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2 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
NEWS<br />
<strong>Uber</strong> <strong>earnings</strong> <strong>ad</strong> <strong>banned</strong><br />
Tr<strong>ad</strong>e<br />
A complaint about controversial<br />
<strong>ad</strong>verts making ludicrous claims<br />
about the potential <strong>earnings</strong> of <strong>Uber</strong><br />
drivers has been upheld by the<br />
Advertising Standards Agency.<br />
<strong>Uber</strong> has been forced to remove<br />
the <strong>ad</strong>s saying that minicab drivers<br />
can earn £1,200 a week, as it was<br />
unable to prove it was possible.<br />
The ruling will be an<br />
embarrassment for Transport for<br />
London, which came under-fire<br />
earlier last year when the<br />
promotional campaign appeared on<br />
its own website.<br />
Taxi driver Benjamin Nash was<br />
one of two people who complained<br />
to the standards regulator about<br />
the issue.<br />
He said: “I was delighted when they<br />
confirmed that <strong>Uber</strong> would have to take<br />
down the <strong>ad</strong>s. I only did it because it<br />
annoyed me that they were making these<br />
claims. Even if one person managed to<br />
somehow earn that much in one week, it<br />
has to be an average. I don’t think they<br />
have even managed prove that one<br />
person has earned that much in a week.”<br />
<strong>Uber</strong> agreed to scrap the<br />
The <strong>Uber</strong> <strong>ad</strong> on the TfL website in October<br />
<strong>ad</strong>vertising campaign without the<br />
need for a formal investigation after<br />
being contacted by the ASA.<br />
Adverts for <strong>Uber</strong> and all other<br />
minicabs were stripped from<br />
Transport for London’s (TfL)<br />
website after complaints from the<br />
LTDA and cabbies were backed by<br />
London Assembly politicians.<br />
TfL initially brushed aside the<br />
issue, saying the <strong>ad</strong>vertising was<br />
handled by an outside agency. It<br />
said <strong>ad</strong>s are accepted provided that<br />
they comply with guidelines: which<br />
the ASA has decided that they do<br />
not.<br />
Caroline Pidgeon, le<strong>ad</strong>er of the<br />
body’s Liberal Democrat group, and<br />
Green Party member Darren<br />
Johnson both tackled Mayor Boris<br />
Johnson, asking whether it was<br />
“appropriate” for <strong>Uber</strong>’s<br />
<strong>ad</strong>vertisements to be carried by the<br />
authority.<br />
Mr Johnson and Ms Pidgeon<br />
raised the issue in November but<br />
TfL said the decision to take down<br />
<strong>ad</strong>verts h<strong>ad</strong> alre<strong>ad</strong>y been m<strong>ad</strong>e after<br />
complaints from a number of taxi<br />
and minicab drivers.<br />
It confirmed that, as of October 30,<br />
“TfL decided that no <strong>ad</strong>vertising would<br />
be carried on the taxi and private hire<br />
section of the TfL website.”<br />
News in brief<br />
Motorcyclist injured in<br />
<strong>Uber</strong> smash<br />
A motorbike rider was seriously<br />
injured after a crash involving<br />
an <strong>Uber</strong> cab in Notting<br />
Hill Gate.<br />
The man, said to be in his 20s,<br />
was treated at the scene by<br />
medics before being taken to St<br />
Mary’s Hospital in P<strong>ad</strong>dington<br />
with a suspected broken leg.<br />
The minicab driver was<br />
uninjured in the incident which<br />
took place at around 10pm on<br />
Sunday, August 16. Nobody has<br />
been arrested, but the <strong>Uber</strong><br />
driver has been removed from<br />
the company’s books.<br />
Tout fined £500<br />
A minicab driver caught touting<br />
by TfL compliance officers in<br />
London’s West End was fined<br />
£500 by Westminster<br />
magistrates’ court.<br />
Omar Gouaalla ple<strong>ad</strong>ed<br />
guilty to plying for hire and<br />
accepting a booking without a<br />
licence in Wardour Street on<br />
October 19.
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 3<br />
Top Tr<strong>ad</strong>e Story<br />
LIGHT AT THE END<br />
OF THE TUNNEL?<br />
STEVE MCNAMARA LTDA General Secretary<br />
A toughening up of the private hire regulations is on the horizon – at last!<br />
The Private Hire Regulations<br />
Review consultation closed<br />
on June 19, and Transport<br />
for London (TfL) received over<br />
4,000 responses. For the first time<br />
ever our tr<strong>ad</strong>e submitted a united<br />
response, which was then echoed<br />
by many thousands of LTDA<br />
members who took the trouble to<br />
submit an individual reply based<br />
on our suggestions and detailed<br />
paper.<br />
TfL has now analysed all the<br />
responses and has drawn up a list<br />
of draft proposals for discussion<br />
with the taxi and private hire<br />
tr<strong>ad</strong>es. The changes will come in<br />
two parts, with the first batch to<br />
be implemented in the autumn<br />
and the rest - the most contentious<br />
issues - following later, subject to<br />
a consultation. The first tranche<br />
will include a much more<br />
stringent and thorough<br />
topographical testing procedure,<br />
controlled by TfL in-house, in the<br />
same way the Knowledge is<br />
delivered and tested.<br />
The testing will be conducted in<br />
English, and will ensure that all<br />
applicants have an appropriate<br />
level of conversational English,<br />
something which is s<strong>ad</strong>ly lacking<br />
now. TfL also plans to introduce a<br />
higher level of disability training,<br />
requiring applicants to undertake<br />
a Driver Standards Agency<br />
enhanced driving test, similar to<br />
that undertaken by taxi drivers. A<br />
r<strong>ad</strong>ical change for operators will<br />
be the removal of their ability to<br />
R<strong>ad</strong>ical changes are afoot for the private hire tr<strong>ad</strong>e<br />
handle complaints, which will<br />
now be dealt with by TfL, using<br />
the same employees who currently<br />
deal with taxi complaints.<br />
All of the proposed regulatory<br />
changes were proposed by the<br />
tr<strong>ad</strong>e in our response, and include:<br />
n PH operators will be required<br />
to have Hire and Reward<br />
insurance policy for their fleet.<br />
n Satellite or temporary event<br />
licences will be scrapped<br />
n A five minute period between<br />
booking and pick up<br />
n Operators must not show<br />
vehicles available for<br />
immediate hire - either visibly<br />
or virtually, via an app<br />
n The fare must be specified at<br />
time of booking<br />
n Drivers to only work for one<br />
operator at a time<br />
n No ride sharing<br />
n Operators must offer a prebooking<br />
facility - up to seven<br />
days<br />
n Operators will have to record<br />
destinations at time of booking<br />
n Operators to have landline<br />
This is by no means a fait<br />
accompli, and <strong>Uber</strong> will be<br />
utilising its £250,000 per month<br />
lobbying and marketing budget<br />
to pressurize its bought and paid<br />
for journalists and politicians<br />
into earning their keep, and<br />
doing all it can to block the<br />
changes. <strong>Uber</strong> doesn’t care about<br />
public safety; a lax regulatory<br />
system suits it. The public<br />
doesn’t understand and few will<br />
respond to the consultation; so it<br />
will be up to us to respond en<br />
masse and ensure they are<br />
protected. I will be contacting all<br />
LTDA members nearer the time<br />
with suggestions and details of<br />
how to respond. n<br />
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4 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
NEWS<br />
Latest LTDA membership offers from LTDA Plus<br />
Membership benefits<br />
LTDA Plus give you access to a range<br />
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Tariffs can also include*:<br />
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MyCashbackCards provide<br />
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Visit LTDA Plus via<br />
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THE LTDA IS SPENDING<br />
£1,000,000<br />
FIGHTING TO SAVE YOUR JOB<br />
We must convince the courts that U *** is breaking<br />
all the rules, and its drivers are illegally plying for hire.<br />
WE WILL NOT GIVE<br />
UP THIS FIGHT<br />
020 7286 1046 WWW.LTDA.CO.UK
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 5<br />
NEWS<br />
“Use anti-terror Laws on <strong>Uber</strong>”<br />
Tr<strong>ad</strong>e<br />
Anti-terrorism laws must be used<br />
to crackdown on <strong>Uber</strong> drivers who<br />
cause a public menace by parking<br />
up outside St Pancras station, a<br />
councillor has said.<br />
The growing number of minicabs<br />
waiting for e-hails in restricted<br />
bays is causing chaos outside the<br />
station where taxi drivers are being<br />
forced to double park in order to<br />
legally ply their tr<strong>ad</strong>e.<br />
The problem is spiralling,<br />
causing tailbacks along the Euston<br />
Ro<strong>ad</strong> and raising security risk fears<br />
at Camden’s busiest transport hub.<br />
Green Party councillor Sian<br />
Berry is calling on the council to<br />
use a Traffic Regulation Order,<br />
restricting waiting to two minutes,<br />
based on a separate clause in the<br />
law covering the risk of terrorism.<br />
Sian began campaigning on the<br />
issue after it was raised by taxi<br />
drivers and says that introducing<br />
“steep parking charges” to deter<br />
minicabs “such as <strong>Uber</strong>” from<br />
staying longer than two minutes<br />
could be another solution.<br />
She said: “Black cab drivers have<br />
supplied me with a wealth of<br />
evidence, and I have visited<br />
the site many times to see<br />
for myself how many bays<br />
are occupied by minicab<br />
drivers simply waiting<br />
there and looking at their<br />
phones.<br />
“Something must be done<br />
and, looking at the legislation,<br />
I believe the reason sections of the<br />
Ro<strong>ad</strong> Traffic Regulation Act covering<br />
terrorism aren't named in the grace<br />
period regulations, is that security<br />
risks override any need for parking<br />
flexibility. This is clearly applicable at<br />
this site and I've asked the council to<br />
look into making a new order on this<br />
basis.”<br />
The problem has been blamed<br />
on local government secretary Eric<br />
Pickles who earlier this year<br />
introduced a controversial 10-<br />
minute grace period for motorists<br />
when parking tickets run out.<br />
The rule change affects bays in<br />
Pancras Ro<strong>ad</strong>, which previously<br />
allowed motorists to stop for two<br />
minutes but now allows minicab<br />
drivers to sit for up to 12 minutes.<br />
The LTDA’s Paul Wright, who<br />
regularly works at St<br />
Pancras, said:<br />
“Myri<strong>ad</strong> private hire<br />
vans, Prius cars<br />
and limousines<br />
litter both the<br />
entry and setting<br />
down points for the<br />
whole of the King’s<br />
Cross and St Pancras<br />
area, causing a danger to<br />
the public and making it virtually<br />
impossible for taxi drivers to work.<br />
“It’s about time Camden, TfL and<br />
Network Rail got their he<strong>ad</strong>s together<br />
and marshalled the area properly.<br />
Robust enforcement is needed and<br />
Sian Berry’s idea to use anti-terror<br />
laws to prevent overstaying by the<br />
private hire vehicles is the right way<br />
forward.”<br />
Environment le<strong>ad</strong>er, councillor<br />
Meric Apak, dismissed the request<br />
to use “anti-terrorism traffic orders”<br />
and wants to rely on parking<br />
wardens to <strong>ad</strong>dress the issue.<br />
A number of police and<br />
community support officers were<br />
in operation at King’s Cross<br />
