Press Release From The United Cabbies Group

At 2pm on Tuesday the 8th of November, thousands of London Taxi’s Protest at Whitehall with one simple clear message calling for a Public Inquiry into TFL, The UKs Capital is gridlocked and choking with air pollution.

The traffic chaos and air pollution in London resembles that of a third world city, not that of a world leading city.

Every single person living, working and visiting London is affected by the severe congestion and toxic air pollution, as well as the dire economic impact to business and tourism.

The regulatory Public Body responsible for this unarguable failure is Transport for London.

Unfortunately TFL is not structured as a Public Body and does not act  as a Public Body  in compliance with Public Law.

It is structured as a complicated web of private Limited Companies with TFL employees as directors of those companies.

TFL has an annual budget in excess of £11 billion of Tax Payers money yet has not been  accountable for its failures in its Duty of Care to protect the public.

The structure of TFL and its lack of accountability for the unarguable failures is something which should be properly scrutinized by a Statutory Public Inquiry

The Mayor of London is Chair of TFL so is not in a position to conduct an independent investigation.

There are also far more serious issues as a result of that lack of accountability.

TFL have failed to act in compliance with Public Law on many issues

London Taxi and Private Hire –LTPH- have failed to regulate properly.

They have issued tens of thousands of Private Hire Licenses without proper background checks, without proper insurance checks , without proper medical checks and with no proper regulation or enforcement.

The result is traffic congestion, air pollution and Londoners being exposed to serious safety and security risks.

They have introduced a Taxi Age Limit based on false evidence that the newer taxis were less polluting. More than 10,000 London Taxis have been scrapped at great expense to drivers for no proper purpose. 

Trade organisations were misled by TFL that this policy would reduce air pollution when the technical evidence clearly showed the older taxis were LESS polluting

There is no proper process or consultation with many of the other decisions made by LTPH in relation to Taxis and Private Hire

TFL have also failed on many other issues.

They have failed to implement a single effective air pollution strategy for many years and as a result thousands are dying each year from air pollution in London. Every single person living, working or visiting London is affected.

They have failed to comply with proper planning process and proper traffic management resulting in gridlock and severe congestion. The Cycle Lanes which have contributed to the gridlocked streets and therefore more air pollution is one example. TFL ignored the Planning process claiming the project was ‘road improvements’ and not a change of use, even though they were changing the use of the road specifically for cycles. It would be positive to encourage and enable safe cycling in a proper way but the result of the current mismanaged policies are clear to see.

They have failed with proper procurement process. This includes the Garden Bridge project and the Old London Underground projects which have both failed to comply with proper lawful process.

The number of empty buses driving in central London causing congestion and pollution has increased, and at the same time the Directors of TFL hold significant shares in the bus companies.

In December 2014 the GLA Transport Committee, who supposedly have the ability to hold TFL to account, filed a report about TFL following an extensive inquiry in relation to Taxi and Private Hire.

The report listed many failings and described TFL as ‘Woefully Inadequate’. The result of that report was absolutely nothing; no action has ever been taken about the serious failings of TFL in the report.

This confirms two things; firstly that TFL are failing and not acting in compliance with Public  Law and secondly that they are unaccountable. They just ignored the Transport Committee inquiry and report and took no action.

It is regrettable that Taxi Drivers are forced to protest but the fact is that the improper actions and policies of TFL are causing widespread gridlock and congestion all day every day/ 24/7  throughout London.

The gridlock, congestion and toxic air pollution affects absolutely everyone who lives , works or visits London , so it is in everyone’s interest that urgent action is taken by the Government and the protest today is needed for this to happen.

The protests will start on Tuesday 8th November at 2 pm in Whitehall and will continue until the Prime Minister formally initiates a Statutory Public Inquiry into TFL. It is a simple and reasonable demand which needs to be met , as no other course of action will resolve the very serious problems which are affecting everyone.

