TfL Press Release : New Tariffs

 

Annex B: Projected licensed taxi cost index changes 2015

Index Component1	Cost Increase	Weight2	Contribution to Total3	Data availability4
		Last Year		Latest
Vehicle Cost	8.6%	9.1%	0.8%	N/A
Parts5	1.8%	4.2%	0.1%	November 2015
Tyres5	1.8%	0.6%	0.0%	November 2015
Garage & servicing – premises5	1.8%	0.6%	0.0%	November 2015
Garage & Servicing – labour5	1.8%	2.0%	0.0%	November 2015
Fuel6	-12.8%	10.6%	-1.4%	Sep – Nov 2015
Insurance7	11.3%	4.5%	0.5%	November 2015
Miscellaneous	0.8%	1.0%	0.0%	N/A
The Knowledge8	2.4%	5.4%	0.1%	Aug – Oct 2015
Social Costs8	2.4%	2.8%	0.1%	Aug – Oct 2015
Total Operating Costs	0.6%	40.7%	0.3%
Average national earnings8	2.4%	59.3%	1.4%	Aug – Oct 2015
Grand Total	3.0%	100%	1.7%

 

Notes

1.          The index components are as normally used in the cost formula. Further details are available on request.

2.           ‘Weight’ is the proportion that the component contributes to the total cost per mile.

3.          ‘Contribution to total’ indicates the importance of each component’s cost change in determining the overall cost change. It is calculated for each component as the product of its percentage cost increase and its weight. The Grand Total is the sum of the individual components’ contributions.

4.          The ‘latest’ column under ‘Data availability’ indicates the dates to which data in the ‘cost increase’ column relates.

5.          As agreed in 2011, costs for Parts, Tyres and Garaging will be uplifted by the yearly change in the Office for National Statistics RPI figure for “motoring expenditure: maintenance of motor vehicles” (DOCT) published on 15 December 2015. 

6.          The change in fuel costs relates to the change from the average of the AA diesel price for the 3 months to December 2014 to the 3 months to November 2015. This figure will be revised as further monthly data becomes available.

7.          As agreed in 2011, costs for insurance will be uplifted by the yearly change in the Office for National Statistics RPI figure for “motoring expenditure: vehicle tax and insurance” (DOCV) published on 15 December 2015. 

8.          Provisional Knowledge, Social Costs and Average National Earnings changes are based on the year on year ONS average weekly earnings growth for the three months to October 2015.

 

TfL Pricing & Forecasting

23 December 2015

 

Appendix 2 

Details of taxi cost calculations

This table shows the cost per mile of each cost component in 2014 and 2015. 

 

Component of index	Cost p per mile in 2014	Proportion of costs in 2015	Cost p per mile in 2015	Increase in costs 2015	Contribution to total increase
Vehicle Cost	21.25	9.7%	23.08	8.6%	0.8%
Parts	9.89	4.2%	10.07	1.8%	0.1%
Tyres	1.46	0.6%	1.49	1.8%	0.0%
Garage & Servicing - Premises	1.34	0.6%	1.36	1.8%	0.0%
Garage & Servicing - Labour	4.74	2.0%	4.83	1.8%	0.0%
Fuel	24.92	9.1%	21.73	-12.8%	-1.4%
Insurance	10.53	4.9%	11.72	11.3%	0.5%
Miscellaneous	2.35	1.0%	2.37	0.8%	0.0%
The Knowledge	12.64	5.4%	12.95	2.4%	0.1%
Social Costs	6.48	2.8%	6.64	2.4%	0.1%
Total operating costs	95.60	40.3%	96.24	0.7%	0.3%
Average national earnings	139.16	59.7%	142.51	2.4%	1.4%
Grand Total	234.76	100.0%	238.74	3.1%	1.7%

 

 

Note that increases are rounded to one decimal place in the table, but greater precision has been used in the calculations.

