Another Uber Prius In Spontaneous Combustion Issue.

Another Uber Prius has burst into flames, this time on York Way. This is what happens when drivers share vehicles and the car is on the road virtually 24 hours a day.

This will probably be a familiar sight as more and more of the new 600 PH drivers per week, realise they can't afford to rent/lease these vehicles on their own and take to sharing with other drivers. 

This vehicle is not suitable to be used constantly over a 24 hour period, as we've seen. But will TfL take the same line they did when TX4s were spontaneous combusting?   

How long before some one is seriously burned or even killed?

Will TfL enforce a recall and  take these seriously dangerous vehicles off the road until they can be modified, so as not to put the public at risk.

Well, I wouldn't hold your breath waiting.

Normally, the first thing these drivers take from the vehicle when they're involved in an accident or major incident, is the private hire licence roundel. Doesn't look like this driver had time.

   Photos: Steven Luton. 

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Uber driving cabbies out of London', says Broxbourne MP

Private hire company Uber is trying to drive black-cab drivers out of London, according to a prominent Tory.

Charles Walker, MP for Broxbourne, made the claim after the High Court ruled last week that Uber drivers' smart phones are not taxi meters, making its operation in London legal.

The case was brought by Transport for London and Uber to seek clarification on the point, as London cabbies claimed Uber drivers were operating with illegal meters.

Mr Walker said: "The bigger issue is if you want a licensed black-cab trade in London.

"Black cabs are heavily regulated, and that means they have a high cost of doing business.

"But it's whether you want to invest in that licensed taxi trade, and that investment is four or five years doing The Knowledge."

The Knowledge is an intensive test of more than 6,000 roads, taken by London cab drivers.

Uber drivers are not held to the same regulations, but they must take a "private hire test".

Many black-cab drivers live in Broxbourne, and some have voiced concern that Uber could soon be looking to expand into the borough.

Cab driver Tony Siracusa, who is also chairman of the regulatory committee at Broxbourne Borough Council, said: "As far as I'm concerned and the industry is concerned, it is a meter.

"They should only be able to give a set price, the reason a taxi can have a meter is the driver will have The Knowledge."

He added: "If they applied for a taxi licence in Broxbourne, I don't think it would be passed."

Fellow cab driver Steve O'Hara, a boxing coach at Cheshunt ABC, said drivers were looking to challenge the decision at the Supreme Court.

He added he was concerned that as many as 600 private hire licences are being issued in London each week and this could have an impact on roads.

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Brighton And Hove Council Licence Uber As PH Operator.

The company had applied for a licence to operate in the city. A decision was put on hold earlier this week. 

But earlier today we were informed that Uber will now be granted a private taxi hire operator’s licence by Brighton & Hove City Council.

The council says it is minded to grant a licence for a year from its launch date, yet to be announced. 

Councillors on the panel have agreed Uber can operate initially for a year to test their commitment to meeting the city’s taxi service standards. 

They would have to abide by all the conditions in the Blue Book – a set of guidelines for the local cab trade.

Going by Ubers past performance, they run roughshod over regulations, saying it's easier to seek forgiveness than permission. 

Uber stated at a licensing committee meeting on Monday’s that they wanted to be treated the same as every other operator in the city.  They would only be allowed to send Brighton & Hove-registered drivers to pick up customers.

Uber In Brighton: Taxi operators express  much 'concern':

Other taxi operators shared their concern at Monday's meeting about the company operating on an un-level playing field. 

However at this stage they were not able to provide detailed information about commencement dates and service details.  Work on these could not start until the firm was certain they would obtain a licence.

All Uber drivers will have to hold the same licence as any other private hire driver, which includes a check by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), successor to the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).

Uber representatives told the panel they were already licensed in 33 council areas in the UK, though not yet operating in all of them.

Panel chair Cllr Mo Marsh said:  “We want Uber to compete on a level playing field by signing up to the terms of the Blue Book.  They made a commitment to do that in public and this one-year permission will test the strength of that commitment.”

Perhaps Cllr Mo should have also insisted that each vehicle should carry hire and reward insurance as a protection to passengers and other third parties. Uber have already received fines in London for falling to oversee their "partners" ar fully insured.  

