Uber earnings ad banned

2 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA 

NEWS 

Uber earnings ad banned 

Trade 

A complaint about controversial 

adverts making ludicrous claims 

about the potential earnings of Uber 

drivers has been upheld by the 

Advertising Standards Agency. 

Uber has been forced to remove 

the ads saying that minicab drivers 

can earn £1,200 a week, as it was 

unable to prove it was possible. 

The ruling will be an 

embarrassment for Transport for 

London, which came under-fire 

earlier last year when the 

promotional campaign appeared on 

its own website. 

Taxi driver Benjamin Nash was 

one of two people who complained 

to the standards regulator about 

the issue. 

He said: “I was delighted when they 

confirmed that Uber would have to take 

down the ads. I only did it because it 

annoyed me that they were making these 

claims. Even if one person managed to 

somehow earn that much in one week, it 

has to be an average. I don’t think they 

have even managed prove that one 

person has earned that much in a week.” 

Uber agreed to scrap the 

The Uber ad on the TfL website in October 

advertising campaign without the 

need for a formal investigation after 

being contacted by the ASA. 

Adverts for Uber and all other 

minicabs were stripped from 

Transport for London’s (TfL) 

website after complaints from the 

LTDA and cabbies were backed by 

London Assembly politicians. 

TfL initially brushed aside the 

issue, saying the advertising was 

handled by an outside agency. It 

said ads are accepted provided that 

they comply with guidelines: which 

the ASA has decided that they do 

not. 

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the 

body’s Liberal Democrat group, and 

Green Party member Darren 

Johnson both tackled Mayor Boris 

Johnson, asking whether it was 

“appropriate” for Uber’s 

advertisements to be carried by the 

authority. 

Mr Johnson and Ms Pidgeon 

raised the issue in November but 

TfL said the decision to take down 

adverts had already been made after 

complaints from a number of taxi 

and minicab drivers. 

It confirmed that, as of October 30, 

“TfL decided that no advertising would 

be carried on the taxi and private hire 

section of the TfL website.” 

News in brief 

Motorcyclist injured in 

Uber smash 

A motorbike rider was seriously 

injured after a crash involving 

an Uber cab in Notting 

Hill Gate. 

The man, said to be in his 20s, 

was treated at the scene by 

medics before being taken to St 

Mary’s Hospital in Paddington 

with a suspected broken leg. 

The minicab driver was 

uninjured in the incident which 

took place at around 10pm on 

Sunday, August 16. Nobody has 

been arrested, but the Uber 

driver has been removed from 

the company’s books. 

Tout fined £500 

A minicab driver caught touting 

by TfL compliance officers in 

London’s West End was fined 

£500 by Westminster 

magistrates’ court. 

Omar Gouaalla pleaded 

guilty to plying for hire and 

accepting a booking without a 

licence in Wardour Street on 

October 19.

More readers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 3 

Top Trade Story 

LIGHT AT THE END 

OF THE TUNNEL? 

STEVE MCNAMARA LTDA General Secretary 

A toughening up of the private hire regulations is on the horizon – at last! 

The Private Hire Regulations 

Review consultation closed 

on June 19, and Transport 

for London (TfL) received over 

4,000 responses. For the first time 

ever our trade submitted a united 

response, which was then echoed 

by many thousands of LTDA 

members who took the trouble to 

submit an individual reply based 

on our suggestions and detailed 

paper. 

TfL has now analysed all the 

responses and has drawn up a list 

of draft proposals for discussion 

with the taxi and private hire 

trades. The changes will come in 

two parts, with the first batch to 

be implemented in the autumn 

and the rest - the most contentious 

issues - following later, subject to 

a consultation. The first tranche 

will include a much more 

stringent and thorough 

topographical testing procedure, 

controlled by TfL in-house, in the 

same way the Knowledge is 

delivered and tested. 

The testing will be conducted in 

English, and will ensure that all 

applicants have an appropriate 

level of conversational English, 

something which is sadly lacking 

now. TfL also plans to introduce a 

higher level of disability training, 

requiring applicants to undertake 

a Driver Standards Agency 

enhanced driving test, similar to 

that undertaken by taxi drivers. A 

radical change for operators will 

be the removal of their ability to 

Radical changes are afoot for the private hire trade 

handle complaints, which will 

now be dealt with by TfL, using 

the same employees who currently 

deal with taxi complaints. 

All of the proposed regulatory 

changes were proposed by the 

trade in our response, and include: 

n PH operators will be required 

to have Hire and Reward 

insurance policy for their fleet. 

n Satellite or temporary event 

licences will be scrapped 

n A five minute period between 

booking and pick up 

n Operators must not show 

vehicles available for 

immediate hire - either visibly 

or virtually, via an app 

n The fare must be specified at 

time of booking 

n Drivers to only work for one 

operator at a time 

n No ride sharing 

n Operators must offer a prebooking 

facility - up to seven 

days 

n Operators will have to record 

destinations at time of booking 

n Operators to have landline 

This is by no means a fait 

accompli, and Uber will be 

utilising its £250,000 per month 

lobbying and marketing budget 

to pressurize its bought and paid 

for journalists and politicians 

into earning their keep, and 

doing all it can to block the 

changes. Uber doesn’t care about 

public safety; a lax regulatory 

system suits it. The public 

doesn’t understand and few will 

respond to the consultation; so it 

will be up to us to respond en 

masse and ensure they are 

protected. I will be contacting all 

LTDA members nearer the time 

with suggestions and details of 

how to respond. n 

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NEWS 

Latest LTDA membership offers from LTDA Plus 

Membership benefits 

LTDA Plus give you access to a range 

of benefits and discounts, designed to 

support members both personally and 

professionally. Highlights this month 

include: 

Cinemas – Save an average 

of 40% 

NEW! Vue cinemas now also included! 

Want to catch the latest blockbusters 

on the big screen, and save money on 

tickets? Let LTDA Plus help. LTDA 

members can save an average of 40% 

on cinema tickets at major cinema 

chains like Vue, Cineworld, Showcase, 

Empire as well as loads of independent 

cinemas! You can purchase up to five 

pairs (10 tickets) per calendar month 

and they are valid for at least 6 months 

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a comedy, romance or action thriller, 

LTDA Plus can help to save money – 

letting you get on with enjoying the 

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Voice Mobile - Best tariffs 

available from EE 

It’s official – EE is the UK’s biggest, 

fastest and most reliable network. 

That’s why LTDA Plus has teamed up 

with Voice Mobile, an EE Principal 

partner, to offer fantastic deals on the 

latest handsets from EE. What’s more, 

Voice Mobile offer tariffs that aren’t 

available direct from EE, either online 

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speeds. If you’re looking for the 

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At the recent Mobile Industry Awards, 

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that an EE tariff with Voice Mobile is a 

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Tariffs can also include*: 

n 24 month handset warranty 

n European roaming calls and texts 

n Tethering 

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MyCashbackCards - Retail 

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MyCashbackCards provide 

members with a unique way to save 

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THE LTDA IS SPENDING 

£1,000,000 

FIGHTING TO SAVE YOUR JOB 

We must convince the courts that U *** is breaking 

all the rules, and its drivers are illegally plying for hire. 

WE WILL NOT GIVE 

UP THIS FIGHT 

020 7286 1046 WWW.LTDA.CO.UK


NEWS 

“Use anti-terror Laws on Uber” 

Trade 

Anti-terrorism laws must be used 

to crackdown on Uber drivers who 

cause a public menace by parking 

up outside St Pancras station, a 

councillor has said. 

The growing number of minicabs 

waiting for e-hails in restricted 

bays is causing chaos outside the 

station where taxi drivers are being 

forced to double park in order to 

legally ply their trade. 

The problem is spiralling, 

causing tailbacks along the Euston 

Road and raising security risk fears 

at Camden’s busiest transport hub. 

Green Party councillor Sian 

Berry is calling on the council to 

use a Traffic Regulation Order, 

restricting waiting to two minutes, 

based on a separate clause in the 

law covering the risk of terrorism. 

Sian began campaigning on the 

issue after it was raised by taxi 

drivers and says that introducing 

“steep parking charges” to deter 

minicabs “such as Uber” from 

staying longer than two minutes 

could be another solution. 

She said: “Black cab drivers have 

supplied me with a wealth of 

evidence, and I have visited 

the site many times to see 

for myself how many bays 

are occupied by minicab 

drivers simply waiting 

there and looking at their 

phones. 

“Something must be done 

and, looking at the legislation, 

I believe the reason sections of the 

Road Traffic Regulation Act covering 

terrorism aren't named in the grace 

period regulations, is that security 

risks override any need for parking 

flexibility. This is clearly applicable at 

this site and I've asked the council to 

look into making a new order on this 

basis.” 

The problem has been blamed 

on local government secretary Eric 

Pickles who earlier this year 

introduced a controversial 10- 

minute grace period for motorists 

when parking tickets run out. 

The rule change affects bays in 

Pancras Road, which previously 

allowed motorists to stop for two 

minutes but now allows minicab 

drivers to sit for up to 12 minutes. 

The LTDA’s Paul Wright, who 

regularly works at St 

Pancras, said: 

“Myriad private hire 

vans, Prius cars 

and limousines 

litter both the 

entry and setting 

down points for the 

whole of the King’s 

Cross and St Pancras 

area, causing a danger to 

the public and making it virtually 

impossible for taxi drivers to work. 

“It’s about time Camden, TfL and 

Network Rail got their heads together 

and marshalled the area properly. 

Robust enforcement is needed and 

Sian Berry’s idea to use anti-terror 

laws to prevent overstaying by the 

private hire vehicles is the right way 

forward.” 

Environment leader, councillor 

Meric Apak, dismissed the request 

to use “anti-terrorism traffic orders” 

and wants to rely on parking 

wardens to address the issue. 

A number of police and 

community support officers were 

in operation at King’s Cross 

moving on minicab drivers as 

TAXI went to press. 

Rank Suspension 

Murderers, Perverts and 

Thieves 

Uber has been accused of not doing 

thorough background checks on its 

drivers in the US. 

Murderers, perverts and thieves 

have all been allowed to work for 

the tech giant, according to legal 

papers filed in California, which 

allege the company misleads 

customers about its screening 

system. Uber said its driver checking 

system is better than those used by 

other transport firms. 

Free Classic car show 

returns 

Classic cars from all over the UK 

and Europe will once again descend 

on the Isle of Wight for a popular 

two day charity event. More than 

700 vintage, custom and classic cars 

are expected to be displayed over 

Saturday, September 19, in Newport 

Quay and Sunday, September 20, in 

Ryde Esplanade, between 11am- 

5.30pm. Both events are free but 

any money raised from donations 

goes to children’s charities. 

