09-2014-230

SCAN ME 

to access PHC 

on your mobile 

PHC 

Issue 230 | September 2014 

magazine 

www.phcmag.co.uk 

long hours & 

low pay 

Is it really as bad as one driver claims? 

FREEPHONE 

0800 916 0028 

www.cabdirect.com 

Had an accident? 

We’ll put you back on the road 

MATRIXhire 

Quick, efficient & professional service 

SEE PAGE 2 OR CALL 

020 8212 7285 

drivers wanted 

Lots of cash & account work 

incl. 1500 airport transfers per 

week (min) plus ports and tours. 

airportdirect 

see p47 or call 020 8450 3050 

Join before 12 Sept... 

Get a FREE 

car until 2015 

£500 Start Bonus for day drivers 

£900 Start Bonus for night drivers 

see our advert on page 56 for details or 

call: 020 7566 9042

Follow us on Twitter 

twitter.com/phcmagazine 

cISSUE 230 | SEPTEMBER 

o 

2013 

n t e n t s 

04 

Dangerously low pay? 

PHC highlights claims made by a PHV 

driver from East London who alleges that 

some private hire companies are charging 

customers such low rates that drivers are 

putting themselves and their passengers 

at risk by having to work such desperately 

long hours. 

PRIVATE HIRE 

WORK ON WHEELS 

10 Ex-soldier launches PHV cab firm 

12 Cab wars return to London 

16 MP condemns Uber tax arrangement 

18 TfL cab enforcement news 

20 Police chief catches fare doger 

22 Planet Taxi 

26 LTDA ‘taximeter’ court case 

36 Police appeal for taxi crime witness 

38 Data Cars - 25 years in the making 

PHC speaks with proprietor Les Chapman 

PHC 

magazine 

❙ Publication Manager 

Craig Conway 

phcmag@phcmag.co.uk 

❙ Editor 

John Sanderson 

editorial@phcmag.co.uk 

❙ Deputy editor 

Craig Conway 

phcmag@phcmag.co.uk 

46 14 pages of job opportunities 

THE COURIER 

27 Courier boss calls for better pay 

27 

38 

40 The GMB column 

42 PHV driver gives car smash assistance 

43 Regional Roundup 

44 Cab trade charity events 

❙ Contributors 

GMB, Ian Kerr, Sue Moore 

❙ Photography 

Ian Ferguson 

❙ Advertising 

advertising@phcmag.co.uk 

❙ Courier news 

courier@phcmag.co.uk 

❙ Printed by Wyndeham Heron 

29 HGV speed limit increase 

30 Budget limits restrict tech growth 

31 Transparency for rural e-shoppers 

32 Ian Kerr reviews a book or four 

34 Continental Courier... 

...dispatches from Japan to the USA 

35 Couriers back training initiative 

CLASSIFIEDS 

41 Accountants, printers, loans, etc 

Bumper To Bumper Publishing Ltd | 119 Chiltern Drive | Surbiton | Surrey | KT5 8LS | 020 8399 4678 | www.phcmag.co.uk

PHC 

magazine 

feature | low pay and long hours 

Are PHV drivers paid too little? 

text it...talk it...type it... 

text it...07956 130544 - talk it...020 8399 4678 - type it...editorial@phcmag.co.uk 

Far too low 

PHV driver ‘Dave Smith’ has accused cab bosses in 

East London of driving down prices and making 

PHV drivers work dangerously long hours 

04 | September 2014 

IT’S NOT FARE 

I contacted PHC because I saw an article in the 

magazine about the amount of hours that 

chauffeurs work and how much they earn. 

And I thought, that’s not as bad as what some 

drivers are earning in the minicab trade! 

Some of the fares that companies in East London 

are charging are, in my opinion, just criminal. 

The company I used to work at, until 

recently, pays drivers just £43 for a fare to 

Gatwick. That is a 120 mile round journey and 

should be at least, £70 to £80. 

I told my boss that by the time it takes me 

to get to Gatwick and back, it’s going to cost 

me at least £15 in fuel and that it’s at least a 

three hour journey. And that if I did the same 

job during the rush hour, I was looking at four 

hours. It’s just not worth it. 

In the end I left the company, because I refused 

to do such a cheap trip to Gatwick. I 

said you must be joking. 

I was doing 12 hours a day regularly but 

CONTINUED ON PAGE 06 

Legal One Stop 

Shop* 

NOW OPEN AT 

Arch 362 Winchelsea Rd, Wanstead Park, London, E7 0AQ 

PCO Vehicle Management 

Specialists who are there for you 

PCO credit hire & private hire** Credit repair Personal injury Storage 

Recovery Removal & refit radio Write-off value PCO re-testing 

For a stress-free, start to finish service. 

You can even park outside! 

Call our friendly team at 

0208 555 2425 

Legal one stop shop on: 

or visit www.accidentadvicesolicitors.co.uk 

**For nonfault 

accident... 

63 PLATE VEHICLE 

WITH INSURANCE 

AVAILABLE AS 

REPLACEMENT 

We care about you 

and your livelihood 

@Accident Advice Solicitors Racing 

@AccAdviceSol 

TEXT 10INJURY TO 88802 FOR 

AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE 

*Legal one stop shop is a trading name of Accident Advice Solicitors Ltd

PHC 

magazine 



Gatwick Airport, South Terminal 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 04 

some of the other drivers at the same firm were doing 15 / 16 hours 

a day. It’s really dangerous. 

But this company isn’t the only one paying such low rates to drivers. 

There are at least three or four others in the area, all charging 

around £44 to Gatwick. It’s far too low, how can you live off that? It’s 

not a living wage by any stretch of the imagination. 

And there are also other companies in the Leytonstone, Walthamstow 

and Chingford areas that are charging fares that I think are just 

too low to provide a driver with enough to live on. 

I feel so sorry for these drivers because I think they are being paid 

far too little for the work they do. 

And what a lot of cab companies do is swamp the area with 1,000s 

of cards with very cheap prices to get loads of work. They then take 

on lots of drivers, who have to work stupid hours because they are 

getting paid very low rates. 

I’m lucky, because I am a single guy. But if I had a family to look 

after, I would have no chance, on this sort of money. Not in a million 

years. 

What I don’t understand is how some of these drivers manage to 

survive on the money that they are earning. Are they signing on, 

claiming housing benefit, tax credits etc? Because otherwise you just 

couldn’t survive on rates like these. 

And if they are earning such little money, are they cutting back in 

other areas, like insurance? 

DANGEROUSLY LONG HOURS 

And the drivers have to work stupid, long hours because 

they are getting paid so little. But what is really annoying 

and upsetting, is that we are doing all this work and 

come the end of the week, when we have paid out everything 

we have got to pay for, we’ve got virtually nothing 

left to show for a week’s work. 

But the bosses don’t care and the drivers carry on driving 

themselves into the ground, working more and more 

hours for less and less money. 

The other night I got a cab home from the pub near 

where I live and a local PHV firm sent a driver to pick me 

up. 

About half a mile down the road we came to a set of 

traffic lights. We stopped at a red light. But when the 

lights turned green, we didn’t move anywhere. I looked 

up and the driver had fallen asleep! 

I had to wake him up because we were just sitting at a 

green traffic light. I asked him if he had a long day. He 

said he had already done 16 hours and was still going to 

do just one more hour before he went home! How dangerous 

was that! 

CONTINUED ON PAGE 08 

SOLICITORS PROVIDING SPECIALIST ADVICE AND 

REPRESENTATION TO DRIVERS AND OPERATORS 

Established firm with proven track record 

Appeals against TPH Touting for hire advice & representation 

Applications for operator licence Advice on compliance 

Free initial consultation 

Tel: 020 3490 1475 Emergency Tel: 07792 379 005 

email:info@johnsandsaggar.co.uk 

Johns & Saggar LLP 16 High Holborn | London | WC1V 6BX 

Need legal assistance? 

We are a leading law firm 

for the Private Hire Trade 

We have a high success rate and provide specialist advice 

Fixed fee appeals against (PCO) Taxi & Private Hire decisions 

Help with applications, renewals, licensing problems 

Experienced in handling Touting matters, cautions & convictions 

Free initial consultation 

Call us on 020 3674 6874 

Emergency no. 07506 387934 

Offices in Wood Green & Canary Wharf 

info@bluetrinity.co.uk 

www.bluetrinity.co.uk

PHC 

magazine 




NO DRIVER SOLIDARITY 

And because of the low pay and the long hours the turnover 

of drivers is incredible. I never saw the same drivers twice. 

Surely there must be someone who can sort these operators 

out? It’s just a shame that minicabs are not regulated 

like the black cabs. Where everyone gets to charge the same 

price and the same mileage. 

What it needs is for everyone to leave these companies 

and for the drivers to stand up and say, “no,” they are not 

going to put up with low rates anymore. 

The problem is that the customers are now used to paying 

these really low prices for journeys that should cost a lot 

more. 

If the fares go up, they start moaning, but they don’t actually 

know how much it costs a driver to do this job. Personally, 

it costs me about £23,000 a year to come to work, 

before I take a penny of profit. 

GREENER GRASS? 

In the end, I stuck it out for two months but I got out because 

it was just mental. I moved to work for a company in 

South Woodford. I had been on their waiting list for over a 

year and a half, because it is very 

hard to get in to as a lot of people 

don’t leave. But I was lucky to get 

a phone call to come and work for 

them. 

And now the whole situation is 

much better. I get paid proper 

rates. It’s £72 to Gatwick and that’s 

a hell of a difference. The minimum 

is £5, up to 1.9 miles, and 

that’s much better than my old 

company that only paid £3.70. 

I’ve been in contact with my 

mates from the old cab office, to 

come and work here, but it’s such 

a long waiting list and many of 

them are too stuck in their ways. 

They’ve too scared to do anything 

and rock the boat. 

UPDATE 

I was visiting a friend recently, 

back in the area I used to work for, 

and the fares have gone even 

lower. I thought the prices were 

Selling your 

business? 

As one of London’s busiest private hire companies we 

are always on the look-out for opportunities to expand. 

If you are genuinely considering selling your company 

we would like to discuss it with you. 

We have the finances in place and are in a position 

to offer you a fair price for your business 

and, if required, complete a settlement at your 

discretion. 

If you own a private hire, courier or executive 

car company with 40+ vehicles and are now 

contemplating an exit from the industry, please call 

07870 192 024 leaving your contact details, and we 

will get back to you. Confidentiality assured

too low in the first place but they’ve actually gone lower! 

I just can’t understand how anyone can survive on wages that are 

this low. And it’s having a knock-on effect on the proper companies 

that are charging 

good rates. they 

are getting pushed 

out because 

they are not getting 

much work. 

And the companies 

that are 

hanging on are 

literally charging 

the same prices 

they did over 20 

years ago. 

The first time I 

went on holiday abroad, about 25 years ago, I flew from Stansted to 

Ibiza. A local cab firm picked us up and charged us £25. Now, back 

then, £25 would have been a good rate. 

But that is still the same price, more or less, that some drivers are 

getting paid now, over a quarter of a century later. 

Pay too low in East London? 

FAIR DAY’S PAY FOR A FAIR DAY’S WORK 

All of this is really killing the trade. And I feel sorry for the drivers who 

are working stupid hours 

for not much money. 

They simply can’t survive 

on the money they 

are earning. 

And the effect will 

be that the cab 

companies that 

charge unrealistically 

cheap prices 

will force the proper 

firms out of business 

because all the 

customer cares 

about is paying as 

little as possible and 

nothing else. 

Something needs to be 

done because drivers 

cannot go on earning so 

little for the hours they 

are working. Customers 

like the low rates but it’s 

not so good if a driver is 

so tired that he crashes 

and kills someone. 

PHC 

magazine 

September 2014 | 09

PHC 

magazine 

news | minicab firm launched for ex-soldiers 

Former-army man starts PHV 

business for ex-squaddies 


A 58 YEAR OLD former infantryman has set up 

a cab firm to help ex-servicemen adjust to civilian 

life when they leave the armed forces. 

Paul Reynolds (58) left the British Army in 1980 

after serving tours in Germany, Denmark, Canada 

and Northern Ireland. 

He set up the New Malden-based Heroes Cars 

earlier this year with his business partner Ali Dilawari 

and a government funded business loan 

of £28,000. 

It is the country’s first social enterprise company 

that aims to take on former army personnel 

and donate a percentage of the profits to charities 

that help to rehabilitate soldiers. 

Mr Reynolds said: “A lot of people come out of 

the army and think ‘I know, I’ll do security’. But 

they don’t need to do that. They have a bigger 

skill set.” 

“Military men are already used to working 

long hours, looking smart and reading maps. 

So they would make perfect drivers.” 

Heroes Cars was started with the assistance 

of the X-Forces government fund that gives 

help and advice to veterans who want to integrate 

themselves back into civvy street. 

Mr Reynolds, who has dyslexia, added: “I 

went to my business partner with five bits of 

handwritten paper and he said, ‘That won’t 

do’. 

“But we did it and set it up. Now we want to 

give back to the community and help the 

charities that need it.” 

The former army has also been nominated 

for an ‘unsung hero’ award and said: “I have 

not really started helping enough people yet. 

I want to help people that need it.” 

Think you have the best private 

or public hire insurance quote? 

Cover 

from £900 

...sure 

Cover 

UK licence held 

for 2 years? 

...sure 

Worcester Park 

Think 

again! 

Cover 

Multiple drivers? 

...sure 

Cover 

Chauffeur & 

exec discounts 

...sure 

Speak to the experts & see what you can save 

020 8616 0208 

BRAND NEW 

SCHEME 

Specialists in Hire & Reward 

✓ Excellent monthly rates for new 

PCO Drivers from £200 TPO 

✓ Any age considered 

✓ Cover for Hired Vehicles 

✓ Legal Expenses included 

✓ £10m Public Liability included 

✓ Annual Policies available 

✓ Fleet Policies available 

Save £££’s 

Excellent 

Premiums 

01322 520958 

F:01322 559084 E:viv@hillierbuchan.co.uk 

Taxi is our speciality 

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority reference number 304318

PHC 

magazine 

feature | cab wars return 

BATTLE OF THE CABS 

PHC investigates an allegation by an East End operator that a rival firm 

has been trying to drive him out of business for the last two years 

‘Micheal’ claims that a competitor has been using dirty 

tricks to try to close him down. PHC contacted the rival 

operator for comment but did not receive a reply. In 

the interests of fairness, the magazine has not named 

either company. PHC would though, as always be 

happy if contacted, to publish the point of view of the 

PHV operator that has been accused. 

