TfL : Dancing On The Head Of A Pin....by I'm Spartacus.

So here it is folks an extract from the impact assessment from tunnel engineers MottMcDonald paid by TfL about the refusal of TfL to implement the 5 minute rule

We no longer have Plying for Hire and Pre Booking for PH but another concept of 'more immediate private hire' also known as for centuries as Plying for Hire for anyone with an ounce of brain.

'Operators offering digital only bookings: 

'Whilst all operators could be impacted by this proposal in theory, the operator group expected to be most affected by this proposal will be those only offering digital booking because the technology used is aimed at providing more "immediate private hire". 

'Stakeholder engagement also suggests that current average wait times for this operator group are below five minutes. Services could be deemed less flexible/convenient to passengers as a result of this proposal and therefore there is a risk that this could reduce patronage. This proposal is also likely to impact on vehicle utilisation, and the potential to offer more trips which would affect income.

'As this is a long term impact which could affect business operations and trade, the impact has been assessed as major adverse'. 

Nothing about how anything adverse is for us, public safety or anything else.

So Boris and TfL you had your chance to right a wrong, you have blown it.

'Those who sow the wind, reap the whirlwind'

I'm Spartacus

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LTDA Refuse Help With Crowdfunding Project And LCDC To Join With Campaigning Uber Drivers.

I've been told that the Action For Cabbies group, asked the LTDA to post an article in the new edition of Taxi paper. 

Allegedly, their request was rejected. The editor of Taxi paper obviously feels the story of a Taxi drivers acquitted of involvement in the Hatton Garden Heist would be of more interest to its readers, than the struggle of the wives, family and friends of Taxi drivers crowdfunding appeal to take TfL to court.

They then asked if the LTDA would kindly email their members informing them of the Action for Cabbies crowdfunding page. This too we are told, has been rejected.

 

Today, we find that the group representing private hire drivers, have been advertising the  Action for Cabbies campaign on social media and we believe they will now be encouraging all their members to pledge funding.

Even stranger however, after the LCDC's outright refusal to support the UCG's Whitehall demonstration, Grant Davis is now trying to gather support from all trade orgs and unions, to join up with the United Private Hire Drivers Group (this is the group which represents Uber drivers) with a demo in Whitehall.

In a leaked email to trade orgs, Grant said George Galloway would attend. Galloway recently address the UPHD meeting-also attended by the secretary of the LCDC-saying he would do everything in his power to support Private Hire drivers.

Grant said he hopes the UCG will cancel their demo and join with other trade orgs to support the Uber drivers who are on £4 an hour and have to claim benefit to make a living. 

So there you have it ...All this talk about unity and we have our largest association, offering no help to the Action for Cabbies group....And the LCDC who refused to support past and future demonstration by the UCG wanting to throw their lot in with Uber drivers.

Whether or not the other orgs and unions support this call, looks like the LCDC have already agreed to join with the Uber drivers in their struggle to get a bigger share from the work they are stealing from us.

Wonder how their membership feel about this! 

Did they even bother to ask their members?

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Uber boss suggests drivers use ’90s kids game to distract drunk passengers....By Kitty Knowles.

Uber's Chief Security Officer has recommended drivers keep a Bop It on the back seat to entertain drunks and keep their cab safe.

In the UK we get pretty chuffed if an Uber driver so much as hands over a bottle of water on a ride home from the pub.

Now, the cab company’s Chief Security Officer, Joe Sullivan, has suggested employees hand out something even better to the somewhat inebriated – a retro children’s toy.

Bop It, a Hasbro toy that has existed in various manifestations since 1996, is “a great way to keep drunk riders entertained so they don’t distract their driver”, says Sullivan.

The Uber boss spotted the trend in Charlotte, North Carolina, and recommends it to drivers elsewhere.

“If you use the Uber app in Charlotte, North Carolina you might find a Bop It toy in the back of your driver’s car. Folks there have found it’s a great way to keep drunk riders entertained so they don’t distract their driver.”

  

Source The Memo.com

Read Kitty Knowles' full article : >CLICK HERE<

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TREVOR MERRELLS Campaign Manager of the UCG Reply to LCDC's Chairman, Grant Davis.

               Trevor Merrells LTR Interview E40

by admin | Jan 26, 2016 | LTR Interviews, Podcasts | 0 comments

Carpe Diem : In the Wake Of The EU Taxi Alliance Demo, Next Wednesday... It's Our Turn

    

   

              REMEMBER YOUR FIVE A DAY :

Not not a lecture about healthy eating though I am sure we can all do better.

No just five key points to remember for when customer, the press or anyone else asks what the issues are concerning our trade.

1. Inadequate enforcement of the law by TfL.

2. Foreign multi nationals undermining local businesses with predatory pricing.

3. What seems to be an optional 3% tax rate for those above.

4. Unsustainable licensing of PH vehicles leading to pollution and congestion.

5. Clear political interference in licensing and regulation matters.

So there we are folks, no mention of the U word and very good to see trade orgs coming together, indeed as overheard in the shelter 'something must be up, people are attending LTDA meetings', let's all get active.

Remember your five a day and let's get the trade back to full health.

