Day 4. Last nights late night hit on the bar Abacus in Cornhill,EC3 was a complete success. A convoy of Taxis made their way down from a pre-arranged meeting place and formed a line outside the venue. City police have stated to drivers they have no objections to this activity as long as drivers do not park in the bus lane to the west of the bar.
Clip Board man disappeared inside the bar entrance (contravening the fire regulations) as the cabs took over from the unlicensed touts.
The customers leaving this night bar were only too pleased to use our services. This is living proof that there needs to be a Licensed Taxi rank outside the door of this venue, not miles up the road in the middle of nowhere.
Please if you see Licensed Taxis forming ranks outside these venues, don't be afraid to join in. None of the cabs waited more than a few minutes and you will be amazed at the quality of the work we are winning back.
Don't waste expensive fuel driving round aimlessly, get on these ranks and help in the fight to win back the work that PHV drivers have stolen. Don't let them keep getting a free ride. Lets make it as hard for them as we can.
Don't forget, make sure you sign up to the LTDF Taxi forum,click the link on the right of this post and keep an eye open for the next hit.
Its the only way to stop the ever increasing number of touts completely taking over our trade.
Another success for the LTDF Taxi forum hit squad and the Twitter action Group.
We must also thank the drivers and dispatchers of Dial A Cab, who graciously put out messages and updates last night. Lets hope that where DaC lead others will follow.
Day 3. I thought I was running late, and was having trouble with the 3G service on my phone, so made my way to straight to Abacus. Just managed to get there just before the hit Squad. Touts everywhere both sides of the road, so I plotted up and waited for the cavalry to arrive. Unfortunately I got off more or less straight away, to W1 and back to Wapping Wall, so missed the main body of the LTDF. As I found myself in E1 I decided to make a return trip. This time I had missed the Hit squad who had all seemed to get off, pretty much as they arrived and again I had to sit there again on my own. I was approached by the rather large security chap who, in a not so polite manner asked me to stop filming and informed me I, was breaking the law, by forming a rank in a bus lane.
I was then joined by some of the Twitter action group (TaG), as legalled off Steve had done a blinding job putting out messages about the hit. Second job Clapham south and on to Chelsea. As I pulled away the doorman went for me with a load of abuse but I just put my window up and smiled as I pulled away. I decided to have another go, just to wind up the big guy on the door, so headed straight back. Third job to the Elephant took me to GSS for a break. I later heard from fellow twitterer Jason, the door man had called the City of London police.
Great I thought, perhaps they will move on all the touts now..... but did they, not!
Instead of giving grief to the touts, or even having a quiet word with the security guy, who by now was very animated and waving his arms and shouting abuse, they proceeded to ask the Licensed Taxis for their badge and bills, telling them not to park in the bus lane as the touts were complaining. No you didn't miss read it "The Touts Were Complaining" about us. Black Cab bully boys we are now call in latest editions of PHV magazine. Well done to everyone who turned up and took part, even if you did just the one ride, every job we take, hurts the scab cabs.
Well done you TOUT BUSTERS
Also, nice to meet Seamus and Bazcab perhaps next time we will have time for a chat!
In the early hours of this morning, the now infamous group of Licensed Taxi drivers known as the LTDF hit Squad, in conjunction with drivers from Twitter action group (TaG), hit the worst two touting offenders in Westminster, namely On Anon and Tiger Tiger. As they say a picture paints a thousand words so I will just let Simco's videos tell their own story as we all know it by heart now.
How can it be right for these two touts to operate outside of a tobacconist in Shaftesbury Avenue?
And again, as this was all taking place, the TOCU Squad were round in Charing Cross Road checking Licensed Black Taxis for Badges and Bills.
Chief Superintendent Joe Royle says he can't enforce something he can't see.
Joe you should have gone to specsavers!
Well done to every driver who took the time and made the effort. It was a very busy night and you showed that even when its busy we can still provide these places with an excellent service.
That's why we are still the "Best Taxi Service in the World".
For years now, PHV drivers (or touts as we know them), have been forming unauthorised ranks on both sides of the street outside Abacus in Cornhill EC3.
