Drivers admit manipulating app to boost their earnings · their location is hidden. “That means the app thinks there aren’t many cabs available in the area, so the surge price

The newspaper of the Licensed

Taxi Drivers’ Association

www.ltda.co.uk @TheLTDA

#42718 September 2018

LTDA

MYTAXI: p20YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED...

Uber Price Fixing

Scandal Uncovered

Drivers admit manipulating app to boost

their earnings

p2

Support the Minicab

C-Charge Plans

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London Assembly oppose tra�c improving plans - don’t let them get away with it!

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Poppycab Volunteer AppealREMEMBRANCE SUNDAY Drivers are wanted to ferry war veterans and their families to the Remembrance Sunday services.

This year marks 100 years since the end of World War One and it is expected that more people will request the Poppy Cab service.

The volunteer group needs both drivers and people to marshal and assist veterans in and out of the taxis on Sunday, November 11.

Volunteers can contact Mike Hughes by email on [email protected] or SMS on 07973 430022

Twitter users can follow Poppy Cabs @PoppyCabs for up to the minute information.

NEWS IN BRIEF

TRADE

Uber drivers have been accused of using a simple system hack to inflate fares, as its new European boss promised a “new chapter.”

Drivers have admitted they are manipulating the app to boost their earnings to reporters working for the Daily Star Sunday, the paper has claimed.

One Uber driver even owned-up to working with others to create false demand and push up the “surge price,” which can double or triple to bring more drivers online when demand is high. The driver, who asked to remain anonymous, told reporters:

“Drivers basically hack the app so their location is hidden.

“That means the app thinks there aren’t many cabs available in the area, so the surge price rockets.

“Then they reveal their location to book a fare and wham, they get three times extra money.”

Uber controversially won back its licence, following a decision by TfL not renew it last year, after promising to get its act together

and to start playing by the rules.New European boss Jamie Heywood

gave a speech in London this month admitting the failings of the past and vowing to work more closely with regulators.

But the scams revealed in the Star, suggest its problems are ingrained in the system. It has emerged that drivers often delay arrival to force a passenger to cancel the trip. If a customer cancels a booking after five minutes they pay a fee of up to £6.

This means the driver benefits from a cancellation price without

even leaving their location. Passengers have particularly noted

this behaviour at airports and reporters recorded these delay tactics on a number of trips from Heathrow and Gatwick in London.

The driver said: “There’s definitely a whole group of drivers who hang around Gatwick and Heathrow airports to get free cancellation fees, yeah.”

When asked to clarify what that entailed, the source added: “So what they can do is accept the fare, then just hang around, just kind of driving around the same roundabout.”

A spokesman for Uber said the alleged behaviour is against the company’s guidelines and terms for drivers.

In his speech, Heywood said that the last few years have been a “bumpy road” for the firm, with a host of scandals surrounding its toxic corporate culture, inadequate background checks, and deploying software called “Greyball” to evade authorities.

Since having its licence restored, he said the company was opening “a new chapter” in London and promised improvements for drivers.

Uber Price Fixing Scandal Uncovered

18 September 2018 |||| TAXI 3@TheLTDA |||| www.ltda.co.uk

Nusrat: “Soon” isn’t fast enough

of taxi and PHV licensing, and we are keen to work with the MPs involved in the APPG to stop the Government dragging its feet and press the minister to publish the working group’s report.

When the report is finally released, the APPG will be working

hard to ensure that its members are thoroughly briefed on the report’s contents and are ready to put pressure on the Government to set its recommendations in stone.

Parliamentary business aside, you may have seen in recent news that Uber drivers are putting more money in their pockets

by deliberately exploiting passengers. An anonymous Uber driver told the Daily Star that drivers will often block the app from tracking their location in order to drive up the surge price and will collect cancellation fees by purposefully delaying their arrival until passengers get fed up of waiting. Whilst this may be news to some people, we have always known that Uber’s app is designed to exploit passengers and that their price surging is immoral. We have been highlighting these issues to Uber users and to regulators and politicians for years. One thing is also clear – if Uber refuses to pay its drivers properly, it’s no wonder that they resort to dodgy tricks to earn a living. u

Steve McNamara is the LTDA’s General Secretary

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W ith MPs back in Parliament after the summer break, it’s time to ramp up pressure on Government to update

taxi and PHV licensing and tackle the issue of cross-border hiring once and for all. As you may know, I have been feeding into a Government working group on the key changes that need to be made to ensure that taxi and PHV licensing is fit for purpose. The group is set to make a series of recommendations to the Government, but we still don’t have a date for when the report is going to be published by the Department for Transport.

MPs are getting impatient too. Earlier this month, Labour’s Gill Furniss MP questioned the Government on when the report would be released. All taxi minister Nusrat Ghani MP had to say was that it would be “soon.” This isn’t good enough. The report’s recommendations offer a real opportunity to deliver change and should not be brushed under the carpet. We need this report to be published urgently, and we need its recommendations to be acted upon by the Government. I’m due to meet the minister in the coming weeks and will be pushing her to ensure that we get the long-awaited action that our trade needs.

Last week, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Taxis held its Annual General Meeting to kick-start another year of campaign activity on behalf of our trade. Labour MP Wes Streeting was re-elected as Chair and we agreed plans for the APPG going forward with our fellow sponsors Gett, mytaxi and LEVC. The APPG is as committed as ever to holding Government to account on the reform

STEVE MCNAMARA

Regulation surrounding licensing and cross-border hiring must be made �t for the 21st century now!

REPORT DELAYS ARE FAILING LONDONERS

An Uber driver told the Daily Star that drivers will often block the app from tracking their location

Nusrat: “ ‘Soon’ isn’t fast enough”


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POLITICS London Assembly members have been duped into opposing the mayor’s plan to clean up London and improve traffic flow by making minicab drivers pay the congestion charge.

In a highly controversial move, Gareth Bacon AM (the Conservative Assembly Member for Con, Bexley and Bromley) led a motion against Sadiq Khan’s green proposal.

