United Cabbies Group Launch New Taxi Paper...by Thomas the Taxi.

Click on Image to get Issue 1

The Anderson Shelter would like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone involved with the publication and distribution of the “United Cabbie's Group” brand new Taxi Paper, The United Cabbies News.

It had been felt for a long time that a new publication was needed to dealt with the precarious situation the taxi trade now finds itself in after many years of misrepresentation by the so-called big three trade orgs who deal directly with TfL.

The biggest group, the LTDA have spent the best part of the last two years trying desperately to discredit both the RMT and the UCG with pages of propaganda and untruths printed every fortnight in its publication, Taxi.

It is time for the truth to be put in front of the trade and the first issue hits the Taxi ranks today.

For those who can not get their hands of the first issue, it is also available today, on line.

TfL To Increase Red Route Penalty Charges.

Following a joint public consultation on Additional Parking Charges with London Councils, Transport for London (TfL) hereby gives notice that the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Transport have approved the following changes to additional parking charges.  The changes to Penalty Charges Notices issued by TfL on the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) will take effect on the 15 April 2011:

The penalty for parking in contravention of a restriction on the TLRN will increase from £120 to £130, reduced to £65 if paid within 14 days from the date of issue of the Penalty Charge Notice.

The following contraventions will also increase by £10:

Penalty for a contravention of bus lane regulations -  from £120 to £130
Penalty for a moving traffic contravention – from £120 to £130


NB. These changes do not apply to Congestion Charging or Low Emission Zone penalty charges.

Full details of all relevant contraventions can be found at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/.

Attached is the formal press release which has been issued for publication.


Kind regard




Derrick Morris
Stakeholder Partnerships Manager
Transport for London

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.

Westminster, Covertly Supporting the Failed STAN Agenda....By Steve M

FACT: Westminster City Council has a network of CCTV that is second to none. 

Their Wardens are super efficient and ruthless, sticking tickets on Private motorists like confetti. I defy you to take a private car into the Westminster area and park illegally; you will be ticketed one way or the other.

And yet on a regular basis PH and touts park on Taxi Ranks, in live Bus lanes, on Red Routes, on Double Yellow Lines, on Zig Zags, these illegally parked vehicles cause traffic chaos, and yet WCC see fit to ignore these problems, ask yourself why.

There is no doubt in my mind that WCC are covertly supporting the failed STAN agenda, logically there can be no other reason. 

Mr Mason is going to speak to the Grosvenor House Hotel Management, Why??? 
What authority do the Hotel Management have for the public highway outside their premises? 
Does Mr Mason think the hotels door staff are going to enforce the parking regulations, by what authority will they do this?
This is nothing more than a gesture. 


Mr Mason should be contacting TfL Red Rout Network and TPH Enforcement, who between them are responsible for enforcing taxi rank and red rout parking laws in Park Lane. 
Plus he should be contacting TPH Enforcement and Westminster Parking services about PHV parking contraventions causing major congestion in Mount Street, Park Street and Upper Grosvenor street.

This problem did not suddenly spring up over night, we have been complaining about touting and PHV's parking on our rank at the Grosvenor House Hotel for many years. There is no doubt in my mind that Mr Mason is covertly, either willingly or under orders, supporting the failed STAN agenda. 


Editorial comment Breaking news: 
I have just received this statement from John mason laying out exactly what is being done at the Grosvenor House after the recent successful email campaign. This statement has been made in reply to Nick de Bois, MP for Enfield. 

Dear Mr De Bois

Thank you very much for your email regarding your constituent Mr XXXX and the enforcement of the taxi rank at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane.

This matter was recently raised with us by taxi driver associations and since then TfL has been actively looking at the problem and how it can be addressed. The email from Mr Burnett is part of a wider email campaign by a group of taxi drivers which has been sent to the Mayor, Peter Hendy, TfL officers and many Assembly Members and MPs.

Given that many of the problems that occur in the area coincide with events at the Hotel we have been in contact with them to arrange a meeting with them to discuss the situation and on going issues in the area in terms of transportation issues relating to taxis and private hire vehicles. This meeting has now been arrange for Friday 25^th March. At a minimum we hope to be able to secure a forward plan of all events in order that we can focus enforcement activities in the area if required.

