have put around Yorkshire is what I would truly class as a half pregnant action…

And I will explain why.
They obviously have the technology to make a Geo Fence as they wish, they have obviously listened to what the authorities concerns are and they may have listened to what the drivers working in the area they are licensed have voiced their concerns about (Uber drivers do complain to Uber about other drivers licensed elsewhere working predominantly in their area) but why make the Geo Fence so large? Surely Uber know that people will see through this, or do they think most people have the brains of rat?

Let’s step out of the national change that Uber have brought about and look to London, where Uber have stated that their vehicles, owned and paid for by the drivers, are going to be either electric or hybrid by 2020 which happens to fall into the latest Policy Statement by TfL, perhaps one of the agreements in those cosy meetings that the two have had. But let’s not take away the fact that it is not Uber who are paying for these cleaner vehicles, the drivers are. This makes the statement by Uber an easy statement to make when it is not costing them a penny, or dime, or Euro Cent depending on how you look at it.

But, to be perfectly honest the rest of the Policy Statement by TfL and the Mayor leaves you legitimate Private Hire companies and London’s Finest in a spot of bother, actually you guys are in a quagmire and it’s sucking you under. Everything in that Statement is towards the Uber platform and the Data that it can deliver, Data is king, remember that.

So, I just did a U turn and headed back up North and I find that the situation here is not as drastic as it is down South, but it’s equally as worrying.
Uber have reduced where drivers can work dependant on where they are licensed, well that’s a start, but it is nowhere near what the trade requires. And, I will give a shout out to the drivers who have swallowed the Uber dream, gone to where Uber suggested and got their license and bought a vehicle to match, what about them?

Well, Uber are doing them another favour, they are going to pay them £1000 to swap their licensing authority to continue to work in the area that they work and then not take a commission for the first 250 jobs that they complete, so around another £350 or so on top of the £1000

That’s pretty impressive for a company that has always stated that the driver can work anywhere, isn’t it?

I can see why they lost $4.7 Billion last year…
Now let’s do something different for a change, let’s talk sense.

The authorities don’t like cross border hiring, the drivers don’t like cross border hiring and Uber agree that no one likes cross border hiring, even in the half pregnant way that they have addressed this issue, but it seems that no one likes cross border hiring..

Why are the Government dragging their feet over the issue then? Surely it can’t be to protect a company that pays virtually no TAX or VAT into the economy is it, because after Brexit I would guess we need every penny that’s owed to us…maybe I am wrong, ask the NHS.

The fact of all of this smoke and mirrors is simple, they want to appease the decision makers but are doing it in such a way that they are actually slapping them in the face and laughing as they walk away.

What happens to the areas that have licensed these drivers that can no longer work where they live, will they welcome them back with open arms and allow the local area to be flooded?

Will the areas that have been sign posted by Uber for the driver to go and get licensed accept the application and not give thought to where the driver will work, not expecting Uber or hopefully regulation to close the borders even further which would again cause an influx of drivers trying to feed their family in an area that cannot sustain them simply because that drivers options were reduced?

Uber have taken the first step, and now it’s time for the authorities to take the next and think carefully of who they give a license too and why.

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TfL Bend Over Backwards To Clear Name Of Uber In Knife Up Bottom Case.

February 16, 2018, 6:02 pm
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In the past we've seen London Taxi photos plastered all over the media when publishing stories about criminal issues that in fact relate to Private hire drivers/operators/ vehicles.

This image is on Daily Mail online site today

Some of the crimes are serious such as sexual assaults/rape and in more than one case, even murder.

Take last year when the majority of the press and TV news channels posted articles stating that Taxi and Private hire driver related sexual assaults, including rapes were up by 50%.
Not one paper mentioned the fact that their were zero allegations against Taxi drivers. 

The Gaurdian couldn't get the statistic right or the time frame

Lazy journalism? 
Or a planned, paid for agenda?

TfL/TfLTPH have never interfered with a press headline......up until now!

Not once have TfLTPH took it upon itself to get the paper(s) or TV media to publish a correction and show that the article was nothing to do with a Taxi driver or related trade member.

And yet in the case of Kareem Worthington, TfLTPH have just bent over backwards to clear the name of their stakeholder Uber. 


The police are now saying that only after the arrest, court case and imprisonment of Worthington, did they discover that he'd lied about being an Uber driver. 