Dial 0871 376 1000 to book the 

ferry early for discounted tickets. 

Join the Krav Maga army 

Health 

LTDA members can learn to deal 

confidently with threatening 

situations by taking part in our 

popular free self-defence courses. 

Hundreds of our members have 

enjoyed the Krav Maga classes 

run by taxi driver Ricky Manetta 

and many have credited them 

with changing their lives. 

Not only do they offer the 

chance to improve fitness 

and general 

health, they also give piece of mind 

when growing numbers of frontline 

workers are being threatened or 

assaulted by members of the public. 

Ricky says: “This is all about giving 

people confidence, so that they can deal 

with threatening situations, 

ultimately without 

having 

to fight.” 

The skill was 

developed by the 

Israeli army and 

teaches the use of 

blocking, grappling and 

wrestling style moves to fend 

off attackers – even those 

wielding weapons. 

Ricky will be putting the latest 

recruits through their paces at the 

Orwell Centre in Wapping from 

Monday, September 14. 

Taxi 

Driver 

Loans 

Fed up of being behind? 

why not get in front 

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If you want to join them, are 

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between 1-2.30pm, then call 

TAXI House and ask to 

register on 0207 128 1046. 

To join today please call 020 7266 0101 

or visit www.ltdcu.co.uk 

*London Taxi Drivers Credit Union is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by 

the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, registration number 213233


The Massett File 

Richard Massett Chairman LTDA, Chairman London Cab Ranks Committee 

LTDA BATTLES 

SUPERHIGHWAY 

The superhighway plan will bring London to a standstill but we’re fighting it tooth and nail 

The car-free superhighway fantasy dreamt of by TfL 

LTDA Policy Statement 

It is more essential than ever for drivers to be fully appraised of 

the various trade organisations’ policies. In order to clarify the 

LTDA’s position on the important issues facing the industry, the 

Association reaffirms: 

1. Its determination (despite opposition from certain trade organisations) to exclude 

taxi drivers from any form of restriction on working hours or the compulsory fitting 

of tachographs in cabs. 

2. Its total opposition to the proposed computerised Knowledge testing system 

(Quickie Knowledge), which is intended to speed up and churn out new licences. 

3. Its support for a regular review of taxi usage in London in order to provide 

effective management of the cab fleet which will prevent the streets of London 

being flooded with empty cabs. 

4. Its support for the introduction of ‘rest ranks’ to enable drivers to legally leave 

their cabs unattended whilst visiting adjacent toilet facilities. 

5. Its support for a complete ban on pedicabs. 

6. Its insistence on meaningful consultation with Transport for London. 

7. Its support for an effective minicab enforcement team, trained 

to eradicate illegal touting by minicab drivers. 

8. Its campaign for taxi access to all bus lanes. 

9. Its insistence that taxis continue to be exempt from 

congestion charges. 

10. Its policy to recruit, support and represent licensed 

taxi drivers only. 

If you require clarification on these or 

other important issues, please: 

Call the LTDA on 020 7286 1046 

POLICY 

The LTDA has applied to the 

High Court for a judicial 

review of Transport for 

London’s decision to forge ahead 

with construction of the East-West 

Cycle Superhighway (EWCS) 

through the centre of London. 

The works have already caused 

gridlock and misery for motorists who 

have to drive through the city. Taxi 

passengers who have the misfortune to 

travel anywhere near the works have 

suffered substantially increased 

journey times and costs. The delays are 

not just confined to journeys along 

Victoria Embankment and 

Upper/Lower Thames Street but 

alternative routes through the City and 

south of the river have also been 

severely affected. TfL has tried to 

mitigate the effects on traffic in the 

central area by holding vehicles back 

on some of the main routes into town, 

but this has only served to spread the 

congestion. Drivers have found that 

their journey times along these routes 

have also increased substantially. 

Gridlock 

The LTDA has opposed the East – West 

route consistently from the outset. We 

have worked with a number of other 

organisations, which share our 

concerns. We initially consulted 

lawyers because there seemed to have 

been serious shortcomings in the 

consultation process, particularly with 

the lack of a proper area-wide air 

quality assessment. Although our 

concerns were legitimate, the advice 

was that they probably were not 

sufficient to prevent the scheme from 

going ahead. We did however retain 

the services of a senior QC who has 

vast experience of planning. It was he 

who suggested that TfL may have 

been deficient when it came to 

applying for specific planning 

consent from the local authorities 

along the route. Normally, traffic 

schemes are processed under the road 

traffic acts and formal planning 

consent is not required. In this case, 

full re-construction of the roads is 

being carried out, in close proximity 

to many listed and national heritage 

buildings. So, the legal opinion is that 

this scheme should have been subject 

to a full planning application and is 

therefore open to challenge. 

If the judicial review is successful, it 

would not bring about an end to this 

project on its own, but it would bring 

the work to a halt while TfL sought 

the necessary planning consent. We 

hope that this would refocus attention 

on TfL’s damaging plans to restrict 

the movement of essential traffic in 

London. TfL shouldn’t underestimate 

the strength of feeling against its illconceived 

plans. We are aware that 

another interested party is also 

engaged in action, which could also 

see the authority having to defend its 

actions in court. 

No doubt the LTDA will once again 

be mercilessly attacked by the cycling 

lobby on Twitter and other social 

media over this challenge. But let’s be 

clear about this: we are not anticycling 

and we do want to see 

facilities in London to make cycling 

safer. However, there has to be a 

balance; people and goods must be 

able to move through the capital’s 

road network as efficiently as 

possible. We really cannot understand 

the Mayor’s business case for 

installing cycle lanes which result in 

reducing capacity on our roads for 

motor vehicles, there must be a better 

way of doing things. In the case of 

EWCS, surely two lanes of traffic in 

each direction could have been 

maintained along with suitable cycle 

lanes. I just don’t know why the 

Mayor would want a permanently 

gridlocked Central London as his 

legacy. n

More readers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015| TAXI 7 

NEWS 

Taxi driver smears con gang 

Court 

Fraudsters who swindled 

elderly and vulnerable victims 

out of thousands of pounds 

have been jailed, thanks to a 

quick thinking LTDA member. 

The conmen tricked their 

victims out of more than 

£177,000 by making more than 

2,500 cold calls in 2013 and 

2014. 

But the gang, Shamsul 

Islam, 25, Mohammed Ahmed 

Miah, 19, and Mohammed 

Hussain, 18, all from London, 

got more than they bargained 

for when they contacte a 60- 

year-old former telephone 

engineer. 

The men posed as officers 

and told their targets to cut up 

their credit cards because they 

had been compromised. 

The gang then arranged for 

a courier to collect the cards 

which they used to plunder 

bank accounts. The green 

badge from Hornchurch 

spotted their scam right away 

thanks to his previous training 

Jailed: conmen who swindled £177,000 from their victims 

in telecommunications. 

Police scoured telephone 

records and used the 

information to trace the 

crooks and put them before 

the courts. 

Detective Inspector Bart 

Haley said: “This gang made a 

huge amount of calls in order to 

identify and target their 

victims. 

“Many have been tricked out 

of huge amounts of cash and 

we’re pleased to have been able 

to now get them justice. 

“I would urge people to be 

vigilant and look out for 

elderly or vulnerable friends 

and relatives. Police or banks 

will never call you up out of 

the blue to ask for personal 

details or cash. If you receive 

such a call, use a mobile phone 

or neighbour’s phone to call 

999.” 

Islam, who provided the 

base for the gang at King’s 

Cross was jailed for five 

years at St Albans Crown 

Court. Miah and Hussain 

were each jailed for 18 

months. 

News in brief 

“Same rate as always” 

Verifone used its DigitalTop roof 

screens to promote the taxi trade 

during the Tube strikes earlier 

this month. 

The campaign highlighted the 

fact that taxis would be the “same 

rate as always” as opposed to 

Uber, which uses a surge pricing 

system and charges triple rates at 

peak times. 

Verifone is offering drivers an 

£1,100 installation bonus 

payment and £180 per month to 

TX4 owner-drivers for carrying a 

DigitalTop unit. Telephone 0333 

666 1000 (option 2) for 

information. 

Cab smash in Eltham 

A cabbie and another driver were 

rescued by firefighters after a 

smash in Eltham Hill on 

August 12. 

Fire crews had to cut one 

person from a silver Mini after 

removing the roof, and also 

pulled the cabbie to safety. 

The driver of the mini was 

taken to hospital by ambulance.


NEWS 

Relicensing at NSL? Save time and loss of work with this LTDA checklist 

o Vehicle registration certificate, logbook or new keeper’s 

supplement (complete with bill of sale/receipt) where vehicle 

is newly purchased prior to inspection 

o Current vehicle licence (for renewal inspections) 

o From October 1, 2014, vehicles no longer require a tax disc to 

be displayed. Vehicles can be taxed online or at a post office. If 

a vehicle is not recorded as taxed, NSL will accept an online 

application/ post office receipt. (Information at 

www.gov.co.uk/dvla/nomoretaxdisc) 

o Insurance certificate (not a copy) – properly affixed in the 

luggage compartment 

o Valid MOT certificate (issued 13 days or less before inspection) 

If vehicle is less than one year old an MOT is not required 

o Taximeter installation and calibration certificate, issued within 

30 days of inspection 

o Exemption certificate (where applicable) 

o Modification approval (where applicable) 

o Tool to release ramps 

o Tyres - must conform to manufacturer’s specification 

(see table) 

Vehicle Make / Model 

Tyre Size 

! 

Merc VitoMercedes Vito Euro 4 195/65 R 16 100/98T or 104/102T 

Mercedes Vito Euro 5 195/65 R 16 100/98T or 104/102T 

Fairway (declared max speed of 130 km/h) 

TX1 (declared speed of 130 km/h) 


TXII (declared speed of 147 km/h) 


175 R 16 N 

175 R 16 N 

175 R 16 Q 

175 R 16 Q 

175 R 16 Q 

RICHMOND ROAD 

CAB CENTRE 

195 Richmond Road, Hackney, London, E8 3NJ 

020 7923 7003 

info@richmondroadcabcentre.com 

INCORPORATING FOREST TAXIS AND CANTWELL TAXIS 

TXIIS / TX4S & VITOS AVAILABLE 

SHORT AND LONG TERM INCLUDING PART-TIME WITH 

FULL AA / RAC COVER. FULL & HALF FLAT AVAILABLE 

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n Maintenance mechanical and Bodywork 

TX2 / TX4 Diagnostics n 

n Annual Overhauls and 6 monthly MOT’s 

Key Programming n 

n Servicing TX1 – TX2 – TX4, Euro 4 / Euro 5 Air Conditioning Service and Repairs n 

n Full back up service 

Vehicle CCTV Supplied and Fitted n 

All Insurance Work undertaken n Fault or Non Fault accident 

WE BUY AND SELL TAXIS (warranty available subject to conditions)


NEWS 

Cabbies help British heroes 

Charity 

Britain’s Forgotten Army was given 

the five star treatment by hundreds 

of kind-hearted volunteer cabbies 

who ferried them to a special VJ Day 

celebration for free. 