moving on minicab drivers as<br />
TAXI went to press.<br />
Rank Suspension<br />
Murderers, Perverts and<br />
Thieves<br />
<strong>Uber</strong> has been accused of not doing<br />
thorough background checks on its<br />
drivers in the US.<br />
Murderers, perverts and thieves<br />
have all been allowed to work for<br />
the tech giant, according to legal<br />
papers filed in California, which<br />
allege the company misle<strong>ad</strong>s<br />
customers about its screening<br />
system. <strong>Uber</strong> said its driver checking<br />
system is better than those used by<br />
other transport firms.<br />
Free Classic car show<br />
returns<br />
Classic cars from all over the UK<br />
and Europe will once again descend<br />
on the Isle of Wight for a popular<br />
two day charity event. More than<br />
700 vintage, custom and classic cars<br />
are expected to be displayed over<br />
Saturday, September 19, in Newport<br />
Quay and Sunday, September 20, in<br />
Ryde Esplan<strong>ad</strong>e, between 11am-<br />
5.30pm. Both events are free but<br />
any money raised from donations<br />
goes to children’s charities.<br />
Dial 0871 376 1000 to book the<br />
ferry early for discounted tickets.<br />
Join the Krav Maga army<br />
Health<br />
LTDA members can learn to deal<br />
confidently with threatening<br />
situations by taking part in our<br />
popular free self-defence courses.<br />
Hundreds of our members have<br />
enjoyed the Krav Maga classes<br />
run by taxi driver Ricky Manetta<br />
and many have credited them<br />
with changing their lives.<br />
Not only do they offer the<br />
chance to improve fitness<br />
and general<br />
health, they also give piece of mind<br />
when growing numbers of frontline<br />
workers are being threatened or<br />
assaulted by members of the public.<br />
Ricky says: “This is all about giving<br />
people confidence, so that they can deal<br />
with threatening situations,<br />
ultimately without<br />
having<br />
to fight.”<br />
The skill was<br />
developed by the<br />
Israeli army and<br />
teaches the use of<br />
blocking, grappling and<br />
wrestling style moves to fend<br />
off attackers – even those<br />
wielding weapons.<br />
Ricky will be putting the latest<br />
recruits through their paces at the<br />
Orwell Centre in Wapping from<br />
Monday, September 14.<br />
Taxi<br />
Driver<br />
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TAXI House and ask to<br />
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To join today please call 020 7266 0101<br />
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6 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
The Massett File<br />
Richard Massett Chairman LTDA, Chairman London Cab Ranks Committee<br />
LTDA BATTLES<br />
SUPERHIGHWAY<br />
The superhighway plan will bring London to a standstill but we’re fighting it tooth and nail<br />
The car-free superhighway fantasy dreamt of by TfL<br />
LTDA Policy Statement<br />
It is more essential than ever for drivers to be fully appraised of<br />
the various tr<strong>ad</strong>e organisations’ policies. In order to clarify the<br />
LTDA’s position on the important issues facing the industry, the<br />
Association reaffirms:<br />
1. Its determination (despite opposition from certain tr<strong>ad</strong>e organisations) to exclude<br />
taxi drivers from any form of restriction on working hours or the compulsory fitting<br />
of tachographs in cabs.<br />
2. Its total opposition to the proposed computerised Knowledge testing system<br />
(Quickie Knowledge), which is intended to speed up and churn out new licences.<br />
3. Its support for a regular review of taxi usage in London in order to provide<br />
effective management of the cab fleet which will prevent the streets of London<br />
being flooded with empty cabs.<br />
4. Its support for the introduction of ‘rest ranks’ to enable drivers to legally leave<br />
their cabs unattended whilst visiting <strong>ad</strong>jacent toilet facilities.<br />
5. Its support for a complete ban on pedicabs.<br />
6. Its insistence on meaningful consultation with Transport for London.<br />
7. Its support for an effective minicab enforcement team, trained<br />
to er<strong>ad</strong>icate illegal touting by minicab drivers.<br />
8. Its campaign for taxi access to all bus lanes.<br />
9. Its insistence that taxis continue to be exempt from<br />
congestion charges.<br />
10. Its policy to recruit, support and represent licensed<br />
taxi drivers only.<br />
If you require clarification on these or<br />
other important issues, please:<br />
Call the LTDA on 020 7286 1046<br />
POLICY<br />
The LTDA has applied to the<br />
High Court for a judicial<br />
review of Transport for<br />
London’s decision to forge ahe<strong>ad</strong><br />
with construction of the East-West<br />
Cycle Superhighway (EWCS)<br />
through the centre of London.<br />
The works have alre<strong>ad</strong>y caused<br />
gridlock and misery for motorists who<br />
have to drive through the city. Taxi<br />
passengers who have the misfortune to<br />
travel anywhere near the works have<br />
suffered substantially increased<br />
journey times and costs. The delays are<br />
not just confined to journeys along<br />
Victoria Embankment and<br />
Upper/Lower Thames Street but<br />
alternative routes through the City and<br />
south of the river have also been<br />
severely affected. TfL has tried to<br />
mitigate the effects on traffic in the<br />
central area by holding vehicles back<br />
on some of the main routes into town,<br />
but this has only served to spre<strong>ad</strong> the<br />
congestion. Drivers have found that<br />
their journey times along these routes<br />
have also increased substantially.<br />
Gridlock<br />
The LTDA has opposed the East – West<br />
route consistently from the outset. We<br />
have worked with a number of other<br />
organisations, which share our<br />
concerns. We initially consulted<br />
lawyers because there seemed to have<br />
been serious shortcomings in the<br />
consultation process, particularly with<br />
the lack of a proper area-wide air<br />
quality assessment. Although our<br />
concerns were legitimate, the <strong>ad</strong>vice<br />
was that they probably were not<br />
sufficient to prevent the scheme from<br />
going ahe<strong>ad</strong>. We did however retain<br />
the services of a senior QC who has<br />
vast experience of planning. It was he<br />
who suggested that TfL may have<br />
been deficient when it came to<br />
applying for specific planning<br />
consent from the local authorities<br />
along the route. Normally, traffic<br />
schemes are processed under the ro<strong>ad</strong><br />
traffic acts and formal planning<br />
consent is not required. In this case,<br />
full re-construction of the ro<strong>ad</strong>s is<br />
being carried out, in close proximity<br />
to many listed and national heritage<br />
buildings. So, the legal opinion is that<br />
this scheme should have been subject<br />
to a full planning application and is<br />
therefore open to challenge.<br />
If the judicial review is successful, it<br />
would not bring about an end to this<br />
project on its own, but it would bring<br />
the work to a halt while TfL sought<br />
the necessary planning consent. We<br />
hope that this would refocus attention<br />
on TfL’s damaging plans to restrict<br />
the movement of essential traffic in<br />
London. TfL shouldn’t underestimate<br />
the strength of feeling against its illconceived<br />
plans. We are aware that<br />
another interested party is also<br />
engaged in action, which could also<br />
see the authority having to defend its<br />
actions in court.<br />
No doubt the LTDA will once again<br />
be mercilessly attacked by the cycling<br />
lobby on Twitter and other social<br />
media over this challenge. But let’s be<br />
clear about this: we are not anticycling<br />
and we do want to see<br />
facilities in London to make cycling<br />
safer. However, there has to be a<br />
balance; people and goods must be<br />
able to move through the capital’s<br />
ro<strong>ad</strong> network as efficiently as<br />
possible. We really cannot understand<br />
the Mayor’s business case for<br />
installing cycle lanes which result in<br />
reducing capacity on our ro<strong>ad</strong>s for<br />
motor vehicles, there must be a better<br />
way of doing things. In the case of<br />
EWCS, surely two lanes of traffic in<br />
each direction could have been<br />
maintained along with suitable cycle<br />
lanes. I just don’t know why the<br />
Mayor would want a permanently<br />
gridlocked Central London as his<br />
legacy. n
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015| TAXI 7<br />
NEWS<br />
Taxi driver smears con gang<br />
Court<br />
Fraudsters who swindled<br />
elderly and vulnerable victims<br />
out of thousands of pounds<br />
have been jailed, thanks to a<br />
quick thinking LTDA member.<br />
The conmen tricked their<br />
victims out of more than<br />
£177,000 by making more than<br />
2,500 cold calls in 2013 and<br />
2014.<br />
But the gang, Shamsul<br />
Islam, 25, Mohammed Ahmed<br />
Miah, 19, and Mohammed<br />
Hussain, 18, all from London,<br />
got more than they bargained<br />
for when they contacte a 60-<br />
year-old former telephone<br />
engineer.<br />
The men posed as officers<br />
and told their targets to cut up<br />
their credit cards because they<br />
h<strong>ad</strong> been compromised.<br />
The gang then arranged for<br />
a courier to collect the cards<br />
which they used to plunder<br />
bank accounts. The green<br />
b<strong>ad</strong>ge from Hornchurch<br />
spotted their scam right away<br />
thanks to his previous training<br />
Jailed: conmen who swindled £177,000 from their victims<br />
in telecommunications.<br />
Police scoured telephone<br />
records and used the<br />
information to trace the<br />
crooks and put them before<br />
the courts.<br />
Detective Inspector Bart<br />
Haley said: “This gang m<strong>ad</strong>e a<br />
huge amount of calls in order to<br />
identify and target their<br />
victims.<br />
“Many have been tricked out<br />
of huge amounts of cash and<br />
we’re pleased to have been able<br />
to now get them justice.<br />
“I would urge people to be<br />
vigilant and look out for<br />
elderly or vulnerable friends<br />
and relatives. Police or banks<br />
will never call you up out of<br />
the blue to ask for personal<br />
details or cash. If you receive<br />
such a call, use a mobile phone<br />
or neighbour’s phone to call<br />
999.”<br />
Islam, who provided the<br />
base for the gang at King’s<br />
Cross was jailed for five<br />
years at St Albans Crown<br />
Court. Miah and Hussain<br />
were each jailed for 18<br />
months.<br />
News in brief<br />
“Same rate as always”<br />
Verifone used its DigitalTop roof<br />
screens to promote the taxi tr<strong>ad</strong>e<br />
during the Tube strikes earlier<br />
this month.<br />
The campaign highlighted the<br />
fact that taxis would be the “same<br />
rate as always” as opposed to<br />
<strong>Uber</strong>, which uses a surge pricing<br />
system and charges triple rates at<br />
peak times.<br />
Verifone is offering drivers an<br />
£1,100 installation bonus<br />
payment and £180 per month to<br />
TX4 owner-drivers for carrying a<br />
DigitalTop unit. Telephone 0333<br />
666 1000 (option 2) for<br />
information.<br />
Cab smash in Eltham<br />
A cabbie and another driver were<br />
rescued by firefighters after a<br />
smash in Eltham Hill on<br />
August 12.<br />
Fire crews h<strong>ad</strong> to cut one<br />
person from a silver Mini after<br />
removing the roof, and also<br />
pulled the cabbie to safety.<br />
The driver of the mini was<br />
taken to hospital by ambulance.