The previous head of the PCO Ed Thompson had been taken to observe the unlawful goings on out side this venue. He remonstrated with the clipboard man only to ascertain the bar management would not let him work inside the premises as it was against their health and safety regulations, plus it later came to light, they do not have a satellite license. These touts are left quite unabated by the City of London police and local wardens, to scoop up unsuspecting members of the public and carry them away uninsured and over charged. The City of London Corporation have done absolutely nothing to stop this practise.
This particular venue has also become a favourite haunt of sexual predators, a statistic that the increasing tariff of serious sexual assaults will bear out.
So, What can be done?
We must call on the Chief Superintendent Joe Royles TOCU squad and the PCO to do something, anything. But going on their past record, I wouldn't hold your breath.
While this video was being filmed by an undercover cabby, the Tocu Squad were stopping empty Licensed Taxis in central London and asking to see their badge and bill. What a waste of their budget and our tax money.
Openly touting, these same touts can be seen at this venue every night
Notice that every one of these touts drives a licensed PHV. By forming an unauthorised rank and touting, they contravene the terms and conditions of their license and under the Mayor's one strike and you're out initiative, they are entitled to have their license revoked. But no one wants to enforce this particular piece of legislation for fear it may be in breach of their human rights. Its like owning a guard dog with no teeth.
If you would like to do something useful, join us in reporting this to your MP and Assembly member. You can find their details on the right of this blog, just enter your postcode and you can navigate to a complaint form. All you have to do is remember to put the link from these videos in with your complaint.
Help us to help you. The more complaints they receive, the more likely they are to do something. Do nothing and it will just continue.
Footage supplied by Simco.
Where Are They Now?
Do you remember the undercover video produced on behalf of the LTDA?
Featured outside Movida was a young man who was reported to be on the Knowledge while working as a clip board Johnnie.
Well it seems he now drives a Scab Cab. Filmed here outside Abacus, wonder if he is still on the KoL?
Business advocates in the Bloomsbury-Holborn-St Giles area have suggested renaming their territory as 'Midtown'.
This would imply a central position in London's geography.
We have already seen part of the area described as Centre Point but from my days on the Knowledge of London, I remember being informed, that the exact central point was in fact the statue of Charles I in Trafalgar Square. This being the main reason why all runs in the Blue book are centred around Charing Cross Station, as it is the nearest, Taxi rank to this central point.
I also remember being informed by the late and great Sid Tompkins, at his Knowledge school in Greyhound Road W10, that the London Stone opposite Cannon Street station, was in fact the very centre of the City of London. The London Stone, legend has it, came from the wall around the Roman governors villa situated where Cannon Street Station now stands and was the starting point for distances to London found on mile stones such as the one on the corner of Exhibition road and Kensington Gore.
Alas all this knowledge passed down from generation to generation has now been turned on its head by the Londonist Blog,
In a recent experiment, the owner of the blog, used three different maps and came up with the dead centre's for Greater London, the Underground central zone and the City square mile. This experiment involved sticking the maps onto pieces of card and cutting around the boundaries, finally balancing the map on a pencil to find the centre of gravity.
To my absolute amazement the real heart of greater London, which the knowledge is based around, doesn't even fall north of the Thames but near south London'sLamberth North Tube station.
The second heart of London and some would say the most relevant, actually falls not at the feet of the King who was beheaded by his own people but half way up Lower Regent Street.
Finally the true centre of the square mile has now been placed in King Street, just south of the ancient Guildhall site. Amusingly, it's on the corner of Trump Street.
Just after Boris was elected to the office of Mayor, because of all the complaints from Licensed Taxi drivers, he doubled the amount of officers available for the TOCU squad.
So, what has happened with these extra officers?... Have we seen illegal clipboard men wiped off the streets? NO Have we seen satellite offices, who constantly flout the law shut down? NO Do we see raids on the ever increasing lines of illegally ranking mini cabs? NO
Chief Superintendent Joe Royle,Head of the PCO cab enforcement TOCU squad has publicly stated in an interview in the Badge Taxi newspaper that the present regulations governing Mini cab Satellite offices is unenforceable. So what is he personally doing about this?
