LTDA REPORT FORMER GOVERNMENT MINISTERS TO SERIOUS FRAUD OFFICE

LTDA have also issued follow up letter objecting to TfL re licensing Uber, it is now available to download online:-

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Government MOT plan to make cars unsafe?

The government is proposing that newly purchased vehicles have their first MOT when they are four years old (rather than three, as per the current requirement).

This information is from the SMMT. They report that the proposal has caused widespread concern from UK motorists who fear that it could lead to unsafe cars being allowed on the roads.

The government argues that extending the wait for MOTs could save an average of £45 over the course of a vehicle’s lifetime. That works out at a saving of £100 million per year for the UK’s motorists. Of course, the counter-argument is that it will cost the car servicing industry to lose the same amount.

In order to put the proposal into action, a public consultation will occur. If successful, it could lead to the new measures being in place as early as 2018.

It seems, however, that the majority of motorists oppose the proposal. YouGov has conducted a survey on the matter, which indicates that 83% of drivers would rather have peace of mind over the safety of their vehicle than an extra £45. 76% of a similar data set back calls from the automotive industry to keep the law as it stands (currently a three-year wait between the purchase of a new vehicle and its first MOT).

What risk does this bring to road safety?

During an MOT, a mechanic rigorously tests the vehicle against legal requirements. This includes examining lights, seatbelts, tyres, brakes and emission levels. Motorists can receive fines of up £1,000 for driving a car without a valid MOT.

Interestingly, many in the car industry actually believe that the current MOT checks are not rigorous enough. They would prefer reform in this area, rather than a new policy that they see as potentially harming the safety of motorists even more.

In reality, most four year old cars should pass an MOT with flying colours. Indeed, the Department for Transport points out that improvements in manufacturing standards mean that new vehicles stay roadworthy for much longer nowadays.

However, as AA President Edmund King said, the new proposal could see an increase in the number of cars on the road with “faulty tyres and lights,” which an MOT would address and which enhanced manufacturing standards have not necessarily impacted. King did also acknowledge, however, that the new measures would bring “cost and time savings for drivers.”

What do you think about the government’s new proposal? Would you take the £45 saving over the full peace of mind regarding vehicle safety? Let us know in the comments section below

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GMB Announce Uber To Get 1 Year Licence Renewal And Good Law Project Ready To Issue Proceedings

   

 

At 5:41am this morning 28April 2017, the Branch Secretary of the GMB Union made this statement about the relicensing issue concerning instant the hail app company Uber:

He was then asked by a respect trade voice if this was a fact, or just a prediction, to which he made this further reply. 

Although Steve has said that Uber will be granted a one year operators licence, this has nothing to do with the scandalous controversy, which alleges members of a previous government administration and their friends and colleagues, were implicated in putting pressure on the former Mayor of London Boris Johnson, to go easy on Uber. 

The one year operators licence is actually a stop gap measure by TfL while the consultation for a massive increase in licence fees take its course. 

If the consultation goes TfL's way, which consultations seem to have a habit of doing, then it could get very expensive to be a PHV operator in London. The largest companies (Uber included in this bracket) will have to find £1.6m plus £68 per mobile vehicle. 

But all this to one side, according to the GMB branch secretary, Uber's relicensing is already a done deal.

Funny how our trade has to turn to a minicab Union to get this new while our own New United Trade Group remain silent. 

Other news released today:

The Good Law Project has today stated that their Uber claim has been drafted and is ready to go. 

The say they are currently taking advice from a specialist costs QC and will issue proceedings shortly. 

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As McDonald's Make Uber Announcement : Cab Trade Drivers And Families Announce Boycott Of McDonalds.

TfL CO's standard fare, big Mc and fries can now be delivered to a rank while badge and billing Taxi drivers. It's not like they need the exercise!

London's Taxi drivers (and their extended families) have just vowed never to walk through the Golden Arches again, after McDonalds announce they are to partner with Uber to have their food delivered. 

