On Tuesday the 16th March 2010 John Mason the new director of Taxis and Private hire met with representatives of the RMT London Taxi Branch at Portcullis House SW1.John McDonnell MP for Hayes and Harlington, James Croy Political Officer RMT along with researchers plus David Vidgen Branch Secretary, Stan Marut complaints and compliance and finally John Kennedy vice chair attended honest open frank discussions with John Mason.
Many issues were raised with John Mason ranging from the M4 Bus lane fiasco, Richmond taxi rank, intimidation of taxi-cab drivers at Heathrow, Satellite mini-cab offices, illegal ranks of private hire vehicles outside venues and plenty of other issues were discussed too. John McDonnell MP certainly stood up for members of the RMT London taxi branch and he laid out a clear path for the RMT to be included in open honest formal discussions with TFL/PCO. The meeting was constructive and forthright which allowed for open honest opinions to be exchanged.
The RMT London Taxi Branch would like to thank John Mason for attending a meeting in the wonderful setting of the parliamentary estate and we certainly look forward to working with the new director so we can solve the many problems that have built up over decades within the London Taxi trade.
Please note a full report will be given to members of the RMT at the next branch meeting to be held on the 12th April 2010.
Remember if you want a voice and vote and not an air freshener join the RMT specialist transport union online at http://www.rmt.org.uk/
nice photo op,but reality is PHV licenses still being handed out with no cap insight,westrminster council,tfl pco turning blind eye to touts and rickshaws in west end
ReplyDeleteWhen will the RMT be formally recognised? Again this week a major meeting deciding on the age limit of cabs will be held between PCO and LCDC, LTDA and Unite yet once again the RMT will not be there, why?
ReplyDeleteThe meeting will not be deciding on anything, read the PCO noitices, Tfl and the PCO consult and not negotiate.
ReplyDeleteThe RMT will meet with Mr Mason on its own as some of the other trade orgs. have said they will walk out if they turned up Why?
The RMT are acting on all the matters Easy Rider refers to, thats why our approcah is to ban pedicabs and get the authorities to enforce the law, we have lawyers and MP's pressurising, yet still other trade organisations insist on 'running us down'.
Why, frightened it might work!
Travis B.
ReplyDeleteIt's mainly because of people like you, Kennedy, TTT, Walsh, White, Lambert and this very blogsite that has caused the RMT recognition problems.
This website publishes lies and a lot of untruths!
Why don't you ask the owner about the OXO tower docket story and ask him how he really came into possession of the said docket ?
The RMT need to reform themselves, before they tell the rest of the trade how to run their affairs.The RMT members need to look long and hard at the idiots they have representing them!
In The Know.
Is there anyone under 67 on the Railway commitee?
ReplyDeleteThe age limit meeting will be the one that decides what goes into the consultation paper. The LCDC,LTDA and Unite will be there deciding and giving their input. The RMT will have no voice, why?
ReplyDeleteI'm all for the proposed age limit. Why should 80% of the trade invest in new cabs or ones roughly under 10 years old, whilst the other 20% who can't be bothered run around in clapped out wrecks stuck together with sticky tape and cable ties.
ReplyDeleteInvest and earn. Run a shed and get out. Simple really.
A dres code would be nice as well. Get rid of the shorts and football top brigade as well.
What's the RMT's view?
Dear All, (including In the Know)
ReplyDelete1. This is not and has never been an RMT site, they have their own (links on here.)
2. The RMT has never attacked any organisation unlike every edition of TAXI and sometimes CTN.
3. Every RMT London Taxi Branch official is democratically elected annually. It's not them that need reform! Look closer to home.
4. The RMT will consider the branch response to the age limit question at their next meeting and RMT will give their input direct to John Mason.
5. The consulatation with trade orgs is just that a consultation as the PCO notice says, TfL will decide. If you listen to the news today (inner low emissions zone, Boris's Pledge on Air Quality) you will see the tide is not runnning with keeping cabs over 10 years old) My personal view is that technology will overtake events once a fuel cell/electric cab is viable anyhow.
6. 'People like me' what's up don't like the old 'status quo' being challenged? I never resort to personal insults I challenge policies and actions (or lack of) of organisations. The same goes for the ageist comments, plenty of other 'seniors' in trade positions.
Happy for you to disagree though (try it on any other trade blog?), but stick to the isssues please.
You must differentiate between individual opinions (on blogs/forums/trade press) and the official prononcements of the union.
Otherwise every member of the LTDA/LCDC/UNITE/RMT is in your eyes the official spokesman.
If you want to know the official 'line' speak to the branch secretary.
The RMT has a voice but it will be heard at a different time that's all.