In November of last year, the police (TOCU squad) publicly stated in an interview in the Evening Standard, that they were going to target touting hot spots and illegal cab drivers in the run up to Christmas. Since when has the Bayswater road and the Strand outside Charing Cross Police Station been designated Touting hot spots?
As a Licensed Taxi driver working nights, can you honestly say you saw any Police action at Tiger Tiger, onAnon, Abacus, Amica, Mahiki, Jalouse, Babble, Egg,The End, the Paradise club, The Westbury Pub,The Blue Elephant, Revolution, The Ministry Of sound and many other so called hot spots?
So Chief Superintendent Royle, just where did our tax money go? Was it spent on the hundreds of Licensed black cabs that were pulled up in The Stand, Pall Mall and Bayswater road? Just how many of these black Taxis were unlicensed touts?
This footage was filmed in Mansell Street E1, on January 21st just before midnight. Not one of the cars stopped in this Police action stop was a Private Hire vehicle. as I sat waiting to turn right in to Mansell street I watched every Mini Cab being waved through unhindered!
For some time now this site has campaigned about the unfair and bias treatment that has been dished out by a couple of local boroughs and our very own licensing authority. We have observed changes that have seen our financial contribution to the system accelerate beyond all belief.
We have seen drivers unfairly ticketed in the process of picking up/dropping off passengers, with private hire vehicles left unabated to do what ever they like.
The first campaign from the Anderson Shelter, that lodged a grievance with TFL happened in 2006 when we complained about the illegal activities taking place, night after night, outside the night club/restaurant Tiger Tiger. Our worst fears were realised in June 2007, when two car bombs were left in the centre of London, one, hidden amongst the hoards of private hire vehicles illegally parked outside Tiger Tiger. Its only by the grace of God and through bad workmanship, that no one was killed. The very next night, the touts were back outside this venue.
Any normal person would assume, in a bid to stop this ever happening again, the authorities (licensing/local) and the police would clamp down on this behaviour by the issuing tickets and the towing away of offending vehicles. But no, unbelievably the licensing authority issue this venue with a satellite office license, even though there is nowhere for cars to wait legally, as the club is situated on a 24 bus lane with a bus stand right outside the door. The law is very clear about this issue, PHV's (minicabs) are only allowed to drop off or pick up in a bus lane. There is no concession for them to wait.
After a suggestion from the London assembly that clubs should be able to offer a direct line to PHV companies for passengers wishing to be taken home by car, satellite office licenses were dished out to any club, bar, restaurant, kiosk, convenience shop or doorway that could come up with the cost of the license. This practise escalated when the requirement for planning permission was taken away by officers within the PCO.
The next campaign that came from the Anderson Shelter (April 2008) was an objection to the new waiting areas (ranks) that had appeared in the Kings Cross area. As we predicted this lead to private hire cars waiting to be hire regardless of parking restrictions all over the West End and City.
These unlawful ranks have become hunting grounds for sexual predators as we see the instances of rape and serious sexual assault shoot up to 11 a month.
Westminster City Council, Camden Council and the Corporation of London have now become distant and have stopped responding to our complaints.
With the introduction of the lame taxi rank in the middle of nowhere, hundreds of yards from a touting hot spot in Leadenhall Street, a conspiracy theory has now started circulating within the trade.
By 2008 TfL/PCO became awash with email complaints in campaigns organised by The Anderson Shelter and the newly formed PR company, LTCPR, who in conjunction with the LTDF taxi forum, had regular email campaigns running. Up till then officers from TfL/PCO were answering their own emails but that suddenly changed and a spokesperson took responsibility for the whole of the licensing authority. The replies received from this person lead to many legally minded taxi drivers researching the evidence supplied, in his attempt to vindicate their actions. This evidence has since been found to be incorrect at best an in some cases complete fiction.
The "Agenda Conspiracy", looks even more on track as our man on the board of TfL seems to go along with every amendment and suggestion made at meetings he attends, registering no objections.
