The Park Plaza, County Hall.....by Thomas the Taxi

Where can you legally drop off or pick up at the Park Plaza County Hall,

now they have inserted a thick red line on the road outside?

We show you where.




Its where the touts have been illegally ranking for airports

which they buy off the porters!

Hendon Times just can't get it right!......by Thomasthetaxi

Just what is up with Journalists these days? How come after all the hard work they do studying to get degrees in media studies, some would say equivalent to doing the Knowledge of London….not.

These so called professional reporters still don’t know the difference between a Licensed Taxi, Licensed Private Hire, Minicab or Tout.

When it comes to reporters, there is so much competition out there now. Almost everyone going to university takes media studies, the papers both local and national have a massive choice of applicants to choose from.

On Tuesday 27th October 2009, an article appeared in the Hendon, Barnet, Finchley, Potters Bar, Edgware and Mill Hill Times that has upset the whole of the London Licensed Taxi Trade.

Kevin Bradford, another reporter who couldn’t be bothered to do his home work, has slated the Taxi Trade by saying in print that “A LICENSED cab driver has been charged with possessing a knife which he kept stored in the glove box of his taxi.”

Click here to read full story

Now to the undiscerning reader of this local paper, they will come to the conclusion that this 36 year old Polish man would infact be driving a London licensed Taxi.

This is another example of the media’s lazy approach to printing the facts when it comes to Taxis/Minicabs. In their mind it makes no difference to the truth as everywhere you look nowadays, we have been harmonized with the scabs.

Even the departed head of the PCO couldn't tell the difference between Taxis and Private hire, he said publicly on the BBC that where he came from they're all the same.

After a flood of complaints from drivers on the LTDF, the so called reporter, Kevin Bradford, added the word Mini Cab to the on-line version of the story. After further complaints about the use of the words “Taxi” and “Licensed Cab Driver” being left in the article, Bradford replied to all complainants’ with this email;

Thank you for your interest in the story.

We do not feel we have made an "error" in writing this story. We would distinguish if it was a Licensed Taxi Driver (black cab driver), so by not doing so, we feel it is quite clear the vehicle was a mini cab.

I have already added the word "mini" into the fourth paragraph to further clear up that it was not a black cab, but the terminology Private Hire Vehicle is not something we would use. The man is licensed to drive taxis, and would not have been carrying passengers illegally. The police have confimed this, and made it clear it was a minicab. The phrase "black cab driver" is used when it is in direct relation to such a person, to make it clear.

If you have any further queries in relation to the article, please feel free to contact myself or my Group Editor Rachel Sharp, who is available at rsharp@london.newsquest.co.uk

Regards,

Kevin

So if you disagree with Kevin Bradford, now you have the address of his editor, why not send her an email and let her know just what we think about the quality of her staff.

You may wish to inform Rachel Sharp about PCO Notice 29_09 - Use of TfL Private Hire branding by licensed private hire operators. All operators are reminded that they are not permitted to use the terms ‘cab(s)’, ‘taxi(s)’ or any words closely resembling these terms in advertisements and that they must comply with section 31 of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998.

Therefore, this should apply to her paper as well.

By the way Kevin you spelt confirmed wrong. Should have used a spell checker, or at the very least, get your emails proof read mate.

Anderson Shelter Hits 100,000 hits since reset in January.

Well done to our 100,000 viewer, Gary Willis of Waltham Abbey. Your prize will be on its way to you shortly.

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London's top taxi trade blog hit the 100,000 target last night around 10.33pm. The hit counter was reset in January 2009 which gives us an impressive 10,000 viewers a month.

Read it first, read it on the Anderson Shelter.

John Mason, One Step for Man, One Giant Leap for the PCO.......By Thomas the Taxi

After receiving many complaints about the current level of touting in the West End and City, new man in charge at the PCO, John Mason decided to have a look for himself.

He agreed to be taken out in the back of a black taxi by two drivers who gave him a closer view of what we have to put up with every night of the week.

John agreed to be taken around all the night venue hot spots, including Nobu, Tiger Tiger, Jalouse, Movida and Abacus plus others that don't receive so much publicity.

This has been a fantastic effort on behalf of the new head of the PCO, it shows that he has a willingness to get to grips with the situation, to understand the problem we have to face each and every night.

