Hotels Must Clean Up Their Act

On the 1st of July the Bribery Act came into force.
Sections 1 and 2 of the Bribery Act 2010 make it a statutory offence for anyone to offer, give or promise a financial or other advantage when the intention of the giver is to induce the receiver to perform a relevant function or activity improperly.
This now makes it an offence for door staff at hotels to demand money for cream jobs such as airports and the like. But, it is also an offence for a Taxi Driver or Private Hire driver to offer payment for such a job.


We all know it goes on and little has been done about it. Bob Oddy said very clearly in the Oddy-Gate Tapes, that in his opinion, it was not an offence, it was just the payment of commission and there was nothing that the LTDA could do about this practise.


Well now it has been made perfectly clear, under the Bribery Act 2010, it is an offence and a serious one. An offence that could see drivers losing their "Bill".


The Royal Horseguards Hotel Saga.

Royal Horseguards Hotel

Our friend Jonathan, dropped off at the Royal Horseguards Hotel when a woman asked him for Heathrow.....
"Just as she was about to board the Taxi, the doorman ran over and grabbed her case and walked away with it. 

He shouted over his shoulder;

"There is a booked Taxi picking up this lady".

Along came LD08 KYA with £14 on his meter.

I told her not to pay more than £60, as this is approximately what it goes on a dead clock.
The driver goes mad and the doorman legs it.
He eventually pulled away with £16 on the meter.

I phoned the hotel and spoke with the duty manager and gave him 24 hours to get back to me with an action plan to stop this scam happening. If not, I said I would sue them in the small claims court for £30, which I estimated as my loss of earnings in this instance.

Richard the head doorman called me back.

We had a long conversation and he told me, they are trying to change the culture and he is very concerned about what happened. We spoke about the UCG capped fare scheme and he is going to speak with the Cumberland and will get back to me.Richard said he wants to reach out to the trade and told me that most hotels are trying to change the culture due to the bribery act.


I phoned a compliance officer from the PCO to report what had happened.
He told me that they are aware of what goes on, but have no interest in this.
I asked if I bribed the doorman more and added even more to the fare would he be happy with that and he told me that it would not be investigated.
So when Mr Mason said on the radio during the Aldwych demo that we are stopping his enforcement officers from doing their job, as they have to waste time concentrating on our demo, can he tell us what they actually do all day as they seem to do everything but "enforce the law"?


John Mason, Joe Royal, Martin Low, Peter Rose, Bob Oddy, cant get passed the doorman at Nobu.
"Your names not on this list, you ain't coming in"

..............................................................................................

Cabstop has joined the LTDF Taxi Forum.

Jonjon is the owner of Cabstop garage in Kingston Upon Thames (as advertised in United Cabbies News) and he has kindly offered to be their 'In-house' mechanic.

You can ask him any questions about mechanical problems you are having with your vehicle, and he will do his best to help you resolve them. All you have to do is register on the forum.

Or better still, pop in and see him for some expert advice.

Update on Pancras Rd...From Cllr Sarah Hayward and Assistant Director of Transport Sam Monck.

Cllr Sarah Hayward 

See the email below from our Assistant Director in charge of transport which sets out the detail. Apparently PCO have been very involved in discussions around the scale and length of works in the King’s Cross area – so you might want to nudge them to better share info with drivers who operate in the area. The planned works are extensive and continue up to and in all likelihood beyond the Olympics in one guise or another.

With the junction works are Euston Road and both Pancras Road and York Way there are still some funding issues with TfL which could impact the timescales.

On the PHVs dropping off – the stop time is 5 minutes – and we’ve issued 150 PCNs in the last three months. Clearly we’re not going to catch everyone but they are trying. If there are issues at a particular time of day let me know and I’ll feed this info in so that we can better target our enforcement officers to dealing with the problem. I imagine given volumes of traffic about 2 PCNs per day doesn’t feel like a high likelihood of being caught.

I can’t provide pain free answers to you guys on this – the scale of the redevelopment is just too big!! But I will continue to try and help where I can.

Sorry not to provide more encouraging news…….