BACKGROUND 

Micheal alleges that a rival operator threatened to put 

him out of business after he received his TfL private 

hire operator’s licence in 2012. This is his story. 


SIGN OF TROUBLE 

The day after we opened, our shop window was covered with posters from the rival company, claiming 

we had closed down and that our customers should call their phone number instead. This went 

on for days and we ended up calling the police, who took the 

posters down and told the other firm that they would be prosecuted 

if they did it again. Trading Standards and Transport for 

London (TfL) were also made aware of the situation. 

Chauffeur & Executive Hire Insurance 

Let Aston Scott drive you through the insurance traffic to 

our exclusive Chauffer / Executive Hire insurance package. 

Available for a range of vehicles, including prestige cars. 

Dedicated team of staff, with extensive industry knowledge 

Exclusive schemes with household name insurers 

Single, multi vehicle and fleet policies 

Competitive premiums 

Generous no claims discount, with a ‘protected’ option 

No arrangement fees or admin charges for additional vehicles 

Direct debit facility to spread your payments 

Discount for named drivers 

Optional accident management and uninsured loss recovery service 

Plated replacement vehicle option for fault and non-fault claims 

Free quotations 

Terms and conditions apply 

BAD CONNECTION 

We thought this would be the end of the matter, but a little 

while later our phone lines started to get blocked up by nuisance 

calls from mystery mobile phones. Somebody would ring 

up, not say anything and just leave the phone connected, so 

that we could not receive any incoming calls. 

However, we quickly realised it was the other firm because 

we could hear phone lines in the background and the sound of 

a controller despatching minicab jobs. 

We called the police and they came down to our office to witness 

what was going on for themselves. 

Officers went to the office of the other company and caught 

the telephonist with two mobile phones with our number on 

them. She was apparently arrested and the police told the firm 

they would be shut down if they continued to make rogue 

phone calls. 

We thought this would end the saga, but just before Christmas 

2013, our phone lines started getting blocked again with 

rogue calls and texts. 

Typically, it would be a call to pick up from an empty business 

address or we would be given a rogue contact number 

for a ficticious client. 

Aston Scott Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. 

Registered Office: Malling House, West Malling, Kent ME19 6QL 

Registered in England and wales, No. 1341849 

SLAP ON THE WRIST 

TfL has all in the information they need to shut this company 

down but have just issued a few warnings. 

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

PHC 

magazine 

feature | cab wars return 


Have you been involved in 

conflict with a rival company? 

text it...talk it...type it... 

text it...07956 130544 - talk it...020 8399 4678 - type it...editorial@phcmag.co.uk 

Trading standards have told them that they are deceiving the public and the police have also warned 

them about their actions. But, at the end of the day, this company is ruining us. If I have new drivers 

come in, the first thing they ask is, ‘Have you settled your dispute with the other firm yet?’. When I say, 

‘No,’ it hasn’t been resolved, they don’t come back again. 

I’m struggling to keep my business going because of this and TfL say they have put sanctions in 

place, but they won’t divulge anymore than that. 

A TfL spokesman told PHC that the licensing authority had investigated the allegations made by 

‘Michael’ and had taken, “appropriate action”. 

Cab Wars - A blast from the past 

In September 1966, Mr E J Watts, boss of Bromleigh Car Hire Service in Lordship Lane, Dulwich said 

customers were unable to book jobs because saboteurs were blocking his phone lines by calling up 

from public call boxes and jamming matchsticks into the receiver. 

Rival cab firms also placed bogus adverts in local newspapers and waited for their competitors to be 

swamped by callers. Peckham Car Service noticed an increase in phone calls, but not for cabs. And 

only realised what had happened when someone spotted an advert in the South London Press for a 

non-existent, very cheap three room flat with their phone number as a point of contact. 


On 7 December 1968, six men with shotguns and pistols burst into the offices of C&A Minicabs on the 

East India Dock Road in East London. One man was beaten unconscious and police kept a bedside 

vigil by Albert Nichol in Poplar Hospital who was “very poorly” 

after receiving numerous gunshot wounds. Three men were 

later taken in for questioning and Scotland Yard said the shooting 

was the latest incident of the “minicab wars” raging through 

East London in the late sixties. 

The “minicab-wars” of East London showed no sign of stopping 

when Barbican Car Hire of Old Street suffered its second 

fire bomb attack in three weeks in October 1975. One man was 

seriously hurt when two men (one armed with a revolver) threw 

a petrol bomb into the office. Barbican boss Stavros Adams and 

52 year old Franz Rodell were held at gunpoint while the arsonists 

poured petrol over the desks and filing cabinets and 

then hurled a petrol bomb to the floor. As the thugs ran off, 

Rodell scooped up the device in his hands, but it exploded and 

he received serious burns to his face, hands and chest. One 

driver, who did not want to be named, said: “It will be open war 

from now on. This is the work of another minicab business, jealous 

of our success.” 

A Welbeck Motors Renault Dauphine in 1961 

We also offer competitive schemes for 

couriers, self drive hire and mini-buses 

GMi INSURANCE SERVICES LIMITED 

237 BLACKFEN ROAD SIDCUP KENT DA15 8PR 

AUTHORISED & REGULATED BY THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY

For hot 

prices & 

service 

come to 

Motorcade 

No 

gimmicks 

and no 

hidden 

surprises 

just great 

insurance 

& quality 

customer 

service 

Wish you 

were here? 

What we can do for you... 

A Driver 

Main Road 

UK 

Competitive prices throughout the year – no sudden price increases 

Cover is available for 7-days/30-days/90-days and 12 months 

Easy to renew: in branch, over the phone or online* 

We can also cover Rental Vehicles and Claims Management Vehicles 

Scan this barcode to renew your 7-day or 30-day policy via your phone 

or go online to www.taxirenew.com 

Network of branches across London : Come and talk to a real person... 

MOTORCADE CITY 

020 7490 0099 

MOTORCADE EAST 

020 8503 1001 

MOTORCADE PALACE 

020 8778 1085 

MOTORCADE SOUTH 

020 3371 9000 

MOTORCADE WEST 

020 8606 0601 

68 NILE STREET 

ISLINgTON 

LONDON, N1 7SR 

UNIT B, 11 BURFORD ROAD 

STRATFORD 

LONDON, E15 2ST 

100 ANERLEY ROAD 

CRYSTAL PALACE 

LONDON SE19 2AN 

UNIT 11 BENDON VALLEY 

WANDSWORTH 

LONDON, SW18 4LZ 

2 BYRON PARADE 

UxBRIDgE RD 

HILLINgDON, UB10 0LZ 

Motorcade City, Motorcade East, Motorcade Palace, Motorcade South and Motorcade West are all trading styles of Acorn Insurance and Financial Services Ltd, who 

are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and sell insurance products underwritten by Haven Insurance Company Limited as well as other 

insurance providers. All information detailed is subject to Terms and Conditions, is correct at the time of publication, and may be amended or withdrawn at any 

time without prior notice. Excludes Northern Ireland, Ireland and the Channel Islands. *Online renewal service only available for 7-day and 30-day policies 

Find us on facebook 

Motorcade Insurance 

Follow us on Twitter! 

@MotorcadeInsure

PHC 

magazine 


news | app firm tax arrangement under attack 

MP condemns Uber taxi regime 

A SENIOR LABOUR MP, who has previously criticised tax avoidance 

by foreign multi-national companies, has accused Uber of 

“opting out of the UK tax structure” and “undercutting London 

taxi drivers”. 

Margaret Hodge MP, chairwoman of the House of Commons 

Public Accounts Committee, wrote to London mayor Boris Johnson 

demanding to know why 

Transport for London (TfL) 

was allowing Uber to take 

bookings using smartphone 

software. 

Uber’s app is operated via a 

firm in Holland called Uber 

BV, which takes the bookings 

and payments and issues receipts, 

which means it pays 

corporation tax at the lower 

Dutch level than in the UK. 

In her letter to Mr Johnson, 

Mrs Hodge wrote: “New entrants 

such as Uber are competing unfairly by allegedly failing to 

comply with many of the regulations laid down by the law. 

LOW COST INSURANCE 

for private hire & chauffeur drivers 

30 day | 60 day | 90 day | Annual 

✓ TP Only ✓ TPFT ✓ Fully Comp 

Annual premiums 

= New insurer on our panel 

= Rock bottom premiums 

* 

= No Bonus - No Problem! 

= Private Car NCB - 

we provide an introductory discount! 

We are not tied to one insurer - so you get the best available rates 

from just 

£950 

020 8903 9519 

309 Harrow Road, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 6BD 

* Terms and Conditions apply. Livingstones of London Limited is Authorised & Regulated by the 

Financial Conduct Authority. Prices quoted are valid minimum premiums at time of print. Price will 

depend on underwriting criteria and is subject to change or withdrawal at any time without notice. 

“I am particularly concerned about the tax structure that 

Uber and others have apparently constructed and the impact 

this has, both on the public purse and on the livelihoods 

of London cabbies and private hire drivers. 

““TfL is failing to require Uber and similar operators, to 

abide by the law which requires minicab operators to have 

a licence. 

“Surely TfL has a duty to 

enforce legislation that will 

ensure a fair and level playing 

field for all taxi and private 

hire operators? I 

would be grateful if you 

could set out the steps you 

will take to ensure that TfL 

does not inadvertently 

allow tax avoidance in 

London and that all taxi 

and private hire drivers receive 

a fair deal.” 

Steve Wright, chairman of the Licensed Private Hire Car Association, 

Steve Wrightsaid: “London’s taxi and private hire industries are 

being compromised by inconsistent licensing enforcement 

by TfL and the apparent ability for app-based operators like 

Uber to operate through an offshore tax 

Steve Wright 

regime. 

“As well as the loss in revenue to the country, 

a whole industry that has a wonderful 

compliance record, unlike some of these new 

apps, is being undermined by foreign entities working the 

UK tax system for corporate greed.” 

A spokesman for Uber said: “Uber complies with all applicable 

tax laws and pays tax in all jurisdictions, such as corporate 

tax, payroll tax, sales and use tax and VAT. Uber 

London Limited is a licensed private hire vehicle operator 

and recently passed the largest inspection of records ever 

conducted by TfL.” 

TfL’s chief operating officer for surface transport, Garrett 

Emmerson, said: “TfL’s role is to licence and 

Garrett Emmerson 

regulate the taxi and private hire industry in 

London. We do not have any powers in relation 

to an operator’s corporate structure and 

how or where they pay tax. 

“We are fully satisfied, that based on our understanding of 

the relationship between passengers and Uber London and 

between Uber London and Uber BV, registered in Holland, 

that Uber is operating lawfully under the terms of the 1998 

Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act.” 

Steve Garelick of the GMB union said: “This whole debate 

has until now been about an industry reluctant to adapt. But, 

I would say that the real issue here is that the 

regulator is playing with two sets of rulebooks. 

One that allows Uber to skirt the rules and one 

that sets out miles of bureaucratic red tape for 

Steve Garelick 

everyone else.”

PHC 

magazine 

news | transport for london tout report 

TfL Cab Enforcement News 


TRANSPORT FOR LONDON’s (TfL) enforcement and 

on-street operations compliance team, alongside the 

Metropolitan Police’s Cab Enforcement Unit, has successfully 

prosecuted a number of touts in what a 

spokesman said was: “An ongoing commitment to 

crackdown on bogus and unlicensed drivers in London”. 

Steve Burton, director of enforcement and on-street operations 

at TfL, said: “These convictions demonstrate that 

we take illegal touting and other illegal private hire offences 

extremely seriously. Thanks to the work of our 

compliance officers and police partners, these offenders 

have been successfully prosecuted. 

“An unbooked minicab is just a stranger’s car and these 

men posed a real threat to public safety. We will continue 

to crack down on bogus and unsafe minicabs and encourage 

people to report illegal activity to us, as we do act 

on this intelligence.” 

OLAIDE TIJANI (50) was stopped during a routine check 

by City of London Police and TfL compliance officers on 

14 December 2013. 

Mr Tijani had a passenger on board when his details 

were checked by officers and it was found that his private 

hire driver’s licence had been revoked in 2011 after a 

conviction for touting. 

He pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court to 

four offences of; no private hire driver’s licence, no operator’s 

licence, no insurance and illegally plying for hire. 

He was ordered to pay £410 in fines and court costs. 

His driving licence was also endorsed with six penalty 

points for having no insurance and as a result, he was 

disqualified from driving for six months. 

TAHIR ZAHEER BAIG (46) was first seen on 26 October 

2013 by TfL compliance officers in East London, touting 

for business, but drove off before he could be 

questioned. 

TfL was in the process of addressing this first incident 

when he was stopped again on 9 November 2013 in 

South Woodford and found to be working without a private 

hire operator’s licence. He was interviewed under caution and 

charged with breaching the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998. 

Mr Baig was later found guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court of 

touting, having no operator’s licence and illegally plying for hire. 

He was ordered to pay £900 in fines and court costs and was disqualified 

from driving for four months. 

RAJALINGHAM PAHEERATHAN (35) from Bromley was seen by 

TfL compliance officers on 24 October 2013 on Uxbridge High Road, 

having a conversation with a woman, before letting her and a friend 

into his car. Officers approached the vehicle and established the journey 

was not pre-booked. 

Mr Paheerathan was interviewed under caution and charged. He 

pleaded guilty to plying for hire and having no operator’s licence and 

ordered to pay £370 in fines and court costs. He was also disqualified 

from driving for three months. 

