Cross Border Hiring aka discrimination by design....by I'm Spartacus.

So as expected Uber London licensed PH drivers and vehicles now infesting St Albans, Brighton, Southend and many other towns, they are now actively recruiting smaller town drivers to work elsewhere to undermine local legitimate Taxi & PH. 'Just go in Brighton and park up mate'.

All beyond control of the local licensing regime as they have no jurisdiction and the public is clearly at risk.

Of course those in those smaller places often have poor public transport and those such as the elderly, disabled or those with small children won't be served as no doubt inducements will be made to drivers to work elsewhere and those poor unfortunates will pay the price of not having a smartphone, don't wish or cant pay by card and don't fancy being rooked by surge pricing.

Discrimination by design.

So what's that go to do with us in the traffic crippled smoke?

Well let's fast forward to Uber's application to renew their operators licence (that's from the company that says it isn't a transport operator by the way) and miracle of miracles the 'form book' is turned upside down and TfL refuse to renew after let's say the LTDA object.

Uber leave town and a bonanza of work ensues, you might think, not a bit of it sorry to say, their will be a brief pause until Uber and their lobbyists with their links to government find a local authority happy to take the almighty dollar and licence all and sundry under a 'flag of convenience'.

We would be worse off as the 'sticker squad' of TfL compliance officers would have no jurisdiction at all over these driver and vehicles, there's little enough enforcement now save trivial matters such as unsigned bills etc, we then have the unattractive prospect of TfL compliance only having us to enforce against!

So whats to be done?

TfL insert a condition that vehicles are to work within their licensed area (Many authorities already do this) and insist a 'geofence' erected for companies that despatch by data to stop any driver that attempts to log on out of area.

In addition TfL today need to despatch compliance officers to these out of town hotspots to assist local  licensing teams, TfL have had the fees in to fund enforcement.

The police forces (like the great Birmingham Taxi Cop) need to act in a concerted way to eliminate the scourge.

We across the UK need to organise the biggest protest ever seen to force action by the government both locally and nationally.

The Law Commission talked about National Standards for Private Hire, well without a National Enforcement team, it's effectively no standard at all is it?

Ensure in law that the bogus pre booking is eliminated by statutory definition, clear and unambiguous, forget any naysayers, we can't be worse off than now in any respect.

If unchecked the only ones to suffer will be the legitimate trade and of course those people referred to earlier.

Discrimination by design.

Offshore based companies not paying their due, underpaid drivers propped up by the Tax and benefits system that's supposed to fund those in need and pay for our NHS etc.

Discrimination by design.

So Teresa, Chris, Members of the Commons and Lords, HMRC, DWP, Sadiq, Val, GLA, TfL, Local councillors everywhere who's side are you on?

The legitimate hard working small business or some offshore entity that gives nothing back.

Your actions will determine if you support us or Discrimination by design.


I'm Spartacus

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Compliance Officers, Blatantly Abusing Powers On Heathrow Ranks : Letter To Taxi Leaks

Surely someone has some clout to sort this mob out?

This guy has done over 4 hours in the Taxi Feeder park and is on point. TFL have had all that time in which to hassle him?

Why have they waited until he is on point of a rank?

The group on the left turn up and block the pavement chatting to the rank agents. 

Then one of them decides he's going to badge and bill the guy on point. 

Just as a passenger walks up the rank. The passenger is then struggling to get past this rabble with a case. They eventually move over enough to get passed. But no sorry to the passenger or assistance who's then directed to the point cab.

Rather than back off, the CO continues to hassle the driver whose having problems finding his bill in his string pocket. Whilst the passenger now sits patiently in the back.

The passenger is eventually told to get the next cab. 

These idiot PCOs don't seem to care.

Good customer service would have been to help the poor woman with her case and open the door's for her.

I've never seen a CO badge and bill the point cab? Especially at the flyers should they not ignore the three point cabs unless there's a customer issue?