Sarah.

Councillor

As requested, a quick update on Pancras Rd. 
I’ll set out firstly the enforcement side and then the works programme.

The drop off bay on the western side of Pancras Road is a time limited bay for the purposes of picking up/dropping off passengers.  Any vehicle is subject to 5 minutes continuous observation.  Loading/unloading is not permitted.  This was implemented at special request by the Police due to the fact that there are security risks associated with the location being an international rail hub. We are enforcing using visits from on-street CEOs. Since the last letter to you (17/06/11) we have issued 150 PCN's in Pancras Road to date. 




As a result of the works that have been ongoing we are undertaking a full site check of the road, with a view to identifying any remedial actions that may be required for ongoing effective enforcement.


In terms of planned works, these remain extensive with significant disruption as a result. Currently, the contractor BAM Nutall on behalf of the developer Argent and the UK gas supplier are relocating and renewing a large Gas controlling station that steps down medium pressure gas from the National Grid to a usable low pressure gas that will supply the development and the surrounding area. The task is a large scale Civil Engineering project in itself and subsequently the time it will take to complete the works is substantial. Even more unfortunately for the area the gas pipes for this move are situated under Pancras Road. As such we have experienced a lot of unavoidable disruption.


The programme for this disruption on Pancras Road is as follows:

·         The southbound closure remains in place from now until the end of March 2012. whilst the new Gas main infrastructure is being placed in the ground.

·         The current northbound closure at the top end of Pancras Road will be in place until the end of October whilst the valves are attached to the gas mains and the connections are made to the new controller.

·         The same northbound closure will then be required again from the beginning of January 2012 until the middle of March to complete the change over from the old gas controller to the new one.

·         The time frames and programme of works were raised and discussed at the Kings Cross Highway Forum meetings, which included representatives from the Public Carriage Office (PCO) who were passing information back to the trade bodies and drivers.

·         The programme for the improvement works proposed by TfL at the southern end of Pancras Road at the junction with Euston Road are not yet confirmed, but if they do go ahead they will be expected to start in November 2011 with completion scheduled for March 2012.

There are no major changes to the Pancras Road junction with Camley Street and Goods Way proposed, but it is worth a longer range warning thate that when construction of on site B3 (adjacent to the junction) commences on site the proposed site boundary impacts upon the public Highway and therefore the southbound taxi lane could be compromised. We are working on a solution for this to avoid disruption for taxis.


I hope this is a useful update of where things sit currently in relation to Pancras Rd. Let me know if you have any questions

Sam Monck 
Assistant Director, Environment & Transport
Directorate - Culture & Environment 
Culture and Environment
London Borough of Camden

Web:             camden.gov.uk

Directorate, 6th floor
Town Hall Extension (Environment)
Argyle Street
London WC1H 8EQ

Email is self-explanatory: could you please ask Taxi Drivers for feedback relating to the King's Cross/St.Pancreas development.

This is an opportunity to give feedback & make suggestions of how to minimise the disruption that will happen in the area. 

Please use the comments section of this blog to give feedback and help Camden help us in doing our job?  

Westminster To Introduce Waiting Hubs... By Wongo

Put through every letterbox in Westminster

My mum who lives in Westmonster received a booklet through the door last week called 'ParkRight' a guide to driving and parking in Mr Low's little kingdom.

Anyhow on page 15 they say they want to create 'more hubs where taxi's can gather and park' and more marshalled taxi ranks.

Great we all say, but do they mean us exclusively? or are they lumping PH in the meaning of Taxi and giving them 'waiting areas' as agreed by PCO and subsquently partially denied as apparently agreed does not mean agreed by Mr Mason (funny old school he must have attended!).
Anyhow lets hope it means exactly what it says, We will seek clarification from Cllr. (it's grim up North) Rowley.

After all we do not want to mistrust them do we?


Reading though the booklet we noticed they suddenly switch from Taxi to legitimate licensed cabs!