He was arrested driving a PHV with TfL roundels and had the Uber driver app on a smart phone. 
Apparently they never checked to see if he was on the TfL PH data base till after he was jailed -A very simple operation that anyone with a smart phone can do in minutes. 

This new information was then past on to the newspaper who have now published a correction to their original story. 

Do you think this would have happened if he had been driving a TX4 ???


Let's look at the facts :
Officers only realised he was lying..............." after he was jailed ". 
Can you really believe this?
Police arrested, the CPS charged and the courts jailed him , before realising his proper identity. Really ?

So from this, it's safe to assume he was working as an Uber driver, using someone else's car sporting TfL roundels and using the Uber app. Allegedly a surprisingly common occurrence. 

Perhaps TfL could explain more about the Uber driver arrested on Exhibition Road who mowed down pedestrians while driving Uber passengers in a Prius....funny how that news of that incident suddenly dried up!


Just more proof of the collusion between the unsafe Private Hire App Uber and our wonderful licensing regulator (who appear to be looking after the reputation and public image of this company) 

Impartiality....don't make me laugh. 
TfL.... woefully inadequate and Totally Failing Londoners. 

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT : 

Uber have RECENTLY announced, they are to introduce a Landline, although they haven't said where this 'NEW' feature is to be installed.

That's strange! Didn't Leon the liar in his appearance at City Hall, swear blind Uber already had one.... AS AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME, IT WAS A REQUIREMENT FOR A LICENSE?
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LCDC Rep To Hold Q&A Session With Suburban Drivers On Periscope20/02/2018 At 16:00

February 17, 2018, 3:53 am
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On Tuesday the 20th of Feb 2018 at 1600 hours LCDC suburban rep Rob Cardwell @iamcabman, will be attempting a first for the London taxi trade! 

He’ll be holding a Q&A with Suburban drivers on Periscope #TalktotheLCDCsuburbanrep  where he will answer questions any suburban driver has about the LCDC.

Rob has worked tirelessly to try and highlight problems in the suburban sectors with his work on London Taxi Radio, also launching Sector Magazine the suburbs first ever magazine and his monthly article in the badge.

So please join rob this Tuesday 16:00 on Periscope for #TalktotheLCDCsuburnanrep

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Uber Partner With Jump To Offer New Service Through Its App, Eyeing UpTFL's Boris Bike Market ???

February 17, 2018, 4:12 pm
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Not satisfied with running London's Taxi and Private Hire trades into the ground, Uber now turning its attention on TFL's Bike hire service, with a small push from an electric motor..... on Uber's new bike-share business.


Uber have partnered with Jump Bikes in San Francisco to offer an electric-motor assisted ride to users (and pull in the bike commuters to conquer even more of the commuting market) --  

Sasha Lekach a reporter with Mashable in San Fransisco gave the Bike app a spin.

After signing up for the waitlist, I got access to the newest option on the Uber app: Uber Bike.

Instead of little cars scurrying around the screen I was bombarded with all the nearby bikes and each one's distance from me. I had plenty of options


I went with bike 0642 locked to a bike rack near the park bench where I was eating a sandwich. 

It was a good-enough looking bike, bright red with "JUMP" on the sloping frame. Someone had trashed a Snapple carton into its large basket, so I put that where it belonged and then followed the prompts through the app to unlock my bike. Pretty straight-forward stuff, there's even a slot to put the U-lock while you ride. 


My purse and camera bag fit in the basket just fine and the lock didn't take up any of my personal storage space.

I clicked on my helmet (you have to provide your own) and realized this bike with its electric motor to help you pedal was a lot heavier than your average bicycle. 

As I adjusted to the clunky, heavy frame I circled South Park for a few laps, adjusting the gears, and then headed back toward my office building nearby. 

With a friend, we rode up and down the street behind my building in San Francisco's SoMa neighbourhood.


It wasn't a carbon fiber racing bike, but it felt sturdy and stable. I also wasn't about to go off-roading or mountain biking with this, but on the pavement I could handle it and felt comfortable enough riding for a quick 20 minutes.

My friend who commutes into San Francisco from the Peninsula, south of the city, figures she could combine a bike ride with her train ride to get from the station to her downtown office instead of the 20-minute walk. Like many bike-share users, the bikes come in handy for the first or last mile of a commute -- not for the entire trip.

For someone like her who would use Uber Bike within its minimum 30-minute window before you start getting charged 7 cents per minute, she'd rack up two $2-rides a day. With tax, that's about $4.40 a day, about $20 each week. So it adds up even if the price sounds like pocket change at only $2 for 30 minutes.