Sorry I won't join you in a slanging match.
New Cab said...
ReplyDeleteI'm all for the proposed age limit. Why should 80% of the trade invest in new cabs or ones roughly under 10 years old, whilst the other 20% who can't be bothered run around in clapped out wrecks stuck together with sticky tape and cable ties.
Invest and earn. Run a shed and get out. Simple really.
WHAT a Turnip
New Cab said...
ReplyDeleteI'm all for the proposed age limit. Why should 80% of the trade invest in new cabs or ones roughly under 10 years old, whilst the other 20% who can't be bothered run around in clapped out wrecks stuck together with sticky tape and cable ties.
Invest and earn. Run a shed and get out. Simple really
So purchasing a new Taxi or one less than 10 years old will earn you more money , right?.......I don't think so somehow. A new Taxi equates to greater overheads, longer working hours to service the debt, less time at home with the family. If you want to do that then fine by me!
But less Taxis in front.
ReplyDeleteSimples.
When the age limit is imposed, and it will be, those that won't buy a decent cab will be out the game or renting.
Greater overheads?
You mean like all the money you have to spend patching up a shed? Nah. Not in my experience. New cabs attract custom, sheds fuel the likes of Addison Lee.
It's a coming, soon.
More choice as well.
Goodbye LTI monopoly.
New cab..
ReplyDeleteA bit green and narrow minded me thinks...
A newbie to the trade by any chance???
Do your homework ,, work out the sums Then comment..
Your heart is in the right place but your conclusion is floored...
Sorry to say.
Green? In badge only. About 10 years if you really want to know.
ReplyDeleteThe sums? Any sum will be better than seeing the filthy clapped out sheds that purport to be London Taxis charging the same as I and the majority do in immaculate modern well maintained Taxis.
That minority who drive the few thousand sheds are ruining our trade and putting people off using our services just as much as the foul mouthed clowns do, or the 'ain't going south' brigade or the football topped drivers with B.O do.
It's a coming.
I'm hedging on 12 years. That'll be a start.
Demographics,ingrained apathy and ignorance will inevitably finish the London cab trade.It's a recipe for disaster.
ReplyDeleteThe scabs used to have the shit carts and clueless drivers,now its us! It's time to wake up and smell the coffee or its end game!
We need to give the public the best service we can with the best vehicles we can use. It's not about US, it's about the service we give!
Its not rocket science.........
I am om the side of having a clean new cab with well dressed and polite driver. Passengers do not owe us a living just because we have done The Knowledge.
ReplyDeleteSimco
New Cab said its only a few thousand 'sheds' out there. A 10 year age limit will take over 8700 cabs off the road. Once that happens whats a 9 yr old cab worth?? Then work it backwards from there. At present a 3 yr old TX4 trades for about 17k (half its initial value) with only 7 plates left I reckon it will be worth 14k? If you can afford to lose £20k every 3 years in depreciation I can't.
ReplyDeleteServicing and running costs (and time spent in M&O's waiting room whilst they do warranty work) plus a 20k depreciation would kill the job stone dead.
Or increase those drivers earnings who are willing to invest. Typical doom and gloom from the shit heap owners society, tight people who won't spend a penny. Guess what? Your'e going to have to!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou buy new and run it for 10 years. Sell it to a county opo.
Plus, who says you'd have to go to Mann and Overton?
Just sit back and watch the amount of alternatives that come onto the market over the next couple of years, have a look on E-Bay for the exact replica of the Vito at the Birmingham Taxi Warehouse (same company that does the London conversion)they're selling brand new for £26K.
Even a part time driver could meet those payments over 5 years, unless they were a really lazy fecker, and if they were, never mind all the more money for the hard working majority.
I and many others who invest in decent vehicles cannot wait on this new age limit, and nothing the old men who run the trade bodies say or do will change it. Thats why the majority of the trade have nothing to do with the windbags who claim to represent us.
Never will.
Quote
ReplyDeleteNew Cab said...
Greater overheads?
'You mean like all the money you have to spend patching up a shed? Nah. Not in my experience. New cabs attract custom, sheds fuel the likes of Addison Lee'
My Taxi only costs me only £50-60 a week all in exc fuel to run. My taxi also emit less NoX, than a TX4 , the co2 output is actuallyjust a little higher than a TX4 (not that you seem bother by the green issues whatsoever). Ride quality is similar to a TX4, performance is the same except with 40 bhp more, lol and fuel economy is better than a TX4....all of this....from a 22 year old Taxi , Not bad aye mate!