MOHAMMED NURUZZAMAN (43) from Malden Road, London was 

reported on 16 November 2013 when he was seen by TfL compliance 

officers illegally plying for hire. 

Mr Nuruzzaman had agreed to take passengers to Stanmore for 

£40, despite being unlicensed as a private hire driver or operator at 

the time. 

His PHV licence had expired on 25 October 2013 and his renewal 

had been refused because he had a previous conviction for touting 

in May 2013. 

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court and received six 

penalty points for having no insurance and was disqualified from driving 

for six months. 

He was also fined and ordered to pay £520. 

MADAN MAHADMNO ABDULE (55) was sentenced at the City of 

London Magistrates Court after he was seen touting in West London. 

He had been approached by a plain clothes TfL compliance officer 

on 19 September 2013 and was later questioned under caution. 

The court found him guilty of touting and accepting a booking without 

an operator’s licence. 

Mr Abdule was the sole breadwinner for his wife and six children 

and had no previous convictions, so the district judge did not disqualify 

him from driving. 

He was ordered to pay £1,300 in fines and costs and his DVLA driver’s 

licence was endorsed with six penalty points. 

Follow @MPSSTC and @TFLTPH on Twitter for updates on cab enforcement policing activity

PHC 

magazine 


news | met boss catches bilker / taxi jewel raid hero 

Met Police chief helps PHV 

driver catch fare dodger 

IT’S NOT EVERY day the chief of the Metropolitan 

Police helps a licensed private hire 

driver catch and arrest a passenger who runs 

off without paying their fare. 

But that is exactly what happened to a minicab 

driver, called Mohammed, when four passengers 

did a runner in Tottenham, North London. To add 

insult to injury, the teenagers also snatched a 

£20 note off the dashboard when they fled. 

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, who was being interviewed 

about budget cuts for BBC London 

94.9 drivetime by presenter Eddie Nestor, 

jumped into the cab after the licensed PHV driver 

called out for help. 

Sir Bernard 

Hogan-Howe 

Tottenham Police Station 

The 56 year old Metropolitan Police chief and the PHV driver searched the streets of Tottenham until 

a suspect was identified. Sir Bernard arrested a 19 year old man in Napier Road on suspicion of theft 

and making off without paying a cab fare. Mohammed said: “I had no idea that the police officer I called 

out to in the street was the head of the country’s biggest police 

force. He’s a very good man, a very kind man.” 

Sir Bernard, who is in charge of 31,000 London police officers, 

said the arrest maintained his proud record of over 

20 years service in the force. 

“I have made an arrest at every rank, even as chief constable 

at Merseyside, but never in my time as commissioner 

and I have been here three years. That’s very slack but 

today we put that right.” 

Taxi hero helps to stop 

‘smash and grab’ heist 

A LONDON BLACK cab driver became involved in a jewellery 

raid in Mayfair after he drove into the scooters used 

by the robbers. 

The hackney carriage hero saw the attempted robbery in 

progress in Mount Street and knocked the getaway bikes 

to the ground. Undercover police officers acting on intelligence 

foiled the smash-and-grab on the jewellers in Mayfair 

and arrested four 

teenagers. 

Detective chief inspector 

Paul Johnson 

of the Flying Squad, 

said: “I hope these arrests 

send a strong 

message to would-be 

robbers, that they will 

be identified and 

Mount Street, Mayfair 

brought to justice.”

PHC 

magazine 

feature | global hire & reward stories 

P L A N E T 

T A X I 

CAB TRADE NEWS AROUND THE WORLD 


If you can’t beat ‘em... 

SAN FRANCISCO cab firm boss Hansu Kim says he may change the way 

his taxi firm is regulated, to ensure a level playing field with companies 

like Uber and Lyft. 

Mr Kim says Desoto Cab might enter ‘the disruption business’ so that the company 

can benefit from the same, “loopholes in the regulatory process” that allow 

the new ‘ride-sharing’ 

firms to exist. 

The president of the 

204-vehicle fleet cab 

company said Desoto 

Cab was, “bleeding 

money” because of the 

different rules that are 

applied to Uber and 

San Francisco 

Lyft. 

He added: “For example, the transportation 

network companies, the fancy name for what 

these so-called, ride-share companies do, 

don’t have taxi-cab medallions from the municipal 

city authorities. 

“A requirement that costs our company $5.4 

million a year. 

“If Desoto switched to a charter-party carrier 

licence, we would be able to do the same 

thing as Uber and Lyft and spend much less 

money in order to do it. 

“Given the same rules I could beat them all 

day long. That way, I could compete with the 

ride-share companies and still prove a regulated 

service.” 

Aussie politician found guilty 

of misusing taxi vouchers 

A FORMER SPEAKER of the Australian Parliament has been 

found guilty of, “dishonestly using parliamentary taxi vouchers 

to travel to wineries”. 

Chief magistrate Lorraine Walker ruled that Peter Slipper, a Liberal 

National MP, had, “knowingly misused taxpayer-funded 

TAXI-RENTAL.CO.UK 

We offer a range of licensed hire 

vehicles at competitive rates 

Hybrid cars available including... 

Toyota Prius Honda Insight 

We also rent a selection of diesel 

or petrol saloons to suit your budget 

020 7205 2305 

Unit E Redhouse Road | Croydon | CR0 3AQ 

vouchers on three days in 2010, ”To the tune of $954 Australian 

dollars (£527)”. 

The court heard that Mr Slipper used taxi vouchers to visit the 

wineries near Canberra three times in 2010 and used multiple 

dockets to disguise the fact the trips were nothing to do with 

parliamentary business. 

Chief magistrate Walker said: “I am satisfied beyond reasonable 

doubt that the defendant was dishonest in completing the 

cab charge vouchers on each of the three days in question.” 

Mr Slipper claimed he had travelled to and from Parliament 

House to the suburbs, when in fact he had not been to the government 

building at all. 

Magistrate Walker added: “On any interpretation of the multiple 

vouchers, there is not one day that the vouchers reflect the 

travel undertaken.” 

His lawyer, Kylie Weston-Scheuber, said the case should have 

been dismissed because there was no definition of “parliamentary 

business” in legislation or in the Senators and Members’ Entitlements 

handbook. 

Mr Slipper now faces losing hundreds of thousands of dollars 

in pension rights and benefits.

PCO Vehicle Hire 

from £90 per week 

7 & 9 Seaters - Estates - Saloons 

Wheelchair accesible vehicles now available 

All Diesels - Manuals & Autos 

Vehicles up to 14 plate 

Includes full maintenance 

07869 090 895 

Jaan Enterprises | London 

MNS CAR HIRE 

LICENSED MINICAB CARS TO RENT or BUY 

from just 

£100pw* 

Including maintenance (Minimum reg 06 plate) 

*Subject to a minimum 4 week hire period. Shorter term hire available 

from £35 per day (1 week min. hire) INSURANCE NOT INCLUDED 

=New cars available (rent or buy) =MPVs from £120pw 

CARS 

AVAILABLE 

FOR UBER 

DRIVERS 

07723 399 067 

020 8574 2734 

16 - 18 The Crescent Opp Southall Station (Behind Shahi Nan Kebab) UB1 1BE 

YusufRent-A-Car 

Specialists in PCO licensed minicab rentals 

PCO Licensed Cars 

for Minicabbing 

24 hour AA cover 

All vehicles maintained 

Low deposit 

Credit/debit cards welcome 


we can help you 

✓ New PCO licensed vehicle 

✓ Personal injury claim 

✓ Seven days a week 

Based in Enfield/Cheshunt area 

07572 065355 

£££’s 

commission 

paid 

ACC GARAGE SERVICES LTD 

PCO 

CAR HIRE 

Includes... Maintenance Servicing 

Tyres AA cover Excludes Hire & Reward Insurance 

ACCIDENT CLAIM HANDLERS AND SELF DRIVE HIRE 

WIDE RANGE 

OF VEHICLES 

FOR PRIVATE 

HIRE WORK 

✆ 020 8591 6000 

e-mail:info@acc786.co.uk www.acc786.co.uk 

Wendex 

VEHICLE RENTAL LTD 

PCO Registered Hire Vehicles 

Daily Rental to Contract Hire Late model saloons & mpvs 

incl: Ford Mondeo, Toyota Prius, Toyota Prius+ & Ford Galaxys 

Mercedes E300 Hybrid/E220 

Fully comp H&R insurance available 

We also hire courier vans 

Card payment facilities available 

020 7403 3444 

Located in SE1 

www.wendexvehiclerental.co.uk

ALMA CARS 

(BASED IN EAST LONDON) 

PCO LICENSED 

CARS FROM 

£90 

PW 

• SALOONS/HATCHBACKS FROM £90PW 

• ESTATE CARS FROM £95PW • 7 SEATERS FROM £100PW 

•VEHICLES FULLY MAINTAINED 

DPF PROBLEMS? 

DPF PROFESSIONALLY REMOVED FROM £250 

call now on 07950 271 013 

All-In Minicab Hire 

Hire a PCO licensed vehicle from 

£75 per week all inc. 

Great insurance deals or use your own 

All vehicles with AA/RAC cover 

PCO 

LICENSED 

We also offer garage services VEHICLES 

FULL SERVICE FROM £70 

FOR SALE 

includes parts 

Timing Belt/Clutch £120 Any body panel painted - £150 

Broken Timing Belt/Head Gasket/Engine Swap £200 

Call Paul 07973 102966 

Corner of Tottenham High Road and North Circular (A406) 

B&L CAR HIRE 

Wide range of vehicles Unlimited mileage 

Contract hire Incl. maintainance, tax and MOT 

Drivers to obtain their own insurance Driving Licence 

PCO Licence 3 x Utility Bills £200 Deposit 1st Weeks Rent 

PCO licensed cars for sale: 

- 2009 Chevrolet Lacetti Auto Estate............£3,450 

- 2007 Ford Mondeo TDCi (New Shape)............£4,950 

- 2006 Ford Mondeo TDCi Estate...................£2250 

- 2006 Ford Mondeo TDCi Auto Estate.........£1950 

020 

8364 

6417 

Whitewebbs Lane, Enfield, EN2 9HJ 

THE 

DIESEL 

Skoda’s from 

£100 

per week 

We sell PCO 

licensed Octavia’s 

from just 

£1600 

GARAGE Est 

1978 

www.thegaragecarrental.co.uk 

83 Cherry Orchard Road Croydon CR0 6BE 

Cars also 

wanted 

for cash 

JJJJJ 

SOUTH LONDON’S PREMIER MINICAB RENTAL 

J Fully maintained on site 

J Never be off the road 

J Insurance provided 

J AA full breakdown cover 

J Two mins from East Croydon Station 

J Hire before you buy 

020 8681 2885 

cab mate 

VEHICLE HIRE FOR THE PRIVATE HIRE & TAXI TRADE 

We offer... 

Hatchbacks, saloons and estates 

Short-term rental (minimum four weeks) 

Immediate availability 

In-house recovery service 

Use your own Hire & Reward Insurance 

or we can arrange it for you 

WE ALSO SUPPLY 

EXECUTIVE RENTAL VEHICLES 

FROM JUST 

£80 

PER WEEK 

✆ 020 8254 7664 

Just 

arrived! 

New shape E-Class 

from £200 pw 

Automatic Galaxys 

from £150pw 

UBER APPROVED CARS AVAILABLE 

Join our Rent to Buy Scheme 

*58 reg mondeo from £4500 - U pay £140pw 

*59 Passat Est from £5995 - U pay £150pw 

*08 Astra Est from just £3250 - U pay £130pw 

*Vehicles based on typical example 

NEW SHAPE MONDEO 

DIESELS AVAILABLE TO 

BUY FROM £3995 

ALL LICENSED AND 

READY TO WORK 

No credit checks 

Vehicles never 

cabbed before

PHC 

magazine 


news | taximeter court case / uber banned from berlin 

LTDA begin court case 

against ‘taximeter’ drivers 

THE UBER COURT case saga has finally begun. TfL’s 

initial invitation to the High Court to rule on whether 

or not smartphone devices were taximeters was put 

on hold until the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association’s 

(LTDA) prosecution of a number of Uber drivers. 

That first hearing has just taken place, with three Uber 

drivers appearing before district judge Riddle at Westminster 

Magistrates Court. He was asked to adjudicate 

on whether or not the smartphone device in their vehicles 

was a taximeter and contrary to Section 11 of The Private 

Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998. 

The LTDA say that Transport for London’s support for 

the operating model of Uber is surprising because until 

recently, the licensing authority did not even have a copy 

of the drivers’ instruction manual. 

An LTDA spokesman said: “Leon Daniels, TfL’s managing 

director of surface transport, had previously 

stressed that TfL had undertaken, “very careful investigation” 

into the structure of Uber’s procedures and concluded that 

there were no grounds to prosecute Uber drivers. 

“Surprisingly, just prior to the court hearing, it was revealed that 

TfL did not even possess a copy of the Uber drivers’ instruction manual, 

which outlined the procedure for charging passengers.” 

The LTDA say TfL should never have licensed Uber in August 2012 

in the first place. And then refused to take action after concerns were 

raised about the company’s operating procedures in August and December 

2013. 

A spokesman for the LTDA added: “These concerns were reinforced 

by detailed legal opinion and TfL declined to act. Ultimately, 

the LTDA threatened to take action into its own hands, by way of a 

private prosecution. TfL then panicked and announced, that after two 

years of delay, it was suddenly inspired to refer the matter to the High 

Court, but has now been blocked from doing so, because the LTDA 

has got in first. This is just a preliminary hearing and the full trial has 

been set for December. The LTDA has the determination and funds 

to pursue this one all the way.” 

Berlin 

bans 

Uber 

BERLIN CITY OFFICIALS have banned Uber on the grounds that the app taxi service does not do 

enough to protect its passengers from unlicensed drivers. 

The Californian company, which is facing legal battles in many of the 110 cities in which it operates 

around the world, also, “Failed to provide adequate insurance for its drivers or their passengers in accidents.” 

