Last night, with the help of the TaG hit Squad and the Flash Demo Twitter accounts, disgruntled drivers Turned up in a steady stream at the new, pretentious eatery just off Baker Street, the Firehouse and took back work from the cars touting outside.
I received a message from my friend Paul just before 9 o/c that after dropping a passenger in Chiltern Street, he was approach by two people leaving the restaurant. But to his amazement, the doorman told the passengers that Taxis were not allowed to pick up outside and that my friend was a rogue driver. The people were told to go back through the restaurant to the rear exit where they could find a safe licensed car service.
This place has had terrible reviews of bad service poor quality food and not being too hygienic, but celebs love to be seen here. Last night apparently, it was Gary Lineker holding court a friend who was planning his stag do.
When I started work at 10pm, the FireHouse situation was already being disgust on Twitter. Drivers were told to hold back as a meeting with management was planned for next week, but it was decided to make a statement by means of an impromptu flash demo.
Posts were made in the Flash Demo and TaG hit squad Twitter accounts and the action began.
Customers arrive at the Chiltern Street entrance, but when leaving, those who ask staff to get them a “Taxi” are shepherded by to a line of waiting minicabs in Broadstone Place, the mews behind the restaurant.
So both entrence and exit were covered by a continuing procession of Cabs. Not surprisingly, customers chose licensed Taxis over the inflated prices of the illegally plying for hire touts outside.
Door staff and a lone traffic warden were busy taking photos of the Taxis forming a rolling rank and threats were made that drivers would be reported.
Coincidently, the NSL traffic warden never said a word about the cars parked round the back in Broadstone Place. Lets not forget that these are the same wardens who refuse to ticket minicab touts illegally parked (in bus lane) on Regent Street by Swallow Street Arch and touts parked on the pavement in Coventry Street, outside Platinum Lace lap-dance club. The same company that only allows Taxis drivers 3 minutes to complete a transaction, being paid off outside the Cumberland Hotel!
Doorman talking to Traffic Warden in Blandford Street.
There is a meeting with management next week, but there also needs to be meetings with Westminster Council and TfL. It should be a requirement that before a licence variation is issued for a satellite office at any hotel, restaurant/bar or night venue, a taxi rank should first be implemented.
Time and time again, we have shown that if licence Taxis show a presence outside these places, the public are only too willing to use us. They are fed up with being ripped off by minimum prices by drivers who don’t know where they are going.
Meanwhile, tonight will be another rolling rank to discourage the touts. It’s not massively busy but there is a steady flow of work and customers were still leaving at 2am this morning. So if your in the neighbourhood it’s definitely worth a look.
Minicab tout takes walk up in Chiltern Street after doorman told passengers not to get into my Taxi.
Uber has been banned in Berlin, according to a press release from the State Office for Public Order of affairs.
The press release, issued on Wednesday, said the app-enabled service was in violation of the Passenger Transport Act. The headline of the press release was titled “prohibition order to protect the public”.
The company has been threatned with fines of up to €25,000 for each violation of the ban. Individual Uber drivers could face €20,000 fines if they continue to carry on their business.
According to the Berlin city government, Uber risks passenger safety through the use of “unverified drivers in unlicensed vehicles”. The ban is not yet in force and Uber still has time to challenge the prohibition order in court.
Uber pushed back against the ban in a statement issued this morning:
“With demand for Uber services in Berlin on the rise, Berliners are voting with their fingers for choice, freedom and mobility for the future.
If the prohibition order goes through, it will considerably restrict the people of Berlin’s access to innovative transport options that open up choice and mobility in Germany’s biggest city and beyond. One of the biggest benefits of uberPop, our innovative ride-share service is the additional mobility option provided to people by Uber living outside the city limits.
The prohibition order therefore seeks to restrict freedom and limit mobility in Berlin and beyond.”
Back in April, Uber was served with an injunction by a Berlin court for hurting competition.
