Caroline Pidgeon Picks Up The Baton For The Taxi Trade... By Thomas the Taxi

Caroline Pidgeon has tabled questions on behalf of the Licensed Taxi Trade, to be asked in the next Mayors Question Time on the 14^th of September. 

Although Priority is to be given to questions appertaining to the riots, questions not answered will be given a written response by Monday 19^th September.

Caroline Pidgeon with Lib Dem Mayoral Candidate Brian Paddick

Caroline asks:

Question No: 2525 I believe student taxi drivers are currently experiencing delays in their Knowledge training due to a shortfall in examiners. Can you please update me on this? Is TfL looking to hire more examiners to rectify these delays?

Question No: 2526

As part of your Safer Travel at Night scheme, I believe TfL has been looking at marshalled private hire pick up points across London. Can you update me on whether this is likely to be introduced and the legal position to enable such an initiative to proceed?

Question No: 2527

I recently witnessed many licensed private hire vehicles in London with blacked out or tinted windows, meaning you can barely make out the licence disc. Given that the TfL website states ‚all licensed private hire vehicles have the distinctive TfL licence disc in the front and rear windscreen,‛ will you review the use of blacked out and tinted vehicles in licensed private hire vehicles?

Question No: 2528

I believe there are around 23,000 licensed private hire operators and around 45,000 licensed private hire vehicles. Please can you provide figures for how many of these vehicles belong to operators and how many do not?

Question No: 2529

Whilst I support your stance on enhanced CRB checks for cab drivers, what are you proposing to the Department for Transport on the issue of CRB checks on drivers from overseas with a vague or absent background history?

Question No: 2530

Can you explain who is responsible for the maintenance of ‘signs and lines’ and the up keep of Traffic Management Orders to ensure taxi ranks are fit for purpose?

Question No: 2531

Does TfL pay for the maintenance to all taxi ranks in London? If not, please list which ranks TfL does pay for?

Question No: 2532

What processes are in place to ensure all taxi ranks are fit for purpose across London, with the correct Traffic Management Orders, signage and lines?

Question No: 2533

I was pleased to see that you lobbied the Home Office to reconsider the proposed weaker Criminal Records Bureau checks on London’s black cab drivers. In light of this, why do you find it appropriate for pedicab drivers to remain unlicensed with no CRB checks?

Question No: 2534

Will you look at the recently announced capped fare scheme from The Cumberland Hotel to the airports in London, with a view to rolling this out across London in order to clamp down on the many tourists who are apparently being ripped off by some unscrupulous hotel door staff?

Question No: 2535
Is TfL’s Taxi and Private Hire directorate effective in protecting passengers?

Question No: 2536

Please provide figures for the number of on-street inspections to black cabs which have taken place, per month, since May 2008.

Question No: 2537

Please provide figures for the number of on-street inspections private hire vehicles which have taken place, per month, since May 2008.

Question No: 2538

The Engagement Policy for Associations Representing London Taxi Drivers states ‚TfL recognises that there are certain smaller groups of drivers that may have specific issues. In exceptional circumstances TfL will engage with such groups as they feel may be required. Since the 1st May 2010, please list all occasions where TfL has met with these groups. Please also provide the name of the group.

Also on the subject of Engagement, Darren Johnson (Green Party) asks:

Question No:2431

Will you ask TfL to review its decision not to recognise the RMT through the TfL Taxi Engagement Policy, given it is a bona fide representative body of hundreds of taxi drivers in London?

Very interesting questions!

Some we already know the answer to some we don’t. It should be very interesting to read the Mayors response.