8 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
NEWS<br />
Relicensing at NSL? Save time and loss of work with this LTDA checklist<br />
o Vehicle registration certificate, logbook or new keeper’s<br />
supplement (complete with bill of sale/receipt) where vehicle<br />
is newly purchased prior to inspection<br />
o Current vehicle licence (for renewal inspections)<br />
o From October 1, 2014, vehicles no longer require a tax disc to<br />
be displayed. Vehicles can be taxed online or at a post office. If<br />
a vehicle is not recorded as taxed, NSL will accept an online<br />
application/ post office receipt. (Information at<br />
www.gov.co.uk/dvla/nomoretaxdisc)<br />
o Insurance certificate (not a copy) – properly affixed in the<br />
luggage compartment<br />
o Valid MOT certificate (issued 13 days or less before inspection)<br />
If vehicle is less than one year old an MOT is not required<br />
o Taximeter installation and calibration certificate, issued within<br />
30 days of inspection<br />
o Exemption certificate (where applicable)<br />
o Modification approval (where applicable)<br />
o Tool to release ramps<br />
o Tyres - must conform to manufacturer’s specification<br />
(see table)<br />
Vehicle Make / Model<br />
Tyre Size<br />
!<br />
Merc VitoMercedes Vito Euro 4 195/65 R 16 100/98T or 104/102T<br />
Mercedes Vito Euro 5 195/65 R 16 100/98T or 104/102T<br />
Fairway (declared max speed of 130 km/h)<br />
TX1 (declared speed of 130 km/h)<br />
TX1 (declared speed of 147 km/h)<br />
TXII (declared speed of 147 km/h)<br />
TX4 (declared speed of 147 km/h)<br />
175 R 16 N<br />
175 R 16 N<br />
175 R 16 Q<br />
175 R 16 Q<br />
175 R 16 Q<br />
RICHMOND ROAD<br />
CAB CENTRE<br />
195 Richmond Ro<strong>ad</strong>, Hackney, London, E8 3NJ<br />
020 7923 7003<br />
info@richmondro<strong>ad</strong>cabcentre.com<br />
INCORPORATING FOREST TAXIS AND CANTWELL TAXIS<br />
TXIIS / TX4S & VITOS AVAILABLE<br />
SHORT AND LONG TERM INCLUDING PART-TIME WITH<br />
FULL AA / RAC COVER. FULL & HALF FLAT AVAILABLE<br />
ALL WORK UNDERTAKEN<br />
n Maintenance mechanical and Bodywork<br />
TX2 / TX4 Diagnostics n<br />
n Annual Overhauls and 6 monthly MOT’s<br />
Key Programming n<br />
n Servicing TX1 – TX2 – TX4, Euro 4 / Euro 5 Air Conditioning Service and Repairs n<br />
n Full back up service<br />
Vehicle CCTV Supplied and Fitted n<br />
All Insurance Work undertaken n Fault or Non Fault accident<br />
WE BUY AND SELL TAXIS (warranty available subject to conditions)
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 9<br />
NEWS<br />
Cabbies help British heroes<br />
Charity<br />
Britain’s Forgotten Army was given<br />
the five star treatment by hundreds<br />
of kind-hearted volunteer cabbies<br />
who ferried them to a special VJ Day<br />
celebration for free.<br />
Despite the hardships suffered by<br />
the tr<strong>ad</strong>e, itself ignored by the<br />
authorities, cabbies gave up precious<br />
work time to help veterans of the Far<br />
East campaign - and put greedy big<br />
businesses such as <strong>Uber</strong> and South<br />
West trains to shame.<br />
More than 800 heroes landed at<br />
key stations across the city,<br />
including King’s Cross, Waterloo<br />
and P<strong>ad</strong>dington, where volunteer<br />
cabbies waited to ship them to the<br />
Horse Guards’ Par<strong>ad</strong>e in Whitehall<br />
to mark 70 years since Japan<br />
surrendered.<br />
Marshalls organised by the<br />
London Taxi Benevolent Association<br />
for War Disabled at the stations<br />
directed the troops to the taxi ranks<br />
on Saturday, August 15.<br />
Organiser Dennis Hayes <strong>ad</strong>ded:<br />
"The veterans who fought in the Far<br />
East and Pacific campaigns in many<br />
cases gave five years of their lives for<br />
our future. A lot of their comr<strong>ad</strong>es and<br />
mates never m<strong>ad</strong>e it home, either dying<br />
in battle, through disease or at the<br />
hands of the Japanese in their prisons<br />
and forced labour camps. They all h<strong>ad</strong> a<br />
terrible time of it and became known as<br />
the Forgotten Army.<br />
"When we think what these men and<br />
women went through for us, it's the<br />
least I can do to give up a few hours of<br />
time this Saturday to support them."<br />
The par<strong>ad</strong>e in tribute to all who<br />
served in the Second World War<br />
included a fighter plane fly-past<br />
and a special service led by Right<br />
Reverend Nigel Stock, bishop to<br />
HM Armed Forces, who paid<br />
particular tribute to those who<br />
served in the Far East.<br />
While cabbies donated their time<br />
for free, South West trains came<br />
under fire for cancelling its cheap<br />
£20 return ticket offer on VJ Day,<br />
forcing veterans to pay full price.<br />
<strong>Uber</strong> has also been criticised for<br />
fleecing Londoners by tripling its<br />
prices during the recent strikes and<br />
at other busy times when travellers<br />
are in the greatest need.<br />
Image: Alex Webster<br />
When we think what these people went through for us, “it’s the least we can do.”
10 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
NEWS<br />
The cab you drive<br />
Business<br />
Nothing makes sense anymore: once<br />
upon a time it was possible to<br />
predict the number of new cab sales<br />
and the price of second hand cabs<br />
300<br />
250<br />
200<br />
150<br />
100<br />
50<br />
with ease. It wasn’t rocket science.<br />
It was seasonal, affected by new<br />
registration plates, new models<br />
and to a lesser extent work levels<br />
etc. It’s no secret that we are<br />
having a rough time of it lately and<br />
Newly Licensed Taxis - July 2014 to July 2015<br />
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan 15 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul<br />
LTI 81 52 157 131 84 106 56 75 154 55 43 77 103<br />
Merc<br />
Vito 20 14 33 15 1 3 0 10 28 12 12 29 62<br />
Metro - - - - 3 1 0 0 1 - - 0 0<br />
Total 101 66 190 146 88 110 56 85 183 67 55 106 165<br />
KEY: LTI VITO<br />
METRO<br />
TOTAL<br />
cabbies are only too keen to tell<br />
anyone who will listen how dire<br />
and unpredictable the economy is<br />
at the moment, so why have we<br />
h<strong>ad</strong> a record month for new<br />
cab sales?<br />
July saw 165 new cabs join the<br />
ranks – a 50% rise on last year.<br />
These are the highest July figures<br />
for five years. LTC sold 103<br />
vehicles, which is a jump of more<br />
than 20% on last year, but<br />
the real shock is that<br />
Mercedes registered<br />
62 new Vitos. Is it<br />
the case that<br />
Mercedes is preregistering<br />
their<br />
Euro V models<br />
prior to the<br />
compulsory<br />
introduction of<br />
Euro VI in<br />
October? Or has it<br />
m<strong>ad</strong>e a bulk sale to<br />
one of the fleets?<br />
Either way, there<br />
will be a lot of<br />
new 15 plates<br />
spotted on the ro<strong>ad</strong><br />
over the coming weeks. August is<br />
a tr<strong>ad</strong>itionally quiet month as<br />
buyers wait for the 65 plate in<br />
September, so it will be<br />
interesting to see whether this<br />
bounce continues, or will it be<br />
followed by the expected slump?<br />
In this market, it’s anyone’s guess.<br />
Once again, the number of taxi<br />
drivers continues to drop and<br />
now stands at just 25,052. This is<br />
500 drivers down on a year ago,<br />
and next month is certain to see<br />
our numbers drop to below<br />
25,000 for the first time in<br />
nine years. This can only<br />
be indicative of the<br />
economic situation as<br />
drivers hand back<br />
their bills and either<br />
retire or return to<br />
previous tr<strong>ad</strong>es. The<br />
number of<br />
applicants on the<br />
Knowledge is down,<br />
but only slightly, but<br />
to have a net loss of 10<br />
drivers every week<br />
from our tr<strong>ad</strong>e has to<br />
be b<strong>ad</strong> news!<br />
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• 2 top ball joints • Full vehicle check<br />
• 2 bottom ball joints • Brake and ro<strong>ad</strong> test<br />
• Standard service • Diagnostic reset<br />
• Gearbox oil change • Spring bushes<br />
• Wheel alignment • Trailing arm bushes<br />
• 8 wishbone rubbers • Valet and MOT<br />
• All lightbulbs (exterior) • Pass and present<br />
• Non fault accident specialist<br />
• Replacement TX4 vehicle<br />
• Personal injury compensation<br />
• TX2 timing chains<br />
• TX4 timing belts<br />
• Running repairs on all models<br />
• Servicing<br />
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More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015| TAXI 11<br />
MORE SERVICE BENEFITS<br />
AT BREWERY ROAD<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
10,000 mile interval Total Cost<br />
10k, 20k, 30k, 50k, 60k, 90k, 100k £140<br />
40k & 80k £285<br />
70k £510<br />
12,000 mile interval Total Cost<br />
12k, 24k, 48k, 60k, 96k £129<br />
36k, 72k & 108k £299<br />
84k £499<br />
£146.23<br />
£79.00<br />
£60.24<br />
£46.50<br />
£122.54<br />
£89.00<br />
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£147.48<br />
£180.00<br />
£259.90<br />
Book your next service at Brewery Ro<strong>ad</strong> and see for yourself.<br />
Go to www.london-taxis.co.uk/book-a-service or call us on 03300 245844.
12 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
COLUMN<br />
Goodfellas Strike Back<br />
Frances Luczyc Wyhowska joins the Mayfair Mob as it battles to win back work from minicabs<br />
Ijoined up with the Mayfair<br />
Mob (@UCGup) and the LTDA<br />
Advan (@TheLTDA) as they<br />
continue their nocturnal battle to<br />
reclaim the restaurant and club<br />
work from the touts and minicabs<br />
that illegally occupy taxi ranks.<br />
A nucleus of approximately 25-<br />
30 taxis gathered and at 11pm we<br />
set off for the City. Le<strong>ad</strong>ing the<br />
way was the Advan in which I<br />
was safely ensconced under the<br />
watchful eye of Michael Calvey.<br />
Our destination was the Forge.<br />
The Advan parked opposite the<br />
entrance and the taxis prepared<br />
to rank up. Other cabs m<strong>ad</strong>e<br />
their way to join us as and when<br />
they could. Unsurprisingly, the<br />
scabs were out in force, but I am<br />
convinced that I saw their<br />
gangmasters’ shoulders slump as<br />
we arrived.<br />
The Mob’s method is, as with<br />
all the best plans, a simple one:<br />
keep a rolling number of cabs on<br />
the rank, thus starving the scabs<br />
of work. Via Twitter, the word is<br />
sent out if the numbers need<br />
replenishing, and in general this<br />
works well. For the first two and<br />
a half hours the numbers flowed<br />
freely, and I believe that the taxis<br />
h<strong>ad</strong> 90% of the work, some of<br />
which was very lucrative. It is<br />
important to remember that<br />
every job deprives the touts of<br />
work, and ultimately the clubs<br />
may stop paying retainers.<br />
Scab city<br />
During the three hours or so that<br />
we sat there, City of London<br />
parking enforcement arrived<br />
twice. The effect was<br />
remarkable. Every single scab<br />
disappeared into thin air (aka<br />
round the corner I daresay). The<br />
enforcement people don’t have to<br />
do anything other than appear –<br />
their presence is sufficient to<br />
make a tangible difference, and,<br />
as an outsider, I can’t help<br />
wondering whether more of<br />
them in their camera cars, rather<br />
than the laborious procedure<br />
undertaken by TfL’s Operation<br />
Neon, might not serve a more<br />
useful purpose from the tr<strong>ad</strong>e’s<br />
point of view.<br />
As the night wore on, the<br />
numbers at the Forge thinned out<br />
and work slowed down, so we<br />
went on to Beduin. Here I<br />
witnessed something that I found<br />
really interesting. When we<br />
arrived the place was crammed<br />
with minicabs and the taxis were<br />
squeezed off the rank. However,<br />
the clipboard Johnny was inside<br />
the club because standing to the<br />
side of the entrance were two TfL<br />
compliance officers. So far so<br />
good, but to my astonishment<br />
they were running b<strong>ad</strong>ge and bill<br />
checks. It was nearly 3am and<br />
we were sitting slap bang in the<br />
middle of scab city.<br />
We did a couple of passes in<br />
the Advan and, cynical though I<br />
may be, I think it was this that<br />
finally shamed them into<br />
approaching a couple of minicabs.<br />
I have no doubt this will be<br />
included as an enforcement<br />
success in a forthcoming report,<br />
but from my civilian standpoint, I<br />
have to say that the only<br />
explanation I can see for this<br />
behaviour is that black cabs make<br />
an easy target.<br />
At 3.30am we called it a day.<br />
The Mayfair Mob seemed<br />
justifiably happy with their<br />