After all the driver would have been badged and billed when he last got credits.

Editorial Opinion : 

IF A CO (unaccompanied by uniformed police officer) IS GOING TO B&B A CAB ON POINT OF A RANK, IT CAN ONLY BE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT AS SOON AS A PASSENGER GETS IN THE VEHICLE, THE INSPECTION MUST IMMEDIATELY CEASE.

PCOs do not have the power to stop you working, unless accompanied by a uniformed warranted police officer.

When the passenger approached the driver, he would have been well within his rights to instigate a stop of the Badge and Bill check (as you say, he's already had a Badge and Bill  when he purchased his credits) and helped the lady into his cab, put the meter on and driven off. 

I hope you have the COs details (always take them down if B&B'ed as you are as much entitled to check their documents as they are yours). Make sure you put in a formal complaint, this was a definite abuse of their powers. 

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Time To End This Premiership Psychology? ..............by Semtex.

When I was a butterboy and first got my licence, I lived in Kent. Driving in to do a shift, I would see some of our own driving the opposite way, after doing their nightshift. Invariably, we would wave, nod or flash our lights, to acknowledge that we were part of a Brotherhood sort of thing.  As silly as it sounds, I used to like that sort of camaraderie, it was something I was used to in the military. 

It used to make me feel good, a sense of belonging and strength, and tiny little things like that would all add together and make a more enjoyable day. In my little brain anyway.   You don't see it as much these days, do you ? Why is that, do you think ?

The other day, I thought I would catch up with an old pal in the trade that I haven't spoke to for some time. The phone rang, and it went on to answerphone. I left a brief message to say it was me, and if he got a chance, ring me back later for a chat. Not more than ten minutes later, I got a text from the fella. 

Now, before I say anymore, I would like to say that this man has done a huge amount for our trade. I have stood shoulder to shoulder with him on most of our demo's and meetings over a very long time, and consider him as a very good trade friend and ally. For the record and despite what I am about to tell you, I still do. I respect this man a great deal. He has put thousands of hours into our well being, and could never be paid for his commitment and loyalty.   Anyway, I digress.

I wont write the text down word for word verbatim, as the style and language would give away who it was, but it said more or less something like this. " Hello Steve. Saw your piece in Jimmy's blog. I know your heart is in the right place, but you really ain't helping those of us who are trying to make in-roads with the authorities. The nearer we get to scoring a hit, you come out with a piece like that and give them all the hump again, and its back to square one ! You are hindering us more than helping us".

I read the text, and immediately phoned my pal back, but again, straight onto answerphone. I can safely assume he didn't want to talk to me. I was honestly truly gutted. I thought about it for a few hours, and conceded and went to text back to apologise. I was absolutely choked to think that ANY of our own would think I would deliberately go out of my way to harm the trade that I love, worse still, undermine my colleagues hard work, to put them in a position whereby they think I had been responsible for sabotaging their hard graft. 

That is the very last thing I would do. I hated myself. I'm not kidding, it really affected me.   Before sending the text of apology, I sat on it for a few hours and thought about it. And when I did, I got angry. I got angry that yes maybe many of our mates had indeed worked hard to pave the way by befriending the authorities, ministers and MP's. But what actually had we achieved by it as a Trade ? 

Apart from an extra rank here and there, and some other bits and pieces, what advantage have making the authorities as allies, given us? ? 

And it wasn't as if I was being impatient, we have had 400 years to do this. After winding myself up about it, and still well choked, I decided not to send the text at all, and not to ring back either. I was not only upset, I was embarrassed and felt guilty, but justified as well.

But what a bloody shame. What a tragedy. Although I am not 100% sure yet, it appears that I have lost a good pal over a piece I wrote for Taxi Leaks, trying to expose the bad guys. But I'm not the only one, it seems. I know of a case of two of our leading trade stalwarts who actually went to school with each other and did the knowledge with each other and got their licences together. No longer on speaking terms because one of them belong to one org, the other to another. Isn't that an absolute tragedy ? 

