Main thing about today’s meeting was getting on the map & showing support to the London Assembly.
We now need to get the message out to the whole trade for wider support on the 25th Feb, when the GLA Transport Committee will be confronting Hendy!
Looking at the webcast, what stood out most today was the level of disdain and almost contempt Boris has for accountability. He made it patently clear that he had not read the GLA report and had only been briefed on the recommendations made within. But promised Caroline Pidgeon a written response.
Boris heckled by drivers as he told the GLA:”this Mayoralty sticks up for the Taxi trade”.
Not a protest, more a show of support for the GLA report.
A minicab driver allegedly attempted to kidnap a teenage girl in Bromley before two women came to her rescue, police say.
The 14-year-old girl was walking along Turpington Lane at 3.25pm last Wednesday (January 14) when a man driving a silver saloon car pulled up beside her.
The man allegedly threatened her in an attempt to get her into the vehicle but two women waiting at a nearby bus stop by Brosse Way intervened.
The women verbally abused the man, telling him what they would do to him if he did not leave the girl alone.
The suspect then drove off towards Bromley Common.
A 26-year-old minicab driver was arrested on Friday (January 16) on suspicion of attempted kidnap.
He has been bailed until a date in mid-February.
Detectives are appealing to the women who intervened to come forward to help them with their enquiries.
Detective Constable John Farthing, of Bromley police CID, said: “We would like to trace the women who intervened and stopped this potentially escalating into a much more serious incident.”
Anyone with any information should contact Det Con Farthing at Bromley police’s CID on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
Today, london’s taxidrivers will stage a protest both on foot and by driving around City Hall during Mayor’s question time.
We Will Be There to Draw Attention to:
On the 16th December 2014 The London Assembly published it’s findings into the “woefully inadequate” performance of TfL as the licensing and governing body for both London’s Taxis and Private Hire services.
This report has been described as “brutal” and it calls Transport for London “not fit for purpose“, “woefully inadequate” and calls for it to “get a grips with the basics“.
London’s Taxi Drivers have been long dissastified with the performance of TfL as it’s governing body, complaining continually that TfL is not fit for purpose and claiming it has washed it’s hands of the problem of uncontrolled touting. This report has been described by drivers as “long overdue”
Todays protestors will be making themselves heard and noticed, in an attempt not to allow this report to be swept under the carpet.
The recommendations in this report are vital to the future survival of the worlds best Taxi service.
Below is the fantastic interview of the chair of the GLA Transport committee, Caroline Pidgeon by Radio Taxi Group Boss, Geoffrey Riesel. It really is a must watch.
RMT LTDB officers attended a trade meeting hosted by the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA) at Taxi House today (19/01/2015) to discuss the current ULEZ (Ultra Low Emissions Zone) consultation and the impact on the trade. Considered by some as the single most biggest threat to the trade, there are however, some positive points.
Despite initial outrage, impact will not be on the licensed taxi trade. Instead it’s the private hire industry. This is due to ULEZ proposing Zero Emissions Capable (ZAC) vehicles be available by 2018, and for drivers to invest.
Currently, Mercedes Benz are the biggest supplier to the London PHV market (supplying some 6000 vehicles to major fleets) and do not have a vehicle in their portfolio that meets the standards, and a future model is to have an estimated price tag in the region of £100,000.
Even the ubiquitous Toyota Prius looks set to betray the PHV industry, as it’s newer model is said to be around 30% dearer! Concerns made by the LPHCA (Licensed Private Hire Car Association) are that this is an unviable cost to drivers and would restrict prospective individuals entering the profession.
As of yet there is no concrete offer of a vehicle to be made available to the licensed taxi trade, with Nissan being the latest company to pull out. But there is feeling that if and when a vehicle enters the market, the trade will have the advantage over the PHV industry, as relative costs will be lower.
The RMT have never been against the principle of cleaner air for London. In 2012 the union sought to lobby parliament to secure a scrappage scheme for owner drivers to be compensated, but following a petition, received almost zero support from the trade.
It is our view that the ULEZ consultation is not the biggest threat to our trade and that vehicle costs are ancillary when considering income.
Over the last decade we have seen our market share dwindle and incomes fall whilst simultaneously seeing our outgoings rise. This can be attributed to the erosion of our working practices, from the satellite offices to E-hailing of PHVs.
The RMT LTDB believe fundamentally that our incomes should be able to comfortably absorb price burdens like a new vehicle no matter if a fifteen, ten or even five year age limit is stipulated.
We should be united in securing our right to ply for hire and to future proof our trade. For no matter what they try and throw at us.
Editorial Comment:
THE LTDA FINALLY OPEN THE GATES TO THE TRADE.
TfL’s main fears are now being realised, as the Taxi Trade finally made an effort towards a United Trade. The LTDA hosted trade talks at Taxi House.
Virtually all groups were invited including the UCG and the RMT LTBD. Not perfect but at least a begining
Unfortunately the LCDC’s Grant Davis ignored the invitation and gave no reason for the no show.
Great Victoria Street in Belfast city centre teems with taxis serving the night-time economy
BY JOHN MULGREW – 21 JANUARY 2015
Controversial multi-billion dollar mobile US taxi-booking app Uber is eyeing up Belfast as one of its next targets.
And it’s likely to face stiff competition from Northern Ireland’s two big taxi firms – Value Cabs and FonaCab.
In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Jo Bertram – Uber’s general manager for the UK and Ireland – said: “We’d definitely love to come to Belfast one of these days.”
It aims to be in every major city in Europe in the next couple of years.
Uber is a taxi-booking app for mobile phones which allows customers to locate the nearest cab using GPS, before dispatching it.
The service currently operates in Dublin and across the UK, with drivers signing up to work for thecompany, providing their personal information and completing a criminal record check.
They can then choose their own hours, with Uber taking 20% of the total fare.
It’s already in most major cities in the UK, and its global business is now valued at £26bn.
But the boss of Northern Ireland’s largest taxi firm Value Cabs has said the company could find it difficult to set up in Belfast, having to operate around the existing legislation.
And Stephen McCausland said he had no concerns about any competition from the global taxi app giant.
Uber’s expansion into Europe caused some controversy – prompting large protests from taxi drivers in cities such as London and Milan, as well as legal tussles in some areas.
Ms Bertram of Uber said the company brought “competition to an industry which hasn’t been shaken up in years”.
“We’d like to be in every major city – Belfast is definitely a major city in the region, so we would definitely love to come there one of these days,” she said.
“We have a local team in each city, and we would then figure out the right services needed in that city.” And she said the company would follow all licensing laws as required.
“We’ve looked at all major UK and Ireland cities. We would obviously follow the due licensing process – it depends on what the specific requirements are.
“One of the requirements is that it’s a level playing field – so as long as we meet the requirements of the process, I don’t see there is any reason why we wouldn’t get a licence.
“Competition is good for the user, and for the driver – with more options for people who want to drive.” But she could not confirm any details of when Uber could expand into the Belfast market. Uber has yet to make any application to the Department of the Environment.
A spokesman for the department said: “Without knowing precisely how they may intend to work in Northern Ireland, it is difficult to determine if or how the firm could operate within the existing legal environment.”
Value Cabs director Mr McCausland said: “I would treat them as any other competition – they would have to be involved, and work within the law.”
Value Cabs operates around 600 taxis in Belfast, while FonaCab, operated by Mr McCausland’s cousin William, has some 500 vehicles in the city. Its drivers pay their employers a depot fee, but they do not charge a commission on each fare.
Uber works on a cashless system – with its users signing up with a credit card – charged for each journey automatically on arrival at their destination.
There has been opposition to Uber’s use of its own metering technology, arguing that government-regulated taxi meters are the only appropriate method of calculating fairs. But the taxi regulator in the Republic has ruled out similar concerns.
Uber carried out a soft launch in Dublin back in January 2014, and now claims to have tens of thousands of users registered to use the service across iPhone and Android platforms.
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