Taxi Drivers Protest Over Corrupt Medicals For Private Hire Driver Applicants.....by Jim Thomas.

Over 300 Taxi drivers turned out to protest over the inaction from TfL over the latest scandalous news that Uber drivers have been buying their medical passes from bent doctors. 

TfL admit there could be well over 1000 such cases.

At a meeting with the regulator yesterday, the chairman of the LCDC Grant Davis was told TfL intend to take no action over the bought medicals and will leave the public at risk to getting into a car with possible schizophrenics for epileptics. 

TfL say they will wait until the drivers licenses run out after 3 years, then ask them to take new medicals

This just isn't good enough, surely the public deserve better protection. Another sign that TfL are bending over backwards to facilitate this company. 

We need a public inquiry into TfL

And we need it now. 

Well done to all the drivers who took time off work to take part in today's protest.

   

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German Lawmakers Vote To Ban All Combustion-Engine Cars By 2030

German politicians have voted to ban combustion-engine cars by 2030 in an effort to meet emissions targets outlined in the Paris agreement.

The Bundesrat, the federal council of all 16 German states, has passed a resolution to only permit zero-emission vehicles on EU roads.

The EU will need to adopt the resolution for it to come into effect in 14 years time, but Forbes reports that German regulation traditionally shapes European law. 

Green party lawmaker Oliver Krischer told Der Spiegel: “If the Paris agreement to curb climate-warming emissions is to be taken seriously, no new combustion engine cars should be allowed on roads after 2030.”

The weekly magazine reports that the resolution calls on the EU Commission to “review the current practices of taxation and dues with regard to a stimulation of emission-free mobility.”

The German car industry, which invented the internal combustion engine, is the fourth largest in the world and is one of the biggest contributors to the German economy.

Reuters reports that a switch to sales of zero-emission cars would put thousands of jobs at risk as electric car manufacturing requires a tenth of the staff needed to build combustion-engine cars. 

In June, Norwegian politicians paved the way for an electric-only future by voting to ban all petrol and diesel powered cars by 2025. 

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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 

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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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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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