As a Hard As They've Tried To Replace Us With A One Tier System, We Are still Here.

                     Andrea Clarke                                   Howard Carter 

This year has seen unprecedented support from TfL towards third party companies, one of which has had a dramatic economical effects on our trade and other licensed Taxi trades around the country. 

The biggest threat our trade has ever faced, has enjoyed a free hand to run riot over regulation and legislation laid down by Parliament. 

New regulations have been bought in but many in the trade feel rules are being changed to facilitate an interested party at the detriment of established Taxi and Private Hire drivers of many years standing.

It's been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that regulations are being contravened, instead of enforcement followed by revocation (as promised by Sadiq Khan when campaigning for the job as Mayor), TfL and the Mayor's office, have resorted to actually changing regulations, watering down guidelines and even blatantly ignored current legislation.

From one TfL Managing Director, we've had the "Dear Jo" Email's, the covert un-minuted  coffee house meetings, multiple lies (on-off insurance, Uber met all requirements when first licensed, Uber has a pre booking landline), told directly to the transport committee of the GLA....and this man unbelievably, still has a job at TfL?

When fake medicals and fake topographical tests came to light in the Sun News paper, TfL said they would no be taking direct action but would be more vigilant in 3 years time when certain PH driver's licenses were up for renewal. 

TfL's legal team, seem gutless to take on a large Private Hire operator whose philosophy is "it's easier to seek forgiveness than permission" but so far, they've got away with every rule they've broken and haven't had to seek forgiveness once. What message does this put out?

Funny thing is, this company state quite openly they are not a private hire operator but a tech company and its their drivers who act as private hire operators. And yet TfL have chosen to licence the company as such and not the drivers.

Confused.....it gets much worse!

TfL director of legal Andrea Clarke and general counsel Howard Carter, last reviewed their advisory panel in 2012 appointing 11 new firms, including Dentons, Trowers & Hamlins and Lewis Silkin to a roster which also includes Berwin Leighton Paisner, Eversheds, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith Freehills, K&L Gates and Gowling WLG. 

They now have a 200-strong legal team, comprising of 90 lawyers who handle TfL's core commercial work for operations which includes the capital that gets invested into the Underground, as well as diverting legal resource towards the office of the Mayor of London, the British Transport Police, the London Legacy Development Corporation. 

Firms on the payroll also advise the greater London authority, which also comes under the remit of TfL. (So no conflict of interest there then!!!

When an employee from the Diamond chauffeurs was caught blatantly on touting outside a bar in Cornhill, by senior TfL staff members, their operator licenses were revoked, but they immediately appealed. TfL's legal team embarrassingly lost in the high court and decided to just leave it at that. 

     Touting on the pavement outside Tiger Tiger

Diamond can be found today openly touting on pavements outside a number of London venues, left alone by TfLTPH enforcement. Many smaller PH firms now use this case as a precedent in defence when caught openly breaking the terms of their licence variation outside clubs and bars.

Read the case for yourself >Click Here<

TfL's legal team waited some twelve years to get (in their words) "a water tight case". 

But after losing the appeal, they've now been labeled "The Quality Street Gang"  by the Taxi trade. 

Trade org reps who attended the hearing, said they couldn't believe the weakness of the case bought by TfL, in light of the evidence that was available to them.

Observers said it was exactly the same with Uber's "is it a meter or is it just a smart phone?" case. 

The buck stops with Clarke and Carter , who head up "TfL’s Legal’s" team. 

Un-phased by the crippling affect of their woefully inadequate performance in general, TfL now operate a more laid back approach to PH licensing. In doing so, churn out somewhere in the region of 600 new PH licenses every week, allegedly to keep uber supplied with a steady flow of new drivers.

Issues such as the ease in which Uber became licensed without a landline, the Meter Case, on-off insurance policies, RD2.com's acquisition of PH operators licence and multiple licence variations (satellite offices), without the requirement of being in business for the minimum period of 12 months, fake medicals, fake topographical test's....All now swept under the carpet.

So far, there's been a lot of shouting for Demo's, but not one of our trade orgs have challenged the real problem of TfL's conflict of interest with interested third party companies.

 

Sad news recently that multiple Taxi drivers have attempted suicide after losing their homes, the breakdown of marriage, their families lives shattered by debt.

It also appears our largest trade org has no viable plan to challenge these serious issues in the coming year. If they have, they don't seem to be letting on.

So perhaps it's time for the drivers to finally cross the line in the sand and take action for themselves.

The infighting and fragmentation has to stop and everyone has to come together under the one flag. Forget the colour of the lanyard and just fight for the badge that hangs from it.

Our enemies predicted we would be gone by this Christmas, but we are still in there punching our weight.

 

2017 has to be the year the drivers fought back.

If you don't get into the ring, you can't win the fight.

If you don't fight back now, TfL will destroy our trade and replace us with a one tier system, as per their agenda. 

 

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Update On The Card Payment Fitment Situation From Helen Chapman.

We've just received this statement from Helen Chapman regarding the London Taxi payment by card update

30 Dec 2016

It remains the case that from 1 January all taxis must be fitted with an approved device in the passenger compartment of the taxi. 