Vehicle Cost

 

Four strategies have been considered for purchasing a cab:

 

1.       Purchase new and run to scrap, 

2.       Purchase new and sell at 4 years, 

3.       Purchase at 4 years and sell at 8, 

4.       Purchase at 8 years and run to scrap. 

 

Table 2 below gives the costs for the 4 strategies (as supplied by LTC in 2015). They relate to TX4 models for all strategies. 

 

Table 3 shows the corresponding costs provided for 2014.

 

Table 2: Vehicle Cost 2015

 

Strategy	Model	HP rate	Price	Deposit	Term	Payments	Total	Less Value	Net Cost	Total cost over 12 years
1	TX4 E6	9.20%	£42,795	£4,280	48	£1,097.69	£56,969	£0	£56,969	£56,969
2	TX4 E6	9.20%	£42,795	£4,280	48	£1,097.69	£56,969	£25,677	£31,292	£93,875
3	TX4 E5	11.40%	£26,100	£2,610	48	£712.53	£36,811	£11,750	£25,061	£75,184
4	TX4 E4	11.40%	£14,750	£1,475	36	£494.86	£19,290	£0	£19,290	£57,870

 

Table 3: Vehicle Cost 2014

 

Strategy	Model	HP rate	Price	Deposit	Term	Payments	Total	Less Value	Net Cost	Total cost over 12 years
1	TX4 E5	9.20%	£37,995	£3,800	48	£974.57	£50,579	£0	£50,579	£50,579
2	TX4 E5	9.20%	£37,995	£3,800	48	£974.57	£50,579	£22,797	£27,782	£83,346
3	TX4 E4	11.40%	£24,400	£2,440	48	£666.12	£34,414	£9,500	£24,914	£74,741
4	TX4 E4	11.40%	£12,500	£1,250	36	£419.38	£16,348	£0	£16,348	£49,043

 

Table 4 shows indicative Vito purchase costs.

 

Table 4: Vehicle Cost of Vito Taxis 2015 and 2014

Year	Model	HP rate	Price	Deposit	Term	Payments	Total	Less Value	Net Cost	Total cost over 12 years
2015	Vito	3.00%	£43,000	£4,300	48	£903.00	£47,644	£0	£47,644	£47,644
2014	Vito	4.00%	£42,995	£4,300	48	£935.13	£49,186	£0	£49,186	£49,186

 

In October 2015 Vito taxis made up 11.6% of the fleet. Purchase costs for these taxis and the TX models have been weighted using this figure to provide an overall average purchase cost.

 

The average cost over 12 years in 2014 was £62,652 or 23.73 pence per mile. The average cost for the same strategies in 2015 was £68,257 or 25.85 pence per mile, giving an increase of 8.7 per cent.

 

Pence per mile rates have been calculated assuming an annual vehicle mileage of 22,000 miles. 

 

Parts, Tyres, Garaging & Servicing

In 2011 a study was conducted comparing the changes in costs associated with parts, tyres, garaging and servicing incorporated into the cost index over recent years with the yearly changes in the Office for National Statistics RPI figure for “motoring expenditure: maintenance of motor vehicles” (DOCT). The study concluded that the two series were comparable and it was agreed to use this ONS RPI figure to represent these cost index items in future.

 

In November 2015 the DOCT RPI series showed an annual increase of 1.8 per cent. This gives an increase in the cost per mile of these components from 17.43p in 2014 to 17.75p in 2015.

 

Fuel

The Derv price index from Arval, which has been used to calculate the change in fuel price, was discontinued in 2013. In deciding on an alternative source of fuel price data analysis of London diesel prices from the AA (available at http://ift.tt/1LcuhRH) shows close correlation with the Arval Derv price index. Based on AA data last used to calculate the index, the average fuel price over the three months to December 2014, was compared with the AA average price over the latest three months to November 2015. This gives a value of 110.6p per litre compared to 126.9p, giving a decrease of 12.8 per cent.