And in the words of Jimmy Cricket "There's More".
Satellite Offices have lead to clip board men, illegal ranks and open touting. TfL are committed to the "Harmonisation and integration" of the two services. This has been aided by certain radio circuits, working in partnership with PHV companies.
They want to scrap our metal badge in favour of a photo card like the scabs wear and have already changed the wording of the act in anticipation.
They will soon scrap the turning circle from the conditions of fitness, so that low emission hybrid cars can replace dirty old London purpose built taxi's with diesel engines. Protection shields will be introduced in PHV's that will further blur the distinction between Taxi and minicab.
Bosses at TfL have a Gold, silver and bronze service planned for the private hire sector, which could see mini cabs given their own ranks to ply for hire from. I will leave this issue to a later date as it is still under investigation.
Westminster Council Wardens are now refusing to ticket PHV's. Westminster, Camden and the City of London all allow private hire vehicles to unlawfully park while illegally touting.
We have reported this issue on many occasions, but lately, it has become clear that when challenged the touts are becoming aggressive in the belief that what they are doing is acceptable by the Council and licensing authority.
So with the police (Metropolitan and TOCU), local councils, TfL and the PCO all unwilling to put a stop to this massive theft from our trade, it looks more and more like this is a result of an agenda from the former administration of the GLA being carried on.
Drivers who have complained to TfL/PCO have regularly been given misinformation and in a few cases told outright lies.
The Agenda Conspiracy?
In the last 20 months, no one has been able to convince me that this is a myth, not even the man at the top.
Today the terrorist attack security status of London has been raised from substantial to extreme.
Tonight, while Martin Low and Peter Hendy slept soundly at home in bed, there were five potential car bombs outside Tiger Tiger and seven outside onAon.
Just after 1.30am this morning, a group of taxi drivers from the LTDF Taxi forum in conjunction with the Twitter action squad, met up in St James Square. The intention was to take back the work from the touts that regularly ply for hire unlawfully outside Tiger Tiger in the Haymarket.
As it seemed a quiet night on the Tiger rank it was decided to split up and form two groups, with the second going to onAnon in Shaftesbury Avenue.
We arrived at approx 1:45 outside the late night bar onAnon, where five licensed mini cabs were forming an unlawful taxi rank, openly plying for hire on double yellow lines. I asked to speak to the clipboard Johnnie who touts for these mini cabs in the doorway of the bar. I told him his cars were unlawfully parked and if he did not move them I would contact Westminster Parking services and also call the police. But neither he nor his drivers seemed the least bit worried. Do they know something that we don't about the Parking services?
I placed a call to WPS at 1:57 who promised to send wardens straight away. I also told them they should contact the Police as this situation could escalate as one of the touts seemed quite agitated.
It had been decided that if approached by potential passengers we would accept the fare and unfortunately I was only there for a few minutes more before I received a job to Fulham.
I understand that on this occasion the wardens did turn up and moved on, wait for it,the taxis first and then the touts.
The amount of work that is being siphoned off at these clubs is amazing. This action needs to be repeated on a more regular basis if we are to regain the jobs being stolen from under our noses. But remember to be careful out there, it is just a matter of time before we have a major incident at one of these venues, as the scabs get more and more agitated.
On my travels tonight I also noticed that Camden Council has very kindly marked out a section of High Holborn for a private hire feeder rank, with an actual line of PHV's ranking in Drury Lane at the corner of West Central Street. The new, nicely laid out facility is on the junction of High Holborn and Drury Lane. The mini cabs wait there to be hired from the End club, which is itself, a contravention of the private hire act that categorically states Private hire vehicles can not stand and wait to be hired. This is backed up by case law.
Perhaps this is the real reason the buses have been diverted from High Holborn into Bloomsbury Way, as before it was too dangerous for these scabs to rank there, with the buses whizzing past.
Where are all the knockers now who accused me of exaggeration and sensationalism when three years ago I said we would have private hire cars ranking all over the place in full knowledge of the authorities, who would do nothing about it.
