New Liberties Taken By Private Hire............By Thomas the Taxi.

Last night just after midnight, I arrived on the Tiger Tiger rank to be greeted by the usual sight of a line of Private Hire Vehicles forming their illegal tout rank, in a 24 hour bus lane and on a Licensed Taxi Rank. I tried to phone Westminster Parking Services, but was unable to get through due to a technical problem at their end.

I spotted a passing policeman and just as I was about to ask him to move the touts on, right behind him, the driver of the blue Peugeot Glx R737 HGS approached two members of the public leaving the club and asked as bold as brass;

"Do you want a TAXI"

The officer watched as the two passengers were escorted to the car and placed inside. The policeman then said to the driver;

"Stand over there mate while I speak to your passengers". He then asked the two to get out of the touts car.

As the officer spoke to the passengers, the driver ran off. The two passengers then flagged down a passing Taxi and were taken away.

By now the other touts were speeding off like the start of Le Mans.

As I stood and spoke to the officer the tout came back with another man wearing an ID photo card round his neck who said he was the controller for Tiger Tiger. He explained to the officer that this driver worked for the night club onAnon and was licensed to pick up passengers. The Policeman asked why he had touted passengers from Tiger Tiger.

The first tout went into a hissy fit shouting he was sorry and wouldn't do it again, but was calmed down by the second tout.

The tout controller said it is recognised practice that when a club is busy it phones other venues and gets cars sent round to be put on stand by.

Just as I felt the officer was about to caution the driver and arrest him for touting the worst possible thing happened;

Someone shouted that a fight had broken out inside the club.

The Officer turned to me and said "Sorry mate I've got to deal with this, its more important" and off he went.

The first tout jumped into his minicab and was off and the controller walked away laughing. Because I thought the officer was going to arrest the tout, in the melee that ensued I forgot to make a note of the policeman's number.

In future I must make this a priority.

How can this keep happening night after night?

Where are the TOCU squad?

How do they justify their budget?

Joe Royle should hang his head in shame. Since he has been in charge of the "Tout Squad", the situation has dramatically deteriorated.

Click on image for enlargement

Photos by Jim Thomas

When dealing with problems similar to this, it is not advisable to get out of your vehicle. These touts can and do turn violent, I have been assaulted on more than one occasion in the past.

If possible wait for a Police officer or try phoning Westminster Parking services on; 020 7823 4567 and press option 5.

Westminster Council's New Mini Cab Rank.....By Thomas the Taxi

After stating categorically that they were not going to put purpose built Mini Cab and Rickshaw bike Ranks all over the West End, Westminster have shown their true intentions by narrowing the pavement outside the busy night bar onAnon at the beginning of Shaftesbury Avenue.

Already a notorious touting hot spot, Westminster have made it easier for the Touts to rank up by removing most of the walkway in front of the venue.

After narrowing most of Shaftesbury Avenue down to one lane in each direction, causing major traffic congestion in the heart of the capital, Westminster have stunned London major transport companies by widening the road outside this late night bar. Zig zag lines have also disappeared in order to squeeze more touts onto this unlawful rank.

Myself and a few colleagues from the LTDF action group along with drivers operating a Taxi service on TweetaLondonCab have made a habit of phoning Westminster parking services in a bid to get these touts ticketed or at least moved on. Our calls are constantly falling on deaf ears. Westminster are turning a blind eye to the situation outside this bar. Even the Police refuse point blank to enforce the law that states if a PHV is illegally parked, it is deemed to be forming an unauthorised Taxi rank. As for Joe Royals TOCU squad, I don't believe they know where this club is as they never seem to venture more than a few hundred yards from Charing Cross Police Station.

There are now three Mini Cab ranks in this street alone and this problem is spreading fast.

Unlawful ranking will be high on the agenda for the RMT London Taxi Branch in the new year and as an act of unity we will be inviting all other trade organisations to join in and help with this fight.

We urge the LTDA, LCDC and Unite to stop this unnecessary infighting and direct their energy into fighting the true threat to all our trade.

Photos by Jim Thomas and Dizzy

The Minicab Millionaire.....By Thomas the Taxi

Secret Millionaire?

Last night I sat and watched a Sky Plus recording of The Secret Millionaire. Although it has not changed my personal views about this ex minicab driver, I have to commend John Griffin on parting with a great deal of money in donations to worthy causes in the north of England.