Despite the hardships suffered by 

the trade, itself ignored by the 

authorities, cabbies gave up precious 

work time to help veterans of the Far 

East campaign - and put greedy big 

businesses such as Uber and South 

West trains to shame. 

More than 800 heroes landed at 

key stations across the city, 

including King’s Cross, Waterloo 

and Paddington, where volunteer 

cabbies waited to ship them to the 

Horse Guards’ Parade in Whitehall 

to mark 70 years since Japan 

surrendered. 

Marshalls organised by the 

London Taxi Benevolent Association 

for War Disabled at the stations 

directed the troops to the taxi ranks 

on Saturday, August 15. 

Organiser Dennis Hayes added: 

"The veterans who fought in the Far 

East and Pacific campaigns in many 

cases gave five years of their lives for 

our future. A lot of their comrades and 

mates never made it home, either dying 

in battle, through disease or at the 

hands of the Japanese in their prisons 

and forced labour camps. They all had a 

terrible time of it and became known as 

the Forgotten Army. 

"When we think what these men and 

women went through for us, it's the 

least I can do to give up a few hours of 

time this Saturday to support them." 

The parade in tribute to all who 

served in the Second World War 

included a fighter plane fly-past 

and a special service led by Right 

Reverend Nigel Stock, bishop to 

HM Armed Forces, who paid 

particular tribute to those who 

served in the Far East. 

While cabbies donated their time 

for free, South West trains came 

under fire for cancelling its cheap 

£20 return ticket offer on VJ Day, 

forcing veterans to pay full price. 

Uber has also been criticised for 

fleecing Londoners by tripling its 

prices during the recent strikes and 

at other busy times when travellers 

are in the greatest need. 

Image: Alex Webster 

When we think what these people went through for us, “it’s the least we can do.”


NEWS 

The cab you drive 

Business 

Nothing makes sense anymore: once 

upon a time it was possible to 

predict the number of new cab sales 

and the price of second hand cabs 

300 

250 

200 

150 

100 

50 

with ease. It wasn’t rocket science. 

It was seasonal, affected by new 

registration plates, new models 

and to a lesser extent work levels 

etc. It’s no secret that we are 

having a rough time of it lately and 

Newly Licensed Taxis - July 2014 to July 2015 

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan 15 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul 

LTI 81 52 157 131 84 106 56 75 154 55 43 77 103 

Merc 

Vito 20 14 33 15 1 3 0 10 28 12 12 29 62 

Metro - - - - 3 1 0 0 1 - - 0 0 

Total 101 66 190 146 88 110 56 85 183 67 55 106 165 

KEY: LTI VITO 

METRO 

TOTAL 

cabbies are only too keen to tell 

anyone who will listen how dire 

and unpredictable the economy is 

at the moment, so why have we 

had a record month for new 

cab sales? 

July saw 165 new cabs join the 

ranks – a 50% rise on last year. 

These are the highest July figures 

for five years. LTC sold 103 

vehicles, which is a jump of more 

than 20% on last year, but 

the real shock is that 

Mercedes registered 

62 new Vitos. Is it 

the case that 

Mercedes is preregistering 

their 

Euro V models 

prior to the 

compulsory 

introduction of 

Euro VI in 

October? Or has it 

made a bulk sale to 

one of the fleets? 

Either way, there 

will be a lot of 

new 15 plates 

spotted on the road 

over the coming weeks. August is 

a traditionally quiet month as 

buyers wait for the 65 plate in 

September, so it will be 

interesting to see whether this 

bounce continues, or will it be 

followed by the expected slump? 

In this market, it’s anyone’s guess. 

Once again, the number of taxi 

drivers continues to drop and 

now stands at just 25,052. This is 

500 drivers down on a year ago, 

and next month is certain to see 

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drivers hand back 

their bills and either 

retire or return to 

previous trades. The 

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to have a net loss of 10 

drivers every week 

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COLUMN 

Goodfellas Strike Back 

Frances Luczyc Wyhowska joins the Mayfair Mob as it battles to win back work from minicabs 

Ijoined up with the Mayfair 

Mob (@UCGup) and the LTDA 

Advan (@TheLTDA) as they 

continue their nocturnal battle to 

reclaim the restaurant and club 

work from the touts and minicabs 

that illegally occupy taxi ranks. 

A nucleus of approximately 25- 

30 taxis gathered and at 11pm we 

set off for the City. Leading the 

way was the Advan in which I 

was safely ensconced under the 

watchful eye of Michael Calvey. 

Our destination was the Forge. 

The Advan parked opposite the 

entrance and the taxis prepared 

to rank up. Other cabs made 

their way to join us as and when 

they could. Unsurprisingly, the 

scabs were out in force, but I am 

convinced that I saw their 

gangmasters’ shoulders slump as 

we arrived. 

The Mob’s method is, as with 

all the best plans, a simple one: 

keep a rolling number of cabs on 

the rank, thus starving the scabs 

of work. Via Twitter, the word is 

sent out if the numbers need 

replenishing, and in general this 

works well. For the first two and 

a half hours the numbers flowed 

freely, and I believe that the taxis 

had 90% of the work, some of 

which was very lucrative. It is 

important to remember that 

every job deprives the touts of 

work, and ultimately the clubs 

may stop paying retainers. 

Scab city 

During the three hours or so that 

we sat there, City of London 

parking enforcement arrived 

twice. The effect was 

remarkable. Every single scab 

disappeared into thin air (aka 

round the corner I daresay). The 

enforcement people don’t have to 

do anything other than appear – 

their presence is sufficient to 

make a tangible difference, and, 

as an outsider, I can’t help 

wondering whether more of 

them in their camera cars, rather 

than the laborious procedure 

undertaken by TfL’s Operation 

Neon, might not serve a more 

useful purpose from the trade’s 

point of view. 

As the night wore on, the 

numbers at the Forge thinned out 

and work slowed down, so we 

went on to Beduin. Here I 

witnessed something that I found 

really interesting. When we 

arrived the place was crammed 

with minicabs and the taxis were 

squeezed off the rank. However, 

the clipboard Johnny was inside 

the club because standing to the 

side of the entrance were two TfL 

compliance officers. So far so 

good, but to my astonishment 

they were running badge and bill 

checks. It was nearly 3am and 

we were sitting slap bang in the 

middle of scab city. 

We did a couple of passes in 

the Advan and, cynical though I 

may be, I think it was this that 

finally shamed them into 

approaching a couple of minicabs. 

I have no doubt this will be 

included as an enforcement 

success in a forthcoming report, 

but from my civilian standpoint, I 

have to say that the only 

explanation I can see for this 

behaviour is that black cabs make 

an easy target. 

At 3.30am we called it a day. 

The Mayfair Mob seemed 

justifiably happy with their 

night’s achievements. I know that 

I have said this before, but every 

time I have seen a row of orange 

lights outside these venues, I have 

also seen large numbers of 

punters keenly getting in. Of 

course there will still be plenty 

using trendy apps or touts, but if 

the taxis are visible they will be 

taken. The Mob and the Advan 

are making the most of teamwork, 

camaraderie and modern 

technology, and I for one 

applaud them. n 

BLACKFRIARS 

MILLENNIUM 

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The Mob makes the most of teamwork camaraderie, and technology 

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NOW OPEN 

2-8 GREAT SUFFOLK STREET 

LONDON, SE1 0UG 

T: + 44 (0) 203 667 5600 

LONDONBANKSIDE.HILTON.COM 

Every single scab dissapeared into thin air

More readers than the rest put together! 11 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 13

14 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA


GET SPOTTED! 

Awesome for Andrew and Delightful for Dave 

The summer may have 

turned overcast and grey 

but that doesn’t stop our 

eager diary watchers getting out 

amongst the ranks. 

Our spotters like nothing more 

than hitting the streets with a 

fistful of Marks and Spencer 

vouchers to hand out to our members 

Dave Emberton was surprised and 

delighted when our man sprang from 

the shadows and handed him £150 

worth of vouchers for having his 

LTDA diary on display. 

He said: “Thanks very 

much – that’s a result, it has 

£150 

DIARY WATCH 

M&S vouchers 

made my night.” 

Andrew MacDonald was equally 

delighted when our spotters saw he 

had his LTDA diary on show in the 

windscreen and thrust £150 worth 

of vouchers into his palm. 

He said: “That’s brilliant. 

Its a nice bonus, i’ll look 

forward to spending these.” 

Each year we give away almost 

£8,000 worth of vouchers, so the 

odds of being a winner are pretty 

good. Just make sure you display 

your LTDA membership diary, 

and tax disc holder if you still 

have one, and let us do the rest. 

Andrew: “Result” 

Dave: “Brilliant”


[FIRST TWO MONTHS FREE FOR NEW MEMBERS] 

✃ 

APPLICATION FORM 

JOIN FOR £16.80 PER MONTH WITH 

£12.80 ALLOWABLE AGAINST TAX! 

Name 

Address 

Tel 

Email 

Date of Birth 

Mobile 

Postcode 

Badge No. Green (G) or Yellow (Y) When obtained - Month Year 

Have you been a member of the LTDA before? (Please tick) YES NO 

Please tick if you DO NOT wish to receive information from the LTDA and other related organisations 

in the future 

I understand that my application for membership of the Association must be approved by the Council of 

Management and that a Share Certificate will be issued to me if my application is confirmed. 

Signed 

Please complete parts 1 to 5 below to instruct your branch to make direct payments from your account. 

Then return the form to the LTDA, FREEPOST, (PAM 2005), London W9 2BR 

LTDA Basic Direct 

Debit Instructions 

INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUR BANK/BUILDING 

SOCIETY TO PAY DIRECT DEBITS: 

To the manager of 

Address 

1. Please write the name and full postal address of your 

branch in the spaces above. 

2. Name of account holder 

3. Account number 

4. Bank sort code 

Date 

5. Your instructions to the Bank/ Building 

Society, and signature: 

• I instruct you to pay direct debits from my account 

at the request of the LTDA LTD. 