 

Insurance

A similar comparison to that made for parts, tyres and garaging costs was made of previous years’ cost index insurance figures versus the ONS RPI series figure for “motoring expenditure: vehicle tax and insurance” (DOCV), and again it was decided to use the RPI figure in future cost index revisions.

 

In November 2015 the DOCV RPI series showed an increase of 4.7 per cent compared to the benchmark October price level used to calculate the last index. This gives an increase in the cost per mile of these components from 10.53p in 2014 to 11.72p in 2015.

 

Miscellaneous

This comprises the cost of hiring a meter, smoke test, vehicle licence and driver licence. The average cost in 2014 was £481 or 2.35 pence per mile. The average cost for the same strategies in 2015 was £485 or 2.37 pence per mile, giving an increase of 0.9 per cent. 

 

Earnings Related

The latest average weekly earnings data (headline rate ONS series KAC3) show a 2.4% increase for the three months to November 2015, compared to the three months to November 2014 used for the 2015 index. This gives a cost per mile figure for the updated index of 142.5p, representing 59.7 per cent of the total index cost.  

 

The “knowledge” and “social” costs have also been uplifted each year in line with national earnings. In 2015 these increased to 12.95p and 6.64p respectively, together representing a further 8.1 per cent of the total index cost.

 

TfL Pricing & Forecasting

23 December 2015

 

 

 

 

Appendix 3

Tariff Changes – 1.6 per cent average increase[1]

 

Tariff Changes – 1.6 per cent average increase

 

Average Fares

 

	Current average	New average	Increase (£)	Increase (%)
Tariff 1	£11.51	£11.69	£0.18	1.6%
Tariff 2	£13.34	£13.56	£0.21	1.6%
Tariff 3	£15.67	£15.92	£0.25	1.6%
All Week	£12.72	£12.92	£0.20	1.6%

 

Tariff Rates – 1.6 per cent average increase

 

		Tariff 1		Tariff 2		Tariff 3
		Current	New	Current	New	Current	New
minimum fare[2]		£2.40	£2.60	£2.40	£2.60	£2.40	£2.60
minimum units		2	2	2	2	2	2
metres/unit < 6 miles		126.2	123.9	102.5	100.6	82.7	81.2
secs/unit < 6 miles		27.1	26.6	22.0	21.6	17.8	17.5
metres/unit > 6 miles		88.5	86.9	88.5	86.9	88.5	86.9
secs/unit > 6 miles		19.0	18.7	19.0	18.7	19.0	18.7
Units at lower rate		76	77	94	95	116	118
Metres at lower rate		9591.2	9540.3	9635.0	9557.0	9593.2	9581.6
changeover fare		£17.40	£17.80	£21.00	£21.40	£25.40	£26.00

 

Example Fares – 1.6 per cent average increase

 