night’s achievements. I know that<br />
I have said this before, but every<br />
time I have seen a row of orange<br />
lights outside these venues, I have<br />
also seen large numbers of<br />
punters keenly getting in. Of<br />
course there will still be plenty<br />
using trendy apps or touts, but if<br />
the taxis are visible they will be<br />
taken. The Mob and the Advan<br />
are making the most of teamwork,<br />
camar<strong>ad</strong>erie and modern<br />
technology, and I for one<br />
applaud them. n<br />
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T: + 44 (0) 203 667 5600<br />
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Every single scab dissapeared into thin air
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 11 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 13
14 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 15<br />
GET SPOTTED!<br />
Awesome for Andrew and Delightful for Dave<br />
The summer may have<br />
turned overcast and grey<br />
but that doesn’t stop our<br />
eager diary watchers getting out<br />
amongst the ranks.<br />
Our spotters like nothing more<br />
than hitting the streets with a<br />
fistful of Marks and Spencer<br />
vouchers to hand out to our members<br />
Dave Emberton was surprised and<br />
delighted when our man sprang from<br />
the sh<strong>ad</strong>ows and handed him £150<br />
worth of vouchers for having his<br />
LTDA diary on display.<br />
He said: “Thanks very<br />
much – that’s a result, it has<br />
£150<br />
DIARY WATCH<br />
M&S vouchers<br />
m<strong>ad</strong>e my night.”<br />
Andrew MacDonald was equally<br />
delighted when our spotters saw he<br />
h<strong>ad</strong> his LTDA diary on show in the<br />
windscreen and thrust £150 worth<br />
of vouchers into his palm.<br />
He said: “That’s brilliant.<br />
Its a nice bonus, i’ll look<br />
forward to spending these.”<br />
Each year we give away almost<br />
£8,000 worth of vouchers, so the<br />
odds of being a winner are pretty<br />
good. Just make sure you display<br />
your LTDA membership diary,<br />
and tax disc holder if you still<br />
have one, and let us do the rest.<br />
Andrew: “Result”<br />
Dave: “Brilliant”
16 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
[FIRST TWO MONTHS FREE FOR NEW MEMBERS]<br />
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SOCIETY TO PAY DIRECT DEBITS:<br />
To the manager of<br />
Address<br />
1. Please write the name and full postal <strong>ad</strong>dress of your<br />
branch in the spaces above.<br />
2. Name of account holder<br />
3. Account number<br />
4. Bank sort code<br />
Date<br />
5. Your instructions to the Bank/ Building<br />
Society, and signature:<br />
• I instruct you to pay direct debits from my account<br />
at the request of the LTDA LTD.<br />
• The amounts are variable and may be debited<br />
on various dates.<br />
• I understand that the LTDA LTD may change<br />
amounts and dates only after giving me prior notice.<br />
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Phone 0207 286 1046 now!<br />
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More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 17<br />
LETTERS<br />
STAR LETTER<br />
Touched by your kindness<br />
The other night I was cycling<br />
home through Battersea Park<br />
when a cat ran out in front of me.<br />
Swerving to avoid it, I hit the curb<br />
and went arse over elbow and<br />
ended up decorating the pavement<br />
with my face. Cut, bruised and<br />
with a broken toe, I was helped to<br />
the roundabout by a passing<br />
cyclist. A black cab pulled over, he<br />
was on his way home but said he<br />
would drop me at a taxi rank<br />
for free.<br />
At the taxi rank I was picked up<br />
by Mick 73535. He took me all the<br />
way to Putney from Battersea, after<br />
checking if I wanted to be taken to<br />
Hobson’s Choice?<br />
Iam no antediluvian Neanderthal<br />
and I don’t take card fares. I used to.<br />
Over a year ago, the company that<br />
handled the transactions went into<br />
<strong>ad</strong>ministration and I lost several weeks’<br />
worth of card payments. Since then I<br />
have only taken cash and guess what?<br />
In spite of what all the card pushers say,<br />
there has been no downturn in my<br />
business. The number of fares that I<br />
have h<strong>ad</strong> to turn away has been<br />
minimal (probably less than one a<br />
month). Furthermore, twice last year<br />
my bank cancelled my debit card due to<br />
illicit transactions on my account. If I<br />
h<strong>ad</strong> been taking card fares access to that<br />
money would have been difficult as it<br />
would have gone straight to my<br />
account. As I was taking cash, the<br />
problem of accessing money was<br />
alleviated. I am not saying that taking<br />
cash is good and taking cards is b<strong>ad</strong>.<br />
They are just different ways of paying.<br />
Enough is enough<br />
Ihave been a London cabbie for over<br />
21 years, without a single complaint<br />
against me and with a completely<br />
clean driving licence, but the last nine<br />
months have been the worst I've ever<br />
known. My <strong>earnings</strong> are down at<br />
least 50%, and I’d like to see a freeze<br />
for six months on new licences being<br />
issued. No doubt <strong>Uber</strong> has taken a<br />
large chunk of the work away.<br />
The biggest problem though is the<br />
way London taxi drivers try to renew<br />
their licences every three years. I<br />
applied to renew mine in March, as it<br />
was due to run out in July, and I still<br />
have no licence. TfL, the DBS, the<br />
Government and police all blame<br />
each other for the delays, but in the<br />
mean time I am no longer allowed to<br />
do my job.<br />
I asked a local building firm for<br />
employment for a short time. TfL<br />
licensing intervened and said if I did<br />
the hospital. On the journey he<br />
kept checking if I was OK. When<br />
we arrived at my house, he said not<br />
to worry about the fare, I tried my<br />
best to pay him but he would not<br />
have it. I was really touched by<br />
how friendly and kind he was. I<br />
was a mess and feeling a bit sorry<br />
for myself and his kind act m<strong>ad</strong>e<br />
me feel a whole lot better. I really<br />
appreciated his help and wanted to<br />
say the next time he is in Putney to<br />
let me know and I will by him a<br />
beer to say thanks.<br />
Mike Gethin<br />
07854415025<br />
As self-employed drivers, we have to<br />
run our own businesses and they<br />
stands or fall on the decisions we<br />
make. As someone one who runs his<br />
own business, I want the right to<br />
make my own decision whether I take<br />
card or cash or both. I do not want a<br />
regulator forcing me to make a<br />
decision which has proved disastrous<br />
for me in the past. If anyone really<br />
doubts that cash is king, let them ask<br />
the people of Greece!<br />
Furthermore, if TfL believes that it<br />
is a good thing for the customer to be<br />
given a choice, then let it first extend<br />
that policy to its own buses. Recently,<br />
my wife got on a bus but h<strong>ad</strong><br />
forgotten her Oyster card. She h<strong>ad</strong><br />
plenty of cash but was not allowed to<br />
pay and h<strong>ad</strong> to get off the bus. Where<br />
was the choice for the customer?<br />
David Barrett<br />
B<strong>ad</strong>ge 54776<br />
any work I would be doing so<br />
illegally and would be liable for<br />
prosecution, which would be<br />
considered when making a decision<br />
about my new licence.<br />
I have now h<strong>ad</strong> to sign on, which<br />
broke my heart. No one would take<br />
me on anyway, as I can't say how long<br />
I would be staying (even London<br />
Underground turned me down). Now<br />
I'm due to have my benefits stopped<br />
but still have to pay my rent, child<br />
benefits, utility bills, food and<br />
council tax.<br />
I've been on anti-depressant tablets<br />
for the past week and honestly believe<br />
if this is allowed to carry on, Boris<br />
Johnson and TfL will have blood on<br />
their hands, when a London cabbie<br />
loses his home and can't pay the rent.<br />
Enough is enough.<br />
David Barrett<br />
B<strong>ad</strong>ge 54776<br />
A lovely Surprise<br />
We h<strong>ad</strong> a lovely surprise<br />
at St Andrew's Youth<br />
Club today. We received a<br />
cheque for £100 from a man<br />
who h<strong>ad</strong> left his phone in a<br />
black cab. The driver h<strong>ad</strong><br />
returned the phone to him<br />
and when offered a reward,<br />
just asked the man to donate<br />
it to us! No idea who this<br />
lovely driver is and we have<br />
all guessed and guessed. We<br />
would just like to say<br />
THANK YOU VERY MUCH<br />
from all of us.<br />
We are the world's oldest<br />
youth club and due to<br />
celebrate 150 years’ service<br />
to young people next year.<br />
Below is a link to our<br />
website if you would like to<br />
know more about us.<br />
http://www.standrewsclub.<br />
com/<br />
Linda Llewellyn,<br />
St Andrew's Club<br />
Westminster<br />
Wonderful Man<br />
My name is Lyn<br />
Westlake. Recently I<br />
was in London in a taxi.<br />
After getting out, I realised<br />
that I’d left behind all my<br />
flight tickets, itinerary and<br />
some Waterford crystal. We<br />
tried to get the motel to<br />
phone someone and were<br />
quite distressed. Before they<br />
could reach anyone, the<br />
driver came back with our<br />
things. He went above and<br />
beyond the call of duty. I<br />
wish to commend him for<br />
his honesty and<br />
compassion. His number is<br />
60911. Please pass on our<br />
gratitude to this wonderful<br />
man.<br />
Lyn Westlake<br />
Times they are a<br />
Changin’<br />
Irecently picked up a<br />
passenger through the Gett<br />
taxi app. The gentleman used to<br />
be a <strong>Uber</strong> customer and, as<br />
usual with ex-<strong>Uber</strong> users, he<br />
said the service was terrible. He<br />
said the taxi tr<strong>ad</strong>e should<br />
highlight the good deeds done<br />
by cab drivers, especially the<br />
voluntary work. I agreed totally,<br />
but we have to go further. We<br />
need to get across the<br />
uniqueness of the London taxi<br />
tr<strong>ad</strong>e. There is a generation of<br />
young Londoners with no idea<br />
what we have to go through to<br />
get our licenses. The “Cash<br />
Only” merchants should come<br />
into the real world. Technology<br />
is here to stay and the younger<br />
generation have embraced it and<br />
so should we.<br />
But that's not all: clean cabs<br />
and drivers are essential. I've<br />
seen some out there that<br />
wouldn't look out of place on<br />
Benefits Street. Politeness is<br />
essential: the customer is always<br />
right even when they're wrong.<br />
Drop them off, wipe your mouth<br />
and move on. It's a changing<br />
world, let’s not get left behind.<br />
Ray Morgan<br />
Thanks<br />
to LTC<br />
I<br />
’ve been<br />
a London<br />
Taxi Driver<br />
for 35 years, and<br />
have h<strong>ad</strong> my fair share of<br />
problems with the quality of cabs<br />
and providers.<br />
However, having recently<br />
purchased a cab from the London<br />
Taxi Company that was not to my<br />
satisfaction, I cannot be happier<br />
with the response and the<br />
enormous effort from the<br />
management and ground staff in<br />
assisting me, ensuring that my<br />
problems were resolved. Thanks<br />
to LTC for thinking of the<br />
customer.<br />
G.Fairman<br />
B<strong>ad</strong>ge 51366<br />
Do you have a gripe you want to raise or know someone in the tr<strong>ad</strong>e that deserves praise?<br />
Contact us at editor@ltda.co.uk or Taxi House, 11 Woodfield Rd, London W9 2BA
18 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
THE BIG ONE!<br />
The membership of the LTDA is 40 times greater<br />
than some other driver organisations!<br />
HERE’S WHY...<br />
CAUTION<br />
The LTDA legal service is<br />
the only tr<strong>ad</strong>e scheme which<br />
defends members for ALL<br />
alleged offences (traffic,<br />
hackney or criminal), anytime,<br />
anywhere in the UK. Non<br />
members are <strong>ad</strong>vised to<br />
check carefully the exceptions<br />
and exclusions contained<br />
or imposed by other<br />
legal protection schemes<br />
circulating in our tr<strong>ad</strong>e.<br />
BADGESAFE SCHEME<br />
The LTDA retains experienced<br />
barristers with specialist knowledge<br />
of the London cab tr<strong>ad</strong>e. Normally<br />
when drivers accumulate 12 points on<br />
their licence they receive an automatic<br />
6 month ban, but in the case of<br />
LTDA members over 90% of those<br />
represented by our barristers receive a<br />
ban of just 1 month or in most cases<br />
no ban whatsoever.<br />
EXPERTISE = SUCCESS<br />