After the trip Mr Mason, sent out, in reply to an email complaint this statement;

"I'm not going to go into a long winded email exchange with you on this issue.
Whilst I stand by my previous comments and did not mean to cause offence I can assure you I am taking the issue seriously. I was out until 2am last night with two of your fellow taxi drivers to see the problem first hand. They kindly took me to all the key locations and I saw many instances of both licensed and unlicensed drivers touting and problems caused by vehicles parked illegally outside key venues.
It is clear that more action is required. Despite it being a quiet night I could see for myself the problems that are caused by both licensed PHV drivers touting in key locations in the City and West End.

I will be working with my team and our enforcement parties to take further steps to combat the problem.

Kind regards

John."

Statement taken from the LTDF Taxi Forum.

The Anderson shelter may be quick to criticize any officer in TfL/PCO who we believe is working against the views and wishes of the Licensed Taxi Trade, but we also give credit where credit is due.

Mr Mason this is a great step forward for the PCO. We hope that your eyes have been opened and that you will now fully understand the flood of complaints, that your department has received regarding touting, which is being carried out on an enormous scale, by PCO Licensed PHV drivers.

A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step and on Thursday night/Friday morning, John Mason took that first step.

Is this a misprint then Bob......By Thomasthetaxi

"As unbelievable as it seems, in London in the 21st Century there is a major problem with Rickshaws. Whilst the third world is doing all it can to lose the last of these degrading pedal powered contraptions, some unscrupulous operators are clogging up the streets of the Metropolis with the same slow, traffic halting bikes.
What started out as harmless fun pedalling the odd tourist around the pedestrianised confines of Covent Garden has turned into a nightmare. The Rickshaws cause massive congestion as London’s traffic queues up behind them as they travel at little more than walking pace on major roads.
They congregate in large numbers outside theatres, shops and restaurants blocking the entrances and exits as well as the pavements outside, forcing pedestrians to negotiate the traffic as they walk in the road.
The Rickshaw riders are forced to charge exorbitant sums in order to recoup the high rental fees the operator’s charge for the bikes. Anything up to £12 pound a mile is normal, whilst £30 per mile is not unusual.
As a result of the media attention into all the problems associated with the Rickshaws and serious concerns over their safety the Rickshaw operators are pushing for a simple licensing system that would allow them to continue working unhindered.
London’s taxi drivers along with bus operators and drivers have to contend with the traffic problems and congestion the Rickshaws cause and feel that the only way forward is to ‘Ban! Don’t License’
The LTDA are calling on Westminster Council and the Greater London Authority to bring a halt to London’s further decline into third world status and seek statutory powers to ban Rickshaws from the streets."( Lol)

Is this passage from the LTDA website a misprint?

or has Bob, after spending £250,000 of subscribers money, just decided to change his mind and not the website?

“London Local Authorities & Transport for London (no.2) Bill”, clause 19 will gives powers to Transport for London and all London councils allowing them to introduce “Voluntary Registration” schemes for pedicabs across the capital and not just in the West End of the City. If this bill passes through the commons in its present form you and I will be sitting next to and behind pedicab ranks throughout the West End and eventually other parts of London.

Bob Oddy now publicly supports this bill, on behalf of all the members of the LTDA.

When did they have a vote to change the LTDA policy?

Under 600 hits to go

Prize for the 100,000 viewer.
Just send a screen shot of the hit counter reading 100,000 along with a contact name and address and we will post you a fantastic mystery prize. If you include a photo we can post it, but that's up to you.

Send to downtheoak@aol.com

Hanover Square Take over...by Thomas the Taxi

filmed on the iPhone.

Definite proof that no private hire driver is taking any notice of Mary Dowdyes letter

John Mason and the Taxi Trade 1 - Darren Johnson's Green Party 0.....by Thomas the Taxi.

New head of the PCO John Mason, has answered Darren Johnson's call for the reintroduction of the mid term inspections by saying;

" London's taxi trade has an excellent reputation for safety and quality of service, and were determined to see them maintain that reputation. It is are duty to insure they are safe and fit for the public to use at all times.
Mid term inspections were introduced in 2007 with the aim of improving standards, but they have failed to have the desired impact - plus pass rates for annual and on street inspections have remained fairly stable. We scrapped the mid-term inspection to focus on the on street inspection instead, as we believe the unpredictable nature of these inspections provide a better incentive to keep a taxi in the best possible condition all year round.
there is no evidence that scrapping the mid-term inspection has had any impact on emission levels from London Taxis."

Since the mid- term inspections were scrapped over 15,000 on street inspections have been carried out by the PCO, plus TfL is now working closer with operators and drivers to improve the level of first time passes.