We have flagged this location as a high priority for both our in house Compliance Officers and the Metropolitan Police’s Cab Enforcement team and are due to undertake compliance operations in the vicinity later this week.  Like any enforcement of parking restrictions whilst we are unable to provide a permanent presence at the location we hope to visit as often as possible and especially during times when events which could lead to increased demands for road space are taking place.

We have recently undertaken a review of current CCTV enforcement activity taking place at the location and are investigating how compliance with parking regulations, including the taxi rank can be improved through targeted enforcement using the CCTV cameras at the location to issue Penalty Charge Notices. We expect to increase enforcement through CCTV from the evening of Saturday 26^th March.

I would like to assure you and Mr Burnett that TfL does monitor the situation on taxi ranks on it’s roads very carefully and works very closely with Local Authorities with regards to the enforcement of ranks within their boroughs. Whilst I am sure you will understand that it is simply not possible to guarantee every taxi rank will be free of illegal parking during hours of restriction we will always take action where necessary and are in constant dialogue with taxi driver associations with regards to particular hot spots and areas of focus that require our attention. This dialogue includes attendance by Senior TfL Officers at the London Cab Ranks Committee, arranged by the three main taxi driver associations as well as holding a Taxi Touting Problem Solving meeting with the Metropolitan and City Police, Local Authorities and taxi driver associations.

Thank you again for writing.

John Mason 

Director - Taxi & Private Hire 

TfL seem to have no problem with Touts using Taxi rank....By Thomas the Taxi

After almost a year of inaction by the PCO and TfL enforcement, the problem of Touts using the Grosvenor House Hotel licensed taxi rank, has now been bought to the attention of the Head of TPH by worried  individual drivers. In a co-ordinated campaign organised by the taxi blog "Carry on Complaining", they have taken the trouble to email selected MP's, Assembly Members and John Mason outlining their concerns at the lack of action taken at this location.


Mr Mason has said that his plan of action is to have a meeting with the Hotel management to discuss the issue. WHY?


Why does John Mason feel he has to go to the trouble and expense of going to meet the Hotel Management when our issue is with Touts ( PHVs licensed by TfL) parking on a working taxi rank.


We would like to bring to Mr Masons attention that the rank in question is on the TfL red rout network and has double red lines running through it (shown in Photo). PHV's are afforded the luxury of dropping off and picking up on double red lines, this we understand, but they are not allowed to park or wait, this is an offence.


The easiest solution to this problem is to issue tickets through the CCTV observation camera sited on the southern corner of Park Lane and Mount Street (indicated by red ring in photo). The same CCTV camera that issues dozens of ticket all day long to motorists straying into the bus lane, or parked at this location.

Why London scares me.......by Wayne Casey.

Wayne Casey

I don't as a rule get involved in the politics of the London Cab trade, I tend to leave this to Sheldon and Bernie, but this month I’m going to break my golden rule and say a few words.

As many people in the provinces will be aware, the Unite union have, to their eternal shame, brought the subject of cross border hiring to the attention of the House of Commons Transport Select Committee. Everybody was entitled to give evidence and a selected few were given the opportunity to give verbal or oral evidence in a couple of sessions.

The story the select committee are seemingly being fed is that London’s private hire crew are paragons of virtue, London is great and the rest of the country really needs to sort itself out.

Unfortunately, this appears to be complete and utter crap, if the select committee follow this type of belief they really should consider straight jackets.

But, I think there is a lot of bullshit going on here, I also think there is a cover up.

If you try to obtain figures for example, how many licensed private hire drivers were convicted of sexual offences, you will be told to politely go away. This information isn’t available.

You see, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) don't keep figures in this manner anymore, they are all boxed up and kept in a file known as ‘Cab Related Offences’. These figures contain taxi, private hire and illegal minicab offences. So basically, when people talk of illegal minicab rape, the figures given include licensed PH and taxi.

However, figures announced in February suggest a massive 54% rise in attacks in London licensed (and unlicensed) vehicles.

(source BBC: Click here)

I think this Olympics business is going to the Mayors offices head, after-all, we don't want ‘Jonnie Foreigner’ to believe they could hire a legal private hire vehicle and find themselves driven home by a rapist, homicidal maniac or paedophile.

Paragons of virtue indeed. Just like the chap called Russell Croft, a licensed private hire driver who was jailed in 2009 for 4 years because he deliberately ran over a pedestrian.