The LTDA’s in-house lawyers are<br />
proud of their unrivalled record of court<br />
triumphs; in fact the rate of acquittals<br />
for members defended<br />
in court by the LTDA is 4 times<br />
higher than the national average. This<br />
unparalleled level of success is due<br />
entirely to the expertise acquired by the<br />
LTDA over many years of specialising<br />
in cab related legal matters.<br />
YOUR FUTURE<br />
The LTDA remains the only tr<strong>ad</strong>e<br />
body resolutely opposed to the<br />
computerisation of the Knowledge of<br />
London testing system.<br />
(No to the quickie Knowledge<br />
campaign).<br />
INLAND REVENUE<br />
ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE<br />
Many drivers and accountants refer<br />
to the LTDA for specialist <strong>ad</strong>vice on<br />
Inland Revenue investigations.<br />
(Free to members).<br />
SICKNESS AND<br />
ACCIDENT PROTECTION<br />
When trouble strikes it’s comforting<br />
to know that you’ve got the strength<br />
of the LTDA around you. (Additional<br />
subscription payable).<br />
LTDA HOLIDAY CLUB<br />
Many members have saved<br />
thousands of pounds by taking<br />
<strong>ad</strong>vantage of special offers and prices<br />
(members only).<br />
WIN £5,000 EVERY<br />
MONTH IN THE<br />
LTDA LOTTERY<br />
12 big prizes every year, but you have<br />
to be in it to win it (members only £5<br />
per entry).<br />
ACCESS TO<br />
‘SIMPLY HEALTH’<br />
Great value health care from<br />
the LTDA. The Association pioneered<br />
this scheme in the taxi tr<strong>ad</strong>e and it<br />
still offers the cheapest rates. (Special<br />
rates for LTDA members only).<br />
HEATHROW OFFICE AND<br />
REPRESENTATION<br />
Call in to the LTDA office at Heathrow,<br />
first door on the right in the canteen<br />
block. The LTDA’s representatives will<br />
give you a warm welcome. (Open to all).<br />
WELFARE DEPARTMENT<br />
LTDA officers make home visits to<br />
members who are in severe distress<br />
or with special needs and authorise<br />
contingency payments where<br />
appropriate.<br />
RANKS AND HIGHWAYS<br />
REPRESENTATION<br />
The LTDA has negotiated taxi access<br />
to most bus lanes and le<strong>ad</strong>s the way<br />
negotiating on issues that affect you,<br />
the licensed taxi driver.<br />
GENERAL ADVICE<br />
If you are new to the tr<strong>ad</strong>e and you<br />
don’t know your `ro<strong>ad</strong>er’ from your<br />
`legal’, give us a call. We’re always here<br />
to help. (Tel: 020 7286 1046 - non<br />
members are welcome to call).<br />
24 HOUR TOUT LINE<br />
Seen a tout in action? Take the details<br />
and phone them in, we will do the rest.<br />
(Tel: 020 7266 4769).<br />
HEALTH AND SPORTS<br />
PROMOTION<br />
We regularly run promotions with<br />
le<strong>ad</strong>ing health and sports companies<br />
resulting in big savings to members.<br />
LEISURE DISCOUNTS<br />
Huge savings on weekend breaks at fine<br />
hotels and holiday centres. You will not<br />
believe these prices! (Members only).<br />
VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS<br />
Continually representing members’<br />
interests in disputes with vehicle<br />
manufacturers and suppliers.<br />
AUTHORITIES AND MEDIA<br />
The LTDA is the largest and most<br />
respected driver organisation in<br />
the tr<strong>ad</strong>e. We le<strong>ad</strong> the way when<br />
negotiating with the Government,<br />
GLA, TfL, Police, Mayor’s Office,<br />
Heathrow, Rail Authorities, Local<br />
Councils and when dealing with all<br />
sections of the media.<br />
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE<br />
Many cab drivers are discovering to<br />
their cost that their licences are at<br />
risk due to the TfL’s interpretation<br />
of the new DVLA Group 2 Medical<br />
Standards. The LTDA has successfully<br />
challenged many decisions by the<br />
TfL to revoke members’ licences on<br />
medical grounds.<br />
FANTASTIC VALUE<br />
LTDA subscriptions have not<br />
increased for 14 years! It costs just 4<br />
quid a week to join the tr<strong>ad</strong>e’s biggest<br />
organisation and 3 quid of that is tax<br />
deductible!<br />
(Payable monthly).<br />
To learn more about LTDA benefits and current joining offers<br />
call: 020 7286 1046 or visit www.ltda.co.uk
Y<br />
P<br />
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 19<br />
Taxi Talk<br />
WHAT A LOAD OF<br />
BALLOTS!<br />
ALF TOWNSEND<br />
Strikes and bike “races” brought London to a standstill again, causing misery for millions<br />
What a jolly time we London<br />
cabbies have h<strong>ad</strong> recently<br />
with all the many ro<strong>ad</strong><br />
closures and the unbearable heavy<br />
traffic! I’ve got no problem if thousands<br />
of keen bikers want to register and take<br />
part in the RideLondon event. If they<br />
want to cycle from east London to the<br />
green grass of Box Hill in Surrey and<br />
back again – around 100 miles – then<br />
good luck to them: it’s not exactly my<br />
idea of a restful Saturday.<br />
What I do object to most strongly<br />
was the mass closure of swathes of<br />
arterial ro<strong>ad</strong>s and Thames bridges<br />
which brought our great city to a<br />
standstill. Not forgetting all the little<br />
towns and villages south of the river<br />
which rely on the weekends for income<br />
from visitors to the busy farmers’<br />
markets, shops and restaurants. I saw<br />
some of the TV footage from these<br />
places and they were just like ghost<br />
towns. God knows how much it cost<br />
these local businesses!<br />
Let’s try and get this shambles into<br />
perspective. Saturday wasn’t even a<br />
race, just a horde of Lycra-cl<strong>ad</strong> bikers<br />
out for a long spin. Okay, so Sunday<br />
was a race with some well-known<br />
professionals, but it wasn’t exactly the<br />
Tour de France was it? One of Boris’s<br />
jobs is supposed to be to keep London<br />
moving safely, but if he was the prime<br />
mover in this latest debacle, then I<br />
reckon he is in breach of that duty.<br />
Upper-class people like the Mayor live<br />
in another world from us peasants,<br />
they think up these “jolly good ideas”<br />
with no thought of the outcome to<br />
thousands of ordinary Londoners!<br />
I m<strong>ad</strong>e an effort to go out on the<br />
Sunday during the bike race, but it was<br />
absolutly manic out on the streets. I<br />
started at Marylebone with a little<br />
family and their granny in a<br />
wheelchair wanting to go to the<br />
science museum. Hyde Park was solid<br />
because they h<strong>ad</strong> closed Park Lane and<br />
diverted all the traffic, but worse was<br />
to come. When you finally reached<br />
Victoria Gate the ol’Bill was diverting<br />
all traffic to the right. I h<strong>ad</strong> the temerity<br />
to tell one of these planks that I h<strong>ad</strong> a<br />
disabled old l<strong>ad</strong>y on board and ask if I<br />
could drop her off at the science<br />
museum? He looked at me as if I was<br />
something nasty stuck to the bottom of<br />
his shoe and replied in a toneless voice,<br />
“turn right cabbie.”<br />
I got chatting to a fellow driver later<br />
whilst on the Park Lane Hilton rank<br />
and he said he was lucky enough – or<br />
unlucky enough as it turned out - to<br />
get a fare to Heathrow earlier. All the<br />
west-bound traffic was diverted south<br />
of Cromwell Ro<strong>ad</strong> – with no right<br />
turns all the way to Fulham Palace<br />
Ro<strong>ad</strong>. The traffic was not moving at all<br />
because the Hammersmith flyover h<strong>ad</strong><br />
been closed – as h<strong>ad</strong> the A4 as far as<br />
the Chiswick roundabout. So the<br />
cabbie h<strong>ad</strong> to apologise to his<br />
passengers and drop them off at<br />
Baron’s Court station! As for me, after<br />
taking over an hour from the Hilton to<br />
Charing Cross, with an embarrassing<br />
amount on the clock, I turned it in!<br />
A few days after that shambles, we<br />
h<strong>ad</strong> the second Tube strike and more<br />
chaos with an estimated loss to<br />
London of £300m! My son Nick came<br />
round to see his old d<strong>ad</strong>, cook him a<br />
decent meal and crash out until some<br />
ungodly hour in the morning. Nick is<br />
an active member of UNITE at<br />
Heathrow, so his views on the strike<br />
differ to mine, with the discussion<br />
getting quite heated. He reckons that<br />
the Tube drivers shouldn’t be forced<br />
into working nights when their<br />
original contracts didn’t state so, and<br />
that the Tube bosses are holding a gun<br />
to their he<strong>ad</strong>s by talking about a start<br />
date of September 12. That’s a valid<br />
view, which I’ll go along with up to a<br />
point, especially as Tube bosses have<br />
approached this situation like a herd of<br />
wild elephants and with about as<br />
much diplomacy as stamping on an<br />
HOL<br />
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unions!<br />
But I’ve got a different take on this<br />
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there must be at least a 50% turnout<br />
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Before agreeing to weekend night<br />
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Crow is still with us!<br />
I’m reliably informed that there was<br />
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m<strong>ad</strong>e a change, but I’m afraid I<br />
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20 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
London Taxis<br />
it’s in our Blood<br />
Run by a Taxi driver for the Taxi tr<strong>ad</strong>e.<br />
<br />
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0208 127 8419
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 21<br />
NEWS<br />
Taxi history book giveaway<br />
Entertainment<br />
A teacher inspired by his late cab driver<br />
father-in-law has written “the complete<br />
history of the British taxi service” and<br />
re<strong>ad</strong>ers have the chance get their hands<br />
on a free copy.<br />
Danny Roth in fact teaches English<br />
and mathematics, but became interested<br />
in the taxi industry thanks to Lawrence<br />
Grant, or ‘Pebbles’ as he was known in<br />
the tr<strong>ad</strong>e because of the shape of his<br />
spectacles, who s<strong>ad</strong>ly died in 2005.<br />
His inspirational stories led to Where<br />
to, Guv? which charts the birth of<br />
cabbing thousands of years ago,<br />
through Victorian times to the present,<br />
and takes a look into the future.<br />
It covers the parliamentary acts that<br />
govern the tr<strong>ad</strong>e and the various taxis<br />
and businesses, many of which are<br />
nothing more than a distant memory,<br />
the Knowledge and much more.<br />
Danny, who has also written books<br />
about the card game bridge, said: “I<br />
hope re<strong>ad</strong>ers will be fascinated to watch the<br />
progress of the tr<strong>ad</strong>e as it ran in line with<br />
that of history in general – war and peace,<br />
economic boom and recession, seasonal and<br />
long-term weather variations and the like.<br />
“History gives many clues as to the way<br />
things have gone and are going and thus<br />
provide, a guide to the future which I<br />
discuss briefly towards the end.”<br />
Minicab flip smash<br />
Ro<strong>ad</strong>s<br />
A minicab driver managed to flip a car<br />
on its roof during a crash outside<br />
south Wimbledon tube station.<br />
The driver is believed to have hit a<br />
kerb in the car after clipping a pillar in<br />
the run up to the accident.<br />
The area has become something<br />
of a blackspot for Prius drivers, a<br />
witness said.<br />
The Toyota Prius rolled onto its roof<br />
as onlookers watched in horror at<br />
around 5pm on Saturday, August 15.<br />
The driver was taken to hospital<br />
after the accident and treated for<br />
minor injuries.<br />
One eyewitness said: "He was<br />
driving from Kingston Ro<strong>ad</strong> turning<br />
right into Morden Ro<strong>ad</strong> and as he<br />
turned there's a bollard.<br />
"The car clipped that and tilted over.<br />
It's happened twice around here.<br />
"The driver was injured and taken to<br />
hospital."<br />
He <strong>ad</strong>ded that the the last driver<br />
to clip the safety pillar was also a<br />
Prius driver.<br />
Author Danny Roth<br />
TAXI has three copies of<br />
“Where to, Guv?” to<br />
giveaway. Simply email<br />
your name and <strong>ad</strong>dress to<br />
editor@ltda.co.uk or write on<br />
the back of an envelope and<br />
post it to TAXI House,<br />
11 Woodfield Ro<strong>ad</strong>, London,<br />
W9 2BA, by September 8, to<br />
be included in the draw<br />
“The flipping accident in Wimbledon.”<br />
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22 TAXI |25AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 23<br />