I think that is absolutely dreadful, honestly I do. Stuff like this really upsets me. I am sure that the man himself Jim Thomas, who has done more for this trade than any other person I know, would agree with me too. I know for a fact that he regularly sees this happening and has been on the end of it himself. It's criminal, I reckon. I honestly do. I made the mistake of saying to a mate that I thought our trade was better using a professional spokesman when it came to media interviews. He has never spoke to me again ! My observations were seen as a direct attack on the man himself, which of course, was the very last thing I intended. That upset me too. It's crazy.

But why has this happened to us ? 

I think I know. 

First of all, I can tell you that I have been a member of every single trade union, club org or society that is out there. Today, I am a member of none. That is not to say that they are all useless, although some are. But I find the football supporters mentality within these orgs, quiet disturbing. I have been a member of an org in the past, when another org has called a demo or meeting for a very good cause. And yet, the org I was in, forbade me to support it ! Why not ? 

They are my mates ! They are London Cabbies ! They are in a different team to me, but they drive a cab ! What's the problem ? 

But folks, please believe me, there was a problem..........a bloody big one according to the leaders. And it's ludicrous that there is any problem at all. 

When the RMT Cab Drivers Section was formed some years ago, I was one of the pioneering first members. Their militancy appealed to me, and I have always, and still do admire the leadership skills and fear that Bob Crow, bless his soul, used to strike into his adversaries. Anyway, not long after their formation, we had our first active service call, after the Carriage Office decided to give an ex mini cab driver and murderer their blessing to start the knowledge to be one of us.

We got wind of it and decided to confront the authorities over it with direct action. The LTDA heard about it, and thankfully, decided to support it too.

So far so good then. Great. This, I thought, was what it was all about. Professional Unity from ALL sides. However, unbeknown to me, what I witnessed on that pavement outside the carriage office in Penton Street, was probably the catalyst of the premiership nonsense we see in our battered trade today.

The RMT arrived first. We set up right under the windows in Penton Street. Megaphones blaring, traffic police in attendance, banners waving and roads started to grind to a stop all around. Shortly after, the LTDA arrived. But they deliberately made sure they were nowhere near the RMT stall !!! You think I'm joking don't you ? Ask anyone that was there. 

There was an obvious and very defined gap on the pavement between the RMT and LTDA that day. There was nothing else in the gap, just empty, as though it were filled with ectoplasm ! This would have never happened in the military, so seeing it, surprised me, and it played on my mind for ages after. I thought, why didn't they just all stand together and make the attendance look even more awesome and massive than it was, a trick used in many infantry battalion battles in the past ? 

But nope, they didn't. 

The LTDA ensured there was a deliberate visible gap away from us in the RMT.   

Strange, I thought, and as I say, I pondered about the psychology of it for ages after. I wasn't comfortable with it at all, and mentioned it to several trade leaders. Over the next few years, other orgs were formed, and If I though I had imagined what unfolded on the Penton Street pavement that day, I certainly wasn't imaging it now ! I had confirmation in stone. There was most definately a nasty, blatant, football supporting mentality creeping into our trade, at a time when it was surely the very last thing in the world that we needed.

Run the tape on a few years what have we got. I will tell you what we've got. We've got a London Cab Trade fractured and divided to bollox. Mates are no longer mates, buddies re no longer buddies, purely because they give their monthly subs to different "teams". Orgs are all concentrating on different briefs, often in secrecy, not to stop the targets from getting wind of it, but to prevent another org from taking the "glory" ! 

Drivers walk into cafes and canteens and it goes quiet. Not because the driver is Clint Eastwood, Ronnie Kray or Frank Sinatra, but because he is in the LTDA and his mates are in the Club ! Embarrassing isn't it ? Nuts isn't it ? We need our brains testing folks ! It's absolutely inexcusable ! That is one of the reasons I am in nothing. I find it deeply disturbing.   Dropping a man out of the tea round because he pays his subs to a different org than the rest of the table ? 

