Satellite Office License...Who Needs One?...By Thomas the Taxi.

John Mason, Head of Taxi and Private hire has said that the allocation of new satellite office licenses (operating centers) has been suspended till after the Taxi and Private Hire consultation expected around Christmas. We know there is more to this than needs the eye at first glance. New premises have been licensed and Mason has stated that this is because they have changed address.
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.

Troxy on Commercial Road

Because of the lackadaisical attitude of T&PH (PCO) when it comes to enforcement, private hire companies are now dipping their toes in the water of, not bothering with a license in the first place. Just because you see a clipboard man in a high vis jacket outside a night club escorting customers to a line of illegally ranked touts, you must not assume this club has the relevant license.

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.

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!

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

Mass Demonstration...

Remember Remeber the 5th of November....By Thomas the Taxi.

• If you've had enough of the way Taxi drivers are being unfairly victimised by Westminster council with regards to not enforcing parking restrictions on Taxi Ranks!
• If you think that Westminster have been underhanded and unlawful with their smart car CCTV operation!
• If you feel that Westminster have been unfair with your person toiletry needs!
• If you feel Westminster was wrong not to grant a license for a New Royal Oak Shelter at the Hamilton Motors site!
• If you've received a PCN for dropping off a passenger which took longer than 2 minutes!
• If you feel that Westminster are turning a blind eye to sexual predators posing as minicab drivers lined up outside night venues, just to clear the streets!

Then Join the Bikers outside Westminster City Hall and let them know WE'VE ALL HAD ENOUGH ..

An invitation from The Bald Eagle

This video gives details of a protest we are taking to Westminster council's doorstep on the fifth of November.

TfL's Satellite Office Agenda Part 2"THE EVIDENCE"..by Austin Taxi.

This is part two, “THE EVIDENCE” of TfL’s mini-cab satellite office, mini-cab stand agenda, and ”Final Solution” for the London Cab Trade!

All done for the greater good; in a desperate attempt to solve the out of control sex crime epidemic that has hit the capital for well over a decade.
PRIVATE HIRE, being identified as a major threat and component to the sex crime explosion.
Clearly identified as an unsafe mode of transport and threat to the travelling general public.

This link will take you to the 2006 Goldstein award winning model, a powerpoint slideshow of ''problem orientated policing'' (POP), put together and accepted by TfL as the way forward in solving late night transportation problems in Grater London. A measured approach to curtail sexual assaults carried out by sexual predators, many of whom will prove to be TfL licensed touts!

See the hidden agenda contained in this original slide-show for the Safer Travel at Night (STaN) campaign - The hidden agenda we never saw before NOW.
The slide-show includes the original notes used for the presentation!

It includes:
Identifying clubs, bars and other venues where satellite offices should be located. Implementing and requesting that these establishments should set up satellite offices.
Door staff to be recruited as… “Site managers”.

Recommends:
Mini-cab stands should be set up throughout the capital; reaching out to all of the Metropolitan boroughs.

Admits:
The mini-cab problem is out of control, and traditional policing methods are a failure.

That The Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994 and Hackney Carriage legislation is “FULLY UNDERSTOOD!”

States:
That multi-agency cooperation is KEY for this program to be rolled out; this to include local borough agencies. (Surprise, Surprise!)

And, I am sure you will pick holes in this presentation all night long. It proves beyond all doubt that TfL, Metropolitan Police, GLA, Westminster council and others are involved in a multi agency conspiracy of an agenda;
NOT TO POLICE, NOT TO ENFORCE THE LAW, NOT TO TICKET OR HARRASS PRIVATE HIRE SATELLITE OFFICE OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CAPITAL!

Click Here for Safe Travel at Night Initiative 2006

The only side of the Safer Travel at Night campaign we did see; was the same glossy advertising as presented to the general public!

.............................

Editorial Comment:
One question that should be asked directly to John Mason Head of LT&PH is.

John you keep saying that most of these rapes and serious sexual assaults are carried out by unlicensed Private Hire drivers.

HOW DO YOU KNOW, unless most of the offenders have been caught.

As we have not seen any stories of arrests of these animals in the media or from TfL press releases we must assume that most of these predictors have not been caught.

