A REPLY FROM CAROLINE PIDGEON, to Lenny Etheridge.

Dear Leonard,

Thank you for your email about my views on Uber and London's Taxi trade. Apologies for the delay in replying.

I am a great supporter of London's Taxi Trade. Over the last two years I have worked hard to ensure TfL's poor record in regulating the Taxi and Private Hire trade is fully exposed, including publishing the report Future Proof, as chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee.

It is not by chance that the Black cab has been voted by Londoners as the most iconic piece of London transport design. There were also very good reasons why the closing ceremony of the Olympic and Paralympic Games so prominently featured London Taxis. Taxis are a vital part of London's transport infrastructure and are recognised and respected around the world.

One other important feature of London's Taxis is their access standards for disabled people, with every Taxi being fully wheelchair accessible (and having other important access features) since 2000.

To find out more about my views on the London Taxi Trade I do hope this article I wrote for Taxi Newspaper is of interest. The article starts on page 5.

http://ift.tt/1QA9EzN

    Caroline talking with the Save Our Black Taxis Group

While Uber cannot be prohibited I do think it is wrong that as a company they have had such special access to both Government Ministers and TfL. I am also concerned about the way 10 Downing Street has not been open over its lobbying on behalf of Uber as can be seen in the conflicting information given in these two freedom of information requests, with TfL admitting that they have corresponded with 10 Downing Street, but 10 Downing Street denying they have any records of corresponding with TfL on the issue of the regulation of private hire vehicles.

http://ift.tt/1rhBpZp Reply.pdf

http://ift.tt/1QA9GYu

Clearly the current Mayor and TfL have failed to keep up with the pace of technological change to regulate effectively the growing number of private hire operators.

My proposals for maintaining effective choice for passengers and protecting passenger safety include:

Doubling the number of dedicated taxi and private hire compliance officers to 165 within a year to ensure all Private Hire Drivers are fully covered by 'hire and reward' insurance and their vehicles are safe.


Seeking to introduce a cap on the number of Private Hire Vehicles in London. The Mayor of London can in effect initiate a Bill in Parliament and I would use this mechanism.

   Talking with Taxi Drivers on the street.

TfL to bulk purchase a fleet of new zero emission capable Taxis and lease and sell them to Taxi drivers and garages. I am concerned that the current price of the new zero emission capable Taxis will be a barrier to their uptake, unless TfL takes the step of directly purchasing a large order of them and driving the price down.

I would retain access to bus lanes for Taxis and take firm action against Private Hire Vehicles which avoid paying the Congestion Charge when they do not have a booking.

Full details of my policies can be seen in my manifesto:

http://ift.tt/1TBcET1


Thank you writing to me on this important issue.

With very best wishes,



Caroline Pidgeon

Liberal Democrat Candidate for Mayor of London 

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And The gloves Are Off....Addison Lee Splinter Group Letter... Looks Like They Mean Business.

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Press Release From The London Suburban Taxi-drivers’ Coalition.

Dear member,

 

You have certainly noticed the illegal activity surrounding smart phone app based private hire drivers especially Uber forming illegal ranks and jinking car park systems at stations near you.

This kind of illegal activity “ pickpockets" you the driver. We now have a London wide problem with this activity. Following the recent demonstrations at St Pancras it is time to bring this to a head. If we allow this to continue private hire drivers will become more emboldened and in the end there will be a long illegal rank directly outside  every station/car park. 

The problem of illegal parking by private hire drivers especially Uber has now reached breaking point. In the suburban extension of Stoke Newington the problem is so great that they are parking 2 or 3 deep so you cannot possibly even stop for hail in the street which is exactly what they want.  Meanwhile at Tottenham Hale private hire drivers are using the NCP as an illegal taxi rank in order to line their pockets at our expense. 

At Wimbledon Bridge hard-working taxi drivers have been forced to stage demonstrations apparently due to Uber vehicles forming a “rolling rank” outside the station.

 

We know by now that  Transport for London don’t want to enforce regulations for private hire vehicles only  for taxi drivers. with the recent blockades of St Pancras station by green badge drivers determined to defend their living, now is the time for hard action in a time of increased adversity from our non taxpaying enemies.

 

To be fair to the councils they are receptive to the problems being faced with the advent of smart phone technology. This is a relatively new phenomenon  which all of the London authorities will have to catch up to.

 

It is the duty of all  of us to let them know that this problem unless sorted out will only get worse.

 

Below is a copy of our communication to NCP. As it progresses we will let you know.

Our taxi organisation the  London Suburban Taxi-drivers’ Coalition wish to inform you that-.

Your NCP car park is being used for illegal parking  and an illegal taxi rank by Uber and other private hire vehicles.

 

How does it work-

Apparently there are 2 cameras situated by the NCP car park, but it appears that only one of these cameras is functional so drivers cannot be seen parking in the car park.

 

They are not parking inside the boxes  (which are all occupied) they are parking outside the boxes and then using the phone “app” in order to show that they are visibly available for hiring to customers who come out of the station. Not only is this illegal and detrimental to our workplace and earnings but it is also making a professionally run NCP car park into a “ dodgy den”.

 

How to progress-

We are providing some photos of the offending vehicles. When you check your records we are certainly you will find that most if not all of these vehicles are parking illegally.

 

We are representatives of the LSTC with over 500 members many of whom work in the Tottenham Hale area. They have asked us to investigate this and  put a stop it. There are a range of options at our disposal. We are sure you will agree with us that  a parking business must be run in a safe manner and illegalities prevented.

