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OUR RANKS, NOT FOR SALE...Another Administrational Cock Up From the Directorate of LTPH...by Jim Thomas

May 10, 2013, 12:54 am
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Early yesterday evening it became evident that something was not Kosher on the Hilton Park Lane Taxi rank.

Drivers, expelled from one of the busiest working Taxi ranks in Central London, watched in disbelief as a plinth was erected on the point of our rank to display the prise of a commercial RAFFLE.

A notice of suspension was attached to the Taxi post and the whole of rank 4762 was coned off.


In the same disgraceful spirit of the Olympic, where we saw Taxi ranks moved away from venues at the bequest of commercial sponsors, we were informed we would have to use the rank in Hamilton Place.

In the past months we have seen (with the full blessing of LTPH) "Free Private Hire Taxi ranks" operated in Central London by commercial companies plus main Taxi rank suspensions at places like the Dorchester, Grosvenor House and the Victoria and Albert museum, in order to facilitate certain private hire companies use of our ranks.

We even saw LTPH suspend the rank at the Roof Garden restaurant for a private party where later in the evening the doorman was arrested by Cab enforcement, as a private hire company used the rank in order for their vehicles to tout business.

This practise must be stamped out, before it becomes the norm.



A group of concerned RMT drivers complained to their trade representative (who was on the scene in minutes) and a call was made to the new temporary General Manager of LTPH to ascertain exactly what was going on. 

Helen Chapman stated that LTPH had been approached by a commercial company to suspend the main rank outside the Hilton in order for a raffle prise to be displayed. She said she felt obliged to accommodate the request, otherwise the company might be unhappy in choosing the Hilton on subsequent occasions. 



The RMT rep pointed out, it is not the place of LTPH to accommodate private commercial enterprise and her first responsibility should be towards the the trade that her department license. It is the license fees of hard working Taxi drivers who pay for the administration of this rank and not a commercial company. 

She was then asked if LTPH had received any remuneration for this suspension, to which she replied LTPH seek no financial gain from rank suspensions. Not quite the answer to the question asked!

So we ask again:
DO COMPANIES PAY TO HAVE OUR RANKS SUSPENDED? 
There must be a cost involved, so who picks up the tab...does that come out of our license fees too. 

INITIAL PROTEST: 
Incensed drivers then took direct action against the rank revocation and the cones were removed accessing just two of the normal four spaces, but at least a presence would be available to guests attending the evenings functions at the hotel, surely guests leaving the hotel have a right to expect Taxis to be found outside, not a raffle prise.



By now members of the United Cabbies Group were on site and a mass demonstration was quickly arranged for midnight. Drivers felt strongly that their working rights were being abused by LTPH, who had bent over backwards to accommodate the Raffle company . 

On the stroke of midnight the Hotel was embargoed and the whole area was blocked by protesting Taxis. 

A hurried meeting was soon arranged by the hotel management who were very apologetic and surprised as no previous objection had been formally offered by the trade. They ordered the raffle company to immediately remove the car and dismantle the plinth. This was then carried out ahead of schedule and the rank returned to normal working, hours before the planned 2am finish of the main function.

It also emerged on Twitter that the United Trade Group (LTDA, LCDC and Unite) had been informed about the intended revocation and by their action of not objecting, sanctioned the ranks suspension. Also we found out, the suspension was apparently advertised, not in the main stream Taxi media, not by TfL notice or even on their @TfLTPH twitter account, but on Unite's CTN blog. 

 

What next?
Will we see ranks sold off at other hotels and main line stations?....Will we see more complementary   private hire Taxi services?

Unity is strength. 
Well done to those who turned up to protest. Sometimes you have to stand back and look at the bigger picture. Although some drivers were annoyed that their night was interrupted  for an hour, the hotel will in future, think twice about suspending this busy rank for something as petty as a raffle prise.

 We have shown that we will not sit back or roll over, as our ranks are sold off to the highest bidder by LTPH. Not a great start for the new General Manager of Taxis and Private Hire. 




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Not Fit as Taxis but OK for TfL Contractor to Ferry Their Staff Around London...By SuperCabby

May 11, 2013, 1:45 pm
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Recently most of the beloved Fairway London Taxis that have plyed for hire on the streets of London from the original FX4 to the last Fairway in 1997 have been slowly disappearing from our streets due to the Mayor of London’s Air Quality Strategy where he introduced an age limit for Taxis on the basis that older vehicles were polluting London. 

So we find it quite amazing that one of TfL’s contractors are continuing to use these “unfit” Taxis to ferry their staff around London, yes the same taxis that the Mayor of London states are no longer fit to be used as Licensed London Taxis.



The company in question is Arriva who operate bus services on behalf of TfL, they have been using old taxis to ferry bus drivers and staff around for a number of years but did not advertise the fact that they operated the taxis as they were kept just plain black with no advertising or company name on them.



Recently Arriva have come out of the closet and seem to be proud of the fact that they are using ex London Taxis that were taken off the road for being too polluting by re-painting them Red and adding their name to the front doors of the Taxis


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As you can see the Taxis are extremely bold and Arriva have stuck a rather large logo on the front doors of the Taxis which makes them stand out.

Effectively these Taxis are being used to transport staff around who are working on behalf of TfL by one of their contractors, taxis that we were told we are no longer allowed to use, taxis that Arriva purchased at knocked down prices due to the Mayor;s air Quality strategy making them of no use in London therefore decreasing their value.

Most of the Taxi’s are in very bad condition with dents all over them, no wheel trims and bumper end caps missing as the above pictures can confirm.



So how can it be right that Taxis that we have been told are no longer fit to be licensed due to their age and pollution figures can now be used to transport staff around who are working on behalf of TfL albeit for one of their contractors and the contractor seems to be quite blasé about the whole thing and this is all happening right under TfLs noses?

Just seems to be a case of don’t do as I do, but merely do as you are told on the part of TfL.

And it appears that London is not the only area that Arriva are using Taxis that no longer meet licensing requirements to transport staff around!

Source: http://www.supercabby.co.uk

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Best Music Video....Ever!

May 13, 2013, 5:58 am
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Made In Chelsea star Rosie Fortescue misses Bafta night after ‘minicab driver falls asleep at wheel and crashes into four cars’

May 13, 2013, 9:35 am
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Made In Chelsea’s Sunday night Bafta victory was bittersweet as one of the show’s stars was unable to attend after being involved in a horrific car crash.

Fashion blogger Rosie Fortescue has been resting and recovering at home after suffering severe whiplash and heavy bruising after a routine minicab ride turned into a near death experience.

The 23-year-old reality television star was left shocked and scared after her minicab driver reportedly fell asleep at the wheel and ploughed into four cars.

A representative for Rosie told MailOnline: ‘She has whip lash from the impact, but is now recovering at home.’