The injuction was brought forward by Richard Leipold, a taxi operator and chairman of the city’s taxi association.
Berlin’s prohibition is just the latest in string of attacks by European regulators and politicians on the San Francisco startup.
France
After a strong lobbying effort by French taxi unions, Uber was subjected to the so-called “15-minute” law, which requires taxi apps to wait 15 minutes after customers place a booking to pick them up.
However, this has not been enough to appease the militant taxi unions of Paris. The French capital’s taxi groups have since been lobbying for a doubling of the regulation to a “30-minute” rule.
Belgium
In April, a Belgium court ruling found Uber’s operations illegal and threatened €10,000 fines for every ride. The ruling came after a series of protests by Brussels’ minister for public works and transport minister, Brigitte Grouwels, along with several taxi companies who had accused Uber of violating regulations.
There has been a clampdown on Taxi offences in Denbighshire and Flintshire.
Four taxis were found ‘committing offences’ following spot checks in a joint operation yesterday.
A total of 30 taxis were stopped during the operation by North Wales Police, council officers and the Vehicle Operator Services Agency in Denbighshire and Flintshire.
It found that four of the 30 vehicles checked were committing offences by not being maintained properly, but it also found the general standard of vehicles was good.
Two of the four offending vehicles had immediate prohibitions placed on them.
Sgt Jane Thomas of the Roads policing Unit said: “It is good to see that the majority of operators are maintaining standards and ensuring their vehicles are kept to the high standards essential for the safety of all road users. Further operations will be carried out.”
A new sculpture called ‘London Taxi’ by artist Benedict Radcliffe has been unveiled at Heathrow’s Terminal 2: The Queen’s Terminal.
The artwork is inspired by the iconic and traditional design of London’s black taxis, and gives a new perspective on a well-recognised part of London’s landscape.
The ‘London Taxi’ will bid farewell to 20 million passengers at T2 every year and is central feature of the departure lounge, creating an opportunity for passengers to take one last glance of one of London’s most photographed icons.
Heathrow explains it is part of an emphasis on British brands at T2 and along with Richard Wilson’s sculpture Slipstream at its entrance, the sculpture has been selected for its distinct representation of modern Britain.
Chief operating officer, Normand Bovin, says: “As the UK’s only hub airport, we have a unique opportunity to showcase British talent to the world. I am delighted that we have chosen a London artist and given new talent a platform in front of 20 million passengers a year from more than 50 destinations.”
The design uses cutting-edge computer programming technology to accurately translate the build specification of the London black cab’s produced by The London Taxi Company.
The etching on the artwork’s plinth features step-by-step road directions from the artist’s workshop in Shoreditch to Heathrow’s Terminal 2.
London artist, Benedict Radcliffe, adds: “It’s hard to think of a more instantly recognizable motor vehicle, British or otherwise, than the FX4 Black Cab.
“I am incredibly proud to have been selected by Heathrow for a permanent display at Heathrow’s Terminal 2, the opportunity to exhibit at the UK’s hub airport has been a great honour for me.”
BEIRUT: In a city already viewed as inhospitable to disabled people, Beirut’s wheelchair users are facing the closure of the only taxi company that caters to their needs.
The London Taxi company, which is the sole provider in Lebanon of wheelchair-friendly taxis, is facing financial trouble that could force it to close down, sources in the company told The Daily Star Monday.
The company is suffering financial difficulties, affected by the current situation in the country as well as by their vehicles’ gas consumption, the sources said.
Another issue the company is having is that “people have an impression that our prices are more expensive than other taxi companies,” the sources added.
Although service prices are relatively similar to other cab companies in the country, the London Taxi’s vehicles consume twice the amount of gas of regular taxi cars.
The company caters to a number of hotels and companies, among them the Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union, given that the vehicles are equipped with a ramp suitable for electronic and manual wheelchair users.
The sources said the LPHU deals exclusively with London Taxi and could be severly affected by the possible closure of the company.
Recent Comments