Uber Claim To Be Paying The Correct Tax.

Our friends Uber today assured the public they are in fact paying all its taxes due in the UK. This comes after heavy criticism over its multi-national arrangements.

Uber London Ltd have published accounts showing the UK's company’s turnover increased to £23m last year and paid £411k tax on a total profit of £1.8m.

However, accounts for Uber’s hub in Amsterdam showed commission from drivers in London and other UK cities heavily increasing. 

The UK turnover submitted in their accounts equates to less than £4K per each of their 25k drivers. Barely enough to cover four months of Prius rental fees. The £23m turnover also means an average £2.30 is spent annually by each of their alleged 1m sized customer database.

A spokesperson from the tech come transport app refused claims that it was channelling incomethrough Holland to avoid UK taxes. A spokesman said via The Evening Standard: “While we recorded a profit here (in the UK) last year, globally we make a loss as we are a young company that is still expanding and investing heavily. 

“The vast majority of the revenue generated by our technology goes straight into the pockets of drivers who use our app and so stays in the local economy.” 

The tax set up has however caused concerns.

Labour MEP and tax campaigner Anneliese Dodds said: “Compared to the way you pay for ordinary taxis, this kind of structure is ridiculous.”

Meg Hillier, chairman of the Commons public accounts committee also added: “The more transparency about what profits are made and taxes are due, the better.”

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Uber Claim To Be Paying The Correct Tax

Our friends Uber today assured the public they are in fact paying all its taxes due in the UK. This comes after heavy criticism over its multi-national arrangements.

Uber London Ltd have published accounts showing the UK's company’s turnover increased to £23m last year and paid £411k tax on a total profit of £1.8m.

However, accounts for Uber’s hub in Amsterdam showed commission from drivers in London and other UK cities heavily increasing. 

The UK turnover submitted in their accounts equates to less than £4K per each of their 25k drivers. Barely enough to cover four months of Prius rental fees. The £23m turnover also means an average £2.30 is spent annually by each of their alleged 1m sized customer database.

A spokesperson from the tech come transport app refused claims that it was channelling incomethrough Holland to avoid UK taxes. A spokesman said via The Evening Standard: “While we recorded a profit here (in the UK) last year, globally we make a loss as we are a young company that is still expanding and investing heavily. 

“The vast majority of the revenue generated by our technology goes straight into the pockets of drivers who use our app and so stays in the local economy.” 

The tax set up has however caused concerns.

Labour MEP and tax campaigner Anneliese Dodds said: “Compared to the way you pay for ordinary taxis, this kind of structure is ridiculous.”

Meg Hillier, chairman of the Commons public accounts committee also added: “The more transparency about what profits are made and taxes are due, the better.”

Source TaxiPoint 

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Portuguese Taxi Drivers Confronted By Armed Police At Mass Demo In Lisbon.

A massive demonstration by Taxi drivers against Uber and the unfair help the Portuguese government have been giving to Uber. 

Thousands of Portuguese cab drivers blocked access to Lisbon international airport on Monday to protest government plans to regulate alternative ride-hailing services like Uber, and vowed to maintain their blockade until their demands are met.

Travelers arriving in Lisbon queued for hours to buy metro tickets to the city center as protesters kept competitors from U.S.-based Uber and its Spanish rival Cabify from getting to the airport, attacking those who tried to pick up or drop off passengers with stones. Several cars were badly damaged.

At one point, protesters scuffled with police, who used tear gas, fired blanks and arrested three taxi drivers.

Violence subsided when representatives of the drivers' unions were summoned for talks with Environment Minister Joao Pedro Fernandes.

But Carlos Ramos, head of the Portuguese Taxi Federation, told reporters after the meeting all the unions got from the government was "a fistful of nothing" and said protesters will not leave the area of the airport.

The minister said that although the meeting was productive, "deep divergences remained" over cab drivers' demands to impose limits on the number of cars not identified as cabs, which would give taxis an upper hand. He would not say when and if a next meeting would be scheduled. 

After a court in June overturned a previous ruling that had banned Uber in Portugal, Prime Minister Antonio Costa has said he wants to regulate the app-based services, introducing compulsory training for drivers, shorter than that required for normal taxis, and making them pay insurance for passengers.

Taxi Leaks has also been sent this communication 

Just to let you all know that in my home country, Portugal, today its happening a major demonstration by the taxi trade in Lisbon against our biggest enemy and the government for allowing them into the market. 

This started early in the morning, there has been a lot of violence against the police and also uber cars (not incentivising violence in any way ).