Journey length	Tariff 1			Tariff 2			Tariff 3
Miles	Current	New	Change	Current	New	Change	Current	New	Change
minimum	£2.40	£2.60	8.3%	£2.40	£2.60	8.3%	£2.40	£2.60	8.3%
0.5	£3.40	£3.60	5.9%	£3.60	£3.80	5.6%	£4.00	£4.20	5.0%
1.0	£4.60	£4.80	4.3%	£5.20	£5.40	3.8%	£6.00	£6.20	3.3%
1.5	£6.00	£6.20	3.3%	£6.80	£7.00	2.9%	£8.00	£8.20	2.5%
2.0	£7.20	£7.40	2.8%	£8.40	£8.60	2.4%	£9.80	£10.20	4.1%
2.5	£8.40	£8.80	4.8%	£10.00	£10.20	2.0%	£11.80	£12.20	3.4%
3.0	£9.80	£10.00	2.0%	£11.60	£11.80	1.7%	£13.80	£14.20	2.9%
3.5	£11.00	£11.40	3.6%	£13.00	£13.40	3.1%	£15.80	£16.20	2.5%
4.0	£12.40	£12.60	1.6%	£14.60	£15.00	2.7%	£17.60	£18.20	3.4%
4.5	£13.60	£14.00	2.9%	£16.20	£16.60	2.5%	£19.60	£20.20	3.1%
5.0	£14.80	£15.20	2.7%	£17.80	£18.20	2.2%	£21.60	£22.20	2.8%
6.0	£17.40	£18.00	3.4%	£21.00	£21.60	2.9%	£25.40	£26.00	2.4%
7.0	£21.00	£21.60	2.9%	£24.60	£25.20	2.4%	£29.00	£29.80	2.8%
8.0	£24.80	£25.40	2.4%	£28.20	£29.00	2.8%	£32.80	£33.40	1.8%
9.0	£28.40	£29.00	2.1%	£31.80	£32.60	2.5%	£36.40	£37.20	2.2%
10.0	£32.00	£32.80	2.5%	£35.40	£36.40	2.8%	£40.00	£40.80	2.0%
11.0	£35.60	£36.40	2.2%	£39.20	£40.00	2.0%	£43.60	£44.60	2.3%
12.0	£39.20	£40.20	2.6%	£42.80	£43.80	2.3%	£47.20	£48.40	2.5%
13.0	£43.00	£44.00	2.3%	£46.40	£47.40	2.2%	£51.00	£52.00	2.0%
14.0	£46.60	£47.60	2.1%	£50.00	£51.20	2.4%	£54.60	£55.80	2.2%
15.0	£50.20	£51.40	2.4%	£53.60	£54.80	2.2%	£58.20	£59.40	2.1%
16.0	£53.80	£55.00	2.2%	£57.40	£58.60	2.1%	£61.80	£63.20	2.3%
18.0	£61.00	£62.40	2.3%	£64.60	£66.00	2.2%	£69.00	£70.60	2.3%
20.0	£68.40	£69.80	2.0%	£71.80	£73.40	2.2%	£76.40	£78.00	2.1%

All example fares assume entire journey charged on distance rates

Tariff times 

·        Tariff 1: Monday to Friday between 06:00 and 20:00 

·        Tariff 2: Monday to Friday between 20:00 and 22:00, Saturday and 

·        Sunday between 06:00 and 22:00  

·        Tariff 3: Every night between 22:00 and 06:00, Public holidays

 

 

---

[1] An increase of 1.6% has been selected as the 1.7% increase in fares calculated this year is offset by the 0.1% decrease calculated last year, which was not implemented.

[2] The minimum fare is increasing from £2.40 to £2.60

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/1Lcui7X
via IFTTT

TFL - The New Parliament...by Paul Simon

It would appear that regulating and deregulating as it suits is not enough for TFL that they now want more powers to abuse the taxi industry even further with…. TfL’s passive devise of London’s Taxi Service is a slow process that fires missiles at the trade in all directions while it accommodates the Private Hire App industry.

 

TFL will bend, ignore and re-interpret laws in ways that suit them; ways that hinder the Taxi industry.

 

The deep concern of a Taxi driver continuing to work while waiting for her or his renewal to came through left TFL distraught so they fired the missile abolishing temporary licenses; but this was not enough, they even reinterpreted the law that allowed a driver with a submitted application to continue working.  The 1987 Transport Act of allowing a driver to continue working was reinterpreted to include a response from a CRB application and a decision made by which time a licence should be issued anyway.  TFL said the licence application without the separate CRB application leaves the licence application incomplete.  But that is what a CRB application is - a separate application.  

 

TFL sent warning letters to those making renewals and first time applicants about working within the waiting period; however it was a standard letter addressed to both new applicants and current drivers renewing, that way TFL have the option of say the warning section is only meant for new applicants if it backfires on them with a driver suing for intimidation and loss of earnings – clever?  