Lunacy ! Outrageously unnecessary.

It has clearly shot us in the foot though, and resulted in what we see today, when we need to defend ourselves. Useless ! No support, no unity, no brotherhood, no teeth. And our opponents and authorities out there who want to kill us, are rubbing their hands together ! It is EXACTLY what they wanted ! They know what we apparently don't. And that is, STRENGTH IN UNITY. POWER TO THE PEOPLE. 

Bob Crow and any formidable union leader like him, would turn in his grave to see how splintered us lot are. That is partly the reason also, that when we do manage to make a half hearted attempt at unity, we all go out with a different message. The Media and Press interview us and we all give a different reason for being there. We get laughed at and nobody takes us seriously. That is a direct result that all these orgs have caused folks. Org leaders may think they are being clever, but between them they are breaking this trade of ours down into sawdust. The exact opposite of what they should have been formed for!

What then, is the future ? 

How do we put it right ?  

Not such an easy answer, I fear. Every one of the Trade Orgs will tell you they are the best, it's a natural response. If I had my way, I would get the lot to amalgamate into one massive union. A union with teeth, a union with foresight, a union with plans, a union with action, a union with spunk and a union with authority and clout. A union with a direct brief to attack and destroy any authority any unfair competition and any unruly treatment. But that of course, is in my dreams. It will never happen. 

The "Men" that I predicted would kill us so long ago are well and truly established now. They are loading, firing and picking us off one by one, and day by day taking more and more of our fire power.

You don't need to be Montgomery to realise that if the enemy keep progressing as successfully as they have been doing for so long, the battle will be in grave danger of a grave loss on our part. Imagine the 400 legacy of a Great British Heritage, lost to the shysters whilst on our watch. Unimaginable, isn't it ?

The lightning deployment and accurate targeting by our colleagues in The Mayfair Mob and Dads Defending Daughters should be the gold standard that every org leader aspires to. It is just a pity that these proper fighters are by virtue of their numbers, more established and supported.

My post this week then is more to our trade leaders than the rest of us. We are in desperate need of some realistic representation out there right now. Trade Orgs have to have some tangible appeal for people just passing out and gaining their badge this week. Who do they give their money to ? 

Bollox to the diaries, stick the holiday discounts up your arse, and stop thinking that gaining an extra rank space is a game changer. It ain't and we are dying out here. The authorities are running us ragged, the public are deserting us, and illegally licensed mini cab firms are having too much to say. 

Just like me, according to my mate of twenty years or so !

Folks, this Football Premiership Trade Org bollox has to stop. If it doesn't, I guarantee you that our trade will be lost for eternity during the next two years or so. We have the backing, we have the numbers and we have the skills. 

There are some absolutely top, top people in this trade of ours, and together we could blow the opposition or anyone intent on harming us, away, instead of ignoring phone calls and dropping each other out of a cup of tea. Let's at least try to end this football team premiership arseholes folks, we are grown men and women.   We just need the elite to get together, amalgamate, unite and fight. After all, that is what they are supposed to do......isn't it ?

Be lucky all.

8829 Semtex

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Uber Bans Passengers From Flirting In Attempt To Solve Predicted Sexual Assaults Issue.

It seems that the Licensed Taxi trade's fears of escalating sexual attacks on passengers using the UberPool service have been verified.

This dangerous service should never have been given he go ahead by TfL and should now be immediately banned.

In a bit to halt attacks on UberPool journeys, Uber has updated its guidelines to ban passengers from flirting and vomiting, amongst other misconduct.

These rules come following a year in which the minicab app company has been plagued by allegations of sexual misconduct. 

In March, internal data also revealed that the company had recorded five rape claims and almost 170 cases of sexual assault between December 2012 and August 2015. 

