Dear Emily
Thank you for you letter dated 24 August 2016 and the copy of the Mayors response which, at best, is disappointing I have attached a link to a journal published today on social media highlighting the taxi trades plight and the lack luster responses from Tfl and the Mayor
As you can see Tfl are actively supporting illegal practices from the PHV market and neglecting the Taxi trade at every turn.
We the Taxi trade have tried every diplomatic avenue to reach out to the Mayor and Tfl and have received "short shrift" and false promises. Now the trade will protest on the Streets bring London to its knees, not something I agree with, but I can see why the Taxi trade has been forced to raise awareness to the general public.
PHV drivers licensed by Tfl are not safe and we need clear demarcation between Taxis and PHV drivers. All of Tfl's reporting lump both sectors togethe for example, last year Tfl reported (after a FOI request) that 154 sexual attacks including 32 counts of rape were committed by Taxis and PHV drivers... The reality is none were committed by Taxis.
The same applies to claims experienced in terms of accidents. PHV drivers crash all day every day because Uber encourage their drivers to work 80 plus hours per week with a workforce, many of whom are driving in the UK for the first time, under European driving licenses. We the Taxi trade who by the way are the safest surface transport provider in the World, are paying hefty insurance premiums as a result.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support an hope you will continue to see both sides of this very sad predicament in the future.
Kind Regards
Tom Scullion