The question has to be asked, did this come from his heart of was it just a PR exercise that is tax deductible.

In my opinion it really doesn't matter. Is it not better that the worthy causes received this cash, instead of this forlorn government, where it could be swallowed up, without a trace and probably paid out on some ones expenses who could well afford to do without it.

However the program threw up a few worrying questions that the trade needs to ask itself.

Apart from the fact Mr Griffin kept referring to himself as an extremely successful "Taxi" proprietor that ran a successful "Taxi" business (bet he just couldn't resist that), he also made a statement that should make every radio driver, in the Licensed Taxi Trade sit up and pay attention.

Apparently with 2500 vehicles, Addison Lee grossed 175 million pounds last year.

That's £70,000 per vehicle.

Addison lee are not in the habit of selling jobs to their competition and looking at the prices on their website, they achieved this by being 30% dearer than black cabs.

I think the questions that radio drivers need to ask their CEO's and BOM's is;

Why are they doing jobs for up to a third off the meter price?

Why are they selling roaders and airports to private hire for a few pence per job?

Why cant drivers get enough work to cover their subscription?

Did you manage to do £70,000 worth of radio work last year?

This trade has three major radio circuits that have similar fleets to Addison Lee. Did they come anywhere near grossing 175 million pounds last year?

A new begining or just the end?...By Thomas the Taxi.

As we wind down the naughties and look forward to the new, as yet unnamed decade, we look back on an epoch that has seen the trade bought to the brink of destruction.

With the licensing of Private hire, our trade, the best taxi service in the world, has been sold one of the biggest deceptions of its entire existence.

The promise that mini cab numbers would be halved, by the previous Mayor Ken Livingston, took us into a completely new dimension. One that would see the trade fighting for the right to exist, one that would see mini cab numbers triple in just three years.

Who would have thought, a couple of years ago, that one day we would be moved on and accused of stealing work from a line of touts. All because an official from TfL had read a book by a solicitor from Derbyshire had and deemed them to be legally waiting to be hired, even though they were parked in a 24 hour bus lane or on double yellow lines, even though case Law says they are illegal.

These satellite offices have spread out of control like a virus infecting the whole of London's night life.

Under the dominion of Metropolitan Police, we had protection as they felt they had a duty to protect our working practises. Now even that has been taken away, as the Licensed taxi trade fell under the authority of a TfL bent on the harmonisation of the two services.

It's no secret that this band of belligerent, wannabe politicians, have the demise of our trade firmly in their sights. We have seen this in the minutes of surface transport meetings publish on line, where the possibility of letting PHV's Ply for hire from waiting areas (ranks) are regularly discussed.

But how has this happened?

Do we not have a London Taxi driver on to the board of TfL, who sits on this panel?

Does this man represent the whole of the trade?

Then how come so many ordinary London taxi drivers are completely oblivious to what is happening.

Recently, we have seen the trade torn apart by the LTDA, in a bid to retain membership numbers, but now its time for the in-fighting to stop. The ordinary driver is sick of the propaganda and lies of recent weeks.

We know who is trying to destroy our trade, we know where the threat is greatest. We must be a laughing stock in the eyes of our competitors. We need to move on, to come together and face our real enemy and stop fighting amongst ourselves.

Normally end of year reports give the reader hope for a better future, something to look forward to, but for our trade all we have to look forward to is much of the same and possibly a trip to the job centre.

There is hope though, as finally it has become increasingly clear that TfL are on shaky ground and they know it. They have acted outside the law by encouraging PHV's to rank illegally outside night venues.

Satellite Offices are unworkable,unenforceable and have to be banned. Not only do we have case law on our side but also the very person who TfL have quoted in the past to give these ranking PHV's a blanket of legality, has made a statement that in fact (in his opinion) PHV's must not ply for hire, stand, form a rank or wait to be hired outside booking offices if full view of the public. They can only wait for passengers after they have been pre-booked by a third party who hold an operators license.

The time has come when all the trade bodies need to join together. If we do nothing in the light of this latest statement from Mr James Button, we will disappear completely. There is no time left to sit on the fence and be an observer, no time left to stick your head in the sand.

TfL know they are on borrowed time, so will try to push their damaging agenda through covertly and quickly, before we can organise residence.

They want Private hire waiting area's (ranks) set up all over the capital, starting in the West End and ending at major rail termini plus Heathrow and City Airports.