The only thing you have in your're TX4 is air conditioning & do you have that for the benefit of the customers?, So yeah I envy you on those hot summer nights but I sure do not envy the costs & overheads you guys pay, I do not envy the long hours you HARD WORKING guys put in to make ends meet, I do not envy the vehicle depreciation, I do not envy the hours you guys spend at M&O having the warranty work done.
If I would have spent + £30K on a Taxi then I would have to work more hours, If all other +10 year old Taxi drivers are forced to buy new that will equate to considerably less work for you/ more hours....but hey, you want that then as I said, you are more than welcome to it....consumerism is an ugly business imho but hey, we all have to keep up with the jones's.
The only viable reason why work is going to Addy Lee is,
1 - they have a better sales dept.
2 - their Ford Galaxy cars are way more comfortable than a TX4 & hey....they even have air-con for the benefit of the customers.....unlike MOST Tx4's
IF IT AIN'T BROKEN THEN WHY MEND IT.
Oh & just incase you forgot, the real reason for getting 10/12 year old taxis off the road is due to EMISSIONS & has nothing whatsoever to do with pompous arsed inflated egos who feel that everyone else should be burdened with replacing their taxis every 3 years just because they do.
Live & let live I say, you have a new Taxi....good for you.
Quote
ReplyDelete'Carrilion said...
You buy new and run it for 10 years. Sell it to a county opo.
Plus, who says you'd have to go to Mann and Overton?
Just sit back and watch the amount of alternatives that come onto the market over the next couple of years, have a look on E-Bay for the exact replica of the Vito at the Birmingham Taxi Warehouse (same company that does the London conversion)they're selling brand new for £26K'
I just phoned David at Birmingham Taxi Warehouse & the cost of a London spec Vito is £35,895, please link me to the ebay page where they sell new 'London Spec' Taxis for £26K.
Run to 10 years & sell out of London? - that may not work as most counties already operate a system of vehicles having to be 10 years old maximum.
Unless the CoF are to be reviewed (yet again, they were only done a few years ago) then It's either LTI or Mercedes, perhaps you are privvy to information that everyone else is unaware of.....please enlighten me.
thank you
For your pleasure!
ReplyDeletehttp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mercedes-Benz-Vito-Taxi-NEW-PCO-APPROVED_W0QQitemZ170396562632QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item27ac6d34c8
And the Non London One (which is the silly rear steer)in a nice long bodied versio
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/THE-Mercedes-Benz-Vito-Taxi-NEW_W0QQitemZ170383853452QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item27abab478cV
Get in quick and buy it. Hugs. New Cab. x
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mercedes-Benz-Vito-Taxi-NEW-PCO-APPROVED_W0QQitemZ170396562632QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item27ac6d34c8
ReplyDeleteThats for a manual without the vat. As I stated I phoned them @ price is£35, 895....unless they guy is not allowed to announce prices over the phone or something silly,
but thanks for the link.
The one you highlight on ebay is non rear wheel steer and is the same as the ones from Jubillee or any of a dozen other converters who have been making them for 20 years. Its not PCO approved without the RWS and its unlikely to change.
ReplyDeleteIf the United Trade Group can not defeat the age limit the game is dead, to try and run a cab with that sort of depreciation is madness and remember a TX4 at only 20mpg is better than the TX5 which will only give 18mpg!!
If you want to buy a new cab, great, but the economics do not support it anymore especially if you try and work days.
All power to the UTG to defeat the PCO plans
Richmond Bill
Dear Bill, the silver one, whilst manual, IS PCO approved with the rear wheel steer. It comes in at a little over £30K, which is over £5K cheaper than KPM. If I worked nights or the airport, I know where I would be heading, and it wouldn't be KPM.
ReplyDeleteThe RMT will meet with Mr Mason on its own as some of the other trade organization. have said they will walk out if they turned up Why?The RMT are acting on all the matters Easy Rider refers to, thats why our approach is to ban pedicabs and get the authorities to enforce the law.If you want to buy a new cab, great, but the economics do not support it anymore especially if you try and work days.
ReplyDeleteEvery one wants a piece of the Action , Road Tax TX4 £425 a year , Meter Rental , Insurance . Income Tax , Accountant etc etc. Yes you get three years warranty with a TX4 , but its badly made and over priced . Whilst driving for a year , then the overhaul comes , and guess what your Year Old TX4 is falling apart . No car maunufacturer would get away with this . They would have No Customers , yes we have a choice of a Mercedes Van , a Van with a Hire Light. Ask a Cabby what he Earns its always multiplied by 3. Except when you put your takings in your Bank Account its divided by 3.
ReplyDeleteWhat Future does the Trade have , well if you want a Hobby it certainly fills your time , and you dont need a building society account , give it all to the Garage . Afterall its only Money . But Where is our £££££££