Every rank that hadn't been usurped by scabs, was full to brimming with Taxis.
There was a bit of work, but most jobs were being scoped up by scab touts, under the noses of Taxi drivers who were being forced, by the lack of rank spaces, to orbit the West End area.
Some drivers risked the might of Westminster's Parking Services and took to pulling over at known "Hot Spots" hoping for a fare.
Most were unlucky as the scab touts, with no fear of enforcement from WPS, were parked and openly walking around touting.
This situation seems to be completely overlooked by our trade representatives, who seem only to be paranoid about Yellow Badge touts.
One trade rep thought it unacceptable that Taxi drivers, fed up with waisting fuel should pull over for a few minutes. His words on Twitter to be exact were "I hope the Pricks get a ticket". Nice representation from the LCDC.
Taxi Rank enforcement falls under the remit of the Cab enforcement section of the LT&PH but they are only ever seen in this area harassing Black Cabs for badge and bill checks.
The east side of Charing Cross Road, from outside the Wyndham's theater all the way down to the Garrick theater has now become a huge free parking facility for Private hire vehicles to openly ply for hire.
Just before midnight I drove to Tiger Tiger to put on our Licensed Taxi rank. When I arrived I found a coach parked on the point followed by a Licensed Private Hire Vehicle. With myself and one other Taxi, the Bus stand parameters of the rank were full. A third cab pulled up behind but was blocking the through rout of the bus lane and eventually had to pull off.
I spotted a Warden in his nice new uniform (purchased from the ill gotten council gains, from motorists caught in $cam traps set up by WPS) and asked him to move the minicab from the rank.
Its amazing that the after many years of complaining to Westminster Parking Services it's quite evident that they still haven't updated their training program for wardens to incorporate the appropriate legality of Private Hire Vehicles (as apposed to vehicles in general), illegally parked in 24 bus lanes, bus stands, bus stops and taxi ranks.
At first the warden said there was nothing he could do as the vehicle was parked on a single yellow line. I then pointed out that the single yellow line was in fact a tick yellow line as this space was a bus stand, I then pointed out that this space was inside a 24 hour bus lane and last I pointed out that this space was in fact a licensed taxi rank which makes the contravention a code 45.
He said he had been informed that Westminster Parking services were no longer to enforce code 45 contraventions, (vehicles parked on Taxi ranks)
but agreed to move the minicab out of the bus lane.
After he spoke to the PHV driver he then walked round to the rear of my Taxi and got out his camera and took photos of my registration.
No ticket was issued and when I asked why he had taken a photo of my reg he said "Its my Job", what ever that means.
The situation in the West End at Night is set to get a lot worse as 55,000 Private Hire drivers start to look to blag more street work as the radio dries up this Kipper.
Perhaps he has been told by Martin Lowe not to issue tickets to PH cars because Mr Lowe has told these festering scabs they can rank where they like. Where the fuck is the UTG, Obby And Davis are a disgrace to our trade and while they sit together in the ivory tower our days will be numbered. What have TfL offered them to keep quiet about STaN? Jobs? Money? We can only guess.
ReplyDeleteClever tact jim this follows-on in the same vein as the last post.
ReplyDeleteEverything is relative to the Stan issue
Who gives a shit what party Rosy votes for
Let's get rid of this whole load of parasites
How can Westminster suddenly stop enforcing code 45's
ReplyDeleteIs it true they can just enforce the parts of the road traffic offences act that they like?
The ones they don't like, they can just ignore?
Ask yourself the same question again, if the UTG are not going to challenge STaN, then they must be supporting it.
ReplyDeleteSupporting Private Hire Marshalled Pick up Points.( page 91,93 STaN )
Yes, or No...... is that silence. ... is it guilt. ... come on were waiting?
Thomas, it's no good pointing drivers to different websites, some with flash that can't be read on a iPhone, you need to write out the STaN agenda like you were speaking to a bunch of kids
ReplyDeleteIt's complicated and most drivers just won't bother reading the slide show or the two document.
Please simplify and Kay it out in an understandable fashion.
That way more drivers may get on board.
As far as i can see we have exhausted every avenue we can to get something done,all to no avail.So how about trying this little game,During quiet times we write few letters about this subject,[no Emails]we send one to David Cameron at 10 Downing st,one to David Cameron,at the House of Commons,Another to Phillip Hammond,and another to The Comissioner of Police.in fact send these everyday.Whats the point you may ask,Well if every cab driver was to do this,thats 25,000.letters that all have to be opened and read.They cant mass dump them as the different writing,will make it impossible for them to know whats inside,Can you even begin to imagine the backlog that will soon form inside the postrooms.And if they take on extra staff,we simply bring to the medias notice how in this economic hardship they would rather take on extra staff than uphold the law.
ReplyDeleteI also think a few letters to the press,not as cab drivers,but as members of the Public,Using the terrorist angle.I am sure the powers that be will laugh at the packed mailrooms,and go into hysterics,when questioned about how these cars go unhindered every night of the week.Even MPs who have nothing to do with it will be affected by not getting thier mail.
You don't need to have great visionary skills to see where this STaN agenda is leading our industry. Within a very short time the impact satellite offices will gradually have will erode our business and it just won't be feasible to buy £37,000 vehicles to sit idle while private hire plunders our industry until nothing is left, except for us to join PH or find alternative employment.While the old men and traitors of the UTG screw a few easy quid more at our expense. It's time to get militant, and throw the traitors out !
ReplyDeleteDanny Sullivan LCDC committee member and resident idiot on Twitter was recently asked if he was aware of the STaN agenda and had he actually read the evidence ? To which he replied NO !
ReplyDeleteThere you go LCDC members, this is the calibre of idiot representing your interests !
I think its a really exiting prospect that a paper may materialise. This will make a serious difference and make inroads to changing the balance within the trade. No longer will the UTG have a strangle hold on our industry and the trade at large will finally be made aware of the truth!
ReplyDeleteTTT, off the subject but there is a very interesting thread on the wizann forum today 5-01-11 at 8.32AM from petecee. it refers to westminster council and the lower james brewer st junction..it should interest you, all the best, J.
ReplyDeleteThere was a car (not a minicab) parked on the point of the Quaglino's rank last night at about 9pm. The driver was nowhere to be seen, but as I drove past I saw a traffic warden issuing a ticket.
ReplyDeleteThis shows that Westminster's claim that they do not enforce code 45 is clearly untrue, though I wonder if they would have ticketed it if it was a scab?