• The amounts are variable and may be debited 

on various dates. 

• I understand that the LTDA LTD may change 

amounts and dates only after giving me prior notice. 

• I understand that if any Direct Debit is paid which 

breaks the terms of this instruction, the Bank/ 

Building Society will make a refund. 

Signature(s) 

Date 

For Office use only 

Originator’s Identification No. 

9 1 4 4 2 8 

Originator’s Reference 

CALLING ALL CABBIES 

Bank/Building Societies may not accept instructions to pay Direct Debit from some types of account 

Phone 0207 286 1046 now! 

[ CAN 

LTDA 

YOU AFFORD NOT TO JOIN? ]


LETTERS 

STAR LETTER 

Touched by your kindness 

The other night I was cycling 

home through Battersea Park 

when a cat ran out in front of me. 

Swerving to avoid it, I hit the curb 

and went arse over elbow and 

ended up decorating the pavement 

with my face. Cut, bruised and 

with a broken toe, I was helped to 

the roundabout by a passing 

cyclist. A black cab pulled over, he 

was on his way home but said he 

would drop me at a taxi rank 

for free. 

At the taxi rank I was picked up 

by Mick 73535. He took me all the 

way to Putney from Battersea, after 

checking if I wanted to be taken to 

Hobson’s Choice? 

Iam no antediluvian Neanderthal 

and I don’t take card fares. I used to. 

Over a year ago, the company that 

handled the transactions went into 

administration and I lost several weeks’ 

worth of card payments. Since then I 

have only taken cash and guess what? 

In spite of what all the card pushers say, 

there has been no downturn in my 

business. The number of fares that I 

have had to turn away has been 

minimal (probably less than one a 

month). Furthermore, twice last year 

my bank cancelled my debit card due to 

illicit transactions on my account. If I 

had been taking card fares access to that 

money would have been difficult as it 

would have gone straight to my 

account. As I was taking cash, the 

problem of accessing money was 

alleviated. I am not saying that taking 

cash is good and taking cards is bad. 

They are just different ways of paying. 

Enough is enough 

Ihave been a London cabbie for over 

21 years, without a single complaint 

against me and with a completely 

clean driving licence, but the last nine 

months have been the worst I've ever 

known. My earnings are down at 

least 50%, and I’d like to see a freeze 

for six months on new licences being 

issued. No doubt Uber has taken a 

large chunk of the work away. 

The biggest problem though is the 

way London taxi drivers try to renew 

their licences every three years. I 

applied to renew mine in March, as it 

was due to run out in July, and I still 

have no licence. TfL, the DBS, the 

Government and police all blame 

each other for the delays, but in the 

mean time I am no longer allowed to 

do my job. 

I asked a local building firm for 

employment for a short time. TfL 

licensing intervened and said if I did 

the hospital. On the journey he 

kept checking if I was OK. When 

we arrived at my house, he said not 

to worry about the fare, I tried my 

best to pay him but he would not 

have it. I was really touched by 

how friendly and kind he was. I 

was a mess and feeling a bit sorry 

for myself and his kind act made 

me feel a whole lot better. I really 

appreciated his help and wanted to 

say the next time he is in Putney to 

let me know and I will by him a 

beer to say thanks. 

Mike Gethin 

07854415025 

As self-employed drivers, we have to 

run our own businesses and they 

stands or fall on the decisions we 

make. As someone one who runs his 

own business, I want the right to 

make my own decision whether I take 

card or cash or both. I do not want a 

regulator forcing me to make a 

decision which has proved disastrous 

for me in the past. If anyone really 

doubts that cash is king, let them ask 

the people of Greece! 

Furthermore, if TfL believes that it 

is a good thing for the customer to be 

given a choice, then let it first extend 

that policy to its own buses. Recently, 

my wife got on a bus but had 

forgotten her Oyster card. She had 

plenty of cash but was not allowed to 

pay and had to get off the bus. Where 

was the choice for the customer? 

David Barrett 

Badge 54776 

any work I would be doing so 

illegally and would be liable for 

prosecution, which would be 

considered when making a decision 

about my new licence. 

I have now had to sign on, which 

broke my heart. No one would take 

me on anyway, as I can't say how long 

I would be staying (even London 

Underground turned me down). Now 

I'm due to have my benefits stopped 

but still have to pay my rent, child 

benefits, utility bills, food and 

council tax. 

I've been on anti-depressant tablets 

for the past week and honestly believe 

if this is allowed to carry on, Boris 

Johnson and TfL will have blood on 

their hands, when a London cabbie 

loses his home and can't pay the rent. 

Enough is enough. 

David Barrett 


A lovely Surprise 

We had a lovely surprise 

at St Andrew's Youth 

Club today. We received a 

cheque for £100 from a man 

who had left his phone in a 

black cab. The driver had 

returned the phone to him 

and when offered a reward, 

just asked the man to donate 

it to us! No idea who this 

lovely driver is and we have 

all guessed and guessed. We 

would just like to say 

THANK YOU VERY MUCH 

from all of us. 

We are the world's oldest 

youth club and due to 

celebrate 150 years’ service 

to young people next year. 

Below is a link to our 

website if you would like to 

know more about us. 

http://www.standrewsclub. 

com/ 

Linda Llewellyn, 

St Andrew's Club 

Westminster 

Wonderful Man 

My name is Lyn 

Westlake. Recently I 

was in London in a taxi. 

After getting out, I realised 

that I’d left behind all my 

flight tickets, itinerary and 

some Waterford crystal. We 

tried to get the motel to 

phone someone and were 

quite distressed. Before they 

could reach anyone, the 

driver came back with our 

things. He went above and 

beyond the call of duty. I 

wish to commend him for 

his honesty and 

compassion. His number is 

60911. Please pass on our 

gratitude to this wonderful 

man. 

Lyn Westlake 

Times they are a 

Changin’ 

Irecently picked up a 

passenger through the Gett 

taxi app. The gentleman used to 

be a Uber customer and, as 

usual with ex-Uber users, he 

said the service was terrible. He 

said the taxi trade should 

highlight the good deeds done 

by cab drivers, especially the 

voluntary work. I agreed totally, 

but we have to go further. We 

need to get across the 

uniqueness of the London taxi 

trade. There is a generation of 

young Londoners with no idea 

what we have to go through to 

get our licenses. The “Cash 

Only” merchants should come 

into the real world. Technology 

is here to stay and the younger 

generation have embraced it and 

so should we. 

But that's not all: clean cabs 

and drivers are essential. I've 

seen some out there that 

wouldn't look out of place on 

Benefits Street. Politeness is 

essential: the customer is always 

right even when they're wrong. 

Drop them off, wipe your mouth 

and move on. It's a changing 

world, let’s not get left behind. 

Ray Morgan 

Thanks 

to LTC 

I 

’ve been 

a London 

Taxi Driver 

for 35 years, and 

have had my fair share of 

problems with the quality of cabs 

and providers. 

However, having recently 

purchased a cab from the London 

Taxi Company that was not to my 

satisfaction, I cannot be happier 

with the response and the 

enormous effort from the 

management and ground staff in 

assisting me, ensuring that my 

problems were resolved. Thanks 

to LTC for thinking of the 

customer. 

G.Fairman 


Do you have a gripe you want to raise or know someone in the trade that deserves praise? 

Contact us at editor@ltda.co.uk or Taxi House, 11 Woodfield Rd, London W9 2BA


THE BIG ONE! 

The membership of the LTDA is 40 times greater 

than some other driver organisations! 

HERE’S WHY... 

CAUTION 

The LTDA legal service is 

the only trade scheme which 

defends members for ALL 

alleged offences (traffic, 

hackney or criminal), anytime, 

anywhere in the UK. Non 

members are advised to 

check carefully the exceptions 

and exclusions contained 

or imposed by other 

legal protection schemes 

circulating in our trade. 

BADGESAFE SCHEME 

The LTDA retains experienced 

barristers with specialist knowledge 

of the London cab trade. Normally 

when drivers accumulate 12 points on 

their licence they receive an automatic 

6 month ban, but in the case of 

LTDA members over 90% of those 

represented by our barristers receive a 

ban of just 1 month or in most cases 

no ban whatsoever. 

EXPERTISE = SUCCESS 

The LTDA’s in-house lawyers are 

proud of their unrivalled record of court 

triumphs; in fact the rate of acquittals 

for members defended 

in court by the LTDA is 4 times 

higher than the national average. This 

unparalleled level of success is due 

entirely to the expertise acquired by the 

LTDA over many years of specialising 

in cab related legal matters. 

YOUR FUTURE 

The LTDA remains the only trade 

body resolutely opposed to the 

computerisation of the Knowledge of 

London testing system. 

(No to the quickie Knowledge 

campaign). 

INLAND REVENUE 

ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE 

Many drivers and accountants refer 

to the LTDA for specialist advice on 

Inland Revenue investigations. 

(Free to members). 

SICKNESS AND 

ACCIDENT PROTECTION 

When trouble strikes it’s comforting 

to know that you’ve got the strength 

of the LTDA around you. (Additional 

subscription payable). 

LTDA HOLIDAY CLUB 

Many members have saved 

thousands of pounds by taking 

advantage of special offers and prices 

(members only). 

WIN £5,000 EVERY 

MONTH IN THE 

LTDA LOTTERY 

12 big prizes every year, but you have 

to be in it to win it (members only £5 

per entry). 

ACCESS TO 

‘SIMPLY HEALTH’ 

Great value health care from 

the LTDA. The Association pioneered 

this scheme in the taxi trade and it 

still offers the cheapest rates. (Special 

rates for LTDA members only). 

HEATHROW OFFICE AND 

REPRESENTATION 

Call in to the LTDA office at Heathrow, 

first door on the right in the canteen 

block. The LTDA’s representatives will 

give you a warm welcome. (Open to all). 

WELFARE DEPARTMENT 

LTDA officers make home visits to 

members who are in severe distress 

or with special needs and authorise 

contingency payments where 

appropriate. 

RANKS AND HIGHWAYS 

REPRESENTATION 

The LTDA has negotiated taxi access 

to most bus lanes and leads the way 

negotiating on issues that affect you, 

the licensed taxi driver. 

GENERAL ADVICE 

If you are new to the trade and you 

don’t know your `roader’ from your 

`legal’, give us a call. We’re always here 

to help. (Tel: 020 7286 1046 - non 

members are welcome to call). 

24 HOUR TOUT LINE 

Seen a tout in action? Take the details 

and phone them in, we will do the rest. 