We do not call these protests without giving serious consideration to the affects they have on the general public and we apologise for any inconvenience our protest may cause, however, we feel we are left with no other option as we have exhausted every possible avenue in our attempts to get Transport for London to address our concerns.

END

Contact United Cabbies Group

Len Martin (General Secretary)

0207 100 5206

email 

pressoffice@ucglondon.org.uk

PRESS CONFERENCE- United Cabbies Group intend to call a press conference prior to the protest, details to follow.

Q and As

The Taxi protest is causing huge disruption and inconvenience ; Is that reasonable?

It is regrettable that Taxi Drivers are forced to protest but the fact is that the improper actions and policies of TFL are causing widespread gridlock and congestion all day every day/ 24/7  throughout London.

The gridlock, congestion and toxic air pollution affects absolutely everyone who lives , works or visits London , so it is in everyone’s interest that urgent action is taken by the Government and the protest today is needed for this to happen.

What is the protest about?

Transport for London are a Public Body but their decisions and policies do not comply with Public Law. These decisions do not just affect taxi drivers they affect everyone.

TFL has an annual budget of £11 billion of taxpayers’ money so it is reasonable to expect them to act in the Public’s interest.

The failed policies have caused gridlock ,congestion and pollution and as a result there is harm to health and the economy.

Failure to regulate has created serious risks to personal and general security, including sexual assaults, rapes, injury to passengers and pedestrians and the fact that the capitals security in general is compromised.

Why has the Mayor taken no action?

TFL are accountable to no one which in itself is something which should be investigated in the format of a Public Inquiry.

 The Mayor is Chair of TFL and therefore could not conduct an independent investigation. The GLA are supposed to be able to scrutinize the decisions and policies of TFL but have no statutory power to take action about TFL failures.

A GLA report in 2014 which deemed TFL to be ‘Woefully Inadequate’ has been ignored.

Why has the Department of Transport taken no action?

Formal complaints have been made to the DFT over a number of years and even though this is a national issue  they have continually stated that they have no jurisdiction over TFL and that it is a matter for the Mayor to deal with. The Mayor is Chair of TFL so therefore cannot taken independent action.

Why a Public Inquiry?

If there was a train crash and 140 people were killed there would be an immediate Public Inquiry to establish what had caused it and what steps could be taken to prevent it ever happening again.

The failed policies of TFL which are replicated throughout the UK are leading to massive air pollution  which causes 140 deaths every single day. There is also harm, injury, sexual assaults, road accidents caused by TFLs failure to regulate properly.

It is an outrageous situation and the improper and unlawful decisions need to bee scrutinized in the format of a Statutory Public Inquiry to ensure that effective policies are implemented in the future and that TFL complies with Public Law and its Duty of Care to protect the Public.

How Long will protests last?

The protests will continue until the Prime Minister formally initiates a Statutory Public Inquiry into TFL. It is a simple and reasonable demand which needs to be met , as no other course of action will resolve the very serious problems which are affecting everyone

Who is involved?

The protest has been organised by the United Cabbies Group but is also formally supported by the London Cab Drivers Club, the RMT, the Campaign for Air Pollution Public Inquiry and thousands of individual taxi drivers throughout London and the rest of the country.

What are the requirements of Public Law ?

It is a requirement of Public Law that decisions made by a Public body or someone in Public Office follow correct procedure, are rational and evidence based, for proper purpose, proportionate and properly reasoned. These criteria exist to ensure that decisions made by a Public Body result in effective policies and strategies.  It is extremely important to acknowledge that these criteria are not just an obligation they are legal requirements and the failure to comply with these requirements is the reason why TFL’s decisions and  strategies have failed.

The legal requirements for a Public Body are to

1/ Follow correct procedure

2/ Be Rational and Evidence based

3/ Have proper purpose

4/ To comply with the European Convention for Human Rights

5/ To be Proportionate

6/ To be properly Reasoned

TFL have failed to comply with these requirements.