(source: Evening Standard: click here)

How about Imran Raja, a 37 year old Licensed Private Hire Driver who was working for Addison Lee. He was jailed for three years and nine months in May 2010 for manslaughter after running over homeless Robert Scott.

(source: Daily Telegraph: Click here)

I mentioned Bernie earlier, so let us not forget Bernie has been asking questions about Shamsul Haque, a now former licensed London Private Hire driver with a string of criminal convictions. He received a license despite being a paranoid schizophrenic who admitted the manslaughter of his wife, by strangling. In June 2000, he received a hospital order and a restriction order without limit of time. In June 2003, he was ordered to be conditionally discharged by a mental health review tribunal. In 1991, he was convicted of exposing himself in a public place and fined £15, assaulting a Constable in the execution of his duty in 1998, for which he was conditionally discharged, and then on 18 May 2009 he was cautioned for slapping his daughter.

He also managed to achieve two road traffic convictions in the past 5 years, for traffic light contravention and speeding.

If these are examples of those getting licenses in London, god only knows what the ones who don't have licenses are like.

In a report of 2008, the imaginatively titled ‘Taxi Touting’, it was shown that between 2003 and late 2007 some 3372 convictions had been made for taxi touting. Of course the private hire in London try to tell all and sundry illegal touting needs to be condemned and rightly so, they try to point out, to the select committee that these offences are by totally unlicensed drivers.

Unfortunately of the 3372 mentioned above some 50% were actually London registered Private hire drivers.

The same report states;

 “Private hire representatives emphasised that CRB checks should be carried out but suggested that a provisional permit is granted whilst the driver is waiting.”

So is it really a case of screw the public its all about ‘Arses in Saddles’? Thankfully TFL did actually see through the greed of London’s PH Operators and don't issue temporary licenses.

Let’s get back to private hire denial, because the internet is a truly marvellous thing here.

Major failings at Camden council, TFL and the CRB failed to uncover that a driver had a list of criminal convictions overseas and had even been the subject of an arrest warrant. His history only came to light after he had sexually assaulted a vulnerable boy who he was driving to school.

The whole disgusting report is available on the Local Government Ombudsman website.

The report uncovered that the driver had been the subject of a CRB check in May 2006 - and was given a temporary license. (source; the independent newspaper)

Yes, we all should follow the lead of London, we can then pop in to our local post office branch and apply for licenses and provide photocopies........yes photocopies, is someone seriously telling me that TFL hasn’t heard of identity theft yet?

It appears to a casual observer of all things London such as myself that there appears to be a policy of ‘dumbing down’ a major problem in our Capital city.


With thanks to Wayne Casey and Taxi Talk Magazine. 

Golden Rank, All That Glitters, Part 2.

This comment from "LondonCabGolfer", received earlier today.
  
This morning at about 5am, I was on the rank outside the casino on Coventry Street. I was there on my own, no touts cars were there. 


A cab stopped along side me and asked why I wasn't on the proper rank behind at the junction of Rupert Street. He was pleasantly surprised when I pointed out we now have this new rank, although he didnt join me. Then another cab stopped but instead of joining me outside the casino, ranked on the feeder rank behind. 


It appears there is not enough publicity about the new facilities. 
But I suppose even when marshals can't make it work at the weekends because of the touts, what hope have we got.


A short while later a tout parked behind me. I asked him to move, but when he ignored I took a photo of his car. At this moment he suddenly launched in to a torrent of verbal abuse, some of it extremely personal. Fortunately I made my way back to the cab and locked myself in. I felt very vunerable whilst he carried on verbally abusing me, standing next to my cab. 


I then decided to call the police and while they were on route the telephonist held on the line to hear him. Within a couple of minutes a police car arrived and the tout retreated to the doorway of the casino. 


The police told him of the allegation and that it was an arrestable offence, which he obviously denied, (said he was waiting for a friend) they ordered him to get in his car and go, but he gave them some verbal as well. They were so close to nicking him but his pal pulled him away and he then drove off. I have to thank the police for their support but was dissapointed to be told they could not ticket him for parking on a rank as only wardens could do this now?


Editorial comment:
Every night in this area, Taxi drivers are being put in danger by an uncaring licensing authority that has no stomach to support the drivers who pay them to uphold their right to ply for hire.
It is just a matter of time before full scale violence breaks out and a Taxi driver is seriously hurt, or even killed.
The blood will then be on the hands of the three men who together, can stop this anarchy.
Peter Hendy, John Mason and Joe Royal, you should hang your heads in shame.