But the trade representatives can do nothing without you, the ordinary hard working taxi driver. The trade has never needed you as much as it does now. All you have to do is join us in the fight back. As I have said many times before, it doesn't matter who you join as long as you join. If you are disillusioned with your present association, leave but make sure you join one of the others.

Only one third of this trade belongs to an association or union and now this is no longer enough. Your trade needs you now like its never needed you before.

Our fate is in your hands, its up to you now.

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Will 2010 see the end of the offensive parking stealth tax?

News set to break in the New Year will send shockwaves through town halls who have spent the last 15 years collectively using parking fines to fill black holes in council budgets.
We have evidence of malpractice in every one of the councils listed below.
The High Court case detailed at www.motoristslegalchallenge.co.uk will create the focus.
Other matters will come into the public domain in a matter of weeks.

See full article click here makes really interesting reading.

Well Done Jenny Jones.........By Thomas the Taxi

Late, on Thursday night, while most of London's assembly members, most of the PCO officers and almost all of the TfL staff were tucked up cosy in their beds, London Assembly Member Jenny Jones (Green Party), was out with the Met Police in a sting operation to catch illegal touts and private hire drivers who constantly contravene the terms of their license.

This was a genuine effort on Jenny's part to actually do something about the increasing number of rapes occurring, at night, in these vehicles.

While Jenny was out in the freezing conditions she sent regular updates to her followers, including an ever increasing number of licensed taxi drivers, via Twitter. As the night slowly passed by, it became increasingly clear that this 21st century app could be employed in a positive way, in the fight against the touts.

Jenny Jones who is a member of the Police authority said she may make representation to the Met to see if they can observe Tweets sent by London taxi drivers to ascertain exactly where the touting is most prevalent.

For some time now a merry band of drivers who go under the title of TweetaLondonCab, with the help of the on-line taxi forum LTDF, have arrange so called hits on worst offending venues.

Lines of empty taxis are sent to night clubs and bars all over the capital in a bid to outfox the touts. This tactic has proved successful and now Dial a Cab regularly send updates to its fleet as to where the action is taking place.

I would therefore like to take this opportunity to thank Jenny Jones on behalf of the travelling public and the licensed taxi trade, for walking the walk instead of just talking the talk. Well done Jenny.

You can follow Jenny Jones on Twitter Click here

How traffic wardens out-earn countries

Most drivers know the feeling of returning to their vehicles to see an angry yellow packet stuck to the windscreen.

But the £60 price tag is truly a drop in the ocean - because, according to BBC London analysis, parking rakes in nearly half a billion pounds for authorities in the city each year.

Ed Davey reports on the parking industry worth more than entire countries.

If London's army of traffic wardens and forest of pay-and-display machines were a sovereign nation, they would rank as the 171st most wealthy country on earth.

The city's 32 metropolitan boroughs plus Transport for London raised more than £456m in the last tax year.

That is just below the gross domestic product of every man, woman and child in oil-rich Liberia or the Seychelles, with its booming luxury tourism industry.

The BBC used Freedom of Information requests to analyse how much each council raised from issuing residents permits, dishing out tickets to people who park unlawfully and running pay and display systems.

See full article click here

Cracks starting to appear in United Front......By Thomas the Taxi

We understand that a meeting has taken place with TOCU for and on behalf of the Private hire association who are concerned by the "take the work back campaign" eating in to their takings on the run up to Christmas. Both the LCDC and Unite representatives withdrew from this meeting held on Tuesday, because of the presence of a solicitor, there with Mr Steven Wright who represents Private hire on the board of TfL. Unfortunately Bob Oddy decided to break ranks with the so called United Front and did attend.

Mr Oddy was said to be furious with the LCDC and Unite representatives who disobeyed his order to attend.

The LCDC and Unite representatives are said not to have attended the meeting for a number of reasons, but we will have to wait until their respective journals come out in the near future to find out exactly why they defied orders from Bob.
We suspect one reason was because they did not wish to sit and be lectured by a solicitor confirming the virtues of satellite offices etc etc and the fact that they are legal.

What should be happening is Bob Oddy lecturing the TOCU Squad on the inability of their officers to enforce the law properly and stop private hire vehicles ranking and touting outside night venues all over the Capital.