The fast-food chain is currently riding a wave of success founded on several prosperous initiatives, including all-day breakfast, aggressive soft-drink promotions, and a makeover of the Big Mac.

This killer combination (possible killed more Americans than bullets) has led to exceptionally strong first-quarter sales, shooting the stock up to an all-time high. 

But in London, they will soon see a loss of well over 100,000 customers as cabbies boycott the store after the announcement.

The move was reported yesterday by Crain's Chicago Business, which broke the story on its website:

McDonald's plans to expand its relationship with Uber Technologies as it seeks to offer delivery of its food to customers in more U.S. cities.

The Oak Brook-based burger chain, which has been testing delivery through the UberEats mobile app in about 200 restaurants in Florida since December, said today it will launch delivery in several cities by the end of June.

"We're encouraged about the start we've had," CEO Steve Easterbrook said on a conference call with analysts and investors. "We are not in test mode, we are expanding."

I know what you're thinking:

Who in the world wants McDonald's fast food delivered? It's not even that great when it's fresh.

And it's not just in London.....

Taxi social meter pages from around the world are announcing similar bans.

At present, just go to any a Taxi rank in London and you will find many drivers with McD coffee cups in their drinks holders. Taxi cabs can be seen constantly day and night in the queues at drive throughs. 

Last night, I spoke to drivers on ranks and in a main Taxi restaurant and the drivers appear to be wholly united in their ban on big Mcs, coffees and soft drinks. 

One driver remarked:

"We announced a boycott of Mansies Pie and Mash Shops and next day they announced they would drop the Ubereats contract and the same with the Baigel shop in Brick a Lane"

He went on to say:

"Our families health can only improve by a Maccy D's ban. Now you don't even have to ge up off the sofa and make an effort to get there, they'll come to you (probably stone cold). You ever tried their fries cold ?"

Set to profit from this major commercial mistake will be the company who has shown more support to the London Taxi trade than any other, Pret A Mange. Twice a year they give free coffees out to cab drivers who only have to show their badge to get the free refreshment (which is also the best coffee on the market). 

So the London Taxi trade, and going by social media many Taxi trades around the world say fair well to the ginger headed clown, as another American firm joins the circus of fools.

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Counter Terrorism operation in Willesden - Four arrested and woman shot

During an ongoing counter terrorism investigation this evening, Thursday, 27 April, armed officers entered an address in Harlesden Road, NW10, shortly before 1900hrs.

During the operation, a female, who is one of the subjects of the investigation, was shot by police. The woman, aged in her twenties, has been taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service. 

Due to her condition, she has not been arrested at this time and remains under police guard at hospital. We await an update on her condition.

Four people have now been arrested. The first, a 20-year-old man was arrested near to the address. A male aged 16 and woman aged 20 were arrested at the address. 

A 43-year-old woman was arrested in Kent a short while later.


All four have been arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of terrorist acts under section 41 of the terrorism act 2000.

They are currently in custody at a south London Police station. 

The address and persons connected with it had been under observation by counter terrorism officers as part of an ongoing intelligence led operation.

This incident is not connected to the arrest in Whitehall earlier today. 

In line with established post incident procedures, the incident has been referred to the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards. 

This matter has also been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission as a matter of course.

There are no other reported injuries. Enquiries continue. 

Searches at the address are ongoing, as well as further searches at linked addresses across London.

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Romania: hundreds of taxis, buses protest against Uber

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Hundreds of taxi and bus drivers protested outside Romania's government offices on Wednesday to demand that Uber and other online ride service be outlawed.

Drivers parked some 200 taxis and buses outside the office buildings in the capital, disrupting transport in the already crowded city, and blew vuvuzela horns.

The protest, which had been planned to last all day, ended early after the government agreed to pass an ordinance within days better regulating taxi services.

Minister for Public Consultation and Social Dialogue Gabriel Petrea met with some of the protesters and the two sides signed a protocol where the government pledged to pass the ordinance within 30 days.