We understand through discussions with suppliers that some of them aren’t currently able to meet demand but other approved suppliers do have the stock and capacity to do this.

Vehicles being inspected at one of our inspection centres or on street after 1 January without an approved device fitted in the passenger compartment of the taxi will be dealt with on a case by case basis. 

If the vehicle owner is able to demonstrate they have made significant efforts to be compliant with the Cab Order then this will be taken into consideration. Given the extended notice period vehicle owners have had to prepare for the mandate (since February 2016) we don’t feel it is appropriate to formally extend the deadline further.

Helen Chapman

Editorial Comment :

This isn't what's been said by Darren Crowson.

In fact the sentence: 

"If the vehicle owner is able to demonstrate they have made significant efforts to be compliant with the Cab Order then this will be taken into consideration" 

sounds more like a threat and is most certainly open to abuse from COs, as we've already seen from them at ranks, station and airport. 

What is significant efforts....will we need a video on our phone begging our respective suppliers to fit a unit and them saying sorry we ain't got none left!

Helen upto now a letter from the supplier has been good enough, please explain what's wrong with this......now you want us to prove we've made significant effort.... But you don't say just what significant effort is.

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An Open Letter To Deputy Mayor Val Shawcross......From Sean Paul Day.

CITATION: City of Toronto v. Uber Canada Inc. et al., 2015 ONSC 3572 COURT FILE NO.: CV-14-516288  DATE: 20150703

Dear Val Shawcross

Re: the above

On the 3/ 07/ 2015, Über Technologies inc. admitted under oath that from the point where a passenger determines to find a car (and driver) to the point where the passenger is in the car they (Über) are not party to the procedure. 

A rudimentary description follows that software is downloaded in advance of the intended is activated by the passenger at the time and place of his/ her choosing.  The server then relays messages between the passenger and prospective drivers using their respective versions of the App. The driver himself then directly makes the booking.  Accordingly, none of the respondents can be described as meeting statutory regulations of either a Taxi or PHV/D business model, as set forth and arbitrated by Transport for London (TFL).

TfL Operator License terms state that a Private Hire Booking can only be accepted by a licensed operator at their registered operating centre. A driver is permitted to hold an operators license but a moving vehicle cannot be considered as a registered operating centre.

The conclusion therefore is that Über are operating outside the terms of their operators license, and because the sequence of the booking procedure is referenced regularly by TfL, the primary assumption is either Uber  are guilty of misapplication or TFL are abusing procedure by allowing Uber to operate by their own self- determined parameters. 

Although TfL are steadfast in not discussing individual circumstances that might effect their PHO license ,  I would assert that the licensing criteria, and any change thereof , is solely the province of TfL. The Operator merely obliges the criteria, or has that now changed? Any alteration made specifically to this criterion constitutes a fundamental change in the way PH are pre-booked, and I don't recall it's inclusion as part of the lengthy and thorough PH consultation? 

For reasons pertaining to safety, the remit of TfL has a concomitant responsibility to ensure the London's taxi industry, both driver and vehicle,  meet stringent licensing requirements. For the most part this has worked well, therefore I trust you will look in to this issue as the potential consequences related to further indistinction between taxis and PH is not to be welcomed. 

Regards

Sean Paul Day

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Are You Going To Sit Back And Let Them Take Your Trade Away ? Or Will You Fight.

I hope everyone enjoyed Christmas, I did, but most of all I enjoyed having a complete break from all things cab related for a few days. 

Having to come back has made me realise just how detrimental it is to my well being and I'd imagine the same for most of us. Today's my first day back and I have to say I'm dreading it. The thoughts of what's in store for me today makes me feel sick and after 23 years I should be taking it in my stride, but after the last few years of TFL's and establishment efforts to eliminate us from London's landscape I've realised I've had enough.

But rather than give up and go, it's made me even more determined to fight the bastards responsible for planting these feelings to begin with. They want me to have these thoughts but although I can't help feeling that way I refuse to succumb to them.

I also believe they're responsible for what's happening at the airport. They've orchestrated the ill feeling by allowing the influx of Somalians cab drivers who've decided to do things there own way instead of playing by the rules that have been in place for years. It's worked a treat because it's put cab drivers against cab drivers instead of those drivers recognising TFL's tactics and dealing with the problem. 

It's created disharmony which has been exploited by politically minded members of the trade who can't see the reality of an obvious TFL plan that's so specific to the "devide and rule" ethic it's tailor made for them.

Moving on, we have a war on our hands starting next week that will define our future more than anything that's gone before it and four months to fight it. We need to start the new year with a different mindset than we've had up to now. It must be one of total, complete and relentless determination to resist any attempt to ruining our lives, which WILL happen after Uber's license is renewed. Once Uber is relicensed, competition like Lyft will soon follow along with many others resulting in the London Cab trade disappearing.

The first demonstration planned for January 12th must send a clear message to the authorities that we've had enough and will stand for TFL no more. Anyone who can't be bothered to attend or be part of it can have no future opinion as they've contributed nothing. I'm not interested in whether demos have worked in the past as they've never been more important than this one and the only reason they haven't worked is because the trade's riddled with dogs who are only too willing to let others fight there fight for them. 