Page 15
More taxi hubs and marshalled taxi ranks 


We are seeking to introduce more hubs where taxis can gather and park, and more marshalled taxi ranks to help people get home safely, easily and quickly from the West End. We want to make it easier for legitimate, licensed cabs to do business in the West End, and reduce the risk of residents and visitors using unlicensed minicabs"

See on-line booklet Here.
These "HUBS" will be for Private Hire Vehicles  The clue being in the sentence, 
"we are seeking to introduce more hubs". 
They just left off the end of this sentence, 
"similar to the loading bays in Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road".

If these hubs were for taxis, they would be called ranks.


Westminster have history in the fact they have always wanted to have a say in the running/licensing of minicabs. Some 19 years ago almost to the day, the trade demonstrated on mass outside Westminster Council House, where a meeting took place to discuss the possibility of the council licensing minicab offices in the borough. In attendance, supporting the motion were Diana Lamplugh and John Griffin.
To the trades amazement the LTDA, through Com Cabs radio circuit, put out a message that no LTDA members should attend the demonstration which was called by the LCDC.

New Nissan, Not Up To The Job?

In May, the city of New York foolishly picked a Nissan van - one that doesn't handle wheelchairs - as the single model to start replacing the current hodgepodge fleet by next year.

Oops.

As it now stands, only 231 cabs can take a wheelchair, and efforts to launch some kind of dispatch system for that handful of taxis have come to naught. People like Karl Nguyen, the wheelchair-bound Californian we profiled this summer, are just left at the curb.

This is not just a moral problem; it's a legal one.

Having such a tiny percentage of accessible taxis has put the city in the cross hairs of a federal lawsuit accusing it of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. It's a case New York could easily lose.

That same federal law requires all taxi vans to handle wheelchairs, which has led the Justice Department to probe whether the city's Nissan pick puts it on the wrong side of the statute. 

The bill's original sponsor, Sen. Tom Harkin, insists New York is in trouble.

The solution is simple: Scrap the Nissan award and allow any accessible van to be painted, outfitted and approved as an official yellow cab.

The yellow cab lobby will surely baulk, fearing higher costs. Too bad. The law is the law, and fairness demands cabs that serve all people.

Outside the boroughs, it's an equally fine mess.

Read more, Click Here:


Editorial Comment:
Many people heralded this vehicle as a cheap option to London's Taxi emissions problem, including myself. 


To be fair to John Mason has said;  TfL looked at the  Nissan NV200 van and it is unsuitable.


Doesn't mean it cant be produced as a WAV version, after all look what they did to the Vito!

But again, Londoners and Taxi drivers alike are not keen to get rid of an ICON...

Taxi drivers veto the Vito as cab orders take a nosedive

Londoners either like them or loathe them, but taxi drivers seem to be voting with their feet - orders for Mercedes Vito black cabs have fallen from 234 in the first half of 2010 to 171 this year.

The trading statement from the Vito's UK distributer and developer Eco City Vehicles comes just a few weeks after traditional cab maker Manganese Bronze said it was regaining market share from the Vito.

Eco City seemed to contradict that, saying today that its share of the London taxi market was "building momentum".

It also claimed the reason for its orders falling was that drivers had been holding back their purchases until the new model was launched in April. Margins fell from 17.7% to 13.7% as it cut prices to shift stockpiles of the outgoing model.

Chief executive Peter DaCosta said: "Our first-half results were affected by challenging trading conditions and a blip in new orders whilst customers waited for the much anticipated launch of our latest Mercedes Euro V Vito taxi."

Revenues fell 9.2% to £11.6 million.

Open Invitation to LTPH Director John Mason

John Mason, as nice as a fella that he probably is, is way out of his depth and clueless.

When his appointment as "breath of fresh air Mason" was announced, I went on the LTDF forum against all odds, to air my disenchanted views at his Curriculum Vitae.

He has done well in the Civil Service ladder, make no mistake, but the control of 24000 Licensed Taxis  and 60,000 licensed mini cabs, including operators and drivers, was a brief for an extremely special and experienced candidate.