These passengers behaviour guidelines are a first for Uber, and give examples of unacceptable behaviour, which includes flirting, "vomiting due to excessive alcohol consumption" and vandalism. If passengers break these rules, they could face being permanently banned from the service.

In a statement, the company have tried to blame passengers for sex attacks on drivers

They also went on to say: 

"Most riders show drivers the respect they deserve, but some don't – whether it's leaving trash in the car, throwing up in the back seat after too much alcohol or asking a driver to break the speed limit so they can get to their appointment on time.
"This kind of poor behaviour is not OK

Uber made no comment about the alleged attacks by drivers on vulnerable passengers.

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Are Daniels & Emmerson engineering circumstances to deny the taxi trade the democratic right to earn a viable living

The Licensed Taxi trade has a very good relationship with both the City of London & the City Police and stay committed to providing the square mile with the safest transport option in London. I'm sure also, that the Corporation will see fit to allow Taxis access to Bank Junction. With regards to Mr. Leon Daniels recommendation that taxis should be excluded from the area, I hope that he can clarify the reasons why? 

For contextual purposes, due to an 80% increase in road traffic accidents involving private hire vehicles, most of which are operating on  the instant hire market, it was proposed that Private Hire drivers were given five minutes- after they had undertaken a booking-  to pre-plan the upcoming route. TfL rejected the proposal on safety grounds, even though they did not provide any data for this assertion. 

It now appears the juxtaposed idea that it's safe to engineer road closures that would impede a persons ability to access a taxi even if that person happened to be caught up in a dangerous situation. The two assertions simultaneously  are not transitive and thus not rational. 

Given that every Taxi is purpose built  (designed for public hirings, with safety and liberty in mind)  and is compulsory requirement by TfL, perhaps Mr Daniels would balk the fallacy of composition and explain what provisions have been made  for those less able-bodied to access a Taxi on demand? 

No doubt, Mr Daniels and Mr Emmerson’s opinion would be very different if the vested interests they have in several bus companies extended to the licensed taxi trade. 

The  bus *franchises that Mr. Daniels and Mr.Emmerson serve as Directors have an atrocious accident and public incident record and whose routes, quantity, and regularity are woefully mismanaged by Surface Transport. 

It would be more appropriate, perhaps, to exclude the dangerous, inefficient fuel consuming fleet from Bank Junction and oblige  taxi drivers the democratic right to earn living by servicing the public. Which just so happens to be what they are licensed to do. 

Mr. Daniels and Mr. Emmerson’s continued interference with the working practices of a taxi driver is solely  intended to further injure the economic viability  of a valid and relevant service industry. 

Mayor Khan cannot merely consider Mr Daniels & Mr. Emerson’s interference to be a dereliction of regulatory duty, but gross abuse of their appointed positions.

I for one will no longer allow a covert, maleficent, agenda driven liar- advising inconsistent policies- prevent me from working (and subsequently supplying  public demand), 

I hope my fellow drivers will join me. 

Sean Paul Day

*Transport Trading LTD has many subsidiaries, including Transport Trading Finance LTD based in Guernsey. One of the 4 directors is Mr. Leon Alistair Daniels.  Both Daniels and Garrett  Emerson serve as directors of the following LTD companies

L. Daniels:

Transport trading Limited

Victoria Coach Services LTD

London bus services LTD

London river services LTD

G. Emmerson

London bus limited

London bus services LTD

River boat services

Victoria coach services

*correct at the point of entry  SPD

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Baker Street Two Way, With Pedestrian Priority Zone, Buses and CyclesOnly Between George and Blandford.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any crazier out there on the streets, just when you though the planners had reached their peak.

WESTMINSTER ANOUNCE THEIR CONSULTATION CLOSES TODAY

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Baker Street is all set to be the next target, in a report carried out by the Urban Realm and Transport Study Group it is claimed that Baker Street itself is an uncertain gateway with poor quality materials and interfaces between public and private sectors. It is also claimed that major congestion occurs not with the traffic but on the "Narrow Pavements causing pedestrian congestion" with poor quality crossing points.