CAUGHT ON CAMERA<br />
Crash, bang,<br />
wallop ...<br />
Our Caught on Camera<br />
inbox was once again filled<br />
with a fine and varied<br />
selection of pictures showing the<br />
m<strong>ad</strong>ness on London’s ro<strong>ad</strong>s.<br />
This week’s winner bags<br />
themselves £30 for the for the<br />
photo of the hearse with the<br />
warning to any potential Burke<br />
and Hares – we thought it was<br />
de<strong>ad</strong> funny.<br />
There are always a high number<br />
of crackers and we try to use as<br />
many as we can.<br />
As you should know by now,<br />
the winning snap is worth £30,<br />
which is not b<strong>ad</strong> for a few<br />
seconds work.<br />
Keep your eyes peeled and your<br />
cameras, or mobile phones, at<br />
the re<strong>ad</strong>y.<br />
Send your entries to us via the<br />
MMS line on 07908 640017 or<br />
email them to editor@ltda.co.uk<br />
THE<br />
WINNING<br />
PIC!<br />
£30 PRIZE!<br />
De<strong>ad</strong> funny!<br />
“Tube strikes won’t beat me.”<br />
<strong>Uber</strong> sunk again!<br />
“Anyone know a good tailor?”<br />
Is anybody listening?<br />
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24 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
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More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 25<br />
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26 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 27<br />
Cruel Capital<br />
DRESSED TO<br />
STEAL<br />
ROBERT LORDAN London cabbie and tour guide<br />
David Martin was a villain whose prison escapes earned him the nickname Houdini<br />
When it came to ev<strong>ad</strong>ing<br />
the law, few could match<br />
David Martin, a bright<br />
but dangerous criminal who<br />
wrought havoc across London<br />
during the early 1980s.<br />
Although he’d taken a keen<br />
interest in electronics and trained<br />
as a mechanic in his teens, Martin<br />
despised authority and turned to<br />
robbery, landing himself<br />
numerous spells in borstal and<br />
prison throughout the late 1960s<br />
and early 70s.<br />
During this period he m<strong>ad</strong>e<br />
four successful escape attempts<br />
and, even though some were short<br />
lived- such as the time he broke<br />
out of Brixton prison and was<br />
recaptured on Brixton Hill<br />
attempting to hail a taxi - guards<br />
were quick to dub him Martin<br />
‘Houdini’.<br />
When he wasn't plotting<br />
escapes, Martin would immerse<br />
himself in technical study,<br />
absorbing information which<br />
would greatly benefit his future<br />
criminal career.<br />
Most wanted man<br />
By 1982, David Martin was free<br />
and renting a flat on Crawford<br />
Place. He h<strong>ad</strong> also become a<br />
transvestite, which would prove<br />
to be a most useful cover.<br />
As well as women’s clothes,<br />
Martin h<strong>ad</strong> also developed a taste<br />
for firearms and in July 1982 he<br />
used his electronic expertise to<br />
crack the security system of<br />
Thomas Bland & Sons, a gun shop<br />
then located in New Row, Covent<br />
Garden. More than 1,000 rounds<br />
of ammo and 24 handguns were<br />
seized in the robbery, most of<br />
which Martin stashed in a<br />
Selfridges safety deposit box.<br />
Soon after, Martin carried out<br />
an armed raid in the City while<br />
dressed as a woman and packing<br />
a gun in his handbag. During the<br />
heist, he shot a security guard and<br />
netted £25,000.<br />
Now looking to establish<br />
himself in the burgeoning video<br />
piracy scene, Martin began<br />
breaking into cinemas to steal<br />
master reels, and into film labs<br />
where, in the de<strong>ad</strong> of night, he’d<br />
“borrow” sophisticated equipment<br />
to churn out hooky copies of the<br />
latest Hollywood blockbusters.<br />
It was whilst sneaking into a<br />
film lab on Portman Street that<br />
he was cornered. Resisting<br />
arrest, Martin m<strong>ad</strong>e a break,<br />
firing three shots, one of which<br />
struck constable Nick Carr who<br />
required life-saving surgery.<br />
After receiving a tip off in<br />
September 1982, the Met placed<br />
Martin’s Crawford Place<br />
apartment under surveillance.<br />
For days the only person<br />
associated with the <strong>ad</strong>dress<br />
appeared to be a “good-looking<br />
woman” with long hair…. it was<br />
only Martin’s ‘Roman’ nose that<br />
eventually gave the game away.<br />
Realising they h<strong>ad</strong> their man,<br />
officers moved in, le<strong>ad</strong>ing to a<br />
scuffle in which Martin was shot<br />
in the neck.<br />
After recovering from surgery<br />
to remove the bullet, the crossdressing<br />
armed-robber was<br />
taken to Marlborough Street<br />
Magistrates’ Court (now the<br />
Courthouse Hotel) for a brief<br />
hearing on Christmas Eve 1982,<br />
after which he was placed in a<br />
holding cell to await transport to<br />
Brixton prison.<br />
Taking a small piece of metal<br />
he’d hidden in his hair, Martin<br />
picked the cell’s lock, slipped<br />
into the corridor and escaped<br />
through a skylight.<br />
Clambering over the rooftops,<br />
he located a service door to the<br />
Pall<strong>ad</strong>ium, allowing him to<br />
access the foyer and slip out into<br />
the crowds of Christmas<br />
shoppers. David Martin was<br />
now Britain’s most wanted man.<br />
Tragic<br />
His escape h<strong>ad</strong> tragic<br />
consequences on January 14,<br />
1983, when 26 year old Stephen<br />
Waldorf was shot five times by<br />
police after being mistaken for<br />
the fugitive whilst driving his<br />
mini through heavy traffic on<br />
Pembroke Ro<strong>ad</strong>. Luckily,<br />
Waldorf survived.<br />
Soon after on the evening of<br />
the 28th, Martin was spotted on<br />
Heath Street. As police m<strong>ad</strong>e<br />
their move, the fugitive fled<br />
towards Hampste<strong>ad</strong> tube station<br />
and sprinted over 300 steps down<br />
to the platform where he boarded<br />
a train, barged his way past the<br />
driver and ran onto the tracks.<br />
The Flying Squ<strong>ad</strong> was not far<br />
behind and soon cornered Martin<br />
in the tunnel close to Belsize Park<br />
station. When searched,<br />
detectives found a tiny pen-knife<br />
stuck to the roof of his mouth<br />
with chewing gum.<br />
After his trial at the Old Bailey<br />
in Autumn 1983, Martin was<br />
sentenced to 25 years and sent to<br />
Parkhurst where he h<strong>ad</strong> a brief<br />
relationship with the serial killer,<br />
Dennis Nilsen, who he told, “if I<br />
cannot get out of here I will kill<br />
myself.”<br />
True to his word, David Martin<br />
committed suicide just months<br />
later in March 1984. n<br />
Cross dressing crook David Martin
28 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
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More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 29<br />
NEWS<br />
Promoting the taxi tr<strong>ad</strong>e<br />
London<br />
The landscape of taxi travel in<br />
London has evolved in recent<br />
years, with private hire<br />
companies entering the market<br />
and bringing great change to<br />
London’s taxi offering. As a<br />
result, London’s black taxi tr<strong>ad</strong>e<br />
now finds itself under pressure in<br />
its home market, from<br />
organisations that are prepared to<br />
offer a lower quality service at a<br />
lower price. Despite many<br />
thousands of black taxi<br />
supporters voicing their concern<br />
regarding TfL’s stance that <strong>Uber</strong><br />
is acting within the law, it<br />
remains the case that London’s<br />
cabbies and their families<br />
continue to bear the brunt of<br />
these challenging times.<br />
Across London and beyond,<br />
there’s a call to arms by the<br />
<strong>ad</strong>vocates of London’s world<br />
famous taxi service, that black<br />
cabs need the support of the<br />
people. In <strong>ad</strong>dition, the tr<strong>ad</strong>e<br />
needs some positive publicity that<br />
reinforces the value of the<br />
Knowledge, plus the very fact<br />
that London’s cabbies put<br />
themselves through extensive<br />
training at personal expense and<br />
undergo comprehensive testing<br />
and interviewing by TfL, to<br />
obtain a Hackney Carriage<br />
licence, <strong>ad</strong>ds great value<br />
to the black cab<br />
offering and is the<br />
reason why<br />
London’s taxis<br />
are the envy of<br />
the world.<br />
Such is the<br />
concern, that<br />
many people,<br />
particularly<br />
within the cab<br />
tr<strong>ad</strong>e, have been<br />
motivated to<br />
create action<br />
groups<br />
supporting<br />
the cab tr<strong>ad</strong>e,<br />
gathering many<br />
followers across social networks<br />
and in central London support<br />
rallies. These groups share a<br />
common concern, but in order to<br />
gain powerful momentum they<br />
must be united behind a<br />
common strategy – one body,<br />
one voice, commanding great<br />
authority.<br />
At the same time, there is an<br />
urgent need to evolve<br />
London’s taxi tr<strong>ad</strong>e so<br />
that it’s future-proof<br />
and re<strong>ad</strong>y to<br />
respond to<br />
market<br />
influences.<br />
Recent<br />
<strong>ad</strong>vances such<br />
as black taxi<br />
hailing apps<br />
have opened<br />
up new revenue<br />
streams for<br />
drivers and<br />
have helped<br />
them to<br />
compete<br />
against similar<br />
private hire apps.<br />
This year we will likely see the<br />
mandating of card payment<br />
facilities in black cabs – a<br />
decision that has been long<br />
overdue and will enable people<br />
to hail taxis more freely,<br />
without having to rely on<br />
having cash to hand. It’s key for<br />
the longevity and stability of<br />
the black cab tr<strong>ad</strong>e that it<br />
continues to evolve and<br />
embrace change.<br />
So, to kick-start the campaign<br />
to champion London’s terrific<br />
black taxis, Ubiquitous and the<br />
LTDA will be inviting a cross of<br />
industry stakeholders to a<br />
roundtable discussion to be<br />
held at Taxi House in<br />
September. Our aim is to create<br />
a unified body set on delivering<br />
a tr<strong>ad</strong>e and public focused<br />
campaign to champion and<br />
promote the black cab tr<strong>ad</strong>e, at<br />
home and abro<strong>ad</strong>. This will<br />
require organisation,<br />
agreement, money, creativity,<br />
publicity and strategic thought.<br />
It will be a challenge, but if all<br />
voices are united behind it, it<br />
will be a challenge worthy of<br />
London’s taxi tr<strong>ad</strong>e and with<br />
the drivers and families at the<br />
heart of it. Watch this space!<br />
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30 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 31<br />
NEWS<br />
More Tube strikes ahe<strong>ad</strong><br />
Transport<br />
London Underground workers have<br />
announced plans for two more 24<br />
hour strikes over nightshift rotas<br />
drawn up for the new night Tube.<br />
A split has emerged between the<br />
unions as Aslef train drivers have<br />
said they may not take part in the<br />
two walkouts, scheduled for August<br />
25 and 27, in the hope of securing<br />
a deal.<br />
City Hall has hinted that it may be<br />
forced to delay the introduction of<br />
the 24 hour transport services from<br />
Workers are opposed to “rosters from hell”<br />
the current start date of Saturday,<br />
September 12.<br />
Union le<strong>ad</strong>ers have said that<br />
employees are angry that their<br />
“work/life balance” will be affected<br />
and their home lives will be<br />
“wrecked” by the new shift patterns,<br />
which have been dubbed the “rosters<br />
from hell.”<br />
Even without Aslef, any stoppages<br />
would cause considerable disruption<br />
across London – it is unlikely that<br />
any Aslef drivers would cross the<br />
picket line.<br />
Most signallers belong to the RMT<br />
and would likely join the strike,<br />
meaning the Tube would be unable<br />
to run.<br />
TfL claims that demands imposed<br />
by the unions would cost £1.4bn and<br />
hit Londoners with an extra 6.5% fare<br />
increase.<br />
The rise in fares would mean an<br />
annual zone 1-2 travel card<br />
immediately rising by £83 and an<br />
annual zone 1-6 travel card costing<br />
an extra £152. The unions dismissed<br />
the figures as scaremongering.<br />
The RMT said it h<strong>ad</strong> no option but<br />
to strike again although it remained<br />
open to discussion.<br />
London Underground's chief<br />
operating officer Steve Griffiths said<br />
in a bulletin sent to employees: "We<br />
have put forward a very fair, revised<br />
