By now, everyone who used our template to email Hendy and Co will have recieved this reply, posted below.
Not only has Leon Daniels failed to answer any of the questions, he has made a statement which shows just what our licensing authority think of us.
Daniels said "We have in fact identified a small number of cases where, had we issued temporary licences in the absence of DBS checks, it would have resulted in TfL licensing drivers with the types of criminal records that would have prevented them from holding a licence."
Temporary licences are just that Leon, temporary.
Your belligerent stance is causing great hardship to too many drivers, can you not see this?
We are talking about given every driver the chance to carry on working while the checks are made. A system that has always worked well in the past.
It is not the trade's fault that the subcontractors chosen to carry out these checks are woefully incompetent.
No system is 100% fool proof. If a driver is found to have committed any offence that would prevent him/her being relicensed, then he/she could be denied a renewal.
Surely common sense?
Innocent until proven guilty, the basis of British law.
Apparently, in Hendy's eyes we are all possible of committing heinous crimes while waiting for licence renewals, not worthy of having our previous good character being taken into account and are all guilty until we categorically prove ourselves innocent.
It seems quite ok for the TfL Commissioner to surf adult websites and dabble with highly paid sextrade workers, yet should a Taxi driver become involved with any form of prostitution, they would have their licence revoked as not being a fit and proper person.
TfL have shown no mercy to drivers and their families who at present, are off work and experiencing serious financial difficulty.
The man who last year earned more than the President of United States, says he cannot issue you a temporary licence, incase while waiting for the CRB check, drivers commit heinous acts of raping and pillaging.
This is Hendy's opinion of London's Licensed Taxi Trade?
Merry Christmas Sir Peter. Hope you and Sue can pay your mortgage in January 2014.
Below is Hendy's reply, penned (allegedly) by Leon Daniels.
Dear Mr Thomas,
Thank you for your email to the Commissioner, Sir Peter has asked that I respond on his behalf.
I am aware of the impact that the delays in the Home Office’s Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checking system are having on taxi drivers and understand the difficulties faced by drivers unable to work.
TfL and the Mayor have made strenuous efforts at Ministerial level to get the situation resolved as quickly as possible. We also took the decision to start issuing license renewal packs to drivers four months in advance of drivers' licenses expiring. Since October, the number of outstanding disclosure applications from London taxi drivers renewing their licences has significantly decreased. The DBS now reports that the number of such applications that have been with them for more than 45 days has reduced by 60 per cent. We will continue to work with the Home Office and the DBS to reduce all the backlogs further and eliminate the risk of taxi drivers not being able to work.
TfL has made the decision that we must be fully aware of a driver’s criminal history before issuing a license, on the grounds of public safety. We have in fact identified a small number of cases where, had we issued temporary licences in the absence of DBS checks, it would have resulted in TfL licensing drivers with the types of criminal records that would have prevented them from holding a licence.
I hope you find this helpful.
Yours sincerely
Leon Daniels
Managing Director – Surface Transport
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Thomas [mailto:thomasthetaxi@googlemail.com]
Sent: 19 December 2013 01:06
To: Hendy Peter (TfL)
Cc: Daniels Leon; Gareth Thomas; Navin Shah;Caroline.Pidgeon@london.gov.uk
Subject: Drivers renewals delays, causing financial hardship.
