TfL/TPH, Dogs With No Bite?....by Thomas the Taxi.

For many years now, the Anderson Shelter has campaigned to get better enforcement from TfL/LTPH/STC to help prevent spiralling serious sexual assaults, including rapes by licensed and unlicensed minicabs.
In the past three years, over 360 young people (male and female) have had their lives and the lives of their families shattered.

Last year, we heard the rape and sexual attack figures has risen by an unprecedented 54%.
The extremely embarrassing PR which followed, prompted three serving Met Police officers to interfere with the statements of victims in order to get the attack figures reduced. So now we can't be sure how many attacks took place last year. TfL are claiming a reduction to 121, but we believe this figure has been compromised by the actions of these three police officers and is much higher.


Safer Travel Command (STC)  have over 2000 officers, most of whom work in connection with fare evasion on the Buses and tubes. Of these 2000 officers, 58 are attached to Taxi and Private Hire enforcement, with only 6 officers plus 1 manager on regular nights.


In the face of these attacks, TfL/TPH/STC find it necessary to only employ 6 full time night enforcement officers working on a five nights a week basis. Apparently, Safer Travel Command (STC) feel there is no need for enforcement on Sunday and Monday.


Last night, Monday the 10th Oct, lines of licensed PHV's could be seen illegally plying for hire outside many of London's nightclubs and bars, a busy night as traditionally, Monday night is student night. The touts operate safe in the knowledge that Cab Enforcement officers don't work Monday nights.


In comparison, in New York, a force of 400 taxi inspectors operate on a seven day a week 24 hour basis. At present you are more likely to be raped by a Licensed Private hire driver in London, than in New York. Wonder what the Americans coming here for the Olympics would make of that statistic?


All this to one side, you would think the triumvirate of TfL/TPH/STC, would do all they can to make safer travel at night a priority, but there doesn't seem to be anyone keeping an eye on a situation which is again spiralling dangerously out of control.
TPH have let the situation get completely out of hand and are seen by Private Hire as having absolutely no authority when it comes to touting, or enforcing the licensing of operating centres (satellite offices).

Diamond cars drivers touting

Night after night the blue, hi-viz jackets of drivers from Diamond cars, can be seen openly touting outside many different venues. Their empire is expanding over the capitals night life, in-spite of John Mason's so called freeze on new satellite office licenses.


If a private hire vehicle is found waiting for a booking, in full view of the public, then the driver is guilty of illegally plying for hire. This contravention is a breach of  the London Cab and Stage Carriage Act 1907 Section 2, also the London Hackney Carriage Act 1831 Section 35, plus existing case law.
If a PH driver asks members of the public if they require a "minicab", "Car", "Cab" or "Taxi", they are guilty of touting under the Criminal Justice and Public Order act 1994 which is an arrestable offence.
If a passenger accepts the services of a tout, the vehicle's insurance becomes invalid.
That's it, that's all the law you need.


TfL regularly publish statistics of drivers arrested for touting. But its amazing how few convictions against arrests, at least two thirds of arrested touts are getting off.
There are never any statistics published for illegally plying for hire, why?
Our belief is, its simply not happening and has not happened since 2002, because either TfL/TPH/STC are unaware of this particular contravention, or they are just ignoring it and turning a blind eye.


The whole situation has turned into a disgusting state of affairs.
We have young people being raped (one new attack every three days) by predators licensed by TfL, who hide amongst these lines of illegally ranked up minicabs and the authorities turn a blind eye.


TfL/TPH and Westminster City Council are currently looking at PHV waiting areas (similar to the Whitcomb Street Private Hire Rank), where minicabs will be able to wait to be hired (for a fee with permit). These areas will utilise current loading bays situated all over the West End and City and will be no more than marshaled minicab ranks, similar to the ones (sanctioned by the LTDA) operating in the suburbs.
(What ones are they?...see next post.)


Its time for the ordinary rank and file drivers to rise up and shout "FOWL, Enough is Enough" and show their disapproval at what TfL/TPH have done to out trade.

ITS TIME TO DEMONSTRATE ON-MASS

Watch this space.

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Survey: TX or Vito, we asked the public.

Video by Stormcab