Rosie had been out on Friday night partying with friends in central London and decided to get a pre-booked minicab home.

The car was travelling down the Fulham Road back to her Chelsea home in the early hours of the morning when the accident happened.

While speaking on her mobile phone to her twin sister Lily at around 6am, Rosie realised there was something not right as her cab began to veer dangerously close to other vehicles.

A source close to Fortesque told MailOnline: ‘The driver fell asleep at the wheel and veered into four cars outside Maggie’s nightclub.

‘Rosie was encouraged to wait for police by onlookers, but hopped into a black cab and continued home.’

Although extremely terrified and shocked by what had occurred, she was able to call back her sister and explained why she had abruptly ended their conversation. Putting their differences aside: Louise and Lucy posed together despite their turbulent relationship in the show

Putting their differences aside: Louise Thompson and Lucy Watson posed together despite their turbulent relationship in the show

The source added: ‘She was on the phone to her sister Lily at the time who naturally was massively upset by the whole incident.’

Rosie has since been in contact with the minicab company who are processing the complaint but nothing has yet come of it.

The source told MailOnline: ‘Rosie is currently looking at legal options.’

After gathering her composure following the crash she said on Twitter ‘Never use Express Way cars if you don’t want your minicab driver to fall asleep at the wheel. F***ing offensive!’

A source close to the cab company told MailOnline: ‘The driver in question has since been sacked. He was self-employed, and no longer works there.’

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

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Disabled account users feeling ‘frightened and unsafe’ after problems with minicabs on Taxicard scheme

May 13, 2013, 9:37 am
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Disabled TaxiCard passengers in Harrow who have specifically asked for a Black cab are complaining, despite frequent requests for Taxis, they are still  sent cars.

Taxicard scheme user Brenda Webster from Sudbury Town, suffers from Arthritis and Fibrosis. She has great difficulty getting in and out of cars. When she phones ComCab on the TaxiCard account, she always asks for a Taxi.

But for months now, they have only been sending her cars. Her friend Maureen Redhead said "I thought it was illegal for minicabs to advertise a Taxi service, they can't use the word Taxi or cab in adverts, my friend is a Taxi driver and he told me its against the law. If they don't supply a Taxi, then they should be made to change the name of this scheme to MinicabCard."

Brenda said "The only way you can get a real Taxi on this scheme, is to flag down a ComCab and then let them swipe your card. My brother, a proper London Cabby, told me local Harrow drivers lost out big time when ComCab was sold to a minicab firm. He was on ComCab for years, but left soon after the take over. He's on this Hailo phone app thing now. It's better for him, but us poor sods have to use these bloody minicabs, we got no choice."

Brenda also said, "I recently had a course of treatment at Harefield  Hospital. I phoned ComCab and told them I needed a Taxi because of my arthritis. But when the transport turned up, it was a minicab. Its not right treating us like this."

Fellow TaxiCard user Yvonne Nash, also from Sudbury said "Taxis always went the best way and you knew exactly what the fare was, it was on the meter. Worst of all, these minicab drivers keep taking their eyes off the road to look at their video thingy telling them the way to go. One driver told me he regularly does 12-14 hour shifts, now that can't be safe. I used to love talking to the Taxi drivers but these minicabs frighten the life out of me."

And it's not just in Harrow. Below is an article from the Ilford Recorder:
Evelyn Jones, of Tudor Crescent, regularly used her Taxicard – a discounted travel service for people with serious mobility impairment – until recently after private hire vehicles (PHVs) were introduced.
The scheme, run by London Councils and funded by Transport for London, included PHVs three months ago. But many users struggle to get into normal cars.
Evelyn’s daughter, Linda, 62, said: “My mother has rheumatism and gout in both her legs and is unable to bend her knees. She can’t really walk unaided.
“Low-down minicabs really cause her, like many of her friends, a problem – she just can’t get in.
“She is used to getting picked up in black cabs which she recognises and trusts and are designed for those with mobility problems. She feels safe in them.”
Linda added: “I have informed them but it hasn’t made a difference.
“It is just so wrong to ask an elderly or infirm person to try to get in a car that isn’t suitable. It is preventing her from going out.
“My mother feels frightened when using minicabs as police are always warning them just to use black cabs.”
Janet Poole, 66, of New North Road, Hainault, has suffered the same problem.
She said: “I think it is ridiculous to ask those with mobility issues to use cars that aren’t suitable.
“I have a mobility scooter, and like many, need help when using transport – which many minicab drivers are not used to dealing with.”
A spokesman for London Councils said: “It is a contractual requirement of the scheme to increase the number of vehicles available to members and to reduce the cost of travel. We provide our contractor with details of any members who can travel in either a taxi only, a PHV vehicle only or both, therefore safeguarding individuals’ needs.”
Editorial comment:
The Taxi trade has stood by and watched the TaxiCard disabled account, once referred to as the jewel in the NHS transportation crown, evolve into a major minicab account. Is this an example of TfL pushing work towards an over subscribe private hire trade at the expense of suburban drivers, in order to keep the license fees rolling in?

At the drivers expense, a Licensed Taxi has to be wheelchair accessible, have a working ramp, special seat belts to accommodate and secure a wheelchair and a special disable swivel seat. After all this extra expense, TfL give the disabled account work over to private hire. It's an insult to the whole Taxi trade. 

How can it be right for Boris to spend £200 million of our money on his folly, of a new over priced hybrid bus and then TfL scrapes the barrel when it comes to the needs of disabled Londoners. 
Each one of these 600 buses will go on costing an extra £60k (£36m a year) to pay for the extra staff needed, whose only role will be to ring the bell.
And also, lets not forget the £124 million spent on the Boris bike scheme, a scheme that Paris got fully subsidised by the commercial sector which didn't cost the Parisian tax payers a single cent.

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Mayfair Hotel Concierge And Night Porter Jailed For Raping Guests.

May 14, 2013, 6:00 am
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TODAY MAY 14th


PAUL ABERCROMBIE, MAYFAIR HOTEL CONCIERGE, GUILTY OF RAPING GUEST

MAYFAIR, CENTRAL LONDON;  A concierge at a five-star Mayfair hotel faces jail today (tues) for trying to smother an advertising executive with a pillow after sneaking into her room to molest her. Paul Abercrombie, 24, pounced on the American, punching her repeatedly before dragging her onto the bed and sexually assaulting her at the Westbury Hotel in Conduit Street. The woman, who lost a tooth and suffered a black eye, feared she would die as Abercrombie tried to smother her but bravely fought back until he fled, Southwark Crown Court heard. A jury of eight women and four men took almost 13 hours to convict Abercrombie of attempted rape, sexual assault, committing an offence, namely assault occasioning actual bodily harm, with intent to commit a sexual offence and trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence.


