As expected, the board of Transport for London yesterday took a soft approved with plans to curb the soaring number of Uber cars and minicabs. New regs on Operator Fleet Hire and Reward insurance and curbing satellite offices with clipboard johnnies, we're not carried through.
Potential minicab drivers will now have to take basic English language and “Knowledge-lite” style geography tests before driving in the capital. The scandal of taking the test in the language of your choice with the answers to the questions in front of you, will now have to stop.
Although Minicab drivers face a crackdown on insurance requirements to ensure passengers are covered for accidents, TfL fell way short of introducing the requirement of fleet operator Hire and Reward insurance.
TfL have been failing public safety by allowing vehicles to be licensed without the correct insurance being in place. This was recently highlighted by an undercover operation by LBC.
The TfL board approved most of the proposals to crackdown on minicabs at their meeting yesterday afternoon, but plans to scrap “men with clipboards” outside nightclubs who were licensed to provide minicabs have been put on hold.
The Mayor has come under growing pressure to do more to curb London’s 25,000-vehicle strong Uber, which the black cab trade claims is driving it out of business.
Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the London Taxi Drivers' Association (LDTA), said the changes didn't go far enough.
He said: "TfL has wasted a huge opportunity to improve standards within the private hire industry for the benefit of drivers, passengers and other road users.
"The review of private hire regulations was aimed at improving passenger safety, and most of the proposals were sensible and endorsed by the LTDA.
"We are pleased TfL has committed to taking some of them forward, but as result of undue influence, TfL has not gone anywhere far enough.
"Introducing Hire and Reward operator insurance is the only way to categorically ensure that all passengers travelling in a private hire vehicle (PHV) in London are covered in the event of an accident.
"The failure to take this proposal forward means uninsured PHVs will continue to operate in the capital, putting Londoners at risk. The next mayor needs to address this issue as a matter of priority.
The number of private hire drivers has grown from 59,000 in April 2010 to about 100,000 today, contributing to congestion, pollution and illegal parking.
Mr Johnson has previously failed to persuade the Government to allow him to cap the number of minicabs.
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