 

So concerned about the safety of Londoners that TFL are satisfied with a letter of good conduct from fresh faced driversthat have just made it into the country and want to earn as they contribute towards the influx of Private Hire drivers that contribute highly to congestion and pollution that many Taxi drivers renewing their licences were shelved as Private Hire became the new public hire.  

 

A distressing concern for TFL as they lose sleep over the safety of Londoners!

 

TfL also interpreted the law on taximeters in a way that hindered the industry instead of protecting it by saying thatthe law was unclear when the intention of it was obvious.  Their argument is that a smart phone is not a meter.  It is not a deadly weapon either till you hit someone on the head with it!  Even Boriaty said it is a meter!

 

Previous Missiles - Can anyone see a pattern with the new proposal on credit cards?  Let’s look at what TFL have cost the Taxi industry in the past..

Wheelchair requirement £2000

Emissions for a replacement exhaust box £1500

Although these things could have been done more cheaply, TFL wanted to make a monopoly.  No worries, TFL gave the Taxi industry a tariff increase, yippee just what Londoners want, make Taxis more expensive and pass it on to the passengers.

 

While sitting near point on the Waterloo rank I could see in my rear view mirror the head of the cab driver behind me turn and gaze.  I nearly said to him “haven’t you ever seen anyonestepping over the rank with smartphone in hand to gain access to their minicab before?”  Some people like to que up at restaurants, some prefer queuing at cinemas.. perhaps the customers were disappointed of the non-existent que of passengers on the rank that backed up to Palestra.

 

Or just maybe it was because TfL has given the passenger the choice of not having to pay what TfL keep adding onto the meter to price Taxis out of the fair competition that they say taxis don’t like!

 

As someone from TfL said “the public has made their choice”

 

Keeping the expenses high to justify the costs on the meter.. Legislation also prevented the new greener Nissan from launching; TFL prevented the most economical and greenest vehicle from appearing on the market.  The Taxi Industry are required to continue using a £40,000 vehicle that drinks more than its predecessors and has an engine that lasts just 80,000 miles.  When the next expensive vehicle arrives drivers will be compelled to change because of costly legislation.

 

I never ever saw the TX4 as a step forward, like the TX2 it was a further step back where the engine was concerned.  An economical Japanese engine that runs on petrol made TFL to drastically bring out legislation that hampered it off the road; a vehicle that even went to the trouble of looking like a taxi unlike the Vito that blurs the distinction more – TfL didn’t mind that. Meanwhile minicabs are given the choice of driving practically anything and charging what they want.  

 

Why would anyone want to train for years to do the same job with tighter regulations and no Pre-book or Immediate pick-up definition!

 

TfL don’t want the Taxi trade to become too viable to everyone with reduced running costs as this would mean lowering fares to reach more of the public and that could impact its beloved controversial ride app service!

 

“We are just giving the public what they want” – more like depriving them!

 

At the end of the day those people stepping over the rank probably would have loved to have used a London Taxi.  This obviously doesn’t suit the powers that be….

 

TfL’s future plans could include technology that helps passengers without a smartphone get to their Private Hire e-hailed car by installing a device located next to a rank that can summon a minicab by the touch of a button in a train station. They will probably do this by public consultation to shield themselves and tell the Taxi industry that “this is what the public want.”  I believe TfL should be fixing the problemswith the Taxi industry instead of adapting a foreign tax avoiding unsafe app service to do the work of the Licensed London Taxi service.

 

The removal of Pre-book Only stickers from private hire vehicles, helped accommodate the unclearness of pre-booking, so a minicab could enter the new created third tier of  e-hailing.”  The push of a button and the removal of a “pre-book only” sticker was indeed new technology to luddites who can f*** off and die but not in that order…

 

London’s Taxis had been using app technology through smartphone apps such as Hailo and Gett, long before Uber came along.  However the powers that be wanted to make the taxi industry look jealous of the fair competition by using ignorance as a tool by saying that we don’t like new technology and are dinosaurs even journalists have got it wrong referring to Hailo and Gett as Uberfication of the taxi industry – whatever that means!