Not only was the appointment one of huge remit, but also a post for somebody with extensive and recorded front line people skills. A high ranking Police Officer or Military Commander would not have been embarrassed or degraded, in taking on a remit of this size.

I studied John Mason's CV at length when he was appointed to his current position, and my records on the LTDF forum will testify my opinion.
He just hasn't got the skills to take on a brief of this size, and by Christ, is it showing now.

Our Great Licensed London Taxi Trade is on the edge of collapse. Whether Mason and Co have been ordered to destroy it is immaterial...........we are getting murdered.

I have always said that our trade and Private Hire, require a separate Head of Control. For somebody to control both organisations is simply unhealthy.

It is like the same man controlling Burger King and MacDonald's. They may appear to both do similar things.........but they are in fact strong rivals, and hate each other.
Could you imagine John Mason being appointed to take control of MacDonald's and Burger King?.................It's ludicrous !

Mason's remit although legal has always been a massive conflict of interest, and it always will be. Under John's command, our 350 year old solid gold history is struggling to survive. Left at the helm much longer, Mason will kill us.

Did you see how he screamed and cried about how an 'allegation' of corrupt, bent behaviour upset him dreadfully? 
That's how the Civil Service behave. 


I was a very senior member myself, and I can tell you, they don't give a monkeys about anyone but themselves.

How many posts on the forum have screamed about touts, poor enforcement etc ? How many? hundreds? thousands?
Yet a stooge from SE1 comes on to set Mason up for an argument and he screams like a baby telling everyone how straight, un-corruptible and loyal he is.

He probably is. But he didn't like being called bent, did he? 
Why the Hell then, should us Licensed, fit and proper professional London Taxi drivers, continue to be robbed, impersonated and have the piss took out of us then ?

We don't like it either John!

I have full Senior Civil Service Clearance, MI5 Standard CRB and Metropolitan Police and Army distinguished Service Record. I am a qualified and licensed Firearms Officer and Police trained Negotiator, and have served with bravery commendations on the Bomb Squad. I mention this, in case you think I am a jumped up, pissed up numpty.

I am getting the bollock ache of your piss poor embarrassing, and lacklustre command. I am also getting the hump with your useless administration, breaking down a once great London institution.

I repeat my challenge John.

• 18 Police Officers, hand picked by me. 
• 18 Airwave Tetra radios. 
• 1 van 1 car. 
• Two weeks. 
• No wages!

I will clear London up as though a hurricane has gone through it ! After all, I'd look a right prick if I didn't, wouldn't I?

Touts ? Just have enough cells available for me to put them in!

The likes of you John, Livingstone, Boris, and Bus loving overpaid Hendy, are consigning our 350 year old platinum history to the archives. Who the Hell do you think you are?

Get a grip John! Stop whingeing about people calling you bent, and get out there and earn some respect!

8829


Editorial Comment: 
John, this is a serious, emotive offer from a man who you well know can do what your team can't and for free. We urge you to take up his offer...

Diamond Chauffeurs Ltd Lose Satellite License at ABACUS...by Thomas the Taxi.

In a meeting held this morning at Palestra, it was announced that Private Hire company "Diamond Chauffeurs Ltd" have lost one of their five satellite office licenses and can no longer offer a service to customers at City night venue Abacus. 

Taxi drivers have lodged many complaints against the operation on Cornhill, as blue hi-viz  wearing "Diamond Cars" drivers are regularly seen touting in the street outside the night bar. Even staff from TfL and LTPH have been touted by drivers and clipboard Johnnies working from the street contra to the conditions of their license.


Diamond Chauffeurs Ltd also operate similarly at;

• Abacus, Cornhill.
• Revolution, Leadenhall Street.
• APT Bar, Aldermary House, Queen Street (near Watling Street).
• The Piccadilly Institute, Piccadilly - this was On Anon but is now known as The Piccadilly Institute.
• Tiger Tiger, Haymarket.

So that's one down and four to go...


The Anderson Shelter published a video earlier this year showing the clipboard man touting in the street. Diamond Cars complained to YouTube and Google but after receiving a statement from the editor, Google decided to let the video go public. A link to the video was sent to LTPH's complaints dept with a copy to John Mason and Peter Hendy's email accounts.  Eight months on and no one has bothered to reply.