What are the requirements for a Public Inquiry ?

It seems that the Government has taken no notice of many complaints about TFL (including by MPs) and the obvious failings, despite the clear lack of compliance with Public Law and the clear harm to the Public (from air pollution , sexual assaults, and the numerous accidents in London caused by unregulated drivers) 

The ONLY reasonable solution is for the failures to be properly investigated in the format of a Statutory Public Inquiry

Certain characteristics can be identified in those public inquiries that have taken place:

·         Widespread loss of life

·         Threats to public health or safety

·         Failure by the state in its duty to protect

·         Failure in regulation

·         Shocking events

1.      Allegations of serious misconduct and prima facie merit have been made against those acting, or purporting to act, on behalf of the state and

2.      Those allegations are sufficiently widespread and are being treated sufficiently seriously by those outside Government to undermine the public’s confidence in the integrity of the State and in the rule of law and

3.      The allegations relate to a sufficiently defined event or series of events to allow an inquiry to be given proper and clear terms of reference and

An inquiry would represent the most effective means of establishing the merit of the allegations made and so of restoring public confidence.

It is the best possible way of establishing why previous TFL strategies have failed so that these mistakes are not repeated and proper effective urgent action is taken in the future.

 

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Just A Few Reminders About Tomorrow's Demonstration In Whitehall.

 

This demo has been called by the UCG and is supported by the LCDC, RMT, ITA, Dads Defending Daughters, Mayfair Mod and SaveTaxi orgs and groups that have your best interests at heart. 

The demo is official and has full permission from the Met police. 

BELT UP :

This is not a mass ply for hire, so lights off. 

But remember when your light is off, you are not classed as working and must wear your seat belt. 

Also don't play with your phone while driving or stationary with the engine running. 

Use hands free. 

If you want to take photos/Videos and your stuck in the demo traffic, get out to take them. 

It's rumoured that TfL's new Compliance Team will be out in force, but remember, as you are not working:

They have no power to stop and talk to you i.e. NO BADGE AND BILL CHECKS

As demo is official, you are not causing an obstruction, so if you receive a letter regarding your actions at the protest, asking you to attend Palestra... ignore it. 

On past demos letters were sent out, but as far as we know, there was no action taken against drivers who were advised by their orgs not to attend Palestra.

(We believe that out of the dozen or so letters sent out, only one driver attended)

As a government body, TfL's COs can not mount a surveillance operation without a document called a RIPA.  

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (c.23) (RIP or RIPA) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, regulating the powers of public bodies to carry out surveillance and investigation, and covering the interception of communications.

http://ift.tt/2fhE28o

If you see a CO taking plate numbers or ID badge numbers, take their photo, approach and ask to see their RIPA. If they don't have one, take their details which you are entitled to and make an official complaint to the police.  

(Remember these new COs have been gagging at the bit to report drivers over the last week, for The heinous crime of not having CC stickers).

Our demos have always been peaceful, let's keep it that way. 

Please comply with all directions from the police. 

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Letter To Taxi Leaks : Don't Go Cap In Hand..............ACT SO THEY ASK YOU. By Lenny Etheridge.

Considering we have 5 representative Orgs, we have no real leadership.

Personally I only recognise the LCDC, RMT and UCG as being on our side. In my opinion, the LTDA and Unite are not.

None of them have achieved anything except the LCDC with the Identifiers.

They all come up with exclusives and FOI stats and ...do nothing at all.

On a small scale they are okay for legal cover and advice ... sometimes.

There are no Orgs directly hitting TfL.

They all seem to want to get their feet under the table with TfL and the GLA, but are scared to rock the boat.

God forbid they upset the powers that are destroying us.

The LTDA tell us their expensive, top of the tree PR company suggest it is unwise to protest.

So how do the public find out about this government's aim to deregulate the Taxi industry in favour of a tax avoiding American tech company based in Holland?