(Tel: 020 7266 4769). 

HEALTH AND SPORTS 

PROMOTION 

We regularly run promotions with 

leading health and sports companies 

resulting in big savings to members. 

LEISURE DISCOUNTS 

Huge savings on weekend breaks at fine 

hotels and holiday centres. You will not 

believe these prices! (Members only). 

VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS 

Continually representing members’ 

interests in disputes with vehicle 

manufacturers and suppliers. 

AUTHORITIES AND MEDIA 

The LTDA is the largest and most 

respected driver organisation in 

the trade. We lead the way when 

negotiating with the Government, 

GLA, TfL, Police, Mayor’s Office, 

Heathrow, Rail Authorities, Local 

Councils and when dealing with all 

sections of the media. 

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE 

Many cab drivers are discovering to 

their cost that their licences are at 

risk due to the TfL’s interpretation 

of the new DVLA Group 2 Medical 

Standards. The LTDA has successfully 

challenged many decisions by the 

TfL to revoke members’ licences on 

medical grounds. 

FANTASTIC VALUE 

LTDA subscriptions have not 

increased for 14 years! It costs just 4 

quid a week to join the trade’s biggest 

organisation and 3 quid of that is tax 

deductible! 

(Payable monthly). 

To learn more about LTDA benefits and current joining offers 

call: 020 7286 1046 or visit www.ltda.co.uk

Y 

P 


Taxi Talk 

WHAT A LOAD OF 

BALLOTS! 

ALF TOWNSEND 

Strikes and bike “races” brought London to a standstill again, causing misery for millions 

What a jolly time we London 

cabbies have had recently 

with all the many road 

closures and the unbearable heavy 

traffic! I’ve got no problem if thousands 

of keen bikers want to register and take 

part in the RideLondon event. If they 

want to cycle from east London to the 

green grass of Box Hill in Surrey and 

back again – around 100 miles – then 

good luck to them: it’s not exactly my 

idea of a restful Saturday. 

What I do object to most strongly 

was the mass closure of swathes of 

arterial roads and Thames bridges 

which brought our great city to a 

standstill. Not forgetting all the little 

towns and villages south of the river 

which rely on the weekends for income 

from visitors to the busy farmers’ 

markets, shops and restaurants. I saw 

some of the TV footage from these 

places and they were just like ghost 

towns. God knows how much it cost 

these local businesses! 

Let’s try and get this shambles into 

perspective. Saturday wasn’t even a 

race, just a horde of Lycra-clad bikers 

out for a long spin. Okay, so Sunday 

was a race with some well-known 

professionals, but it wasn’t exactly the 

Tour de France was it? One of Boris’s 

jobs is supposed to be to keep London 

moving safely, but if he was the prime 

mover in this latest debacle, then I 

reckon he is in breach of that duty. 

Upper-class people like the Mayor live 

in another world from us peasants, 

they think up these “jolly good ideas” 

with no thought of the outcome to 

thousands of ordinary Londoners! 

I made an effort to go out on the 

Sunday during the bike race, but it was 

absolutly manic out on the streets. I 

started at Marylebone with a little 

family and their granny in a 

wheelchair wanting to go to the 

science museum. Hyde Park was solid 

because they had closed Park Lane and 

diverted all the traffic, but worse was 

to come. When you finally reached 

Victoria Gate the ol’Bill was diverting 

all traffic to the right. I had the temerity 

to tell one of these planks that I had a 

disabled old lady on board and ask if I 

could drop her off at the science 

museum? He looked at me as if I was 

something nasty stuck to the bottom of 

his shoe and replied in a toneless voice, 

“turn right cabbie.” 

I got chatting to a fellow driver later 

whilst on the Park Lane Hilton rank 

and he said he was lucky enough – or 

unlucky enough as it turned out - to 

get a fare to Heathrow earlier. All the 

west-bound traffic was diverted south 

of Cromwell Road – with no right 

turns all the way to Fulham Palace 

Road. The traffic was not moving at all 

because the Hammersmith flyover had 

been closed – as had the A4 as far as 

the Chiswick roundabout. So the 

cabbie had to apologise to his 

passengers and drop them off at 

Baron’s Court station! As for me, after 

taking over an hour from the Hilton to 

Charing Cross, with an embarrassing 

amount on the clock, I turned it in! 

A few days after that shambles, we 

had the second Tube strike and more 

chaos with an estimated loss to 

London of £300m! My son Nick came 

round to see his old dad, cook him a 

decent meal and crash out until some 

ungodly hour in the morning. Nick is 

an active member of UNITE at 

Heathrow, so his views on the strike 

differ to mine, with the discussion 

getting quite heated. He reckons that 

the Tube drivers shouldn’t be forced 

into working nights when their 

original contracts didn’t state so, and 

that the Tube bosses are holding a gun 

to their heads by talking about a start 

date of September 12. That’s a valid 

view, which I’ll go along with up to a 

point, especially as Tube bosses have 

approached this situation like a herd of 

wild elephants and with about as 

much diplomacy as stamping on an 

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ant! Add to that the fact that Boris – 

yes him again - has been informing all 

the media that September 12 is a 

definite start date for the weekend 

service, before agreeing it with the 

unions! 

But I’ve got a different take on this 

on-going disagreement. I firmly 

believe that the Tube unions see this as 

their final fling before the new voting 

laws about calling strikes, which mean 

there must be at least a 50% turnout 

for strike ballots, are implemented. 

Before agreeing to weekend night 

work the unions will try and squeeze 

every penny out of their bosses that is 

humanly possible. It’s almost as if Bob 

Crow is still with us! 

I’m reliably informed that there was 

loads of work on strike day. That 

made a change, but I’m afraid I 

bottled out – again! n 

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“Not my idea of a restful weekend.” 

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Canary Wharf [opening end of 

April] 

Hammersmith 

Richmond 

Victoria St 

High St Kensington [opening in June] 

Victoria Place - Victoria Underground Station [opening in May] 

¥ 

£ 

¥


London Taxis 

it’s in our Blood 

Run by a Taxi driver for the Taxi trade. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0208 127 8419


NEWS 

Taxi history book giveaway 

Entertainment 

A teacher inspired by his late cab driver 

father-in-law has written “the complete 

history of the British taxi service” and 

readers have the chance get their hands 

on a free copy. 

Danny Roth in fact teaches English 

and mathematics, but became interested 

in the taxi industry thanks to Lawrence 

Grant, or ‘Pebbles’ as he was known in 

the trade because of the shape of his 

spectacles, who sadly died in 2005. 

His inspirational stories led to Where 

to, Guv? which charts the birth of 

cabbing thousands of years ago, 

through Victorian times to the present, 

and takes a look into the future. 

It covers the parliamentary acts that 

govern the trade and the various taxis 

and businesses, many of which are 

nothing more than a distant memory, 

the Knowledge and much more. 

Danny, who has also written books 

about the card game bridge, said: “I 

hope readers will be fascinated to watch the 

progress of the trade as it ran in line with 

that of history in general – war and peace, 

economic boom and recession, seasonal and 

long-term weather variations and the like. 

“History gives many clues as to the way 

things have gone and are going and thus 

provide, a guide to the future which I 

discuss briefly towards the end.” 

Minicab flip smash 

Roads 

A minicab driver managed to flip a car 

on its roof during a crash outside 

south Wimbledon tube station. 

The driver is believed to have hit a 

kerb in the car after clipping a pillar in 

the run up to the accident. 

The area has become something 

of a blackspot for Prius drivers, a 

witness said. 

The Toyota Prius rolled onto its roof 

as onlookers watched in horror at 

around 5pm on Saturday, August 15. 

The driver was taken to hospital 

after the accident and treated for 

minor injuries. 

One eyewitness said: "He was 

driving from Kingston Road turning 

right into Morden Road and as he 

turned there's a bollard. 

"The car clipped that and tilted over. 

It's happened twice around here. 

"The driver was injured and taken to 

hospital." 

He added that the the last driver 

to clip the safety pillar was also a 

Prius driver. 

Author Danny Roth 

TAXI has three copies of 

“Where to, Guv?” to 

giveaway. Simply email 

your name and address to 

editor@ltda.co.uk or write on 

the back of an envelope and 

post it to TAXI House, 

11 Woodfield Road, London, 

W9 2BA, by September 8, to 

be included in the draw 

“The flipping accident in Wimbledon.” 

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22 TAXI |25AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA


CAUGHT ON CAMERA 

Crash, bang, 

wallop ... 

Our Caught on Camera 

inbox was once again filled 

with a fine and varied 

selection of pictures showing the 

madness on London’s roads. 

This week’s winner bags 

themselves £30 for the for the 

photo of the hearse with the 

warning to any potential Burke 

and Hares – we thought it was 

dead funny. 

There are always a high number 

of crackers and we try to use as 

many as we can. 

As you should know by now, 

the winning snap is worth £30, 

which is not bad for a few 

seconds work. 

Keep your eyes peeled and your 

cameras, or mobile phones, at 

the ready. 

Send your entries to us via the 

MMS line on 07908 640017 or 

email them to editor@ltda.co.uk 

THE 

WINNING 

PIC! 

£30 PRIZE! 

Dead funny! 

“Tube strikes won’t beat me.” 

Uber sunk again! 

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Cruel Capital 

DRESSED TO 

STEAL 

ROBERT LORDAN London cabbie and tour guide 

David Martin was a villain whose prison escapes earned him the nickname Houdini 

When it came to evading 

the law, few could match 

David Martin, a bright 

but dangerous criminal who 

wrought havoc across London 

during the early 1980s. 

Although he’d taken a keen 

interest in electronics and trained 

as a mechanic in his teens, Martin 

despised authority and turned to 

robbery, landing himself 

numerous spells in borstal and 

prison throughout the late 1960s 

and early 70s. 

During this period he made 

four successful escape attempts 

and, even though some were short 

lived- such as the time he broke 

out of Brixton prison and was 

recaptured on Brixton Hill 

attempting to hail a taxi - guards 

were quick to dub him Martin 

‘Houdini’. 

When he wasn't plotting 

escapes, Martin would immerse 

himself in technical study, 

absorbing information which 

would greatly benefit his future 

criminal career. 

Most wanted man 

By 1982, David Martin was free 

and renting a flat on Crawford 

Place. He had also become a 

transvestite, which would prove 

to be a most useful cover. 

As well as women’s clothes, 

Martin had also developed a taste 

for firearms and in July 1982 he 

used his electronic expertise to 

crack the security system of 

Thomas Bland & Sons, a gun shop 

then located in New Row, Covent 

Garden. More than 1,000 rounds 

of ammo and 24 handguns were 

seized in the robbery, most of 

which Martin stashed in a 

Selfridges safety deposit box. 