Near full attendance at half the demos in the past would have been enough to easily achieve our aims and secure a future for us all, so those drivers who are happy behaving this way are partly responsible for where we are today. This is the one that shows our determination to stand firm and fight for our jobs because, make no mistake, that's exactly what this fight's all about.

There is no more time for in house squabbling or any form of disharmony either, we simply don't have enough of it so if anyone has plans to feed any more of it, you're part of the problem so wise up and get on side and quickly.

I'm a member of UCG but I'm a member of the cab trade first and that being the case my allegiance is with the trade as a whole. I don't care who leads us to a brighter future so long as the sun comes out sometime. Having said that I recognise that, in my view, we have only two orgs who can make that happen. UCG and LCDC are led by the only two men I have confidence in so they both have my backing. 

Everyone knows my thoughts regarding Mac and LTDA so I won't bore you with them again suffice to say you can rest assured Mac and Co will be ok regardless of what happens to us.

The time for letting other people fight the most necessary fight in our history has gone. Everyone, and that means every cab driver, cab garage, the WCHCD, everyone attached in some way to this trade must involve themselves in this fight as no lesser effort will do.

THIS IS THE START OF THE FIGHT FOR OUR LIVES.

We should have been gone by now but we're still here much to our enemies annoyance, what a shame.

We've shown a resilience and blunt refusing to yield to any bullying that should have broken us by now, and we've made life very difficult and uncomfortable for those responsible for the hardships caused by TFL. But with the latest revelation of depression and attempted suicides within the trade, the stakes have become much higher. 

It's no longer about an occupation, it's about people's lives. 

Lives that have become blighted by TFL's actions and that simply can't be tolerated.

Those who are complicit must not be forgotten either but dealt with at a later date, but for now we must concentrate on the most immediate and obvious threat which is TFL.

Start 2017 with a renewed vigour and determination that'll see us through to victory and be proud of yourself for doing it. There's no pride in giving up or letting other people fight your fight. 

This is a photo of London in the future if we give up, there's no cab in this pic, just a piece of filth stealing our job because someone high up in society decided to make it possible for him to do so because it provides him with a healthy dividend on a regular basis.

How do you feel about that?

The clock's ticking.

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AND NOW, WE HAVE TFLTPH'S ON-OFF CC FITMENT DEADLINE (LEON STYLE)

 

This afternoon we heard on the RMT Twitter account, that Darren Crowson of LTPH has confirmed drivers who are not fitted with CC terminals and printers by the 31st December deadline, will need to carry a letter confirming a future fitting and will need to be in possession of a handheld device to meet the current licensing conditions and conditions of fitness.

Apparently, all test centres will be informed of the extension and any driver who encountered a problem should contact their respective org as soon as possible. 

We've also been informed that the extension will be reviewed again at the end of January 2017.

However, TfLTPH's Twitter account apparently has no knowledge of this new extension and has put out this tweet in reply to our asking them to confirm the situation. 

Clear as mud, confused....you will be !

Typical example of TfL's one hand doesn't know what the other hand is doing.

More information as and when it becomes available.

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Major changes coming to cycle route interchange at Blackfriars next month, for five years of works.

Tideway is building a new 25km-long sewer under the Thames, as London's sewage is now at capacity. The construction site by Victoria Embankment at Blackfriars will impact drivers, cyclists and pedestrians from January 2017 until around 2021. 

Here's how your journey could be affected.

Cycling

The works affect the East-West (CS3) and North-South (CS6) cycle superhighways from 23 January 2017. After this date:

The layout shown above will be in effect throughout the works

You'll still have segregated two-way cycle lanes on the Victoria Embankment slip-road. This will link East-West and North-South

Check availability of Santander Cycles using the online docking station map, or visit our cycling section for full information on cycling in London.

Driving

The changes to the Cycle Superhighways will mean that on the Victoria Embankment slip road, westbound traffic will be diverted from Monday 2 January 2017.

A signed diversion route will be in place. For westbound access to Victoria Embankment:

Travelling north on Blackfriars Road: use Stamford Street, IMAX roundabout, Waterloo Bridge, Strand, Arundel Street and Temple Place

Travelling south on New Bridge Street: use Fleet Street, Strand, Arundel Street and Temple Place

Full closures Mon 2 - Mon 23 Jan 2017

The Victoria Embankment slip road will be fully closed to prepare for the new layout on:

Monday 2 to Friday 20 January 2017: each night 21:00-05:00

Saturday 21 January 05:00 to Monday 23 January 2017: 05:00

Westbound traffic will be diverted along Fleet Street, Strand, Arundel Street and Temple Place. Eastbound traffic will be diverted along Puddle Dock Lane and Queen Victoria Street.

Traffic in the area

Throughout the works, roads in the surrounding area will be busier than usual. Please plan ahead and allow extra time for your journey.

For the latest information on how roads are operating, see TfL traffic status updates page or follow @TfLTrafficNews on Twitter.

