In my opinion, the @TfLTPH account is completely surplus to requirement.
With Oxford Street, recently reported as the most polluted street in the world, TfL have actually cut the number of taxi ranks spaces, forcing more Taxis to circulate.
And it's about to get a lot worse.
Far from encouraging cabdrivers to rank, freeing up road space and cutting down on emissions, TfL constantly harrass drivers who queue to get on a popular rank.
Using the @TfLTPH Twitter account, Taxi drivers are bombarded with tweets warning of covert enforcement, directed solely at the licensed Taxi trade.
But Private Hire seem to get the all clear to;
* illegally ply for hire
* form unauthorised ranks
* park/double park, wherever they please
Just Block And a Forget a Them.
This account hardly ever gives out important information, just biased tweets aimed at discrediting and demoralising the licensed Taxi trade.
Lately they have been blocking drivers who only crime has been to comment adversely about their persistent belligerent bias aimed at Taxi drivers.
They also threaten to block and report to the police, drivers who use profanity in their tweets.
You Can Also Report a Them For Spam.
How many times have we seen @TfLTPH complain about over ranking at Harrods or Tooley Street.
All too frequently, we see them protesting about Taxis at Finsbury Part station blocking a badly placed 18 foot section of cycle lane.
Yet, when there's a bit of a "do" on at the old Billingsgate building in Lower Thames Street, cars from both RD2 and Addison Lee, are encouraged to form an illegal rank, completely blocking the cycle lane.
If this were Taxis ranking up waiting for passengers, they would be out in force, badge and billing and handing out Parking tickets as if they were going out of style.
Not one tweet from TfLTPH about the blocking of the bus lane on Regent Street/Swallow Street Arch, by private hire vehicles illegally plying for hire and touting.
Paddington has been a favourite target for TfLTPH.
When we have complained about minicabs illegally plying for hire outside night venues, we are told parking is a matter for the local council to deal with. But TfL continue to harrass Taxi drivers with threats of enforcement, while saying next to nothing to Private Hire drivers
One of TfLTPH most common tweets:
Yet they say nothing about this illegal Private Hire rank at St Pancras, where minicabs wait, sometimes three abreast.
Or this rank, set up by our licensing authority and the local council, on double yellow lines on Bayswater Road.
Complaints made to this account are completely ignored. None are answered. It is used by TfL solely to aggravate and annoy drivers.
Our advice is to block this account and forget about it. Any thing important issued by TfL will always be retweeted by others, so you won't miss a thing. Leave them with just the PH drivers they seem to have most respect for.
Don't give them an easy ride. Block them and report them for spam.
If Twitter get enough complaints they will remove the account.
