Redressing The Balance... Letter To TfLTPH From A Grateful Passenger

The piece below is an extract from a letter sent to TfL by a grateful passenger. Taxi Leaks would like to thank TfLTPH for passing this on to us by way of their Twitter account. 

My taxi driver and I got talking during the journey and he asked me where I'd been. I told him that I'd come from visiting my mother for the final time, she being 82 and living in Plymouth, me being towards the end of the terminal illness and living in East Yorkshire.

He told me that his sister in law had recently been diagnosed with stomach cancer and was struggling emotionally. He wondered if I had any advice to give. 

The traffic being heavy, I was able to tell him my story and give him as much advice as I could.

When we got to King's Cross he very kindly waived the fair. We shook hands and parted. I wish I'd taken his name or the cab number, as I wanted him to know that the fair I should've paid will be donated to the Dove House Hospice, which I attend regularly and I shall never forget his kindness.

All too often London cabbies get bad press. I would like to redress the balance a bit.

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Institute of Licensing | Institute writes to Government to highlight failure in taxi licensing system

The Institute of Licensing (IoL) has written to the Government to raise concerns about failings in the taxi and private hire licensing system that is putting public safety at risk.

IoL President, James Button, said in the letter: 

“We are aware that there is currently much discussion ongoing in relation to the licensing of taxi and private hire drivers, operators and vehicle owners, including the recently established working party by Minister of State John Hayes MP. We are conscious that any discussions must seriously consider the adequacies of current arrangements concerning criminality checks, data sharing and ability of licensing authorities and police practitioners to identify concerns relating to licensed individuals and those seeking to be licensed with a view to maintaining public safety and taking appropriate action as necessary.”

The letter addressed to the Home Office, DfT, National Police Chiefs Council and the chairman of the newly established Taxi and Private Hire Working Group, outlined the result of its member’s survey about the level of checks undertaken, data sharing with the police and other similar issues:

• Less than 25% of respondents consider the current data sharing arrangements are satisfactory
• More than 50% of respondents agreed that changes to the Notifiable Occupations Scheme affected information sharing between police and licensing authorities
• 72% of respondents said that do not receive immediate notifications from the police when a taxi licensee (driver, operator or proprietor) is under investigation, arrested or charged
• 42% of respondents said that the Data Protection Act used as a reason for not sharing information
• A substantial 80% of respondents agreed it would useful would it be to have a single point of contact within the police for taxi licensing issues

Mr Button continued: “The IoL has raised concerns previously with the Home Office in relation to data sharing between police and licensing authorities in relation to taxis. In March 2015, we put on record with the Home Office our concern over the then imminent changes to the Notifiable Occupations Scheme and the proposed removal of Home Office Circular 006/2006 which provided guidance to police forces about the disclosure of convictions and other information in relation to people in professions or occupations which carry additional trust or responsibility (notifiable occupations). In summary, the concern at that point was that the changes would increase uncertainty and inconsistency in data sharing.”

The IoL is currently leading on a project to develop a national model convictions policy for licensing authorities to consider adopting locally. It has been working with the Local Government Association and the National Association of Licensing and Enforcement Officers on the project and the aim is to consult on the draft document imminently. This project has been undertaken with the sole purpose of providing a potential national minimum standard endorsed by the relevant organisations with a view to raising consistency across England and Wales.

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Decision Later Today on Uber's future in Brighton and Hove, could result in disappointment

Taxi from across Brighton and Hove campaigning outside of Hove Town Hall against Uber.

Taxi from across Brighton and Hove campaigning outside of Hove Town Hall against Uber.

THE future of taxi-hailing app Uber in Brighton and Hove is to be decided in a closed-door meeting tomorrow, The Argus can reveal.

Cab companies have fiercely criticised the secrecy surrounding the relicencing decision, in the wake of Transport for London’s move last month not to renew Uber’s licence to operate in the capital.

The Argus understands the decision will be taken by council officers in conjunction with the three councillors who are their party leads for licensing.

A vote between councillors Jackie O’Quinn, Labour, Linda Hyde, Conservative and Lizzie Deane, Green, resulted in the decision to hold the meeting behind closed doors.

Cllr Hyde has consistently and publicly said she was in favour of an open meeting.

An announcement on the future of Uber in Brighton and Hove will be made after the meeting concludes.

Cllr Hyde said: “All I wanted to be clear about was that there should be a public meeting.

“That doesn’t mean I have already made up my mind one way or the other.”

Officers are due to present evidence on the fitness or otherwise of Uber to hold the licence to provide taxi services in the city.

In a letter to council officers, Streamline Taxis’ vice-chairman John Streeter said: “The licensed trade here in Brighton and Hove are bitterly disappointed that council officers and councillors have apparently decided not to hold a public enquiry into Uber’s application to renew their current licence here in our city.”

A previous letter from the city’s three largest taxi firms, Streamline, Radio Cabs, and City Cabs, alleged: “Uber Britannia Ltd is not and cannot be a fit and proper person to hold such a licence.”

The firms said Uber had broken its promised to use only locally-licenced drivers. The letter added: “We remain also very concerned that such an operator attempts to dilute, if not ignore altogether, the very high standards prescribed by the council’s Blue Book.”

In September, a petition with more than 1,000 signatures was presented to the council, asking them to re-examine the licence.

Rob Lawrie, a Brighton taxi driver, said: “Originally, Uber told us they would only use Brighton and Hove vehicles. Since then, Uber has paid drivers to come in from out of town and promised them at least the minimum wage.

“Every weekend we have 200 to 250 out-of-town drivers coming in, which is reducing the income of all Brighton drivers by 25 per cent.”

