On closer inspection, even though it is clear this paedophile is a Licensed Private hire driver, he was referred to on more than one occasion as a "Taxi driver".
Is an unreliable CRB system putting our children's safety at risk?
In court a spokesperson for Camden council said
“Our contractor did check that this man was cleared to work with children but unfortunately faults with the CRB system meant that his previous crimes (15 in total) were not recorded and his CRB checks confirmed that his record was clean.
This type of lazy journalism is not new. We have long been the victim of misleading articles from all the major national and local press, including radio and TV news coverage. But the worrying aspect of this bad PR towards the Taxi trade is, neither our own representative body (United Trade Group) or our licensing authority, object to this mis-representation of our trade.
These thoughts were echoed in a letter I recently received from David Clegg.
In his letter Mr Clegg stated:
Thought you might like to see this link regarding a sexual assault by a ‘TAXI’ driver as reference has been made to this subject recently on the Anderson Shelter. Don’t tell me that Camden Council still don’t know the difference between a Taxi driver and a minicab driver. And this from a Council who can tell the difference between a £50.00 note and a £10.00 note from 100 yards.
We’ll see if Mr Mason or his department would like to comment on it – or if the UTG has anything to say on the matter. The UTG didn’t want to comment on the demo called for precisely this sort of case and still remain silent
Prior to their ‘cosy’ arrangement with John Mason & Co they would have put this kind of story on their front page with several paragraphs of condemnation. So what has changed? – will they refrain from publishing this horror story to further try and save John Mason’s face or is this further evidence of a conspiracy of silence?
They add insult to injury by falsely stating the offender was a TAXI driver when it clearly wasn’t.
If we stated that many Camden Councillors were fiddling their expenses and some were sent to prison (when in reality it was MPs) I think Camden Councillors would be jumping up and down crying for blood. It will be interesting to hear or read their retraction and/or apology which we know may never come.
Regards,
David Clegg
Well there you have it Mr Mason. Perhaps you or your department would like to make a comment on this issue. You can email "the Anderson Shelter" at downtheoak@aol.com
Don't hold your breath, sorry we have made a mistake is not in his vocabulary.
ReplyDeleteGive MASON time to respond,I mean he may not have seen HENDY yet,So you cant expect a responce from him until HENDYS told him what to say,
ReplyDeleteThis story has speared in the Badge on page 6. Unbeleivably the badge also is just as guilty as the Mail and the Gazzette. iLazy journalism, as it is clear instead of writing a proper account, they have just lifted the story from the papers. Calling this scum bag a Taxi driver and working for a Taxi company.
ReplyDeleteStill not long to the AGM. This leadership will not survive another term.
Under Davis and his puppet master Cox, they have lost more members than at any other time in rhe clubs history.
Anon 3: How would you know how many members the club has lost?
ReplyDeleteWhy does every thread on here turn into a rant against the club have they upset you Mr Thomas?
Anon no4
ReplyDeleteNot me mate, I don't give them £16 a month to waste on stand down pay for meetings where they fail to represent my interests.
I also don't pay them to take senior members of LTPH out for fish suppers.
Lots of drivers were offended by Danny Sullivan drunken (sorting out all the trades troubles) tweets and have left in discussed.
I have been told he has been ordered by committee members to unfollow certain tweeters, not engage in online arguments that he can't handle and be more careful what he says as his last outburst cost the club dearly.
You can only fool some of the people, some of the time....
........................................
If you are a club member, I personally would advise you to stay on till after the AGM as I believe a new broom will sweep clean!
Anonymous said: "How would you know how many members the club has lost?"
ReplyDeleteThat's a fair and reasonable question but the anonymous writer of the original statement was probably only giving his opinion based on what he has heard from disgruntled members and may be a fair and reasonable assumption.
To avoid any further confusion or conjecture could you kindly give out the actual LCDC membership figures from this time last year up until the present time which would confirm or deny the point that was raised.
It would be difficult to imagine there would be many - if any - suburban members left.
I hope the LCDC has not become like Unite, the Union, and keep their membership numbers a very closely guarded secret instead of being open and honest and proud of their membership levels, whatever they may be.
Producing these figures would show that the LCDC is as transparent with the trade at large as John Mason told the London cab trade he would be.
If you dispute the claim that the LCDC membership numbers are dropping then this could only be refuted by publishing the actual membership figures, but you are unlikely to do this in case John Mason, Peter Hendy and the dreaded RMT gets to read them. You can't have it both ways I'm afraid.
An LCDC apologist was playing this numbers game on the AS recently when he was trying to ridicule a contributor to the AS as being from a group with only 67 members - but he didn't have the courage of his convictions to say who this group was.
It appears this is a sensitive issue to the LCDC.
In any event the LCDC membership numbers are in the public domain and the FSA can provide them should anyone really feel the need to know them.
Forget the club, the agenda has moved on join something with strength and breadth of support elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteThe Yellow Badge 'caught offside' figures are 4 warning letters in CTN (March Edition Page 3 Tyres Article) but 40+ in The Badge apparently using the same TfL Figures!!!
Surely Grant Davis is telling the truth.
Isn't He?
all trade organisations to join as one cohesive, united force. All radio circuits to join and become one large taxi ONLY radio circuit.