AND LAST MONTH APRIL 19th

Soby John: Hotel porter who raped TV star in her room jailed for 10 year

He took advantage of the celeb because she was so drunk she could hardly stand and then took intimate photographs of her on mobiles


Guilty: Rapist Soby John

A night porter who raped a TV star in her hotel room after a friend’s birthday party was jailed for ten years today.

Soby John, 25, took advantage of the woman celeb because she was so drunk she could hardly stand and then took intimate photographs of her on her iPhone and on his mobile.

The court heard that Indian-born John was in Britain on a student visa which had expired.

However, although he was due for deportation, he was allowed to work as a night porter at the five-star hotel in west London.

Jailing him at London’s Southwark crown court, Judge Alistair McCreath said the trauma had forced the victim to become anxious and lose trust in men.

He told John: “This victim was highly intoxicated and I have no doubt at all that you raped her for precisely that reason.

John had taken a picture of her semi naked on her phone and had used it to send text messages.

In addition, he took pictures on his phone, which has never been recovered, and made it appear that they had exchanged their personal numbers.

Peter Higginson, defending, told the court that John was a “naive young man floundering in a culture which he hasn’t quite come to terms with.”

Judge McCreath ordered that John be deported when he has served his sentence.


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ARE DIESEL AND PETROL PRICES BEING RIGGED.

May 15, 2013, 5:08 am
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There has been a dramatic overnight development.  EU competition authorities have ‘raided’ the offices of some Oil companies and the office of at least one company that supplies Oil pricing information to the market on suspicion of market manipulation.

This EU investigation offers the hope that we will finally be able to answer the question – 
have we been systematically ‘ripped off’ over the years or not?  

At the moment, it’s an investigation and we don’t know what the authorities will find.  However, the fact that they have seen fit to launch the investigation shows the urgent need for greater transparency in how the Oil market works.  If wrong doing is uncovered, it promises to be as big a scandal as the Banks fixing the LIBOR interest rate.

News that EU competition authorities have raided some Oil companies and the offices of those companies that monitor and report the price of Oil is a dramatic development. At this stage, we simply don’t know where this will lead. At the very least, it clearly shows that the Oil market must be made more transparent so that we can be confident that it is working fairly. At worse, it raises the spectre that we have indeed all been ‘ripped off’ in spectacular style.

Earlier this year the UK Office of Fair Trading did an’ inquiry into whether we needed an inquiry’ in relation to the petrol/diesel market. We were extremely disappointed that based on their initial work, they decided not to carry out a full scale investigation. Our Quentin Willson also wrote to the UK Financial Services Agency asking them to look into ‘whistleblower’ claims that the Oil market was being manipulated. Again, we were disappointed by their response. At last, someone has appears to have acted decisively and we now have a real chance of getting to the truth.

Personal Comment from Quentin Willson

'News today that European investigators have raided oil company offices comes as no surprise to us. I wrote to the FSA last year asking for an enquiry into oil price manipulation and FairFuel had meetings with the OFT asking for the same thing. Neither official body thought an investigation would be appropriate. Yet we knew that the spikes in the price of oil last year couldn't possibly be due to supply and demand since the major global economies were in recession and everybody was consuming less oil and buying less fuel. We voiced our concerns and nobody listened.

 The whole oil market needs much greater scrutiny. I've said before that its an opaque market without any real accountability and badly needs an official watchdog with teeth - empowered to levy draconian fines. But if these allegations are true and the European Commission do find robust evidence, this is a price fixing scandal that will make Libor look like overcharging in a sweet shop. Its not just oil companies that will have been involved but banks, commodity houses, oil traders and stock brokers. For years the financial markets have been trading oil aggressively and pushing up prices across the globe. There have been financial institutions with more oil floating on the oceans in tankers than the oil majors. They wait for a hike in price (which may have been manipulated) and then sell for hundreds of million dollars of profit. Easy work.

And the actual cost to businesses and consumers over the last decade could, if these allegations are true, run into many billions of pounds and have actually accelerated the global financial meltdown of 2008. That I know is an apocalyptic statement but if you look at the numbers back then the price of crude rose to such levels that it destabilised the global supply chain and added huge extra costs to almost everything. The high price of oil has been a major factor in reducing global growth in the last five years and if it does turn out that prices have been artificially massaged then both the oil industry and its practitioners should be held to account. I want a full, root and branch investigating into the way oil prices are reported and a proper watchdog to make sure price fixing can't happen.

FairFuel and I don't want to sound smug, but we did warn the Government about this on numerous occasions and they did nothing."

                          
Source: FareFuel.com
  
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BYD's electric Taxis hit Hong Kong roads with big ambitions

May 15, 2013, 7:00 am
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(Reuters) - Warren Buffett-backed Chinese carmaker BYD Co Ltd rolled out Hong Kong's first electric taxi fleet on Wednesday, marking a milestone for its all-electric battery car that highlights its promise and its limitations.

"We expect to increase the number of e6 taxis in Hong Kong to 5,000 in three years," said Liu Xueliang, general manager of BYD Asia Pacific sales, after the company announced it is making a push in the former British colony to encourage the use of its all-electric e6 taxi.

The Hong Kong Taxi & Public Light Bus Association said it is renting from BYD an initial fleet of 45 taxis for HK$8,000 ($1,000) each per month, although only six vehicles had licenses so far. The association is BYD's only Hong Kong customer to date.

The e6's use in Hong Kong's taxi fleet points to the technology's promise as a "zero-tailpipe-emission" vehicle, but its high cost has resulted in sluggish sales for private use, the very demand that BYD had been counting on to boost sales.

The e6 sells for 369,800 yuan ($60,200) in mainland China and HK$448,000 ($57,700) in Hong Kong.

When BYD launched the car a few years ago in China, the e6 was intended for private use on the mainland and in the United States, but never quite caught on. BYD sold about 1,700 e6 vehicles in China last year, according to industry data.

The e6's failure to prove popular among everyday consumers is not only bad news for BYD, it illustrates how China's policy goal of putting 5 million "new-energy" cars on the road by 2020 is not going as planned.

China's central government defines new-energy cars as either all-electric battery cars or heavily electrified plug-in hybrid vehicles.

To make up for slow sales of the e6, BYD executives told Reuters last month it planned to start promoting conventional gasoline-electric hybrid technology. They said BYD might stop over the next few years making all-gasoline cars and sell only electric-assisted cars such as conventional hybrids or all-electric vehicles.

Liu said on Wednesday that two to three new cars in the pipeline would be hybrids, but he gave no date for their release.

In addition to promoting the e6 as a taxi, BYD is also offering the e6 to private consumers in Hong Kong, just an hour by car from its headquarters in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.