Because the public do not read Taxi or The Badge.

We cannot even inform our own drivers, let alone the uninterested public.

Uber have shown their cards for all to see, via the IEA.

Informed Taxi driver knew all along this is the aim of Uber, TfL, Mayors Johnson and Khan, and HM Government.

We've known all along that Uber are the pathfinders of TTIP.

We've known all along the vast majority of the mega rich and powerful want more power and more riches via a slave class tucked nicely up in bed with an all inclusive Federal Government of Europe, aligned to the Federal Government of America, where worker ants will never aspire to anything but serve their company with religious vigor.

But I digress ...

What does this expensive, top of the tree PR company, retained by the LTDA suggest in retaliation?

Don't rock the boat, and more consultations with our 'Owners'.

And where has that gotten us, may I ask?

WE DO NOT NEED TO BE A PART OF ANY ORG.

Just take out private legal insurance.

As you might have gathered, I'm pissed off with them all.

They all seem to have no sense of urgency, nor do they have the backbone to stand up to the ones who are killing us.

No doubt Org members will reply to my rant with promises of stuff in the pipeline. 

And maybe they have, I don't know.

But don't you think it's a too little too late?

The three Orgs that I personally acknowledge will make excuses of all kinds, not enough funds, not recognised by TfL, excluded by others etc. etc. 

And again some of that might be true.

The bottom line is we've not won a thing. 

Uber are winning and winning and winning.

You either stand up to a bully ... or bend over.

There will be no protests called before Christmas, because that would affect the family man and woman on the eve of Christmas, during a lean time already.

But I feel there should be some bastard protests, four, five or twelve hours long, two, three, five days a week.

This Mayor is playing for time. 

Read his proposed promises - he's promised us what we already own, with a few fringe benefits thrown in. He has his eye on being PM. He will not like us showing London, showing the nation that he cannot control his own staff at TfL..... or us.

Don't go cap in hand and ask to be allowed around the negotiating table. 

ACT SO THEY ASK YOU!

This is war!

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Update On Lee Wards Letters To TfL And The Mayor.

Dear Lee Ward

Thank you for your recent correspondence, addressed to the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. As a Correspondence and Investigations Officer for Service Operations, your correspondence has been forwarded to me for response on Mr Khan's behalf.

I can confirm that Uber London Limited is registered as a private hire operator in London, having met the same pre-licensing requirements as any other applicant for an operator's licence and is subject to all legislation which applies to private hire operators in the Capital.

Similarly all taxi and private hire driver applicants must meet a range of strict criteria to ensure they are 'fit and proper' prior to becoming licensed in London. All applicants must undergo an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal records check both before they are granted a licence, and every three years after. The standards in this respect are the same for both taxi and private hire drivers.

Private hire drivers are not restricted from taking bookings anywhere in England and Wales, provided the vehicle, driver and operator are by the licensing authority where the booking is accepted. This is commonly referred to as "the triple licensing requirement".

A national change is required to address issues of cross border hiring and we are currently raising our concerns with Government to ensure that there are appropriate controls. However we do not currently have any legal jurisdiction to prevent private hire vehicles being licensed with more than one authority.

In respect of your comments relating to Uber and plying for hire; clearly, the introduction of smartphone technology has changed aspects of both the private hire and taxi industries. Private hire operators who offer their customers the option to book via app have significantly reduced the time it takes between booking a private hire vehicle and the journey starting. That being said, booking via an app is legal as long as a private hire journey is booked in advance through a licenced private hire operator, and the job is then despatched to a licensed driver and vehicle.

The time between a booking being made and a journey starting is not currently subject to any statutory control in primary legislation, or regulations. We support the concept of a statutory definition for plying for hire and pre-booked to enhance public safety and ensure the longevity of the two-tier system in London. We will continue to press government for a response to the Law Commission report on taxi and private hire services, in which this specific issue was considered.