 

If  you could set up a meeting at Tottenham Hale we can provide further photographic evidence and discuss ways that this could be prevented.

 

With the advent of Uber and other smart phone-based private car hiring apps a new phenomenon has occurred London wide where owners of private hire vehicles are forming illegal “ranks” outside stations. They will park everywhere and anywhere they feel like if they can get away with it. This has recently come to a head with demonstrations and blockades around the St Pancras area. Camden Council are acting on the problem and the same has occurred at Wimbledon Bridge. It is extremely likely that at the Abbey Wood development cameras will be going in to prevent this sort of illegality and politely we can only say that unfortunately unless the NCP (and other private car parks) are correctly enforced then this will become widespread. The taxi associations across London (working with the local councils and developers) are determined to stop this kind of thing as it brings traffic chaos, pollution  and congestion into the area.

 

Politely we are sure that you are aware from a business point of view this is detrimental to your business a situation that is in nobody’s benefit.

 

If you would like to call  or e-mail us, we will be most happy to set up a meeting between yourselves and our association and provide further documentary evidence in order to achieve a solution.

 

Nick Gilbert. 

London Suburban Taxi-drivers’ Coalition

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Eurostar Shows How It Feels About Having A Safe Licensed Taxi Rank Outside St Pancras.

If you see private hire vehicles, illegally ranking outside St Pancras station in Pancras or Midland Road, 

Call the Brirish Transport Police on  0800 405040 

Don't forget to ask for a cad number, as your call will be registered as a complaint. 

If you settle for a reference number, your call is just recorded as a phone call, with no detail.

You can make a complaint direct to Camden Council on 0207 9744444 

You can also send a text message to British Transport Police

 

Nice to know how much we are valued by this company. 

It now looks like Euro Star would prefer to put their passengers in cars....these cars!

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Your 'avin an uber! The Law Abiders Lament: ....by I'm Spartacus.

Your 'avin an uber!

As time moves on so does slang and due to the disgusting habits of semi civilised uber drivers who in the immortal words of Seam Paul Day spend their time 'pi**ing and a'sh**ting' in the gardens and alleyways of London especially near the airport we have an updated term.

Of course if this disgusting behaviour was carried out by Taxi drivers or even other PH drivers, LTPH would be issuing notices, councils ASBO's and the old bill on the case, but of course it's not.

As if we didn't know it's our old tax avoiding, rule ignoring friends from the U.S  and plans continue to give them a rank (and it is a rank) at LAP, even other PH are saying to the airport that's 'no booking, no entry' rule must apply.

So there we have it, next time nature calls of either type, just pull over do the necessary at the kerb and if the old bill or anyone else decides to intervene, say ' just 'avin an uber', be sure you won't get any aggro then.

We should consider having a mass uber in Parliament Square to ensure all our grievances and requirements are met?

After all it worked for them!

The  Law Abiders Lament:
How can a business that sets itself up to ignore the law be licensed?

How can the licensing authority find this acceptable?

How can councils, known to be ruthless in parking enforcement turn a blind eye to their activities?

How can the world's most famous police force destroy its own reputation by standing idle?

How can a government paid for by its people's taxes, side with a business that pays little UK?

How can that same government that says it supports small businesses, act to destroy them?

How do we let them get away with it?

I'm Spartacus

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Bent Hotels in Queensgate And Save Our Black Taxis Undercover Cabby.

FaceBook group, Save our Black Taxis' undercover cabby has posted two individual hits on suspected 'bent' hotels via a hidden camera. 

He spoke to the main hotel desk staff, asking for a London Taxi. 

Both times he was advised to use the hotel car/ minicab service. See video below.

Bent Hotels in Queensgate : By Paul Sweeney.

Also over the past few weeks. I have parked on the Queens gate rank and can confirm that the Double Tree hotel ( Formally the Regency), on three separate occasions and spanning a period of just under three hours, I sat and watched the hotel put 40 customers into Uber cars. At the same time only 5 London taxis were called across. 

It would appear the hotel now puts its customers direct into Uber cars and are basically by-passing the appointed rank outside. 

The Kensington hotel opposite, did not use one black taxi. I observed them putting 21 customers into Uber. Not us or even Addison Lee. 

   

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WELL DONE THE LTDA N: ow there's a sentence you never expected to see on Taxi Leaks.

The LTDA AdVan, has finally grown a pair, it seems.

Over the last few months, the AdVan campaigns attracted criticism, that posters messages which although may be clear to a licensed Taxi driver, were completely lost on members of the public. A missed the opportunity, totally confusing to the the very people they were aimed at. 

At last, the van now carries a strong, clear, understandable message, one that's being kept from the public by our licensing authority, incase it puts people off using the minicabs they've over saturated the market with.

This is a message to all vulnerable night revellers, one that they have the right to see. A message aimed at public safety. 

The message seems to upset our competition, who have started to abuse the driver. The GMB have also announced their intention to take this matter up with TfL and Advertising Standards. 

Funny that the GMB should be up in arms about this one poster, yet said nothing on behalf of their licensed Taxi members, when certain headlines appeared in the Evening Standard and Independent last week. 

It should be interesting to see if they have more success than one of our readers had, when he complained about an advert on LBC offering a service called Legal Taxi which in fact is a private hire comparison sight. He was told:

"Most readers would understand the word “taxi” as a generic term meaning a hired car".

The letter from the ASA >CLICK HERE<

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