Suburban Drivers Coalition Meeting.

Statement from the RMT London Taxi Branch.


Last Thursday afternoon, a meeting was called by the Richmond Suburban drivers coalition to try to address some of the issues that are now having a major effect on their livelihoods.
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It was a well attended meeting, many drivers turned up from all Suburban sectors right across London.
The meeting was also attended by members of the RMT Branch committee, members of the UCG committee and also a representative from the LTDA was in attendance. But in spite of many calls from the floor, he declined to address the meeting. Many issues were discussed, including ranks and identifiers.


The Richmond drivers spoke out on all the issues they feel are helping to destroy the livelihoods of suburban drivers. The picture appears to be the same right across the suburban sectors.


They asked why they had been let down by the LTDA and TFL, plus LTPH came in for a bashing for continually allowing the compliance team to harass them for over-ranking. Rank spaces in the suburbs are vanishing over night and drivers are persecuted by TFL, whilst nothing is being done to combat illegal plying for hire by private hire.


The assembled drivers were in a militant mood and the RMT delegation spoke of the need to promote unity. The trade needs to see through the haze created by some organisations that have promoted the myth that our colleagues in the suburbs are responsible for all the trades troubles, when in fact we should be standing shoulder to shoulder to defeat the real enemies.


No one condones drivers working outside their sector, but drivers have to realise that the identifiers are a charter for disgruntled cyclist's and bus drivers to make frivolous complaints. Every time your details are on offer your livelihood can be placed in jeopardy.


The RMT are not opposing identifiers without good reason and we do not condone wrong doing by working outside your license area.
The reason we are opposed to this expensive waste of money is, there has been no form of meaningful consultation with the trade.


When we asked LTPH whom in the trade were consulted on this matter, they said thirteen groups were consulted, but when further questioned as to who they were, LTPH suddenly could not remember.


More importantly was it you?


This is why we are seeking legal assistance on this matter.


The whole matter of identifiers is a complete farce and we the drivers should not allow this issue to come between us. We should unite and stand up to all who desire to destroy "the best taxi trade in the world" and to help us carry on for a further 300 years.


The meeting concluded with a demonstration of a new Taxi ordering/ despatch system, BLACKCABNOW which promised to revolutionise the way we order taxis.
The system will be rolled out in Suburbs within the next 20 days.


An injury to one is an injury to all