The outcome my friends is that the government had arranged an emergency meeting with the taxi trade.

 Hopefully good news shall arise from that meeting.

.................................................

Editorial Comment:

 

Is this what TfL want to see on the streets on London?

The Bullshit mayor said on LBC he would run Uber out of town and revoke their licence should they committed any contravention.

We've had contravention after contravention and the evidence is piling up. The BullShit mayor has done nothing. 

A static demo has been called for Thursday outside 230 Blackfriars Roa,d starting at 12:30pm

Another mass 4 hour ply for hire has been called by another group for Monday 17th

Our trade is now at breaking point and the time for waiting is over.

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LCDC Call Demo, Thursday 13th Oct 12:30pm, 230 Blackfriars Road. Time To Stand Up And Be Counted

We all knew the PHV Map Test centres would be bent! 

And thanks to the Sun News paper, we have some proof

Applicants for the Topographical test given the answers for extra £50! 

Or even worse just turn up and have the pass certificate printed out without taking the test!

Now we learn that hooky doctors are selling medicals without carrying out full tests onapplicants.

 

Look at this undercover video below made by the Sun....it's frightening.

Dr Ashraful Mirza fills in the medical questionnaire without first doing eye test, urine test or blood pressure. 

He also signs a declaration stating he has had full access to the applicants medical records, which he has never seen...

 • Surgery likened to a conveyor belt 

 • No urine/diabetes test

 • Applicants blood pressure not taken

 • No eye test even though the applicant says he gets blurred vision when tired.

• 2nd Doctor explains how to get round the issue of not using your own local GP. 

Fake medical tests at £50-80 a pop!

This is an utter disgrace. These doctors should be suspended immediately and ultimately struck off for putting public lives at risk by passing as fit, unfit applicants. 

Topographical testing should only be done by TfL in house as with the knowledge of London examinations. These two bit minicab set ups can not be trusted. 

TfL should immediately suspend the licence of every applicant seen by these 'bent' doctors. Every one of the applicants should be banned from re applying for a PHV in future. After all, who is going to go to the trouble of seeking out a bent doctor, if you are fit and healthy?

It would seem that most of our orgs and unions have stayed pretty quiet on this when they should be up at Palestra and Windsor House every day, shouting the roof off. 

Only one org has called for a demo over this !!!

The London Cab Drivers Club will be outside 230 Blackfriars Road this coming Thursday 13th Oct from 12:30pm, on foot (with the new traffic system in place a drive past would be misinterpreted as just heavy traffic). 

It's time to stand up and make your voice heard. 

This isn't a recruitment drive, this is a protest of drivers who have had enough of TfL giving Uber an easy ride. 

It's not about the colour of your lanyard, it's about the badge that hangs from it. 

Has this trade learned nothing since TfL took over and started to roll out PHVs at an unprecedented rate of 600 every week ?  

The fate of your job is in your own hands.

Are you just going to sit back and watch TfL destroy the London Taxi Trade?

This is one demo every driver should attend....take some time off, leave the cab at home and come down to Blackfriars and make a stand. 

A few months ago, the minicab related rape and sexual assault statistics were released. 

154 reported attacks on passengers from Feb15 to Feb16. 

We then found the Met's statistics were reports from just 6 inner London boroughs. So another FOI request was made to TfL, asking for the statistics of attacks in the whole of the Greater London Metropolitan Police District. This was promised by TfL to be released by September 20th. TfL have failed to honour this request. 

Are the figures so shocking they feel it may stop the public using minicab services?

Are TfLTPH still trying to camouflage and dilute the true facts?

Again our orgs and unions have said virtually nothing about this. 

   

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Letter to Taxi Leaks : Plying For Hire Does Not Need Defining....by Laurence Green.

Plying for hire does not need defining. 

There’s a plethora of case law where high court judges have made rulings citing Plying for Hire when summing up.

F.G.Clarke is just one example.

Plying for Hire laws are as good today as they were in 1871 when a horse drawn carriage entered Cannon Street Station forecourt looking to be immediately hired.

Khan and Shawcross are going to attempt to legitimise Uber through Parliament. 

FACT!

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY!

It’s what the driver is doing with their vehicle.

This is why the St Pancras Station set down video was of vital importance – it proved Uber drivers were plying for hire through the app.

TFL claim the Uber drivers using the set down point were not Plying for Hire. !!!

I have been in correspondence with TFL for months asking them how they arrived at their legal opinion and what case law if any was used to form their opinion.