So John can you tell us on want grounds and with what evidence do you assume these attackers to be mostly unlicensed Private hire drivers (minicabs)?

Westminster Council in Westco 'profit for bonus' row

By Ed DaveyBBC News, London
A London council, Westminster City Council, set up a private company using public money and drew up plans allowing it to split 25% of its profits between staff, BBC London has learned.

Under the Local Government Act 2003, all authorities were allowed to set up trading companies. The idea was that profits would be pumped back into front-line services for residents.

In 2007, Conservative-run Westminster Council set up Westco, a private company registered to its Town Hall address. It sells communications advice to Harrow, Basildon and Leicestershire councils.

But the BBC has obtained a document written last year detailing the possibility of splitting a quarter of its profits between the organisation's 10 staff.

'Scandalous'

While Westminster Council stressed it had not paid Westco staff bonuses, the document, by the council's director of finance Pete Carpenter, and entitled Westco Incentive Scheme, states: "The minutes of the committee meeting agreed the principle of making a bonus payment of 25% of profits.

"The incentive will be based on 25% of the profit before tax.

"The payment will be made to the department and it is their decision whether to pay this as a bonus to the staff or reinvest in their service."

Because it is a private company - not a public body - Westco does not have to respond to Freedom of Information requests.

But the BBC saw a copy of its accounts for the tax year 2009/2010 showing a payment of £45,110 was made under the heading "Incentive scheme".

The council insists this money was not paid to employees as bonuses, and instead used on training.

But Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, leader of Westminster Labour Party, said: "Residents will be asking how they could even contemplate giving 25% of the profit of this council-owned company to a few already very highly paid council staff.

"The activities of Westco have remained a closely guarded secret.

For more on this story click here

Will TfL be as quick as San Francisco...By Thomas the Taxi.

A company in California, thought they could circumnavigate the Taxi and Limousine laws as laid down by the Metro Transit authority & Public Utilities commission of California and created an app for the iPhone for passengers to hire an unregistered Taxi or Limousine, much like the old fashion minicab.

The Company UberCab Inc, has an app that allows anyone to sign up as a driver. There is another app for prospective customers. For a fee, called an Uber fare the two are married up.
But the Metro Transit authority & Public Utilities commission of California were quick to act and have now issued a cease and desist order.

Since the order arrived on the 20th October, UberCab have still carried on in the face of a $5,000 penalty for each instance of state contravention and a potential 90 days in jail for each day the company remains in operation past the cease date. For the full story click here

Nothing for little old London to worry about...you would think!!!
A company called TaxiZapp is about to take off here.

After first appearing on Twitter and talking to Licensed taxi drivers, they gave the impression that this app would be for Just for Taxis, but now they are Tweeting that they want Taxis and Private hire to compete for work on the same platform.

In the very near future as technology moves forward we may see many more of these types of applications, but will the Private Hire laws be able to keep up. This app is not just an attack on Licensed Taxis but also it attacks the business model of most PH companies who could see their drivers using their liveried vehicles to do work from this iPhone app. Would the PH insurance cover such an act?

With thanks to Dawn

Minicabs Parking on Licensed Taxi Ranks, Whose Responsibility? ...By Thomas the Taxi.

Wednesday night around midnight, I made an attempt to get on to the Licensed Taxi rank outside the Grosvenor House Hotel. As you can see from the video, Park Lane looked like a car park with minicabs in some places treble parked.
By the time I got to the Licensed Taxi Rank outside the ballroom exit, I found it full of Addison lee vans and had to double park to ply for hire. No wardens (Local or TfL red rout) are ever seen in this area. Being a red rout, TfL have CCTV cameras in this area but PHV's are not targeted.

Touting PHV drivers, who always say they are pre-booked, were seen walking up and down approaching guests leaving the Hotel. These exiting guests were being asked blatantly if they required a minicab, even as they were making their way to the line of licensed taxis, who now had to form a line adjacent to the illegally ranked/parked Addison Lee vans.

This is unacceptable:

Abstract of Laws: General guidance on hackney carriage law for London’s licensed taxi drivers

"40. Appointment of and Regulations for taxi ranks (Act of 1850 s4)
TfL may appoint taxi ranks and make regulations as to the limits of the ranks, the number of taxis to be allowed to ply for hire there, the time during which they may ply for hire and also for enforcing order at the ranks, and removing any person unnecessarily loitering there.