Should be very interesting to follow this story, considering the homophobic views of many of Uber's drivers.

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TFL GET IT WRONG...AGAIN : UCG ASK FOR REPORTS OF COMPLIANCE ACTIVITY.

TfL are appealing for reports of any  unlicensed taxis and minicabs in London. But can't even get capacity right! 

 Screen shot from TfL Website: 

IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THIS PAGE? 

Are they sure?

Dear TfL. Could you please tell me where I can purchase a licensed Taxi cab that has the capacity for 8 passenger seats

However, if you do see unlicensed Taxis or Minjcabs operating in London, contact TfL on >report an operator or driver<

REPORT COMPLIANCE ACTIVITY, THIS WEEK END TO UCG CAMPAIGNS:

Also, please don't forget to report sightings of any form of enforcement or compliance over his week end.

The UCG campaigns committee, invite drivers to tweet any sightings of Taxi/Minicab enforcement, either from the Police (Met and CoL) or LTPH compliance (Operation Neon) from Thursday, through to Sunday.

Please use the hashtag #SpotTFLTPH as we are compiling a deployment record of place, time and date where compliance teams are seen.

Alternatively, if you don't have a Twitter account, you can post sightings to our FaceBook page. 

Don't forget to add the hashtag #SpotTFLTPH give location, time and date,as this makes it easier to collate all the data. 

Photos are also welcome but please don't attempt to use camera or phone unless stationary.

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Londoner left penniless after hackers break into Uber account

Londoner woke up on the weekend to discover his Uber profile had been hacked and his bank account emptied.

Neil Thomas, 35, from Ladbroke Grove, was billed just over £2700 for four journeys he never made.

He's adamant no one else had access to his phone, which was by his bedside all night, and is protected by a six digit pass code and touch ID fingerprint recognition.

Musician Neil noticed payments for £5, £756.03, £1395.89 and £551.97 had left his account overnight when he checked his bank statement on Saturday morning.  

Neil's Nationwide bank statement showing the three payments leaving his account on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th.

“I contacted Nationwide and was told Uber had made a number of withdrawals from my account,” Neil told us.

“I’m a struggling musician with very little money at the best of times and it crippled me.”

When he contacted Uber to find out how his account had been hacked, Neil was given a cyber security lecture.

They advised him not to use the same passwords and email addresses across different platforms.

Worryingly, they also told him: “instances like this aren’t always preventable.”

As an apology, they offered Neil £12.95 off his next Uber – over two pounds less than new customers get just for signing up!

“They gave me the usual line of ‘we take your security very seriously’,” Neil told us.

“But I want to know how somebody can go into your account and take your money.

“I’m disappointed Uber doesn’t have any safeguards against this – it’s obvious that a fare of £1,395 is suspicious.

“Offering me £12.95 was just insulting.”

It’s not the first time doubts have been cast over the Uber app’s security.

Earlier this year thousands of customers, including TV presenter Anthea Turner, also claimed they were charged for trips they did not make. 

Whilst Uber have refunded Neil, he has no way of withdrawing money because the hack prompted Nationwide to cancel his debit card.

 “I’ve had to cancel events as I can’t get there or pay entry so it’s been a major inconvenience,” Neil explained.

We contacted Uber to ask them to explain how Neil’s account was hacked and how other users can stay safe.

Here’s what they told us:

“Someone would have got access to his password and logged into his account.”

When we asked them how users can stay safe, they repeated the line they have Neil:

“Our advice to Uber customers would be - don’t use the same username and password on all your online accounts.”

Not satisfied with this response, Neil has brought his complaint to A Spokesman Said to raise awareness.

“There has been no contrition and no effort towards meaningful compensation for crippling me financially for a week.”

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Letters To The Editor : The Best Solutions, Always The Simple Ones.

The current crop of compliance officers are paid on nights far in excess of a Police constable in the Met/City Police, British transport Police or any regional force.

So why is there a problem?

Semtex quite rightly says, without powers of arrest or powers to STOP they will achieve nothing.