Issues

Wide carriageway and disproportionate space given to vehicular traffic

› High traffic speeds and division caused by traffic density

› Narrow footways

› Noise and Pollution

› Inactive frontages along Orchard Street

› Tide marks between new public realm and areas in need of improvement

› Bus routings, space between bus stops and catchments

Perceptions

› Street dominated by vehicle traffic infrastructure

› Busy bus and coach route

› High volumes of taxis

› Poor pedestrian and cycle connectivity

› Mixed public realm quality and lack of continuity

› Lack of trees and green space

› No reason to pass through it

› A long walk to nearest attractions

Problems

› Congested footways

› Under-utilised carriageway space, yet protected as a

strategic through-route

› Barriers to movement and street clutter

› Lack of cycle facilities

› Parking demand on Sundays and pedestrian visibility

Suggested solution

Street tree planting to create a green boulevard, improved wayfinding at key junctions, shared footway parking and loading pads with raised pedestrian crossing and activate corners with possible market stalls. 

Sounds interesting! but how are they to achieve all this extra comfort and space on this busy major thoroughfare?

The report goes on to suggest the introduction of a partial two way traffic scheme, ONE SINGLE LINE IN EACH DIRECTION.

As part of the proposed two-way working proposal and the need to reduce traffic speed and vehicular traffic density along Baker Street, there is an opportunity to invest in the public realm character in the heart of the street with the creation of a pedestrian zone between George and Blandford Street junctions. 

This intervention would introduce traffic calming measures to allow buses and cyclists only to pass through. Potential level surfacing may also be introduced to define a new pedestrian priority zone. Private vehicles wouls be required to turn off Baker Street on approach to this zone, thus reducing traffic speed and density in the middle of hte street

Where do the planners expect the diverted traffic to go?

Also some north bound bus routs would be redirected northbound up Baker Street supposedly alleviating congestion on Gloucester Place.

Summary of Options

Three streetscape options have been explored for Baker Street which would significantly change its characteristics, increasing footway space and improving pedestrian connectivity and amenity.

The short to medium term options would optimise carriageway space to better meet demand and reduce through traffic. Shared space parking and loading areas would reduce potential conflicts with southbound traffic. These options would not require any signalling changes, significant traffic management or major changes in bus operation. Traffic speeds are also expected to fall due to side friction from the reduction in carriageway space and commensurate streetscape and public realm improvements.

Conversion to a two-way option has been considered, with initial assessments having been made concerning traffic management measures, traffic re-assignment calculations and junction capacity assessments.

At this stage, the partial two-way option is the recommended long term traffic management strategy subject to further consideration of the impact on traffic and bus operations. 

A number of key junctions would become over-saturated in a full two-way option and this is not recommended.

Careful consideration has been given to potential synergies and flexibility between the options to allow conversion from one option to another in the future. It would therefore be feasible to implement the one-way option, with its lane reduction, widened pavements particularly to the eastern side of the street and new tree planting, with a view to implementing conversion to two-way operation in the future which would require detailed traffic modelling. In this way Baker Street can achieve a successful rebalancing of use and movement into the future and enhance its distinctive character as one of Central London’s greenest, more pedestrian friendly and better connected landmark streets.

Other major revamps also at the planning stage and include Tottenham Court Road, The Mall, Kingway and Marylebone High Street.

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TfL...A Declaration Of War Against The Taxi Trade..... By Harry Wall.

According to LCDC twitter feed Leon Daniels and Garret Emerson have both written to City of London supporting the exclusion of black cabs from Bank Junction. 

I consider this another twist of the knife stuck fast in the middle of our backs. There betrayal really has no bounds as this is yet another major thoroughfare vital to our service about to be closed to us and they know it. The more London's choked off to traffic, the more redundant we become. 

Along with the rest of TFL's traffic causing madness, we can only expect more of the same over the coming months so brace yourself.