Back on my ride I didn't make it very far in the end, but I found a rack right next to where I was. I attached the bike with the U-locked, ended the ride on the app, and immediately got a receipt. Since it was all through the Uber app it felt familiar. My first Uber Bike ride was a success.


Uber Bike is following the bike-sharing trend that has been growing in cities like San Francisco for years. Ford GoBike is a bike-share mainstay at this point with what seems like endless stations throughout the city and has electric bikes coming in April. 

New York has its Citi Bikes, but Jump brings in the seamless dock-less system that has gotten huge in other markets, like China. Except instead of locking to itself, the bikes lock to bike racks. The flexibility to lock and leave bikes anywhere makes other station-based bike-shares seem unwieldy and cumbersome —as long as people don't abuse the system.

Instead of sharing bikes with the masses, there's always the option to buy your own bicycle and commute to work on your own two wheels. But the electric-assist on Jump to help get up hills or speed up your ride is an alluring option that can be pricey to own outright. 


Take this electric balance bike (that's no pedals!) available to pre-order starting Wednesday. 

It's $3,467 for the 500-watt electric motor bicycle with a large wooden frame that goes for about 30 miles on a charge. Though, with no pedals, at what point is this no longer biking and just riding...

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT : 
One aspect Sasha failed to explore was charging the bike when the battery goes flat. 

We know you have to provide your own headwear, and that the bikes are to be widely available, come with their very own Ulock, which fits away into the frame....and that the bike is dockless....although she does mention public bike racks....but she never once mentioned if these bike racks have charging points!!! 

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Is Sexual Predator Uber Driver, One of Helen Chapman’s 13,000 WithUnsafe DBS Check ?

February 19, 2018, 7:02 am
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Dear Helen Chapman 
Just read this post on the Court News UK website. 


Apparently one of your Uber Private Hire Drivers has been jailed for molesting a 16 year old Japanese school girl just a year after he was previously arrested for groping another woman in his Uber minicab. 

Can you please tell us how TfLTPH under your direction, have allowed this sexual predator to carry on working as a licensed private hire driver, after having been arrested by police just over a year ago for a previous sexual attack on a young woman ?

Surely you have a duty of care to protect the public from sexual predators. 

Is Shahid Qureshi one of the 13,000 Uber drivers with a fake DBS criminal record checks that your department swept under the carpet. 

If this is the case, you need to resign immediately affect.
 
Taxi drivers have started referring to the 13,000 Uber drivers with fake DBS checks, that TfLTPH swept under the carpet.... as Chapman's Chariots 

We will be asking our GLA councillors to investigate this matter fully.

The inaction from your department over these unsafe DBS checks, is resulting in serious sexual assaults (including rapes) across the capital and the responsibility lays firmly on your shoulders Helen. 

How do you sleep at night knowing that you have allowed unsafe Uber drivers to carry on working, putting the public at great risk ?

Article in today’s Court News Post 

  A married Uber driver who sexually assaulted a 16-year-old exchange student and told her ‘This is England,’ was jailed for 12 months today (mon). Shahid Qureshi, 42, molested the Japanese teenager less than a year after he was arrested for groping a woman in his car. Qureshi had told his passengers to sit in the front passenger seat, before kissing and pawing them, Inner London Crown Court heard.
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Uber drops appeal over English language tests for London drivers

February 19, 2018, 9:01 am
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Uber has been working hard to improve its image and standards

Uber has accepted new proposals to enforce English language standards on its drivers in London by withdrawing a legal challenge.

The ride-hailing app went to court after Transport for London (TfL) said all applicants for a private hire driver's licence in the capital from October 2016 should have to prove their ability to communicate in English and take tests in basic writing and reading.

Officials argued the changes would ensure passenger safety, but Uber claimed the standard required was too high and would lead to "indirect racial discrimination" that could threaten the livelihoods of 30,000 drivers.

The company lost the first round of its legal caselast year and then, in September, TfL refused Uber's bid to renew its operating licence on the grounds it was not a "fit and proper" operator.
Uber has since been working to bolster its standards - announcing last week that it was to introduce new safety measures nationwide.
It said on Monday that its decision to drop an appeal against the language tests - due to be heard on Tuesday - was a response to a change in TfL's plans for the tests.