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Uber Freight Just Launched and Trucking Will Never Be the Same

Uber has launched a website for a service called Uber Freight. 

Little has been revealed about the company’s expansion from ride-hailing, but if the announcements it’s made over the last year are any indicator, chances are good that Uber Freight is meant to prepare the world for autonomous delivery trucks. So taxi drivers leaving the trade to go back to truck driving.....think again, you could be looking for another new job next year too.

Uber acquired a startup called Otto, which planned to bring the first self-driving trucks to market, in August. Since then the company has used its trucks to deliver 50,000 cans of beerand hundreds of Christmas trees in San Francisco.

This new service won’t use those trucks, at least not at the beginning. Instead it will function much like Uber’s existing platform: Some people will sign up to drive items across the country, and others will join so they can send packages without having to sign a contract with established shipping companies. The service will likely bring “surge pricing” to trucking, too.

Uber Freight could also help Otto’s trucks by using data gathered from drivers on the platform. This would allow the self-driving vehicles to learn from experienced people while regulators figure out how to govern autonomous trucks and the technology catches up to all of the promises made by its creators. Why put off entering a whole new market — shipping and commuting don’t tend to overlap — when the company could just use human drivers until its semi-trucks are ready?

It turns out that Otto had similar plans. Business Insider reported in October that the startup eventually wanted to introduce a platform like Uber’s. The acquisition didn’t just give Otto access to more resources or help Uber work on self-driving vehicles; it let the companies work together instead of trying to compete with each other. (I suspect the more business-inclined would call this “synergy.”)

Uber Freight’s launch coincides with growing interest in trucking from many tech companies. Nikola Motor Company wants to use tech to make trucking more environmentally friendly and appealing to millennials; Tesla’s working on self-driving trucks; the list could go on.

But it will be interesting to see where Uber lands on the driver problem. Nikola has been clear in its commitment to making good drivers happy, while Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that automating jobs like truck-driving could lead to universal basic income. Uber Freight lands in the middle — it needs human drivers now, but it’s likely to switch to autonomous trucks as soon as mechanically possible.

Uber said it’s going to wait until the new year to elaborate on how the system works. “We don’t have any new information to share at the moment,” a spokesperson said, “but hope to in the new year so please do stay in touch.” It looks like the future of trucking — or at least one potential future — is going to take a little while longer to make its debut.

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TfL Have Updated Their Website With Changes To Private Hire Regulations

Here we have TfL informing the trades, of the new regulations from July 2016, have "finally" been added to the Private Hire Vehicles act 1998. So, not only are TfL about to scrap the requirement for an advanced driving test for Taxi drivers, looks like they are watering down PH reg's as well. Sort of deregulation, by stealth.

The say that their website has been revised to show the new regulations. 

Reading through the new reg's, is like reading through the script if a new sit-com and in the words of the trades regular stand up comedian, "You just couldn't make it up". 

Taking them in order as they appear on the TfL website:

PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES

1. HIRE OR REWARD INSURANCE (???)

( I've looked everywhere online and can only find hire and reward. Perhaps this is another one of Leon's mythical policys) 

All private hire vehicles must have hire or reward insurance in place both at the point they are licensed and for the entire time the vehicle is licensed, including when the vehicle is not in use as a private hire vehicle.

What this means for you:

If you are a new applicant or are renewing your vehicle licence,

(Get out clause no1, if you were licensed before October 2016 and don't have continuous HR insurance, that's ok?) 

you will only pass your vehicle inspection if you have hire or reward insurance in place at the point of licensing. You also need to have your hire or reward insurance available for inspection when you take your vehicle to the vehicle test centre. If you do not have the appropriate hire or reward insurance in place, you will not be issued a new or renewal licence.

If you are an existing licensee, hire or reward insurance must be in place at all times the vehicle is licensed. If you fail to meet this requirement, you may face licensing action.

(And now for the get out clause no2)

This does not prevent you from having periodical hire or reward insurance (such as a weekly, monthly or quarterly policy), as long as there is no gap in the cover for the duration of the vehicle licence. (Got that?) 

If you are found not to have valid hire or reward insurance while the vehicle is licensed as a private hire vehicle, appropriate action will be taken which could include the revocation of your vehicle licence, and if you are also a licensed private hire operator and/or private hire driver, we may also review your fitness to hold that licence.

To support the introduction and compliance of this "new regulation", 

(Get out clause no3, this is TfL admitting they've been allowing PH to licence vehicles without hire and reward in the past, never mind nonexistent on off policies, just completely off) 

we are increasing the number of insurance checks we carry out.

2. SIGNAGE 

Signs or advertising material must not be displayed on or from a private hire vehicle,

(Get out clause no4) 

unless they are exempt or approved by us, and no advertising material may be displayed in the vehicle unless in accordance with our requirements.

What this means for you:

This is a change from the previous regulation, which did not allow signs or advertising material to be displayed on a private hire vehicle. The amendment to the regulations means that you can also no longer display signs or advertising material on or from a private hire vehicle "unless it is exempt or we have approved it", and no advertising material may be displayed in the vehicle unless in accordance with TfL requirements.