Uber launched in the city on October 28 last year, after being given a licence in October 2015 after four days of deliberations by the council. The licence will expire on November 4.

The company was granted its licence on the condition it abides by all the conditions in the Blue Book – a set of guidelines for the local cab trade.

Uber’s Fred Jones said: “More choice and competition is good for consumers as it raises service levels across the board. Uber has been embraced in Brighton with over 125,000 people using the app this year alone. Uber does not set shifts so is also empowering Brighton’s private hire drivers. We hope to continue to provide the app Brightoners have come to rely on.”

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Beleaguered app hires PepsiCo’s Tony West as chief legal officer

Just a month after Uber drafted in Hogan Lovells to launch a legal challenge to Transport for London’s (TfL) decision to not renew its private hire licence, the US-based ridesharing company has hired Pepsico’s Tony West as its new chief legal officer.

In a company email, Uber’s chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said that West, who served as PepsiCo’s executive vice president for public policy and government affairs, general counsel (GC) and company secretary, was ‘exactly what Uber needs now’.

‘He has public company experience leading a global team of lawyers across more than 200 countries. As a former federal prosecutor and senior Department of Justice official in the Obama administration, he’s well equipped to handle the investigations into our past practices. And at Pepsi, he has emphasised diversity on his team and across the company.’

Khosrowshahi added: ‘Perhaps most importantly, Pepsi has been named one of the world’s most ethical companies 10 years in a row. Under Tony’s leadership, I’m confident that we will one day join this list.’

Before working for the Obama administration West was a partner at Morrison & Foerster for over seven years. He will begin the role next month and replaces Uber’s current chief legal officer and GC Salle Yoo, who confirmed in September that she would be leaving the company after five years.

West will have his hands full as the company is facing several legal challenges over the coming months, including a legal challenge to TfL after the transport provider revoked Uber’s licence to operate in London in September. According to TfL, Uber’s approach to reporting serious criminal offences and how medical certificates are obtained were among the reasons it came to the decision.

‘Uber’s approach and conduct demonstrate a lack of corporate responsibility in relation to a number of issues which have potential public safety and security implications’, the statement read.

Hogan Lovells regulatory partner Charles Brasted is advising Uber, and has instructed Tom de la Mare QC of Blackstone Chambers.

The firm has previous history advising the company, as it acted for Uber last August on its legal challenge against new guidelines proposed by TfL. The regulations included written English tests for drivers and insurance for drivers for the entire time that their vehicle is licensed. In that matter, TfL was represented by its in-house team and instructed Martin Chamberlain QC of Brick Court Chambers.

Paul Dacam, who has since retired from the firm, led for Hogan Lovells and instructed de la Mare QC alongside Hanif Mussa of Blackstone Chambers

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Uber Accused Of Not Disclosing The Full Picture To Its Worried Investors.

TFL's New Cash Cow Announced, As They Intend To Raise Extra Funding From The 125,000 Minicabs.

Uber drivers are among those who face paying an extra £3,000 a year each to operate in London even if the company keeps its licence, according to The Sunday Times.

Transport for London (TfL), the regulator, plans to force private-hire vehicles to pay the £11.50-a-day congestion charge because of concern that the proliferation of minicabs is choking streets and emptying bus services. If Uber shoulders the payments, it could cost the company between £20m and £60m a year. 

At a meeting of licensing and enforcement officers in Leeds this month Tom Moody, head of policy for taxis at TfL, said the authority would propose the move within months. “We will be looking at the congestion charge potentially for all private hire vehicles,” he said. “In the summer of next year, we will likely be consulting on that and other policies.”

It is understood that the “other policies” being considered by Sadiq Khan, London’s mayor, include extending the charge from 6pm until 11pm or midnight and applying it on Saturdays for the first time.

Congestion and Uber competition have caused sharp drops in bus use. 

According to a presentation to the TfL board, passenger numbers have fallen 5.6% in two years, creating a £100m hole in the authority’s coffers. In big cities outside London, bus use is down 4%.

Source : Sunday Times. 

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT: 

It seems there was a method behind TFL's madness of giving out PHV licenses like sweets, after all....they are now going to charge them the congestion charge. That's  125,000 times £30k per year. The expanded London Minicab fleet is now being blamed by TfL for the massive congestion that is bringing London to a grinding halt. 

Funny, when Tom Moody announced the proposed bonus to TFL's coffers, he never once mentioned the segregated cycle lanes or the fact that at any one time, there are twice the number of buses needed. 

The daily spectacle of a wall of buses, adding to the congested pollution...Total number of passengers 6, not counting the drivers!

Outside the rush hours, you can see empty bus after empty bus. Driver etiquette is appalling with blatant disregard to yellow box junctions (which buses are exempt from paying fines). 

We've also seen a huge upturn in the number of bus related RTAs, caused be driver fatigue. It's a well known fact that many bus drivers are supplementing their income by driving long shifts ironically working for Uber. TfL registered Prius can be spotted, parked up outside most bus garages. 

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Looks Like The Wheels Have Come Off Uber’s Operations On Another Continent

Uber now has massive concerns about the legality of its operations in South America. 

The chief executive of Uber Technologies Inc, Dara Khosrowshahi, will visit its operations in Brazil next week. 

The company told Reuters on Friday, that Brazil’s Congress nears a vote on legislation threatening Uber’s business model.

Khosrowshahi will visit Sao Paulo, Uber's biggest city by trips, and then onto Brasilia, the nation's capital, on Monday, according to a person familiar with the executive's plans.  

 

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