A spokesman for the Berlin Senate added that Uber faces fines of up to €25,000 if it flouts the 

licence ruling. 

A spokesman for Uber said it would appeal against the ban because the decision by the Senate was, 

“anything but progressive” and “seeking to limit consumer choice for all the wrong reasons”. 

Chairman of The Association of Berlin Taxi Drivers, Richard Leipold, said: “We welcome the statement 

by the Berlin Senate. As taxi drivers, we have to meet a series of rules and commitments. With its 

decision, the Senate has clarified that these apply to every player in the market, even digital competitors. 

Hopefully, other cities will follow Berlin’s lead.”

thecourier 

delivering distribution dispatches 

inside this month 

Courier boss calls for rate rise UK news Budgeting for technology More UK news 

Ian Kerr book review Continental Courier Logistics firms back apprenticeship scheme 

Mark Bowring, 

managing director 

of Mission Despatch, 

believes the current 

recruitment issues 

faced by the 

logistics sector is 

partly self inflicted 

and unless the 

industry is able to pay 

drivers more, things 

will not improve... 

Mark Bowring 

A fair day’s pay... 

❝Speak to any courier or haulage operator 

and they will all tell you the same 

thing. Recruitment is one of the biggest 

challenges facing the industry. 

Fleet size impacts turnover, and without 

numbers on the ground companies just 

cannot operate efficiently. 

The damage done over the last few years, 

with companies slashing rates to win market 

share, is really taking its toll. Customers 

are often typically expecting to pay rates 

not dissimilar to those of over ten years ago 

and still receive the same high standard of 

service. 

Not only does this impact on the company, 

it hugely affects the drivers too. Such 

is the extent of the problem that, in effect, a 

driver today is earning the same kind of 

wage you would have typically seen in the 

late 1990s and early 2000s. Yet the cost of 

doing the job has dramatically increased. 

Experience counts (but sadly, not for much 

financially)... 

As an example, let’s take an experienced 

owner driver in a Mercedes Sprinter earning 

£750 a week. 

Now, to the average man in the street, 

earning £750 for a week’s work is good 

money. And on the surface it would appear 

so. However, it will cost the driver 

somewhere between £200 - £250 in fuel 

and around £60 a week for insurance, dropping 

those earnings down to £450pw. 

Still not too bad some might say. But the 

costs don’t end there. If you now factor in 

repayments on the van, be it for rental hire, 

or if it's owned - servicing and wear & tear, 

the cost of a phone, congestion charge 

and the occasional parking ticket, they are 

lucky to take home more than £300 - £350. 

Hardly a fantastic wage for a hard working 

individual! 

Inexperience costs even more... 

Then of course there are the less experienced 

couriers who will struggle to earn 

anywhere near £750, unless they are being 

thrown up and down the motorway all 

week. 

Give them a multidrop in town and, with 

all due respect to them, they will struggle, 

earning significantly less than their more experienced 

counterparts. But their expenses 

are no different. 

Continued overleaf >>> 

September 2014 | 27

thecourier 

recruitmentfeature 

The result of this will see a driver struggling 

to earn £250 when all is said and done. 

Churn... 

This goes some way to explaining the great 

"churn" within the industry as drivers go from 

company to company hoping to find the 

greener pastures of a ‘better circuit’. Unfortunately 

for them, the reality is that we are 

all in the same boat, with prices and margin. 

So it goes without saying that earnings 

are likely to be similar, wherever they go. 

Out with the old... 

Many of the “old 

school” couriers 

are giving up and 

turning their hands 

to other industries, 

which is bringing a 

new "satnav" generation 

of inexperienced 

couriers into 

the industry. 

Whilst every trade 

needs new blood 

to grow and prosper, 

the loss of experienced 

old 

hands makes it 

harder for a company 

to grow, as 

the company is reliant 

on the ability 

of those drivers to 

enable it to take on more work, allowing the 

newer drivers time to bed in. 

Without this blend of experience and new 

couriers, particularly with the former being 

in ever-decreasing supply, the trade is stagnating 

and in real danger of going backwards. 

Rate squeezes killing the trade... 

Something has to give eventually as things 

cannot go on as they are. Couriers should 

expect, and indeed be able, to earn a reasonable 

living. However, with rates kept artificially 

low this is going to be difficult. 

In an ideal world you would like to see 

them earn more per minimum and per mile. 

But with clients becoming more and more 

price sensitive, if logistic companies introduce 

any sort of significant price rise in order 

to pay a higher rate to drivers, they run the 


Rates for drivers need to improve 

risk of losing business. 

Catch 22 as they say. 

No fleet - no business... 

I often speak to other business owners within 

the courier and haulage industry and hear 

sentiments similar to mine expressed by virtually 

every one of them. 

It is no secret that many companies have 

fallen by the wayside over the last few years, 

and though many will claim poor cashflow 

and lack of work, in my opinion drivers, or 

lack of them, will have played a big part. 

Ultimately it is still a multi-billion pound industry 

nationwide, so if a business has the 

right strategy and the hunger it will always 

win market share. But market share is nothing 

without a decent fleet, as you simply 

won't be able to cover the work. It’s as simple 

as that. 

Pile ‘em high and flog ‘em cheap... 

I, for one, have never been into the volume 

game. You really need to be a different kind 

of beast to be able to compete in that market. 

Although the "pile them high - flog them 

cheap" mentality works for some, you have 

to ask at what cost? 

This mentality drives down rates making it 

harder for the smaller companies to win 

business. 

Now I know “it is just business” and competition, 

but at the end of the day I believe you 

get what you pay for. 

We have won many clients over the years 

who have opted for a smaller business 

model that gives them greater attention 

and a much more personal service. This is 

great for us, but unfortunately there are 

many that want all of that, yet expect to 

pay ridiculously cheap rates. 

Of course, we all want the best of both 

worlds, but it is not always realistic. And try 

as hard as you like, cheap and quality rarely 

come in the same 

sentence. The logistics 

industry is no 

exception. 

Recovery.... 

Thankfully the economy 

is showing 

some positive signs. 

And although I 

don't think we will 

ever relive the 

boom of the late 

80s and early 90s, I 

do believe that the 

next few years will 

be a better place - 

providing rates increase 

across the 

board and we can 

all give the fleet 

enough of a 

squeeze to help 

them get rewarded properly for a hard 

week’s work. 

Having said that, I am not naive. It is a 

fiercely competitive industry and I don't expect 

that will ever change. But I think business 

owners could do a lot worse than work 

together to try and drive a better working 

platform, rather than trying to undercut one 

another to steal a bit more work. 

Like it or not, if you undercut a competitor 

by five per cent there will always be someone 

else out there willing to undercut you. 

And that is the very reason why it has become 

as tough as it is. 

Personally I'd rather stand firm and hope 

that a client will recognise a good quality, 

decent and reliable service and be prepared 

to pay a fair price for it. 

❞ 

If we all took that attitude it will make for a 

much, much better industry for everyone.

logisticsnews 

thecourier 

50 is the new 40 

the speed Limit for truCks on a single 

carriageway will increase from 

40mph to 50mph early next year. 

The announcement made by transport 

minister Claire Perry is “part of a package 

of measures to cut congestion, reduce 

dangerous overtaking and help get the 

country moving.” 

It is estimated that changes to the current, 

outdated speed limit could save 

the haulage industry £11 million a year. 

Perry also publicised the launch of a 

six-week consultation on plans to increase 

the speed limit on dual carriageways 

to 60mph for HGVs. 

Stabbed driver lucky to be alive 

Lorry driver anthony Jukes is lucky to 

be alive after being brutally attacked in 

a park in Cheshire. 

The 25-year-old intervened in a fight between 

two men when one of them attacked 

him with two broken beer bottles. 

A quick thinking off-duty paramedic saw 

Anthony covered in blood and grabbed 

wet towels to stem the loss of blood while 

waiting for the ambulance crew to arrive, 

which may have saved his life. 

Anthony spent four hours in surgery at 

the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, 

where his 11 slash wounds required 

100 stitches. 

Anthony from Packmoor, Stoke-on-Trent 

said: "I looked down and could see my insides. 

I said to myself, 'just keep calm, keep 

calm'. 

“I was covered in blood. At the hospital 

they said I was very lucky. If there hadn't 

been an off-duty paramedic there, this 

could have been a very different situation." 

The park where the incident happened is 

run by Astbury Mere Trust. 

Treasurer Peter Minshull said: "Our sympathies 

are with the victim but there is only 

so much we can do. People have to take responsibility 

for their own safety. This is by 

far the worst incident we have had since I 

joined the trust three years ago." 

A 27-year-old Fenton man has been arrested 

and bailed, pending further inquiries. 

Anthony Jukes shows his horrific injuries 

HGV speed limits are considered out-dated 

She said: “Britain has one of the world’s 

best road safety records and yet speed 

limits for lorries have been stuck in the 

1960s. This change will remove a 20mph 

difference between lorry and car speed 

limits, cutting dangerous overtaking and 

bringing permitted lorry speeds into line 

with other large vehicles like coaches 

and caravans.” 

“Current speed limits for HGVs were introduced 

around 50 years ago and need 

to be updated given improved vehicle 

technology.” 

The Road Haulage Association's chief 

executive Geoff Dunning said: “This evidence-based 

decision by ministers, to 

increase the limit to 50mph will be 

strongly welcomed by hauliers and their 

drivers. The current limit is long out-ofdate 

and the frustration it generates 

causes unnecessary road safety risks.” 

New uniform 

for City Link 

City Link has invested 

significantly in 

a new uniform that includes 

waterproofs, 

soft-shell jackets, body 

warmers, polo shirts, trousers and shorts 

Replacing the former black uniform, the new 

design is more prominent, using the company’s 

corporate colours of yellow and green 

to reinforce City Links brand. 

Andrew Villars, 

interim operations 

director, said: “This 

uniform represents 

an important 

investment for 

City Link. Not only 

does it reflect our 

quest to improve 

the comfort of our 

employees but it 

also helps us to 

maintain health 

and safety standards 

more easily.” 

Delivery driver wins car 

a LuCky de- 

Livery driver 

from south tyneside 

has won 

a brand new 

mini. 

Twenty-eightyear-old 

Laura 

Harris joined a gym in a bid to get fit 

and came up trumps after referring two 

friends and receiving automatic entry 

into a prize draw to win the car. 

Cover...My bike?...sure 

Whether it’s a 

stunning custom 

chopper, Harley 

Davidson or an 

everday 

runaround... 

...call Coversure Worcester Park today on 

020 8616 0208 


thecourier 

technologyfeature 

ket, many within the industry remain reliant on paper-based proof of delivery processes, 

which is not good for profit levels. 


David Upton of 

DA Systems Ltd 

explains why... 

Budget restrictions 

could create a 

technology 

capability gap 

❝ 

Results of a recent survey by DA Systems into attitudes 

towards technology amongst firms 

within the UK transport and logistics industries 

highlighted, that whilst the majority believed in 

the importance of technology to create a superior 

service, getting access to the financial and 

operational backing required to make the necessary 

investments still remains an issue for many 

companies. 

Eighty-eight per cent of companies participating 

in the research agreed that utilising technology 

would give them a competitve edge. Yet over half 

of respondents revealed they had yet to introduce 

real-time track and trace capabilities, although it 

was high on their wish list of process improvements. 

Relaxed atitude 

This ‘relaxed’ attitude towards implementing new 

technology was further highlighted with almost 60 

per cent of delivery fleets admitting to not using 

mobile data services to enhance driver information 

and provide real-time job monitoring capabilities. 

Budgetary constraints was a key factor, with four 

our of five respondents citing finance as the main 

barrier. 

The findings of the study revealed companies are 

failing to make the connection between the introduction 

of technology and an ability to generate 

additional revenue to offset the initial investment 

costs, which can be achieved through operational 

savings from paperless working and improving 

service levels to ultimately become a delivery partner 

of choice amongst consumers. 

Unfortunately, although there is a perception that 

ePOD (electronic proof of delivery) is a mature mar- 

Increased confidence 

Despite business confidence being on the rise, costs remain a concern. This was reflected 

in the improvements respondents cited they would like to make to delivery processes. 

Eighty-eight per cent said reducing vehicle mileage and fuel consumption was a priority. 

Whilst forty seven per cent said that improving driver behaviour and monitoring and reducing 

the total number of hours worked was also high on their agenda. 

BYOD 

Demonstrating the business impact of controversial BYOD (bring your own device) IT 

policies within the transport sector, over half of companies who are using proof of delivery 

solutions said they were looking at allowing their drivers to use smartphones instead 

of traditional rugged devices. 

Electronic trading 

E-commerce has undoubtedly had a big impact on the UK’s transportation sector and 

this trend continues. Nearly a third of the companies surveyed believed that the free click 

and collect services offered by retailers were ‘a possible threat to a courier’s delivery business 

from e-commerce orders’. This finding is supported by the recent launches of new 

sameday or special Sunday deliveries by major delivery firms working with e-commerce 

companies. Again demonstrating the need to continue improving service levels to compete 

with increased consumer expectations 

for faster deliveries and the growing 

popularity of click and collect. 

Wish list 

When given a wish list of improvements they 

would like to make to their own service, ensuring 

the highest level of customer satisfaction 

was clearly an ongoing business priority. 

Almost three quarters (70 per cent) said they 

would like to offer an estimated delivery 

messaging capability and have the 

ability to send an email or text to 

clients alerting them to expect 

their delivery at a particular 

time of day. 

A further 41 per cent said 

they would like to allow customers 

to change the delivery 

drop location for convenience. 

Nice to have 

Whilst these service improvements may be high on the agenda, continuing budget restrictions 

and a perception amongst some companies that this type of technology is seen 

as being ‘nice to have’, rather than essential, could result in a gap forming between the 

smaller independent transport providers and larger operators with greater resources to 

invest in new technology. 