"If Hong Kong's 18,000 taxis and 12,000 diesel-fuelled buses are all replaced with electric cars, the reduction of emissions will be equivalent to that of 800,000 private cars and it will reduce Hong Kong's emissions by 50 percent," said Wang Chuanfu, the billionaire engineer who founded BYD.

The launch of the fleet comes as Hong Kong is seeing increasingly high pollution readings, due in part to the rising number of cars on the city's already congested roads.

Shares in BYD have tumbled about 60 percent since a late 2009 peak. The stock was up nearly 5 percent on Wednesday at a two-year high of HK$33.30, beating a 0.4 percent gain for the benchmark Hang Seng Index.

($1 = 6.1428 Chinese yuan)

($1 = 7.7615 Hong Kong dollars)

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Upcoming Event and Road Closures

May 15, 2013, 6:26 pm
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Road closures and events up and coming:
You can find information about major public events and works in London that involve road closures and could therefore disrupt traffic on the TfL website. Live traffic news and disruptions taking place on London's major roads can also be found on the TfL website.
 
Upcoming events include: 

   Friday 17 May – Sunday 20 May 2013: Due to works outside Marble Arch Station eastbound vehicles wishing to access Oxford Street  will be diverted down Park Lane, Upper Brook street, Park Street and then back on to Oxford Street.

   Between 22:00 and 05:30 on Tuesday 21 May, Thursday 23 May and Tuesday 4 June Orchard Street to Oxford Circus will be closed because of Crossrail works.

   Friday 28 June 2013, The City of London Festival’s Children’s Parade takes place between 12.45-13.30. Roads closed to allow the parade to take place are Gresham Street, Old Jewry, Poultry, Cheapside, Newgate Street, Warwick Lane, Ave Maria Lane and Paternoster Square. The road closures will be between 12:00 and 14:00. 

   Saturday 3 August – Sunday 4 August 2013, RideLondon FreeCycle, Grand Prix, London to Surrey 100 and the London to Surrey Classic events all take place
 
Chelsea Flower Show
The Kipper season traditionally ends next week with the start of the Chelsea Flower Show, taking place between Tuesday 21 May and Saturday 25 May 2013 and as in previous years a taxi rank will operate during the event.
 
The taxi rank will be in two portions:
    1st portion is for 5 spaces and is in the bullring/entrance of the flower show 
    2nd portion is for 4 taxis and is on Chelsea Embankment, in the suspended bus stop
 
Drivers are warned by TfL not park or rank on the zig-zag lines when using the ranks.
Unsurprisingly, no warning has been issued to private hire from TfL or LTPH not to illegally rank, ply for hire or tout.



WHAT WILL THE AUTHORITIES DO ABOUT THE LINES RICKSHAWS THAT WILL PARK AND ILLEGALLY PLY FOR HIRE THE LENGTH OF CHELSEA BRIDGE ROAD?
In a single word....nothing!

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Midland WW2 veterans taking a taxi to D-Day anniversary commemoration

May 16, 2013, 1:38 pm
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Picture of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France  


June 6 event marks 69 years since Allied forces invaded Normandy to battle Hitler's occupying troops.
Veterans at a service at Bayeux Cemetery on the 65th anniversary of the Normandy landings
West Midland war veterans are to retrace their historic steps to the site of the Normandy D-Day landings after 69 years – courtesy of Birmingham’s TOA Taxis.

The Birmingham taxi firm has volunteered to ferry 16 Second World War survivors by convoy to the D-Day beaches for the June 6 commemoration of the Allies’ invasion and the bloody battle against the Nazi occupiers.


The veterans, all from the Birmingham and West Midlands, are now in their 90s and will initially be driven to the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, near Lichfield, in four black cabs following a send-off by the Lord Mayor John Lines from Birmingham Council House.

The convoy will be accompanied to Staffordshire by the committee and members of the Normandy Veterans Association, including President Tony Martin, Chairman Les Reeves and Secretary Peter Lloyd.

Veterans will gather for a memorial service at noon at their NVA plot, led by the Rev Mike Charles, and followed by an act of remembrance where the Last Post will be sounded and a wreath-laying ceremony performed.


TOA Taxis Secretary Brian Lee said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the Normandy Veterans Association after the success of last year’s convoy to Holland, and we are honoured to be escorting the veterans and attending the memorial that will commemorate their heroic service to the country.”

President of the Normandy Veterans Association Tony Martin and Secretary Peter Lloyd said the trek to France could be the last for some of the survivors of the D-Day landings.

“We are usually in Normandy on this day, but we are saving our finances, efforts and resources for next year to take part in the various parades and services in Normandy for the 70th anniversary.

“This may be the last organised visit, bearing in mind the health and average age of the veterans,” they added.

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Way to go Bromsgrove

May 17, 2013, 7:40 am
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Bromsgrove could get more taxi ranks near night spots

Read more: Bromsgrove could get more taxi ranks near night spots | Bromsgrove Standard

PLANS for Bromsgrove to have an extended taxi rank close to the town's two latest opening night spots will go before the district council's licensing committee on Monday (May 20).

The proposals will see the number of spaces reserved for taxis along Worcester Road extended from the three currently there to nine or ten.

The spaces will be conveniently placed for those revellers coming out of B61, above the Dog and Pheasant, which opens until the early hours of Saturday morning, and Love2Love nightclub, which is open until 4am on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The move comes just three months after a story we ran in The Standard about residents in Station Street being angered at being kept awake by waiting taxis in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday morning. They claimed the headlights of the vehicles and the sound of their engines running made it impossible to get a good night's sleep at the weekend.

The plans were drawn up after letters to the council from Bromsgrove Taxi Association and West Mercia Police.

The association requested an extra seven spaces at least and the police's correspondence came after a meeting with representatives of the force, the district council and Worcestershire Regulatory Services.

The new spaces would be on the same side of the Worcester Road as the current ones, but the other side of Station Street, more or less opposite George House.

If approved on Monday, council officers will be given the go ahead to carry out a 28-day public consultation.


Source:| Bromsgrove Standard

Editorial Comment
London's licensing authorities should take a leaf out of Bromsgrove planning department. New night Venues and Licensed Taxi ranks should go hand in hand with planning applications.

Before entertainment licenses are granted there should be permission by the local council for a reasonable sized Taxi rank to be place along side the main exit.

Only then should satellite office licenses be considered. There must be no provision of space for minicabs to wait to become hired and only Pre booked PHV be allowed to pick up.

Pre booking cars need to be defined and we would suggest that a time span of at least 15 minutes must be implemented. With no on site straight away bookings.

Advances in technology is quite able to supply PH firms with equipment to ensure these rules are adhered to.

We predict that if this were the case in general the serious assault and rape statistics would drop dramatically. The only losers would be LTPH's coffers.

We've proved it works on many occasions, put Taxis outside clubs and the public will use them in preference to minicabs.


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Will TfLs Nightmare Come True....It's all up to you.