offer, which recognises not only the<br />
introduction of Night Tube services,<br />
but the work-life flexibility that we<br />
know is important to you.<br />
"We will continue to consult on<br />
rosters and you will be able to swap your<br />
shifts around.”<br />
The 24 walk-outs will begin at 9pm<br />
on Tuesday, August 25, and the same<br />
time on Thursday, August 27.<br />
Urgent Notice<br />
DRIVER LICENCE<br />
RENEWAL NOTICE<br />
If your licence expires in<br />
less than four months it<br />
is vital that you contact<br />
TPH on:<br />
0343 222 4444<br />
and request a renewal<br />
pack. Failure to do so<br />
could result in you being<br />
out of work<br />
Once the pack is received<br />
you must submit your<br />
application (especially<br />
the CRB disclosure<br />
application) A.S.A.P.<br />
Please refer to tph notices<br />
18/13 and 19/13 on their<br />
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32 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 33<br />
Two Fingers<br />
“JUMP UP ON<br />
THE KART”<br />
Al FRESCO<br />
Cutting loose on the go-kart track brings back memories of yesteryear<br />
At 40 miles an hour, the<br />
corner came towards me<br />
like a right hook. I saw it<br />
from the corner of my eye as the<br />
kart roared out of the left hand<br />
bend, bucked and lurched over the<br />
rutted concrete surface for a few<br />
straight yards, then doubled back<br />
into a right hairpin. I couldn’t<br />
duck it, and I couldn’t slow down.<br />
Inches off the ground, I hurled the<br />
kart around the corner, gripped<br />
the wheel like the front seat<br />
passenger on a runaway roller<br />
coaster, and tensed every muscle<br />
in my body for the inevitable. The<br />
safety bars and the banks of rubber<br />
tyres flashed past. The steering<br />
wheel juddered and shook in my<br />
clenched fists and the helmet - it<br />
clung to my he<strong>ad</strong> like the coil of a<br />
python wrapped around my skull<br />
- I entered into the finishing<br />
straight. Over the decibel searing<br />
sound of the souped up two<br />
stroke, I could hear the kids<br />
shouting ”go! Poppa Al,” as I<br />
focused on the left, then right<br />
chicane hurtling towards me.<br />
For me, anything associated<br />
with “rye,” usually comes<br />
equipped with a liberal smattering<br />
of cream cheese and fulsome<br />
ribbons of the best Scotch smoked<br />
salmon. But, here I was, at Rye<br />
House, Herts, the county seat of<br />
nascent F1 champion Lewis<br />
Hamilton’s legendary karting<br />
kindergarten, kitted out in crimson<br />
flash racing overalls, sinister<br />
balaclava, glossy black helmet and<br />
non-slip gloves. It was shame the<br />
racing overalls didn’t come with a<br />
non-slip arse, but you can’t have it<br />
all I suppose.<br />
Holy Grail<br />
Go-karts, schmo-karts, the fact that<br />
I learnt to drive, at about age 10,<br />
on the smoky, raucous mini gokart<br />
circuit at the side of Southend<br />
Pier, was just coincidental. To me,<br />
trips to Southend on Sea were<br />
sacrosanct. Peter Pan’s<br />
Playground; The Kursal; The fairy<br />
lights; the penny arc<strong>ad</strong>es and the<br />
wonky air guns, were incidental.<br />
The Holy Grail was the go-kart<br />
track. From the minute we arrived<br />
‘“on the ‘front,’” to the minute we<br />
filed back onto the charabanc, I<br />
groveled half crowns from my<br />
mum. I was vibrating from top to<br />
toe, and smelling like I’d sucked<br />
on a discarded fuel filter and been<br />
swimming in two-stroke. Not,<br />
that on the evening last week at<br />
Rye House, h<strong>ad</strong> I any intention of<br />
emulating Lewis’s attributes, i.e.<br />
motor racing accol<strong>ad</strong>es or<br />
glamorous girlfriends. My meagre<br />
wish was simply to stay pointing<br />
forward, finish the circuit - and in<br />
due course, unknot my wrists and<br />
shoulders, and above all, get my<br />
hearing and circulation back.<br />
The occasion was my grandson<br />
Sam’s 15th birthday bash.<br />
Magicians with coin and bunny<br />
tricks, discos and frenetic games<br />
in neon community halls are<br />
things of the past. Now, at Rye<br />
House, we’re talking “man<br />
versus machine versus man!”<br />
Mission Impossible<br />
Like every cabbie I’ve ever met,<br />
we pride ourselves on our driving<br />
skills. Forget the Knowledge,<br />
that’s only a part of the cabbing<br />
equation, it’s all about chucking<br />
the cab round corners, knowing<br />
the correct lanes to be in to<br />
maximise traffic flow, accurately<br />
judging speed and distance;<br />
anticipating/assessing the traffic<br />
“mood.”<br />
Go-karting allows you to toss<br />
all that out of the window. It’s<br />
invigorating and terrifying at the<br />
same time. Every cab driver<br />
should give it a go! It’s more like,<br />
switch on, rev up and maniacally,<br />
stamp the accelerator into the<br />
ground. For the first lap, I was<br />
looking for brake lights and hand<br />
signals; staying in lane and taking<br />
corners at a sensible speed;<br />
always conscious that something<br />
nasty might be just around the<br />
next corner. Sam’s mates, most of<br />
whom h<strong>ad</strong> never sat behind the<br />
wheel of anything more than a<br />
kiddie’s pedal car, drove with the<br />
abandon of a character out of the<br />
`Grand Theft Auto’ fantasy video<br />
game, coupled with Tom Cruise in<br />
the opening scene of the film<br />
Mission Impossible. They passed<br />
me on the inside, overtook me on<br />
the outside, scraped past on the<br />
nearside and left me shuffling on<br />
my backside as my aged rump did<br />
its best to absorb the constant<br />
seismic tremors, and my eyeballs<br />
ricocheted around inside my<br />
helmet.<br />
The 22 of us h<strong>ad</strong> the Rye House<br />
track to ourselves for an hour, but<br />
only 12 were allowed on it at any<br />
one time, so we split our stint into<br />
two half-hour sessions.<br />
I managed to last<br />
the first half hour<br />
and, truthfully,<br />
couldn’t wait<br />
for the<br />
QUALITY<br />
CABS<br />
AIR<br />
CONDITIONED<br />
marshal’s kart to flag us down.<br />
Whilst the remaining l<strong>ad</strong>s<br />
clambered into their designated<br />
karts, and birthday boy Sam and<br />
his 12 year old brother, Jack,<br />
prepared to motor on, I dragged<br />
myself back into the changing<br />
room. I was still in there when<br />
the second session piled in -<br />
buzzing excitedly like oversugared<br />
children at their skills<br />
and expertise, and no doubt<br />
amazed that they were still alive.<br />
They left me, with my shiny<br />
black helmet still wedged<br />
onto my skull, and still<br />
trying to get my glasses<br />
off my ears. And I<br />
couldn’t help<br />
wondering - if Lewis<br />
Hamilton h<strong>ad</strong> the same<br />
problem? n<br />
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34 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
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More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 35<br />
Licensed to Chat<br />
ON YER<br />
BIKE<br />
MUSHER MEG<br />
Boris bikes are a pain in the butt - quite literally when you’re forced to ride one<br />
As a cabbie I have been very<br />
close to Boris bikes more<br />
times than I can count, which<br />
is usually when they are zig zagging<br />
all over the ro<strong>ad</strong> and bouncing off<br />
the sides of the cab.<br />
But happily my bottom has never<br />
been in contact with one….. until<br />
earlier this week.<br />
My 17 year old niece Molly who<br />
lives up north is a superstar. Earlier<br />
this year she won a national prize<br />
for voluntary work, so I invited her<br />
to London for the day and said that<br />
as her proud auntie I would treat<br />
her to anything at all she wanted<br />
to do.<br />
Molly arrived at King’s Cross<br />
station at 9am, fizzing with<br />
excitement and a long list of mustdos<br />
in London. First stop was a visit<br />
to the beauty hall in Selfridges. On<br />
arrival, she was mobbed by reps<br />
from various beauty brands, while I<br />
was (mostly) ignored. Just one<br />
salesperson approached me. And<br />
she was flogging a woman’s<br />
face razor.<br />
Re<strong>ad</strong>er, I bought it. Facial hair is<br />
not just for fellas. I have alre<strong>ad</strong>y<br />
warned my chums that should I<br />
ever end up in a coma there has to<br />
be a visiting rota. My orders are that<br />
one of them must visit daily, not<br />
with grapes, but with tweezers for<br />
my chin.<br />
Back out on Oxford Street my<br />
niece was thrilled silly with her big<br />
yellow bag full of make-up. I asked<br />
her “what’s next?” And she<br />
squealed, “a Boris bike please,<br />
auntie Meg.”<br />
I tried changing her mind. I<br />
“A BORIS BIKE PLEASE,<br />
”<br />
AUNTIE MEG.”<br />
offered to take her up the Shard, or<br />
to afternoon tea at the Ritz or even,<br />
gawd help me, to see a matinee of<br />
Wicked. But it was a polite “no<br />
thanks” to all of that. She wanted to<br />
ride a Boris bike. I told her that<br />
they weren’t Boris bikes any more,<br />
but she brushed all my objections<br />
aside. She h<strong>ad</strong> a selfie stick and<br />
wanted a photo of herself cycling<br />
around the serpentine to put on<br />
Instagram.<br />
Bony bum<br />
Getting the bikes out of the docking<br />
station was a trial on its own. My<br />
debit card was declined twice<br />
because the sun was shining on the<br />
keyp<strong>ad</strong> so I kept muddling up my<br />
PIN (and no - I wasn’t doing it on<br />
purpose) and when it was finally<br />
accepted, the bike hopped off the<br />
stand onto my shins, causing me to<br />
yelp and making them bleed.<br />
I thought, mistakenly, that as my<br />
backside was the same size and<br />
shape as a big round settee cushion,<br />
the s<strong>ad</strong>dle would be very comfy for<br />
me. I feared for Molly who has a<br />
small and bony bottom.<br />
As it turned out she cycled most of<br />
the time with her bum raised off the<br />
seat and was still in complete control<br />
of her bicycle. She was way<br />
ahe<strong>ad</strong> of me, smiling and<br />
waving and calling out<br />
“keep up, Aunty Meg!”<br />
Bikes dont<br />
float<br />
I burst several<br />
blood vessels<br />
trying. I decided<br />
there must be<br />
something<br />
wrong with my<br />
bike to make it<br />
that slow, so I waved<br />
Molly down and we swapped. Hers<br />
felt even heavier and harder to<br />
move. It was like trying to control a<br />
steamroller.<br />
Our day together quickly turned<br />
into a wet wipe-out when a giant<br />
swan with an evil eye decided to<br />
chase me away from<br />
its brood by taking<br />
a bite out of my left<br />
ankle.<br />
I know I should<br />
have stayed calm,<br />
dismounted and kept<br />
my dignity. Inste<strong>ad</strong>,<br />
I rode into the<br />
water, screaming<br />
and trying to<br />
chase the guilty<br />
bird. Interesting<br />
fact; Boris Bikes<br />
don’t float. n
36 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 37
38 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
NEWS<br />
Rapist tout convicted<br />
Stay in the know with the LTDA<br />
Court<br />
A minicab tout faces a lengthy prison<br />
sentence after being convicted of<br />
raping a woman he picked up from a<br />
party in London.<br />
Ali Moaberfard, of M<strong>ad</strong>ingley<br />
Court, Whetstone, was found guilty of<br />
the rape of a 31-year-old woman on<br />
May 5, 2012, after a retrial at<br />
Blackfriars Crown Court.<br />
The victim h<strong>ad</strong> been out in<br />
Notting Hill at a party and took what<br />
she thought to be a genuine<br />
minicab home.<br />
The car was driven by Moaberfard<br />
and inste<strong>ad</strong> of taking her home he<br />
took her to an <strong>ad</strong>dress in Uxbridge.<br />
The victim fell asleep and later<br />
awoke to find Moaberfard raping her.<br />
Despite her telling him no, he<br />
continued and she passed out again.<br />
Detective Constable Vicky Stenning,<br />
said: "Moaberfard targeted a vulnerable<br />
woman who thought he was taking her<br />
home. I would like to praise her bravery in<br />
coming forward and speaking with police.<br />
"I would urge anyone who has been a<br />
victim of sexual assault to speak with us so<br />
that we can bring perpetrators before the<br />
courts."<br />
Following the attack Moaberfard<br />
dropped his victim at Uxbridge<br />
underground station. From there the<br />
victim went to hospital and later police<br />
were called, prompting an<br />
investigation by the by specialist<br />
detectives from the Sexual Offences,<br />
Exploitation and Child Abuse<br />
Command.<br />
Clothing from the victim contained a<br />
DNA trace that matched Moaberfard<br />