It is clear from the findings that delivery firms have not understood the potential to reduce 

costs and generate additional profits as a result of investing in technology and working 

more efficiently. Being constrained by budgets is a short-sighted view because the 

business case for an investment in proof of delivery software, or a messaging system that 

❞ 

gives consumers an ETA for their parcel deliveries, will deliver an immediate return.

logisticsnews 

thecourier 

Kate Lester 

A real gem of a franchise 

Courier frAnChise Diamond Logistics Ltd 

is expanding its franchise network having 

recently opened seven new depots. 

The Guildford based company, which was 

founded in 1992 and established itself as a 

franchise in 2012, now has outlets in Slough, 

Lichfield and Bolton, with hubs in Coventry 

and Northampton soon to follow. 

Diamond claims to be one of the UK’s 

Plans to ensure delivery charge 

transparency for rural e-shoppers 

Consumer AffAirs minister 

Jo swinson has launched a uK 

wide "statement of principles" 

for parcel delivery firms. 

The principles set out guidelines 

detailing how delivery 

firms and e-retailers can ensure 

that consumers in remote areas 

of the country are given clearer 

information about delivery 

charges prior to reaching the 

checkout. 

Ms Swinson said: "Too many 

shoppers, especially in rural 

parts of Scotland, have faced 

ridiculous delivery charges 

when buying online. Delivery 

charges should be clear and 

upfront, so people can decide 

to shop elsewhere if they feel 

the charges are excessive." 

A 2012 report ‘The Postcode 

Penalty’ revealed that a million 

Scottish residents faced delivery 

surcharges with consumers 

in the Highlands being charged 

an average of £15 extra. Communities 

in the isles of Scotland 

faced a whopping 500 per-cent 

mark up on standard delivery 

prices. 

Jo Swinson, MP 

Margaret Lynch, chief executive 

of Citizens Advice Scotland 

said: "This UK-wide statement is 

recognition that unfair prices 

and practices for parcels should 

not and will not be tolerated by 

consumers, regardless of where 

they live and where they choose 

to buy their goods from." 

Tom Ironside, director of Business 

and Regulation, British Retail 

Consortium (BRC) said: "BRC 

members are fully committed 

to providing the best omnichannel 

experience for shoppers 

throughout the UK and 

beyond.” 

“It is not always possible to 

provide consumers everywhere 

with every product, or 

the same delivery charge for 

certain heavy goods." 

fastest growing franchise 

networks, with 16 depots 

already established and a 

target of 40 by the middle 

of next year. 

Founder and CEO, Kate 

Lester, said: “It’s brilliant 

that the Diamond network 

is expanding so well. 

This is a testament to the 

Diamond team, and our 

franchisees who are all 

doing such a terrific job. 

“We are well on track to 

achieve our target of nationwide 

coverage by this 

time next year, turning Diamond 

Logistics into one 

of the leading couriers in 

the UK.” 

Missile 

yob 

jailed 

A youth who threw a concrete 

slab from a motorway bridge 

smashing the windscreen of a 

passing lorry has been jailed for 

three years. 

David John Maitland (21) and a 

teenage accomplice threw objects 

at vehicles passing under the Bowburn/Coxhoe 

interchange bridge 

on the A1. 

One of the missiles, a lump of 

concrete, hit the windscreen of a 

47-tonne truck. 

Judge Peter Kelson said it was 

only “good fortune” that no serious 

injuries were caused. 

URGENTLY 

REQUIRE 

OWNER 

VAN DRIVERS 

IF YOU ARE A DECENT CALIBRE 

COURIER WITH YOUR OWN VAN 

AND A GOOD WORK ETHIC 

WE WANT YOU 

• Regular work • Paid weekly 

• Short, middle & some long distance 

• Small friendly team of old school controllers 

• No radios • No nonsense 

• Just non stop work at fair rates. 

call Matthew or Mark on 

020 8568 2225 

or email info@missiondespatch.com 

Must have courier insurance 

David Maitland 


iankerrreviews 

Read all about it 

Whether you’re getting ready to enjoy a late holiday by the pool in a 

tropical paradise or just finishing a shift and looking to while away a 

few hours, Ian Kerr MBE offers up a choice book or two... 

From Crystal Palace to Red Square - A hapless biker’s road to Russia 

When Kevin Turner wrote ‘Bonjour! Is This Italy? A Hapless Biker’s Guide to Europe’ 

a couple of years ago he managed to write a book about motorcycle travel that 

made you laugh. It was in complete contrast to some of the very good books in 

existence that, while very well written and giving an insight into the countries 

visited, tended to be on the serious side of life. 

In many ways his tale was not that different, but the way he told it was, and 

he showed that literally anybody could jump on an ordinary, inexpensive 

bike and travel to foreign climes and survive the experience. 

Well now he has documented another adventure, this time travelling 

further afield. A six thousand mile trip to Moscow and back. 

Normally sequels do not have the same appeal, as some of the things 

that made the original special are no longer there. But in this case, 

Turner has managed to do it again and create a cracking read that 

repeatedly puts a smile on your face, time and time again. 

In this soft-bound travelogue he tells the story of heading off on 

his Kawasaki north towards Norway, before riding east on a long 

and treacherous journey to Moscow. 

In the 160 pages he charts the perils, pitfalls and thrills of his solo 

motorcycle journey across Europe, Scandinavia and into Asia. 

As before he manages to make his observations and anecdotes amusing as well as 

informative, which transform this second tome into much more than just a motorcycle guidebook. 

Having said that, there are plenty of things like hand-drawn maps, a comprehensive ‘kit review’ appendix, tips 

on where to stay and what to see, and a host of captioned photographs to help you not only follow his progress in the book, but allow you to repeat 

his journey should you so wish! 

Once again an excellent read with a healthy dose of humour thrown in, from somebody who clearly does not take himself or life too seriously. 

Certainly as good as the first book and good enough to transcend into mainstream airport reading. 

Great value at £14.99 | Available from all good bookshops or direct from Veloce www.veloce.co.uk | ISBN 978 1 845846 22 0 

Around the world on a motorcycle 1928 - 1936 

Nowadays the motorcycle book market is swamped by volumes detailing 

somebody’s ride around all, or part of, the world. But, despite 

many thinking these travels are a recent phenomenon, such 

journeys are far from new, with adventurers having used motorised 

two-wheelers to explore almost everywhere since the motorcycle 

graduated from being a pushbike with an engine. 

To prove the point, this book was actually first published in Hungary 

in 1937, but has now been translated into English and printed complete 

with the original photos. It tells the story of two young Hungarians 

as they make their way around the world between the wars on a 

Harley Davidson outfit. 

The journey begins in Paris during 1928 and over the next eight years 

Sulkowsky and his friend Gyula Bartha travel through Europe, Africa, 

the Middl East, India, Australia, South East Asia, China, Japan, North and 

South America, and back to Europe. To finance their journey they sold 

photographs and gave lectures about their experiences in the many 

32 | September 2014

thecourier 

Motorcycle journeys through 

the Alps and beyond 

An Alpine thing to do! 

Bizarrely this is the fifth edition of Motorcycle 

Journeys Through the Alps and Beyond published by 

Whitehorse Press in the USA and written by American John 

“King of the Alps” Hermann. It is one of the best resources for 

any traveller to this part of Europe and has been since the first 

edition in 1993. Now with 100 trips logged within its 400 plus 

soft-bound pages, in an easy to read format, it is a must read for 

anybody heading to the Alpine region of Europe. 

Everything has been updated to take into account new roads 

and routes, backed up with recent pictures. All of the important 

roads and passes are described and critiqued, and each trip has 

a detailed route description, along with easy-to-follow maps. 

Every region of the Alps is covered, including Switzerland, Germany, 

Austria, Italy and France. As well as other special Alpine 

lookalike places such as Corsica, Slovenia and the Pyrenees. 

Included in each route are things like good hotels, coffee stops 

and, if there is a day of the week on which motorcyclists gather, 

that is also included, so you can catch up with the locals. 

Being American the book is written for that market, so there is 

information on legal issues, bike hire etc. but it is still useful stuff. 

It is ironic that one of the best books on routes in Europe comes 

from the USA, but in some ways it is better for it. 

Even if you are regular visitor to the region, I would still advise 

getting a copy of this book because having used some of the 

routes detailed, I can confirm he has found some of the best biking 

routes in Europe without a doubt. 

At £24.99 it is money well spent and could turn a good trip into 

an exceptional one, as well as providing many more for years to 

come! 

Available in most bookshops or direct from Gazelle Books on 01524 

6876, or email sales@gazellebooks.co.uk ISBN 978 1 884313 38 7 

You might think when you are 73 years old and 

have a heart attack that it is a sign you should 

slow down. Mind you, most people of that age 

would not have been flying at over 1,000 feet 

piloting their own paraglider when it happened, 

unlike Noel Whittall. 

When he recovered he slowed down by digging out his 1918 

Trusty Triumph H Model motorbike and embarked on an end-to-end journey 

from Leeds up to John O’Groats, down to Land’s End and back up to Leeds. He 

then wrote about it in a delightful, humorous and inspiring book entitled ‘A 

Stupid Thing to Do’, cataloguing his exploits and tribulations on the open road. 

Two years on he decided he needed another challenge and took the same 

bike to Europe. But not for a gentle ride through some of the flatter regions; instead 

he headed for the Route des Grandes Alpes. 

For those who don’t know, this is the tourist route that takes you from Lake 

Geneva to the Mediterranean Sea across some of the highest passes in France. 

Having reached the sea, including a quick lap (figuratively speaking) of the 

F1 circuit at Monaco, he turned round and rode back again! 

It is a route that would be challenging enough on a modern bike, but on a 

1918 model more so, as he was to find out when some makeshift welding and 

wheel repairs were required in a local garage. Add the little matter of his health 

issues and the whole thing is somewhat of a major challenge to say the least! 

But it is one that Noel rose to and once again chronicled in this latest softback 

‘An Alpine Thing to Do!’ It provides a gentle, amusing couple of hours as he 

guides you down the route and back, giving a useful incisive insight into the 

terrain and people he met along the way and illustrated with a some colour images 

and a brief ‘map’ of each day of the journey. 

Like his first book, it is another truly inspiring story of a man who would not 

let a mere heart attack curtail his adventures and whose can-do attitude is a lesson 

to us all! Well worth the £12.95 cover price. 

Vintage Motorcycle Club www.vmcc.net ISBN 978 1 908037 2 68 

cities they visited along the way. 

Thanks to detailed diaries and a keen eye for detail, 

Sulkowsky tells the story of their journey with brutally 

frank observations, unaffected by the politically-correct 

constraints of modern tale-telling. 

Six continents and 68 countries come under 

scrutiny from his educated musings during a journey 

that often involved forging their own road 

through often inhospitable terrain! 

Sulkowsky and Bartha saw both ends of the spectrum 

- from the wealthy landowners and landed gentry, 

right through to those living in extreme poverty in 

remote villages. Often their route went through the 

wilderness with the ever-present danger of being attacked 

by wild animals, as well as having to deal with 

all extremes of temperature. 

One thing is certain, there was no riding mechanic, 

back-up truck or doctor on hand with a film crew to 

help out when things got tough - such as 

the day when the bike and sidecar had to be 

dismantled to cross a river! 

The 400 plus pages are really the stuff of 

the ‘Boys Own’ comic of yester-year, inspiring 

and an excellent read for those who like 

a good armchair travelogue. It certainly 

makes some modern travel-diaries look like a 

Sunday morning ride, although it does take 

some getting into. 

However, the reader’s perseverance is rewarded 

by a riveting book, making the 

£20.99 cover price realistic. 

Available from all good bookshops or direct 

from Gazelle Books on 01524 6876. Alternatively, 

email sales@gazellebooks.co.uk 

ISBN 978 1 884313 55 4 


continentalcourier 

DHL Express starts 

construction of 

new Tokyo 

Gateway 

Ice Road Trucker 

arrested for bizarre 

shoplifting spree 

Parcel companies shun 

Ireland’s new 

postcode system 

ThE FrEighT TrAnsporT Association 

of ireland (FTAi) has warned 

that its 200 members are unlikely to use 

Eircode when it is introduced next year. 

Tim Zuckuhr 

DHL gateway 

dhl ExprEss hAs began building 

what will be its largest gateway facility 

in the world. 

At a cost of £53 million, the 15,000 

square metre custom-built facility in the 

Koto area of Japan will have the capability 

to sort 12,000 shipments per hour. 

According to Jerry Hsu, chief executive 

of DHL Express Asia Pacific, Japan is on the 

“cusp of an economic revival”, hence the 

huge investment. 

“In tandem with the country’s remarkable 

economic recovery, this investment will provide 

DHL sufficient capacity to accommodate 

current and future growth,” he said. 

“DHL is well-positioned to continue 

helping customers capitalize on industry 

expansion, as well as to facilitate Japan’s 

position as a global economic powerhouse 

and integral trading partner to the 

rest of the world.” 

Completion of the project is expected in 

the first quarter of 2016. 

"icE roAd TruckErs" star Tim Zickuhr 

has been arrested for shoplifting hair 

products. 

Police responding to a disturbance at a 

pet hotel in San Dimas found Zickuhr demanding 

that an employee at the hotel return 

his dog, despite the fact he doesn't 

own a dog. 

Police noticed the TV reality star had a 

trolley full of shampoo, hair straighteners 

and booze - with no bag and no receipt. 

It turns out Zickuhr had stolen the goods 

from a nearby store, earning himself three 

days in jail. 

The arrest is still not as bizarre as Tim's arrest 

back in April, which allegedly involved 

a hooker, kidnapping and waterboarding. 

Trucker’s dinner sparks rig blaze 

A hungry lorry drivEr from luxembourg got more than he bargained 

for when a spark from his portable gas stove set his cargo 

on fire. 

The driver was cooking dinner next to his trailer, which was loaded with rolls of paper, 

when a flare from the gas ring started a fire which spread rapidly through the trucks load. 

Other lorry drivers and employees from a nearby service station tried to help extinguish 

the fire. 

Luckily, no-one was injured although the cargo was destroyed and the lorry suffered 

severe damage, including two tyres which had burst in the intense heat. 