London's mayor Sadiq Khan wanted the language exam to be part of the private hire driver's licence process

TfL said last week: "Since 14 October 2016, all applicants for a private hire driver's licence have been required to be able to communicate in English to a B1 standard.

"We are now looking at introducing an English language test which is more relevant to the role of a private hire driver but remains at B1 standard
"For example, including bespoke material with language and vocabulary that directly relates to the role and responsibilities of a private hire driver."

Commenting on the decision, an Uber spokesperson responded: "This is a welcome announcement from Transport for London.

"We support raising standards and believe that a new test focused on situations drivers may encounter makes a lot more sense. This means we will no longer pursue our legal appeal."

TfL said: "We believe that the ability to communicate in English at an appropriate level is a crucial element of the high standards of passenger safety and service Londoners and visitors to the city deserve.

"We are pleased that the appeal has been withdrawn and will work to introduce a new test that is more relevant to the role of a private hire driver.

"It would require applicants to demonstrate the appropriate level of English at the same level as the existing test but would include language and vocabulary that directly relates to a private hire driver's role and responsibilities."

Source Sky News
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Another Minicab Sexual Predator, Convicted For Grooming YoungPassenger !

February 19, 2018, 5:00 pm
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A 35-year-old male minicab driver has been convicted of attempting to meet a girl under 16 after grooming her. 

Spyros Ntounis, 35 [27.06.82] of Drayton Green Road, Ealing W13 was found guilty today, Monday, 19 February, following a three-day trial at Kingston Crown Court.
He was brought to justice following an investigation by the Met's Roads and Transport Policing Command Taxi and Private Hire Policing Team.
Ntounis, a private-hire vehicle driver, started committing the offence on Saturday, 22 April 2017 at 21:28hrs, when he picked up a 14-year-old girl from an address in Barnes.
The girl got into the backseat of the car and once the journey started, Ntounis engaged her in conversation, much of which was inappropriate. He gave her his telephone number in case she ever needed a mincab in the future, but got her to text him so that he would know if it was her.
Near to the end of the journey, Ntounis slowed down so much that the girl asked him why. He told her it was so he could spend more time her. They arrived at the victim's address and she went inside.
Ntounis then sent several messages to the girl on WhatsApp, which she replied to. Becoming concerned about the interaction, the girl told her parents. They blocked Ntounis's messages on WhatsApp and informed police. Undeterred, he later texted her directly. 
In order to get written evidence, the parents advised their daughter to respond to the texts before blocking those messages as well. In the messages, Ntounis admitted he had realised her age. The parents then reported this to police as well. 
Police officers carried out a search of Ntounis's home address, however he was not there. They later managed to contact Ntounis by phone and arranged for him to attend a north London police station on 30 May where he was cautioned. He gave a no comment interview.
Ntounis was released under investigation for enquiries to progress. Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, a charge of attempting to meet girl under 16 following sexual grooming was authorised. 
Ntounis was summonsed to court by Postal Charge and Requisition. 
Ntounis appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on 18 July 2017 where he pleaded not guilty. He will be sentenced on a date to be confirmed. 
Inspector Jas Sandhu, Met's Roads and Transport Policing Command said: "The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) will not tolerate any offences committed upon passengers of taxi and private hire vehicles and will robustly pursue offenders. 
"Thanks to the actions by the victim and her family and the Met's investigation, a dangerous individual's actions have been stopped from going any further." 
Siwan Hayward, Transport for London's Head of Transport Policing, said: "We take all allegations against licensed Taxi and Private Hire drivers extremely seriously and as soon as we were made aware of this offence we suspended this driver's licence immediately. As this case shows, reporting any behaviour that makes you feel uncomfortable is very important. It will be taken seriously and by working closely with the police we will fully investigate all allegations, bring offenders to justice and push for the toughest penalties possible."

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT.
So Siwan, it can be done.....

If 'reporting any behaviour that makes you feel uncomfortable is very important', why wasn't Uber driver Shahid Qureshi's Licence suspended after his first sexual assault?....(you remember....the Uber driver convicted yesterday for sexual assault on a passenger a year after he was arrested for a similar office in December 2016). 
Surely Siwan at TfLTPH, you have a duty of care to protect the public....if you are not doing this, then it's time you were relieved of your position and the post given to someone who can actually succeed in the job of protecting the public.  
TAXI LEAKS EXTRA COMMENT :
London Taxi Radio's Sean Paul Day 
Talks on public safety through the vetting system of Taxi Drivers, during three years on the knowledge.
    