Westfield...Use It, Or Lose It

I have received this email from the forum:

The Westfield Shopping Centre management are becoming concerned 

at the lack of service they are receiving from the Taxi trade 

during peak times and they might consider trialling the use of PHV's.

This became a reality today with a CBJ lurking. 

They have pulled out all the stops to help accommodate us and they

would prefer Taxis to service it, but they also need to get their

customers home. 

The 'peak times' are Sat & Sun from 4.30pm to 8.00pm.

It would be an absolute tragedy if we lost this. It's all on private 

land so they can do what they like, however they have provided 

everything for us. 

Westfield want US....NOT PRIVATE HIRE!!!

There is often quality work coming out of there, so please 

do all you can to give this place a good service.

And tell all your colleagues,

Thank you.

Whilst a stark reminder, the fact is that we have case law that states PH can not wait to be available for immediate hire in plain sight of the public, even on private property!
But would you put your faith in this TfL administration or the United Trade Group to uphold the law and protect our right to ply for hire.
Every night we are reminded that TfL have no intention of protecting our trade by upholding the hackney carriage laws.


We have to give this centre a better service than it is currently receiving or we will lose it. TfL must be approached to give us better access through the Bus Station as is the case at Victoria Station. 
Surely it's better for the environment not to have to drive all the way up the West Cross Rout and then back round the slip road to the round-a-bout and round to the side road to get to the Taxi rank? Nothing is impossible!


There is however, another option available to us and that would be to make Westfield an "Island Rank" similar to Putney Station rank. Would it not be better to work alongside License Taxis from Ealing than have the indignity to have to rank beside Private Hire minicab's, sitting there watching a Clip board johnny tout work for his cars?
This suggestion was made some time ago for Shepherds Bush Green rank but was dismissed as drivers felt this unacceptable.


The Bush Green Rank is now used most nights as a minicab pick up point and for cars using local take-a-ways and has been the scene of much hostility towards Licensed Taxi drivers. The majority of Green badge drivers wont work this rank and continue to drive passed. 


This is only a suggestion. Please use the comments box to discuss this issue sensibly. I will endeavour to post all opinions but please moderate language. 

The Golden Rank, All That Glitters.....By Simco.

Whenever I can, I will be going to Coventry Street bus stop;
to kick off any scabs parked there. Is anyone else going to make a point of it?

NO STOPPING EXCEPT TAXIS BETWEEN 09.30PM TO 08.00AM

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

You may have seen the bus stop last night being serviced by all sorts of drivers, with some walking up and down Coventry St, advising drivers that this is now a rank.

I was there at 11.00pm for 20min and at 02.00am for a while. Made use of fluorescent vest which attracted punters and cabbies alike.

I was threatened with GBH by touts there and only being surrounded by punters got me out of trouble.

The scabs all went to Wardour St. and there was no place to pass through.
We hurt the scabs last night and most of the work was done by Licensed Taxi drivers. The knowledge of this 'rank' is spreading fast and it will be the best thing since........

Lets get the police and their plastic helpers on our side and encourage them to remove the scabs from that whole  area.


Last night we had PCO enforcement officers, standing with me on the rank taking notes. I had a long chat with them. In essence they were there for taxis, minicabs and YB.
They were observing the working of the bus stop rank.

After explaining to them the value of this rank to taxi drivers, punters, environment etc... and how effective it is for clearing up all kind of touts, they were proactive to help me keep the place free from minicabs and even rickshaws. Myself in the HiViz jacket and two of them kept the place clear of at least registered touts.
I send them to look at Wardour Street, which was impassable at 02.30am.
It seemed they were surprised by the amount of touting going on within immediate distance of the rank.


Editorial Comment:
Its amazing that just round the corner, on Friday and Saturday nights there are two TfL marshals (paid for out of a budget that TPH says it doesn't have!) standing at a point where hardly anyone ranks. They have no power to remove touts from the 24 hour bus lane, bus stand and Taxi rank. They have been told by John Mason not to move from the point of the rank and can only open and close Cab doors.
They are not allowed a radio to contact police or parking services and have to use their own phones in emergencies. 


Would their services not be better applied, standing at the Bus stop rank in Coventry Street? No extra budget needed.