Yours sincerely


Chelsee Mckinlay
Correspondence and Investigations Officer
Service Operations
Transport for London

Not what i was hoping for, so I sent this back...

Dear Chelsee

I thank you for your reply, and I am well aware of the rules and regulations including the app based booking systems that technology has brought to the trade, I agree that the technology has a huge role in the industry, provided of course that it meets all current laws and regulations.

However, can I bring to your attention an article that was published online which I wrote, it explains the issue in detail. The reference from the Canadian court is very much supportive of my case and although not British Law, Canada is a colonial country that has many similar laws to Britain.

http://ift.tt/2farwYnk/2016/05/uber-do-not-actually-accept-bookings.html?m=1

My example alone of how Uber accepts, or rather the driver accepts a booking is proof enough that every journey made by Uber is in fact illegal, something that your department does have the authority to deal with.

Perhaps TfL can take Uber to court and show their teeth instead of it being the other way round.

The evidence is there to show that the driver accepts the booking and not Uber.

Please respond as soon as possible, this is a matter of both urgency and due to insurance being invalid, public safety.

Let's hope no one has to prove this after a death occurs.

Yours

Lee Ward

And the reply was?.....

Dear Mr Ward

Thank you for your email response of 17 October 2016.

When booking a private hire vehicle, the passenger is deemed to be entering into a contact with the licensed operator who is inviting the booking and then fulfilling it with a licensed driver and vehicle. When accepting a booking, by whatever means, the operator is obliged to make a record of it at their licensed operating centre. The details of contracts between passengers and specific licensed operators are a matter for those two parties.

In accepting the booking and taking the payment, there is, in our view, what amounts to a contractual arrangement between the operator and the passenger. We will not comment on any specific contractual arrangements between the various parties.

As previously advised, Uber London Limited is registered as a private hire operator in London, having met the same pre-licensing requirements as any other applicant for an operator's licence and is subject to all legislation which applies to private hire operators in the Capital.

Yours sincerely


Chelsee Mckinlay

Thanks, and now you are up to speed...so, here follows two simple but accurate flow charts for how a standard computer booking and dispatch system works and how Uber's system works.

STANDARD SYSTEM...

UBERS SYSTEM...

Is it not obvious that with the Uber system, the driver accepts the booking?

That my fellow drivers and friends is and will be the downfall of this parasite to both our shores and this industry.

We just need someone at TfL or the Government to take a look and stop thinking that we dont know what the hell we are on about.

On 2 November 2016 at 22:51, lee ward <ward.lee1969@gmail.com> wrote:

I have not finished with this line of inquiry, but I thought that it would be a good time to keep everyone updated.

I sent this email to Sadiq Khan on the 7th of September 2016...

Lord Mayor Sadiq Khan

I write to plead for your help in what has become a nationwide issue which started almost 5 years ago in the Great City of London.

My reason for writing to you is twofold, one that you are in a position to act and two that as a qualified solicitor in law, you have the skills to see what this problem is without someone explaining it to you. There is also the added bonus that you are a Labour member and have previously held positions in the following departments with those departments responsibilities listed.

Department for Communities

• building regulations

• community cohesion

• decentralisation

• fire services and community resilience

• housing

• local government

• planning

• race equality

• the Thames Gateway

• urban regeneration

Department for Transport

• Sustain economic growth and improved productivity through reliable and efficient transport networks;

• Improve the environmental performance of transport;

• Strengthen the safety and security of transport; and

• Enhance access to jobs, services, and social networks, including for the most disadvantaged people.

These attributes that you have gained among many in your career are the reason that I turn to you.

Uber came to these shores and set down in the Great City of London, where initially concerns were raised but fell on deaf ears, perhaps because of the Deregulation Bill that was going through Parliament at the time, perhaps for another reason, who really knows.

Several years down the line, scores of accidents, numerous charges of rape and sexual crimes, and various protests have all failed to bring this company to an end, and I cannot help but wonder why?

