Grosvenor House, Night 2....by Thomas the Taxi.

Last night, after seeing dozens of Addison Lee Vans ranking outside the Grosvenor House Hotel, The Twitter action Group (TAG) turned up in large numbers and completely took over the whole front of the hotel. The marshals from AL were infuriated as their vans had to move off the Licensed Taxi rank and illegally park on the double red lines in front of the rank. At one point they drove round the corner and parked in Mount Street.

Emails were fired off to John Mason Head of Taxi and Private hire and the reply came back that Addison Lee were doing nothing wrong, again.

Its amazing after the week of enforcement stops on Taxi we have seen from TPH, that when it comes to private hire they are nowhere to be seen.

Well John you weren't there (you never are). Nor was anyone from the TPH, we were and Addison Lee were seen to be contravening the law on a large scale.

1. Jobs booked inside the Hotel on the spur of the moment, are not valid pre booked jobs. Vans parked outside were waiting to be hired and were seen to be forming a rank. This rank is unauthorized as only Licensed Taxis are entitled to rank. Forming an unauthorized rank is a criminal offence. (refer to J Buttons statement from earlier this year)
2. A desk inside the Hotel taking immediate bookings for a PH operator needs a satellite office license. Bookings can not be taken remotely. As people passed the desk they were asked if they wanted a Taxi and escorted to an unlawfully ranked Van. As no satellite office license was in place, this is Touting.
3. Addison Lee marshals covered all exits and as guests made their way out of the Hotel again they were asked if they wanted a TAXI, then shown to a Van by the marshal. This is touting.

This behavior from Addison Lee is unacceptable.
All the drivers who were there, saw exactly what went on. To then be told by the head of TPH, that because Addison Lee has an account with Barclays that it was fine for them to be at this two day event is not in question. Touting openly with the aid of the hotel security staff is unacceptable.

Griffin is pushing the boundaries hoping for a show down. Well Last night the Taxi trade turned out in force to show we are not having it and we will turn out every night if we have to.

The Taxi trade is now asking why Mason is unwilling to take on this cowboy minicab proprietor with delusions of grandeur . 


What hold has this man got over TfL.
Bus Lanes, Cab Ranks and open touting. The Law is clear! Minicabs are not Taxis and have to abide by the PH act 1998. We will continue to demonstrate at these functions and the feeling in the trade is to escalate the action.