Soon after, Martin carried out 

an armed raid in the City while 

dressed as a woman and packing 

a gun in his handbag. During the 

heist, he shot a security guard and 

netted £25,000. 

Now looking to establish 

himself in the burgeoning video 

piracy scene, Martin began 

breaking into cinemas to steal 

master reels, and into film labs 

where, in the dead of night, he’d 

“borrow” sophisticated equipment 

to churn out hooky copies of the 

latest Hollywood blockbusters. 

It was whilst sneaking into a 

film lab on Portman Street that 

he was cornered. Resisting 

arrest, Martin made a break, 

firing three shots, one of which 

struck constable Nick Carr who 

required life-saving surgery. 

After receiving a tip off in 

September 1982, the Met placed 

Martin’s Crawford Place 

apartment under surveillance. 

For days the only person 

associated with the address 

appeared to be a “good-looking 

woman” with long hair…. it was 

only Martin’s ‘Roman’ nose that 

eventually gave the game away. 

Realising they had their man, 

officers moved in, leading to a 

scuffle in which Martin was shot 

in the neck. 

After recovering from surgery 

to remove the bullet, the crossdressing 

armed-robber was 

taken to Marlborough Street 

Magistrates’ Court (now the 

Courthouse Hotel) for a brief 

hearing on Christmas Eve 1982, 

after which he was placed in a 

holding cell to await transport to 

Brixton prison. 

Taking a small piece of metal 

he’d hidden in his hair, Martin 

picked the cell’s lock, slipped 

into the corridor and escaped 

through a skylight. 

Clambering over the rooftops, 

he located a service door to the 

Palladium, allowing him to 

access the foyer and slip out into 

the crowds of Christmas 

shoppers. David Martin was 

now Britain’s most wanted man. 

Tragic 

His escape had tragic 

consequences on January 14, 

1983, when 26 year old Stephen 

Waldorf was shot five times by 

police after being mistaken for 

the fugitive whilst driving his 

mini through heavy traffic on 

Pembroke Road. Luckily, 

Waldorf survived. 

Soon after on the evening of 

the 28th, Martin was spotted on 

Heath Street. As police made 

their move, the fugitive fled 

towards Hampstead tube station 

and sprinted over 300 steps down 

to the platform where he boarded 

a train, barged his way past the 

driver and ran onto the tracks. 

The Flying Squad was not far 

behind and soon cornered Martin 

in the tunnel close to Belsize Park 

station. When searched, 

detectives found a tiny pen-knife 

stuck to the roof of his mouth 

with chewing gum. 

After his trial at the Old Bailey 

in Autumn 1983, Martin was 

sentenced to 25 years and sent to 

Parkhurst where he had a brief 

relationship with the serial killer, 

Dennis Nilsen, who he told, “if I 

cannot get out of here I will kill 

myself.” 

True to his word, David Martin 

committed suicide just months 

later in March 1984. n 

Cross dressing crook David Martin


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NEWS 

Promoting the taxi trade 

London 

The landscape of taxi travel in 

London has evolved in recent 

years, with private hire 

companies entering the market 

and bringing great change to 

London’s taxi offering. As a 

result, London’s black taxi trade 

now finds itself under pressure in 

its home market, from 

organisations that are prepared to 

offer a lower quality service at a 

lower price. Despite many 

thousands of black taxi 

supporters voicing their concern 

regarding TfL’s stance that Uber 

is acting within the law, it 

remains the case that London’s 

cabbies and their families 

continue to bear the brunt of 

these challenging times. 

Across London and beyond, 

there’s a call to arms by the 

advocates of London’s world 

famous taxi service, that black 

cabs need the support of the 

people. In addition, the trade 

needs some positive publicity that 

reinforces the value of the 

Knowledge, plus the very fact 

that London’s cabbies put 

themselves through extensive 

training at personal expense and 

undergo comprehensive testing 

and interviewing by TfL, to 

obtain a Hackney Carriage 

licence, adds great value 

to the black cab 

offering and is the 

reason why 

London’s taxis 

are the envy of 

the world. 

Such is the 

concern, that 

many people, 

particularly 

within the cab 

trade, have been 

motivated to 

create action 

groups 

supporting 

the cab trade, 

gathering many 

followers across social networks 

and in central London support 

rallies. These groups share a 

common concern, but in order to 

gain powerful momentum they 

must be united behind a 

common strategy – one body, 

one voice, commanding great 

authority. 

At the same time, there is an 

urgent need to evolve 

London’s taxi trade so 

that it’s future-proof 

and ready to 

respond to 

market 

influences. 

Recent 

advances such 

as black taxi 

hailing apps 

have opened 

up new revenue 

streams for 

drivers and 

have helped 

them to 

compete 

against similar 

private hire apps. 

This year we will likely see the 

mandating of card payment 

facilities in black cabs – a 

decision that has been long 

overdue and will enable people 

to hail taxis more freely, 

without having to rely on 

having cash to hand. It’s key for 

the longevity and stability of 

the black cab trade that it 

continues to evolve and 

embrace change. 

So, to kick-start the campaign 

to champion London’s terrific 

black taxis, Ubiquitous and the 

LTDA will be inviting a cross of 

industry stakeholders to a 

roundtable discussion to be 

held at Taxi House in 

September. Our aim is to create 

a unified body set on delivering 

a trade and public focused 

campaign to champion and 

promote the black cab trade, at 

home and abroad. This will 

require organisation, 

agreement, money, creativity, 

publicity and strategic thought. 

It will be a challenge, but if all 

voices are united behind it, it 

will be a challenge worthy of 

London’s taxi trade and with 

the drivers and families at the 

heart of it. Watch this space! 

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NEWS 

More Tube strikes ahead 

Transport 

London Underground workers have 

announced plans for two more 24 

hour strikes over nightshift rotas 

drawn up for the new night Tube. 

A split has emerged between the 

unions as Aslef train drivers have 

said they may not take part in the 

two walkouts, scheduled for August 

25 and 27, in the hope of securing 

a deal. 

City Hall has hinted that it may be 

forced to delay the introduction of 

the 24 hour transport services from 

Workers are opposed to “rosters from hell” 

the current start date of Saturday, 

September 12. 

Union leaders have said that 

employees are angry that their 

“work/life balance” will be affected 

and their home lives will be 

“wrecked” by the new shift patterns, 

which have been dubbed the “rosters 

from hell.” 

Even without Aslef, any stoppages 

would cause considerable disruption 

across London – it is unlikely that 

any Aslef drivers would cross the 

picket line. 

Most signallers belong to the RMT 

and would likely join the strike, 

meaning the Tube would be unable 

to run. 

TfL claims that demands imposed 

by the unions would cost £1.4bn and 

hit Londoners with an extra 6.5% fare 

increase. 

The rise in fares would mean an 

annual zone 1-2 travel card 

immediately rising by £83 and an 

annual zone 1-6 travel card costing 

an extra £152. The unions dismissed 

the figures as scaremongering. 

The RMT said it had no option but 

to strike again although it remained 

open to discussion. 

London Underground's chief 

operating officer Steve Griffiths said 

in a bulletin sent to employees: "We 

have put forward a very fair, revised 

offer, which recognises not only the 

introduction of Night Tube services, 

but the work-life flexibility that we 

know is important to you. 

"We will continue to consult on 

rosters and you will be able to swap your 

shifts around.” 

The 24 walk-outs will begin at 9pm 

on Tuesday, August 25, and the same 

time on Thursday, August 27. 

Urgent Notice 

DRIVER LICENCE 

RENEWAL NOTICE 

If your licence expires in 

less than four months it 

is vital that you contact 

TPH on: 

0343 222 4444 

and request a renewal 

pack. Failure to do so 

could result in you being 

out of work 

Once the pack is received 

you must submit your 

application (especially 

the CRB disclosure 

application) A.S.A.P. 

Please refer to tph notices 

18/13 and 19/13 on their 

website for ‘official’ advice 

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ 

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Two Fingers 

“JUMP UP ON 

THE KART” 

Al FRESCO 

Cutting loose on the go-kart track brings back memories of yesteryear 

At 40 miles an hour, the 

corner came towards me 

like a right hook. I saw it 

from the corner of my eye as the 

kart roared out of the left hand 

bend, bucked and lurched over the 

rutted concrete surface for a few 

straight yards, then doubled back 

into a right hairpin. I couldn’t 

duck it, and I couldn’t slow down. 

Inches off the ground, I hurled the 

kart around the corner, gripped 

the wheel like the front seat 

passenger on a runaway roller 

coaster, and tensed every muscle 

in my body for the inevitable. The 

safety bars and the banks of rubber 

tyres flashed past. The steering 

wheel juddered and shook in my 

clenched fists and the helmet - it 

clung to my head like the coil of a 

python wrapped around my skull 

- I entered into the finishing 

straight. Over the decibel searing 

sound of the souped up two 

stroke, I could hear the kids 

shouting ”go! Poppa Al,” as I 

focused on the left, then right 

chicane hurtling towards me. 

For me, anything associated 

with “rye,” usually comes 

equipped with a liberal smattering 

of cream cheese and fulsome 

ribbons of the best Scotch smoked 

salmon. But, here I was, at Rye 

House, Herts, the county seat of 

nascent F1 champion Lewis 

Hamilton’s legendary karting 

kindergarten, kitted out in crimson 

flash racing overalls, sinister 

balaclava, glossy black helmet and 

non-slip gloves. It was shame the 

racing overalls didn’t come with a 

non-slip arse, but you can’t have it 

all I suppose. 

Holy Grail 

Go-karts, schmo-karts, the fact that 

I learnt to drive, at about age 10, 

on the smoky, raucous mini gokart 

circuit at the side of Southend 

Pier, was just coincidental. To me, 

trips to Southend on Sea were 

sacrosanct. Peter Pan’s 

Playground; The Kursal; The fairy 

lights; the penny arcades and the 

wonky air guns, were incidental. 

The Holy Grail was the go-kart 

track. From the minute we arrived 

‘“on the ‘front,’” to the minute we 

filed back onto the charabanc, I 

groveled half crowns from my 

mum. I was vibrating from top to 

toe, and smelling like I’d sucked 

on a discarded fuel filter and been 

swimming in two-stroke. Not, 

that on the evening last week at 

Rye House, had I any intention of 

emulating Lewis’s attributes, i.e. 

motor racing accolades or 

glamorous girlfriends. My meagre 

wish was simply to stay pointing 

forward, finish the circuit - and in 

due course, unknot my wrists and 

shoulders, and above all, get my 

hearing and circulation back. 