May 18, 2013, 9:25 am
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Again the RMT has been the first to urge for a truly united trade to come together to develop a combined strategy in dealing with serious problems facing the trade. Before, their offers have been declined with some representative groups not even bothering to reply. 

But times are changing fast, and attitudes are beginning to change. A new hope has emerged in the form of an encouraging reply from the General Sec. Steve McNamara of the LTDA. The one thing TfL fear the most is a truly united trade. They have spent the last decade trying to keep the trade fragmented which has culminated in a biased, elitist engagement policy. PR scams such as the Cabbies Cabinet have proved to be no more than smoke and mirrors designed to stall for time. 



But at last the future looks brighter than it did a few weeks ago.

TfLs Managing director for Surface Transport Leon Daniels famously said, the London Taxi Trade needs to get its act together.

There is an old saying:
Be careful what you wish for, because sometimes wishes do come true!

Below is the post that has appeared on the New RMT Blog site.

RMT call for all trade group Law Commission Meeting. 

The RMT has convened a meeting to discuss the threat of the Law Commission and invitations have been sent to all the trade organisations.

We await responses.

We welcome the response we have received from the General Sec. Steve McNamara of the LTDA that although their view is that the Law Commission is not the threat we identify it as and therefore won't attend this time, we differ on that analysis but respect their right to hold that opinion.

He also stated that further meetings between all trade groups should be possible. This is a very welcome development and of course there will always be differences between us but the key in defending the trade is of course UNITY, without it we are done for!

No doubt alarm bells are ringing in Palestra, Windsor House and various PH enterprises, we are all aware of the facetious comment of Mr Leon Daniels of TfL and Olympic Lanes Tzar who stated that the cab trade 'needs to get its act together'.

Well Leon looks like your wish could become your nightmare as TfL's carefully constructed strategy of divide and conquer begins to fall apart as the cab trade looks at what unifies them rather than divides them and that TfL are the root cause of many of our issues.

So at last something 100% positive to report, time to put the past aside and move the cab trade onwards to a bright future, after all that's  where we are going to spend the rest of our lives.

Well done Steve McNamara, we look forward to a constructive dialogue.





 
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Open Letter To The Current LTPH Directorate.

May 19, 2013, 7:09 am
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Time To Get THEIR Act Together.

Recent events have shown that the officers employed by TfL to run Taxi and Private Hire licensing are woefully under-trained  Most seem unaware of the laws governing our two trades and it is our belief that better training of all officers and staff would be highly beneficial to both Taxis and Private Hire.

I have just been informed of a perfect opportunity for the directorate to brush up on its knowledge of the acts and case law governing Hackney carriage and Private Hire licensing in London, a one day seminar being undertaken in July by Taxi law expert and Derbyshire solicitor Mr James Button. 

If you remember, he wrote the massive book that staff of LTPH would always refer to when faced with difficult questions about illegal plying for hire. His book was often referred to with greater authority than the Hackney carriage and London cab acts themselves, until finally he had to make a statement which showed LTPH had been misinterpreting his work on the subject.

Below are the details of the course:

A One Day Course on 15th July 2013 at Agricultural Business Centre, Bakewell, Derbyshire.
Facilitated by: James Button BA., Solicitor, CIoL, MCIArb - Principal,
Taxi (Hackney Carriage and Private Hire) Licensing is one of the biggest and most contentious areas of Licensing. This introductory course provides an outline of the role and functions of the committee, and looks in detail at the law and practice of taxi licensing.
Taking into account recent case law, including the Singh case on immediate suspensions, it provides practical advice, making it ideal for the newcomer or as a refresher for those more experienced.

Session 1—. Taxi Licensing within a Local Authority
  • The role of the Licensing Committee.
  • Status as an administrative body.
  • Fair decision making.
  • Procedures.
  • Human Rights Act 1998.
  • Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
  • DBS Disclosures
  • Appeals against Committee Decisions
Course Outline







Session 3 – Hackney Carriages and private hire • Hackney Carriage Drivers
∗ Criteria for Grant
∗ Conditions & Byelaws
∗ Suspension & Revocation
• Private Hire Operators
∗ Provision For Booking’s ∗ Vehicles and Drivers
∗ Conditions
∗ Exempted Hiring's
∗ Courtesy cars Suspension & Revocation


Session 2 – Hackney Carriages
  • Hackney Carriage basics
  • Private Hire basics
  • Fees
  • Hackney Carriage Vehicles
    Conditions
    • ∗  Numbers Of Hackney Carriage
    • ∗  Plying for Hire
    • ∗  Ranks
    • ∗  Fares

Session 4 – Private Hire
  • Private Hire Vehicles ∗ Conditions
    ∗ Stretched Limousines
    ∗ Meters
    ∗ Roof Signs
    ∗ Suspension & Revocation
  • Private Hire Drivers
    ∗ CriteriaforGrant
    ∗ Conditions&Byelaws
    • Suspension & Revocation

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Holborn Circus: Area Enhancement Strategy.

May 19, 2013, 11:10 am
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The City of London and the London Borough of Camden, in conjunction with Transport for London, have developed an ambitious scheme to improve the Holborn Circus junction. This significant proposal was subject to public consultation in March 2011, and received much public support.
The scheme will address the root causes of the high accident rate at the junction. The overall layout of the junction will be made simpler and safer for all users. New signalised crossings will be provided, making it much safer for pedestrians to cross the roads leading into the junction. The general environment around the junction will be improved, with a new public space being provided in front of St Andrew’s Church.

Transport for London has committed to fund the scheme, and construction of the junction is planned to take place in 2013.




What's Changed 
Since the March 2011 consultation, the proposals have been enhanced further based on the comments received, with a view to maximising safety at the junction.

Amongst other changes, we have introduced a southbound contraflow cycle facility at the south end of Hatton Garden. This will provide a southbound route for cyclists wishing to cross Holborn Circus. This proposal has been developed in consultation with cyclist groups and is consistent with the London Borough of Camden’s policies to encourage cycling, and remove barriers to cycle accessibility, including providing two-way cycling on one- way streets.




Further Consultation
A key element of the Holborn Circus proposals is that Hatton Garden will operate one-way northbound at the junction with Holborn Circus. In addition to this, it is now proposed that the right turn from Charterhouse Street into Hatton Garden should no longer be permitted. This will remove the potential for conflict between right turning vehicles and vehicles travelling north from New Fetter Lane.

In addition to addressing a potential safety issue, this proposal would reduce unnecessary rat-running traffic on Hatton Garden. A recent traffic survey found that over an entire day, 125 vehicles turned right into Hatton Garden from Charterhouse Street. Of these, 107 (86%) were rat-running vehicles that did not have a destination in Hatton Garden itself.

