A poll has recently appeared on the LTDF Taxi forum. It seems Mason isn't a fan of Taxi forums or blogs.
Wonder if that includes the LCDC blog, which under the engagement policy has to submit all content to him for approval, before being published?
Poll reads:
Word is that John Mason is looking to do away with the 25' turning circle.
What are your views?
Doing away with it will open up the market for alternative vehicles, many that are already used by Private Hire but this will also bring down the price and raise the quality.
Uniformity.
Should there still be a free for all on colours, or should all Taxis regardless of make & model be black with an orange Taxi livery?
Optional.
Should drivers have the choice whether to have the turning circle or not? It is said to cost somewhere in the region of £8000 - £10,000 extra to have the RWS on the Vito.
John Masons Answer
Thank you for your email.
Like most articles bought to my attention that are posted on the various taxi forums and blogs this isn’t factually correct.
As I am sure you will be aware there are many differing opinions within the taxi trade and driver groups as to whether different types of taxis should be licensed as traditional London black cabs and if long standing requirements such as the “turning circle” should be removed to allow a wider range of vehicles to be used as licensed taxis in London.
I am aware that there are many drivers such as yourself who feel that taxi drivers should have more freedom of choice of the vehicle they use as a taxi and this is something that I would expect whoever is the Mayor in May to discuss with us in more detail.
Kind regards
John Mason
Director - Taxi & Private Hire
4th Floor Yellow
Palestra
197 Blackfriars Road. London. SE1 8NJ
As ever he swerves the answer, He always states that anything that could possibly show him and his department in a negative light as 'Factually incoreect' and then NEVER gives the 'facts'!
ReplyDeleteIs he or his department recently considered the issue in favour of scrapping the turning circle or not? YES or NO?
The turning circle is one of many such as:
We asked him for PH/Non PH Touting convictions he gave us arrests.
We gave figures on sexual assualts that he rubbished and a week later He & Cab Hater Hendy used them!
He said he had suspended satellite office licences yet still gave them out 'because the police made us', this week TfL are INVITING applications!
We know Mr Mason is under the pump from the Mayor's Office over the data protection issue about identifiers showing the badge number and the infamous on line 'name checker'.
The Mayor does not want to lose against the RMT in Court (again!) and wants a quiet life in the 100 Days to the Election and then Olympics.
Mr Mason:
Stop listening to those who only say 'Yes Sir, No Sir, Three Bags Full Sir', stop ranting on Twitter that demeans the office you hold, stop issuing ststements that mean nothing. Just get behind that desk and start to protect the public!
SCRAP THE SATELLITES!
That's right John there are many differing opinions in the cab trade, don't you think you should start listening to all of them, not just the ones who like fish and chips?
ReplyDeleteHang on, was that an answer or a deflection for someone else to make a decision?
ReplyDeleteJOHN MASON FOR MAYOR!!
.....erm, no more beer for me!!!!
Here's some more food for thought for Mr Agenda deliverer.
ReplyDeleteThe Levison enquiry recently called Ian Hislop Tv presenter and editor of Private Eye newspaper to give evidence. The question of notification before publication was discussed and the right to reply before publication. Apparently this practice is illegal and banned by the European courts of justice.
It has been widely suspected that John Mason's/TfL engagement policy is illegal. Maybe Bob Crow and the RMT lawyers should be looking into Masons closed door policy and how the illegal engagement policy has allowed TfL to deny the London Taxi Trade of proper, meaningful representation !
John Mason may not like web sites or blogs, but in reality without them he would be as clueless today about the cab trade as he was on his first day in office !
Maybe the rmt will soon wise up to you Mark Thomas (austin taxis). Once you have p*ssed them off then you have nowhere to go. You have done Unite, the lcdc, the ucg and now you are hooking onto the rmt.
DeleteTis but a desperate or foolish man that listens to you mark.
Anon,
DeleteI'm sorry to dissapoint you, but I have'nt done anyone. I was a committee member of the LCDC and I played a big part in making Grant Davis look good. My resignation speaks volumes, have you read it ?
Secondly, I worked closely with Peter Rose exposing STaN. Unfortunately Unite, like LCDC didnt have the spine to deliver what was required to represent both their members and the trade..... Consequently I embarked on a agenda to expose the UTG as inadequate representitives of the London Cab Trade.
As for the UCG, we have our differences, but our differences in opinion shouldnt be seen as weakness; because when push comes to shove I know who the real activists are !
It does appear that whoever you are, you are mis-informed, angry and probably have no input in cab trade activism or politics. As for the RMT, Bob Crow and the RMT Union are at present the only true and proper taxi driver representitive body in our trade (FACT)....... !
The UCG are a fledgling organisation, In time they will organise themselves. UCN publication is in my opinion is the best Cab Trade Publication. On a sheostring UCN has come closest to challenging the LTDA Taxi publication than ANY cab trade media publication. And will continue to do so.
You can maign my character as much as you like; it flatters and shows me that my days as an activist are far from spent. My success obviously is casing you pain!
Austin Taxis.
Austin,
ReplyDeleteI like your last sentence, yet he still makes piss poor decisons.