Our taxi advertising and PHV signage guidelines provide more information on these requirements. 

(Wait for it)

Note that these are currently under review.

3. PRIVAT HIRE OPERATORS BOOKING CONFIRMATION

Private hire operators must provide a booking confirmation to a passenger before their journey starts. 

(Get out clause no5, notice the word Pre-Booking, the bookings that Uber don't do,  doesn't appear in the revised regulations)

What this means for you:

The operator must provide a passenger booking confirmation before the journey starts. The operator is expected to request passenger contact information and offer to provide a booking confirmation for all bookings.

All operators must (at a minimum) be able to provide a booking confirmation to passengers via email, text (SMS and MMS) message and phone (regardless of what booking channels the operator offers). The booking confirmation must contain, as a minimum: 

(Get out clause no6, the requirement for an operator to have a landline has now been removed)

The vehicle registration mark

The first name of the driver

The driver's private hire licence number, as shown on the ID the driver is wearing

Where the passenger can receive it, a photo of driver.

Where the customer books in person or by landline phone, a photo must be provided if the customer requests confirmation through a communications channel that can provide an image, for example an email or smart phone.

(Is this TfL advising prospective passengers not to use a landline?)

4. PROVISION OF CONTACT FACILITIES

In Notice 10/16 (June 2016) we "indicated" that existing licensees were required to comply with this condition by 1 October 2016. 

(Now the big get out clause no7)

In light of the ongoing legal proceedings, licensees are not required to comply with this condition before either: (i) the conclusion of the proceedings or (ii) further relevant developments in the proceedings. 

We will provide a further update, should the situation change. (Don't hold your breath)

5. CHANGES TO PRIVATE HIRE OPERATING MODEL

The form of this requirement has recently changed,

(allegedly uber didn't like the way it was worded) 

though it remains unchanged in substance. 

Private hire operators must notify TfL of material changes to their operating model that may affect their compliance with the statutory and regulatory framework for operators or any conditions of their licence.

For further information, Notice 17/16 (November 2016) and our page on changes to operating models include the types of changes you need to notify us about, the ones you don't and details about where to send notifications.

6. BASIC DISCLOSURE CHECK FOR SOME STAFF 

Operators are recommended to ensure that all staff who have face-to-face contact with the public (for example, in a minicab office with public access) have - or have proof they have applied for - a Basic Disclosure check, which is available through Disclosure Scotland.

The requirement for private hire drivers to have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check remains.

Find out more about applying for a Basic Disclosure.

What this means for you:

We recommend that all affected staff apply for their Basic Disclosure check as soon as possible.

We will issue guidance for operators to assess Basic Disclosures that they receive; however, it is ultimately the operator's responsibility to ensure that staff members are fit and proper to undertake their duties. Failure to do this or to give appropriate consideration to the results on the disclosure may raise questions about an operator's fitness to hold a licence.

(So operator staff who deal face to face with the public just need a basic disclosure. I said this would make you laugh!)

7. UPLOADING DRIVER/VEHICLE DETAILS TO TfL

Operators are required to provide us with details of the drivers and vehicles they have used to fulfil private hire bookings, or have had available to them to fulfil bookings in a specified period. We use the information provided for data analysis. We have contacted operators individually to confirm arrangements and frequency of providing the information.

Each Monday, all operators are required to provide the relevant data for the preceding week. When the Monday is a Bank Holiday, the data can be sent the next day.

The data should be sent to: TPHOperatorDataShare@tfl.gov.uk

(I can hear the excuses now, "didn't you gat my email then, it might be in your span folder")

8. RECORD KEEPING 

Operators must keep records for a minimum of 12 months. This includes records for bookings, complaints and lost property, as well as driver and vehicle records.

What this means for you:

This is a small change from the previous regulations, which requires some records to be kept for six months and others for 12 months.

9. OTHER REQUIREMENTS 

The following requirements apply:

Operators must provide their customer with an accurate fare estimate before the journey starts (unless the fare has been pre-agreed). 

Operators must record the main destination of the customer's journey, before the journey starts. 

Where a journey has multiple drop-off points, a main destination must still be provided. 

(TfL bending the rule a bit and greasing the path for UberPool and yet p they put up so many hurdles to discourage the Licensed Taxi Maxxi app)

Operators are limited to having no more than five business names attached to their operator's licence.

Not quite earth shattering, but expect these new reg's to be amended and changed again in 2017 when Uber decide they don't fit in with their global operation. 

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Tribute To George Michael From Our Own Joe Cartwright

Music and entertainment celebrities from around the world, have been reacting to the news that British singer George Michael has died aged 53.

Sir Elton John said:

I am in deep shock. I have lost a beloved friend - the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist. My heart goes out to his family and all of his fans.

Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley

"A great loss to his loved ones, his friends, the world of music, the world at large. 4ever loved. A xx"

Boy George

"I am thinking of @GeorgeMichael's family, friends and fans right now. 

"He was so loved and I hope he knew it because the sadness today is beyond words. Devastating. 

"What a beautiful voice he had and his music will live on as a testament to his talent. I can't believe he is gone. I hope the Buddha will hold him in his arms."