The new postcode 

system has taken several 

years to develop 

at a cost to the taxpayer 

of €24m. 

Eircode will use a 

seven-digit code to 

identify 2.2 million addresses. 

❝ 

There is no 

incentive for 

operators to 

buy Eircode 

Neil McDonnell 

FTAI general manager 

The first three digits will be shared by 

many properties in the same area as a 

'routing key'. The four remaining digits 

will be random, meaning that houses 

next to each other will not be numbered 

sequentially. 

FTAI general manager Neil McDonnell 

said the new system would have little to 

offer parcel delivery firms who currently 

use their own systems. 

"The fact that the unique identifier for 

each property has no geo-relationship 

with the property next door means that it 

is useless for the purpose of navigation, 

planning and routing," said Mr McDonnell. 

"Companies are all using their own systems. 

They can get to your house now 

using whatever proprietary system they 

are already using. So there is no incentive 

for operators to buy it," he said. 

Liam Duggan, business development director 

of Capita Ireland said: "The reality is 

it is not mandatory to use Eircode, so if 

they don't want to use it they don't have 

to. But I would question whether the 

products they have work in the same way; 

35 per cent of addresses in Ireland are 

non-unique." 

34 | September 2014

logisticsnews 

thecourier 

Employers commit to 

courier apprenticeship 

IT hAS LoNG been an issue for many sameday delivery 

providers that traditional qualifications and apprenticeship 

training programmes have not provided 

a sufficient route for young people or adults to gain 

the skills needed to operate efficiently and effectively 

as a self-employed courier. Which is why a group of 

leading courier and logistics companies have began 

working together to develop a new ‘Trailblazer Apprenticeship’ 

for the sameday sector. 

Chaired by City Sprint director Justin Moore, over a 

dozen employers have committed to join forces to set 

standards and agree the details for the new programme. 

George Kyriatzis to head 

up Rico Logistics IT team 

The Group 

The group, which also includes the Institute of Couriers, 

aims to support young people coming into the industry 

by providing the neccessary business and 

entrepreneurial know-how for those wanting to work 

as self-employed couriers. As well as the practical 

knowledge and skills required to provide timed delivery 

services to business and domestic customers. 

Justin Moore said: “I’m honoured to have been asked 

to chair this group of employers who come from a cross 

section of our industry - from nationals like City Link and 

UK Mail to niche operators such as GLH and Rush. 

“I’ve been encouraged by the positive reception our 

initial ideas received from the Trailblazer team in the Department 

of Business Innovation and Skills, and we look 

forward to working with them in the coming months. 

“I’ve asked the Institute of Couriers to join the group 

to help us develop common standards and ensure the 

apprenticeship links with the work they are doing to 

create degree level courses in universities around the 

country. ” 

Plans for the apprenticeship are already in place and 

will see the first batch of new recruits embarking on the 

18-month programme in the second half of 2015. 

GEoRGE KyRIATzIS has been appointed as head of information technology at 

Rico Logistics. 

Kyriatzis has previously held IT positions at Annata UK Limited, an independent 

software vendor to Microsoft, and the Saracakis Group, one of Greece’s largest importers 

and sellers of vehicles and components, and will lead the development of 

technology strategy at Rico. 

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Kyriatzis said: “Rico has ambitious growth 

plans and I am very excited to be part of a business that is focused on achieving 

continued success. IT underpins everything Rico does and the use of smart technology 

is a growing area which will help our business partners with their daily challenges 

and difficulties.” 

Rico Logistics was established in 1988 and has grown to become one of Europe’s 

largest field service logistics organisations, operating in 12 European countries and 

India with revenues of £85m. 

Having been acquired by TVS Logistics Services Ltd in 2012 the company says it 

is in a strong position to continue to expand its services globally. 

Fight night 

SANGEETA BIRDI, the unbeaten private hiresponsored 

female boxer has her fourth contest 

later this month. 

Last time out, 26 year old Birdi looked impressive, 

recording a second round stoppage victory 

over Kathryn Gresham of Manchester and her 

trainer, Parker Cars driver Irfan Malik, is looking 

for more of the same from his star fighter. 

The bout will be staged at York Hall in Bethnal 

Green on 19th September and tickets can be 

purchased by calling 01753 686 686 or on the 

gate at the venue on fight night. 

Doors open at 6pm and the boxing will start at 6.30pm. 


PHC 

magazine 


news | black cab witness appeal 

New police appeal for 

sex assault taxi witness 

DETECTIVES WANT to speak to a black cab driver who may have information about a woman 

who was sexually assaulted by another passenger after travelling in his vehicle. 

The 28 year old year victim was attacked after she rode in a taxi from New Bond Street in Mayfair 

to Battersea Park, South London, on July 19 between 1am and 3:45am. 

The woman was sexually assaulted in Prince of 

Wales Drive, Battersea and police want to trace 

the taxi driver. 

The woman was wearing a blue and white patterned 

dress and detectives from the Met Police’s 

Sex Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, 

are investigting. 

Detective constable Ben Hawkins said: “We are 

very keen to hear from the taxi driver, who picked 

up a white man and woman from New Bond 

Street in the early hours of July and dropped 

them off near to Battersea Park.” 

Anyone with any information should call detective 

constable Hawkins on 07789 

Prince of Wales Drive, Battersea 

935492.

For the latest news & views from your industry 

get hold of your 

FREE copy today 

SCAN ME 

to access PHC 

on your mobile 

PH 

Issue 229 | August 2014 

 

www.phcmag.co.uk 

Bulk distribution of PHC Magazine is 

available FREE OF CHARGE to all 

licensed private hire operators in the 

London region. If your company isn’t 

receiving copies call us today on 

020 8399 4678 to arrange a delivery. 

For instant access scan 

the QR code above with 

your phone or download 

it at www.phcmag.co.uk 

FREEPHONE 

0800 916 0028 

www.cabdirect.com 


We’ l put you back on the road 

MATRIX 

Quick, e ficient & profe sional service 

SEE PAGE 2 OR CALL 

scrutiny 

020 8212 7285 

under 

London Assembly discuss 

taxi & private hire industry 

 

Lots of cash & account work 

incl. 1500 airport transfers per 

week (min) plus ports and tours. 

 

 

Join before 12 Sept... 

Get a FREE 

car until 2015 

£500 Start Bonus for day drivers 

£900 Start Bonus for night drivers 

see our advert on page 45 for details or 

call: 020 7566 9042 

or pick up a FREE COPY FROM ONE 

OF OUR DISTRIBUTION PARTNERS... 

ACC GARAGE SERVICES 

13A River Road 

Barking Essex IG11 0HE 

CAB INSURANCE SERVICES 

240 Sandycombe Road 

Kew TW9 2EQ 

CFONE COMMUNICATIONS 

Unit 9 Adler Industrial Estate 

Betam Road Hayes UB3 1ST 

COVER My CAB 

14 - 16 Guilford Street 

London WC1N 1DX 

COVER My CAB 

250 Kingsbury Road 

London NW9 0BT 

CUBIT INSURANCE NORTH BRANCH 

87 Green Lanes 

London N13 4TD 

CUBIT INSURANCE SOUTH BRANCH 

19-23 Shrubbery Road 

Streatham London SW16 2AS 

EARS COMMUNICATIONS 

10 Mitre Way 

London W10 6AU 

KINDERTONS LTD 

201 Beaconsfield Road 

Southall Middlesex UB1 1DA 

LIVINGSTONES INSURANCE 

309 Harrow Road 

Wembley London HA9 6BD 

LONDON HAND CAR WASH 

321-331 Coldharbour Lane 

London SW9 8RX 

MAXIMUM CAR CARE 

859 Coronation Road 

Park Royal London NW10 7QE 

MOTORCADE CITy INSURANCE 

68 Nile Street 

Islington London N1 7SR 

MOTORCADE EAST INSURANCE 

Unit B 11 Burford Road 

Stratford London E15 2ST 

MOTORCADE PALACE INSURANCE 

100 Anerley Road 

Crystal Palace London SE19 2AN 

MOTORCADE SOUTH INSURANCE 

11 Bendon Valley 

Wandsworth London SW18 4LZ 

MOTORCADE WEST INSURANCE 

2 Byron Place Uxbridge Road 

Hillingdon UB10 0LZ 

PHC MAGAZINE 

119 Chiltern Drive 

Surbiton KT5 8LS 

PLAN INSURANCE 

1 High Street 

Purley CR8 2AF 

SARMAD & CO ACCOUNTANTS 

111 London Road (rear York Close) 

Morden Surrey SM4 5HP 

TAXIMETER SALES & SERVICES 

94 Cowley Mill Road 

Uxbridge UB8 2QD 

THE GARAGE @ SW18 

22 - 28 Groton Road 

Earlsfield London SW18 4EP 

Getting your vehicle inspected this month? Why not pick up a copy of PHC while you wait... 

NSL CENTRAL EAST 

1 North Crescent 

London E16 4TG 

NSL CENTRAL WEST 

Unit 2 Aquarius Business Park 

Priestley Way Staples Corner NW2 7AN 

NSL EAST 

Unit Q1 Acorn Industrial Park 

Crayford Kent DA1 4AL 

NSL NORTH 

Unit 2 Watermill Business Centre 

Edison Road Enfiled EN3 7XF 

NSL SOUTH 

Unit B5 Redlands Industrial Estate 

Ullswater Crescent Coulsdon CR5 2HT 

NSL WEST 

20A Airlinks Industrial Estate 

Heston Middlesex TW5 9NR

PHC 

magazine 


25 years in 

Data Cars going from strength to strength 

Data Cars purchased Handicars in 2011 

In control: Staff go about their business at Data Cars HQ in Lewisham 

Data Cars now has a fleet of over 300 vehicles 

Technology has helped bring growth 

SOUTH EAST London based private 

hire operator Data Cars will soon be 

celebrating twenty five years of service. 

During that time the business has 

grown from a 14-car company to over 

300 vehicles, thanks to smart acquisition 

and a programme of continued 

investment in technology. 

Managing director Les Chapman is 

rightly proud of this achievement, which 

has been driven by the hard work of loyal 

drivers and employees, and the company’s 

foresight in adopting groundbreaking 

digital solutions. 

Amongst the technological innovations 

the company says it was the first to introduce 

in SE London are; 

computerised booking & despatch 

(1990) call back (1996) text back 

(2004) IVR (2007) booking app (2009) 

solar energy powered call centre (2012) 

in-car contactless credit card terminals 

(2014) 

As well as this, Data Cars is also scheduled 

to be the first in its area to operate a 

fully cloud-based despatch system, which 

should be operational by November. 

PHC caught up with Les for a quick Q&A 

to find out a bit more... 

How did you get into the industry? 

In 1980 I was working as a railway shunter 

but needed to earn some extra money. I 

had a motorcycle licence so I bought a 

second hand Suzuki GT250 and started 

doing a bit of motorcycle despatching on 

my days off.. 

However, after a couple of years of working 

as courier and constantly getting wet, 

I decided to try minicabbing in 1983 with 

a 1973 Hillman Hunter. 

Eventually, I discovered I could earn 

more money driving a minicab and so in 

1985 I left the railway after eight years. 

That year I financed a brand new Citroen 

BX, which was as popular back then as 

the Toyota Prius is today. I was fortunate 

though, as I drove far too quick (empty of 

course) and if they’d had the technology 

of today, I would have spent the 80s 

banned! 

How did Data Cars get started? 

In 1990 I approached my father for a loan 

of £40,000 after persuading him that I 

could make a go of a small office at Mottingham 

Station which was up for sale . 

I worked out I could pay back the 

money in five years on a weekly basis. 

However, after three months I needed

feature | phv firm celebrates quarter century 

PHC 

magazine 

the making 

September 2014 | 39 

radios as the company doubled in size, so 

I took a further loan out secured on my 

ex-council flat in Catford. 

How many drivers and office 

staff did you start with? 

At the beginning I had fourteen full time 

and three part time drivers. Although the 

day I took charge I discovered that only 

three drivers were covered for Hire & Reward. 

There were five office staff, but some of 

them wanted cash in hand - so they were 

out the door within hours! 

Fortunately, I was a controller for three 

years prior to the take over, so I did the 

controlling myself for 92 hours a week for 

the first six months 

What is the biggest change you 

have seen in the industry? 

Without a doubt the way drivers communicate 

with the office. From two-way 

radios in the 1980s to data systems in the 

90s, onto PDA's and now of course the 

smartphones being used today. 

It is interesting how things have gone. 

In the 1970s drivers had to run in and out 

of phone boxes with a bag of two pence 

coins to let the controller know they were 

clear to receive work. 

Back then the owners of mini cab companies 

wouldn’t have known they’d be 

spending the next 40 years providing the 

equipment to drivers. Nowadays when a 

driver applies online to drive for Data Cars, 

provided he meets all the legal requirements, 

all he has to do then is load the 

company's app to start work after a successful 

interview. 

Why has Data Cars always been so quick 

to make use of modern technologies? 

This is basically down to my interest in 

technology. Back in the early days I discovered 

drivers would always work for 

you if you invested in the best type of 

communication equipment or the correct 

type of advertising - which is the secret 

to any successful business. 

For example, if today you waste your 

money on the middle men who provide 

apps and sit in between the private hire 

company and the customer, the price is 

driven down and the driver loses out. 

By investing in technology the cab firm 

ensures its drivers have the best possible 

opportunity to earn a decent living by offering 

the customer a more accessible, efficient 

and higher standard of service. 

What is the biggest challenge 

that faces the trade? 

In my opinion the authorities, who for 

decades have continued to ignore minicab 

companies who don't pay PAYE or 

VAT. On numerous occasions we have experienced 

new staff members who have 

left to work at these companies to receive 

cash in hand. 

What would you say is the 

secret of Data Cars success? 

Twenty-five years of good acquisitions, 

continuing to employ the right people 

and investing in technology. It’s a simple 

as that. 

Anything else you’d like to add? 

I still have drivers who worked with me in 

the 1990s that work for Data Cars today. 