Chief Superintendent Joe Royal,head of TOCU,has said the law is unenforceable.
If that's the case why are we paying him to enforce a law he so obviously can't enforce?
Perhaps he should resign and be replaced by someone who can.

Its quite easy Joe just go round to these places and arrest the drivers who are forming unauthorised ranks and touting. Some that are parking regularly on licensed Taxi ranks IE; Nobus, Babble, Mahiki and Tiger Tiger are committing a criminal offence, can be arrested and fined a maximum of £2,500. Do that a couple of times a night and the word will soon spread.

Chief Inspector Royals' idea on clearing up the amount of illegal touting is to stop and search Licensed Taxi Drivers in high visibility operations, asking to see their badge and bill. About as affective as a chocolate fireguard.

So what now of the United front that has been shown to be un-united?
Will Bob start writing articles ridiculing the likes of Grant Davis and Jim Kelly?
Can you have a United front with just one member?

Its That Man Again! .....By Thomas the Taxi.

Possible danger ahead, from an old adversary James Button, the Derbyshire solicitor and President of the institute of Licensing.

What can this possibly mean to us?
Well this is the man that Luke Howard refers to when asked about Private hire cars ranking outside clubs.
Luke has replied to every email complaint saying that in Mr Buttons learned opinion, this is legal as these cars can park and wait to be hired.
Even though we have a mountain of case law, dating back to the turn of the century, stating they can not wait in view of the public, last case Eastbourne 2001 appox.

When we point out to Luke Howard that this is not a Law but an opinion of someone completely unconnected to the London Taxi Trade he belligerently tells us to take him to court. (Which is exactly what the LTDA should have done a couple of years ago, when these scabs started to rank outside night venues all over London)
But I digress!

Now you know just who this man is and who takes notice of him, I would just like to point out his latest, very subtle attack on our trade.

Its the word TAXI.
Not the comic from W9 but the word and meaning of that word.

Read his document page 1 Click Here

"They are generally referred to as "taxis", but legally
they are split into hackney carriages and private hire vehicles."

By generally, is he refering to;

TfL, the PCO, local councils, the media and the general public?

As you see, we are going to have our hands full shortly trying to hang on to the exclusiveness of this term. Remember Ed Thompson's words.

"Where I come from they're all Taxi's."

Good news for us and a nail in Luke Howards coffin is a parragraph that states;

"The principal distinction between a private hire vehicle and a hackney carriage is that a private hire vehicle CANNOT stand or ply for hire or be hailed. It MUST be booked in advance. A further distinction requires that booking are made via a third licensee, who is a private hire operator. The private hire operator must be licensed by the same local authority that licences the private hire vehicle and private hire driver, and the local authority must be satisfied that the operator is suitable to hold such a licence."

Surely this is crystal clear in meaning. Does this not state that it is unlawful for PHV's to wait to be hired?
This paragrath flys in the face of what Luke Howard has been saying for the past two years that PHV's can wait to be hired. Well Luke they can't.

Also take his survey;
TAXI REFORM CAMPAIGN - NATIONWIDE CONSULTATION


This is what you have to look forward to in the new year. That and finally the demise of the metal badge, to be replaced by a picture card just like the scabs wear.

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Great idea for the party season?

Wonder what the PCO would say about a cab in London doing Karaoke ?

Looks Like its Back to Normal At D-A-C....by Thomas the Taxi

After complaints from a disgruntled Dial a Cab driver earlier this month,
it now seems that interference, from the Chairman and board of DaC, about the use of what they deemed to be offensive terminology, has now stopped. Fleet messages put out by dispatchers have returned to using the words touts, miniscabs and scabs when referring to private hire vehicles unlawfully touting outside clubs and bars in the city and West end late at night.

The previous row had drivers wondering if the board of Dial a Cab had asked dispatchers not to use the term as it may offend their private hire partners.

Drivers on radio circuits must ask themselves if it is morally right for them to be connected to private hire in any capacity in the light of recent developments at the PCO/TfL.

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The fight of our lives?

This trade is facing the biggest fight of its life, a fight we could well lose. TfL and local councils are falling over backwards to help in the proliferation of private hire. Licenses are dished out with no concern at the consequences of saturation in the capital and satellite offices are now turning up in all manner of places such as tobacconist kiosks.

Local councils are turning a blind eye to unauthorised private hire ranks outside most all night venues, with rickshaw bikes being allowed to do whatever they please.