 

Another flag fall increase

 

Alongside Mickey Mouse, Private Hire Manager Helen Chapman who felt her presence was owed at the Card Payments in Taxis Consultation did not leglect to mention those putting a sock over the device should be taken off the road by way of a stop note.  Perhaps she should put a sock in it herself!  She could have mentioned something about the merchant account hacking of certain Private Hire apps but didn’t.

 

As a sweetner at the cost of looking ridiculous and dodgy; Tflhave allowed the Taxi trade to offer alternative card payment devices while passengers have the approved payment device faced in front of them.  I’m not going to even comment on that one…!!!

 

 

Well maybe a small comment…

 

Passenger: ​Driver why have the fares gone-up?

Driver: ​​To pass on the cost of having an approved card device

Passenger: ​O.k. fairs fare..

Driver: ​​How would you like to pay?

Passenger: ​By card please

Driver: ​O.k. can I offer you an alternative card payment method to the approved device in front of you?

Passenger: What’s the point of that as I am already being charged to use TFL’s approved device; it sounds dodgy as no other business offers its customers an alternative card device when already presented with one!!!

 

The Private Hire Consultation was another white wash; nothing constructive put to together that helps the public with pre-booking or direct communication with a ride app service. I wanted to see an outcome of mandatory pre-booking and prior price agreement with no surging later on.  The congestion charge for private hire was more of a government money spinner for the 100,000 licenses it has issued.  Tell me that none of this is planned!

 

TFL are just one big contradiction! Transport for Luddites, Trouble for London,  Totally Failing, Two-Faced!

 

All this bloody fuss over tariffs and card payments when there is no work!!!!

 

I for one don’t agree with a fare increase to install a card device in my taxi that will increase expenses or cause a stop note to be served should it become faulty.  I don’t want to anchor my bank details to a device that will be shared by other fleet drivers; when I can simply use a handheld device that fits in my bag which I can take with me and use in a spare cab if need be.  For a one off cost of the device I can accept all card types including contactless.  I am comfortable to conform to TFL’s card device criteria with the exception of having to have it installed and a tariff increase.  Like I said its TFL’s way….

 

The majority of Londoners want Uber gone.  With this said a proportion of those Londoners will use Uber on price.  Perhaps the Taxi Industry may want to give something back i.e. a promotional 2 month sale as a thank you and to remind Londoners of the service that we provide.  A step back can lead to making great strides forward.  It’s no good having a secret sale, banners on doors 30% off meter, would this be a problem for TFL, if we gave the public what they want; after all they said we don’t like the competition?  But it can be a secret sale like the secret credit card subsidiary for passengers made at the drivers expense to look like they are creaming off the top!

 

 

I strongly believe that TFL will not allow the Taxi trade to lower their prices - no matter how much the public want it; however if TFL did protest a price decrease against a full agreement of the trade the public would want to know why.

 

 

New balls please..

 

TfL continue to dictate to the Taxi industry which is at a premium and excludes Londoners from different backgrounds from using this valuable public service through bonkerslegislation that puts taxis at a premium and forces the publicinto less regulated minicabs.  Minicabs that are summoned by e-hailing are getting carte blanche as TFL hinder the Taxis and blur the requirements on Private Hire.

 

TFL now feel that there is not enough regulation in the taxi industry that it now approaches parliament to change a law on card acceptance when they could be demanding parliament to bring out legislation that makes a clearer definition between Pre-booking and Immediate Hire or making minicabs thataccept e-hails that circumvent the law to meet the same criteria as taxi drivers such as being disabled accessible having automatic door locks and a tight turning circle.

 

Why didn’t TFL approach parliament of on the law on taximeters stating that a loophole needs closing?

 

If the argument on private hire prevails that they are doing the same job as taxis except on the way its work is acquired why is it not necessary for their vehicles and drivers to meet the same standards and criteria of a taxiand it’s driver?

