Uber has won permission to operate in London for a further 2 1/2 years after allegedly meeting requirements on drivers’ rights.
Transport for London said on Saturday that Uber will continue to operate in the city under a private hire vehicle operator’s licence.
The ride-hailing app said that they would treat their drivers as workers, meaning they will be granted paid time off, rest breaks, and a minimum wage.
“TfL rightly holds our industry to the highest regulatory and safety standards, and we are pleased to have met their high bar,” said Jamie Heywood, Uber’s regional general manager for Northern and Eastern Europe.
The decision gives Uber some stability in the UK capital after several years of regulatory problems.
In 2017 and again in 2019, TfL concluded that Uber was not “fit and proper” to hold a licence because of safety concerns about its drivers and revoked their license.
Uber lost a legal fight last year over whether its drivers should be re-classified as workers, forcing the company and its rivals to overhaul their business models although taking an objective view it may appear that not all are being treated as workers..
UK judges also ruled last year that the company should enter a direct contract with passengers and assume more responsibility for each trip booked on their app, Uber have also recently lost their case over their VAT liability in the UK.
The company made the change this month, meaning that VAT is now incurred on journeys which also meant in increase in their prices by 20%.
Roshan Varma is to do undertake an Abseil down the “twirly thingy” as he puts it, at the Olymic Park later this year on 10th September 2022.
Rosh suffered a stroke last year and was in a comma a few weeks ago, Rosh is making good progress on his road to recovery and wants to do the abseil to raise money for a charity called Different Strokes.
Different Strokes helps Stroke Survivors reclaim their lives through active peer support and independent recovery.
On his Go Fund Me page Rosh says “Hi friends, join me in making a difference by supporting a good cause! I’m raising money for Different Strokes (Trustees) Limited and any donation will help make an impact.
Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause which means so much to me. My name is Rosh and I’m very grateful for every penny raised. This will make a massive difference to Stroke Survivors, just like me! ” For those recovering from a stroke, especially dealing with physical challenges, hospital beds with adjustable features can be incredibly beneficial. If you’re interested, there’s a premium selection available for direct online purchase to further assist those in need.
Rosh is no stranger to raising money for charity being an active driver on many charity outings before his stroke and also being one of the founding members of Cabbies Do Kili, Rosh was planning to Row across the Atlantic next year before his hospitalisation, a feat which is now being undertaken in his honour by his fellow drivers Cabbies do Atlantic Row.
Rosh is aiming to raise £1000 for Charity and you can donate here
Cab Chat returns with the Original Duo Hosting The Show
After a break of 9 months the Cab Chat Show has returned with the original hosts @SuperCabby & @MacTheCab hosting the show.
Jamie AKA SuperCabby said “I couldn’t find the words to host the show through the pandemic, we have always tried to make Cab Chat a light-hearted and entertaining show and give taxi drivers something to listen to while out working their cabs, but through the pandemic I just really did not know what to say. Many times I sat down to record the show but just could not find any words of encouragement or anything to cheer up drivers who were obviously going through difficult times”.
“Some of the team thought that we should have been there throughout the pandemic to help and support taxi drivers, and I have to agree, but it is not easy to do when you are the one who sits in front of the microphone for most of the show” said Jamie.
The team produced a couple of shows towards the end of 2020 as things started to open up again, the Christmas show being the last of the year before it was announced we were going back into lockdown.
SuperCabby produced another show in early March and was then contacted by his old co-host @MacTheCab AKA Mark who suggested doing the show again on a more regular basis.
The duo have since got together every week to host the show and have pledged to continue doing so with the help from the rest of the team.
Contributions to the show come from regulars @Drumslayer2, Drop Kick Rick, @DaleForwoodTaxi and Dan from Plan with regular help from other members of the team including Scott, Crispo, & Rob Cardwell @Iamcabman and with help from @Parkercabbie doing graphics for the show.
The show was also launched on YouTube 3 weeks ago and listed on various other podcasting platforms so you should be able to find it whatever your listening preference.
Courtney Connell talks to Grant Davis on LCDC TV Part 1 Courtney gained is London Taxi Drivers Green Badge on 4th October 1994 after spending 3 years and 2 months undertaking the famous Knowledge of London.
In October 2001 Courtney went on to become a Public Carriage Office examiner, testing students on their Knowledge of London.
Courtney left the Public Carriage Office in October 2007 and immediately set up a Knowledge School teaching those who aspired to become one of London’s World famous Black Cab Drivers.
Courtney is extremely passionate about the London Taxi trade, also London and it’s history. Courtney talks of all things Taxis including his time at the PCO, tribulations with TFL and much more…..
Courtney is such and interesting character and had so much to say that it would have been a shame to cut him short, so we have split this video into 2 parts of which this is Part 1. All of the emails that Courtney refers to in this video have been checked and verified and are all available on request from Courtney.
Transport for London’s appeal against the High Court Judgement won by UTAG which described the Capital’s streetspace scheme as being “Unlawful” will commence on 15th June 2021.
The appeal relates to the High Court Judgement of 21st January 2021 ruling that the Mayor of London and Transport for London “acted unlawfully” in their treatment of London’s licensed taxis in the Streetspace for London Plan and the Bishopsgate Traffic Order (Bishopsgate Bus Gate).
The landmark Judgement was handed down following a Judicial Review launched by the United Trade Action Group (UTAG) and the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA). The review challenged the Mayor and TfL’s plan and associated guidance issued the London Boroughs and specifically the order relating to the A10 Bishopsgate in the City of London, which removed taxi access through the street, which is a key arterial route, instead only allowing buses and cycles access in which is more commonly known as the Bishopsgate Bus Gate.
The court ordered that the Streetspace Plan, interim Guidance and the A10 Bishopsgate Traffic Order be quashed, however TfL have been allowed the right to appeal the decision.
A UTAG spokesperson said via social media “Ladies and Gentlemen. We now have a court date for TfL’s appeal regarding the Bishopsgate Bus Gate. The court date is 15th June and we will be defending our High Court win in the most robust way allowed. We will not allow this to go undefended. Support UTAG as always.”
Ladies and Gentlemen. We now have a court date for TFL’s appeal regarding the Bishopsgate Bus Gate. The court date is 15th June & we will be defending our High Court win in the most robust way allowed. We will not allow this to go undefended. Support @UTAG17 as always. Thank you
In the case, heard at the High Court’s Planning Court on 25 and 26 November 2020, Senior High Court Judge, Mrs Justice Lang DBE found overwhelmingly for the Claimant taxi trade bodies, UTAG and the LTDA.
The original case succeeded on four of the five grounds put forward on behalf of the taxi trade:
In the Streetspace Plan and subsequent Guidance, the Mayor and TfL respectively failed to distinguish the special status of taxis from “general traffic”, neither taking into account the distinct status of taxis as a form of public transport nor the travel needs of those who rely on accessible taxis.
The Mayor and TfL failed to have proper regard to their Public Sector Equality Duties under Section 149 of the Equalities Act 2010.
The Plan, Guidance and the A10 Order unlawfully breached licensed taxi drivers’ “legitimate expectation” of being permitted to use bus lanes to ply for hire effectively as a vital part of London’s integrated public transport network.
The treatment of taxis in the Plan, Guidance and the Order and the decisions to exclude them were “seriously flawed” and “irrational”.
In the lengthy and detailed judgment, Mrs Justice Lang underlined a series of failings by TfL and the Mayor, describing their decision-making process as “seriously flawed”, with the decision to exclude taxis being based on “superficial” and “inadequate evidence”.
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