The occasion was my grandson 

Sam’s 15th birthday bash. 

Magicians with coin and bunny 

tricks, discos and frenetic games 

in neon community halls are 

things of the past. Now, at Rye 

House, we’re talking “man 

versus machine versus man!” 

Mission Impossible 

Like every cabbie I’ve ever met, 

we pride ourselves on our driving 

skills. Forget the Knowledge, 

that’s only a part of the cabbing 

equation, it’s all about chucking 

the cab round corners, knowing 

the correct lanes to be in to 

maximise traffic flow, accurately 

judging speed and distance; 

anticipating/assessing the traffic 

“mood.” 

Go-karting allows you to toss 

all that out of the window. It’s 

invigorating and terrifying at the 

same time. Every cab driver 

should give it a go! It’s more like, 

switch on, rev up and maniacally, 

stamp the accelerator into the 

ground. For the first lap, I was 

looking for brake lights and hand 

signals; staying in lane and taking 

corners at a sensible speed; 

always conscious that something 

nasty might be just around the 

next corner. Sam’s mates, most of 

whom had never sat behind the 

wheel of anything more than a 

kiddie’s pedal car, drove with the 

abandon of a character out of the 

`Grand Theft Auto’ fantasy video 

game, coupled with Tom Cruise in 

the opening scene of the film 

Mission Impossible. They passed 

me on the inside, overtook me on 

the outside, scraped past on the 

nearside and left me shuffling on 

my backside as my aged rump did 

its best to absorb the constant 

seismic tremors, and my eyeballs 

ricocheted around inside my 

helmet. 

The 22 of us had the Rye House 

track to ourselves for an hour, but 

only 12 were allowed on it at any 

one time, so we split our stint into 

two half-hour sessions. 

I managed to last 

the first half hour 

and, truthfully, 

couldn’t wait 

for the 

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Whilst the remaining lads 

clambered into their designated 

karts, and birthday boy Sam and 

his 12 year old brother, Jack, 

prepared to motor on, I dragged 

myself back into the changing 

room. I was still in there when 

the second session piled in - 

buzzing excitedly like oversugared 

children at their skills 

and expertise, and no doubt 

amazed that they were still alive. 

They left me, with my shiny 

black helmet still wedged 

onto my skull, and still 

trying to get my glasses 

off my ears. And I 

couldn’t help 

wondering - if Lewis 

Hamilton had the same 

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Licensed to Chat 

ON YER 

BIKE 

MUSHER MEG 

Boris bikes are a pain in the butt - quite literally when you’re forced to ride one 

As a cabbie I have been very 

close to Boris bikes more 

times than I can count, which 

is usually when they are zig zagging 

all over the road and bouncing off 

the sides of the cab. 

But happily my bottom has never 

been in contact with one….. until 

earlier this week. 

My 17 year old niece Molly who 

lives up north is a superstar. Earlier 

this year she won a national prize 

for voluntary work, so I invited her 

to London for the day and said that 

as her proud auntie I would treat 

her to anything at all she wanted 

to do. 

Molly arrived at King’s Cross 

station at 9am, fizzing with 

excitement and a long list of mustdos 

in London. First stop was a visit 

to the beauty hall in Selfridges. On 

arrival, she was mobbed by reps 

from various beauty brands, while I 

was (mostly) ignored. Just one 

salesperson approached me. And 

she was flogging a woman’s 

face razor. 

Reader, I bought it. Facial hair is 

not just for fellas. I have already 

warned my chums that should I 

ever end up in a coma there has to 

be a visiting rota. My orders are that 

one of them must visit daily, not 

with grapes, but with tweezers for 

my chin. 

Back out on Oxford Street my 

niece was thrilled silly with her big 

yellow bag full of make-up. I asked 

her “what’s next?” And she 

squealed, “a Boris bike please, 

auntie Meg.” 

I tried changing her mind. I 

“A BORIS BIKE PLEASE, 

” 

AUNTIE MEG.” 

offered to take her up the Shard, or 

to afternoon tea at the Ritz or even, 

gawd help me, to see a matinee of 

Wicked. But it was a polite “no 

thanks” to all of that. She wanted to 

ride a Boris bike. I told her that 

they weren’t Boris bikes any more, 

but she brushed all my objections 

aside. She had a selfie stick and 

wanted a photo of herself cycling 

around the serpentine to put on 

Instagram. 

Bony bum 

Getting the bikes out of the docking 

station was a trial on its own. My 

debit card was declined twice 

because the sun was shining on the 

keypad so I kept muddling up my 

PIN (and no - I wasn’t doing it on 

purpose) and when it was finally 

accepted, the bike hopped off the 

stand onto my shins, causing me to 

yelp and making them bleed. 

I thought, mistakenly, that as my 

backside was the same size and 

shape as a big round settee cushion, 

the saddle would be very comfy for 

me. I feared for Molly who has a 

small and bony bottom. 

As it turned out she cycled most of 

the time with her bum raised off the 

seat and was still in complete control 

of her bicycle. She was way 

ahead of me, smiling and 

waving and calling out 

“keep up, Aunty Meg!” 

Bikes dont 

float 

I burst several 

blood vessels 

trying. I decided 

there must be 

something 

wrong with my 

bike to make it 

that slow, so I waved 

Molly down and we swapped. Hers 

felt even heavier and harder to 

move. It was like trying to control a 

steamroller. 

Our day together quickly turned 

into a wet wipe-out when a giant 

swan with an evil eye decided to 

chase me away from 

its brood by taking 

a bite out of my left 

ankle. 

I know I should 

have stayed calm, 

dismounted and kept 

my dignity. Instead, 

I rode into the 

water, screaming 

and trying to 

chase the guilty 

bird. Interesting 

fact; Boris Bikes 

don’t float. n




NEWS 

Rapist tout convicted 

Stay in the know with the LTDA 

Court 

A minicab tout faces a lengthy prison 

sentence after being convicted of 

raping a woman he picked up from a 

party in London. 

Ali Moaberfard, of Madingley 

Court, Whetstone, was found guilty of 

the rape of a 31-year-old woman on 

May 5, 2012, after a retrial at 

Blackfriars Crown Court. 

The victim had been out in 

Notting Hill at a party and took what 

she thought to be a genuine 

minicab home. 

The car was driven by Moaberfard 

and instead of taking her home he 

took her to an address in Uxbridge. 

The victim fell asleep and later 

awoke to find Moaberfard raping her. 

Despite her telling him no, he 

continued and she passed out again. 

Detective Constable Vicky Stenning, 

said: "Moaberfard targeted a vulnerable 

woman who thought he was taking her 

home. I would like to praise her bravery in 

coming forward and speaking with police. 

"I would urge anyone who has been a 

victim of sexual assault to speak with us so 

that we can bring perpetrators before the 

courts." 

Following the attack Moaberfard 

dropped his victim at Uxbridge 

underground station. From there the 

victim went to hospital and later police 

were called, prompting an 

investigation by the by specialist 

detectives from the Sexual Offences, 

Exploitation and Child Abuse 

Command. 

Clothing from the victim contained a 

DNA trace that matched Moaberfard 

and he was arrested at his home on 

November 6, 2014. 

After answering "no comment" to 

questions put to him by detectives 

interviewing him, he was charged with 

the rape the next day. He will be 

sentenced on Friday, 2 October. 

Pervert Moaberfard faces jail 

DVLA reminder 

The photo card part of the driving 

licence lasts for 10 years and must 

renewed after that period. The 

licence becomes invalid if it is not 

renewed with a current picture. 

15 year reminder 

The London taxi 15 year age limit 

refers to the cab’s ‘birthday’ (in the 

log book) not its plate date. 

For example: A cab passed when 

it is 14 years and 11 months old 

WILL be granted a further 12 

months of life. 

Cabs may be booked in for 

testing in the normal way when 

the plate has 28 days or less 

to run. 

The cab can then work up to the 

test date. If the plates are taken off 

with more than 28 days to run, 

both the plates and the paper 

licence must be surrendered to 

one of the six NSL inspection 

centres in and around London. 

The ‘unplated’ cab must then not 

be worked, and at least one week 

should be allowed before 

attempting to book the next NSL 

test, to allow the 

computerised 

booking system to recognise that 

the plates have been registered. 

Lost/stolen identifiers 

If your Identifier is lost or stolen 

you must notify LTPH 

immediately (0343 222 4444 / 

tph.enquiries@tfl.gov.uk) 

You may then continue 

working. A letter of confirmation 

will be sent out to you by 

Transport for London, prior to 

a replacement identifier 

being processed. 

Shop a tout 

Anyone who sees touting or any 

other form of illegal cab-related 

activity is urged to contact TfL 

with the details. 

Take down the registration 

number and make a note of the 

date, time and location where 

incident took place. 

Type “cab enforcement” into your 

internet search engine and follow 

the links to the ‘report illegal 

activity’ section of the TfL website. 

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PUZZLER 

Crossword competition! 

To complete our prize 

crossword and be in with a 

chance to win £50 send your 

completed entry to Crossword 

350, Taxi, Taxi House, 11 

Woodfield Road, W9 2BA before 

September 8. First name out of the 

hat gets the cash. 

ACROSS 

7 Confusions (3, 3) 

8 Finger food (6) 

9 Win (4) 

10 Exterior (8) 

11 Aridity (7) 

13 Make a speech (5) 

15 Bus (5) 

16 Sporting error (3, 4) 

18 Weather shield (8) 

19 Silent (4) 

21 Sloping typeface (6) 

22 Deaden (6) 

DOWN 

1 Long live (4) 

2 Vehicle’s turning radius 

(7, 6) 

3 Embrace (7) 

4 Severe (5) 

5 Support (13) 

6 Short musical 

performance (8) 

12 Flatmate (8) 

14 Have faith in (5, 2) 

17 Pull out (5) 

20 Hours and minutes (4) 

Overheard by Brad Ashton 

CROSSWORD NO. 350 

“I’ve been to some restaurants where the 

food was so bad I might just as well of 

eaten at home. In one place the beef 

burgers were so thin I could have eaten 

three and still been a vegetarian. When 

they found out I was Jewish they served 

me tiny portions so I wouldn’t make a pig 

of myself. The main dish was listed as the 

“Chef’s Surprise.” That’ s because the 

chef was surprised anyone would eat it. 

He was a lousy cook and burnt every 

meal, but it wasn’t his fault. He used to 

work in a crematorium and couldn’t 

break the habit. I still eat there 

occasionally, but I always ask for a table 

near to a doctor. 