It seems that John Mason has done his home work and has been listening to the trade over this issue.

BBC Misuse of the word 'Taxi' - Email Campaign....Authors : Mark1967 / Dizzy

The BBC have once again been reporting news about 'Private Hire' drivers being 'Taxi' drivers!

The Anderson shelter would like to thank everyone who bothered to email the BBC and complain about the misuse of the word Taxi.
The website in question however has now been amended.

Mary Dowdye's Press Release's are they Enforceable?...By Thomas the Taxi.

AGENDA ITEM 6
TRANSPORT FOR LONDON
SURFACE TRANSPORT PANEL
SUBJECT:
UPDATE ON TRANSPORT COMMUNITY SAFETY, ENFORCEMENT AND POLICING ISSUES
DATE:
3 JULY 2009

Touting measures and the additional cab enforcement officers
3.9
The Mayor has made it clear that he is committed to tackling illegal touting across London, building on the success of the Safer Travel at Night (STAN) initiative and anti-touting enforcement activities. TfL is doubling the number of cab enforcement officers (an additional 34 officers – 27 in the TOCU Cab Enforcement Unit and seven in the City of London Police) and has introduced a ‘one strike and you’re out’ policy for private hire drivers convicted of touting.
3.10
The additional officers will provide greater coverage for anti-touting activities across London and will maximise the number of officers deployed to touting hot spot locations across London. The additional resources will allow a wider range of tactical options to identify and deter sexual predators, illegal operators and touts. The additional officers were in place by the end of June 2009.

Anyone noticed a difference, or is it just me?

John Mason Tells Private hire they are the best in the world....By Thomas the Taxi

New boy at the PCO John Mason, has started out by insulting the whole of the Licensed Taxi Trade, by saying in an interview with Private Hire News, that Private Hire in London was "The best in the world".

We at the Anderson shelter would like to know what reports or awards he bases this statement on?
Is he making this assumption on the back of the recent announcement in the national media, that London's Licensed Black cabs were voted the best taxi service in the world?
Or can he supply us with documentation that his statement is factually correct?

In an article published in the Private hire News, issue no 47, he is quoted as saying;
“ London’s Taxi and Private Hire services are already the best in the World and I’m looking forward to working with the trade to provide an even better service for Londoners".

Does this mean he is content, with the 6-8 serious sexual assaults every month including rape ,which is happening in private hire vehicles that openly tout outside clubs and bars under the protection of an amendment to the private hire act that allows for a system of satellite offices, which currently operate outside the law?


...........................................................................................................................

Passenger Killed By Taxi Driver in Holland!
Is this a Flash Forward of what we can expect in London Soon?

The mayor of Amsterdam has called for a change to the regulations governing taxis and the granting of licenses to drivers. Mayor Job Cohen was speaking in reaction to the news that a taxi driver had killed a passenger on Saturday night in the city's central Leidseplein square.

The taxi driver apparently hit the passenger after an argument broke out between them. The passenger was taken to hospital but died a few hours later on Sunday morning. Mr Cohen called the death "an appalling and disgraceful incident."

In 2001, in Holland the country's taxi trade was deregulated, giving anyone who had a Sat Nav and the license fee, the chance to apply for a taxi licence. Since then, the number of complaints against taxi drivers in Amsterdam has increased. Many of the complaints concern rude behaviour, refusing short trips and overpriced journeys. The city's central taxi authority admits that the behaviour of many drivers is frequently extraordinarily rude.

Deputy Transport Minister Tineke Huizinga has announced that she will indeed be proposing new legislation to the Lower House this week which would grant local authorities greater powers to manage the taxi sector. However, a ministry spokesperson said the move did not come in response to this weekend’s incident but was a development of existing policy.

Posted with thanks to Lee and Korben.

............................................................................................

Prize for the 100,000 viewer.
Just send a screen shot of the hit counter reading 100,000 along with a contact name and address and we will post you a fantastic mystery prize. If you include a photo we can post it, but that's up to you.
Send to downtheoak@aol.com

Drug runner was Private Hire Operator.....By Thomas the Taxi

The family of a London drug smuggler, due to be executed in China has appealed for compassion.

Akmal Shaikh, a 51 year old licensed private hire driver and minicab operator, who lived in North West London, was arrested in September 2007 in Urumqi, north-west China, carrying a suitcase containing 4kg of heroin.

Law charity Reprieve said it is very clear to all involved that Mr Shaikh has a severe mental disorder.