 

Safety it’s just an excuse to hinder taxi drivers

 

While taxis that operated on a radio circuit such as comcab or radio taxis were clamped down on the use of a non-hands free two-way radio.  TFL did not impose or run to parliament on the safety of its minicab drivers that have mobile phones in addition to a GPS stuck to their window screens which some watch like a TV as they lower their concentration on the road.  

Why is TFL so rigorous towards taxi drivers and so feet up about minicabs?

 

 

What the private hire consultation should have covered is:

 

1. Clarity on what is pre-booking – Is e-hailing pre-booking?

2. Minicab operators having a certain amount of drivers with disabled accessible vehicles in their fleet to avoid discrimination

3. Minicabs being consistent in their fares and not allowed to flucuate their fares accordingly to job frequency.

4. A mandatory pre-book service

5. Loitering in areas where work is expected to arise.

 

If TFL can clarify the difference between pre-booking and immediate hire and explain why the standards of private hire vehicles and drivers don’t meet the same standard as taxis and taxi drivers when the work of driving the public around is exactly the same (with the exception of how the work is acquired) then I will not attend the demo.

 

 

TFL shouldn’t be working hard tooth and nail to hinder taxis while it relaxes the rules on Private Hire.  They should be making Taxis more accessible to Londoners instead of making it more into a premium rate service that is unsuitable for the wider London audience.  Taxis cannot be a yuppie only service while passengers sooner take a more affordable service but at the same time we don’t want to be deregulated we should be working as a team to address concerns such as these, take a balanced approach, communicate and stop seeking ways that are destroying the world famous taxi service in the greatest city on the planet.

 

Thank you for reading..

 

Paul with strong points added from Aristos 

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/1K8kxgk
via IFTTT

Boris Johnson's Latest Cycle Plans Will Kill London

The Slaves Revolt....by I'm Spartacus.

At last a topic I am a real expert in.

Over the weekend in San Francisco, was the American football Super Bowl. 

The Uber drivers there whose wages (because they aren't really self employed) are being constantly cut decided to boycott rides during the event.

The action was a huge success for them and apparently thousands deleted the app and sought real taxis, so that's a result for the real trade as well.

What was worth noting that Uber had a large space near the venue called a 'holding area' so that punters could wait for a car then book it when they got in!

For those thinking that's exactly the same as a Taxi rank, well spotted, for those who keep saying it can't happen in London

IT ALREADY HAS!!

Streets around our airports, clubs, pubs, Eurostar all infested with cars demonstrating exhibition and availability (on the app, fog lights on etc) all clearly Plying for Hire as the courts have decided many many times.

TfL unwilling to act as their political masters tell them to stand back (assuming of course they wanted to act in the first place?), public enquiry needed.

Uber are already whinging for a Super Bowl type holding area at London Heathrow and no doubt the politicians will ensure they get it. Then the pattern follows for everywhere else .

So what can we do to stop this?

We have to demonstrate, we must badger our M.P's, TfL and also lobby the TfL board etc.

Above all remember these modern day slavemasters don't want a slice of the action (legally or not) they want it all!

Will you give it to them?

I'm Spartacus

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/1SaV7ks
via IFTTT

Letter To Editor : The Demise Of London's Icons

You're probably thinking "Here we go: cabbies moaning again. Bunch of Luddites"...

But it's not as simple as that.

London has a serious problem at the moment. It's rapidly losing its independent businesses, historical buildings, its communities.

 

With those go its traditions, history, creativity and quirkiness.

Who is to blame? 

Big business and corporations. Everything is becoming more expensive, more homogenised, more bland.

Soho's diversity and character is under threat from developers who want to build expensive apartments.

     Here are some examples:

 It's already lost Madame Jo Jo's and Kettners, establishments which were part of the fabric of the area. Other clubs and music venues here and elsewhere have closed.

