Although in our opinion, if a club folds and opens up in a new location under a new name but is owned by the same licensee's who use the same minicab company, then we feel this is a new operating center license.
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| Troxy on Commercial Road |
One club in particular is the Troxy on Commercial Road. This quite new live music venue has an impressive entrance with steel barriers for the lines of queuing guests. Just inside the barriers in full view of the public, is a high-vis jacketed clipboard man. On his back are the words Compton Cars. In the side street next to the venue is a line of illegally ranked touts being fed by this clipboard Johnnie. Whats strange about this setup? The fact is the Troxy doesn't have a satellite office license.
Why bother with all that fuss, no one ever goes there to enforce the PH act of 1998, or check the paper work...
PCO Stealth Bailiffs!
Again, on Friday night, we were treated to the site of a stop and search team from the PCO (T&PH) Cab Enforcement. With special "license plate recondition" equipment, they spent most of the night pulling over Taxis for badge and bills, plus the odd private hire car with outstanding warrants or unpaid parking tickets. It has been said that the local councils pay a handsome commission to all funds retrieved in this manner. Drivers have to pay on the spot or risk having their vehicles impounded.
Within a few yards of this operation, the Licensed Taxi Rank just north of the Garrick Theater was smashed alive with illegally parked PHV's.
Again, on Friday night, we were treated to the site of a stop and search team from the PCO (T&PH) Cab Enforcement. With special "license plate recondition" equipment, they spent most of the night pulling over Taxis for badge and bills, plus the odd private hire car with outstanding warrants or unpaid parking tickets. It has been said that the local councils pay a handsome commission to all funds retrieved in this manner. Drivers have to pay on the spot or risk having their vehicles impounded.
Within a few yards of this operation, the Licensed Taxi Rank just north of the Garrick Theater was smashed alive with illegally parked PHV's.
As it's the responsibility of Cab Enforcement to removed unauthorised vehicles from a Licensed Taxi rank (section 40 Abstract of Law), I approached the officer in charge and asked him to remove the offending vehicles. He refused and told me to complain to my MP.
He then explained why, what they were doing was so very important, as that night they had captured two "Yellow Badges" working out of their sectors. Not a word though about the money they had collected as agents for the council!
He then explained why, what they were doing was so very important, as that night they had captured two "Yellow Badges" working out of their sectors. Not a word though about the money they had collected as agents for the council!
I got the impression at this location that actually stopping Taxis, was a front to disguise the financial recovery on behalf of the local councils.
It has been whispered that many thousands of pounds are recovered by these stealth type bailiff operations.
TtT
Picture from Karl
Interesting, so is a few full Yellow Badges nicking a job here and there in the early hours of the morning who have a 100% credible CRB clearance a massive problem at a time of night when Taxis are scarce?
ReplyDeleteOr, is a line of Private Hire Touts that possibly contain sexual predators servicing TfL satellite offices, the bigger problem that are contributing to last years statistics of 143 sexual assaults a bigger problem?
After all how many yellow badges have been convicted for sexual assaults in central London or the suburbs in the 300+ years Licensed Taxis have been servicing the public in London?
This is a tactic used by the Metropolitan Police to deflect the attention away from the problem of sexual assaults in TfL Private Hire Vehicles, and to further malign the Licensed Cab Trade!
ReplyDeleteAlthough you dont say i can only assume you reported the touts to a POLICE OFFICER,if so and his reply was contact your MP, There is something you could have done,Take his number and send a WRITTEN COMPLAINT to scotland yard,stating you reported a crime being commited and this officer failed to act,Its best you send this registered,then they cant say it was not recieved,Any complaint has to be investigated,And the officer will be interviewed,For this it will just be a case of okay mate,its nothing really,so take it as a slap on the wrist,But heres the best bit,it will go on his file,Just the once wont affect him at all but if we all done this everytime,They will soon get the message,Because two or more complaints will be taken a very dim view to,And will affect the officers chance of promotion,Plus his superiors will get well pissed off with continual investigations,For you there is no comebacks whatsoever,as your only being the good citizen reporting a crime,It only takes a little bit of effort on our part and we can really upset the apple cart.
ReplyDeleteCan we have some more answers from the Met & TfL.
ReplyDelete1. What do they intend to do about The Troxy Nightclub? who knows they might even catch a Newham Sector YB driving past.
2.Do they get 'commission' or any cost recovery on any fines recovered by these operations?
3,. As for YB's working 'outside the sector' how can they prove it? Having the For Hire Light on is meaningless in law?
4. Is there a Fish Supper awarded by Grant Davis to John Mason on every YB 'caught' as the LCDC seem to be obsessed with this (and DaC of Course) yet seem to now have little to say aboutPH especially the Badge's featured company Addison Lee. Hmmmm...
Mr Mason.
CONCENTRATE ON THE REAL ISSUES!!!
PROTECT THE PUBLIC, IT'S YOUR JOB!!!!
Ye Olde Membershafte
ReplyDeleteUnlike the UTG, we at the Anderson Shelter are on the ball
Our top toutbuster has contacted T&PH enforcement top man, who has said they will visit club and deal with this situation.
While the others just post, sit back and do nothing, we act on all info received.
Keep an eye on this venue and please report any illegal touting in the future. We will follow this up and report accordingly.
TtT
Re our cab rank in Charing Cross Road, why the hell don't we merge on the area from all directions at a time that will cause major disruption and then see what the police will do then! maybe they might write to there MP's
ReplyDeleteIs there a 'Bullshitter of the Year Award?.
ReplyDeleteIf so I nominate John Mason for his appearances at the LCDC AGM and recently at the Feeder Park.
If the is our friend we do not need enemies!
Any seconders?
Will the bullshitter of the year award be presented at 3pm at Oxford Circus on Wednesday 17th of November 2010, can't wait to see this?
ReplyDelete