The mayor wants PHV drivers to pay the £11.50 charge from April next year.

But assembly members have been convinced that the proposals would have a devastating impact on smaller minicab firms while driving up costs for passengers.

They passed the motion against the plan 16-3.

Only Caroline Pidgeon AM (Lib Dem, London wide) and the two Greens, Sian Berry AM and Caroline Russell AM, stood firm and opposed Bacon’s motion.

TfL say that the number of vehicles entering the zone each day has decreased by around 30% since the Congestion Charge was introduced in 2003. But the number of PHVs entering the zone soared from 4,000 a day to more than 18,000.

The PHV industry has been lobbying against the mayor’s plans, saying that will they have a devastating effect on its ability to operate.

But Mr Khan’s supporters say that minicabs are only supposed to be exempt

from the charge when working, but the technology is old, which allows many to use it as a blanket exemption.

The proposal would make it easier for operators to direct their fleets by using just a few of their cars in central London, eg., if an operator used only five out of a hundred in the city, the £57.50 total cost, would be spread over every job done by the whole fleet.

Uber would also have to control its cars.

This would cut the thousands of empty PHVs clogging the streets of London.

But Florence Eshalomi AM (Lab, Lambeth and Southwark) and Bacon claimed that the move would not have a significant effect on traffic congestion and

GLA Opposes Traffic Improvement Proposal

Low Emission Discount ChangesThe plan also proposes replacing the Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED) with a new phased “Cleaner Vehicle Discount.”

Currently, under the ULED, cars or vans that meet the Euro 5 standard for air quality can avoid paying the £11.50 per day Congestion Charge.

But, from April 2019, TfL proposes bringing the C-Charge criteria in line with that of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) which will require diesel vehicles to meet the Euro 6 standard, in e�ect from 2014, to be exempt from paying the charge.

This would then be tightened from October 2021, when only electric vehicles would quality for the discount, and phased out altogether from December 2025.

claimed it was really a fund-raising ploy by a hard-up TfL.

Gareth Bacon, said: “Unfortunately, this policy is just an excuse for the mayor to raise some of the money he needs to plug the nearly £1 billion black hole in the transport budget. Talk of congestion and pollution is just a smokescreen.”

Don’t let them get a way with it: The consultation on the proposed congestion charge changes closes on September 28. Make sure you have your say here… consultations.tfl.gov.uk/policy/private-hire-charge-exemption/consultation/

[FROM LEFT] Gareth Bacon AM and Florence Eshalomi AM want to keep thousands of minicabs clogging the streets – don’t let them.


THE MASSETT FILE

T he City of London’s Court of Common Council approved a proposal to make permanent the current experimental

Bank Junction scheme, which has restricted access to buses and cycles only, on September 13. This was not unexpected as the proposal had already gone through each of the City’s decision-making committees unopposed. This all sounds like bad news and pretty final, well not quite. The proposal had to go forward at this time because the experimental scheme is coming to the end of its lifespan. ETRO’s can only remain in effect for up to 18 months, so the proposal on the table was to either make the scheme permanent or to take it out and let the junction return to its previous operation. As the scheme has received widespread public support it was no surprise to hear that the City wanted to keep it in place.

Unfortunately, the process has meant that the issues to do with taxis have not been properly addressed. While there have been calls to implement a trial permitting taxis through the junction, this has not been possible due to it

being considered a major change to the present arrangements and only minor changes are provided for under the ETRO rules.

So what next? Well, over the coming months the City will be looking at further measures for the junction under its All Change at Bank project, where all options can be considered including full pedestrianisation or enhancements to the current scheme. We have been advised that outstanding taxi issues can be looked at as a possible enhancement.

I recently attended a meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee, which was the last and largest in the round of decision-making committees. Once again, the only proposal on the table for Bank Junction was the one to keep it or scrap it and it was intended not to have much of a debate, but this did not stop several members getting up to demand that a taxi trial take place. It sparked a lively and interesting debate where very few appeared to be totally against a proper evaluation of the taxi issues.

So, we move on to the next stage where we will continue pressing on the next steps in the lead up to a further consultation, which we have been told will take place in December. We will concentrate on all the issues that we have brought to the fore. In

particular, the fact that the scheme has not met its stated criteria to not substantially affect traffic flow. The City claims that it has only had a minor effect on journey times, whereas the LTDA has produced evidence of average taxi journey time increases of 52%. This research has been accepted by the City and should certainly not be viewed as minor. We will also focus on accessibility – mobility impaired passengers now have to take extended journeys to reach their destinations close to Bank – as well as a problem highlighted by the Ned Hotel, where there has been a massive increase in U-turns on the approach to the junction. This surely increases safety concerns that could be eradicated by allowing taxis to

drive through Bank.I am sure that social media will be full of

all the usual doom and gloom about the City’s decision, but the fact is there is still all to play for and we at the LTDA will continue to do all we possibly can to secure access to Bank

junction for taxis. u

Richard Massett, Chairman, LTDA and Chairman, London Cab Ranks Committee

The City’s decision to keep the restricted access scheme at Bank is not the end of the road

BANK JUNCTION: THE FIGHT CONTINUESRICHARD MASSETT

The only proposal for Bank Junction was the one to keep it or scrap it...

This surely increases safety concerns that could be eradicated by allowing taxis to

all we possibly can to secure access to Bank junction for taxis.