We have seen hotels with so-called booking desks, where our jobs are usurped out of sight of the licensed rank and now news is breaking that John Lewis has a rank of scabs stealing our jobs from under our noses.

The battle rages furiously over the right of Licensed hackney cabs to use bus lanes with certain private hire companies instructing their drivers to break the law.

We now regularly see the police and local council wardens, refusing to deter private hire drivers from contravening parking restrictions, but victimising Licensed Taxi drivers.

With the man in charge of the specialised touting unit saying that he can no longer enforce these archaic laws, this trade is definitely in trouble.

What can we do?

Well if things carry on as they are we will lose. It is now every drivers duty to join an association or union, it really doesn't matter which one as long as you join. It is the duty of these associations and unions to stop fighting each other, join forces and concentrate on the real enemy in this fight for survival.

Lethargy and ignorance will no longer be an option, as day after day the enemy make new inroads into our finances until soon we will be unable to make a living on a daily basis.

It is no longer acceptable not to get involved. If you want to see this profession survive beyond 2010, you have to join the fight now and join a representative body. Leave it much longer and it will be too late.

Around And About This Decmber

Bristol taxi crowding is ‘risking lives’

Taxi and private hire drivers competing for late night business outside Taxi and private hire drivers competing for late nightbusiness outside pubs and Clubs in central Bristol are putting lives at risk, it is claimed

Bristol City Council says there are so many drivers crowding in to the city centre that some are posing a danger to other road users and pedestrians.

It plans to use CCTV to clamp down on drivers who are obstructing the road. Union Unite said the problem has been caused by the council lifting the limit on cab driver numbers in the city.

Source: BBC News, December 1st, 2009

Click here for full article

Gloucester taxi firms hit out at lights move

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Private Hire firms in Gloucester have hit out at new Government legislation to remove roof lights from private hire vehicles.

They believe the measure could put potential customers in danger of being picked up by unmarked, unlicensed drivers.

Source: This is Gloucestershire, December 4th, 2009

Click here for full article

Cabby caught out by his own CCTV

A CABBIE has had his licence revoked for “shocking”

behaviour towards three elderly passengers. It is the first use of new “taxicam” evidence by Southampton City Council.

Elyas Haidari, 24, from Woolston, was hauled before the council’s licensing committee after he was recorded hurling abuse at the partiallysighted women.At one point during an expletive- laden rant, he was heard to say: “You die tonight.”

Posted in Vehicle safety, December 8th, 2009

Click here for full article

Gloucester taxi drivers call for CCTV

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Calls have been made to install CCTV cameras in Gloucester’s taxi cabs. Cabbies in the city say the measure would keep them safe from late-night attacks and discourage people from running off without paying.

Alan Wood has been a taxi driver in Gloucester for the past eight years and said he would love to see cameras fitted in his cab. He said: “Putting CCTV cameras in the cab is a great idea and I would do it if I could afford to.

Source: Gloucestershire Echo, December 11th, 2009

Click here for full article

Airport cabbie slapped with ban for spending a penny

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An airport taxi driver has been left HACKED off, after Liverpool John Lennon Airport banned him for spending a penny.

Mark Yates, 45, has been driving his black cab for 23 years, and pays airport owners Peel Holdings more than £4000 each year to work from the outside the passenger terminal.

But on Thursday airport bosses slapped him with a 28-day ban from the site after he took too long to relieve himself, costing him a fortune in Christmas fares.

Posted in Airport and rail access, December 12th, 2009

Click here for full article

Is It All Change At The Comic

What's going on at Taxi house?

Has Stuart Pessok been sacked?

(We hope not)

We ask these questions in the light of an interview on LBC given by taxi driving ex police officer Steve Mac Namara, where he was introduced as editor of the LTDA's in house newspaper. Steve made no effort to correct the interviewer, so one must assume that he has taken over the role.

Not surprising really, after the last three issues of Taxi, where facts have been distorted and complete lies have been published by this once widely read, well respected journal.

Although not involved in the hate campaign directly with his editorials, Mr Pessok, as editor should have never put out these editions without first checking the facts were true.

As editor he is responsible for the content published.

Its such a shame to see this once great association resorting to this type of unnecessary propaganda in a bid to split the trade.

Why would they want to split the trade? you may well ask

For many years the LTDA sat on its high horse and would not deal with any other representative body.