Any other group with this kind of record would have been dealt with, just cast your mind back to football hooligans, they were dealt with and to be honest, they were not in the same league as this corporation and its business ethics. A business that even states to its customers in the Terms and Conditions within its app that departs them from any lawsuit if the customer is injured in any way.

I am fully aware of the amount of correspondence that you and your department receive with regards to this matter, but this time it is not from a London Cabbie, but a Northern Private Hire driver, attempting in his lay mans terms to get across what Uber is doing to the industry nationwide.

It has no interest in the drivers, except for when it is promising to fill the tax mans coffers, but how can that happen if they flood the market with drivers at every opportunity that they get, these drivers will not be paying tax due to the lack of income that they will receive but will in fact claim any support benefit that they can to survive. While Uber takes 20-25% of every journey and pays what into the countries coffers exactly?

This company run the ‘Ignition Scheme’ where they pay the driver to become licensed in areas where the license authority are naive to the industry and what’s happening, fast tracking people to be licensed and then use the Deregulation Act 2015 to enable them to work in an area where they could not be bothered to obtain a license because of the requirements needed, this is also happening with licenses from TfL, easy to obtain and off you go to where you really want to work, borders are irrelevant now.

But that’s ok, because they have a smart phone with a sat nav on, of course they can be a taxi or Private Hire driver, safely transporting paying customers who are ignorant of the qualification that the driver has, or indeed the insurance also. Would this be suitable in other industries and more importantly, would it be accepted?

Explosion Scheme? Where a gas fitter gets to walk away with a smart phone and you tube.

Lightening Scheme?  Where an electrician gets to use the same smart phone with you tube.

I am guessing here, but I would say no. That’s the bits where your previous posts can be an asset to assist in the answers I am sure, but now for the legal bit that your lawyer hat can help to answer.

An operator of Private Hire Vehicles must accept the bookings on behalf of the Licensed Private Hire Drivers, and quite frankly, Uber do not do this because they are a P2P company as admitted under oath in Toronto 2015. I am pleased to read that the judge seated on that case was a little techno savvy and got the truth out of Uber and how it operates. But to be fair, he didn’t have to go that deep into it, he simply had to read the Terms and Conditions, and look at Ubers advertising where they never say that they accept a booking, they always say that they put the customer in touch with the third party provider (the taxi or PHV driver) they even state on one of the adverts that an Uber driver is a former Taxi Driver and now an Uber Partner;

http://ift.tt/2favVdNd7-fc81-41f5-a17a-49e5e82bbebd

7. Wait for a driver to accept your request.

8. When your request has been accepted, you'll see your driver’s location on your map, along with an ETA. Your app notifies you about one minute before your driver should arrive.

Or how about the advert mentioned previously where drivers are now Former Taxi Drivers?

You see, what we have is Uber paying for people to become drivers, usually of Private Hire Vehicles, and like all people who circumvent a process, these drivers do not care for the industry, the rules or the people that they are trusted to take from A to B. They are however like moths to a flame, flooding the area with unsustainable drivers where the people who use taxi services stay at the level as they have always been, you cannot make people catch taxis who do not usually catch taxis. This ‘pie’ of taxi users can only feed so many mouths.

Yes the English and Math test will slow down the influx of drivers for TfL, and the Insurance Policy that is in place for the term of the plate, as requested in the LGMPA 1976 Section 48 (1)(b) which is a year (as proven by Benson v Boyce) will of course make people think twice before they commit to what all others have committed to, or more importantly, all others up and down this land who did not circumvent the process.

I can see why you are struggling to deal with what you have inherited from the previous Mayor of London, shutting down Uber and having people shout that you have put out of work 35,000 people, but you will not be doing that, you will push these people to regular operators who work within the law and employ people to answer telephone requests to make bookings, perhaps you would even make 10,000 new jobs. But nothing should prevent you from ensuring that a company who transports tens of thousands of people daily in this country to be legal, nothing.