Another key change to the design is that it is now proposed to change the advisory cycle lanes on High Holborn, Charterhouse Street and Holborn Viaduct. It is now proposed to convert these to mandatory cycle lanes on the approaches to the junction. This will provide important protection to vulnerable users. As on-street loading would not be permitted in the mandatory cycle lanes during the active hours, it is proposed to create a new inset loading bay on the High Holborn approach to the junction to accommodate demand for loading.



Proposed new loading bay on High Holborn
We are now seeking the views of residents and businesses on the affected streets regarding these proposed changes.

What Happens Next
Following the consultation with residents and businesses on the banned right turn and the changed loading arrangements, these elements of the design will be reviewed in light of the comments received. This will complete the final design stage.

It is anticipated that construction of the Holborn Circus scheme will commence in summer 2013. Local stakeholders will be contacted again prior to commencement of works to inform them of the works plan and program.

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Unlicensed taxis warned to stay away from Download Festival

May 20, 2013, 11:54 am
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North West Leicestershire District Council is warning drivers of unlicensed taxis to stay away from next month’s Download Festival.

The warning comes after the District Council obtained a conviction at Leicester Magistrates Court against a driver found plying for hire at the 2012 Download Festival at Castle Donington.

Council Enforcement Officers, who patrol the festival each year, were asked by the driver, Assim Hussain Taj, 26 years, of North Street, Forest Field, Nottingham, if they needed a taxi.    Mr Taj, was found guilty of using a vehicle as a taxi without a licence and using a vehicle without insurance.

Mr Taj was fined £100 for plying for hire and £100 fine for no insurance as well as being given 6 penalty points. This resulted in him being disqualified for driving for 6 months.

This is the second successful prosecution by the District Council against unlicensed drivers following last year’s event.

Councillor Alison Smith, North West Leicestershire District Council’s Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Community Services said, “It is important to protect festival goers from unscrupulous operators who may not have undergone any of the safety checks. They may also be driving vehicles that have not had any safety inspections. Download Festival goers need to be confident that their safety is not being compromised.

“Unlicensed operators would do well to stay away from this year’s festival because if they are caught we will prosecute. All drivers caught plying for hire will have invalidated their insurance and will always be prosecuted.  The two recent convictions show that the District Council regard unlicensed drivers as a danger to the public and detecting and prosecuting such offenders remains a high priority for us.”

A representative from LiveNation, who organises the Download Festival, said: “We fully support North West Leicestershire District Council’s licensing enforcement officers who will be on duty preventing any unauthorised taxis touting for business during the event.   We would urge festival goers to steer clear of these rogue taxis, which are operating illegally and offer little or no protection to those who use them.”

The Download Festival is being held at Donington Park, Leicestershire between 12 – 17th June. North West Leicestershire District Council’s licensing enforcement officers will again be on duty preventing any unauthorised taxis touting for business during the event.


Source: LoughboroughEcho.net

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New Defra report which shows ALL emissions strategies in London have failed and Mayors Age limit on Taxis is improper.

May 20, 2013, 2:04 pm
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Much has been said before about the Mayor's Air Quality Stratergy which led to the imposition of an age limit of 15 years on London's Taxis. It was stated by the Mayor that the age limit would rid the streets of the most polluting Taxis. 

The age limit was seen by Taxi drivers to be unfair and many questioned the research and science behind the report. Many older drivers have been thrown into premature retirement, as last year over 4000 vehicles disappeared from London's Taxi fleet. With no scrapage scheme compensation and unwilling to risk investing their savings on new vehicles they also found (because of the demise of LTI) rentals few and far between. 

To add insult to injury, many of the retired vehicles appear to have been picked up for next to nothing, given new MOTs and have found their way back onto London's streets, ferrying staff about for a London bus company. (As seen in a previous post).
 
Last year, saw an investigation by a legal team from the RMT who reported back that although the Mayor's age limit itself could be deemed as improper and likely to be illegal, the fact that the age limit was offered to the Mayor on behalf of the trade by an unelected drivers group, some of whom have never driven a Taxi as a living, any challenge would be unlikely to be successful.

Defra have now released a report which shows without doubt that the science behind the mayors initial report was flawed. The report uploaded on to the Defra website today is of huge significance.

The report now shows that the Mayor's Taxi Age Limit is improper and as far as exhaust emissions are concerned, older taxis are no worse than the new taxis. In fact the new TX4 taxis are shown to create more NO2.


The report from Defra also shows that ALL emission strategies in London have so far failed.



Below is an except from the report which deals specifically with Taxis:

4.3 London taxis

The locations of the central London survey sites at Aldersgate Street and Queen Victoria Street resulted in a large number of taxis (black cabs) being surveyed. Over 15,000 observations of taxis were made, the majority being LTI TX1, TXII, and TX4 models. As a result of the relatively large sample size, the emissions from taxis can be disaggregated in more detail than most other vehicle types.

Current TfL regulations stipulate that annual licences are only issued to taxis that are under 15 years old and meet Euro 3 emissions standards. This is achieved either by (a) operating a vehicle originally manufactured to Euro 3 standards (or later); (b) retro-fitting approved emissions reduction equipment; or (c) using an LPG conversion. The Mayor has also set out proposals to have a taxi capable of zero emission operation in regular use by 2020. Such a taxi would effectively address all taxi-related local emissions. LTI TX1 models (Nissan engines) were originally manufactured to Euro 2 emissions standards, whereas later LTI TXII models with Ford engines (introduced around 2002) were manufactured to Euro 3 emissions standards. LTI TX4 models with VM Motori engines (introduced around 2006) were originally built to Euro 4 standards, with a Euro 5 compliant version introduced in 2012. Other observed taxi types with much smaller sample sizes include the LTI FX, the Carbodies Metrocab, the Mercedes Vito 111 (Euro 4), and the Mercedes Vito 113 (Euro 5).


page45image32984

Figure 25 NOx/CO2 emissions from London taxis by year. (2008)

Previous research based on remote sensing surveys implemented in London in 2008 (Rhys-Tyler et al., 2011) had identified statistically significant changes in both nitric oxide emissions and smoke emissions with the introduction of the LTI TXII and LTI TX4 taxi models. In the transition from the LTI TX1 model to the LTI TXII, it was observed that nitric oxide emissions reduced by more than half; however, at the same time, smoke (particle) emissions (as measured using ultraviolet opacity techniques) were observed to increase around threefold. With the introduction of the LTI TX4 model around 2006, smoke (particle) emissions reduced below the levels of the earlier TX1 model, whilst nitric oxide emissions remained at statistically similar rates to the TXII model. 