These are the drivers you have to listen to 

as they are your eyes and ears, communicating 

with your customers on a daily 

basis and driving the business. 

❝ 

The secret of 

our success? 

25 years of good 

acquisitions, continuing 

to employ the right 

people and investing 

in technology. 

It’s as simple as that. 

❞ 

Les Chapman, Data Cars 

Name: Les Chapman 

Company: Data Cars 

Position: Managing director 

Born in March 1960, Les was raised in Sidcup 

with his two brothers, Chris and Tim, and sister, 

Susie. His mother, Sheila, took care of the 

home while his father, Bill, worked as an auditor 

and accountant for International Distillers 

and Vintners . 

Les was educated at Longlands Primary 

School and Sidcup Secondary School and in 

later life indulged his fascination with technology 

by studying Computer Installation and 

Maintenance at North Kent Technical College. 

After leaving school, Les found employment 

with British Rail working as a train shunter between 

1978 and 1985. During this time he 

marshalled the train for the royal wedding of 

Prince Charles and Lady Diana 

It was while working on the trains that Les 

sought a second source of income, buying 

himself a motorcyle in 1980 and becoming a 

motorcyle despatch rider for GLH in Finchley. 

A year later he moved on to ride for Express in 

London Bridge, staying at the company for two 

years before swapping two-wheels for four 

(“because I got fed up getting wet”) and driving 

a minicab for Clover Cars in Downham.. 

Having left the railway in 1985, Les continued 

working in the minicab trade, and after a 

bit of to-ing and fro-ing between companies, 

both as a driver and controller, he borrowed 

£40,000 from his father to purchase south 

east-based cab firm Station Cars in 1990. 

The rest, as they say, is history.

PHC 

magazine 

opinion | views from the gmb professional drivers’ branch 

What has the union 

ever done for me? 

In the first of a series of articles, GMB branch president Simon Rush discusses 

the birth of the union movement and why it is still of value in the 21st century 


This is a question that many of us 

in the GMB have been asked at 

one time or another and is something 

you may well be thinking, 

before you even start reading this article. 

Many people have pre-conceived notions 

about unions and what they stand for. Some of 

it may be true, but a lot of it is just hearsay - 

something they have picked up from someone 

else and taken as factually correct. 

Instead of doing that, why not take the time to 

read this article and those that will follow it in the 

next few months, and then ask the question 

again... “What has the union ever done for me?” 

If your answer is still the same then unions cannot 

help you now, nor perhaps will they ever be 

able to. But if you think differently, having been 

presented with the facts, and can see where 

unions have actually helped you, by improving 

your working conditions, you may well feel inclined 

to find out more and even possibly join 

the movement. 

For the uninitiated, i will firstly outline a brief 

history of the trade union movement... 

Unions were set up to help workers who, during 

the 18th Century, were expected to work up to 

14 Hours a day, six days a week. This included 

children of a very young age. 

At the time wages were extremely poor and 

health and safety rules did not exist. For this reason, 

and particularly in heavy industry, the death 

rate and serious injury was high and an almost 

accepted and familiar everyday occurrence. 

This of course was extremely unfair on the 

many labourers who, at the time were paid on 

piece work, which effectively meant the amount 

of goods they could produce. 

Simply put, if you did not (or could not) work 

through illness you simply lost your wages. 

Things slowly changed for the better through 

strike action or similar, and even though I am not 

an advocate of such action, in those days workers 

had little choice. 

This strike action was taken by ordinary workers, 

who simply got together and formed groups 

which consequently grew into some of the large 

unions we have today. 

Modern day slave labour - guaranteed? 

Some of you reading this may feel you work for 

‘slave wages’. This may be especially so if you 

drive for an operator who gives you a so-called 

guarantee in exchange for providing their clients 

with a first rate service, only to find yourself 

working a 72 hour week and earning less than 

the minimum wage. 

Often these drivers have pay deducted if they 

take time off for illness. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? 

As one of its primary objectives, the GMB Professional 

Drivers is actively committed to stamping 

out this grossly unfair practice. 

Want to know more? Next month I will be writing 

further on the history of the union and the 

current everyday involvement of the Professional 

Drivers Branch.

CLASSIFIED 

WWW.PHCMAG.CO.UK 

ACCOUNTANTS 

DRIVERS, NO MORE TAX WORRIES WITH 

=Inland Revenue Registration =Tax Returns/Book-keeping 

=In depth knowledge of the Private Hire Trade =Postal Service 

=Mortgage & Financial Services =Enquiry & Investigation Service 

AND ALL FOR AN ANNUAL (all inclusive) SET FEE 

( Easy payment terms of £28.00 per month 

The friendly face that knows the trade 

So Phone Gary now on 020 8529 2600 

Email: info@drivertax.co.uk or look us up on 

www.drivertax.co.uk 

we accept credit & debit cards 

CHARTERED 

ACCOUNTANTS 

TAX SPECIALISTS 

Taxi & Private Hire Accounts 

Tax Returns 

Experienced & reliable 

Also available evenings & weekends 

0208 554 7271 

07988 361315 

ACCOUNTANTS 

4Paying too much tax? 

4Need an accountant who 

understands your business? 

4Dealing with chauffeur 

accounts for over 15 years. 

4Free inital consultation 

Call us on: 

020 8903 9538 

CARDS & PRINTING 

FULL COLOUR 

MINICAB CARDS 

12,000 ...... £99 

25,000 ...... £130 

50,000 ...... £195 

100,000 .... £295 

SMALLER QUANTITIES 

ALSO AVAILABLE 

For a Free Design or Samples Call 

020 7476 5065 

www.arborealprint.com 

ARBOREAL PRINT GROUP 

GILLIAN HOUSE, STEPHENSON ST, 

LONDON E16 4SA 

ACCOUNTANTS 

MINICAB, COURIER & 

TAXI SPECIALIST 

SELF ASSESSMENT 

HOME VISITS ARRANGED 

FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION 

VERY LOW FEES 

CALL S+B ASSOCIATES ON: 

020 8514 3583 

Mufti & Co 

ACCOUNTANTS 

MINICAB, COURIER & 

TAXI SPECIALIST 

SELF ASSESSMENT 

HOME VISITS ARRANGED 

FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION 

VERY LOW FEES 

020 8514 3583 

SELLING YOUR BUSINESS? 

SECURED LOANS UP TO £100K 

DO YOU NEED CASH? 

ARE YOU A HOME OWNER? 

If you can Answer YES to BOTH these questions 

you may be able to raise between £10,000 - £100,000 

FOR ANY PURPOSE!! 

✓ Self-Employed ✓ Employed ✓ Help with Income Proof 

✓ Schemes for ‘poor credit customers’ 

✓ Up to 95% of your property value ✓ Very Fast Payout 

Call Terry at Terry Bates Associates on 020 8397 0879 

TERRY BATES ASSOCIATES are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority No.605407 

LONDON BASED CAR & 

COURIER COMPANY IS 

LOOKING TO BUY/ 

MERGE OTHER 

LONDON BASED 

COMPANIES 

Please call Neil on 

07793 287 886 

LONDON MINICAB HISTORY BOOK 

London Minicab 

The story of the 

London private 

hire industry 

Purhcase your copy now: 

call John on 020 8399 4678 

Looking to sell your 

business with the 

minimum of fuss? 

We can make it happen - 

and at the right price 

For further information 

contact Imran on 

07720 636 494 

All negotiations handled in upmost confidence 

£10 

Incl. P&P

PHC 

magazine 


news | minicab driver gives assistance at crash scene 

PHV driver gives help 

at fatal car accident 

A LICENSED PRIVATE HIRE driver was among a 

number of onlookers who rushed to help two men 

after they were hit by a car outside a shopping parade 

in South London. 

The fatal accident happened after a black Saab estate 

mounted the pavement outside the general store in Hillreach, 

Woolwich. 

One of the men, thought to be the shop’s manager, suffered 

head and leg injures and later died in hospital. Another 

male, 60 years old, was also taken to hospital, but 

a spokesman said he was not in a life-threatening condition. 

A private hire cab driver told a local newspaper reporter: 

“I came down the hill and I saw some chaps running 

around a car in the street. The car was stationary and on 

the pavement. 

“I saw one bloke lying in the road and another chap was 

on the phone screaming and crying. I thought, this guy 

has just been knocked down, so I parked up and jumped 

out of my car, ran down the road to see if I could help. 

“I didn’t know at this point there was another guy underneath 

the car. The less seriously injured man was 

bleeding heavily so I put him into the recovery position 

and made sure his airways were clear. The guy was conscious 

and breathing and very lucid. He gradually started 

to come round, but he found it difficult to move. 

“I then realised I knew him. It was the guy who runs the 

shop. I know he likes to stand outside the shop and 

smoke a cigarette. He must have been doing it at that 

time.” 

Neighbours say the Saab was being driven by a woman 

and had two children inside. The second victim was reported 

to be a local 

worker who had 

bought a meal from a 

nearby fast food restaurant.. 

Abdelrazek Gueblaoui 

(39) was driving 

behind the Saab 

when the accident happened. He said: “It hit the 

pavement for no reason. I saw the car pull to the 

left side and hit two people who were standing 

there. It was a little bit shocking. There were two 

people on the floor. I think they were standing 

there but the car hit one person and they were 

thrown on the floor. 

“I heard the driver screaming. She was shouting 

really loudly and crying and running all over 

the road in shock.” 

Local workman Jack Domi said: “There used to 

be around six missing bollards along the pavement 

where the accident happened. 

“They need bollards here. If you’re going really 

fast, they’re not going to stop you, but they would 

protect people a bit. You also need a speed camera 

at the top. It’s very dangerous if you don’t put 

them here.” 

The Saab driver, a 56 year old woman, was 

questioned and detectives from the Serious Collision 

Investigation Unit at Catford Traffic Garage 

are appealing for witnesses to come forward. 

Anyone with information should call police on 

020 8285 1574.

feature | uk cab news 

PHC 

magazine 

REGIONAL 

ROUND-UP 

September 2014 | 43 

Cabbie hailed a hero after saving 

female pensioner from burning flat 

A WEST MIDLANDS taxi driver has been praised for his 

bravery after he carried an elderly woman to safety 

when her flat caught fire. 

Cabbie Paul Hickinbottom (40) had been returning 

home from ASDA when he saw smoke pouring out of a 

ground floor flat in the building where 82 year old Margaret Bright 

lives in Rainbow Street, Wolverhampton. 

The taxi driver forced open the front door of the local authority 

owned flats and rushed to the top of the apartment block, where, 

after fighting his way through clouds of black smoke, he picked up 

Mrs Bright and carried the elderly woman to safety. 

He said: “I knew she was up there so I ran upstairs and shouted for 

her. She ain’t the fastest anymore, bless her, so when she opened 

the door I picked her up and took her outside. I think that everyone 

is just glad to know she is okay. I was covered in black so I went home 

to have a bath before getting my tea.” 

Mrs Bright had been alerted to the fire by a friend, Mrs Mavis Millard, 

who rang her after hearing a series of loud noises from the flat 

below. 

She said: “I thought I was going to have a heart attack. Paul came 

in and carried me out. He’s my hero and I can’t be thankful enough. 

I’m still in shock about the whole thing.” 

A man has since been arrested in connection with the fire. 

Rogue Cornish taxi driver fined £3,000 

A HACKNEY cabbie from St Day has pleaded guilty to seven offences of 

breaching taxi licence regulations. 

Christopher William Greenwood (51) was fined £3,000 at Truro Magistrates 

Court for failing to keep proper records, using unlicensed vehicles and drivers 

without the required licences. 

The court found that passengers had been put at risk because the drivers did 

not have the correct hire and reward insurance and had not undergone fitness 

or background medical checks. 

Magistrates heard that Greenwood committed 

the offences over a period of 12 

months between 2013 and 2014 and had 

been uncovered after an investigation by a 

Cornwall Council licensing official. 

Bob Mears, licence compliance manager at 

the Cornish local authority, said: “My enforcement 

officer conducted a thorough investigation 

into Mr Greenwood, who was at times, 

very uncooperative during the process of this 

inquiry. 

“Cornwall Council licensing service will do 

their utmost to support the taxi trade who are, 

in the most part, hardworking and law abiding 

in very difficult times, by endeavouring to 

weed out the unscrupulous and illegal operators. 

I am delighted that the magistrates have 

administered a suitable punishment.”

PHC 

magazine 


news | industry charity news / cab cheat 

Taxi thief admits to 

burglary, fraud and 

child neglect 

AN EPSOM WOMAN branded a “community menace” by police has been 

jailed for multiple offences, including; stealing money from a taxi driver, 

burglary, fraud and child neglect. 

Gemma Davies (29) of Dalmeny Way, Epsom was sentenced to 20 months 

in prison at Guildford Crown Court after admitting to five thefts, two burglaries, 

four counts of child neglect, fraud and one count of not paying a cab 

fare. 

Davies stole purses from elderly neighbours after asking to use their telephone 

and even robbed a taxi driver of his takings on the day of a previous 

court appearance. She was also convicted of making off without paying for 

another cab ride. 

PC Lisa Betchley, who oversaw the investigation, said: “Gemma Davies has 

been nothing short of a menace to the community in the short time she has 

lived here. 

“Taking advantage of the goodwill of her neighbours who tried to help her 

after she had moved in and targeting the elderly were particularly callous 

acts on her part. 

“It cannot be underestimated the impact these sort of offences can have on 

residents living in a close-knit neighbourhood, which is why we took steps to 

bring Davies to justice. 

“I hope this reassures the public that we will act when faced with challenging 

individuals. And we would encourage anyone else faced with similar 

situations to report matters in confidence.” 

‘Are we nearly there yet?’ 

This year’s Children’s Magical Taxi Tour to Disneyland Paris will take 

place on Friday 12th September. 

The annual event, organised by the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage 

Drivers, takes children with life limiting illnesses on the trip of a lifetime 

and will be escorted by the police from Canary Wharf to Dover. 

Over 4,000 children have taken part in these trips since they started in 1994 

and as well as a day at the theme park, they will also attend a gala dinner with 

Disney characters signing autographs and posing for photographs. 