James Corden

The Late Late Show host, whose regular Carpool Karaoke slot began when he did it with George Michael for Comic Relief in 2011, said: "I've loved George Michael for as long as I can remember. He was an absolute inspiration. Always ahead of his time."

Paul Young

Singer Paul Young, who performed on the 1984 Band Aid hit Do They Know it's Christmas? with Michael, told BBC Radio 5 live that audiences "connected" with his voice.

He spoke about the time Michael joined him on stage for a Princes Trust Concert to do a duet on Young's hit Every Time You go Away. 

"He was literally straight out of the car, a quick chat on stage, no warm-ups or anything, and he just sang like a bird. Unbelievable really."

The list of tributes seemingly endless 

Below is our tribute to George, from London Cabby Joe Cartwright .... 

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Tribute To George Michael From Our Own Joe Cartwright

  

Music and entertainment celebrities from around the world have been reacting to the news that British singer George Michael has died aged 53.

Sir Elton John said:

I am in deep shock. I have lost a beloved friend - the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist. My heart goes out to his family and all of his fans.

Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley

"Me, his loved ones, his friends, the world of music, the world at large. 4ever loved. A xx"

Boy George

"I am thinking of @GeorgeMichael's family, friends and fans right now. 

"He was so loved and I hope he knew it because the sadness today is beyond words. Devastating. 

"What a beautiful voice he had and his music will live on as a testament to his talent. I can't believe he is gone. I hope the Buddha will hold him in his arms."

James Corden

The Late Late Show host, whose regular Carpool Karaoke slot began when he did it with George Michael for Comic Relief in 2011, said: "I've loved George Michael for as long as I can remember. He was an absolute inspiration. Always ahead of his time."

Paul Young

Singer Paul Young, who performed on the 1984 Band Aid hit Do They Know it's Christmas? with Michael, told BBC Radio 5 live that audiences "connected" with his voice.

He spoke about the time Michael joined him on stage for a Princes Trust Concert to do a duet on Young's hit Every Time You go Away. 

"He was literally straight out of the car, a quick chat on stage, no warm-ups or anything, and he just sang like a bird. Unbelievable really."

The list of tributes seemingly endless 

Below is our tribute to George, from London Cabby Joe Cartwright ....   

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Another Revolting Year....By I'm Spartacus

So here we are folks on the last lap, before some well earned r&r with our families.

So how's 2016 turned out, certainly not as many including  those so called experts and pollsters predicted, if they were KoL students they would all be on 84 days!

Pollution, Congestion, Illegal PFH, Touting, Accidents, Sexual Assaults, False medicals, all completely out of control with TfL clearly impotent.

As you will gather I have some insight into slave revolts and it's certainly been interesting watching the U mob attempt to hold Caesar Travis and his crew to account, quite what difference it will make to us is hard to discern but anything that affects their predatory unsustainable cost base can only be to our benefit.

I do think that the climate has recently changed and they will be under the microscope from tax and legal authorities.

I now turn to our very own Caesars at TfL, the 'Dear Jo' and Korsky correspondence clearly shows what senior individuals at TfL opinion of us is, this has been confirmed by a trade source that one of them 'hates us with a passion', just the kind of impartial even handed person NOT that should not head up a department with quasi-judicial functions.

It's untenable and Mike Brown , Mayor Khan and Val Shawcross know it.

I will let the fiasco of the Credit Cards implementation act as a trade reference for LTPH, what should have been an easy win has along with woeful enforcement of PH operators turned the vast majority of the trade from suspicion to absolute hostility towards them, that's a sorry state of affairs for all.

Another organisation on the charge sheet is the Met, whose calamitous handling of DBS processing has led to severe hardship for longstanding, honourable licensees, shortly Hogan Howe steps down, perhaps he might be gracious enough to apologise to us on his way to his peerage!

Moving swiftly on to our 'little Caesars' in the trade, it seems there's  a revolt brewing at W9 as rightly members are holding people to account, whatever organisation or union your in, do the same. 

No doubt I will have upset some with my musings, get over it, its not personal, it's politics.

Anyhow we are, despite predictions and all that others including shamefully our regulator has thrown at us, bloodied but unbowed and in the words of Nellie Pledge still 'stood standing there'.

The cycle of life moves on, loved ones leave us, some new ones to love arrive, it makes us sad or happy and sometimes both, it's ever thus.

Enjoy the precious things that matter, Be lucky!

I'm Spartacus 

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New Year Action??? If You Fail To Plan, You Plan To Fail.....by Dave Davies.

Smoke Mirrors And Political Style Bullshit, Baffles Brains

Do not be surprised about answers given by any so called authorities because they answer on the hoof ... political style, .... and if you wonder what that means? ... the best way to describe it is: bullshit baffles brains, ... and, I will have to get back to you on that, ... and its beyond my control... try another question!