The victory at Abacus has been won by no other than the ordinary working night men, who have constantly put themselves at risk working around the illegal touts, showing they are capable of offering a first class service. The Corporation of the City of London have shown little or no support towards the Licensed Taxi Trade and at one point, placed a Taxi rank in the middle of nowhere to show its contempt towards the trade.
  
We have posted many videos of angry aggressive touts at this venue. Our good friend Simco, actually had his finger broken in an act of aggression by one tout who regularly touts outside all five venues.


Editorial Comment:
Is this the only establishment that TfL/LTPH staff go to socialise?
Have they ever been touted at other night venues?
If so, have they ever lodged complaints at these other night spots?
If they have, why haven't more licenses been revoked? 


Questions that need answering John...TtT




Below is the video they tried to ban

The Blind Leading The Blind...

Darren Johnson, Assembly Member (Green Party) has posted an article on the Mayorwatch site explaining his intentions and opinions behind the question he put to Mayor Boris Johnson on the 13th October 2011.

The article can be viewed here; http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk

Darren's article in-part, is factual and supportive towards much of what the Taxi Trade has been trying to get across in the media and to the Mayor for many years.


But Darren just couldn't resist taking a side swipe at the trade that showed him up for advertising on Twitter for a "Pirate" minicab to take him home..

Darren said;

Shameful Tweets

"One area where black cabs drivers must take the blame is when they got Boris Johnson to make the abolition of six-monthly inspections a manifesto commitment. It may have saved cabbies a bit of money in the short term, but it has done long-term damage to the credibility of both the Mayor and the cab trade."

That being the case then Darren, if our "credibility" is so damaged, why have we gone on to be voted the best Taxi service in the world throughout Boris administration?

He went on to say;

"Over 2,300 cabs a year were being pulled up and fixed, as they did not even meet the minimal standards that we have. Given the number of cabs pulled off the road and cleaned up, scrapping the test sent out a very negative message that many cabbies really don’t care."

Darren the only damage that was done by scrapping the half yearly test was to the pocket of the subcontractors at SGS.

Taxis do not fail annual inspections on mass over excessive exhaust pollution, most failures are caused by submitting wrong paperwork, no meter certificate, wrong colour on log books of liveried cabs, no back door ashtrays, blown bulbs and other minor mechanical faults.

I'm sure SGS will be able to give you a complete list of vehicles which have failed the smoke test. It will show new cabs have a higher rate of failing than older cabs. In some cases, cabs in the 20 year old bracket, habitually pass with lower levels than brand new Taxis. One 22 year old Metro holds the record for the lowest smoke test reading seen since SGS took over from the Carriage Office.

Also, Darren you haven't done your home work, from 2013 all Taxis will be subject to two, six monthly MoT inspections on top of the yearly overhaul. So the request for two inspections will actually be exceeded.

Now to those supporters of the UTG, who thought the 15 year age limit offered made to the Mayor, by a selection of interested parties, including manufacturers and garage owners was a good idea, take heed of Darren's words

"However, if pollution levels do not get reduced quickly then expect the 15 year age limit to turn into a 10 year age limit."

Again Darren an "age limit" will not bring down pollution level as many of the vehicles coming off the road next year in fact have cleaner emissions than new TX4's. Almost all of the LPG converted vehicles fall into this age group as do vehicles who have had replacement engines and filtered exhausts.

We would also like to point out to Darren that much of the pollution he talks about involves PM10 particulates. These microscopic particles are produced by tyre and brake wear and tear from all vehicles and will still be there no matter what engine you stick in a Taxi.

TfL, the Mayor and even LTPH can no longer pass the buck on the issue of Taxi emissions, investment in a cleaner engine should have been insisted on many years ago, instead of letting the manufacturers bulk buy the cheapest engine they could find to fit into a TX body shell.