£38,000 for working a 37 hour a week is fantastic but what is their brief from their bosses.

I attented a meeting with Danny Sullivan and unite's Peter Bond about compliance enforcement before the Olympics with Helen Chapman and ex cab enforcement pc Paul Smithers. Paul Smithers name I had never heard of before who worked under sgt Dave Hilson. I believe he must of kept his head down running up to retirement.

So now he is Helen Chapman's consultant who told the meeting that there are 69 warranted cab enforcement officers. 

Has anyone ever seen them? 

I told Helen Chapman that compliance teams should consist of at least one Policeman/Cab Enforcement officer and two compliance officers in a van. The copper can put on a high viz coat eg in Bayswater road, he can then stop two minicabs followed by one taxi to do a compliance check.

Simple you might think.... But Helen chapman was having NONE OF IT.

The Street offences squad who patrol Oxford Street should take over the compliance teams. They know who the villains who steal from tourists in the west end and will take them 5 minutes to know the people touting in Minicabs.

Lets cut the team in half and only keep the best dedicated staff.

Tony Casey. 

Why Can't They Get It Right:

The Met say, Cab Enforcement  officers are warranted, have the power to stop/arrest but we're told they don't have the budget. So what do they do with the money TfL give them?

On the other hand, TfL compliance say have the budget to employ 82 officers! But these officers, mainly seconded from other duties such as revenue protection, don't have the power of warranted enforcement officers.

Surely the solution is simple. 

Take the budget off the toothless TfL compliance and increase the funding given to the Met Cab Enforcement. 

But with the stipulation that they only get the money, if the they have a visible effect and we see reasonable results.

What ever happened to the hi-vis stops in Bayswater Road, Charing Cross Road and Knightsbridge. How easy to check for H&R insurgence and documentation. 

Gerald Coba. 

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Enforcers, Imposters or Saviours? ..........by Semtex

Nothing in life makes me more frustrated than professional incompetence. Despite our apparent prolific steps we make in technology, science, medical research, mini cab apps and much more, basic incompetence is all around us as we go about our daily lives. 

Some of it is caused because the person or persons have been inadequately trained, some of it is caused by lack of interest, despite good training, and some of it is caused by the employers, in an inexcusable effort to save money by not getting the fully trained candidates in the first place.

There are probably a million reasons for it I guess, but either way, when blatantly confronted with it, I get really wound up.
 
A few years ago, I was confronted with a serious road traffic collision in Moorgate outside the tube station. The road was two way then. It was a motorcyclist and a van involved. The paramedics pulled up, blues and twos on and then the ambulance just stopped. 

I was puzzled to see what the problem was for the young lady driver, and assumed there was something blocking the road, which in turn was preventing her access to the scene.
 
I sat patiently stationery in the cab, and so did the paramedics. The two tones were still sounding and her blue beacons were still flashing, although the ambulance was motionless. The motorcyclist at this time had gone into shock and started shaking uncontrollably. 

Professional help was only 100 yards away, but may well just as been 100 miles ! 

I decided to get out the cab and see what the problem was. By this time the motorcyclist is in a bad way. The passenger member of the ambulance crew had thankfully grabbed his bag and began a sprint to the scene, but still the lady driver medic sat behind the wheel, 100 yards from the injured parties. 

As I approached the ambulance, she too jumped out and began making her way to the collision scene. Still bemused, I asked if there was a problem with the ambulance. She looked as me as though I was an imbecile and said "How do you expect me to get the ambulance through there !?" pointing towards the more than ample gap in the traffic. 

I was utterly flabbergasted ! 

Every single one of us professional cab drivers would have got the ambulance through the gap at 70 mph, eating a bagel at the same time !  

Without thinking, I jumped in the ambulance, pulled it through the gap, drove it up to the scene, and got back into my cab. The applause from the spectating public was rapturous, but believe me, I was no hero. Furthermore, I realise my actions were not only discouraged, but illegal.

The motorcyclist and his family would have probably thought differently however. There is absolutely no way on earth, that a professional driver, let alone a professional emergency response driver, should have had any problem with that manoeuver whatsoever! But she did.