All orders and regulations as above are advertised in the London Gazette."

This paragraph was taken directly from the Abstract Of Laws and is categorical proof that TfL have a duty to enforce the removal of the Touts on any Licensed Taxi rank.

Its also amazing that in the current climate of a security code red, the Met police allow these vehicles to treble park outside such a prestigious address, especially in the wake of the two car bombs, disguised as minicabs, left in the West End in 2007.

Westminster No Better!

With the most up to date, HD CCTV cameras situated in the Haymarket, Westminster still refuse to issue PCN's to the Touts that infest the 24 hour bus lane, 24 hour Bus stand and the night time Licensed taxi rank outside Tiger Tiger. TfL enforcement officers have in the past also refused to evict these touts from our rank! (because they were told by the touts it was legal for them to be there) Click here to see achieved post.

The CCTV cameras in Charing cross road are NEVER used to ticket the touts using the bus stand and license taxi rank.

The Bus Stand outside the Cafe d'Paris is also a free minicab rank at night.

More worryingly, Westminster have informed the public at large that parking restrictions in the West End will be enforced till midnight, but the touts that congregate in large numbers around Soho have been informed that they can use loading bays and single and double yellow lines as unofficial minicab ranks at night. We have been informed by a whistle-blower at City Hall that Westminster has an eye of a permit scheme to allow minicabs to use parts of the borough for marshaled Private Hire ranks in the very near future.

Using HD CCTV, WPS target Licensed Taxis, allowing them just two minutes to pick up or drop off passengers, irrespective that a fare may be payed on a clumsy credit card machine which then needs to be confirmed by GPS signal.

How many times in a shift do you have to sit there while a passenger searches every crevice of every pocket to find an illusive 20p coin to save braking into another note?

Or a groups of young girls trying to split the fare five ways and then all searching around for the exact coinage. I was once asked to change five £5 notes in to pound coins (25 pound coins) so the 5 students could give me £2 each. Just my argument that a was not a banking service took more than 2 minutes to explain!

As you will know by now, the instances of serious sexual assault and rape rose by a dramatic 54% last year. The Mayor has agreed to fund a 4 man enforcement team to operate in the West End at night to deal with the problem of unbooked minicabs. These new officers are currently in training and will not be operational till nearer Christmas.

The Mayor has also sanctioned a 30 man team to deal with stolen bicycles, so its obvious where his priorities lie. Its time the Mayor and his aids stopped jollying about and took the safety of the traveling public at night more seriously.

Is this the way to fight back? ...By David Clegg

Re: John Mason's visit to the feederpark

http://ucg-london.co.uk/?p=172

After reading the excellent Report from the meeting at Heathrow between London licensed taxi drivers and John Mason, the Director of Taxis & Private Hire at TfL, I feel something must be said (and done) to counteract his ill-conceived beliefs and ill-considered views.

Well, that Report certainly ‘told’ Mr Mason where to get off as he seems to think that his job is to interpret the law and then enforce it in line with his own interpretation. Well it cannot be done like this – as it is the place of the High Court to do this and has already done so in so many cases over the years and none of those High Court Precedents are in line with the views expressed by Mr Mason who may be trying to hide behind his so-called legal team to justify his actions.

This seeming obfuscation and misrepresentation has got to be shown for what it is and his continual ducking & diving has left us little choice other than to seek a permanent and ‘Just’ legal remedy.

As I’ve said before - It is time a legal case was mounted against such incompetence and lack of professionalism that emanates from his department that undermines the Licensed London taxi trade by association. Doesn’t it make you wonder how we came to be in this sorry mess in the first place?

How long should we let Mr Mason get away with this? He is, by his actions, in essence, defending the LPH trade as I’m sure TfL are terrified that their failings in setting-up this nefarious business properly will come under the microscope and show what a complete and utter failure the LPH legislation has proven to be.

The public protection is simply not there – and the TfL figures prove it for us.

It appears Mr Mason, since taking on his role, has wanted to make a reputation for himself so perhaps we can go some way to accommodate him.