ReplyDeleteJust maybe we may stand a chance of existing in 10 years time!
Sadly egos and nonsensical politics will see our demise swiftly hastened along and PH become the norm. very sad for us but Londoners will adapt and survive and maybe now and then get all melancholy about the "good ole London cabby"
Face it. We're dinosaurs. We're run by dinosaurs and just like the dinosaurs we're facing extinction.
Ask any cabby what he was earning in the late 60's. What the average wage was in the UK and what he paid for a taxi and its servicing. Transpose that to now. In the 60's a cabby was earning more than a doctor or solicitor. The average wage was about £12 a week and a cabby could earn between £5 and £10 a day after expenses. He paid about £1200 for a new taxi and a service was about £3; the same as a ride out to the flyers.
Think what you're earning now. What you pay for your wonderful "iconic" vehicle and what it costs you to keep it on the road! The industry cannot sustain the increases and people will not be prepared to put in 3+ years of hard slog to get a nice green badge that effectively gives them a millstone around their necks.
30 odd years ago we were earning more than doctors. Find me a London cabby who is earning 100k a year and i'll eat my testicles! There are secretary's in the city earning more than we do! There are dustmen on overtime earning more than we do! A bus driver can pull in over 30k a year and have none of the expenses we have!
The job is f**ked!
We had it too good for too long. We got complacent and the little people capitalised on it. Hare and tortoise springs to mind.
Sorry ladies and gents, i may be the voice of doom and gloom but i'm also a realist. Can we keep absorbing the rise in fuel? I'm earning approx the same now as i was 10 years ago but with much increased costs. So i have the green badge - so fu*king what! Ask the many people who get in a touts car on a friday night if they care whether the driver is qualified; insured or knowledgeable? They don't give a damn and neither does the TfL management.
i repeat. The job is fu*ked and who do we have to save us? Bob bleedin' Oddy and Grant Davis!
Terrific!
[size=3]You may have noticed that at the bottom of my article, I asked John Mason if he would like to make a comment.[/size]
ReplyDeleteAlthough Mason has said in the past
"Given the nature, substance and normally wholly inaccurate and hostile nature of the articles that appear on your blog I am certain nothing I write in response will be accepted by you or those that chose to contribute to your site" (email 5 jan 2011)
I thought he may have had something constructive to say on this important issue!
He replied within minutes of the article being posted
Dear Mr Thomas
"I note you suggested I might have a comment to make on your most recent article on your blog.
To be honest, the answer is no, I do not.
My last email to you of 5 January clearly set out my views regarding your blog and my view that you clearly have your own agenda and are not the remotest bit interested in the facts or the opinions of others unless they conform to your own."
I was obviously wrong!
More proof that this ex bailiff with no experience of the taxi trade is not up to the job
All top officers at TfL come from areas that are completely divorced from the taxi trade and the newest appointment, Nicole Harris is no exception.
Coming as she does from Bus enforcement she has taken over from Robin Gillis and put in charge of ranks and highways.
What possible attributes does she bring to this position?
A small group of Taxi drivers taking this unnecessary action, a small minority, wild outlandish conspiracy theories, these words or something pretty close were said on BBC Radio London on Nov 17th before the demonstration by J.M.
ReplyDeleteNow we have a child sexually abused, " it really is disgraceful "
They are just a bunch of pension chasers who havent got a clue about the real world.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is beginning to drip out, minute by minute. The balance is shifting in favour of those exposing the deceitful and twisted representatives who are colluding to protect their crumbling little empires.
ReplyDeleteI go to bed at night knowing that I made the effort to try and stop these kind of assaults from happening.
I attended the demo at Oxford Circus because I knew it was the right thing to do!
There must be another demo soon to emphasise to the general public that the Private Hire operator drivers under the present licensing system are a totally unsafe mode of transport for the public to use and they do so at their own peril!
Maybe its time for a little sticker campaign,stating
ReplyDelete"54% INCREASE IN RAPES IN LICENCED
MINICABS,THE MAYOR AND HIS TEAM
ARE NOT UP TO THE JOB"
Remember with the olympics getting closer the eyes of the world is on LONDON,
BORIS,HENDY, and co may just dismiss us but how will they fair when it comes to some big guns asking questions.
Did we not seen Bozza 'wobble' when challenged on police numbers and now Hendy has to explain away £60 MILLION taken in error from peoples Oyster Cards!!!
ReplyDeleteNo wonder they want Ticket Offices closed.
Still with 000's of salaries over 100K at TfL and 6K plus leaving parties for Directors (on our money) they need every penny they can get by fair means or foul.
John Mason says: 'Its not about the money'.
NICE WORK IF YOU CAN IT.
HOSTILE YOU BET!!!!!
Love the sticker Idea,maybe we could expand it to reciept pads as well,
ReplyDeleteCant see BORIS objecting,Remember he loved the Idea when they were for him to become MAYOR,so he more than anyone knows the effect they can have,
I overheard the other day that Taxi cab drivers should be very careful on what they say to some of the UTG reps, this information could land in the possession of some very influential people in the cab trade.
ReplyDeleteIt somewhat reminds me of a Police caution,
"You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence."