by News Desk | Jul 24, 2016 | London News
Taxis must be allowed to continue to access Oxford Street even after it is pedestrianised, the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association has said.
Plans to transform the world famous shopping street into a car-free zone were unveiled by the Mayor of London’s office earlier this month.
City Hall said all vehicles will be banned on a 1.2 mile stretch from Tottenham Court Road to Bond Street Tube station by 2020 to coincide with the launch of Crossrail, the new east to west train line.
The project is among measures introduced by Mayor Sadiq Khan to tackle London’s air pollution.
But the attorneys helping clients with probate litigation said it objects to any restriction on taxis’ access, which would have a detrimental impact on those who require a door-to-door service including wheelchair users and the elderly. People can find trust lawyers from here, if they need advice for elderly wills. You can also check out litigation lawyers for hire from here!
“We agree with the Mayor that the levels of congestion and the poor air quality on Oxford Street are unsustainable,” a spokesman for the LTDA said. Here are 3 must have estate planning documents, that are necessary for the elderly after retirement.
“At last month’s Transport Committee hearing on this issue, there was a general consensus that reducing bus services was the best way to alleviate these problems. We are glad to hear that the Mayor intends to reroute bus services away from Oxford Street.
“However, it is essential that taxis are allowed to continue to access Oxford Street, as they provide an invaluable service to shoppers and businesses alike, especially those who rely on a door-to-door service, such as wheelchair users, the visually impaired, the elderly, those with luggage and shoppers with young families.
“Taxis are a fundamental part of the Oxford Street experience for tourists and all new cabs will be emissions-free from next year.”
Oxford Street’s transformation would be carried out in two stages to minimise disruption with the first phase of construction on the eastern section from Oxford Circus onwards.
City Hall has vowed to work closely with local business and taxi drivers to meet the needs of the elderly and disabled using the busy shopping street.
A Mayor of London spokesman said: “The pedestrianisation of Oxford Street will make this world famous street safer, and improve the air quality for the thousands of people who use it every day.
“It will be a phased programme of work overall several years, working closely with local businesses, residents and key stakeholders like taxi drivers and groups that represent disabled people.
“This will include looking carefully at addressing the particular needs of older people and access for wheelchair users.”
by News Desk | Jul 24, 2016 | London News
A taxi driver died after crashing into the bus stop in Station Lane, Hornchurch
The suburban taxi driver died and two of his passengers were injured, after crashing into a bus stop.
Police were called to the incident at 12.50am this morning.
The collision happened in Station Lane, Hornchurch, just outside the tube station.
Paramedics were in attendance but the Taxi driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
A male and female passenger were taken to an east London hospital for treatment.
The road was closed off by police shortly after the crash and Hornchurch tube station was shut for a brief period.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed that next of kin had been informed and a post mortem examination will be held in due course.
Enquiries continue.
by News Desk | Jul 22, 2016 | London News
Robert Evans, Stanwell and Stanwell Moor’s County Councillor welcomed the opening of a new designated car park for minicabs at Heathrow Airport a couple of weeks ago.
For months, even years, the two villages represented by Labour’s Robert Evans have had an increasing problem of minicabs and Uber drivers, parking at the road side awaiting their passengers.
Private hire drivers, now have a dedicated, on-airport parking facility on the airport’s Northern Perimeter Road.
‘I think this is great news,’ said Robert Evans, ‘as it’s something I started campaigning for, as soon as I was elected to Surrey County Council in 2013. ‘I’m really pleased Heathrow Airport responded to the issue and listened to local people. However, I’m not complacent,’ added Cllr Evans. ‘I’m going to wait and see if this works but I am cautiously optimistic.’
Unfortunately private hire drivers seem unwilling to use the new facilities
Taxi Leaks can reveal that the new Private Hire feeder park at Heathrow has not worked. In fact it has been an expensive flop, minicab and especially Uber drivers, have decided to give the place a wide birth, preferring to park up in residential streets, local park cafes, McDonalds and garages.
The new toilet facilities have not proved to be enough of an attraction as you can still find bottles of urine and plastic bags full of human faeces in residential streets and gardens.
Below is a letter from local resident Clive, with reply from editor, published in the Heathrow Villager local news paper
Sir,
Having just read about the so called success of taking mini cabs off the road. This is not true. We live in Sipson lane, within 800 yds there are 70 to 80 mini cabs parked up to 10 hours a day.
Not only that they park outside our houses, urinating into bottles, pooing into paper bags, sleeping in the back of their cars. This does not sound a success to me.
What do you think sir?
Clive
Clive you are Correct I recently drove down Sipson Lane and on the side where the Cafe is. There must have been at least 60 vehicles on the road and the car park was ram jammed full, hopefully the council will send a traffic warden down there to move them all on.
Ed.
by News Desk | Jul 21, 2016 | London News
Dear Mayor Khan,
I would like to thank you for your reply to my email, dated 19 Jul 2016, but I cannot.
I felt your letter, an insult to my intelligence, was a fob.
You did not answer any of my questions or engage with any of my suggestions.
Did you actually read my email?
In your reply you suggest I may be aware of the introduction of more stringent regulations.
Are any of these regulations new?
Or is TfL finally enforcing those already in place, but never previously policed?
Correct Hire & Reward insurance has always been a requirement. TfL decided not to enforce it.
In fact, Leon Daniels lied to the GLA, that Uber had ‘on/off’ insurance. They did not.
Leon Daniels also lied to the GLA, stating he was in possession of Uber’s landline. The landline he offered Ms Shawcross was Jo Bertram’s personal number.
So these “more stringent regulations” are nothing more than TfL finally doing their job.
Do Uber now comply with all the specifications laid out by TfL, regarding landline and offices?
And taking into account that Uber have sworn on oath, that they do not receive or handle customer bookings in any way, worldwide; do they still comply to your ‘stringent regulations’?
In my email, I proffered three points toward preventing rape and sexual assault in TfL Licensed Minicabs.
- Scrapping onscreen locations.
- Banning blacked out windows.
- A minimum of five years residency.
You acknowledged none of them.
Your reply was like an automated TfL response on Twitter; stating all Private Hire applicants go through an enhanced DBS. “Have a nice day.” “You’re welcome.”
The Licensed London Taxi trade has had enough political sidestepping and untrue truths from your predecessor.
Refugees and asylum seekers are afforded certain exemptions, if the DBS cannot check the applicants’ background.
This is unacceptable. Do you expect someone’s daughter to get into a car with a stranger?
Are our daughters not as important as yours?
You, along with most MPs and the media, refuse to acknowledge the glaring problem this trade is facing from unchecked predators.
I watched you answer the ‘Uber rape’ question. You were quick to qualify yourself by saying one rape is one too many. But went on to say that Uber is (only) 32 of 154.
Surely you understand that the rise in sexual assaults since 2012 is because TfL relaxed their regulations to the point of deregulation, to appease Uber.
That deregulation went across the Private Hire board.
No it is not just Uber drivers who have raped and sexually assaulted women during a twelve month period, but because of their influence over TfL, deregulation has been allowed to happen.
Now we all know that serious crime, such as murder, rape and sexual assault can happen to any profession.
Doctors, teachers, politicians, policemen, TV presenters, even Taxi drivers bring shame to their trade – but not on the scale of Uber.
And Uber’s safety record is hardly enviable, is it?
It seems a Prius is crashing somewhere in London, daily.
I personally cannot remember one single day where I did not witness an imbecile with a roundel doing something dangerous.
Dads Defending Daughters is concerned about safety.
One of our members knows only too well the horror of being the father of a rape victim.
Rape can destroy lives and families.
You know that it is widely recognised that only ten percent of victims come forward.
TfL or police need to legally enter Uber’s premises and view all previous complaints against Uber drivers, and make sure that all have been forwarded on to the correct authorities.
A young woman recently tweeted a complaint to Uber, against a driver for masturbating whilst driving. Did that, and similar complaints ever get reported to the police?
You promote yourself as a family man, who loves his wife and daughters. I do not doubt your sincerity for a second; it’s the most natural thing in the world.
What about my daughters? What about everyone else’s daughters, wives, mothers, sisters, aunts?
What about our sons? Rape is not gender specific.
If you consciously keep Londoners in the dark, then you are culpable; much the same way as the BBC are with Jimmy Savile.
An informed population may make informed decisions.
We are not going away. In fact the less you do to check this rise in rape and sexual assault, the bigger and stronger we become.
If you are going to reply to this email, please do so having read it.
Kind regards,
Leonard H. Etheridge
Dads Defending Daughters.
by News Desk | Jul 20, 2016 | London News
In accordance with the taxi ranks action plan, in August 2015 we published our policy on all ranks and extension areas. This policy set out what points will be taken into consideration when designating a new island rank or extension area. An island rank is a rank located within an all London license area which certain supporting drivers will be permitted to use.
In accordance with this policy, from today, 20 July 2016, we are starting a trial of two new island ranks at:
• Junction Road (Archway station), Islington.
– Rank number 5786
– Times of operation: 19:00-02:00
– Drivers license for Haringey, as well as all London drivers, can use this rank.
• Clapham High Street, Lambeth.
– Rank number 5787
– Times of operation: 19:00 to 07:00
– Drivers license for the clap and extension area, as well as all London drivers, can use is rank.
These new trial island ranks will be in place for a minimum six months period and will be monitored to assist passengers and drivers usage to determine whether they should be designated as island ranks on a permanent basis.
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