Figure 26 NO2/CO2 emissions from London taxis by year. (2012)

The patterns observed in the earlier research based on 2008 data are replicated in the 2012 data set, although we now have the advantage of both NO and NO2 measurements, and a much larger sample size. The plots of NOx vs. year of manufacture shows clear groupings of vehicles, which broadly split into two categories of higher and lower emissions of NOx. In terms of significant numbers of taxis, the largest reduction in total NOx occurred with the transition from the LTI TX1 model (4132 observations), to the LTI TXII model (4050 observations). However, the infrared opacity measurements confirm that smoke (particle) emissions from the LTI TXII model continue to be much higher than from other taxi types, both newer and older. 


Figure 27 NO2/NOx emissions from London taxis by year.

There is a clear indication that absolute levels of NO2 emissions from taxis manufactured since around 2008 have been increasing. This is true for the LTI TX4, and the Mercedes Vito models. The newest versions of the Mercedes Vito taxis (manufactured in 2011 and 2012) are observed to have the highest absolute emissions of primary NO2. The fraction of primary NO2 in total NOx (f- NO2) from the taxi fleet is observed to increase significantly for taxis manufactured since around 2009, with substantial variation between manufacturers. Whilst f-NO2 was typically below 10-12% prior to 2005, LTI TX4 models manufactured in 2011 and 2012 have f-NO2 values of around 27%, whilst the Mercedes Vito models manufactured in 2011 and 2012 have f-NO2 values of around 35-40%.

Given the intensity of taxi operations in the centre of London, the increase in levels of NO2 emissions from the newer taxi fleet is a matter of concern for local air quality management in general, and NO2 limit values in particular. The high levels of smoke (particle) emissions from LTI TXII taxis also warrants further investigation. Both of these issues should be taken into consideration when developing future policy for taxi emissions. The technologies adopted by manufacturers require further investigation to gain a full understanding of the generation processes for total NOx, f-NO2, and particulate matter, with a view to minimising the pollutants of concern in future vehicles. 

The whole report can be downloaded here

 http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/


Goto/ 1. REMOTE SENSING OF NO2 EXHAUST EMISSIONS FROM ROAD VEHICLES (PDF 2.31 MB)  

Report Date: 13/05/2013 (Uploaded: 20/05/2013)

See page 45 4.3 taxis and page 47 chart 27 showing that the newer taxis cause MORE NO2 than the older cabs.

 

This report shows that TX2 taxis are causing more pollution overall than any others; therefore an age limit is not proper. Overall it shows that most technologies for reduction of diesel pollution in an urban environment do not work.


With many thanks to research carried out by Dave Davies.

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LTPH's Legal Team...Not Fit For Purpose...by Jim Thomas.

May 20, 2013, 9:59 pm
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Just incase you ever wondered what LTPH's legal department do to earn their money, I can assure you it's not protecting the taxi trade against PH companies illegal offering their services, describing themselves as a Taxi service. 

We first reported UbiCabs over a year ago for advertising minicabs as a Taxi service. We made repeated official complaints LTPH and got just one reply from John a mason saying his team would look into it.

UbiCabs founded by Jay Patel and Lorenzo Caffarri are still online offering minicabs a a Taci service. LTPH has done nothing about this breach of the private hire and London cab acts.

This is just one of their latest adverts currently found all over the Internet and on Google searches.


Misleading, you bet your life it is.

And now another contender for prolific Internet advertising minicabs as Taxi service we have Zone Minicabs. Zone Mnicabs home page gives a plethora of different geographic locations using the title Taxi servic, again in contravention of both the London cab act and Private Hire act

If only LTPH's legal team would ACT!!!.

They were quick to act when they thought I had posted misleading articles about TfL and LTPH and ordered the removal and take down of the Taxi Leaks Blog....Lets see if they act as fast over these to illegal advertisers, although they are already 1 year behind on UbiCars.


These are just two companies who are abusing the word Taxi. The Internet is crammed full of others, simply because nothing is done by TfL or LTPH to stop the practise. It is seem as a victimless crime, but as we know to our cost, there are always victims. 
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New Defra Report part 2: Damning Defra report confims failed Emissions strategies... By Dave Davies.

May 22, 2013, 4:48 am
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A Defra report published on Monday confirms that the Mayor’s Air Quality strategies have failed miserably and have resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands on Londoners. More importantly this highlights the reasons that they have failed, which is because the strategies have been improper and unlawful and they have not been evidence based. There should be an immediate Public Inquiry to establish exactly why this improper conduct has been allowed to continue.

 

The report confirms that the technologies used to improve emissions from diesel vehicles do not work in an urban environment and that there has been no significant reduction in pollution caused by diesel vehicles in 20 years.


The Mayor and TFL have disregarded evidence about the failings of these technologies and chosen to waste millions of pounds in taxpayers money on projects which can at best be described as misguided and at worst blatantly corrupt.

 

An example of this is the London Taxi Age Limit, which was initiated by Tory MP Tim Yeo in 2009 at the Tory Party Conference , where he said we need to ‘get rid of these older polluting vehicles’. Boris Johnson then conducted an improper consultation, disregarding credible evidence that the Taxi Age Limit was improper, and introduced the scheme in January 2012.


It was then exposed that Tim Yeo, who initiated the scheme was also the Chairman of Eco City Vehicles, the company selling the new Mercedes Vito taxis that drivers were forced to buy at £43k. Mr Yeo resigned last year when this was exposed but no action was taken. In a letter to MP Andy Slaughter the Mayor denied that Eco City Vehicles had any involvement in the consultation process, even though TFLs minutes of the meetings confirm that they were involved. A similar consultation process which took place for a Taxi Age Limit in Newport, Wales was challenged by a Judicial Review and ruled to be unlawful.

 

The Defra report now confirms that the new Mercedes Vito taxis that drivers were forced to buy are actually creating MORE NO2 than the older taxis that they were forced to scrap. (see diagram 27)


Figure 27 NO2/NOx emissions from London taxis by year. 


 

The Mercedes Vito is only marginally better for PMs than a taxi that is 20 years old, but the increase in NO2 from the new taxis makes the Taxi Age Limit completely improper and unlawful.

 

During the Mayoral election last year, Boris Johnson bragged that he ‘had the courage to implement a taxi age limit’. He had refused point blank to conduct any proper testing even though he was challenged to do so many times by London Assembly members. A Public body is required by law to make sure that its decisions are rational, proportional and evidence based.


It is outrageous that this corruption has taken place, but what makes it worse is that tens of thousands of Londoners are dying as a direct result of these corrupt and improper practices.

It does not end there. The Air Quality strategies have led to continued pollution which has cost the NHS Trusts in London £20 billion a year (accoriding to the Assembly Health and Environment Committee report of December 2012). This is at a time when the same NHS Trusts are closing A and E and Maternity wards


The Mayors  response when challenged about the improper Taxi Age Limit consultation is a complete lie as demonstrated by the information below (including that from the TFL website clearly showing that Eco City Vehicles WERE INVOLVED IN THE AGE LIMIT CONSULTATION)

 

An imposed Taxi Age Limit in Newport was overturned by Judicial Review in the High Court for exactly the same reason; an improper and unlawful consultation.