Vehicle registration certi�cate, logbook or new keeper’s supplement (complete with bill of sale/ receipt) where vehicle is newly purchased prior to inspection

Current vehicle licence (for renewal inspections) From October 1, 2014, vehicles no longer require

a tax disc to be displayed. Vehicles can be taxed online or at a post o�ce. If a vehicle is not recorded as taxed, NSL will accept an online application/ post o�ce receipt. (information at www.gov.co.uk/dvla nomoretaxdisc)

Insurance certi�cate (not a copy) – properly a�xed in the luggage compartment

Valid MoT certi�cate (issued 13 days or less before inspection)

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

Taximeter installation and calibration certi�cate, issued within 30 days of inspection

Exemption certi�cate (where applicable) Modi�cation approval (where applicable) Tool to release ramps Tyres – must conform to manufacturer’s

speci�cation (see table below)

VEHICLE MAKE / MODEL TYRE SIZEMercedes Vito Euro 4 195/65 R 16 100/915T or 104/102TMercedes Vito Euro 5 195/65 R 16 100/915T or 104/102TFairway (declared max speed of 130 km/h) 175 R 16 NTX1 (declared speed of 130 km/h) 175 R 16 NTXII (declared speed of 147 km/h) 175 R 16 QTXII (declared speed of 147 km/h) 175 R 16 QTX4 (declared speed of 147 km/h) 175 R 16 Q

CHECKLIST

RELICENSING AT NSL?Save yourself time and loss of work


Find out more on Twitter@LondonEVCompanyIt is estimated the professional drivers can save around £100 a week when they

switch to the TX electric taxi.* Over five years, that could lead to a saving of over £24k What would you spend that on

And in truth, our figures are extremely conservative. Our calculations are based on an average price of fuel from April this year. In the real world, we all know prices have sky rocketed since then. So, you re likely to see even greater savings.

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N E W T X

We ve assumed that as a professional taxi driver, you ll clock up around 120 miles per day, over five days each week. If you were driving a previous model, such as the TX4 Euro 6, you could expect a weekly fuel bill of around £140.

With the new TX, you ll be able to recharge the battery overnight and leave fully charged each morning. That will cost you just £14 per week and if you re on an economy 7 tariff, that cost could be even lower.

Charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in our towns and cities is improvingall the time. So, topping up the battery for about 45 60 minutes a day should be easy. But you ll find it affordable too. Even if you visit one of the increasing numbers of fast charging points, you ll still only see an average cost of about 21p per kWh. Another benefit of a fast charging point is you can top up your battery charge in the time it takes to grab a cuppa and your lunch. And, cost wise, this still only adds around £17 per week, taking us to a total of £31 so far, to charge TX.

When adjusted for real world conditions, a full charge will take you approximately 64 miles on pure electrical energy. Taking into consideration getting a full charge overnight, and a top up during the day, that means you should be able to cover over 100 emissions free miles every day. Thanks to the exible eCity drivetrain,the remainder can then be covered using the petrol range extender, without the need to stop again to recharge.

As a result, the TX can travel up to 533 miles per week on pure electric energy. If you re clocking up 120 miles per day as we suggest, that means only 67 miles of your 600 total need to be covered by the petrol range extender. And as the range extender isn t powering the drivetrain, not only should you still be able to achieve the o cially stated fuel consumption of 36.7 mpg, you ll still spend only around £12 per week based on the stated average costs of fuel.

TX Euro New TX

Fuel Economy 33 mpg 36.7 mpg (range extender) 217.3 mpg (Combined)

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Calculate your fuel cost savings when switching to TX at levc.com/tx-cost-comparison

12.09.18 - LEVC 1084 - Running Costs (288x111mm).indd 1 12/09/2018 17:15

BUSINESS

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has stepped in to repay deposits to Dial a Cab credit union members affected by its collapse.

FSCS will pay out around £21 million to the vast majority of the union’s 1,250 members.

It said that most payments would be sent out automatically. Members of Dial-A-Cab with balances over the £85,000 limit will be contacted directly by the administrators.

FSCS said it would compensate most members within seven days. Using the credit union’s records, FSCS will send payments out automatically.

People with up to £1,000 in their account will receive a letter to get cash over the counter at their local Post Office. Anyone with more than this will receive a cheque for their balance direct from FSCS.

FSCS protects up to £85,000 of savings – double that for joint accounts and has come to the aid of more than 4.5m people since 2001, while paying out over £26bn in compensation.

Alex Kuczynski, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at FSCS, said:

“Everyone wants to know their money is secure, but they might not know about the safeguards in place. FSCS is here to protect members of Dial-a-Cab and get them back on track. Their savings are protected up to £85,000, and joint accounts are covered for £170,000, with the majority of customers getting their money back within seven days.”

“Regarding amounts over £85,000, FSCS will protect these if they are temporary high balances, which means deposits made within six months arising from major life events such as house sales or inheritance. Any members of Dial-a-Cab who believe this applies to them should claim direct with FSCS.”

The credit union was separate to the Dial-a-Cab taxi circuit, which was snapped dup by Cityfleet Networks earlier this year.

The operator’s 1,100 taxi drivers were transferred over across to Cityfleet, part of Computer Cab.

The merger combined Dial-a-Cab’s fleet with the 1,900 operated by Cityfleet.

Dial-a-Cab Credit Union Collapses

NEWS IN BRIEF

Parliament Square Paving Plans ProbedPEDESTRIANISATION

A study into the potential pedestrianisation of Parliament Square has been ordered by the mayor following a suspected terror attack last month.

The results could see traffic banned from some streets surrounding the Houses of Parliament.

Sadiq Khan, along with Parliament, Westminster City Council and the Minister for Security have all supported the study.

In a joint statement, Mayor Khan, Westminster City Council leader Nickie Aiken and Deputy Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle highlighted the need to consider what changes would need to be made to improve safety in the area.

Some measures were introduced last year following the Westminster Bridge terror attack, but heightened fears following an incident in August have revived the possibility of paving over some of the area.


STREETS AHEAD

I t can’t have escaped your notice that Hackney Council seems desperate for cash lately.

Not content with installing confusing signs on Mare Street to rake in a few bob from unwitting drivers, it’s also barred everyone who’s not on the electric band-wagon from several streets.

We are still getting calls from a lot of drivers, who are getting caught out by the no-left-turn from Mare Street into Richmond Road.

This is not surprising – and if you have been caught you’re not alone, because it appears the camera trained on the area has made almost £900,000 from fines in just two months.