I am still waiting for a reply.

THEY CAN’T REPLY BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE CASE LAW IS TOO SOLID.

Hence Khan wanting Plying for Hire to be defined in Statute.

Khan and Shawcross are going to attempt to legitimise Uber through Parliament. FACT!

Khan obviously doesn’t want to use existing case law as it doesn’t suit TFL’s agenda.

He doesn’t want to act on the Law as it is today; he wants to act on the law when it has been changed by Statute when the law suits the cause.

Khan is trying to circumnavigate around repealing laws to accommodate Uber by requesting central government define Plying for Hire in Statute... 

Which means defining Plying for Hire in Statute will legitimise "Instant Hailing apps" and Uber overnight and make existing case law redundant.

END GAME FOR US!

For those who don't know, a statute is an Act of Parliament.

After legislation has been proposed it begins life as a bill, passes various readings in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords before receiving Royal Assent and becoming law. 

As with cases, acts can be found in both printed and electronic form.

By summer next year there will be well over 115,000 PH drivers licensed by TFL.

Logistically it will be a mammoth task to set up and put 115,000 PH drivers through an advanced driving test including Highway Code.

IT JUST ISN’T GOING TO HAPPEN.

Khan has a track record on going back on his word. He Khan’t be trusted.

Can the cab trade trust politicians ? NO!

Anyone that want’s to put our future in the hands of politicians need their brains examined.

Constant pressure needs to be ladled on the mayor, Shawcross and TFL, the cracks will spread rapidly if the pressure is maintained.

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THE REAL ISSUE...A Message From UCG Vice Chairman Trevor Merralls.

THE REAL ISSUES. 

A message from Vice-Chairman Trevor Merralls. 

There was an issue raised on twitter yesterday by the LCDC, where they had been in contact with  TfL regarding Addison Lee using the term "Taxi" on their app.  We all know under the 1998 PH act this is illegal - that's the law of the land.

I think we are falling for a trap. They expect as to react on this. TfL want to divert our attention from the bigger issues.  

Grant Davis will go to Val Shrawcross she will confirm what is already law, they will pacify the trade by giving us a "victory" but what they are really doing is deflecting from the real issues, the bogus Medical certificates and the sexual assault figures. I think that TfL have done this deliberately to expect us to react the way we have reacted, we will waste all our energy on this and not the real issues.

TfL are playing us.

Let's fight TfL, let's fight them on our terms. The issue on the use of the word taxi, i'm no legal mind but I know we would win.

Let's keep our focus, let's keep our perspective. We have them on grounds they don't want to answer. 

So they have thrown out a little red herring, we are biting on it taking our energy away from the real issues, which TfL don't want you to fight on. 

This is a deliberate ploy in my opinion.

I do believe the word Taxi is ours and I do believe we should protect it and fight for it, but isn't it coincidence that this has happened now? When we are pressuring them on the medical certificates, sexual assualt figures, the letter to Hogan- Howe and an answer on whether the new PM advocates a cap on PH  numbers. 

The Ad Lee snippet is a deflection, a smokescreen. Let's not fall for TfL's tactics. 

Let's fight them on our terms and the real issues.

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Woefully Incompetent From TfLTPH, Over Credit Card Acceptance Mandate .... By Jim Thomas.

I woke up to the sound of the postman banging on my door. It seems I had a very large package that wouldn't go through my letter box. Inside were the new stickers TfL is expecting me to put up all over my Taxi. Also included were covering letters explaining where these stickers must be placed.

They are expecting me to comply, or face getting a stop note from their new army of over 300 compliance officers, taken on not to make sure Private Hire are complying with their PHV act 1998, but to insure we are carrying out Helen Chapmans and their financially interested third parties wishes.

Brushing aside the obvious safety compromising issues, in their infinite wisdom, TfL insist from 1st Jan 2017 every taxi must have a fixed CC reader in the rear of the vehicle.

I have been taking credit cards quite happily for many years with no problem or complaint from customers. TfLTPH are now informing my passengers to complain if they experience any problem with me and not only that, they even supply a " special phone number* " ... Just incase passengers have any difficulty getting drivers to accept Contactless payments. 

We can't even get a special phone number to complain about drivers waiting on licence renewals. 

Now look carefully at the 

" special phone number* "

Believe it or not, it carries a service charge !!!

How come TfL can charge a service charge and we can't ?

Why haven't they used a freephone number ?

One rule for TfL to charge a service charge, but another rule forcing us to absorb all transaction charges.