I got a half price voucher for one 

restaurant and the waiter noticed it was 

out of date. But he said it was alright 

because the food was out of date as well. 

He served me the meal they called “Dish 

Of the Day,” I don’t know what day they 

meant, but it wasn’t this year. It turned 

out to be a really tough steak. I said “I’m 

not eating this. Bring me the manager.” 

He said “What’s the point? He won’t eat 

it either.” In the end I just settled for a 

coffee. I asked for half and half and that’s 

exactly what I got. It was half in the cup 

and half in the saucer.” 

“I caught my wife knitting little 

things, but I needn’t have worried. It 

turned out to be just covers for my golf 

clubs. I took up the game for the exercise. 

It’s all that getting in and out of the golf 

cart. I have to admit I’m not a great 

player. In fact, as soon as I get on the 

golf course they lower the flags to half 

mast. I suppose I shouldn’t really be 

there. It’s a rich man’s game and I’m a 

poor golfer. I get such a high score, if it 

was cricket I’d be a hero. I’ve spent so 

much time in the bunker I get mail 

addressed to Hitler. The only advice I’ve 

ever had was from my caddy who told me 

to keep my head down. I found out why. 

He doesn’t want me to see him laughing. 

At least I’m not a fanatic like the man I 

met yesterday. He said “do you mind if I 

play through?” I said “Why? What’s 

your hurry?” He said “my house is on 

fire.” One promiscuous wife of a golfer 

confessed to him she’s a hooker. He said 

”that’s no problem. Just keep your head 

down and your left arm straight.” My 

doctor wants me to give up golf. He says 

at my age it’s too dangerous to go near 

an open hole. He’s probably right. After 

all, the only good lie I ever had was on 

my score card.” 

Congratulations 

Issue 348 winner 

David Fleming, South London 

Just for fun 

Have a go at 

this medium 

level Sudoku 

puzzle. Fill 

the grid so 

that every 

row, every 

column and 

every 3x3 box 

contains the 

numbers 1-9. 

Follow @TheLTDA on Twitter for news, updates and warnings



Comcab radio circuits fitted in all TX4 loan cabs 

C&S Taxis London Ltd - have now purchased new Vito Merc's to coincide with six 

existing TX4s, specially allocated for their crash repair body shop - A Class Of Their Own


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Section Heading 

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TAXI RENTALS 

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or (M) 07956 463040 

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Est 

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GE 

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07775 902 902 

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With Air Conditioning 

& Competitive Rates 

07738 162 518


CLASSIFIED 

Section Heading 

Cabs for Rent Section Heading 

■ Michelin tyres fitted as standard 

■ Verifone card readers provided free of charge in every vehicle 

■ National AA cover, Homestart and Relay 

■ All vehicles are serviced every 6,000 miles 

■ No insurance excess to pay 

■ Maintained and repaired by the best mechanics and technicians in London 

Contact 

us today to join 

London’s Premier Fleet 

www.randellcabs.co.uk 020 7473 4559 paul@randellcabs.co.uk 

LTDA Meetings 

Insurance 

LTDA Branch Meetings 

SW and SE 

First Monday of 

Jan and third 

Tuesday of March, 

May, June, Nov 

NW and NE 

Last Tuesday of 

Jan and last 

Monday of April, 

June, Sept, Nov 

Fantastic value Black Cab 

insurance 

Supporting your iconic trade 

0333 003 0062 

Keeping your business motoring 

Services and Repairs 

Advertise here 

in TAXI magazine 

TO PLACE YOUR LINAGE BY 4PM IN TAXI 

ISSUE 351 BOOK BY WED 02 SEPTEMBER 

Century One Publishing 

CALL JONNY ON 01727 739 193


CLASSIFIED 

Services and Repairs 

LINAGE 

Accountants 

ARTEMIS & CO ACCOUNTANTS. 

Specialising in the Taxi and Minicab 

trade and all other accountancy. 

Accounts and Tax Returns £250.inc. 

Based in North London. Email: 

reception@artemisandco.co.uk. Tel: 

02088049400. Mob: 07702200971 

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS 

specialising in the taxi trade. Accounts 

and tax returns £295inc. Call Andy 

02083601446 

Air Conditioning 

MOBILE AUTO air conditioning 

service and repair for taxis, Telephone 

Nick on 07785900006 7 days 

Cabs for rent 

A TAXI FOR RENT, TXII’s & TX4’s also 

buy, backup and spare cab, Essex and 

East London area 07908639567 

A TXI FROM £170pw, based in 

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backup, 02082008488 07956422658 

ALL MERCEDES VITO’s, Euro4 & 

Euro5 for rent, prices start from 

£220pw, call 07508977592 

CHEAP TAXIS – TXIs/TXIIs/TX4s 

from £150pw, Full Back-up, Bethnal 

Green, Call Eric 07766542798 

E16 RENTALS, TX4s Ascotts 

maintained, also Merc’s available. Pay 

by cash, bank, online, 07957465423/ 

www.e16-taxirentals.co.uk 

EAST LONDON Based TX4’s, full flat 

from £185pw, full back up – 

07595920029 

ELEPHANT & CASTLE CABS, TX cabs 

for rent. Good cabs, nice service, Andy 

07903940786 

HIGHLY MAINTAINED TXII’s to rent 

full back up pls call 07590203043 

ROMFORD BASED TXIs, TXIIs & 

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cover 01708347288 or 07932740902 

TAXIS FOR RENT, Enfield/North 

London area, small reliable fleet, full 

backup, call Ian on 07956582416 

TAYLAN TAXIS, cabs for rent based in 

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TXI & TXII’s from £160pw. VITO’s 

£225pw. RAC Cover. No Adverts. 

Garage Backup. Essex 01708373786 

TXI’S FROM £180PW, TXII’s from 

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system, Clean cabs, 1st half week rent 

free – 02076132436, 07947644541 or 

07702221672 

TXII 55 PLATE TO RENT, £190pw, 

immaculate condition, backup cab 

available (Fulham based) ring 

07889378639 

TXII FOR RENT £190PW, RAC 

covered, radio circuits welcome, 

07903049645 

TXII’S & TX4’S FOR RENt, full back 

up, Family garage, Old Kent Road 

based 02073581272 

TXII’S TO VITO’S, full back up, spare 

cabs available - Welling (Kent) Call 

Martin 07956521420 

TX4 ‘S FOR HIRE, all air con, No ads, 

full RAC cover – 07980288333 

Cabs for sale 

04 TXII FOR SALE, Recaro seat, 10 

months plate plus four more plates, no 

adverts, £9250 07804708075 

51 TXI, PLATED UNTIL APRIL 16, two 

more plates, £7,000 ONO, 07876687927 

TXII 03 REG, 1 years plate, good 

condition, Black, £7750 07734803737 

TX4 BRONZE, 07 plate, good 

condition, 160,000 miles, FSH, plated 

August 2016, £13,750 ONO 

07956245271 

TX4 ELEGANCE FOR SALE, 11 plate, 

122,000 miles on the clock, £25,000 inc 

VAT 02077001045 

V-REG CABS FOR SALE. One plated 

until 06/10/15 £895, one plated until 

06/02/16 £1,895 07711640740 

VITO TAXI 60, February 2011, Black, 

leather interior, very good condition, 

plate until 1st June 2016, 140,000 miles, 

£18,995ONO 07739517701 

Cabs wanted 

ALL TXI’S & FAIRWAYS wanted, 

instant decision - cash paid. Tel: 

07973335739 or 01253407500 

ALL TXI/FAIRWAY TAXIS purchased 

for cash, clean owner driven, quick 

viewing. Graham 07435562759 

oldlondontaxis@yahoo.co.uk 

A CAB WANTED URGENTLY, fair 

condition, any year; we pay the most, 

01322669081 or 07836250222 

ALL CABS BOUGHT FOR CASH, top 

prices paid. Cab hire also 

available,EastLondonAndEssex 

TaxiRentals.co.uk 07877093866 

ANY RETIRING TAXIS and still plated 

wanted. Instant cash, 

Waterloo/Holborn. Andy 07903940786 

PART TIMER LOOKING to rent cab 

Mon-Weds, poss Thurs pick up 

12.30pm return midnight Essex/East 

London cabbie 45 years Leo 

07761393343 any time 

TXIS & TXIIS WANTED, Any condition, 

Cash paid, Plated/unplated, also non 

runners, Open 10am–5pm - 01932569893 

WE BUY VITO’S & TX’S. We also 

sell/rent TX’s and Vito’s ready for work 

07985124194 

Holidays Algarve 

2 X LOVELY VILLAS in Vale do Lobo, 

Algarve – sleep up to 6/7 each – ideally 

located for 3 golf courses, tennis 

academy, beaches, bars and restaurants. 

Discounts available outside school 

holiday periods. 50% off green fees all 

year round (villa 1), 50% discount off 

court fees at the tennis academy (both 

villas). For more information go to 

www.ownersdirect.co.uk refs p16292, 

p16799 or contact Gill Dunsford on 

mobile 07775 683777. 

Recovery 

RECOVERY AND ROADSIDE 

assistance/relocation for London taxis, 

reasonable rates 7 days, 07785900006 

Miscellaneous 

MECHANIC WANTED for small busy 

East London taxi repair garage. Reliable 

and Fluent English essential, own tools 

required, 5 ½ day week. Pay negotiable 

dependent on experience. Egos and 

attitudes need not apply. If you’re a team 

player contact Darren or Paul 

02089812419 

OLD KNOWLEDGE BIKES WANTED, 

Dead or Alive, Cash on Collection - 

Please Call 07749488367. Thankyou 

SUPPLEMENT RETIRED INCOME. 

Drivers wanted to chauffer chairman 

when in London, using 740i BMW, 

garaged Mallord Street Chelsea. 

Maximum commitment per month, 7 

days/nights. Attractive hourly rate. 

Call Peter 01753 869944


Passionate advocates of 

this iconic trade 

Exclusive Black 

Cab Rates 

Fantastic value cover designed to 

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Stay on the move with free 

breakdown assistance inc. homestart 

Protect your business with a 

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planinsurance.co.uk 

0333 003 0062

Limited stock 

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pay just £145 per week* to drive the iconic Black Cab. 

 

 

A taxi from the people who only make taxis. 

The London Taxi Company 

39-41 Brewery Road • London N7 9QH 

03300 245944 

www.london-taxis.co.uk 

London@london-taxis.co.uk 

TheLondonTaxiCompanyUK LondonTaxiCoUK LondonTaxiCompanyUK

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