This has caused outrage all round. More than 14,000 fines have been issued in that time, which is staggering. Just try not to become another statistic.

The new camera has been installed on the left turn from Mare Street into

Richmond Road and drivers can no longer turn left there between the hours of 7am-10am and 3pm-7pm.

Members and other drivers have complained about the poor and confusing signage, as well as rubbishing council

One council seems to be intent on picking the pockets of motorists; don’t be a victim

BEWARE THE HACKNEY CASH GRAB

Only drivers in hybrid or electric vehicles will be allowed to access the streets in Hackney and Islington. Fines of £130 will be issued to motorists who breach the ban which came into force on Monday, September 3 and operates between 7am-10am and 4pm-7pm on weekdays

ANTHONY STREET

claims that this change has been made to tackle pollution. Motorists can travel from Mare Street in the other direction and make a right turn into Richmond Road. Even the RAC has weighed in, with spokesman Rod Dennis saying that: “The number of fines being given to drivers at this junction suggests something is wrong – and it might well be that the sheer amount of signage and a difficult road layout is to blame.”

If you get any PCNs for a no-left-turn from Mare Street into Richmond Road.Challenge fines as follows…1) The signage is obscured by trees when

driving in the bus lane, (which, of course, as taxi drivers we can do)

2) There is a left turn sign in the road itself,

3) No prior warning regarding the new signage.

Supposedly, the camera was installed to reduce pollution at a school nearby after concerns about the harm of exhaust emissions. A similar reason was used to justify banning petrol and diesel cars from nine roads in east London.

Only drivers in hybrid or electric vehicles will be allowed to access the streets in Hackney and Islington.

Fines of £130 will be issued to motorists who breach the ban which came into force on Monday, September 3 and operates

between 7am-10am and 4pm-7pm on weekdays.

Blackall Street, Cowper Street, Paul Street, Tabernacle Street, Ravey Street, Singer Street, Willow Street, Charlotte Road and Rivington Street, all come under the scheme.

We objected most strongly to this scheme, along with many businesses, including the freight and delivery industry (which are all 100% diesel) and are now banned! We are proposing to challenge it on the grounds that we are “compelled” to accept a hiring and cannot refuse, that it affects people with disabilities and that until January we had no choice other than diesel.

I have seen some rubbish on Twitter (when is there not you may well ask?) that minicabs still have access, which is nonsense – most minicabs, including 99% of Prius’, are not eligible. Only Plug-in PHVs or pure EV will be exempt.

Unfortunately, this situation is only likely to get worse and we will continue to object to and challenge all schemes that are not available to 100% of taxis. TfL has no plans to introduce any EV streets or zones, but other councils are looking at them. u

Anthony Street is an LTDA Executive Support Officer

The northbound approach on Mare Street, in Hackney, to Richmond Road, on the left


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CRIME

Police are hunting a hit and run driver who killed a retired cabbie and smashed into a garden wall before fleeing the scene.

Officers investigating the incident in Leighton Road on Thursday, August 23, named the victim as 77-year-old Richard Dougherty. He was out walking when he was struck by a Nissan Primera carrying three people which careered into the front garden of a house.

Mr Dougherty was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service having suffered a severe head injury but sadly died on Tuesday, 4 September.

The occupants of the vehicle, which is believed to have been stolen, made off from the scene on foot.

Police want to speak to Alistair McWilliams [pictured] in connection with the incident and have quizzed three teenage girls who were thought to be in the car at the time of the crash. Detective Sergeant Cheryl Frost, of the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC), said: “Sadly, the victim of this selfish crime has passed away and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. We are continuing our search to find Alistair McWilliams and would like to hear from

anyone who knows of his whereabouts or has seen him in the past few days. Any information, no matter how big or small, will help us to take this very selfish and dangerous man off the streets.” Due to the vehicle leaking fuel and being at risk of catching fire the immediately affected properties were temporarily evacuated as a precaution. The vehicle was made safe and residents returned to their homes.

Three females aged 17, 16 and 14 thought to be in the vehicle also made

off from the scene. They were arrested by police a few hours later on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and taken to a north London police station. They have since been released under investigation.

Anyone with information should call the Incident Room at Alperton on 0208 991 9555 quoting reference CAD874/23AUG, by dialling 101, Tweet @MetCC or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Police Hunt Retired Cabbie’s KillerJoint Operation Targets Cross-border BanditsLICENSING Licensing authorities in Yorkshire have joined forces in a bid to combat the scourge of cross-border hiring.

Bradford, Calderdale, Kirkless, Leeds and Wakefield and York have agreed on a scheme which gives each the power to take action against private hire or taxi drivers who operate in any of the six licensing regions. Previously, each licensing authority only had the power to take action against rogue drivers who were licensed by themselves.

The new scheme enables compliance officers to take cross border action.

It will target drivers who do not have the correct insurance, illegally ply for hire, have vehicle defects or incorrect signage and drivers who are operating without the correct licence.

NEWS IN BRIEF



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* TX4 Part Exchanges welcome

LEGAL

Former Uber PR comms leader Rachel Whetstone [pictured] is being sued by another ex-employee for allegedly spreading false rumours.

Eric Alexander was fired from his post as the senior vice-president of communications and public policy, after it was claimed he obtained the medical files of a rape victim to discredit her.

Whetstone was at the time the senior vice-president of communications and public policy for Uber, who also had close links to the then Prime Minister David Cameron and his Chancellor George Osborne.

The case centres around a 2014 rape case in India, when Alexander was the head of Uber’s Asia Pacific region.

Alexander had worked with police in New Delhi to get the attacker jailed for life, however it was revealed that the rapist had faced a previous accusation.

The victim then sued Uber, during which time Alexander obtained the victim’s medical records.

Uber subsequently agreed to an out of court settlement totalling $3 million.

Lawyers representing Alexander believe that Whetstone was responsible for spreading false information in relation to Alexander’s response to the rape.

Alexander has also previously accused Whetstone of racism, she in turn criticised him over the issue surrounding the medical files.