Places with incredible history are under threat. Parts of old Spitalfields have been demolished. Local residents are desperately trying to save more buildings. 

Denmark Street, central to the history of British music, is under threat. Rents are rising pushing out independent shops. Allens, a famous butchers in Mayfair recently closed. 

The demand was there, but the rent was too high.

Communities with independent shops further out are struggling as rents rocket. Currently Half Moon Lane in Herne Hill, and Lordship Lane in Dulwich are facing real challenges.

So where do London cab drivers fit in? 

Well, each one of us is an independent individual. We are a quirky lot united by the Knowledge of London which tests our character and resolve to the limits.  And our trade and iconic cabs are steeped in history and tradition too.

And Uber? They are just another big corporation: a powerful moneyed juggernaut, based thousands of miles away in a city that has a fraction of London's history. Last year they paid the same amount of tax as fewer than half a dozen taxi drivers. 

They want a piece of the London pie and will stop at nothing to make London more bland, more faceless and, some would argue, less safe. Some might claim that they aren't expensive. But in their race to the bottom we'll ultimately lose more than we gain: we'll lose another chunk of the soul of London.

Don't dismiss us cabbies. Think about all of this. Think about how London is changing. Think about why you choose to live here.

What sort of London do you want?

Article by Green Badge  Driver, Alice. 

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/1Q4dPKu
via IFTTT

As Predicted...Media Attack Greedy Taxi Drivers Over Extra 20p Drop.

Well it didn't take the press long to take the story that every London Taxi will have to accept Credit Card payments, and turn it in to a barrage of negativity against the greedy London cabbies. 

Apparently it's an attempt to win back customers, BUT AT A HIGHER PRICE. As we predicted the fact that cash customers will also be charged the extortionate 20 pence extra on flag fall makes us second only to Dick Turpin in the annals of highway robbery. 

The story below (minus the blatant Uber advert) featured in The Memo, shows a picture of the antiquated long gone FX4 to illustrate how outdated the Taxi trade is.

We can expect much more of this type of gutter journalism in the coming weeks, putting an emphasis on the 20p extra flag drop and a proposed 1.6% rate increase. 

  • There will be no mention of the missing hour as rate 3 drops back to rate 1 at 5am instead of 6.

 

  • There will be no mention of the reduction in waiting time or the tweaking of rate 4 which will actually see more of a rate drop on most journeys.

 

  • There will be no mention that drivers will be expected to pick up the transaction fee of customers wanting credit, as the payment surcharge moves from customer to driver.

        THE MEMO...by Oliver Smith.

Black cabs offer card payments, but with a nasty sting

You win some, you lose some.

Every black cab in London will accept card payments from October… but their prices will rise to pay for it.

Transport for London’s (TfL) decision to force all cabbies to take card or contactless payments is a sure sign of progress, but it comes with an unfortunate downside for all passengers.

While Uber has cut its prices with ride-sharing service UberPool, giving you a 25% discount on an already cheap ride if you’re happy to cosy up with a stranger, black cabs will now hike their minimum prices by 20p to £2.60, regardless of how you pay.

Street fight

This is the latest round in black cabbies street fight against Uber.

Last week cabbies revealed they’re considering legal action to have Uber’s licence to operate in London revoked over the app allegedly not paying its UK taxes. (See Oliver Smith couldn't be bothered to do his research on this so made something up. Still never let the truth get in the way of a good story eh Oliver!)

Adopting environmentally-friendly electric vehicles and now card payments are also part of black cab’s charm offensive to win back passengers.

Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, labelled the decision by TfL to force cabbies to accept card payments is a win-win for drivers and customers:

“Most taxi drivers already accept card payments, but from October our customers can be certain that when they hail a cab, they are not only getting a safe, reliable and professional service, but will also be able to pay how they like, be it card, contactless or cash.”

We’ll have to wait and see whether card payments (but with higher prices!) will be enough to tempt commuters back into a cab.

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/1S8Mebe
via IFTTT