Minicab cigarette 'adbins' in Westminster unlawful....

Westminster Council wants a London minicab firm to remove its sponsored cigarette bins, after a court ruling.

Damaging listed buildings, no planning permission. 

Addison Lee provides 19,000 free 'adbins' bearing its logo outside businesses across the capital.

But a judge decided that 21 of the bins in Westminster were in violation of planning laws, fining Addison Lee and making it pay £20,000 in costs.

Grounds for enforcement

Westminster Council's Robert Davis said after Thursday's ruling at Horseferry Road Magistrates' Court that the council will now try to have the rest of the bins removed.

"Our guidelines are in place to prevent Westminster being overrun with excessive adverts," the Conservative councillor said.

"To have buildings in Westminster covered with advertising would ruin the borough's appearance, character and harm amenity.

"Given the court's decision we will now look at grounds for enforcement action on the remainder of their bins."

'Staggering hypocrisy'

Addison Lee chairman John Griffin said that the company had bins in every borough, but that Westminster was the only council to complain.

"Currently Westminster Council provides public litter bins sponsored by Coca-Cola, there are over 250 of these bins in London," he said.

It's believed that pressure must have been put on Westminster City Council to take action against Griffin. He is used to getting his own way when it comes licensing authorities and local councils who seem unwilling to take him on.


#TfLshame
John Griffin's Addison Lee was the first mini cab operator to set up satellite offices (The Hippodrome and Stringfellows to name but two) before it was legally possible to acquire a license to do so.


 His drivers were the first to use the Royal Parks and continued to do so even after a High Court judgement banned them from doing this.

His vehicles were the first to carry identifying livery which he had to remove after complaints were voiced by the Licensed Taxi trade.

When the regulation was changed, his vans carried livery that did not conform with the regulations. His vehicles also had their factory fitted rear wash/wipe arm removed.

The licensed Taxi trade complained on mass and was told by a PCO licensing compliance officer that in fact the conditions of fitness appertaining to Private Hire Vehicles was not a set of laws but a list of guild lines.

Addison Lee was told to replace the wash/wipe arm but arrogantly took the best part of a whole year to comply with this request. 

All the time this was going on, Taxi drivers were having stops put on their taxis for not having the ashtray fitted in the back door of the vehicle that neither driver nor passengers could legally smoke in!

Next John Griffin sends his drivers a letter ordering them to commit the criminal offence of driving in the M4 bus lane (putting both driver and passengers in danger and invalidating the terms of their insurance). Griffin was also filmed by the BBC in one of his vehicles ordering the driver to enter the bus lane.

The PCO have taken no action against this man over this serious breach of conduct.

Griffins drivers now believe they are above the law and routinely park on licensed taxi ranks. Thousands of photos of his vans illegally parked on Taxi ranks have been sent to the LTPH complaints department, so far no action has being taken by LTPH to stop this.

Some time ago Griffin applied to LTPH for a license to run a "Taxi Bike" service. While his request was being considered, his fleet of two motor bikes were issued with a temporary PHV license to operate under private hire regulations.

Not satisfied with this Griffin plastered a bastardised version of the word Taxi on his two wheeled mini-cabs, calling them TAXY BIKES

Allegedly, Addison Lee pay Google, the Internet search engine, to have their adverts at the top of the search list when potential passengers enter the words; London Taxi, Airport Taxi or just Taxi.

By paying for this service it is deemed that they are advertising their services as Taxis.

Griffin was heard to describe his mini cab firm as a "Taxi Empire with 2,500 Taxis" on the TV program secret millionaire.

How much more is the LTPH going to let this man get away with?

What next, advertising on a fleet of TX4's or Vito's, Addison Lee plastered all over the bodywork?

For Hire lights on his vans?

Their own Addison lee ranks at mainline stations?

TfL are not fit for service

The LTPH have shown time and time again that they are not fit for purpose as licensing authority for private hire. They constantly fail to enforce the law and bend over backwards to accommodate dodgy back street mini cab offices. They have done little to clear up the hoards of illegally operating Clipboard Johnnies and it is time that the Department of Transport stepped in. The enforcement arm of the LTPH, the so called STC squad, have done even less and probably should be sent back to walking the beat.
Worse is the new figures (2010) released by the Met for sexual assaults, including rapes, in mini cabs. Shamefully still running at 11-12 a month

The London Licensed Taxi trade and the travelling public deserves better protection than this.