Her medical skills were probably superb, but without being able to drive both confidently and competently at speed to a motorcyclist losing blood and just gone into shock..............what is the point ?
 
Which leads me to my concerns. Transport For London have always had a Compliance Section for London Taxis and Private Hire, and without sounding disrespectful, they have always been useless. 

Their conviction record or rather, lack of it, speaks for itself and is dire. Their defence at any slurs that come from the likes of me however, have always been to explain that they just haven't got enough resources to deal with the problem. 

To a very small degree, I can see the point they make, but in all honesty, if any organisation issue licences for anything, be it driving, shooting, fishing, flying.......whatever, then they have to make arrangements to ENFORCE THE LAWS on the said licences that they charge for and issue, to ensure that all terms of the licences are being complied with and adhered to.

 
Many of our trade remember being under the control of the Metropolitan Police for our licences. Some of us loved it that way, some of us hated it, but that is not the essence of my post. 

The fact is, when our trade was under the umbrella of the Met, there is no doubt whatsoever, that they did an excellent job of both enforcing the conditions of our cab licences and making sure that our compliance to the said licences were adhered to at all times.
 
Now look at the state of the place!

There is not a London Taxi Driver who wont be able to reflect my opinion of how inexcusable and out of control, mini cab touting in our Capital has become.

They are everywhere, like ants ! I would like to think that even TFL themselves would admit that the situation of PHV compliance is a huge problem now and effective action needs to be launched immediately.
 
Personally, I think that the powers in charge make far too much of the brief. 

I applied unsuccessfully for the appointment of Head of Compliance. Had I have got the job, trust me that within a fortnight, the difference in the West End and City  would have been apparent, measureable and reducing with every weekend. 

It's not difficult to enforce the law and to be honest, any surveillance skills that the new man may have....will be wasted.

The touts are blatantly obvious !
 
The problem is though, the Metropolitan Police Service are currently operating on a very tight budget. 

Coppers are apparently getting buses to crime scenes, ffs !

If that is true, then naturally, mini cab touting not only comes very far down the Met's priority list, but just cannot be dealt with on the current financial structure............end of.

So what now then ?  

If the Police can't deal with the touts for whatever reason............who will ?
 
TFL said they will, and indeed have recruited a very capable and hard hitting ex-copper who comes with an excellent CV. 

Whatsmore, it is TFL who are selling these mini cab licences, and raking in millions of pounds at the same time. 

It is surely down to them to supply adequate enforcement to monitor compliance of the licences they are selling ?

BUT.......and this is where it gets silly..........what use are the new compliance officers under the new man's command.........UNLESS THEY HAVE FULL POWERS OF LAWFUL ARREST ?
 
To my mind, employing compliance officers to catch touts and deal with them APPROPRIATELY, is akin to employing the paramedic who couldn't drive the ambulance, POINTLESS !

The Met can't even train POLICE OFFICERS to the pre-Hendon standard, let alone Taxi and Private Hire Compliance Officers. 

So that's the police out of it for any realistic enforcement.
 
So how are we going to deal with this issue then, or rather, how are TFL going to deal with it ? The way I see it is, TFL have been on a recent recruitment drive for these pointless and toothless Compliance Officers. They will probably give it a stab to make it work, but trust me, they will achieve nothing, and at a huge public money cost.
 
This is why I got so frustrated for the 71.2% of the UCG's membership, who voted to suspend the successful Demos, to give the Police and TFL a chance to make it happen. 

It was impossible ever to happen ! They haven't got the financial budget, they haven't got the professional resources and they haven't got the powers ! So what did our colleagues think was going to happen ?

  
Well, even though I said it at the time, you don't need me to actually prove and show you what has happened since the Demo suspensions, do you ?
 
ZILCH !   

NOTHING !   

NOT A GOD DAMMNED THING !    

IT'S JUST GOT WORSE !  

AND IT WILL GET WORSE THAN IT IS NOW, YOU WATCH !
 
There is of course only one realistic way to combat this evolving menace, and that is by doing this.....
 
Part of the City Hall's budget to the Mayor, needs to be set aside for a proper, professional squad of LTPH Enforcement & Compliance Officers, headed by the same man as just been appointed. 

