New Figures for Cab Related Sexual Assaults/Rapes...by Thomas the Taxi.

In the past, TfL and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) have not distinguished between Taxi drivers and Private hire drivers when recording Sexual Assaults/Rapes offences.


We have been informed that in the near future, TfL and the MPS will be undertaking detailed analysis of the most serious cab-related sexual offences in 2009/10 to provide a definitive breakdown, as far as possible, by type of cab driver ie; licensed or unlicensed private hire and Taxi driver. 
Any definitive information from this work will be made available.


In the recent request the MPS stated that;
"It is not possible to provide a reliable breakdown of cab-related offences by type of driver. It is only if and when a suspect is identified that the MPS in conjunction with TfL are able to verify if the suspect is a licensed taxi or PHV driver".


That being the case;
As only 9 suspects were arrested and convicted out of a total 233 assaults in the 24 months from January 2008 to December 2009, how can TfL justify their claim that most attacks have been committed by unlicensed touts?

  
It appears, TfL and the MPS have tried to soften the impact of the true total of cab related, sexual offences by using financial year endings instead of calendar year. This gives a 10 month total for 2010 of 95.
But taking a calendar year, January through to December (which is quite reasonable) you get the more accurate figure of 121 offences for 2010.


Although this is a reduction of 19 on the previous year, it is still disgraceful. If you factor in the three Met officers who were suspended for removing rape statistics from the records last year, the actual reduction could be meaningless.


From the answer to the request made by Caroline Pidgeon, it is possible to put together an average monthly total for sexual assaults, including full rapes;

Monthly attacks:

                 

2008    2009     2010

 8.16     11.33    10.08

So, that's an average of just over 10 passengers a month being seriously sexually assaulted and raped by predators who rank up and tout, completely unabated by enforcement, in London.


Lines of cars can be seen every night, illegally forming ranks outside clubs, bars, 24 hour super markets, sweet shops and in one location we know, just a flashing lamp above an alleyway in Covent Garden. 
All fully licensed by TfL... 


Article source; request made to the Mayor by Caroline Pidgeon, published on Taxi Leaks.

The failings of LTPH have not gone unnoticed with other Taxi trade associations in the rest of the country and have been highlighted in a plethora of trade journals. 
Apparently, Director of Taxi and Private Hire John Mason, has been very busy writing to the editors of Taxi trade magazine's complaining that the stories circulating are nonfactual and un-researched.


For a taste of whats been going on, have a look at the editorial in this months Taxi Talk, very entertaining and enlightening.


Click Here for on Line edition.