Because of the stringent conditions of fitness, the Mayor will be expecting the Taxi Trade to buy a vehicle with one of the worlds highest carbon foot print. Assembled in China with steel from Africa, power train from western Europe and rubber from South America. The only alternative is a vehicle costing £10,000 more, an investment most drivers cant afford.

When are we going to get common sense back in our corridors of power?

APP's - The Way Forward...By Thomas the Taxi.

There's been a lot of talk about various Apps and how successful they may or may not become. Com-cab have quietly had an iPhone app for some time which  is proving very successful. 

The idea behind Taxi Apps is to provide a swift and safe way of ordering a Licensed Taxi, with some of these Apps using Google maps to enable the passenger to see where they are in relation to the Taxi they have ordered.

Trouble is, there are at least four major types of mobile device format ie; Apple, Windows, Android and RIM (Blackberry). Unfortunately they are incompatible with each other. Each App has to be developed three/four times, at three/four times the cost for each separate operating system. 

The benefit of having such an App is, bookings are taken without the involvement of a third party which is an immediate cost-saver.

Radio Taxis are currently developing an App along the lines of the Com-Cab App, which they hope to start testing soon. They firmly believe this App will become the preferred way of ordering a Licensed Taxi in a very short period of time. Pressing an icon and making a couple of selections on a mobile device will have a job on the drivers screen in less than 10 seconds.

No more need to call somebody on the telephone to place an order unless you have technophobia, or just plain lonely?

Currently, some 15% of their bookings go through their Internet-booker and this figure is growing. Within a year of launching an App, Radio Taxis could be processing as many as 50% of their bookings will be made in this way.

As far as mobile phone Apps go, drivers seem apprehensive with concerns other "Data Limits" imposed by most of the well known service providers. Some drivers who use Twitter and other on-line social network services express concerns that some Apps do not function in the background.

There also seems to be hostility between groups currently up and working, directed at new Apps yet to launch, similar to when new radio circuits emerged to challenge the long established ones.

We will see many Apps come and go over the next few years, operating in a climate of "the survival of the fittest". 

To survive the App must be competitively priced, have a large customer base and many drivers to give a good service. Any variation of these three components could spell disaster and the App will fail.

I believe the Radio circuits will have guaranteed success as they already have a large customer base and a couple of thousand drivers who are used to picking up booked customers. Their job made all the easier by the fact they only have to develop an App that gives a booking service. Jobs would them be dispatched in the normal way through the circuit.

Things To Come ( If only Carlsberg ran TfL) 

One of the best Apps that could ever be developed for the Licensed Taxi Trade, would be a PCO complaint App...

Click add registration number-

Click add location- (Backed by GPS positioning)

Click drop down menu, chose offence committed.
Send...

  

Could be financed by the UTG if they really want to do something for the trade!!!

Letter to Peter Hendy About Blacked-out Windows In Minicabs

According to the Private Hire consultation results shown in last months PHC magazine, TfL/LTPH have no intention of changing their stance on blacked out windows. 

John Mason once famously said, "Its not about the money".

Well this no longer seems the case.

After 370 horrendous rapes and serious sexual assaults in minicabs over the last three years, these MEN at TfL/LTPH do not see anything wrong with blacked out windows. Probably because they fear a legal challenge from large operators such as Addison Lee. 

Neither do the 6 cab enforcement officers who don't work week ends.

Below is a letter sent to TfL commissar Peter Hendy and the frivolous answer from John Mason. 

Dear Mr Hendy,

Peter Hendy

I know you are a very busy person. However, maybe you could take the time on such an important issue to perhaps respond to my fears and worries, or at the very least, have your department deal with my one question. A response from you personally would be a clearer indication of your own views and concerns, but if you do not have the time, then so be it, for whatever reason.

I have grave concerns for the safety of the vulnerable travelling public in Minicabs/Private-Hire Vehicles in London due to their Heavily Blacked out Windows. Concerns about Sexual Assault and Rape can be seen on your own statistics which are published on TFL’s own w/site, (From the document: Private Hire Consultation).

It is also evident from this document that you, TFL have further concerns about many other factors regarding Minicab/Private Hire Drivers, this can also be seen in the very same Consultation Document.