Only in the last few years have they had to join forces with Unite and very recently the LCDC. It has taken the LCDC over twenty years of asking, to be invited to join the joint ranks committee. The unelected Council of Management has, over the past ten years, become lethargic. Lead by a man who has been seen to have given up completely in the fight to save our trade from the onslaught of licensed private hire and the victimisation of TfL and local councils. You only have to listen to the Oddygate tapes to come to that conclusion.

Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, the RMT has breathed new life into the fight for survival and is now attracting large amounts of new members. Some from the LTDA who have become disenchanted with the current leaderships attitude towards the trade.

In a bid to stem the haemorrhaging flow of members towards this new branch of the RMT, the LTDA, under the leadership of Mr Oddy, have taken to dirty tricks and propaganda.

Perhaps Mr Mac Namara can bring this whole unsavoury rearguard action to a conclusion. Its not what the members of this association want. They would like to see a united trade, but unfortunately this is not what the CoM of the LTDA are striving to achieve. They now feel threatened that their well paid, nice little earner, is about to come to a full stop. Perhaps it should.

This trade needs to unite, not to fragment. It doesn't matter if there are two unions and two associations as long as we are all fighting to achieve the same goals. Its the sad truth that the shocking behaviour of this once great association is all down to money, but that's reality, its a fact and you can take that to Taxi house.

Darren Johnson's Cab Not So Wise....By Thomasthetaxi

Recognise this latest campaign from TfL.

It has cost Londoners millions and was the result of much hard work, put in by the Green party's own Jenny Jones, trying to convince revellers leaving parties on the run up to the Christmas Holidays, to use only Licensed Taxis or pre-booked licensed private hire cars.

It was surprising then, to see the Leader of the Green Party and Chair of the London Assembly, Darren Johnson, posting on twitter last night, that he was looking for an illegal minicab to take him home. I say surprising because a colleague of mine, a licensed black taxi driver, had sent him a tweet offering to pick him up.

Unfortunately the Chair of the London Assembly couldn't be bothered to wait, in fact he didn't even reply to my colleague and went off in search of the nearest scab (as we call them).

From further tweets its obvious that he found a dodgy, minicab and had to pay an exorbitant rip off rate, which he will probably claim back on expenses.

This behaviour, from a man in a privileged position who should be setting an example to us all, is disgusting and outrageous. Its obviously a case of "Do as I say, not as I do". Jenny Jones must be cringing over her leaders midnight escapade.

Here's One Licensed Taxi Driver that wont be picking up Darren Johnson again and that's for sure.

The word is starting to spread now, Click here for Shepherds bush Story

The Great ‘Tacho’ Scandal ‘part two’....by Paul Bond.

Since the publication of the ‘Bob’s Law’ article in TAXI Magazine, many concerned working cab drivers have been approaching us for more information.

So that you take an independent view on the matter, below are extracts from the directive itself and the conclusion of the review of the UK regulations

unedited straight from the Department of Transports Website.

Click here for full article.

CCTV...Good or Bad.....By Thomasthetaxi

For many years now, taxi drivers in London have campaigned for the right to have CCTV fitted in their cabs.

Mainly for protection against false allegations and attacks from passengers. This has now become possible, but only with equipment supplied by a couple 0f PCO approved security company's. As you can imagine, these are probably the most expensive CCTV set ups you can find at the moment, which runs into hundreds of pounds.

Whilst not being every drivers cup of tea, just the mere fact of having the "Beware CCTV " sticker in the partition window (99p for four on Ebay), I have noticed a marked improvement in the behaviour of my younger passengers. Just mentioning to argumentative passengers that you are recording the conversation cuts down aggressive attitudes towards the driver.

Believe it or not, the right to have CCTV in your taxi was bought in by TfL/PCO to;

"Protect the Passenger from the aggression of the driver"

This subject has hit the news this week as a driver from outside London has lost his license for aggressive behaviour towards a passenger caught on his in cab CCTV.

Last night on the LBC news Steve Mac Namara made a statement that he didn't think, in his opinion, that CCTV was essential in London taxi's as in the last year, their have only been five instances where the PCO have found it necessary to download footage. However if you were one of the five and had been accused of an act that could have meant the revocation of your taxi license, I'm pretty sure you would not agree with Mac Namara.

Steve was introduced as the editor of the LTDA in house newspaper Taxi"!

When did that happen?

Wonder what Stuart has to say about that.