We need to try and stop this madness and our chance to make a stand comes on 12th January at 5pm with a demonstration called by UCG.

Please attend and treat COL to a professional display of complete opposition to these ridiculous plans, which wouldn't surprise me if a hidden clause had been built in allowing for Geely electric cabs, driven by Uber drivers to use this junction a few years down the line. 

It's also come to my attention that one of our own dropped a fare off at Kings Cross recently and had his bill suspended by TFL for refusing to take a credit card. The trouble is, nothing could be further from the truth. The reality was that the driver had lost signal for some reason so the passenger had to pay with cash, apparently quite happily, having tried in vein to use his card. The driver apologised, the passenger wasn't annoyed and went to get his train.

Unfortunately, a busy CO decided to poke his stupid, no nothing nose in and, having been in the background, warned the driver about refusing a credit card, in spite of his protests.

That's bad enough, but after a few days he received a temporary suspension through the post. He's currently appealing this decision and I'm sure we'd all wish him every success, especially at this time of year.

But this is the sort of intimidation that can't be tolerated any more. When we were subject to the old Carriage Office, the Carriage Officers were proper men, far from perfect and had the odd bastard but this sort of nonsense didn't happen to my knowledge. They were men bent on demanding and upholding high standards from us yet fair at the same time. 

All today's COs do is act and behave like TFL henchmen with no ability to think for themselves, instead they just do as they are told and score points at any opportunity, whilst allowing PH to do as they please.

Try watching them at "work", it's hilarious. Then tell them a minicab's sitting on a cab rank and watch them fall over each other try to get to him first, it simply doesn't happen.

Stories of this nature have become so commonplace lately we've fallen into the trap of acceptance. We've become complacent, almost bored of what's also today's norm. It doesn't have to be this way and, as previously mentioned, January 12th sees the new year in with a demonstration at and regarding Bank Junction. 

But it's not just about Bank, it's about TFL and their obvious intention to eradicate us from London's streets and must be seen as a new initiative for us to save our jobs. Over the last 2 years it's become impossible to be under any illusion that we're being made surplus to requirements, all because of the advent of technology. 

The main argument is that technology can't be in-invented which is true, but all technological breakthroughs don't have to be embraced, especially if it's at the expense of an entire industry. The only people who insist they are embraced are those who benefit financially regardless of the cost or expense, even though thousands of lives could be ruined.

It's all about money, and in reality it's our money they're stealing and TFL and Sadiq Khan are solely responsible for every cab driver leaving the trade, suffering from depression and/or God forbid, committing suicide because they've facilitated and paved the way for corporate success over our families, wives and kids futures.

Add to that there has been no help or recognition of cab drivers being in such a state, it's crystal clear to me that irrespective of what action we take to try and reason with these rats any effort will be wasted. 

That being the case, all bets are off. No more proper channels, no more procedure and absolutely no respect given to these dogs anymore. Being walked over must be a thing of the past, a stand must be made and no apologies given for it. All orgs must be made to defend our trade and future as they promised with consequences paid by those who fail. Any member of any org has the right to demand action on his behalf and if none is forthcoming that member should change orgs immediately, only then will the chairmen of those orgs realise their days of inaction are over.

It's your org, you decide.

We earned the right to our living.

We didn't lose it, it was taken from us in a pre-planned, coordinated, government backed corporate hostile takeover.

I'm saying next year WE take it back, where it belongs!!

We earned the right to it.

Don't sit and watch other people fight for you, fight as one solid force.

If we lose, then we lose with pride knowing we fought for our right to the livelihood we're entitled to.

Please think before you give up.

It really is worth the fight.

Be lucky.

Harry Wall.

Taxi Leaks Editorial Comment : 

In addition to the UCG action at the Bank Junction, the Independent Taxi Alliance (ITA) have announce a five day mass ply for hire on the same lines of the action called at St Pancras. 

This action begins 3pm - 7pm Monday 16th to Friday 20th January 2017

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