Lewis Day Take Over Grosvenor House Rank, Again...By Thomas the Taxi.

Every time there is a major event at Grosvenor House hotel, Lewis Day and Addison Lee, take it in turn to infest the pavement outside the entrance and force License Taxis off their lawful rank. The Taxis then have to dangerously double and sometimes even treble park.


Last night Lewis Days PHV's were treble parked forcing Taxis almost to block Park Lane.
Complaints were made to the police and a friendly WPC was dispatched to the scene and within minutes the unlawfully parked touts were moved on.


A few years ago, the Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy, famously said at a transport committee meeting at city hall;
"When you come out of the Grosvenor House after midnight you can't get a black cab because they all take there money by 9o/c and go home".


Licensed Taxis gave the Grosvenor a fantastic service last night late into the early morning, as they always do despite what the commissioner of transport for TfL says.


Video footage by Thomas the Taxi.

The minicab molester and the Mayor.

We all saw the article in the Daily Mail and the Telegrath:

“Cabdriver molested passenger”

An unlicensed cabbie who was slammed by a judge for not bothering to learn English was caged for grabbing a passenger’s breasts.

Zamal Uddin, 44, twice sexually assaulted the 26-year-old in Hoxton last October after she got into his illegal taxi after a night out with friends.

Judge Timothy King had blasted Bangladesh-born Uddin, who was aided in court by an interpreter, for not learning English after moving to the UK in 1992. 

But the East London Advertiser printed the full story:

And before passing sentence the judge was handed testimonials on Uddin’s behalf from several Tower Hamlets councillors and the borough’s mayor Lutfur Rahman. Judge King said they all seemed “to be in ignorance of your background and personality”.

Jailing Uddin for 18 months, Judge King described how he leaned over and touched his passenger’s breasts in the cab before following her after she fled into an alley where he pinned her against the wall and touched her under her clothing.

Uddin, of Rogers Estate, Globe Road, was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for 10 years. He admitted two charges of sexual assault and driving while disqualified.

The Full story has been posted by east end Blogger Ted Jeory in his Blog "Trial by Jeory"

Ted Continues:

The italics above are mine. It was this somewhat buried sentence that caught the attention of Tower Hamlets Watch. I spoke today to the agency reporter who filed the story and no more details were read out in court. The judge neither named the other councillors who had provided references nor disclosed their contents. He didn’t actually name Lutfur, but said the reference came from the “mayor of Tower Hamlets”.

So I sought confirmation from the press office at Tower Hamlets council that Lutfur had indeed provided a reference. The answer from Takki Sulaiman’s office was: “The mayor does not comment on private correspondence.” Well, given that he used his public and elected title in his correspondence to the court, there is an argument that he should. I’m also waiting to hear if Lutfur’s letter was written on council logo stationery. [UPDATE AT 7pm: council press office refuse to comment on whether letter was written on official stationery.]

Meanwhile, can anyone please help shed some light on Zamal Uddin? Who is he and why is he so popular with the mayor and other councillors?

I wonder what Uddin’s victim thinks of such heavyweight support.

Further to his post Ted has also posted a reply from the Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfar Rahman:

Dear Ted

I refer to your blog post dated 11 March. I do not usually comment on correspondence of this nature but given the circumstances it is important that I set out clearly what happened.  Before I do so I want to make it crystal clear that I condemn all forms of criminality and my thoughts are with the victim in this case.

The family of this man resides in my ward of Spitalfields. They approached me on numerous occasions to give a reference for their brother who I also know as one my constituents.  I was not aware of the nature of the charges against him and had no reason to believe or suspect him of any such conduct.

Based on the information provided by the family I was told that the named person was in court due to a revocation of his driving licence as he was not currently insured. They made the case to me that this was an oversight and that a reference would help him to convince the judge that he be allowed to retain his licence as it was a one off mistake.

Elected politicians are often approached with reference requests particularly where a family’s livelihood is at stake – however no one in the past has abused my trust in this way and had I known about the nature of the offence I would never have agreed to supply a reference.

I gave a reference as did many other councillors, who clearly were misled as to the nature of the offence. I am in the process of seeking advice so as to retract the reference and make my views very clear that such offences should be punished without any form of leniency and that I wholly support the judgment of the court in this case.

I hope this seeks to clarify my position in some ways.

