A friend of mine has now been waiting 90 days for his CRB check to come back. His licence has now run out and he is effectively out of work. I spoke to him last night and his last words to me was:
"How much worst can it get Jim?"
Then I received this press release this afternoon from TPH enquiries:
TPH notice 02/14 - Disclosure and Barring Service - Service Availability 7-12 March 2014
Please find attached a copy of TPH Notices 02/14 Disclosure and Barring Service - Service Availability 7-12 March 2014
Regards
Transport for London – London Taxi and Private Hire
Disclosure and Barring Service Service availability between 7 - 12 March 2014
Important information regarding the Disclosure and Barring Service this weekend
We have been notified by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) that they are making changes to their IT systems and infrastructure and this will temporarily affect their ability to receive and process DBS applications from 7 March to 12 March inclusive.
This is part of wider changes they are making in order to modernise their service.
While you will still be able to make an application via the Post Office the following services will be affected:
E-numbers may not be available within 3 working days
Online use of the Update Service and online tracking of applications using the DBS tracking service will not be possible between 17:00 on Friday 7 March and 08:00 on Wednesday 12 March
Some disclosures may take a few extra days to be issued
We have been notified that the DBS call centre will remain open for general enquiries only during this period. Should you wish to contact them by telephone the number is 0870 90 90 811 but they have advised that they will not be able to answer enquiries about the progress of an application or to discuss the content of a disclosure.
Further information can be found here DBS Website
TfL has highlighted our concerns relating to this change and the DBS has
assured us that any impact will be kept to a minimum.
Potential further delays due to industrial action
We have also been notified by the DBS that there may be further disruption due to industrial action by their suppliers on 6 and 7 March. The DBS has assured us they will do everything possible to minimise the disruption if the industrial action goes ahead as planned.
Helen Chapman
05 March 2014 Interim General Manager
EDITORIAL COMMENT:
Why are Taxi drivers having to suffer being put out of work, just to facilitate the modernisation of a system that used to work like clockwork and now doesn't.
Temporary licenses are issued in every other licensing authority in the country, except for TfL where on the insistence of Commissioner Peter Hendy, they have been withdrawn.
How much more bias and incompetence has our trade got to endure from the hands of TfL, before the people who take money from us, who purport to represent our interest, finally start to earn their wages.
We need action...and we need it now
Our orgs must demand the issue of temporary licenses be reinstated.
Don't wait till this puts you out of work
Phone up your respective org/union today and insist on immediate action.