I'm Spartacus

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Carpe Diem : In the Wake Of The EU Taxi Alliance Demo, Next Wednesday, It's Our Turn

Remember Your Five A Day : 

Not not a lecture about healthy eating though I am sure we can all do better.
No just five key points to remember for when customer, the press or anyone else asks what the issues are concerning our trade.

1. Inadequate enforcement of the law by TfL.

2. Foreign multi nationals undermining local businesses with predatory pricing.

3. What seems to be an optional 3% tax rate for those above.

4. Unsustainable licensing of PH vehicles leading to pollution and congestion.

5. Clear political interference in licensing and regulation matters.

So there we are folks, no mention of the U word and very good to see trade orgs coming together, indeed as overheard in the shelter 'something must be up, people are attending LTDA meetings', let's all get active.

Remember your five a day and let's get the trade back to full health.

I'm Spartacus

Trevor Merrells UCG Interview

by admin | Jan 26, 2016 | LTR Interviews, Podcasts | 0 comments

    

 

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French PM bows to pressure after taxi drivers protest

Who says demos don't work! 

Tuesday morning saw France hit by yet another taxi strike, with drivers furious over what they claim to be unfair competition from private hire companies and web platforms like Uber. 

Prime Minister Manuel Valls met with a delegation representing various professional taxi organizations in the afternoon, in which he promised to appoint an independent mediator within two days.

Round table talks between taxi company chiefs and ministers would also take place and a three month consultation period would be launched.

Union heads at the meeting said Valls also promised an "intensification of checks" on private minicab firms, known as VTCs, whom taxi drivers accuse of flouting laws.. 

Valls later confirmed the information, although exactly what the intensification will involve remains unclear.

The main complaint of taxi drives is that the laws that are in place to ensure fairer competition with VTC are not being enforced.

They complain for example that VTC drivers cruise around looking to pick up clients which they are banned from doing so.

The taxi driver strike - the second since June last year - saw key roads to airports blocked and other strategic points across the country, some with burning tyres, and with motorists left with no choice but to endure heavy delays. 

Police made over 20 arrests, most at Porte Maillot on the western edge of Paris where protesting taxi drivers were holding demonstrations on the Paris ring road.

There were reports of Uber cars being attacks and a VTC driver being beaten up in the northern city of Lille.

PM Valls condemned the violence, which wasn't on the same level as a previous taxi protest last June. 

"There is a right to protest... even during a state of emergency," he said. "But violence is unacceptable."

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Police Fire Tear Gas At French Taxi Drivers In Anti Uber Protest

GParis police fired tear gas and taxi drivers lit bonfires on a major highway Tuesday amid nationwide strikes and protests over working conditions and competition from non-traditional services such as Uber.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls agreed to an emergency meeting with taxi drivers Tuesday afternoon, in an apparent attempt to defuse tensions. Tuesday's protests are the latest challenge to the Socialist government as it tries to modernize the economy and find France's place in an increasingly globalized, online marketplace.

One in five flights were canceled at Paris airports and other flights faced delays as air traffic controllers staged a walkout and taxi drivers disrupted roads. 

Twenty people were detained at protests around the French capital, according to Paris police, and i-Tele television reported that two people were injured at Orly Airport when a shuttle bus tried to force its way past a taxi drivers' blockade.

Some teachers and other public servants are also on strike over wages, education reforms and working conditions.

Hundreds of French taxis, joined by a few from Belgium and Spain, blocked a massive intersection leading into western Paris. Dozens of taxi drivers tried to march onto an eight-lane bypass, but police pushed them back with tear gas. Some drivers set pre-dawn bonfires, put out later by firefighters.

Traditional taxi drivers say they're suffering unfair competition from Uber, which has faced legal challenges around Europe.

Uber's lowest-cost service is banned in France and two Uber executives go on trial next month in Paris for fraud. Previous French taxi protests have also turned violent, with ambushes of Uber drivers and passengers.

Karim Asnoun, head of the CGT Taxi Union, said at Tuesday's Paris protest: "Unfortunately the governments are weak and as unemployment is pressuring them, they cede. They think they are creating jobs, whereas for every created job there is one that's destroyed."

Uber sent a message to French customers warning of potential violence, saying the goal of Tuesday's protest is "to put pressure on the government to ... limit competition." It warned that limiting app-based car services would raise costs, put drivers out of work and send customers back to the era "before apps and smartphones."

Protests were also held in other French cities.

 

Uber drivers "vandalize professionals who are paying taxes, who respect the rules," said Rachid Boudjema, 37, president of the taxi drivers union in Marseille. He described "American cowboys" who "want to destroy our system, the system we are all attached to."

EDITORIAL COMMENT:

A delegation of representatives from the London taxi trade, have signed up to an agreement to support our European colleagues.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE TRADE TO UNITE BEHIND THE ACTION TAKING PLACE IN LONDON ON FEBRUARY 3rd.

This text sent out today to all RMT members :

            **RMT LONDON TAXI**
                     **DRIVERS**

All,

RMT LTDB met with officers of the UCG yesterday at Unity House.
We have provisionally agreed to support the proposed industrial action. Both organisations are in agreement that the PHV Regs Review were the work of the Tory government who the trade must organise against.

RMT LTDB have been unequivocal in its stance that the deregulation of the licensed taxi industry is a Tory led attack and the branch has consistently argued this within the trade.

Details to follow.

In solidarity 
Lewis Norton

Branch Secretary

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