Every London taxi driver knows we are under attacked. We have witnessed the introduction of so called satellite booking offices which bear no resemblance to the service they were set up to provide. Blatantly touting in full view of the licensing authorities who choose to turn a blind eye. These satellite offices are now appearing in Hotels and station forecourts but most worrying of all, they are appearing in tobacconist, ticket booths, convenience stores, and in some extreme cases just plain doorways. But the most unbelievable fact is, our whole modus operandi is under threat from deep inside our own trade. Radio circuits have gone into "partnerships" with private hire operators and try to hide this fact with long drawn out explanations on how their most important account customers have insisted that their transport needs are met by an integrated service.
This Radio Taxi circuit, is currently operating as a one stop shop (OSS), which means it offers both Licensed hackney cabs and PH's to customers and they proudly display this fact on their website. Radio circuits are running as businesses now and do not always put the interests of the driver before profit.
Click on Image to enlarge
Radio Taxi circuit, Com Cab is currently operating as a one stop shop (OSS), which means it offers both Licensed hackney cabs and PH’s to customers and they proudly display this fact on their website.The embarrassing fact is, the LTDA own 20% of Com Cab.
Hot on the heels of the traffic warden who refused to move on,or ticket, a dangerously parked Private Hire vehicle, we have the door man at Nobu, 15 Berkeley Street W1, blatantly touting a passenger for one of his cars on the pavement outside the restaurant Nobu.
On Friday night 15th January 2010 just before midnight, I found myself on the point of the Licensed Taxi rank outside Nobu. I was approached by a potential customer who enquired "How much to Balham mate?" I gave him what I believe to be an accurate estimate but he declined and said "Nah that's too dear mate, would you knock a fiver off?". I replied in the negative.
He then approached the Merc parked on double yellow lines in front of my Taxi and spoke to the driver. The door man shouted "Not that one sir, its booked".
Although this man was not a customer of the restaurant or the club next door, the door man escorted him to the illegally roped off part of the public foot path just outside the venue. The apparent passengers for the Merc decided they would have a smoke before continuing on there journey, so the door man took the touted customer to the car and put him inside.
.
Obviously the driver of this Licensed Private Hire vehicle required more than I had estimated, as within seconds the potential passenger opened the door and alighted. He then took off on foot to look for a cheaper alternative.
As a Licensed Taxi driver , I see this type of activity happening every night. Not just at this rank but all over the West End. I therefore find it insulting that the officer in charge of the TOCU unit should issue a statement in a trade newspaper stating that it was impossible to enforce the law in respect of satellite offices.
We do not need any new laws,as the ones we have are pretty clear. They are backed up by case law and guide line press releases from TFL/PCO.
I suggest, Chief Superintendent Joe Royle, if you can't do your job, you should resign, and make way for an officer who can do this job.
If PHVs expand by the same amount this year as in 2009, by Christmas there could be 70,000 mini cabs touting in central London.
This is a war only Generals will be able to win.
Soldiers no mater how brave, may achieve small victories,
This Warden,from Westminster Parking services, refused point blank to move the tout parked (dangerously) on double yellow lines, outside Babble on the south side of Berkeley Square.
Unfortunately I didn't start filming until half way through the conversation with this warden, but I think this footage clearly shows their reluctance to move on or ticket these scabs.
Kevin Goad of Westminster Council must now give an explanation of why;
On Tuesday night it took three hours to get a warden to attend Tiger Tiger to move a serial offender. In fact it would have been longer had I not personally taken the trouble to go and look for the elusive wardens, pick them up in my Taxi and take them to the rank at Tiger Tiger. See full story here http://bit.ly/79c9zz
Also Westminster are at the forefront again with a Private Hire Rank operating from the loading bay just north east of Gt Windmill Street in Shaftesbury Ave See article here http://bit.ly/6f30UI
And now this footage of a CEO, seriously neglecting his duty to move on a dangerously parked PHV. One that parks unhindered in this position, on the corner of Berkeley Street and Berkeley Square, every night of the week. This is a spot where the trade asked to place part of the Taxi rank extension and were told, by Westminster City Council, " This spot would be highly unsafe for any vehicle to park or wait".
Its anarchy out there at night on the streets of Westminster with illegally ranked touts at Tiger Tiger, onAnon, Mahiki, Cocoon, Swallow Street,Heddon Street and every other late night bar, pub or club. The wardens are not doing their job, they now refuse to issue tickets to any PHV, or even just move them on. They cite the fact that the touts behaviour is aggressive. They do however persecute hard working fully legal Licensed Taxi drivers unfairly.
WHY, KEVIN GOAD?
Perhaps you would like to make a statement on here to defend the action of Westminster's private army?
News has reached us of the fallout from taxi touting inside Paddington Station.
One of our drivers recently picked up a passenger who had difficulty getting in and out of his cab and indeed walking. She told him she had been passing through Paddington Station on her way home one evening (at about 9:30pm) when she saw a rather dodgy looking man on the Cornwall-trains platform that runs parallel to the Taxi rank.
He didn't look like a passenger but he did look quite aggressive, so she decided to turn left a bit earlier than usual to exit the station. As she got closer to the man she heard him saying “taxi, taxi” to people as they walked towards the Taxi rank. She turned left early and slipped on a coconut dessert someone had left on the marble floor.
She screamed as she landed in a splits-like position that was extremely painful. Another passenger, a petite young girl, somehow managed to lift her up and offered to get her an ambulance, then cleaned up the dessert.
The tout looked idly by despite being tall and well built. The injured woman did not want an ambulance as she lived nearby and did not realise how badly injured she was till she got home – clinging to railings all the way.
When our driver caught up with her, she was still injured as it turns out she had partially-ruptured her main groin muscle. This takes six to eight weeks to heal and in fact more than eight weeks later she is still not better and finds it difficult to walk as far as the closest bus stop (7 minutes away).
She told the Anderson Shelter:
“I know for a fact I would not have been injured if the tout had not been there as I only changed my route to avoid him. Whoever is in charge of that bit of Paddington Station (the side exit with departure boards and statue next to the Cab rank) appeared to be neglecting their duty. For security reasons, they should have challenged the tout who was not behaving like an ordinary passenger. People from all over the world come in to the station via the Heathrow Express and could be misled by touts. The floor should also have been cleaned. I hope I never see any touts there again.”
We all know about the touting that goes on in plain site, we see it every night.
But there is another threat out there, a threat that is highly dangerous.
Its the unseen tout, the sexual predator with something to hide. Why are the staff at major rail termini not picking this up on their CCTV systems and investigating?
This is not a good message to be putting out in this political climate.
If this had been a Licensed Taxi driver its odds on he would have been arrested.
Just before Christmas a plethora of Licensed Taxi drivers received PCN's from CCTV camera operators for over ranking. How many Touts were arrested in stations using this technology, probably none.
You can see just how aggressive these touts get, click here
After spending millions of pounds of our money on an advertising campaign in the run up to Christmas, a leading Assembly Member advertises for an illegal Taxi to pick him up on twitter. You just couldn't make this up...Click Here
Last night a tout was seen on the licensed Taxi rank outside Tiger Tiger. A phone call was made to Westminster parking services at 23:17, a number of other drivers made phone calls complaining about this car but at 01:47 it was still there as bold as brass.
I responded to drivers requests, drove to Tiger Tiger and spoke to the satellite office license holder and the night manager who told me there was nothing they could do as this driver seemed to be very aggressive. The Mini cab operator said "He's an animal".
I approached the driver and asked him politely to move his vehicle and received a mouthful of verbal abuse and threats of violence.
At 01:47 I phoned the Parking Services and spoke to an operator named Indi who informed me that they had sent wardens round to Tiger Tiger, but they had not reported back. He said the last time they had called in they were in the vicinity of Shaftesbury Avenue.
I decided to look for them.
As I drove into Shaftesbury Ave, I saw the usual line of touts outside onAnon so phoned the Parking services again at 02:09 and reported the unlawful rank.
I found the two wardens eventually in Coventry Street. I asked one to attend onAnon and took the other in my taxi to Tiger Tiger.
I explained the situation to the warden who then spoke to the aggressive tout. It was amazing the amount of time it took to finally get this car to move off. No attempt was made to give this driver a ticket. Had it been my taxi that was illegally parked, I would have received a ticket hours before.
This Mercedes E320, registration P390 JRB, is the same make and model of the vehicle used as a car bomb left outside this venue in the past. The terrorists left their vehicle here for over two hours before it was discovered!
I then took the warden round to onAnon where we found his colleague being intimidated by seven very aggressive touts. My warden jumped out of the taxi and started to act like he was going to give tickets out, I also joined in by shouting out registration numbers. We caught the touts attention and then all made their way back to their vehicles and started to drive off.
I thanked the two wardens for their assistance but as I drove off I noticed two PHV's following me. I did a U-turn in Shaftesbury Avenue and proceeded to drive down the Haymarket towards Trafalgar Square, as the two PHV's followed my every move. I decided to make my way to Great Suffolk Street Taxi Center as I knew there would be other drivers there, just in case.
The two PHV's followed me all the way to Great Suffolk Street and as I pulled in beside the rows of parked taxi's they drove off.
Its becoming so repetitive every night,the same cars illegally touting,illegally parking and Westminster's wardens not responding to our calls.
After a Car bomb was left outside this venue, disguised as a mini cab, you would have thought the authorities would keep this stretch of 24 hour bus lane clear. The truth is it has become a a haven for sexual predators Touts and would be terrorists.
Westminster's ward councilors have been informed, Martin Low, Westminster's Transport commissioner has been informed, Westminster's Parking service's Kevin Goad, the Met Police and the PCO have all been informed.
Why is this situation going unchallenged, why is nothing being done?
I appeal to every driver who reads this post, use the box on the right hand side of this blog to contact your MP and ask him/her to start asking questions.
Its now up to you, the self employed hard-working Taxi driver, from the best Taxi service in the world to get deeper involved.
No one is doing a thing about this except for the RMT. The new rank at Tiger Tiger for 9 Taxis, is a farce and the other three at Babble, Mahiki and Jalouse are a laughing stock.
Where are Bob Oddy, Richard Masset, John Thomas, Barry Hooper, Jim Kelly and Grant Davis? Where are the United Trade Group we keep hearing about?
This film featured in ‘The Big Smoke: Films from a Lost London 1896-1945′ and depicts a test drive around central London in a miniature Cadillac car ordered by Queen Alexandra for Crown Prince Olav (later King) of Norway.
The Edwardian back drop is fascinating especialy the Taxi rank on the north side of Trafalgar Square. Notice the mixture of Hansom Cabs and the New motorised Taxis.
A bit like today's ranks' with the TX4's, Metro's and Vito's.
Following on from the article posted last week, about the complaint put in to the PCO by Dawn Cooper, about the blatant misuse of the word "Taxi" on an Internet site that was purporting to be a "Taxi" directory, the company involved, is to have its license revoked.
In a reply to an email sent on behalf of Dawn it has now been confirmed that this company "Silverline Cars" is in the process of having its licensed revoked for breaches of their operators license.
There are many drivers who sit on ranks and in cafes/shelters, who complain to each other, that would never dream of writing or sending an email to the PCO. Most believe it's a waste of time complaining as in the past nothing seemed to be done.
This case goes to show that the new management team at the PCO,under the leadership of John Mason, have a refreshing new attitude towards us, their customers.
On Tuesday 5th of January a delegation from the RMT London Taxi Branch, met with Mr Mason at the Palestra building in Blackfriars. At this meeting, which lasted over two hours, Mr Mason laid out his vision for the future of the PCO in respect of the Licensed Taxi trade.
I won't go into great detail now, but as a member of the delegation I can say, we all came away with big smiles on our faces, having heard what I believe to be the foundation of a more common sense approach towards the Taxi trade by the PCO. Under his guidance, I believe we will see a marked improvement towards the trade from all sectors of our licensing authority.
Now all we have to do is get the enforcement arm of the PCO bought up to scratch.