Strange that TfL/PCO never picked this up when he applied for a Private hire drivers license and later an operators license for a company he ran in Kentish Town.

This comes hot on the heels of the controversial decision by TfL to let a wife murderer with a further police caution for assault become a private hire driver and amazingly sign on to do the Knowledge of London.

With rapes and serious sexual assaults in minicabs running at over 6-8 a month for the past 10 years, surely it is time for a public inquiry into how these drivers are being left to slip through the net by the licensing authority. London Assembly member Jenny Jones, has spoken of her concerns regarding the amount of assaults and rapes of single female passengers traveling home at night after being touted outside London Clubs.

Ms Jones has said she intends to visit the West End late one night this week, to see for herself how widespread this problem is.

Its quite easy to stop this Ms Jones.

Just tell the passengers to make sure they get into a Licensed Black Cab, and not an uninsured, illegally parked, unlawfully ranked, mini cab.

Statement from the RMT Taxis Branch London

Reference the recent allegations made in Taxi Newspaper (published by the LTDA). These allegations are in the hands of our legal advisers and we, the Branch, will take their advice as to whether to take legal action on this matter.

However, in the meantime, as Branch Chairman I would like to spell out our actual position on the issues raised.
Following the two recent demonstrations at Penton Street regarding the situation whereby a man with a serious medical condition was accepted onto the Knowledge, it was decided that this incident appeared to be part of a pattern of decisions made over the last few years that reflected badly on the integrity and world- wide reputation of London’s taxi drivers.

With this in mind it was decided to try and find out what the hell was going on at the PCO and the only way this could be done in a manner that would reveal all the workings of the PCO would be a PUBLIC ENQUIRY.

A press statement to this effect was issued. Following this statement I was contacted by Terrance Flanagan, a National Organiser of the General, Municipal and Boilermaker’s Union (GMB) about this. The GMB position was they too are very concerned about this issue and fully support OUR call for a Public Enquiry. They have a series of issues they want raising and listed some of them.

The RMT position was that we have our issues pertaining to the Hackney Trade, and they have theirs regarding the Private Hire Trade, but by us both supporting a call for a public enquiry and utilising our respective political contacts, we would have a much greater chance of success in the matter. If both sides of the trade-divide in London are calling for this enquiry then most people would realise that there must indeed be something going wrong in the PCO.

Make no mistake, this call is a MASSIVE CALL and we will need every political end available to us to get this accepted.

The last thing Terry Flanagan said to me was “I know we will have a fight to the death with you over the Bus Lanes issue but that is a different issue for another day. Lets get the PCO sorted out first.”

Ref “The RMT sells out to Pedicabs”

It is true that the RMT Taxis London Branch do seek to sabotage the bill currently going through Parliament. We are opposing clause 19 which seeks to introduce a “Voluntary Registration” I will say that again A Voluntary Registration Scheme. Two of the nine pedicab operators in London have indicated they may be prepared to take part. Not sure that the riders of these things will be very keen to line themselves up for Road Traffic Act violation tickets. It would be a case of the turkeys voting for Christmas. All the riders will just change to the companies that are not part of the voluntary scheme, leaving the scheme yet another piece of useless legislation.

At the end of the last century the Hackney trade was talked into allowing a Bill to pass through Parliament that would licence mincabs and so bring them under control, and by raising vehicle and driver standards reduce their numbers. Well, we have seen the result of that and we are not falling for that 3 card trick again.

Any scheme which gives any sort of credibility to the Pedicabs (at least on paper) will make it much harder to clear these death traps off the streets.

Once clause 19 is defeated, and have NO DOUBT it will be, the RMT will seek cooperation of our members in the Underground, and on the buses, the Fire Brigade Union, Unison (ambulance drivers) and other interested parties to clear these vehicles off the highways and into the parks where they can operate safely and without being a major root cause of traffic pollution.

Let me just add here that the RMT has not had any talks or any other form of communication with any member/s of the Rickshaw/pedicab community. If they do happen to also wish to defeat clause 19 then that is coincidental.

On a lighter note in these troubled times.....By Stormcab

With Thanks to stormcab

This could be happening in Central London soon

It May seem funny now, but will this be so funny when it starts happening in Piccadilly, or Oxford Street?



Because there were, miraculously, no injuries, that professionally-shot video of a street fight between a pedicab driver and a cabbie was an instant classic—especially that part where the pedicab driver rides off on the sidewalk after throwing a trashcan at his adversary (and missing). But Mayor Bloomberg was not amused, and told reporters yesterday that the traffic-stopping fisticuffs were "totally inappropriate."