There were no details immediately available how Uber would be affected.

The Confederation of Licensed Transport Operators says it wants "online technology platforms that provide unauthorized taxi services to be outlawed," to protect licensed carriers.

Uber says it is a ride-sharing service with transparent costs and its drivers pay taxes. It says some 250,000 clients have used its services in the Romanian capital and other major cities in the past two years.

Taxi drivers blow into vuvuzelas during a protest outside the government headquarters in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, April 26, 2017. Some 200 taxis and buses have parked outside the government offices in Romania's capital, Bucharest, demanding that Uber and other online taxi services be outlawed in the country. 

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Whats On The Horizon : A New Greener Horizon, Or Project Horizon By Jim Thomas.

    

   After six demos and two all party engagements, the signs are still going up

I remember, many years ago, the public carriage office writing to every licensed Taxi driver saying, their must be no, 'no go areas' in London for Taxis. You will be expected to go to any destination within a six mile radius or within one hour duration and their must be no exceptions. 

Now we have a Mayor, in charge of a Transport body (TfL), bent on the destruction of our 360 year old trade by creating no go areas for London Taxis.

We've had 8 years of protest, demonstration, consultation after consultation, engagement and negotiation. Apart from the killer on the knowledge protests, which saw top TfL directors moved sideways, we've had little or no success. 

Now, after six demonstrations and two bouts of negotiations, we are about to lose access through the Bank Junction, financed by TfL to speed up bus times. This will be followed by a complete ban from Tottenham Court Road, then Oxford Street and Baker Street.

But this time there is an unfortunate victim caught in the middle of this attack on our trade, and that is the disabled and less mobile members of the public. Mayor Khan is about to  steal the freedom of the disabled to shop wherever they like, in order to give way to able bodied shoppers who he hopes will travel forwards and backwards on the Tubes new Elizabeth line. 

Khan obviously feels he can supply passengers to the new line by making it as difficult as possible for taxis to get to popular destinations around central London. 

OPERATION HORIZON:

Taxi Leaks spoke of Project Horizon several years ago and TfL flatly denied it ever existed.

We predicted back then, that under this agenda, there would be Taxi no go areas, followed by Private Hire rest ranks where drivers could wait to be hired and PH WAVs rank spaces at mainline stations. 

Remember the Gold, Silver and Bronze PH ranking system? It's still there in the background as TfL never fully scrap an idea, they just shelve it till the time is right. 

With Country Boy Rett Russell in charge of London's Ambulance service, it's only a matter of time before we see NHS Uber ranks at hospitals around Greater London...an going on TfL's present form, outside Greater London too. 

As Harry Wall said, "History is there to learn from".

Seems our trade has learned nothing

After years of negativity and deterioration, fighting an unfair and elitist United Trade Group, did we not cheer when Val Shawcross announced the UTG would be scrapped and the gagging order known as the engagement policy would be assigned to the shredder. 

So what is plan B.

It seems the old United Trade Group is to be replaced by the new United Trade group, and the old gagging order known as the engagement policy, is to be replaced by a new gagging order called the new engagement policy. Again the right to exclude any group they see fit to exclude.

And the price for signing away the right to criticise TfL in print or on social media, is a seat at the old fold up table.

Towards the end of this year, the Taxi trade will be expected to purchase the new electric TX5, even though neither TfL, the GLA, the Mayor or our trade Orgs, have bothered to explore the health risks associated with the radiation given off from the bank of batteries inside the vehicle. 

Not only has TfL put us in the predicament of not being able to afford this vehicle by selling our work to a NonDomicile company that pays little to no tax, we now learn this week that the government is likely to scrap the subsidy they were going to give Taxis and private hire to go electric.

But tell me this Sadiq, will the new electric Taxis be allowed to use all these no go areas and eventually replace the dirty buses that are running round, 100% on diesel, as replacement batteries proved to be too expensive ?  

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