Enough Is Enough...Drivers From All Trade Orgs To Support Demo In Blackfriars.

Enough is enough! 

It's alleged that TFL still have people in place from the John Mason regime, people like Leon Daniels and Gareth Emerson. They may have been moved sideways, but you can bet your bottom dollar they are still actively involved in TfL's agenda to cause our trade as many heartaches as possible. We've heard today from the LCDC Twitter feed that they are now ready to take their evidence to the serious fraud squad and the press.

Under the Bullshit Mayor's promises, things are not improving as they should be. The new Mayoral team do not appear to understand fully how we as a trade feel right now. 

Drivers leaving on masse. 

Drivers losing their homes, 

Drivers relationships breaking down. 

Drivers suffering huge mental health problems caused by this organisation called TFL. 

Reading through the LTDA's paper Taxi, you could be forgiven for thinking that everything is rosy! 

Well it's not.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and tomorrow the trade will gather outside 230 Blackfriars Road, to stand shoulder to should in a protest against all the corrupt practices which have come to light in recent months. 

Flyers have been printed and will be distributed to the public 

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2dwuRj7
via IFTTT

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 

>Get the App, Click Here<

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2dJkXOi
via IFTTT

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 

>Get the App, Click Here<

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2dJj8AV
via IFTTT

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.

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2dH2Wip
via IFTTT

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. 

   

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2dYibBy
via IFTTT

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.

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2ehjqQD
via IFTTT

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.

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2dJhJZp
via IFTTT