Regards

Lutfur

Ted Continues

I then asked him when he supplied the reference. He said: “The reference was sent well before the court hearing [on 
February 15
 January 18]. As I stated earlier, I would not have even contemplated sending a reference if it was for a criminal offence, let alone a sexually motivated one.”

I also asked him if it was written on council stationery, and he has now confirmed it was.

Lutfur’s decision to respond shows how serious this matter is. He is a professional solicitor and a member of the Law Society. That he failed to check and verify the nature of the charge on someone for whom he was providing a character reference beggars belief. It seems as if there is a bunch of “elected politicians” out there chucking around criminal character references like confetti.

I’ve spoken to a legal source about this, who sits as a judge. They tell it is “absolutely incredible” that someone of Lutfur’s standing would supply a reference without checking what the charge was. And just so I’m clear, the source used the word “incredible” in its literal sense.

Lutfur’s decision is I think seriously damaging. At the very best, it shows great naivety and a major lack of judgment, two criticisms that have been chucked his way in the past. As I’ve said before, if I were him, I’d be a bit more careful about the friends I keep.

[By the way, I also told Lutfur I was extremely surprised that Takki Sulaiman's council press office had decided to provide a "no comment" when I called yesterday. Here's Lutfur's ominous reply: "I agree with you, this could have been dealt with earlier. I will look into that."]

UPDATE, Monday, March 14, 10.30am

I’ve just spoken to Snaresbrook Crown Court. Zamal Uddin’s plea and directions hearing was actually on January 18 and not mid-February as originally thought. His sentencing hearing was on March 8. Why the January hearing was only reported in the Daily Mail and the Telegraph a month later, I don’t know: I can only think that the news agency decided to have another stab at pushing the story. However, it means that there was a gap of seven weeks between Uddin’s guilty plea and the sentencing at which the Mayor’s reference was mentioned in court. That is seven weeks in which the full nature of Uddin’s crime was known – time enough for the mayor and the councillors to both find out what had happened and then retract their references.

Also, I emailed Lutfur yesterday to ask for a copy of his reference and to ask why he failed to contact the court before the sentencing hearing to retract it. He has yet to respond.

Tower Hamlets Ban on Touting in Brick Lane.

Restaurants who approach customers in the street face a £20,000 fine following a ban on touting across Tower Hamlets. The ban is targeted at curry restaurants on Brick Lane.
There are more than 50 restaurants on Brick Lane in East London, known as the city's “Curry Capital”. According to local restaurant owners, some began touting for customers as long as a decade ago, hoping to lure people with promises of cheap deals on meals.

But after a number of complaints from visitors and residents of Brick Lane, Tower Hamlets Council has introduced a byelaw, which bans touting throughout the borough. Is this what London's License Taxi trade needs, a Bye Law banning touting. Its obvious that the Private hire act and hackney carriage laws are totally ineffective!

"It began with just one or two touting for business but this started to affect some other restaurants so badly that they had to start doing the same and before long the situation spiralled," said Tower Hamlets Councillor Abdal Ullah. (Sound familiar?)

The council received complaints that the touts were harassing and intimidating people, and they became concerned that it would put people off from returning to the area.  Funny though, authorities seem uninterested in 143 sexual attacks including 29 rapes in licensed PHVs last year.

Previously restaurants were encouraged to sign up voluntarily against touting but the new byelaw enables the council and the police to take action directly against the tout.  People who breach the byelaw on Brick Lane could face fines of up to £500.

In addition, Tower Hamlets Council has added an anti-touting condition to any restaurant that holds a licence on or near Brick Lane. Breaching this condition could end in fine of up to £20,000 or six months imprisonment, or both.

We are talking curry houses here, offering customers cheap food. Too many Restaurants have been issued licenses to sell the same product in to close proximity.

Exactly what's happened to the Private hire trade in Central London!

Too many minicab's touting illegally.

Yet no one has been raped by curry house touts whilst eating a curry. These touts are not tarnished by a 54% rise in sexual assaults including rape. Unlike the Licensed PHV touts of London who infest every late bar and night club, with predators waiting in their lines for their next victim while the police and authorities turn a blind eye.

Tower Hamlets have said they will issue £20,000 fines and even six months in prison on conviction for touting. They will also have their licenses to trade revoked.