Mr Mason may well believe that the lack of evidence from the statistics as to who actually commits all these sexual assaults, muggings and rapes will save him. He says he cannot produce the figures that would define if Licensed taxi drivers or licensed private hire drivers were perpetrating these crimes, but he is now on record as saying that it is largely unlicensed minicab drivers – well he would, wouldn’t he?

The Report stated:
“He claimed that statistics supplied to him by the Metropolitan Police show that the vast majority of sexual assaults were carried out by illegal mini cab drivers.”
But how does he know this if he now denies the figures can’t actually be shown to support this? It must be remembered that the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police work very closely with TfL and its ‘enforcement teams’ so we may have to consider that they are also part of the problem.

I believe Mr Mason’s assertions would not stand up in Court but that is the place where he has to be taken to answer his lack of ‘Duty of Care’ and ‘Fiduciary Duty’ and in order to stop all this silly nonsense that has been going on ever since TfL implemented the grossly inadequate Licensed Private Hire (Vehicles) Act 1998.

They can’t police it – and it looks like they can’t control it either. I don’t know what we are waiting for – but, can you imagine any of those within the UTG setting the ball rolling either individually or collectively? It would be unimaginable, and in my view, the trade would be on the borders of collapse before this happened.

The UTG consists of the LTDA, the LCDC and Unite ‘the Union’, (formerly the Transport & General Workers Union - Cab Section) and none of these groups has ever taken action such as this and can we now feel safe enough in their hands? – it appears not.

It seems that our groups have let us down and it may now fall to the everyday cab driver to fight on their own behalf or perhaps one or two of the ‘emerging’ representative groups such as the RMT or the UCG (if and when they become incorporated though neither are yet recognised by TfL). Unless someone can come up with a suitable suggestion on how to make the biggest challenge the cab trade has faced in generations to become a reality and really stand our ground. Who really does speak up for us with a permanent solution when we face such huge and often illegal competition?

Mr Mason says he doesn’t want to go to Court and possibly lose – so we must show him that going to Court is our precise intention and show up this minicab racket seemingly aided and abetted by the actions (i.e. inaction) of his much reported 68 front-line officers (that they consider as inadequate) and the continued inability of his department to safeguard the public.

It has been repeatedly shown that the law is already there but it seems he fails to either believe it or apply it. So we must make sure this does happen. He cannot say it hasn’t been pointed out to him. Nothing less than this is ever going to finally resolve this very important issue – or do we just go on complaining forever, but DO nothing making it look as if we just like the sound of our own voices?

After so many years of anguish for us I believe it is time to ‘get real’ or just stop moaning and go about our business and leave the minicabs to eventually over-run us. If we cannot defend our own trade against such staggering official incompetence then perhaps we should give up trying.

I feel sure so many drivers would make a financial commitment (I certainly would) to end this minicab farce that seems to have been going on forever; plaguing the public and bringing disgrace to our world-famous city and its much admired taxi trade. We gave up being a 3^rd world country a long time ago.

If Mr Mason, with all the resources at his disposal, can’t do this job and enforce the law then he should resign – with immediate effect. We can no longer allow Mr Mason, in his misplaced thoughts of what his role should be, to further damage our trade by not doing his job properly or even conscientiously – in spite of his bleating to the contrary.

In my view, Bob Oddy (our representative on the TfL Board) and as General Secretary of the LTDA will never, whilst he draws breath, do something as powerful and worthwhile as this in standing up for the trade (even though I’m sure they are financially capable of it) and the LCDC, under current circumstances, would just not have the wherewithal in financial or human resources. I’d like to be proved wrong.

The LTDA was set up in the mid-sixties specifically to combat minicabs which is reflected in their Rules and today we see that they derive up to £700,000 per annum dividend payments from a minicab group (via ComCab) they are part-owners of, and yet the LCDC is happy to sit with them.

It is time the trade woke up - I’m afraid legal action is probably the best way to go if Mr Mason continues on his present course of contempt for the London taxi trade and the public safety. We need good legal advice to get this matter sorted out once, and for all.

The trade sorely needs this - Actions speak louder than words – and the ball is in OUR court.

