After an eventful week in the trade, it's been unfortunately concluded by yet again a trade organisation suggesting that abolishing Rate 3 will revive our fortunes.

I have previous written on this >Click Here<, but obliviously need to restate the case so that YOU the working driver are fully informed.

1. Price wars can only be won by those with the lowest cost base, that ain't us is it?

2. The unlawful predatory competitor that this hare brained initiative aims at has a yield pricing (surge) model that results in fares more than Rate 3 at demand times.

3. The average Rate 3 journey is under the minimum fare charged by large PH firms.

4. Once this is 'given away' without any compensating factor such as a realistic flag fall we won't ever get in back, have not the lessons of this organisation conceding an age limit rather that condition based system been learnt?

5. Our rate of pay is known, it's on the fare chart, in the interests of transparency, it's absolutely required that those proposing the grand idea publish detail of exactly what they get from the cab trade such as stand down pay, expenses and reduced or free rental cabs.

6. Can we assume that they have negotiated lower cab rentals, insurance and servicing across the entire city for the whole trade to take account of this price drop?

Here's a suggestion: why don't the committee members of this organisation have their cabs emblazoned in big letters '20% off your fare in this cab', work nights for 6 months and let an independent verifier let us know how busy, busy, busy they are?

They could even have their own special rank and call themselves Liddel Cabs.

In comparison to this, Cecil Selwyn's idea to concrete over the Thames to increase road space seems very sensible and achievable.

Let us hear no more of it!

I'm Spartacus