It is alleged that when Whetstone left Uber in 2017, she insisted that she be protected from disparagement, however this goes against the norm when receiving a pay-out.

Uber’s ex-PR officer faces “smear” lawsuitROADS

The controversial cycle route from Swiss Cottage to Regent’s Park has been blocked by a High Court judge.

Sir Ross Cranston ruled in favour of Westminster City Council and its legal challenge, effectively agreeing that Transport for London’s current plans are unlawful.

TfL faces having to rethink the proposals and consult over a new scheme.

It is a slap in the face for the regulator, which had vowed to press ahead with the superhighway despite the council’s objections.

Campaigners were concerned about a lack of consultation by TfL, poor traffic modelling, and traffic displacement.

TfL is considering whether to appeal the decision.

Work was due to start on July 30 but Westminster won an injunction to put it on hold until the judicial review could be heard.

During the hearing, the QC for the regulator, Timothy Straker, claimed TfL had the “whip hand” over other authorities and would push on regardless.

The project would have seen the Swiss Cottage gyratory ripped up and coincided with work to redevelop 100 Avenue Road on the same spot.

The route was initially supposed to

run from Brent Cross to the West End before being scaled back to end at Swiss Cottage and Portland Place.

Campaigner Jessica Learmond-Criqui, said it was “always a challenge to the unacceptable and high-handed manner in which TfL makes and implements its decisions. The High Court agreed with us.”

It is a second defeat for TfL by Westminster, which rejected plans to pedestrianise parts of Oxford Street earlier this year.

Cycle Route Blocked by Court

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No access restrictions proposed at this gateProposals subject to further discussionwith Westminster City Council

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Cycle Superhighway Route 11 Swiss Cottage - Portland Place



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Green Taxi Scheme LaunchedNATIONAL A taxi scheme designed to drive the take up of the electric cab has been launched by Coventry Council.

It offers incentives worth £2,500 to drivers interested in making the switch to the TXe, as well as an opportunity for a two-week test drive.

The initiative is supported by a range of companies including the Coventry-based electric taxi maker LEVC, Irish energy company ESB, Siemens and the cab app Gett.

The Government has added £1.2 million to the Go Electric Taxi project, which aims to speed up the modernisation of the taxi fleet in Coventry.

Two thirds of Coventry residents have said that they would specifically choose an electric taxi, if given the option, according to a study.

NEWS IN BRIEF

ENGINEERING A fault that could cause Toyota Prius hybrids to burst into flames has prompted a global recall by the manufacturer.

More than one million vehicles are being returned, including more than 200,000 in Europe and a similar amount in the US, with around 600,000 in Japan.

The Japanese automaker said the problem involved an engine wire harness attached to the power control unit.

The model is most well known for being the car of choice for Uber drivers.

The recall covers certain versions of the model made between 2016 and 2018.

A spokesman said in a statement: “A portion of the wire harness could contact the cover at this connection and wear over time, causing an electrical short circuit, which can generate heat. If sufficient heat is generated, there is an increased risk of a vehicle fire.”

It was not made clear whether the fault had caused any accidents, injuries or deaths around the world.

It is not the first time that the company has had to issue a warning. In 2015, a series of fires prompted a recall of 6.5 million cars.

Toyota dealers will inspect and repair vehicles for free, and customers will be notified directly if they are affected. There is a website where owners can check whether they are affected: Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls.

It was found that the wire harness can come into contact

with the covering at the connection point. If dust accumulates on the harness or the cover, the insulation on the wires could wear down over time due to vehicle vibrations.

This could cause an electrical short circuit which could generate heat and lead to a fire.

Technicians will examine a wire core on the Prius. If it’s exposed, the technicians will replace it with a new one that has a protective sleeve. If it’s not exposed, they’ll install protective tape.

Toyota Recalls a Million ‘Fire Risk’ PriusFires also prompted a recall in 2015


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APPLICATION FORM


TAXIS TO OUR WEDDING

I have a bit of a strange request, I hope someone out there will be able to help. In December we’re getting married in

central London and we need two drivers to help us out for about an hour and a half. We would like the bridal party to get from the hotel (Club Quarters, Lincoln’s Inn Fields) to the wedding venue (The Knight’s Templar) in our cars. We have a 1992 Rover Metro and 1992 Rover Mini Sprite.

We would like them to go on a route taking about 20 minutes, maybe over the Thames to Waterloo and back again, drop them off then wait for a little while by Lincoln’s Inn Fields so that we can have photos with them after the ceremony. The cars would then need to be parked nearby and the keys dropped off at the hotel.

Who better to provide this special chauffeur service than two London taxi drivers? We would obviously pay the drivers for their time, plus any expenses incurred (parking their own vehicle nearby perhaps). We will cover any necessary insurance.

The wedding date is Saturday, December 1, and we would need them to meet us around 2.30pm.

John Midgley & Emma Shaw, Otley. Contact

[email protected] or telephone 07733 010180

CASH VERSUS CARDS

I n response to the “We’re a service industry” letters in TAXI 425, I take issue with the correspondent regarding

“cash preferred signage.”I myself have a similar sign in my

taxi, purely stating that it is “preferred,” not that I won’t accept payment by card. If the passenger concerned is affronted by this then I would ask him if he’s prepared to give any member of the public he may come across free credit? I bet he’d say no.

I totally agree that we did need to start accepting card payments in this industry, but I hope your blinkered correspondent doesn’t mind me not wanting the card processing companies from dipping their hands into my pocket every time I complete a fare?

David Fla Lazio

“WHATEVER PEOPLE SAY I AM THAT’S WHAT I’M NOT”

E veryone knows that Uber is a transportation company, but they constantly deny it, and say

they are just an app, because it gets them off the hook on regulation. Let’s examine the evidence: they hire the drivers, they collect the money and pay the drivers, they tell the drivers where to go, they “fire” or ban drivers if they don’t accept jobs. So, they are not a transportation company! You are having a laugh!