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Uber's Policy Of "It's Easier To Ask Forgiveness Than Permission"Suspended In Morocco

February 19, 2018, 6:14 pm
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Uber said on Monday it would suspend operations in Morocco, two years after they began, as it tries to bring its business into line with local laws.

Uber has already halted services in Norway and Finland as it waits for the regulatory framework to change in those countries, a sign of the less pugnacious approach the company is taking toward local authorities. 

The U.S. ride-hailing company has faced bans, restrictions and protests around the world as it disrupts conventional taxi services. But its new chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, has struck a more conciliatory tone after a string of controversies that emerged under the former CEO, Travis Kalanick. 

“Since we launched in Morocco over two years ago, there has been a lack of clarity about new platforms like Uber and how they fit into the existing transport model,” Uber said in a statement. 

The company has engaged with policymakers to find a solution but “despite consistent dialogue ... we have yet to see any constructive progress on the regulations and can safely say we have exhausted all measures.” 

Uber will halt its services in Casablanca on Friday. It said services would resume as soon as new rules were in place. 

Morocco only recognizes conventional taxis and has no provisions for private hire vehicles. 

Uber has had to suspend its service using non-professional drivers in several European cities like Paris and Brussels, but it still operates a licensed service there. 

Khosrowshahi, who took over at Uber last year, said in October that “regulating services like Uber is totally appropriate”. 

Uber has 19,000 regular riders in Morocco and 300 drivers, who will be provided with financial support over the next two weeks. 

“We are committed to supporting the hundreds of drivers that have benefited from the economic opportunities of using the Uber app. We will be working closely with them through this difficult transition,” Uber said.

Source Reuters 

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Uber Class-Action Lawsuit Over How Drivers Were Paid Gets Green LightFrom Judge

February 19, 2018, 10:41 pm
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A class-action lawsuit alleging that Uber stiffed its drivers of fare money has received class certification, paving the way for the lawsuit to include thousands of drivers nationwide who did not sign an arbitration agreement with the San Francisco company.

The breach of contract lawsuit, filed in May in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, alleges that when Uber implemented a feature called "upfront pricing" in August 2016, it didn't pay drivers their fair share.

Previously, the cost of Uber rides was calculated based on factors such as miles traveled and time. Passengers were charged accordingly at the end of the ride, and Uber passed along 80% of the fare to drivers, keeping 20% for itself.

The lawsuit alleges that when Uber introduced upfront pricing, it quoted and charged passengers a higher fare upfront, but continued to pay drivers based on previous calculations, which resulted in drivers receiving less than 80% of the total fare.

"Uber has failed to properly act as payment collection agent for Plaintiff and other drivers," the lawsuit read. "Uber's failure to pay the amounts promised under the Agreement and the Addendum is a material breach of the Agreement."

Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This isn't the first time Uber has been slapped with a lawsuit over the way it pays its drivers.
In April, Los Angeles Uber driver Sophano Van filed a similar class action, yet to be certified, alleging that Uber's upfront pricing practice was a breach of contract.

The company has also been sued for pocketing drivers' tips, and it faces lawsuits around the country about whether it owes drivers expense reimbursement and benefits.

In the certification order issued last week and made public Friday evening, Judge William Alsup determined that the class includes Uber drivers across the country who meet all of the following criteria:
• Opted out of Uber’s arbitration provision.
• Drove for UberX or UberSelect.
• Transported a passenger who was charged an upfront fare before May 22, 2017, when Uber updated its driver fee schedule.
• Made less money overall on rides because of the upfront pricing.

Uber produced ride-by-ride data for all drivers who opted out of arbitration, which resulted in about 4,600 drivers who could participate in the lawsuit, said Paul B. Maslo, a partner at law firm Napoli Shkolnik and lead counsel for the drivers.
"Without this decision, it would have likely been the end of the road for drivers seeking to recover for Uber's breach," he said.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial.

Drivers will have until March 22 to opt out of the lawsuit and pursue their own litigation.

Source LA Times 

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Appeal after woman sexually assaulted in private hire car on ChristmasDay

February 20, 2018, 6:08 am
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Officers from the Met's Taxi and Private Hire team are appealing for witnesses after a woman was sexually assaulted in a mini-cab on Christmas day. 

At around 01:40hrs on Monday, 25 December the victim, a 20-year-old woman, attempted to hire a mini-cab in Croydon but was unable to do so.

