UTG in Meetings with Private Hire and Pedicab Owners.

It has come to our attention through a leaked email, that the United Taxi Group, has been invited by Westminster City Council to meet with private hire groups, Pedicab owners and a coach drivers association. No such invitation has been afforded to the second largest Taxi drivers representative group, the RMT.
What is Martin Low afraid of? 


While calling publicly for Pedicabs to be banned in their trade journals, it has emerged, secret meetings have taken place to discuss the terms of Pedicabs being licensed by Westminster council.


Also present at these meetings are representation from private hire and coach drivers associations.
On the table for discussion are Pedicab ranks and extensions to the ten minute waiting rule for coaches.(Not one word about the no minute rule for Taxis!)
  
As the RMT is the only drivers organisation actively campaigning against the pedicab bill, they have of course been completely excluded from all meetings and I am told Westminster council still refuse to communicate with RMT officials  in any form or manner.


Below is an excerpt from the leaked email:

23.03.11 - Stakeholder Meeting - Taxis, Private Hire, Coaches and Pedicabs 

Dear All

In advance of tomorrow's meeting, please find below a proposed agenda to consider.

On arrival at City Hall reception please ask for me on xxxx and I will come and collect you. If you are delayed or arrive after 10:00 please ask for xxxx xxxx on xxxx who will make arrangements to meet.

Agenda

1.      Introductions and apologies - and headline views about parking, loading and waiting in Central London

2.      Westminster Parking Review (2010-11) - progress to date. A strategic review

3.      Purpose of the Stakeholder Group meetings - within the Review process

4.      On-street requirements and day to day difficulties experienced by the:

                Licensed Taxi trade

                Licensed Private Hire trade

                The Coach industry - licensed express and unregulated tour sectors

                The Pedicab trade

               

5.      Westminster Parking Review (2010-11) - outline consultation findings

6.      Westminster Parking Review (2010-11) - evidence base - the need to fully understand past, current and future demand and traffic patterns of the four road user   types

7.      The Council's current parking, loading and waiting regulations:

                Yellow lines

                Hours of control

                Problem areas

                Taxi ranks

                Taxi stands

                Mainline rail station ranking

                Night time verses day time needs

                Private hire and taxi different needs

                Marshalled Taxi ranks - nightime

                Parking protocols - 10 minute rule for coaches

                Coach parking/waiting bays

                Multi use bays proposal - slots!

                Council and TLRN differences

                Pedicab licensing and enforcement concerns

                Pedicab waiting

                             

8.      Parking Policy Review (2010-11) - what happens next

9.      Any other business - subject to time - eg

                The role of the three road user types and the West End economy

                More marshalled taxi ranks/ hubs - in consideration of consultation findings

                Use of electric vehicles - and emissions standards

                Stretch limo concerns

                Taxi industry consideration of partnership project that includes funding. Similar to successful FTA project

                Aob

Regards

Outlined in Red is the subject Multi use bays . This is just a rewording of the phrase shared Taxi rank. The trouble is shared with what?
Perhaps private hire and pedicabs would be a good guess.