Kindest Regards,

David Clegg

Licensed London cab driver since 1967

Former Board Member of Dial-a-Cab

Former Vice-President & Secretary of the DAC Credit Union

Former Director of Taxi Trade Fairs Ltd (A Trade Charity)

Former Secretary of the Dunlop Taxi Driver of the Year Charity Fund.

Former School Governor for 10 years

Former National Executive Officer of the Sub-Aqua Association (SAA)

Author of LCDC Rules

Author of HATDU Rules

A Word On Age Limits...from Alan Fleming.

Just read the article on age limits on your website.

I would like to inform you and your readers that it is unlawful
to place an age limit on any motor vehicle.

Back in the late seventies the age limit on a cab in London was ten years. However, a cabbie took the PCO to court on the matter and the case finished up before the Law lords.

They made the following judgement. So long as a motor vehicle complies with its construction and use regulations at the time of first registration and is safe for the road, an age limit cannot be placed on any motor
vehicle.

What TFL are proposing is unlawful.

Alan Fleming

Former Chair LCDC

......................................................................

A word from the English Capricorn.

With the Consultation looming in the not too distant future and suggestions going forward from various bodies... including Taxi-Drivers, then maybe a good suggestion is as follows:

That all P/H have “inside their vehicles” front and back “clear guidelines” informing customers that in “any” dispute, and for whatever reason, that they should complain directly to Transport for London/Taxi-Private Hire, regarding “all” complaints and “not” to the Mini-Cab Company as this will fall on deaf ears.

There needs to be in every vehicle clear guidelines to this fact, front and back. It is the sole responsibility of T/PH to discipline P/H drivers and “NOT” the responsibility of the P/H Companies that hire these drivers. Let us not forget that the companies that hire “undesirable drivers” will “protect” these drivers in an attempt not to tarnish their good company name. We as London Taxi Drivers are “solely” accountable to T/PH and so should all Minicab Drivers. I repeat: This is “not” a debatable subject. P/H drivers are solely accountable to T/PH and “not” to the company they work for.

This also clearly needs to be understood by TFL/T-PH. Therefore, if we do not “lobby” TFL/T-PH then countless complaints will go by the wayside leading to more serious problems in the future. Bad P/H Drivers need to be “weeded out” before more serious matters occur.

Let “us” make this Consultation work for London Taxi-Drivers and not just for the P/H Sector.

Lastly, maybe this can also be another reason for demonstration, along with the countless other reasons to demonstrate, in regards of public safety ?

EC.

More questions than answers???...... By the UCG

I have been ask by the United Cabbies Group to post their recent article on a question put to John mason Director of Taxi and private Hire. We at the Anderson Shelter feel that this article fits in with the theme of our campaign to ban privacy glass in the rear and side windows of Private Hire Vehicles. Click here to see our campaign leaflet... TtT

click to enlarge

Heathrow Q&A

John Mason Director of TPH attended a Question & Answer session at the taxi feeder park at Heathrow Airport on Friday 15th October. During this session, Mr Mason was asked a multitude of questions by the drivers.

One particular question asked was whether in his opinion the recent explosion of satellite offices has contributed to the 54% rise in sexual assaults including rape over the past year?

Mr Mason claimed that statistics supplied to him by the Metropolitan Police show that the vast majority of sexual assaults were carried out by illegal minicab drivers.

When asked if a copy of these statistics are available to the trade he replied “Yes they are”.

As we understand it, Peter Rose of Unite the Union recently requested a copy of these stats from the Metropolitan Police and was denied them.

Yesterday I emailed Mr Mason requesting a copy of the statistics.

Below is a copy of the email exchanges.

Hi John,

You may remember, I asked you a question at the feeder park on Friday, the question was…

Do you think that the recent 54% increase in sexual assaults in minicabs is a direct result of the recent boom in satellite booking offices?

You responded that you had seen statistics to show that the vast majority of the sexual assaults were carried out by illegal minicabs.

You advised me that these statistics were available for me to view, therefore I would like to request a copy of those statistics you were referring to. Please could you email me any documentation you have?

I assume that these statistics are divided into 3 sections, ie Taxi’s, Licensed PH, & Illegal Minicabs?