David Heath

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LETTERS

“ STUNNING ACT OF HUMANITY”

I just wanted to tell you all about a wonderful taxi driver that helped three random people on Friday, August 24.

We were all standing on Hackney Road at the Queensbridge Road bus stop to the city, at 5.05am, when

a black cab drove up, stopped, opened his window and told us that there had been a bad motorcycle accident at the top of Hackney Road, and the road was closed, therefore no buses would be driving down. He then offered to take all of us, for free, to Old Street Station so we could catch connecting buses, or the Tube to work!

What an absolutely stunning act of humanity, kindness and thoughtfulness on behalf of this lovely, lovely man.

He had just started his shift, and said we all need to help each other getting to work at this time of the morning.

I would like to thank him through the pages of TAXI. He didn’t need to say or do anything, but, he did, and made three random people’s lives that much happier and easier.

I’ll not forget this for a long time. uMartin Black

STAR LETTER

Wonderful cabbie helped three random people


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TWO FINGERS

T here’s nothing I’ve liked more over the years than writing a story to raise a smile. Being mugged,

however, is definitely not a funny story, but that’s exactly what happened to me recently. It’s painful talking about it mainly because, unwittingly, I set myself up. But if this article prevents other drivers from falling into the same trap, then I’m happy to drive around with an empty wallet, and a big dollop of egg on my face. Incidentally, the hairs on the back of my neck are standing up just thinking about it.

I was sitting in the shadow of the John Lewis store on the rank in Cavendish Square, taking a welcome breather from the oppressive summer weather. I opened a copy of TAXI and flicked through the pages. I glanced briefly at an article entitled “Marylebone: Thieves on the Prowl,” about a cabbie who’d picked up a group of Middle Eastern kids early

one evening, who’d asked to be taken to Church Street, Marylebone, and who would be joined by their disabled grandmother. When they asked for help with the ramp the driver got out and one of the gang made off with his wallet.

By the time I’d got to the end of the article, a passenger was smiling at me through the open luggage window. She wanted Paddington station. At Paddington, I didn’t bother to wait for another fare, but set off along the Edgware Road back towards Marble Arch. I’d only come out for a couple of hours to “test the water” – after having spent some time in hospital suffering from an acute chest infection (brought on by a combination of exhaust fumes and the incredibly hot weather). It was 6.40pm: “One more job,” I thought, and “I’d make my way home.”

I turned left into George Street, and was immediately hailed by a Middle Eastern lad who got in via the offside door. As he did, another youth opened the nearside door and climbed in. The first lad, who was now sitting on the near side

tip seat, asked me to take them to the “Comfort Inn, in Church Street, pick up their disabled grandmother, and take them on to Maida Vale.” Bells should have started ringing, but unfortunately, the article I’d read in TAXI no more than 45 minutes earlier, had not registered. Blithely unconcerned, I made my way northwards along Edgware Road towards Church Street.

I didn’t know the hotel (which is not unusual, cos I don’t know the names of dozens of new hotels that are springing up every week). “Don’t worry,” they told me, “we’ll direct you.” I drove over the Church Street junction and, still unsuspecting, I was directed to make a left turn, behind the shops, into Chambers Street, and take the second on the left. I couldn’t see a hotel, but naively turned left. Alarm bells only began ringing when I was confronted by a row of bollards, then I knew I was in trouble.

Both boys jumped out and were quickly joined by another, who appeared from the blocks of flats that surrounded me. By now, the story I’d just read about being mugged, was becoming a reality. Both my passenger doors were wide open, making it almost impossible to reverse away from the situation. One boy was in the back of the cab trying to raise the wheelchair ramp and demanding I get out “with the red plastic key that unlocks the ramp.” I refused. A lad came to the open luggage door window and leaned inside, rummaging around in search of the “magical” red plastic key. I grabbed at my leather rucksack containing my wallet, which in turn contained my credit cards, cash and cab licence. By now, the youth on my side had opened my door and had started poking around in the door pocket. I was determined not to get out of the cab. Thoughts of a physical attack somehow didn’t enter my mind – though in the current climate of stabbings and acid attacks, I should have been terrified. Then, the worst thing possible happened. One of the youths opened the luggage compartment door. It was unlocked. I was horrified. Confronted on both sides, my attention was totally diverted, and in that moment, he grabbed my haversack and ran, the other two thieves closely following.

Before I could reverse and dash back towards Edgware Road in the hope I might see a police car on its way to Paddington Green Police Station, I had to get out of the cab and run around slamming doors.

My heart was pounding and my mouth was dry. I punched

999 into my mobile phone. I asked for

the police and was put through immediately –

then everything slowed down. I guess I expected a squad of police cars to pull up alongside me in an instant, take down my description of the assailants, then hare off down the Edgware Road, blue lights flashing, in search of them. Nothing of the sort occurred. Despite the stress and urgency in my voice, the female operator at the end of the phone was slow and methodical, asking an endless stream of questions. I gave her my details and a description of the Middle Eastern youths, but she didn’t seem particularly bothered. It all seemed mundane. I expected urgency, but there were no police officers or sirens, just a crime number, and the promise of a call from the crime investigation squad sometime the next day. The operator gave me a phone number, and, sitting in the kerb in the busy Edgware Road, batting off potential passengers, I started the process of cancelling my credit cards. I was left feeling humiliated, licking my wounds and wondering, “why me?” and how come the passenger door was unlocked? I drove around the area for a while hoping I might catch a glimpse of the robbers; or even a sight of my discarded rucksack, puzzling all the while about the unlocked door, and the thought – “had they seen me coming?”

It was only when I eventually ventured back to work, a couple of days later, that I discovered why the door had been unlocked. My first job was a family with a pushchair going to London Zoo. I’d made sure the luggage door was locked when I left home – so to open it, I had to lean across the luggage compartment and unlock it from the inside.