There is clearly no other route except direct confrontation. I never thought I'd be driven to the last resort of complete civil disobedience, but as recent events surrounding the mobile phone footage of TFL transportation top hierarchy having cosy relations with self suited and high level financially corruptive Uber operatives, it is (and has obviously been for many years) patently corrupt, deceptive, and always questionable on the rationale of legal rules on written licensing obligations which were quashed in direct favour of ubers style of non private hire anarchy.

 So much for the: Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869... The London Stage Carriage Act 1907, ...The London Cab Act 1968... all Taken over by Politics, as the Greater London Authority Act 1999, and then The London Cab Order 2016 forced all Licensed taxi Driver to accept Credit cards?

Did anyone notice any change in private hire 'App' legislation?

The simple facts are it did not require notification because we were not on top of our game and our licensing authority had vested interests.... Substantial Licensing increases... and TFL corrupted covert Mayfair restaurant engagements. 

Many of us have survived through several recessions and kipper seasons and this January will be an exceptional kipper.

So keep doing what we do, ... pick everyone up and sell our trade as the only professional 'qualified' and knowledgeable service there is and drive kipper right up the arses of every family saloon car uber driver out there. 

Taxis are fit for all of the public including the disabled, plus passengers with guide dogs which entitles bus lane usage. We are superior in every way, verses 
family saloon private hire cars, driven by unqualified and mostly 
dangerously lost drivers. Without their sat nav drivers in London they can't operate, which is pathetic in a major world city... not a third world one...!

Merry Christmas & Keep up the fight.

greenbadgejohn

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The Further Backward We Can Look, The Further Forward We Can See......................By Semtex.

Not my words of course. But the words of arguably the greatest leader of people in England's history, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill. And the words make sense too, don't they ? 

Battles and wars are not always won on firepower, bravado and manpower. Indeed, the victors are very often the ones who use psychology, strategy and tactical stealth. 

It's been a rough old year for our battered profession, hasn't it ? Thanks to our former traitor Prime Minister's incestuous relationship with some of Uber's high command, London "registered" Uber mini cabs are now causing havoc as far up as the Midlands, Birmingham and further. Swooping onto areas of work for which genuine members of our industry have worked so hard to have the right to ply. The unqualified imposters are like the giant mutant rats who have recently infiltrated our shoreline. The green roundels from Palestra will be spotted on the moon next.

It can only get worse. The genie is out of the bottle, and I would be amazed if we or anyone else could get it back in.

So what then ? 

Where now ? 

Where do we go from here ? 

A trade Public Inquiry ? 

Hard Core United Demos ? 

Both ? 

What ?

Without doubt, we are under the cosh. Without doubt we have our work cut out, and without doubt we should have seen it coming. We should have put up a realistic challenge long before now too, but this is not the time to be looking back blaming each other and stewing in our mistakes. Christmas is here now. A chance to reflect. A chance to be with our loved ones. A chance to sit back for two minutes and hopefully plan where we are going next. And be grateful that we have that option, as not everyone has got it.

My mates will know that I have another professional life away from the Black Cab Trade. I train and operate a service traveling all over the world, with my Specialist Detection Dogs. I have done it for many years, and I absolutely love it. Most of the time I do anyway. Normally, and very sadly, when I get the call for assistance to deploy and load the dogs into the car, it is already too late for good news for the suffering families concerned, as my dogs are Blood and Human Tissue Detection Dogs. When the emergency services call for my help, they are generally not expecting a happy outcome.

For the last two weekends though, I have been assisting Suffolk Police and other Specialist Search Teams in the search for missing RAF Airman, Corrie McKeague. I haven't enjoyed it at all. I have sons around the same age as Corrie, only 23. His life in front of him, everything to live for. A good looking, strapping young lad, disappeared. Vanished into thin air. The kid must be somewhere, but it's not looking good. To look into his poor Mum's eyes and listen to her anguish and pleas to our specialist dog units, is a feeling that I find hard to describe. She is a very level headed, rational women too, a serving Police Officer no less. Her despair and heart breaking in half literally as she stands in front of us, was very upsetting. I struggle to think what this poor women and her immediate family's Christmas and Christmas's to come, will be like.

I am not one of those Bible bashing cranks, but attend my local church on any Sunday that I am not deployed with or training the dogs. I keep my Christian values and beliefs quite private, as I know it is not to everybody's taste.I understand why, too. I agree that the Big Man has much to answer for. Personally, I have had some extremely close calls in my life time, one in particular, but have honestly found strength through prayers and the church. I have not always been comfortable in some of the pathways that I have been forced to walk down in life either, so have used the church as an excuse for a pardon, and put the blame on someone else ! I'm not silly ! 

Normally, I only attend on the Sunday Service normal days, but this week and during an ordinary weekday, I found myself the only one in there, offering up a prayer for strength for the suffering family Of Corrie McKeague. It was the least I felt I could do, as our arduous search came to nothing. I hope to God that closure can come to these people, one way or other real soon. It must be hell on earth.

As I say, not everyone has the luxury of planning where to go next......but we do.  So let's get down to the drawing board .

A Public Inquiry for our trade will take time and money, but it may flush out the rats, and maybe we should throw the dice and go for it. On an optimistic note, it is nice to see our UCG Battalions will deploy in the New Year. Please trade org leaders, please consider supporting them. We can no longer continue with the football supporters mentality, and need every bit of help we can get.