Details about the Magical Taxi Tour can be found at www.magicaltaxitour.com 

where you can find details of previous trips and information about 

how you can help make a donation to help fund this year’s outing. 

Andrew Woods (L) and Anthony Edwards (R) 

Riding London 

for charity 

AFTER MONTHS of training, Anthony Edwards, 

managing director of executive private 

hire firm Brunel, took to the road last 

month to take part in the Prudential Ride 

London cycling extravaganza. 

The Ride London event, which was first 

staged in 2013, is one of the cycling legacies of 

the 2012 London Olympic Games and also the 

mayor’s flagship event to encourage cycling 

and cycle safety in the capital. 

Riding in aid of LAM Action, a charity that supports 

people with Lymphangioleiomyomatosis 

(LAM) - a progressive lung disease that usually 

strikes women during their childbearing years - 

Anthony lined up alongside family friend, Andrew 

Woods, and tens of thousands of other 

cyclists outside the Queen Elizabeth II Olympic 

Park for the start. 

With all roads closed to vehicles, the route 

took riders on a traffic-free journey through 

London and Surrey, covering the course made 

famous by both the road race and time-trial 

events during the 2012 Games. 

After 86 miles in the saddle (bad weather cut 

short the original 100 mile route), Anthony 

crossed the finish line in a very respectable five 

hours, raising £3000 in the process. 

Speaking to PHC Magazine after the event, he 

said: “My sister-in-law, Caroline, was diagnosed 

with LAM last year and I wanted to do something 

to raise some money and awareness 

about LAM Action, which is a fantastic charity 

that assists sufferers and their families. 

“My dad supported various charities throughout 

his life and I know he would have wanted 

me to get involved and try to do something to 

help.” 

For further information about LAM 

Action, visit www.lamaction.org

Find us on facebook 

Motorcade Insurance 

One call does it all. 

Contact Jay, Rita or John on 020 7741 1050 for a quote 

Follow us on Twitter! 

@MotorcadeInsure 

Motorcade Insurance is a trading styles of Acorn Insurance & Financial Services Ltd, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Excludes Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands. Please note that we only quote a 

fleet policy if you have a minimum of 5 vehicles. *Based on statistics compiled by Acorn Insurance in June 2013**In a 12-month survey of 968 customers over 95% would recommend us to a friend 

Need representation in times of trouble ? 

Need Legal protection? 

Worried about delays in relicensing with DBS 

checks and need to be sure you won’t lose work? 

Concerned about having a voice and being heard ? 

Drivers and Small Operators Contact Us 

for representation in an unequal world... 

Call for details 020 8202 8272 

or join online at www.gmb.org.uk 

G56 Professional Drivers’ Branch 

Thorne House, 152 Brent St, London NW4 2DP

16 WOTTON ROAD LONDON NW2 6PX 

airportdirect 

OWNER DRIVERS WANTED 

Very busy, North London based private hire company 

Lots of quality cash and account work 

including 1500 airport transfers per 

week (minimum) plus ports and tours 

✆ 020 8450 3050 

DRIVERS MUST HAVE 

Mercedes’ Jaguar’s BMW’s 

Audi’s or other prestige marques 

MPV’s 

Vehicles no older than four years 

Limited number of company vehicles 

available to the right applicants 

licensed owner & company 

drivers required for our 

busy 24-hour circuit 

» Regular account and cash work covering all of London 

» Busy 24-hour circuit paying good rates 

» Offices in North and South London 

» Saloons, Estates and MPVs welcome 

» Low rent for owner drivers 

» Competitive rent for company car drivers 

Call recruitment on 

020 8358 6688/9 

or e-mail recruitment@chequerstransport.co.uk 

Chequers Transport Ltd is an equal opportunities employer www.chequerstransport.co.uk 

Chequers 

Transport

RENT £65 PER WEEK 

FIRST 4 WEEKS 

WE HAVE THE WORK 

We want hard working owner drivers 

l PDA SYSTEM 

CALL STEVE 020 7272 3494 

Monday - Friday 7am - 4pm Tufnell Park Cars 

100% 

cash work 

Experienced drivers earn great money 

Full time drivers take home 

£750 - £1100 

Weekly rent £120 or 25% commission 

12 hour shifts on weekdays 

Contact Mr Nick: 0788 246 8541 

34c Selsdon Road, Sth Croydon 

Company 

vehicles 

available 

Weekend drivers take home 

£450 - £700 

Weekend rent just £80 

Work unlimited hours 

www.1-2cars.co.uk 

URGENTLY 

REQUIRE 

OWNER 

VAN DRIVERS 

IF YOU ARE A DECENT CALIBRE 

COURIER WITH YOUR OWN VAN 

AND A GOOD WORK ETHIC 

WE WANT YOU 

• Regular work • Paid weekly 

• Short, middle & some long distance 

• Small friendly team of old school controllers 

• No radios • No nonsense 

• Just non stop work at fair rates. 

call Matthew or Mark on 

020 8568 2225 

or email info@missiondespatch.com 

Must have courier insurance 

New BMW M-Sport Tourers and Jaguar XFs available 

Claremont drivers 

earn an average of 

£32.50 

They also average 

£150-£300 per day* 

...and we are turning away more work than we are covering 

| Open shift - come or go as you please | Subsidised company cars | NO circuit fee | Commission on cash 

work only | Quality work incl. 5-star hotels | Cordic despatch | Insurance arranged 

PER 

JOB 

Controllers and 

Tel Ops required 

Must have previous experience, 

good communication & computer 

skills and be a team player 

Excellent working environment, 

salary and incentives, plus 

promotional opportunities available 

Quality executive owner drivers welcome 

020 8756 4918 

Offices in Battersea and Heathrow 

*Figures based on a 12-hour shift and correct at time of going to press 

X 

CLAREMONTXPRESS 

executive & chauffeur service

IMMEDIATE FREE START* 

QUALITY ACCOUNTS 

STANDARD/EXEC/VIP WORK 

Mach 1 requires 

company and 

owner drivers 

for corporate account work 

Mach 1 is a very well established, licensed private 

hire and courier company looking for experienced, 

professional, company car and owner drivers 

to service corporate clients. 

We don’t just take on any drivers though - 

you’ve got to be one of the best. 

It’s what our clients expect and is the reason 

they keep coming back to use our services. 

Interested? Call Recruitment on 

020 7685 1121 

Mach 1 | 21a Brownlow Mews | London | WC1N 2LA 

company drivers 

£100 pw cashback* 

- Toyota Prius, BMW 7 series, 

Mercedes Viano & Mercedes 

E-Class vehicles available 

FREE 

START FOR 

COMPANY 

DRIVERS 

owner drivers 

10% bonus on gross* 

- All shifts available 

(especially splits) 

- Must have 13 plate + 

saloon or MPV 

As well as the chance of great earning 

potential, Mach 1 also offers its drivers... 

All shifts available 

No fees 

Expanding quality corporate work 

Potential for promotion to VIP 

£10 minimum (standard saloon rate) 

£15 minimum (MPV / executive vehicles) 

£22.50 minimum (VIP vehicles) 

Weekly pay by BACS 

*T&C’s apply - Cashback scheme & FREE start offer only applies to company vehicle drivers - 10% bonus offer only applies to owner drivers

OFFICES IN SE & SW LONDON 

Call centre vacancies 

- CONTROLLERS - TELEPHONISTS 

KV Cars is currently looking for experienced, 

controllers and telephonists to work at our 

busy Battersea and Southwark based offices. 

- All shifts available - Full or part time 

Excellent salary for the right candidates. 

Owner & Company 

Drivers 

wanted 

No starting fee 

Commission only circuit 

£6 minimum 

£3.50 per mile cash 

Open shift 

Bring your own XDA 

5-star hotel contracts 

Busy club contracts 

2 FrEE car washes pw 

100 % 

RENT FREE 

EARN £100+ PER DAY 

ON WEEKDAYS 

£150+ PER DAY 

AT WEEKENDS 

80 % 

CASH 

WORK

licensed 

owner 

and 

company 

drivers required 

As one of London’s busiest, licensed private hire companies 

we are looking for experienced, owner and company 

drivers to help us deliver a professional service 

for expanding contract work across London. 

Experienced drivers & beginners welcome 

Cash & account work 

New company vehicles 

available Including... 

Days - nights - split shifts 

Full & part time work available 

MPV’s Saloon cars Mercedes executive E and S Class 

Office positions 

We also currently have vacancies 

for the following roles... 

West London office: 020 8578 5555 

Central London: 020 7384 5555 

Call centre manager 

Fleet manager 

Full time sales manager 

Controllers (Day & Night shifts) 

Dave on: 07957 158 154 

Jane (central London): 07751 157 538 

Company cars: 07956 223 212 

Head office: 2 Hayes Metro Centre | Springfield Rd | Hayes | Middlesex | UB4 0LE

DRIVERS 

REQUIRED 

At United, we value our drivers. Established 

since 1975, our executive service prides itself 

on providing exceptional customer service, 

which begins with our drivers. We offer you: 

Exclusive contracts with top London clubs 

Professional & experienced controllers 

Quality corporate & restaurant work 

12 weeks rent free for day circuit 

Minimum charge £10.00 

£2.50 per mile (account) 

£3.30 per mile (cash) 

95% cash work 

Open Shift 

CONTACT 

Adnan, 07958 351 564 

22 Shoreditch High St 

London E1 6PG 

www.unitedcarriage.com 

CLUB 

DRIVERS 

REQUIRED 

l FLEET 

www.fleetminicabs.com 

DRIVERS 

FOR OFFICES 

IN EDGWARE 

& HENDON 

FREE RENT PERIOD 

SERIOUS DRIVERS 

EARN SERIOUS MONEY 

l 

WANTED 

Large cash circuit 

Excellent account work 

Dedicated team who care about the drivers 

Weekly insurance can be arranged 

Please call Grant on 

07970 88 22 07 

fleet.cars@btconnect.com 

Based in Middlesex & North West London serving London and the Home Counties 

PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS REQUIRED 

Weekly 

pay by 

BACS 

Excellent 

earning 

potential 

For work all over town 

No 

circuit 

fee 

Cash & 

Account 

FREE CAR for 

three months* 

Toyota Prius, Avensis 

& MPVs available 

Various 

shifts 

Collar 

& tie 

Plus... company 

drivers get a £25 

petrol allowance 

on their first day 

www.destinationscouriers.co.uk Call Martin:020 7749 3452 

*subject toTs & Cs

GLH REQUIRE PROFESSIONAL 

PRIVATE HIRE DRIVERS 

FOR OUR CORPORATE ACCOUNT CIRCUIT 

New accounts with newly 

increased mileage rates 

JOIN BEFORE 12 SEPTEMBER... 

GET A FREE CAR 

UNTIL 2015 

FOR DAY DRIVERS 

£500 START BONUS 

FOR NIGHT DRIVERS 

£900 START BONUS 

Call Driver Services now to arrange an appointment: 

020 7566 9042 

or text GLH to 66777 for more info

professional, PCO licensed 


STARTER BONUS FOR ALL NEW DRIVERS 

* 

Competitively-priced vehicles available incl 

Mercedes E-Class | Toyota Prius & Prius+ 

Excellent earning potential for hard working drivers 

New large accounts and great cash circuit now open 

Keep up to date with all things 

Brunel by adding us on facebook 

or tweet us @BrunelTGT 

You can also download our 

new booking app from the 

itunes App Store by searching 

brucar, The Fast, reliable 

and affordable car service. 

Executive & standard car circuits 

Fantastic starter bonus for all new drivers* 

Quality Work and the best rates for our drivers 

Weekly and monthly payment by BACS 

Dedicated back office team to help and support you 

NO rent* 

NO circuit fees NO charges 

Owner drivers of late model vehicles welcome 

Good knowledge of Central London req Minimum of 5 shifts per week 

Call Nilesh Modhwadia or Saf Rahman to arrange an immediate interview 

020 7068 5291 / 5275 

Brunel Carriage Ltd 5 Twelvetrees Business Park | Twelvetrees Crescent | Bromley-by-Bow | London E3 3JQ 

*Bonus & No Rent deals subject to terms & conditions. Due to high volume of calls your call may be diverted to an answering machine. 

If so, please leave your name and number and we will contact you within 12 hours. 

Corporate...Executive...Global 

brunel 

Total Ground Transportation

Professional, licensed 


The Keen Group is 

recruiting experienced, 

professional company 

car drivers 

Come and work 

in a brand new 

Ford Galaxy 

or Mercedes 

E300 bluetec 

hybrid 

Dedicated driver liaison team 

Proactive fleet department 

PDA auto despatch 

5 offices in South London 

Open shift 

Cash and account work 

FREE driver uniform 

Great earning potential for smart, presentable 

& motivated drivers who have excellent: 

Customer service skills 

Communication skills 

Road knowledge 

Industry experience 

Join South London’s 

biggest & brightest 

24 hour car circuit 

For more info contact Zanir Ebrahim, Fleet Manager on: 

020 8875 4958 / 07967 118 628 

zanirebrahim@thekeengroup.co.uk www.thekeengroup.co.uk 

| Battersea | Bermondsey | Brockley | Crystal Palace | Wandsworth

Busy 24 hour 

cash & 

account 

circuit 

requires 

OWNER DRIVERS 

Must have 08+ vehicle 

First 

RENT 

FREE 

* 

weekly 

discounts 

on fees* 

Days/Evenings/Nights/Split shifts available 

Great earning potential for hard-working 

and knowledgable drivers 

Must be smart and presentable with 

excellent customer service skills 

Cordic auto despatch system 

- no ‘bent’ controlling 

CONTROLLERS/CO-ORDINATORS/TEL-OPS 

We urgently require driver support staff with 

previous experience working with large fleets 

· Fantastic work environment · Staff rest area · AC Office 

Controllers must be able 

to control 80+ vehicles 

Great 

packages 

available 

*Rent free week and weekly discounts subject to T&Cs

09-2014-230

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?