There were only a couple of cabs on the zoo rank, so I “put on.” I was soon on point. A family with a pushchair appeared. Would I take them to Harrods? The family clambered into the back as the father folded the pushchair ready for the luggage compartment, but before I could lean across and open the door for him – he opened it himself! It was unlocked! But I’d locked it when I left home that morning.

It was then I learned (after 52 years) that even if the door has been locked from the outside, once the door is opened from the inside, it remains unlocked. I’d always thought that if the door was set in the “locked mode,” it stayed locked. “Ho hum,” that was a costly mistake. u

Al warns fellow cabbies after becoming the latest victim of the gang operating around west London

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TOP RANK

W ith the aim of building better relationships with some of the businesses that we deal with

in our daily lives, I asked TAXI readers to submit questions for the app companies. Here are the responses from mytaxi. If you don’t like the answers (or the questions) don’t shoot the messenger but do feel free to comment through the letters page.

Questions for mytaxi

Q: Which cities does mytaxi now operate in?

A: London is one of the biggest taxi markets in the world and will always be our priority. However, we are acutely aware that consumers travel internationally more than ever and are looking for a single ‘go to’ taxi app – we want this to be mytaxi. With this in mind, we’ve been on a rapid expansion run, adding Edinburgh, Manchester, Brighton, Nottingham, Oxford and Reading in the last six months with more UK cities to come. These are in addition to the 100+ cities we are in across Europe. This strong and growing footprint has made us the largest licensed taxi app in Europe and increased cross border traffic bringing more airport business through the mytaxi app. Our airport business is growing at 75%+ year on year.

Q: Why are some fixed price fares so low, especially those to/from Heathrow/Gatwick and that’s before you take your 10%, making it even lower?

A: Our consumer research and feedback has pointed to the fact that one of the barriers felt by international travellers to choosing a black cab from airports has been the uncertainty around price. Fixed price fares, whilst not necessarily a perfect solution, go some way to addressing this concern and like all mytaxi jobs, acceptance of fixed fares is entirely voluntary.

We also appreciate that fixed fares may not appeal to all drivers, however, we believe that they help attract more passengers to black cabs as opposed to Uber, other PHV operators or the Heathrow Express, for example.

Q: Why must the waiting time on a FP airport job be collected by the driver and not by the app as this leads to passengers complaining to driver?

A: Firstly, we would encourage drivers to call passengers once they have arrived to let them know where they are. This helps reduce wait times. Secondly, we cover the costs of short stay parking of between 15-30 minutes for drivers. All we ask the driver to do is send us job feedback through the app with the amount to be paid and

This week, mytaxi’s David Savage is in the frame, answering questions from London taxi drivers

MYTAXI UNDER THE SPOTLIGHTPAUL BRENNAN

Q: Is your app geofenced to only allow suburban drivers to pick up in their area, if yes, why?

A: We only limit pick up areas in accordance with the license or badge rulings that the driver has.

Q: Why don’t you have a going home button?

A: We know this has been on the wish list of most drivers since the mytaxi app was launched. The good news is that this has been in development and we’ll announce the launch date shortly.

Q: Why do you have taxi butler buttons at hotels with a well serviced rank like Park Plaza Waterloo?

A: We offer a range of business solutions – of which Taxi Butler is one – for the hospitality and corporate sectors. Our aim, as with everything we do, is to ensure there is a greater chance of someone ending up in a black cab and not in PHV. We find that hotels will use a solution like the Taxi Butler in addition to street hails and ranks.

Q: Why are drivers made to pay two sets of fees when a cash customer converts to a credit card?

A: If a passenger does not have a card on their account, they are unable to add a card in transit which means the driver is unable to change the payment type from cash to card. The passenger then ends up using the credit card machine in the back of the taxi to make payment, which results in the driver having to pay the credit card fee (not a mytaxi fee. This is paid to the card machine provider) and our commission.

It was for the reason above and the driver feedback we received that we launched our TfL approved mytaxi card payment solution powered by SumUp in May where mytaxi covers the card processing costs. This removes the additional cost burden to the driver and has been very well received.

Q: Will you be offering the option for passengers to specifically order a TXe?

A: We are excited to share that we will be launching a new passenger app by the end of the year with improved functionality and new features. One of these features will allow us to offer the TXe as an option. We are supportive of elevating the “green” credentials of the trade and look forward to introducing the TXe as an option to our passengers.

Q: Can we have a message to confirm scrub is to be paid asap, rather than having to wait for the payment email?

IN PERSON: DAVID SAVAGEDavid Savage, mytaxi General Manager – UK, 40, married, father with one daughter, started working in the trade in 2016 for Hailo and then stayed on during the merger with mytaxi. He was heavily involved in the migration of all users from Hailo to the mytaxi platform in 2017 and the subsequent growth and expansion of the UK business. Prior to being appointed General Manager UK at mytaxi he worked as Head of Operations and Head of Sales and Marketing within both Hailo and mytaxi. His background before joining the trade was within the aviation and travel sector where he held roles in commercial and operational functions.

we’ll take care of the rest. This has been the case for well over a year since the pick-up experience at Heathrow and Gatwick became less passenger and driver friendly.

Q: Why don’t you show that an airport job is a fixed price job until after it has been accepted?

A: We do show that airport jobs are fixed fares before acceptance, however, we have encountered a small bug where it can take a second or two to show the banner. We know that some drivers are instantly tapping accept when the job pops up, so they don’t see the banner as it hasn’t had time to show. We are currently working on improving this further and making it more visible.

Q: Why do you take 10% of the driver’s tips?

A: We definitely understand the sensitivity around this matter. With our commission rates being lower than most apps, commitment to the future of the trade and sustained investment in technology and marketing, to grow demand and take the fight to PHV, we believe that we have and will continue to offer the best app solution for black cab drivers.

Q: What appeals process do you have in place for drivers who are deactivated?

A: London taxi drivers are the best in the world and are widely regarded as setting the standards for professionalism. We are fortunate that it is very rare for us to have to take any kind of action against a driver. On those rare occasions any action is taken, and a driver wishes to appeal, we would encourage them to email our driver team and our management will review the appeal on a case by case basis.