and he was arrested at his home on<br />
November 6, 2014.<br />
After answering "no comment" to<br />
questions put to him by detectives<br />
interviewing him, he was charged with<br />
the rape the next day. He will be<br />
sentenced on Friday, 2 October.<br />
Pervert Moaberfard faces jail<br />
DVLA reminder<br />
The photo card part of the driving<br />
licence lasts for 10 years and must<br />
renewed after that period. The<br />
licence becomes invalid if it is not<br />
renewed with a current picture.<br />
15 year reminder<br />
The London taxi 15 year age limit<br />
refers to the cab’s ‘birthday’ (in the<br />
log book) not its plate date.<br />
For example: A cab passed when<br />
it is 14 years and 11 months old<br />
WILL be granted a further 12<br />
months of life.<br />
Cabs may be booked in for<br />
testing in the normal way when<br />
the plate has 28 days or less<br />
to run.<br />
The cab can then work up to the<br />
test date. If the plates are taken off<br />
with more than 28 days to run,<br />
both the plates and the paper<br />
licence must be surrendered to<br />
one of the six NSL inspection<br />
centres in and around London.<br />
The ‘unplated’ cab must then not<br />
be worked, and at least one week<br />
should be allowed before<br />
attempting to book the next NSL<br />
test, to allow the<br />
computerised<br />
booking system to recognise that<br />
the plates have been registered.<br />
Lost/stolen identifiers<br />
If your Identifier is lost or stolen<br />
you must notify LTPH<br />
immediately (0343 222 4444 /<br />
tph.enquiries@tfl.gov.uk)<br />
You may then continue<br />
working. A letter of confirmation<br />
will be sent out to you by<br />
Transport for London, prior to<br />
a replacement identifier<br />
being processed.<br />
Shop a tout<br />
Anyone who sees touting or any<br />
other form of illegal cab-related<br />
activity is urged to contact TfL<br />
with the details.<br />
Take down the registration<br />
number and make a note of the<br />
date, time and location where<br />
incident took place.<br />
Type “cab enforcement” into your<br />
internet search engine and follow<br />
the links to the ‘report illegal<br />
activity’ section of the TfL website.<br />
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More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 39
40 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
PUZZLER<br />
Crossword competition!<br />
To complete our prize<br />
crossword and be in with a<br />
chance to win £50 send your<br />
completed entry to Crossword<br />
350, Taxi, Taxi House, 11<br />
Woodfield Ro<strong>ad</strong>, W9 2BA before<br />
September 8. First name out of the<br />
hat gets the cash.<br />
ACROSS<br />
7 Confusions (3, 3)<br />
8 Finger food (6)<br />
9 Win (4)<br />
10 Exterior (8)<br />
11 Aridity (7)<br />
13 Make a speech (5)<br />
15 Bus (5)<br />
16 Sporting error (3, 4)<br />
18 Weather shield (8)<br />
19 Silent (4)<br />
21 Sloping typeface (6)<br />
22 De<strong>ad</strong>en (6)<br />
DOWN<br />
1 Long live (4)<br />
2 Vehicle’s turning r<strong>ad</strong>ius<br />
(7, 6)<br />
3 Embrace (7)<br />
4 Severe (5)<br />
5 Support (13)<br />
6 Short musical<br />
performance (8)<br />
12 Flatmate (8)<br />
14 Have faith in (5, 2)<br />
17 Pull out (5)<br />
20 Hours and minutes (4)<br />
Overheard by Br<strong>ad</strong> Ashton<br />
CROSSWORD NO. 350<br />
“I’ve been to some restaurants where the<br />
food was so b<strong>ad</strong> I might just as well of<br />
eaten at home. In one place the beef<br />
burgers were so thin I could have eaten<br />
three and still been a vegetarian. When<br />
they found out I was Jewish they served<br />
me tiny portions so I wouldn’t make a pig<br />
of myself. The main dish was listed as the<br />
“Chef’s Surprise.” That’ s because the<br />
chef was surprised anyone would eat it.<br />
He was a lousy cook and burnt every<br />
meal, but it wasn’t his fault. He used to<br />
work in a crematorium and couldn’t<br />
break the habit. I still eat there<br />
occasionally, but I always ask for a table<br />
near to a doctor.<br />
I got a half price voucher for one<br />
restaurant and the waiter noticed it was<br />
out of date. But he said it was alright<br />
because the food was out of date as well.<br />
He served me the meal they called “Dish<br />
Of the Day,” I don’t know what day they<br />
meant, but it wasn’t this year. It turned<br />
out to be a really tough steak. I said “I’m<br />
not eating this. Bring me the manager.”<br />
He said “What’s the point? He won’t eat<br />
it either.” In the end I just settled for a<br />
coffee. I asked for half and half and that’s<br />
exactly what I got. It was half in the cup<br />
and half in the saucer.”<br />
“I caught my wife knitting little<br />
things, but I needn’t have worried. It<br />
turned out to be just covers for my golf<br />
clubs. I took up the game for the exercise.<br />
It’s all that getting in and out of the golf<br />
cart. I have to <strong>ad</strong>mit I’m not a great<br />
player. In fact, as soon as I get on the<br />
golf course they lower the flags to half<br />
mast. I suppose I shouldn’t really be<br />
there. It’s a rich man’s game and I’m a<br />
poor golfer. I get such a high score, if it<br />
was cricket I’d be a hero. I’ve spent so<br />
much time in the bunker I get mail<br />
<strong>ad</strong>dressed to Hitler. The only <strong>ad</strong>vice I’ve<br />
ever h<strong>ad</strong> was from my c<strong>ad</strong>dy who told me<br />
to keep my he<strong>ad</strong> down. I found out why.<br />
He doesn’t want me to see him laughing.<br />
At least I’m not a fanatic like the man I<br />
met yesterday. He said “do you mind if I<br />
play through?” I said “Why? What’s<br />
your hurry?” He said “my house is on<br />
fire.” One promiscuous wife of a golfer<br />
confessed to him she’s a hooker. He said<br />
”that’s no problem. Just keep your he<strong>ad</strong><br />
down and your left arm straight.” My<br />
doctor wants me to give up golf. He says<br />
at my age it’s too dangerous to go near<br />
an open hole. He’s probably right. After<br />
all, the only good lie I ever h<strong>ad</strong> was on<br />
my score card.”<br />
Congratulations<br />
Issue 348 winner<br />
David Fleming, South London<br />
Just for fun<br />
Have a go at<br />
this medium<br />
level Sudoku<br />
puzzle. Fill<br />
the grid so<br />
that every<br />
row, every<br />
column and<br />
every 3x3 box<br />
contains the<br />
numbers 1-9.<br />
Follow @TheLTDA on Twitter for news, updates and warnings
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 41
More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 43<br />
Comcab r<strong>ad</strong>io circuits fitted in all TX4 loan cabs<br />
C&S Taxis London Ltd - have now purchased new Vito Merc's to coincide with six<br />
existing TX4s, specially allocated for their crash repair body shop - A Class Of Their Own
44 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
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More re<strong>ad</strong>ers than the rest put together! 25 AUGUST 2015 | TAXI 45<br />
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Contact<br />
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TO PLACE YOUR LINAGE BY 4PM IN TAXI<br />
ISSUE 351 BOOK BY WED 02 SEPTEMBER<br />
Century One Publishing<br />
CALL JONNY ON 01727 739 193
46 TAXI |25 AUGUST 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA<br />
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LINAGE<br />
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ARTEMIS & CO ACCOUNTANTS.<br />
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buy, backup and spare cab, Essex and<br />
East London area 07908639567<br />
A TXI FROM £170pw, based in<br />
Kingsbury North-West London, RAC<br />
backup, 02082008488 07956422658<br />
ALL MERCEDES VITO’s, Euro4 &<br />
Euro5 for rent, prices start from<br />
£220pw, call 07508977592<br />
CHEAP TAXIS – TXIs/TXIIs/TX4s<br />
from £150pw, Full Back-up, Bethnal<br />
Green, Call Eric 07766542798<br />
E16 RENTALS, TX4s Ascotts<br />
maintained, also Merc’s available. Pay<br />
by cash, bank, online, 07957465423/<br />
www.e16-taxirentals.co.uk<br />
EAST LONDON Based TX4’s, full flat<br />
from £185pw, full back up –<br />
07595920029<br />
ELEPHANT & CASTLE CABS, TX cabs<br />
for rent. Good cabs, nice service, Andy<br />
07903940786<br />
HIGHLY MAINTAINED TXII’s to rent<br />
full back up pls call 07590203043<br />
ROMFORD BASED TXIs, TXIIs &<br />
TX4’s. Own Workshop, AA breakdown<br />
cover 01708347288 or 07932740902<br />
TAXIS FOR RENT, Enfield/North<br />
London area, small reliable fleet, full<br />
backup, call Ian on 07956582416<br />
TAYLAN TAXIS, cabs for rent based in<br />
E2, call Ozie 07462885206<br />
TXI & TXII’s from £160pw. VITO’s<br />
£225pw. RAC Cover. No Adverts.<br />
Garage Backup. Essex 01708373786<br />
TXI’S FROM £180PW, TXII’s from<br />
£185pw, TX4’s for rent, 24hr back-up<br />
system, Clean cabs, 1st half week rent<br />
free – 02076132436, 07947644541 or<br />
07702221672<br />
TXII 55 PLATE TO RENT, £190pw,<br />
immaculate condition, backup cab<br />
available (Fulham based) ring<br />
07889378639<br />
TXII FOR RENT £190PW, RAC<br />
covered, r<strong>ad</strong>io circuits welcome,<br />
07903049645<br />
TXII’S & TX4’S FOR RENt, full back<br />
up, Family garage, Old Kent Ro<strong>ad</strong><br />
based 02073581272<br />
TXII’S TO VITO’S, full back up, spare<br />
cabs available - Welling (Kent) Call<br />
Martin 07956521420<br />
TX4 ‘S FOR HIRE, all air con, No <strong>ad</strong>s,<br />
full RAC cover – 07980288333<br />
Cabs for sale<br />
04 TXII FOR SALE, Recaro seat, 10<br />
months plate plus four more plates, no<br />
<strong>ad</strong>verts, £9250 07804708075<br />
51 TXI, PLATED UNTIL APRIL 16, two<br />
more plates, £7,000 ONO, 07876687927<br />
TXII 03 REG, 1 years plate, good<br />
condition, Black, £7750 07734803737<br />
TX4 BRONZE, 07 plate, good<br />
condition, 160,000 miles, FSH, plated<br />
August 2016, £13,750 ONO<br />
07956245271<br />
TX4 ELEGANCE FOR SALE, 11 plate,<br />
122,000 miles on the clock, £25,000 inc<br />
VAT 02077001045<br />
V-REG CABS FOR SALE. One plated<br />
until 06/10/15 £895, one plated until<br />
06/02/16 £1,895 07711640740<br />
VITO TAXI 60, February 2011, Black,<br />
leather interior, very good condition,<br />
plate until 1st June 2016, 140,000 miles,<br />
£18,995ONO 07739517701<br />
Cabs wanted<br />
ALL TXI’S & FAIRWAYS wanted,<br />
instant decision - cash paid. Tel:<br />
07973335739 or 01253407500<br />
ALL TXI/FAIRWAY TAXIS purchased<br />
for cash, clean owner driven, quick<br />
viewing. Graham 07435562759<br />
oldlondontaxis@yahoo.co.uk<br />
A CAB WANTED URGENTLY, fair<br />
condition, any year; we pay the most,<br />
01322669081 or 07836250222<br />
ALL CABS BOUGHT FOR CASH, top<br />
prices paid. Cab hire also<br />
available,EastLondonAndEssex<br />
TaxiRentals.co.uk 07877093866<br />
ANY RETIRING TAXIS and still plated<br />
wanted. Instant cash,<br />
Waterloo/Holborn. Andy 07903940786<br />
PART TIMER LOOKING to rent cab<br />
Mon-Weds, poss Thurs pick up<br />
12.30pm return midnight Essex/East<br />
London cabbie 45 years Leo<br />
07761393343 any time<br />
TXIS & TXIIS WANTED, Any condition,<br />
Cash paid, Plated/unplated, also non<br />
runners, Open 10am–5pm - 01932569893<br />
WE BUY VITO’S & TX’S. We also<br />
sell/rent TX’s and Vito’s re<strong>ad</strong>y for work<br />
07985124194<br />
Holidays Algarve<br />
2 X LOVELY VILLAS in Vale do Lobo,<br />
Algarve – sleep up to 6/7 each – ideally<br />
located for 3 golf courses, tennis<br />
ac<strong>ad</strong>emy, beaches, bars and restaurants.<br />
Discounts available outside school<br />
holiday periods. 50% off green fees all<br />
year round (villa 1), 50% discount off<br />
court fees at the tennis ac<strong>ad</strong>emy (both<br />
villas). For more information go to<br />
www.ownersdirect.co.uk refs p16292,<br />
p16799 or contact Gill Dunsford on<br />
mobile 07775 683777.<br />
Recovery<br />
RECOVERY AND ROADSIDE<br />
assistance/relocation for London taxis,<br />
reasonable rates 7 days, 07785900006<br />
Miscellaneous<br />
MECHANIC WANTED for small busy<br />
East London taxi repair garage. Reliable<br />
and Fluent English essential, own tools<br />
required, 5 ½ day week. Pay negotiable<br />
dependent on experience. Egos and<br />
attitudes need not apply. If you’re a team<br />
player contact Darren or Paul<br />
02089812419<br />
OLD KNOWLEDGE BIKES WANTED,<br />
De<strong>ad</strong> or Alive, Cash on Collection -<br />
Please Call 07749488367. Thankyou<br />
SUPPLEMENT RETIRED INCOME.<br />
Drivers wanted to chauffer chairman<br />
when in London, using 740i BMW,<br />
garaged Mallord Street Chelsea.<br />
Maximum commitment per month, 7<br />
days/nights. Attractive hourly rate.<br />
Call Peter 01753 869944
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