HOWEVER, these cannot be just any officers, they need to be chosen and plucked from either the Met or City Police, all with full powers of arrest and seconded ONLY to the LTPH Compliance Team.....NOTHING ELSE !
 
I have always preached it. If you have a full on, committed, lead by example Head of Compliance, backed by 20 or so hand picked police officers who actually WANT AND DESIRE to be on the team and who want to make a difference.......................
a hugely realistic and potent difference will be seen on them streets within TWO WEEKS ! YES, TWO WEEKS, JUST A FORTNIGHT!
 
I know I'm an anorak, but I actually dream of doing that brief ! I would honestly do it for nothing ! It would be so satisfying to clear that lot out and make a massive difference ! Anyone with half an idea on this deployment could assure promotion and huge personal satisfaction on the back of the London Mini Cab Tout problem.
 
As I say, the new man in charge ex- Met Superintendent Matt Bell is no slouch. He will know what is expected, know his patch and know how serious the problem is. However, its not Matt Bell who I am worried about, its the team of compliance officers that will be working with him that I have the problem with.

Without powers of arrest, what are they going to enforce ? 

If they can't nick them, what can they do ? 

Report them ? 

Give them a piece of paper that states that they are to be reported, cautioned and dealt with by law ?

That maybe all OK if the car they have stopped isn't a ringer, or belonging to somebody in Strathclyde who thought the vehicle was still outside the fish and chip shop where they left it last night !  Issuing a paperwork form to a stopped driver seen touting  is equally just as useless if it transpires that the driver has no driving licence, no legal entry into the UK and only yesterday was looking up a goat's arse hole from inside a desert tent in Syria.

Without powers to arrest the suspect, take him in for questioning, seize and crush his vehicle, keep him in remand till Monday and take him by police transport to Westminster Magistrates Court to get 6 months in the nick.....................
WHAT IS THE POINT ?   WHERE IS THE FEAR FOR THE TOUT ?
 
I have trained detection and protection dogs for over twenty years now. If you saw me remove a set of dentures out of a 55 kilo German Shepherd's mouth JUST before setting it on you...................would you be quaking in you're boots ?

I doubt it ! 
After all, if the dog can't bite you, what harm can it do you ? 

Exactly, None !
 
So when TFL let this new army of Compliance Officers loose with no powers of arrest, and no likelihood of vehicle seizure or custody potential for the tout onto our streets, what impact do you expect these officers to make to a hardened and habitual mini cab tout, then?

Absolutely !  No impact whatsoever ! 

They will take the paperwork, and if its thin enough and like that carbon type paper, probably roll a spliff with it ! 

They will then drive round the corner and begin touting again, likely disenchanted that they have lost 30 minutes work ! Don't forget, a lot of these touts are used to looking down the barrels of machine guns, they ain't worried, frightened or deterred about a paperwork caution !
 
Folks, unless TFL employ a proper team of lawful enforcers out on those streets, instead of a battalion of ill equipped imposters..................the situation will, and can only get worse and worse and worse.

I assume the 71.2% of our colleagues who called for the demo suspensions are fully aware now that the promise of adequate mini cab tout compliance is as hollow as a Tesco's Easter Egg ! 

That was merely a ruse designed for our trade to lose it's grip and combined momentum, that's all. 

The IRA used that ploy dozens of times in the 70's. It gives them TIME !
 
There is no doubt whatsoever, that the touting situation in London by both licensed and unlicensed mini cabs is epidemic. Unless something realistic and viable is deployed very soon to thwart it, there will be an uprising on our London streets. And that will be unhelpful to everyone.
 
There is and always has been something in my mind that I worry about in relation to all this though. How about if TFL had absolutely no intention of stopping the touting problem in the first place, and were merely going through the motions to make it look like they were concerned ?
 
On the other hand, I'm a pessimistic old dinosaur these days, and in the real world that I increasingly shirk from, that wouldn't or couldn't really happen.   Would it ? Could it ?  Course not !  I shall just have to keep taking my tablets !
 
Be Lucky all.
 
8829 Semtex.

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