I believe that 2017 will be a big game changer for our London trade, one way or the other. TFL don't need me to tell them that they just can't keep selling 600 mini cab licences a week without something very bad happening to the foundation infrastructure of London's ability to move around.  Or do they ?  

Perhaps they DO need me to tell them ! They MUST know it is ludicrous ! Somebody up there surely has to intervene. Mayor Khan, eh ? 

The promises, the spiel, the hype, the drama ! And what ? I tell you what. Two bob mate, that's what ! The same as Mike Brown. Absolutely useless ! Another two Government and Civil Service stooges. Another lame duck. Just like Livingstone, just like Johnson !  Just like Hendy.............Not worth a rub !

How about when our Mayor said London was open for business ?!!  

Its like saying that Wembley is open for business to go and see Adele perform.................you try and get in there !

London has melted down and paralysed itself. You just cannot put 100,000 mini cabs into a City built primarily for going from A to B in a horse and carriage ! As me and my taxi knowledge colleagues know, there are many parts of central London that have remained unchanged since the reign of Queen Victoria ! Quaint cobbled roads and streets, just about wide enough for a taxi. 

I hope it stays like that too. It is beautiful, it is historic and it is unique. But you don't have to be a Statistical Transport Analyst to grasp that you can't just add 100,000 extra vehicles in the mix, just because they earn you two and a half each ! Well, you can, but it's a false economy and sure to bite your arse somewhere down the line real soon.

One thing is blatantly obvious by now, The Great London Taxi Trade is surplus to requirements according to the Rt. Dishonourable Transport For London. They won't be happy until we are gone. Brown Bread. Extinct. And to give them their due they ain't doing too bad a job on us, either. We have had a terrible hiding this year, and if old cut man Danny Holland was still alive, he would have applied the vaseline and adrenalin sponge onto us a few rounds ago.

I am confident that 2017 will see our destiny decided for us folks, and it is entirely up to us, to decide who the victors are.

It is inconceivable to me to allow them bent shysters up there to beat us to pulp and finish us off forever. What they wouldn't give to host the winners celebration party among the dubious stench of City Hall and Palestra's party room, as we were carried into the Transport Museum.

Do you know what chokes me up the most though ? The thing that upsets me so much and winds me up like a spring ? 

We didn't deserve ANY of this ! We were doing the job that we had trained bloody long and hard for, in a professional, legal and honorable manner. We weren't incompetent, we weren't complacent, we weren't disrespectful. We worked hard, we proved ourselves through vigorous knowledge, thorough long drawn out training, and evidenced, transparent character investigation. We gave 100% loyalty and commitment and worked totally and utterly within the legal compliant remit of our profession. We served Governments and London's people with steadfast loyalty and abiding affection. Not for six months, not for five years and not even for fifty years. No, we served Government, London, Londoners and visitors to our great capital from all over the world..........for almost 400 years !

400 years of Platinum, Loyal and Professional service. And the distrustful, low punching, snidey betraying imbeciles of City Hall and Palestra.............have ceremoniously shit on us ! They have stood by and watched us struggle gulping for air, slowing dying , and witnessing some of our colleagues taking their own lives. Houses repossessed, marriages dissolved, family breakdown and taxis taken by bailiffs. Our working tools, our only hope and our future towed away from outside the door.

And for what ? 

What was in it for them ? 

I tell you what it was. Money. Loads of it. And loads more to come. They all thought it was worth it. They all thought that our Iconic, World famous brand known in every isolated corner of the globe, was worth killing off...............all for a poxy few quid ! And they didn't give a monkeys.

If I didn't have such a loving family and seriously ill stunningly beautiful wife, I would confront the lot of them on my own.

But I do, and thank God that I do, I am immensely grateful that I have.

I tell you what else I've got shall I ? I've got a Green Badge of Pride around my neck, I've got 25,000 good mates, I've got my health, I've got my strength and I've got the right fu**ing hump !

I've swapped the Government issued sub machine gun and balaclava for Unity, Democracy and the Right of Protest these days. And I'm gonna test the granny out of it after Christmas ! I shall be joining my UCG mates out there soon, and hopefully all of our other Trade Organisations, Clubs, Unions and Associations who I know will join them. We have much to fight for folks, but more importantly.......much to lose !

As our great Sir Winston also said "It's no use saying we are doing our best. You have got to succeed in doing what's necessary if you want to win the battle"

I can't wait to get stuck in. 

Colleagues, friends, allies, UK Taxi drivers nationally, fellow scribes and especially our own Taxi Leaks and it's legendary founder, Jim Thomas.....

May myself and my family wish you all a very Happy and Merry Christmas. I hope you all have peace, love, friendship and good luck, not just over the holiday but throughout the New Year. Enjoy you're families enjoy you're health and enjoy you're well earned rest. 

We have got a lot to do after Christmas. We are on the ropes for sure, but as we all know, not out of the fight yet. We can and will win this. You watch.

Be lucky all. Be careful Merry Christmas and God bless.

8829 Semtex.

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