Boris knows that the consultation conducted by TFL was unlawful which is why he has lied about the involvement of Eco City Vehicles.


I find it extremely difficult to understand why no further action has been taken on this issue.

 
The London Taxi Age Limit is unlawful and has caused thousands of drivers financial hardship. However it has also meant that absolutely nothing has been done to reduce emissions in London and the 4267 deaths every year from pollution have continued. That is 80 people each and every week dying in London and yet absolutely nothing is done to avoid those deaths. If it were a terrorist bomb going off every week killing 80 peoplke something would be done. If a bus or train crashed every single week killing 80 people then there would be an immediate investigation.

 

Why is there absolutely no accountability in relation to the unlawful conduct of Boris and TFL which is causing these deaths every week from pollution.


Dave.
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Churchill Rank To Be Used By Champions League Final, Official Cars And Minibuses....by Mike Holder.

May 22, 2013, 5:14 pm
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After the shambles at the Hilton Park Lane Taxi rank which, as you may remember, was suspended by LTPH in order for a commercial company to display a raffle prize, an official from the RMT phoned the new LTPH General Manager Helen Chapman to lodge a protest and ask why no provision had been made for a temporary rank. Having no answer to give and showing the same commitment to the trade exhibited at the recent Taxi trade forum held at Polestra, she abruptly hung up.

Drivers blocked all roads around the Hilton, till the organisers agreed to remove the vehicle. Later a representative from the hotel apologised to organisers of the flash mob demonstration.

Last week, we saw a similar suspension of a working rank in New Bond Street in favour of another commercial promotion and now it definitely looks like history is repeating itself.

Just like a recurring nightmare from last summers Olympics, this weekend will see the suspension of the whole of the Licensed Taxi rank in Portman Square, outside the Churchill Hotel. The suspension will run from 8am till 10 PM on Friday and Saturday. Unconfirmed reports from our man on Westminster Council say the rank will be authorised for exclusive use by a Private Company. Cars from this company will be using the rank's 6 spaces as part of a rolling rank, to ferry dignitaries, officials and their guests (in London for the Champions League finals at Wembley), whenever and wherever they wish to go.



   *What will happen if the cars refused to leave the rank at 10 pm and carry on ranking?
   *Are they fair game to block in? 
   *Will wardens descend and give our PCNs code 45?

Hundreds of these Ford Tourneo Minibuses, carrying "Official Vehicle " livery, can currently be seen parked up in a special holding area beside Wembly Arena.



Again, there has been no provision made for a temporary rank at the Churchill Hotel. 
Again the Taxi trade, the best Taxi trade in the world, is to be sidelined as one of our working ranks is given over to a commercial private hire company. 

It seems this type of revocation and suspension is happening at an alarming rate. The self appointed, unelected quango known as the joint ranks committee are again seen to by powerless in stopping this type of attack on our rights to ply for hire.

Seems funny that in the recent ranks and highways update email, sent out to inform interested parties of rank suspensions and up and coming events, LTPH felt it necessary to leave this one off the list.

In a precursor to this special event, Tuesday night saw Addison Lee drivers chancing their arm by using the rank into the early hours of Wednesday morning.



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'I will f***ing destroy you': Bloomberg unleashes threat against taxi tycoon and hints at revenge plans after he steps down as mayor

May 23, 2013, 4:37 am
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New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg got into a verbal altercation with a leader of the city's taxi cab lobby saying that he was going to 'f***ing destroy' the group when he leaves office this fall.

Bloomberg has championed a new model of taxi cabs for the City, but that plan recently hit a legal pothole when a state judge sided with the taxi industry in going against his proposed changes.

'Come January 1st, when I am out of office, I am going to destroy your f***ing industry,' Bloomberg reportedly said to Gene Freidman, the CEO of the Taxi Club Management.




War of words: New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg (left) reportedly got into a verbal altercation with Gene Freidman (right), the CEO of the Taxi Club Management

Mr Freidman represents the city's taxi drivers, many of whom do not want to be forced to replace their cabs with Bloomberg's 'Taxis of Tomorrow'.

The New York Post reports that the tirade occurred on Tuesday night when Bloomberg and Freidman were watching the Knicks basketball game from the private 1879 Club inside Madison Square Garden. 

 

    Bloomberg told the paper that he didn't remember the incident, but Freidman recalled it in very specific detail.

    Freidman told The Post that when he approached the mayor, he was greeted with the following: 'Come January 1st, when I am out of office, I am going to destroy your f***ing industry.'

    Taxis of Tomorrow: Bloomberg has championed a new model of taxi cabs for the City, but that plan recently hit a legal pothole when a state judge sided with the taxi industry in going against his proposed changes

    Taxis of Tomorrow: Bloomberg has championed a new model of taxi cabs for the City, but that plan recently hit a legal pothole when a state judge sided with the taxi industry in going against his proposed changes

    Amenities: The new cabs will have more legroom for passengers, sliding doors, more trunk space, and two USB ports for charging cell phones during the ride

    Amenities: The new cabs will have more legroom for passengers, sliding doors, more trunk space, and two USB ports for charging cell phones during the ride


    The threats did not stop there, as Freidman reportedly 'said, "Whoa, Mr. Mayor, calm down! Why can’t I sit down with you and figure out something that works?" He got back in my face and said, "After January, I am going to destroy all you f***ing guys."'


    An unidentified witness told The Post: 'It was like Gene had kidnapped his child. He used the f-word twice.'


    Aside from showing his aggression when it comes to taxi design, the alleged rant also gives a possible indication about what Bloomberg will dedicate his time towards when his three terms in Gracie Mansion come to an end this fall.


    The taxis were designed to give more space to passengers in the back of the cab, will be outfitted with anti-bacterial vinyl, and have two USB ports available to charge cell phones during the journey.

    Chic surroundings: The alleged altercation took place inside Madison Square Garden's 1879 club during a Knicks game on Tuesday night

    Chic surroundings: The alleged altercation took place inside Madison Square Garden's 1879 club during a Knicks game on Tuesday night


    When he previously spoke about his retirement plans, Bloomberg typically quotes the current day count of how many more days he has left in office, saying that those are his priorities.

    Now it seems that he may be planning on spending some time pushing the 'Taxis of Tomorrow' onto the streets.


    'This taxi was designed from the inside out and the result is the safest, most comfortable, most passenger-friendly cab to ever ride our streets,' Bloomberg said to his company's magazine when the Nissan-designed cabs were displayed in April of last year.


    Before the legal roadblock, the cars were scheduled to begin appearing on the streets this fall, though that will inevitably be delayed.


    Source:Mail online 
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