Unfortunately, you chose to put yourself forward for this position and it is now your duty to close this illegal company down, for the benefit of the people who trust in the Transport Sector of this country, be them living and working here or simply visiting, either way they trust this industry, because this industry is one of the most regulated in the world and ask any real driver, they will tell you how proud they are to be a representative of this industry, we are fit and proper people, it’s time for you to be the same.

I trust you as a person, and know that deep down, you know what you have to do. Be the man that you promised to be, sort this sorry situation out, don’t compromise, steralise.

Yours

Lee Ward

ALPHA Chairman

Sheffield

On the 17th of October, this was the reply...

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TfL COs Coming a down Hard On Taxis. But Are They Exceeding Their Authority.... By Paul Sweeney.

Word coming back to us from the front line that these COs have been instructed by TFL to really get in our faces.

Considering its alleged lots of these COs were/are ticket inspectors or PHV drivers, then you can see we are going to face a few issues. 

We've heard reports COs getting heavy at Kings Cross and Waterloo. 

One driver a old boy, was totally confused with this new mandate and did not have the required TFL stickers. The COs started to get heavy and when other drivers became involved, the driver was told to leave the rank. 

These COs do not have the authority to ask you to leave the rank. TfLTPH have said openly stops are not being dished out, just warning letters sent through the post.

This is what Taxi Leaks have been told, so we must take them at their word.

Drivers then pointed out to the COs the Ubers parked and openly touting at the St Pancras drop off. 

A CO replied "we have been instructed to focus on Taxi Trade". 

This is going to continue and whilst we are receiving the heavy treatment, the untouchable PHV trade continues to bring London towards Anarchy.  

Editorial Comment : 

Where are the Orgs on this matter. The LTDA have posted many times about being in attendance at St Pancras and yet when the COs turned up, not one LTDA marshal insight.  

The Orgs need to wake up and do something united. Any Org who does not want to unite on the discrimination inflicted on our trade by TFL, should be removed from our trade.

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TfLTPH, Oh What A Tangled Web You Weave...by Jim Thomas.

Just when you thought the scandal that is TfLTPH couldn't get any more convoluted, another little gem drops into our lap. 

In an email reply to a Taxi driver, TfLTPH's head of policy Tom Moody, makes the statement that a minicab operator/driver who accepts a booking and takes payment, there is in our (TfLTPH) view, what amounts to a contractual arrangement between the operator and the driver. 

He goes on to say, "I don't think that it is for us to comment on any specific contractual arrangements between the various parties". 

This is the same licensing regulator that is insisting that we as a whole trade give free credit to all in sundry, using both chip and pin or Contactless transactions....

One rule for PH....and a stiffer one for us. 

Many drivers believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg as one major CC company has warned its transaction costs could soon rise.

As predicted, TfL's tenuous links with third parties stakeholders are beginning to be leaked.

TfL have been unwavering about the rear siting of the CC reader, even in light of safety concerns of drivers. 

They've  reluctantly allowed independent companies to supply machines attacked by blue tooth to a printer (which is a requirement hat could be dropped), knowing full well that when (not if) TfL bring in the requirement for the CC reader to be attached to the meter (rumoured to be coming into affect summer 2017), the smaller machines i.e. CabApp, PayPal, iZettle and the like, will become unauthorised overnight. This would mean an approximate loss of investment by the driver to the tune of £400. 

Although Helen Chapman recently stated that "at present" they had no plans to do this.... The LCDC published proof in the last issue of the badge that LTPH was in fact currently in close discussion with the major CC companies to do just this!

Just as you were thinking, this couldn't get anymore damming, the Twitter account of TfL put out this tweet, showing conflict of interest to a third party stakeholder/ partner. 

As most of the Taxi top digital advertising screens belong to Verifone, why are TfL paying this company to advertise its own credit card service?

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