Thank you in advance for your help with this matter,

Regards,

Lee

Lee

I am sorry, I was mistaken.

I have previously seen some information but this is information held by the Police for which I do not have authority to release.

I’m sorry but you would need to do a Freedom Of Information request to the Met Police if you wanted release for such data but I am pretty sure it says what I indicated, that the majority of reported offences are committed by unlicensed minicabs.

Unfortunately the Police do not record offences in way that enables a full breakdown as I implied might be available. What is reported as “cab-related” sexual offence figures include offences committed by unlicensed drivers, licensed taxi and minicab drivers and licensed drivers touting illegally.

The MPS is currently unable to provide a definitive breakdown by type of “vehicle” involved (licensed /unlicensed taxi / minicab) for reporting purposes but this is something that I will be urging them to improve although a lot relies on the description provided by the person making the allegation.

However, despite the above, there is no evidence to suggest that increase in sexual assaults in minicabs is a direct result of the recent boom in satellite booking offices.

John Mason
Director – Taxi & Private Hire

John

Thanks for your reply.

Sorry but I am a little confused, first you state you have seen statistics provided to you by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) that support your claim that the majority of sexual assaults are carried out by illegal minicab drivers, then you appear to contradict yourself when you state that the MPS does not distinguish between Taxi’s and minicabs when keeping record of these incidents, which is correct?

It concerns me that the recent increase in sexual assaults (up 54%) are often mis-reported by some media outlets as taxi related offences, if as I suspect the number of complaints against licensed taxi drivers are minimal, then the figures being reported are grossly unfair and misleading and could easily be misunderstood, as has been the case recently with the BBC reporting the increase in sexual assaults as ‘London cabs’.

When the BBC were contacted regarding this issue they responded by saying that the figures they had been given included Licensed London Taxi’s, so in their eyes they were justified in reporting the story in the manner they have.

As I’m sure you will understand, we would like to view the statistics to see what percentage of complaints were made against Taxi drivers, we could then provide the media and public with figures that are a true reflection of the dangers of getting into an unbooked minicab.

Surely by lumping all of the figures together, ie mini-cabs (licensed/ unlicensed) and Taxi’s is unfairly tarnishing the excellent reputation of Licensed Taxi’s.

I am pleased to hear that you are putting pressure on the MPS to accurately record sexual assaults that are ‘cab related’ and would like to ask if there is any way the Licensed Taxi trade could assist in highlighting your plight?

I’m sure an investigating Police officer wouldn’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to pose the most obvious questions to a victim of sexual assault of ‘what type of vehicle the assailant
was driving?.

I would hazard a guess that the vast majority of victims are able to distinguish between a London Taxi and a private car?

Some might say that the figures are being deliberately merged in an attempt to hide the serious lack of enforcement we witness in London, and to attempt to disguise the fact that a monster was created when satellite offices were introduced.

John, as director of Taxi’s & Private Hire (TPH) are you not concerned and dismayed that such a huge increase in sexual assaults (54%) has occured under your directorship and on what some would describe as ‘your watch?.

You claim there is nothing to suggest that the increase has any link to the massive boom in satellite offices, however surely this is not just coincidence.

What other factors do you believe are responsible for the rise?

I will indeed take your advise and send a FOI request to the MPS asking for the statistics you say you have been shown.

I will also ask my MP to support me in my quest for this information. I will also seek the support of my colleagues in the UCG and anyone else that shares my views and suggest that they lobby their MP’s too.

One other point, if the statistics show that the majority of assaults are committed by illegal minicab drivers, does this not further prove there is insufficient enforcement on the streets with regards to illegal touting?

I look forward to your views on the points I have raised,

Regards,

Lee

Lee

I’m sorry if it appears to be a contradiction. As I said, I have seen a report which breaks it down but this isn’t how the Met formally report the statistics, hence the need for an FOI to the Met if you wish to obtain a more detailed breakdown.

However, I do agree that the current way of reporting could be improved and I will be pursuing this issue for any future statistics released.

I understand and share the frustration that taxi drivers feel when media outlets such as the BBC misreport such information and so it is important that we work with the Met to try to get the information reported in a clearer way.