Taxi Leaks would like to take this opotunity to say that nowhere in the covering letter, does it stipulate that drivers 'must' accept card payments of any kind. They may have mandated this using an act passed in the nineteenth century, but have failed to inform the 25,000 Hackney carriage Taxi drivers living in the 21st century.

Talking of ancient legislation, didn't TfL once say they couldn't enforce against Uber's virtual plying for hire through their app, as the technology didn't exist when the act of 1998 was written. 

Can Helen Chapman please show me an illustration of a credit card reader from around 1847 ?

While we're on the subject of new technology, not all drivers are on Twitter, not every driver reads trade publications. Not one word on the legallity of TfL's mandate in the covering letters.

They may have posted on Twitter and it may be on their website, but not every driver has a smart phone or computer. 

Twitter just doesn't cover it Ms Chapman, you need to write to every Taxi driver, laying out in detail, how TfL can mandate payment and insist on rear fitment of equipment. Also we need to know the legislation that gives TfL the right to insist we take un-guaranteed contactless card payments. 

And, as if this wasn't bad enough....wait till you see the media campaign LTPH are putting together.

You only have to look at the mess they made of the Cabwise campaign. 

LETTER TO TAXI LEAKS FROM GREENBADGE JOHN :

As I write this message thousands of drivers will be receiving a large pack of instructions and stickers from TFL with threatening ultimatums but ironically paid for through our license fees....what a waste of our hard earned money eh?, I have not yet received mine but I do have a post office delivery notice through my door (the package is too big for the letterbox) stating I have 18 days to retrieve it from the sorting office.... yeh right.

I have been fighting tooth and nail about the nonsensical involvement TFL has illegally and unconstitutionally placed itself into and how the whole fiasco will ultimately end.

Yet TFL continues to plug away down the forceful route with no statutory duty in UK law to compel a private business (you) to accept credit or debit card payments so TFL separately threaten our vehicle licensing not having it fitted and strangely refusal for not accepting in the vehicle (two different legal points) as it seems how the legal bodies in our trade have distanced themselves on assumed promises of the greater good of the overall trade without first closing the clearest open wound of safety to the drivers let alone open day for major fraud losses it is therefore not a good day for a vote on strength of protest within the London Taxi trade to date.

Every driver must do themselves a favour NOW... by creating a separate unlinked & cheaper personal account for taking your own chosen suppliers for card payments, and never use the equipment being forced upon you by TFL a dreadful oppressive regime who take our license fees and spend it with such disrespect & frivolity they need to be taught a lesson by being given a bloody nose on this whole messed up over involved issue.

If a card is declined for any reason after a driver has supplied a service a driver must seek compensation for losses forced upon them by TFL's forced involvement and practically aided and abetted it, this is simply not (as TfL will try to argue) the same as being bilked because you have the legal right to ask any potential passenger for a deposit if you choose & refuse if they wont pay so this will be no different on advance card payments particularly if no percentage of the perceived estimate for the journey is stated, you can simply choose 90% and the balance can be paid by a 10% final transaction.

This precaution is clearly not necessary to a high number of your passengers, but we all know through job experience who makes the hairs on your neck stand up and you will not need any excuses at the journeys end & it will be deposit validation clearance option for out of the Met or expensive rides in certain circumstances as allowed by law.

This whole stupidly derived Mandate will eventually die a death like card printers and retro emission fitments, simply because of a financially over obtrusiveness by TFL who have this time idiotically swam out to far in the sea of bull $hit and are seeking a small but crafty percentage of self interested greedy suppliers trying to corner a huge chunk of a now corrupted market argue the glossy points for them without any sympathy for safety whatsoever and remember this..., 

THESE SUPPLIERS ARE GOING TO CHARGE A MONTHLY FEE on top of all they sell you now, I cant emphasise that any clearer and TFL are backing them up whether your machine works or not, but your vehicle will be deemed unfit and the package TFL have sent out today contains in taxi signs for passengers to report you if you refuse card payments.... so reach out and use your own personal up front reader and watch the cobwebs will render the forcibly fitted equipment useless.

Be Lucky

greenbadgejohn (on twitter)

Editorial comment: 

John, I have a guarantee from CMT that no rental charges will be put in place, no matter how little you use their equipment throughout the 3 year contract. 

But 3 years down the line is anothe matter. 

It is almost certain next year, TfL will mandate card readers will have to be connected to the meter.....this will leave drivers who have invested over £400 for independent machines, cradles and Bluetooth printers will be left high and dry. 

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