Therefore, and taking the above into consideration, I am asking that you seriously consider removing all heavily blacked out windows in Minicabs/Private Hire Vehicles in the interests of the vulnerable public, as they serve no real purpose other than a fashion accessory. I also believe windows of this type should not be allowed in a Transport Infrastructure such as Transport for London, especially with statistics the way they are in minicabs.

To continue to allow these types of windows in Minicabs/Private Hire Vehicles could be seen as throwing petrol onto a smouldering flame and also, could attract more undesirable people to become minicab drivers in the future, especially since "Enhanced" CRB Checks are to be watered down. Lastly in this area, I welcome your letter to The Home Office voicing your concerns regarding CRB checks.

Also, what I find very worrying is that in 2002 (When minicabs were first licensed) it was very evident that there was a serious problem in relation to Sexual Assaults and Rape in Minicabs/Private-Hire. This can further be seen in an article from the BBC: Rape and Sexual Assaults, 2002 However, now, in 2010, several years later, the statistics remain very similar: Rape and Sexual Assaults up 54% in 2009/2010 Although the statistics are down slightly since 2002, I still feel that it is just not good common sense to continue to allow these windows.

In retrospect, if you could be so kind, I would like to ask you why Heavily Blacked out Windows were, and still are allowed when we have statistics like these from the past, 2002 and the present 2010? Maybe you feel that heavily blacked out windows are acceptable, if so, then maybe you can justify why you, Head of Transport for London feel they are acceptable in a London Transport Infrastructure? This is my only one question to you

Sir: Why, with the past and present statistics have TFL allowed Heavily Blacked out Windows in Minicabs/Private Hire?

I have written to your Director of Taxi and Private Hire, John Mason voicing my concerns. And in retro, he has been so kind as to take the time to write back to me on two separate occasions. In his first response he clearly states, in his own words: "its worth pointing out that there is no evidence that sexual offences are linked to tinted windows" and in his second response: "I am not sure what you mean exactly but when I said “there is no evidence”, that is that having liaised with the Met and City Police they indicated that there is no link to the assaults that take place and vehicles with tinted windows" Mr Hendy, my concern is that you are possibly waiting for some type of evidence to arise before you see this problem? I am even more worried that you possibly cannot "see" that it is not good practice to allow these heavily blacked out windows for obvious reasons.

Mr Hendy, I believe, sooner or later heavily blacked out windows coupled with Sexual Assaults and Rape in London will come to the attention of the Press and General Public, and in so doing so, bring to the forefront the very people that choose to ignore these windows and allow them as acceptable. So, before the situation gets to that point, and in retrospect, I ask you again to consider putting together a plan to remove these heavily blacked out windows from The Transport for London Infrastructure as soon as possible. I am also wondering that maybe, just maybe Heavily Blacked out Windows in Minicabs/Private Hire was "overlooked" from the onset, (The very first vehicle) and now this very serious problem has escalated beyond repair?

Lastly, I have no objection to Tinted Windows as they can act as a coolant in the summer, even though most of Private Hire Vehicles are fitted with Air-Conditioning. Tinted Windows can also be of benefit in decreasing anti-glare. I also believe heavily blacked out windows is a further safety issue to other road users and pedestrians. This being, as it must be very difficult for the drivers of these vehicles to be able to have a clear vision outside of their vehicles, when driving, especially late at night, thus accidents can be caused. Cyclists and pedestrians being most vulnerable.

I believe that in the Minicab/Private Hire Trade there needs to be a definition between Heavily Blacked out Windows and Tinted Windows, with a possible grading structure, but that’s not for me to say...

My question is this: Why was and indeed are, Heavily Blacked out Windows in minicabs allowed with the statistics you have at hand?

Yours Sincerely,


Xxxxxxxxxx


Letter Passed to John Mason to Answer...

Dear Xxxxxxxxxx,

John Mason

Thank you for your email to Peter Hendy, Helen and myself regarding the recent case you have highlighted and tinted windows in private hire vehicles. As Director of London Taxi and Private Hire, Mr Hendy asked me to respond to you directly.