There are many reasons for the increase in reported crimes, not least the significant publicity we now have in place to report such crimes where as previously such crimes may not have been linked to licensed / unlicensed taxi/minicab activity as well as the very fact we are focusing our efforts to a much greater degree in this area than before.

We are, of course, concerned at any increase in the number of reported crimes and will continue to work hard to address this problem.

The data recently reported related to the whole of 2009 of which I was Director for 3 months but regardless of this fact, I do take my responsibilities in this respect very seriously.

Kind regards

John Mason
Director – Taxi & Private Hire

The UCG says…

We have sent a request to the Met Police to obtain these stats under the Freedom Of Information act, if and when we do receive them we shall post them here.

WE are still unsure as to why these stats are recorded separately, and then reported as one?

Is this a deliberate ploy to damage the Taxi trade’s excellent reputation?

We feel this is totally unacceptable and will be campaigning to have them recorded and reported seperately.

If this means demonstrations outside Scotland Yard then so be it.

TfL might think it’s OK to merge us with Private Hire, but we certainly do not.

They have created a monster in Satellite offices that is out of control, and we certainly are not going to let them hide their failings behind the ‘Worlds best Taxi service’.

There might not be any direct ‘evidence’ to prove that Satellite Offices are responsible for the explosion in sexual attacks, but that doesn’t mean they are not!

To suggest that the increase is due to more crimes being reported is lame.

More crimes are being reported because more crimes are being committed.

And more crimes are being committed because more Satellite Office licenses are being issued.

They are nothing more than ‘rape shops’, as 143 victims will testify!

None of which we would hazard a guess are relatives of Boris Johnson, Peter Hendy, Chief Inspector Brown or John Mason.

With only 68 enforcement officers to cover 24,000 Taxis and 70,000 minicabs… Is it any wonder!

Comment from Semtex

Excellent work Lee.
Of course, you are totally correct.
The fools have created a monster that they have no control of, and will desperately try to dilute the appalling statistics, so that they have a far broader blame base.

I am positive, that somewhere in the archives, either Joe Royle, John Mason or both of them, stated that the sattelitte desks were un-policeable.
On that, they are absolutely right ! Of course they cannot be policed. They are a mafia like, illegal network, of corruption, drug money and imminent danger to unsuspecting women.

Club doorman dont go to work for door wages anymore. No, they go to nightclub venues these days, to grab a piece of the illegal mini cab transport racket action. The unlicensed tout arrives in the vicinity of the club. He makes the mobile phone call to the corrupt doorman. The doorman awaits the young mini skirted female to emerge towards the club door, asks where she is going, phones the driver of the rape cart outside, puts the gullible and merry female in it, and gets his 20 quid !

Next please ! And the whole process is repeated. Meanwhile, our worse for drink, mini skirted female, wakes up somewhere in the suburbs, after realising she has been raped and sexually assaulted. She cant remember anything about either the vehicle or the driver. The incident is reported to police, and another statistic is recorded. However, it appears that in it’s current form, the report is logged as an incident, that could have been committed in either a London Licensed Taxi, or a mini cab !

This folks, is outrageous ! We all know who the rapists and mafia are out there, and it sure isnt the London Licensed Taxi Trade !

How many times do the authorities need telling, that unless the 68 officers of the Safer Transport Command have machine guns, hand grenades and a 50 Ton Hiab Claw, they will achieve nothing, as they have done, since they started.

London’s illegal mini cab network of corrupt, un-policeable sattellite desks, simply cannot effectively be controlled.
Limiting licences is no good. Stricter enforcement is no good. Inspection of records is no good.

Close them down completely ! As from next week, give all the clubs a refund, and admit that you have made a terrible mistake and operational error.

With the build up to Christmas and thousands of scantily dressed females emerging from these venues in the early hours, what’s the betting that a rape will turn into something a bit more sinister soon ?

Getting lumped in with disturbing sexual statistics is sickening enough, for the best Taxi Service in the World to swallow, but clouding the facts so as we are somehow connected to the inevitable murder that will soon take place by gangsters……is totally unacceptable.

68 enforcement officers ? Dont be so ridiculous ! You need 68 enforcement officers outside Tiger Tiger ! How about the rest of London ?

Steve.