Letter Sent to Boris, through MP.... by Simco.

The Time has come for action, no more playing the waiting game.

For years, drivers have been complaining about the situation we currently face with the non enforcement of Private Hire, plus the victimisation of drivers trying to find ranks that are disappearing daily.
We have tried going through our representatives bodies who have been seen to do nothing. We have watched as new groups formed, are slandered, libeled and left out of consultations by the UTG and TfL.
We don't want the earth. We are not asking for massive pay rises. We don't need expensive, new legislation.
All we want is the laws that already exist, to be enforced FULL STOP.

Our cries have been falling on deaf ears it seems, and our so called leaders have set themselves up in ivory towers and are collaborating with our enemy.
We have tried to go forward in a positive and correct manner, causing as little disruption as possible. This has not been successful. So now is the time to regroup and make a concerted attack from a different perspective.
What can I do? I am only one driver, you may well ask.
And that's right. There is not a lot one driver can do, but this is where we have to be reminded about the story of twigs. One twig on its own may be weak and break when bent. But the more twigs you put in the bundle, the harder it is to bend and break. Once you have a sizable bundle you can tie around a handle and make a broom and you knew what they say... A new broom sweeps clean.
That's exactly what this trade needs, a new broom.

One man who stands out amongst the few is Simco. He has been a one man army against the touts, producing some of the best quality, covert video seen. He has joined all the trade groups to try to get them more involved in the survival of the job that he loves, is a regular contributor to "The Anderson Shelter" and is also a member of the LTDF forum.

One thing those in authority don't like, is to be tied down with excessive paper work. We have, in the past, tried mass email complaints, but emails can be deleted without being read.
If an MP or Assembly Member receives a communication on paper such as a letter or fax, they are obliged to read an act upon it.
Therefore we at The Anderson Shelter would ask you all to consider writing to your assembly member and MP. Your wont have to use pen and paper although that would be fantastic, you can use the box provided to contact both AM's and MP's, leave a message that is forwarded on to them by fax.

I will finish by Publishing the letter sent by Simcos MP to Mayor Boris Johnson. Please read then fill in the box below and send similar message to your MP, or if you live in London Assembly Member.



Dear Mayor Boris Johnson,

I have received representations from the London Taxi Drivers’ about a number of problems they are experiencing across London – with the two main issues being enforcement of the law and better ranking facilities.

I would be grateful if you could ask for a detailed reply on this – presumably from Transport for London. In providing myself and my constituents with a reply, can you please ensure that any figures from the Public Carriage Office are double-checked.

1. Enforcement

I would like you to carry out a detailed assessment of the effectiveness of the regulation of the taxi trade in London. I would like to request formally that you, as Mayor, instruct such an investigation.

I am asking this because I am frequently told that the current system is widely and blatantly flouted – undermining the livelihoods of many hardworking taxi drivers and threatening service levels to customers.

In the meantime I have a series of questions about the effectiveness of the current regulatory regime (see below), and I hope you can provide answers to these before setting up an investigation.

Background

London’s taxi drivers pay a large annual fee so they can “ply for hire”. This effectively means they have a contract with the Greater London Authority and its agencies (i.e., Tfl, the MPS and the PCO) that they will ensure that those not paying the fee will be prosecuted if they “ply for hire”.

Licensed private hire vehicles cannot legally “ply for hire”. They have separate rights to pick up pre-booked customers and are separately licensed. They have complaints too – as unlicensed drivers will steal their pre-booked market as well as the “ply for hire” market.

To police London’s taxi market, there has in recent years been an increase in the number of officials apparently tasked to enforce the regulations – though there remain many complaints. The relevant TOCU claims to have 62 officers compared to the 5 officers that the old PCO had – yet drivers report little or no improvement.

Therefore, my questions are:

1. How many prosecutions of drivers illegally plying for hire have there been in each of the last 5 years, and whether this can be further broken down by a) London Borough; b) time of the day; c) whether the driver prosecuted was licensed for private hire vehicles;

2. How many special enforcement patrols of the taxi regulations have there been in each of the last five years, broken down by a) London Borough; b) time of the day;

3. How many a) police officers; b) traffic wardens; c) local authority officers have in the last five years received training in the law in London around “plying for hire”?

4. What guidance is provided to non-specialist a) police officers; b) traffic wardens; c) local authority officers in the enforcement of the law in London around “plying for hire”?

5. What initiatives have been implemented over the last five years to improve the enforcement of the legislation around “plying for hire” in London, and what initiatives are planned?

6. How many staff are involved directly and specially in the enforcement of the legislation around “plying for hire” in London, and how has this number changed in the last 5 years?

7. What is the total budget for the enforcement of the legislation around “plying for hire” in London, and how has this number changed in the last 5 years?

8. What complaints have been received about the failure to enforce the legislation around “plying for hire” in London in each of the last five years?

9. What performance or other management indicators are used to assess the regulation of these laws in London? How do you as Mayor assess whether TfL / the MPS / the TOCU / the PCO are carrying out these specific regulatory functions well and represent good value for money?

10. What is your overall policy towards the enforcement of these regulations?

2. Ranking facilities

As passenger behavior changes, so should ranking facilities adapt. I am told this is rarely the case. Therefore can you review the policy towards keeping London’s black cab taxi ranks up-to-date and sufficient?

Can you also tell me what changes have been made in such ranks, by London Borough, over the last 5 years? Can you tell me how many requests for new or changed black cab taxi ranks have been received but not enacted over the last five years?

I look forward to receiving your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Chris Grayling MP

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