A group of females approached the woman, one of whom ordered her a mini-cab from her mobile phone.

When the mini-cab arrived at the top of Laud Street/High Street, the woman got in and asked to be taken home. 

Around 15 minutes into the journey, the driver stopped in Penge Road/Sunnybank Road where he sexually assaulted her. 

She managed to get away out of the rear door and flagged down a passing car whose occupants called police. The driver then made off. 

The suspect is described as a male with brown skin.

PC Louise Coleman, from the Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: "The suspect took complete advantage of a vulnerable female and the incident has left her extremely shaken. 

"If you were there that night, or have any information which could help progress this investigation, please get in touch."

Police would like to speak with any members of the group who helped the victim get a mini cab, particularly the female who ordered the mini cab for her.

If you were part of this group or have any information, you are urged to contact the Taxi and Private Hire Policing Investigations Unit on  0208 345 1076.

Alternatively, you can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at https://is.gd/waGaEn
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Nottingham Council Show TfL How It Should Be Done.

February 20, 2018, 8:20 am
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TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT UP FRONT 

Nottingham council are showing the was forward. Not only are the council investing in Electric Charging infrastructure, they are actually buying a small number of new ULEV Taxi to lease out to drivers who can't afford to buy directly. Plus, they are also to carry on promoting the present Euro VI models. 

Below is an article from The Business Desk: 

Nottingham's famous enough Green Taxis.

Nottingham City Council is driving changes to the city’s fleet of taxis as it continues on a journey of improvement.

Next week it will unveil eco-friendly hackney cab vehicles, and a new app, as part of an ongoing programme of changes.

The most noticeable change will be a new black-and-white livery that will replace the existing green cabs.

More significantly, the council will be placing orders for a small number of Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) models and investing in supporting charging infrastructure.

It has the ambition of all of the city’s cabs, which currently total 411, to be either ULEV models or meet Euro VI, a European Union directive that sets standards for emissions from light commercial vehicles.

The changes will contribute to achieving air quality standards and support any potential Clean Air Zone, the council said.

Cllr Toby Neal from Nottingham City Council said: “For too long, taxis have been the poor relation in Nottingham’s integrated transport network.

“This is a really exciting transformation of taxi services in our city.

“It means we will no longer have cabs churning out exhaust fumes while sitting in the rank, so it benefits everyone in the city, not just taxi passengers.”

A new app has been developed by MyTaxi, which has 18,000 drivers signed up in London alone. Nottingham becomes the first UK city to follow London in launching the service that allows passengers to book a hackney from their smart phone, use cashless payment and have their journey and driver logged.

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Glamour Model Turned Cabby, Joins Team Of Ex-Page 3 Girls To HelpCancer Stricken Colleague

February 20, 2018, 10:13 pm
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We all remember The Sun newspaper's page 3 girls, how could anybody possibly forget them. They were as much a part of British culture over the last few decades as pie and mash.

Sadly, one of those iconic ladies has been stricken with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, a very rare form of cancer.

Belinda Charlton Gilfoyle, 48 and pictured above, was diagnosed with the illness 4 years ago, it has attacked her tongue and has spread to her lungs and her breastbone.

Unfortunately, the NHS are unable to treat Belinda, there is, however the possibility of a ground-breaking treatment abroad, which will give her a real fighting chance.

Glamour model turned taxi driver Donna Ewin, plus several other models, have flown into action to help their friend and fellow page 3 girl.

A charitable event to help raise funds for Belinda's treatment will take place on 28th March with full details to be released soon. The girls have also started a go-fund-me page to help Belinda, the target figure is £250,000. This figure will help facilitate Belindas treatment and give her a real shot at beating her illness.

I spoke to the ever-popular, Donna Ewin, who decided to follow in her fathers footsteps to become a cabby 17 years ago, she said:

 "Belinda is a beautiful person, inside and out, she is a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She is incredibly brave and her selflessness is truly amazing. We are here to ask the public for help so that she has a fighting chance to beat this awful illness."

Donna added: "please, if you are able to, make a donation, no matter how small the amount, every penny will help this wonderful woman."

If you wish to donate, please visit:

https://www.gofundme.com/help-us-cure-belinda

Article from TaxiPoint 

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT : OUR OWN PAGE 3


please see the article in the Sun, all about Belinda's colleagues coming together to raise the funds for her treatment. 

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