Joe Royal head of the infamous STC once said at an AGM of the LCDC that as far as he was concerned Touting at London minicab's satellite offices, is unenforceable. Well Joe perhaps you should take a leaf out of Tower Hamlets Book. If they can do it to Curry Touts, surely you can do it to PHV Touts.

Ticket Touts, Tiger Touts,

BORIS has just announced that ticket touts at the Olympics will be fined £20,000.
Yes that's right, he says he wants everyone to enjoy the show without being ripped off.


Yet he is quite happy for these same people to be carried about by licensed touts every night of the week.
Consider this;
Not every licensed minicab driver that touts is a rapist, but as soon as they tout they are UNINSURED. So it just goes to show how much he and TFL really care about public safety.


Blue Coated Touts.
It has Just emerged that the Blue coats currently worn by  Diamond Cars touts outside Revolution, Abacus, Tiger Tiger and On Anon, were the idea of the City of London police.
They came up with this idea so they could spot the other touts who were nicking the work of the Diamond Car touts which were unlawfully stealing the work from under the noses of the Licensed Taxi trade, with the help of a couple of badly placed Taxi ranks and a happy band of mis-informed traffic wardens.




Tagged.
First to protest against the Blue coats were the Twitter Action Group (TaG).
On Thursday night/ Friday morning, this angry bunch of Licensed taxis Blocked in the touts for over 90 minutes. Earlier in the evening fighting broke out between Taxi drivers and Touts outside a London Restaurant where Touts had taken over the Licensed Taxi rank outside.
Also that night a Taxi driver had his window smashed as he took a job from an illegal tout outside a night club.
How long before someone is badly hurt or even killed.
John Mason this needs to be sorted out now
One hit and your out....you must be joking.

ABACUS: Caught Bang To Rights, One Hit and Your Out John?

Last night just after 1 am, I made my way to the night club Abacus in Cornhill just off the Bank Junction.

Blue vested drivers of diamond cars touting on the pavement.

I had planned to take some close up footage and photos of the Blue coated PHV drivers from the company Diamond Cars (same company that service Tiger Tiger in the Haymarket). To my utter surprise, as I got close to the three drivers, who were just about to pack up for the evening as the club was closing, I was approached by the Clipboard Operator who asked that infamous question, "Mini Cab sir?  Mini cab?".


This happened on the pavement outside the venue and is a blatant case of open touting . Last year head of the PCO John Mason said he would adopt a strict policy of one hit and your out and any operation found to be touting would have their operators licensed revoked. Well here is the Proof John over to you...

A Post From an Old Contemptible.

As much as it hurts me to say this, I think the battle is already lost.
Any action taken now is probably futile. We are doomed to go the same way as the Docks, Print, etc. 


I am one of the lucky ones, at my age I should not really care...but I do.
My opinion now is if i am going down, then i want to take them with me. We are about the only trade that can shut London down in seconds, with just a few well placed cabs, the bridges etc, Monday morning Heathrow, LCA,at night, we can make the west end a Ghost Town.
All it would take is a few texts sent 15mins before the action starts. We could do state visits, even Wills wedding, lets let them know nothing is out of the Box.

Over the years we have always stuck to the rules, but has PHV,NO and with this latest thing, who has won? Its certainly not us.
I think everyone knows BORIS JOHNSON'S agenda is to become prime minister. Well if he cant control a few militant cabby's [their words] then running and controlling a country would be well out of his reach.  Hendy [I will never work for a Tory Mayor] would be straight out the door and no new Mayor would ever consider touching him. 
Mason could always get a job as a PCSO, you know someone who acts the part but at any sign of violence can walk away with no comebacks.


Like lots of bankers from the yuppie period all they would be able to do is sit back and wish they had done things properly. 


We will soon become the rape capital of the world!
  
Three names will come to mind whenever its asked why, JOHNSON, HENDY and MASON. 
I don't claim to be the best dad in the world,but at least I can go to my maker knowing I have done everything in my power to keep my children safe. I know my kids are proud of what I have done , a feeling I am sorry to say their children will never know. 


That's why I am saying if we go down...your coming with us.


Editorial Comment:
Its a shame that the new young blood that has come into our trade over the past few years do not show this type of loyal tenacious commitment. There are a few exceptions of course.
Want to take the work back?
Want to fight for your right to ply for hire?
Join the LTDF Forum UCG...Join the Twitter action Group....Join the RMT and get organised.