Firstly, like you, we were very saddened by this horrific incident. We hold the view that just one incident is one too many and we remain committed to working with our colleagues in the Met and City Police to tackle this problem.

With regards to this particular case I can confirm that the driver involved in this was not licensed by TfL and we do not have a licensed vehicle registered in the name of this driver.

I note your comments with regards to tinted windows and, in particular “heavily tinted” windows however our position on this remain unchanged and is covered in the primary legislation relating to the licensing of private hire vehicles in London. As I understand it, during the consultation on the legislation there were discussions on whether additional restrictions should be applied in relation to window tints but this was not included in the passed regulation. As such there are no additional restrictions on the use of tinted windows by licensed private hire vehicles in London other than they must comply with the relevant laws and regulations that govern them. Any vehicle with tinted windows that do not comply with the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 are subject to failure at licensing.

It remains that any member of the travelling public that does not wish to book a private hire vehicle with tinted windows can demand this when booking and that there is no evidence to suggest that vehicles with tinted windows are a contributory factor to cab related sexual assaults.

I hope this provides you with the information you required.

John Mason

Director - Taxi & Private Hire

4th Floor Yellow

Palestra

197 Blackfriars Road. London. SE1 8NJ

Boris Kept In The Dark Over Enforcement

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson was made to look a bumbling fool as he tried to answer questions posed to him by Caroline Pidgeon on behalf of the Taxi Trade. 

Boris, although briefed by TfL staff, showed no knowledge of the allocation of manpower concerning enforcement officers. He stated that when they (meaning his administration) came into office they doubled the amount of officers in the Cab Enforcement team (Not strictly true as 56 is not 34 doubled, unless you work for TfL's spin doctors).

He truly looked amazed when Caroline Pidgeon, who is leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee and member of the Metropolitan Police Authority,  explained that at night, out of a force of 56 officers, only 6 were on full time night duty with no one working weekends. As most of the minicab rapes and sexual assaults happen on weekend nights, this situation is completely unsatisfactory.

Asked about the recent increase in attacks, Boris used 2003 as a comparison with recent rape figures to give a more favourable result. The truth is TfL have been widely embarrassed in the media and on radio with a 54% increase publicised in November last year, showing the figures from 2008 to 2009. 

2010 showed small decrees in attacks but the figures were flawed as Met officers were suspended for interfering with the statistics by telling victims they could not report their attack as a crime.

It is now clear that Boris has been kept in the dark in regards to these attacks and the unacceptable lack of manpower in enforcement.

 Many concerned individuals have written to Boris about these attacks over the last three years, with most communications passed on to TfL, completely bypassing the Mayors office. 

It would seem TfL’s STaN agenda has been kept well away from Boris as TfL/LTPH seek to harmonise the License Taxi Trade with Private Hire.

More questions from Caroline have been submitted and will be given written answers.

We will post as soon as we receive.

See video of Mayors Question Time 14/09/11

 See also the UCG post on this issue. Click Here

TfL in Talks to Let Trade Use Olympic Rout Network...By Thomas the Taxi

After the affective flash mob demonstration, hurriedly arranged by the United Cabbies Group last Friday, TfL (who still refuse to consult with the trades second largest representative group) in a panic, called the LTDA to discuss the issue, even though Bob Oddy (general secretary) knew nothing about what was happening. 


From an article in the Evening Standard it is believe that the LTDA have accepted (on your behalf) a commitment not to disrupt next years Olympic Games for access to a third of the Olympic Rout Network (ORN), much to the distaste of John Griffin and other minicab bosses.


In the article, it states that exemptions to the ban could include letting cabbies use a third of the network where lanes are shared with buses, plus be able to make right turns along the Marylebone Road for access to the West End.


TfL are also looking at ways to make it easier to drop off and pick up along Park Lane (Probably in the same way they were going to look at minicabs parking on our ranks in Park Lane...ie Still looking)

So Where Was Oddy and Masset Last Friday?




Click here for Evening Standard article