Hizzoner seemed to place the blame squarely on the pedicab driver, who escalated the altercation by throwing his coffee at the cab's window. And Bloomberg took the opportunity to remind everyone that "by the end of November we'll have licensed all these pedicabs. If they had been licensed by now we would be able to look and see who the pedicab driver was because we'd see his license plate on the pedicab." Does that mean police are investigating the licensed cab driver (top, left)? Because it takes two to tango in the middle of traffic.

Pedicab drivers must now apply for a special license, and owners must apply for a business license by November 20th. The licensing requirements also come with new restrictions in Central Park, which have pedicab drivers outraged. Under the new rules, pedicabs will be forbidden from areas where taxis and carriages make pick-ups; required to operate in the right lane of traffic, not the bike lane on the left; and, weirdly, prohibited from displaying advertisements at times when other motor vehicles are barred from the park.

But City Councilman Leroy Comrie doesn't think the new rules are stiff enough, telling the Post, "Pedicabs have been for too long acting like they rule the streets ahead of any other mode of transportation because they're wearing a cloak of environmental friendliness that no other commuter vehicle could do." In June, a serious collision between a pedicab and a taxi by the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn left three injured.

Remember this, Well they're back on the street and no ones taking any notice.



The Man behind the push for Westminster City Council to be able to regulate pedicabs, is none other than Cllr Daniel Astaire, the man behind the Whitcomb Street, Police protected, mini Cab Rank. Thanks to the Anderson Shelters exclusive expose and email campaign, no longer with us.

Westminster are about to give these deathtraps their own ranks all over the West End.
What next from Cllr Astaire, more Police protected mini cab ranks?

Dont Panic, Baker Street Rank to Stay....by Thomas the Taxi

After receiving a letter from a friend complaining about Westminster council's alleged proposal to do away with the taxi bays outside the old Marks and Spencer HQ in Baker Street, I decided to go down there and have a closer look at this rank.

Being a night driver, I knew of this ranks existence but was not sure of its importance, as every time I drive past, it is normally void of taxi's. After arriving at the rank outside 55 Baker Street, to my surprise, I found the rank full. I sat there for just a few minutes and watched as taxi after taxi received walk ups that seem to appear from nowhere. In fact, the jobs were coming out of a selection of Cafe's, Bistros and coffee shops that run the length of Baker Street.

I was amazed at the amount of work being obtained at this location. I spent about an hour just observing the walk ups and although there was a quiet period of approx ten minutes where the rank was stationary it seemed to be very busy. Deceptive like the fast moving rank in the middle of Tooley Street SE1.

Looking at the notice attacked to the Taxi board, I could see no mention of the removal or redeployment of this rank. So I phoned the number given on the notice which put me through to Westminster's agents, West One, who are charged with overseeing this project. I was told by one of their officers, that the rank will be left in situ completely untouched, so problem over.

The best thing that came out of this field trip was a visit to the restaurant "Canteen" which is adjacent to the rank. They serve up a selection of proper "Good Old English" food such as, pie & mash, greens and gravy, sausage and mash, plus a selection of roasts with desserts to die for. All the vegetables are organic and the meat is free range, obtained locally, although I'm not sure how many farms there are in Marylebone.

They do a full sit down waiter service, plus a quickie service from a specially selected menu of prepared dishes and a take-a-way service. We sat in there and had the roast beef followed by creamy rice pudding served with raspberry jam. I can honestly say, it was one of the best roast dinners I have had for quite a while.

The food was excellent and we will definitely be going back as the pie and mash looked fantastic.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today:

“Ten years after Paddington our thoughts are once again with the friends and relatives of those who died on that morning and with those who still suffer today from the injuries they suffered in the tragedy.

“We all welcomed the demise of Railtrack but we now see the successor, Network Rail, facing massive pressure to cut budgets and it’s track renewals and maintenance work that are taking a real hit.

“RMT has repeatedly demanded that the risk assessments associated with these cuts be published and put in the public domain and we have warned Network Rail that the dash for savings increases the risk of another Paddington, Hatfield or Potters Bar. Those warnings have come directly from our members whose job it is to keep the tracks, signals and overhead lines safe and they cannot be ignored.

“RMT would urge the government mark the tenth anniversary of the crash at Paddington by intervening to reverse the Network Rail maintenance and renewals cuts and deferrals programme.”