Like all mytaxi jobs, acceptance of �xed fares is entirely voluntary...


A: This is work in progress. We look forward to sharing confirmed timelines.

Q: If a driver earns priority status on a Friday but then has Saturday off, come Sunday they’ve lost that privilege, so, why can’t priority driver status be carried over to your next working day?

A: We do cater for this, Friday priority carries throughout the weekend until Monday at 23:59. It’s only if a driver misses a weekday that it resets on a daily basis e.g. Tuesday gains priority, doesn’t work Wednesday will not have priority on Thursday. The feature was designed to fit the most common working practices of drivers.

Q: Can you update your credit card machines to include a tip option?

A: This is a feature that both mytaxi and SumUp are keen on having. It is in their development plans.

Q: Gett reimburses drivers who need to make expensive calls to passengers who are using an international mobile, will you consider doing likewise?

A: We are already doing this. Our driver services team are always on hand to support and address any queries drivers may have.

Q: How do you support the London Taxi trade? How much has mytaxi invested in the London trade?

A: Our overriding purpose is to support the trade, both in London and throughout Europe. A few examples of what we do include sponsorship of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taxis, involvement with Faster, Smarter, Greener, support in the promotion of the Knowledge campaign by London Taxi PR, and regular interaction with TfL.

We also recently commissioned an independent piece of research on the regulatory framework in London and other European cities. This was launched in June and well received by MPs and other stakeholders.

We also invest heavily in all facets of marketing to bring in more demand in London, launch in new cities and we also involve real drivers in feedback sessions on our app, fixed fares and to support our expansion.

Drivers may not always see our advertising, as a lot of it is through digital channels, but we are investing heavily, and it is working. mytaxi has invested tens of millions of pounds supporting the London taxi trade in the past couple of years, both through offering incentives to drivers and discounts to passengers.

This has helped to keep passengers in taxis, while also encouraging new passengers to use cabs and enticing back previous black cab users. mytaxi will continue to invest in the trade, not only in London but also in other UK cities and more broadly throughout Europe.

Q: What do you believe is the most important factor facing the trade?

A: Without getting too political, it’s important that work continues to guarantee a level playing

field to ensure that the proud heritage of the black cab trade in London is not just sustained but flourishes. Cross border hiring and PHV caps are two key areas that need to be addressed and these are key areas the APPG is pushing for.

Q: What is the number one issue you find with drivers e.g. the most common mistake or misconception drivers have?

A: Drivers have been very supportive of mytaxi, but we do get asked why we don’t spend more on marketing. As mentioned, we spend millions on improving awareness of the great trade we are part of and getting more people into black cabs. This is reflected in the growth of mytaxi.

Q: Do you have any new features coming to the app soon or promotions?

A: As with rest of the mytaxi business our driver and passenger app teams have grown significantly since the start of the year. This has allowed us to develop much more rapidly than we were able to in the past and will result in some exciting changes that will hopefully launch by the end of the year. We’ve run a lot of campaigns in London and across the UK already this year with our partnership with Merlin Attractions being a highlight and we’re currently running a promotion campaign in the BA Business Life magazine in September and October. We will always have more to come but don’t want to give away much more at this stage. u

Paul Brennan, LTDA Executive

MASSETT'S

CAMERA HOTSPOTS

EXMOUTH MARKET Red zoneBERKLEY STREET J/W PICCADILLY Yellow box camerasBAGLEYS LANE/NEW KINGS ROAD Yellow boxFULHAM BROADWAY/BARCLAY ROAD Yellow boxCAMDEN 20mph limitWATERLOO ROAD Zig-ZagsSELFRIDGES Over rankingLUDGATE HILL Zig-ZagsCLAPHAM HIGH STREET Zig-ZagsISLINGTON 20mph limitRED ROUTES TfL is actively enforcing yellow box restrictionsTOWER BRIDGE 20 mph speed limit – average speed camerasLIMEHOUSE LINK 30mph speed limitTERMINUS PLACE Bus only left turn. TfL to issue PCNsSMITHFIELD Do not park in loading boxes, they are enforced by cameraA13 Average speed cameras in operationTHE CITY 20mph limit

u HOTSPOT 1 John Islip Street —no right turn into Ponsonby Terrace

u HOTSPOT 2 Lea Bridge Road —20mph zone

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step forward for our trade and enabled us to claw back much of the work that was being nicked by illegal touts in the terminals.

I was elected chairman of HALT and got the go-ahead to start The HALT magazine, editing and selling the ad space in the paper, which ran successfully for more than five years.

So yes, I have been in the front row for 56 years and I don’t regret any of it. And while it does fill me with pride to reminisce, it is also slightly (only slightly mind!) embarrassing to be recognised and offered free rides. Having said that, these wonderful gestures are hugely appreciated, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. u

TAXI TALK

D on’t get me wrong, because as a normal human being I’m thrilled to bits when someone gives

me something for free, but things are happening on a regular basis in my manor of Hampstead that are beginning to make me feel embarrassed.

Allow me to explain. Because of my pesky prostate and my dodgy pins, I get a cab home from The Royal Free Hospital, The O2 in Finchley Road and Tesco in Hampstead with a heavy bag of shopping. Okay, so the fare is only about seven quid from the hospital and The O2, while the fare from Hampstead, up the massive Holly Hill, to Frognal Rise is a just four quid. But these wonderful caring cabbies who pick me up, steadfastly refuse to take any money from me. Most of them recognise my ugly boat race from my pic in TAXI, while others remember me from my involvement in the politics at Heathrow in the 90s.

Naturally, I’m flattered and touched by their generosity. However, as a recently-retired cabbie of 56 years, I know that time means money. First up was the guy setting down at The Royal Free who I approached and asked if he was working. “Yes, of course I am Alf, where are you going?” He promptly took me home and refused to take any dough saying, “I live in Hendon, so this takes me home.” When I offered him a fiver for his diesel money, he politely refused. Another cab was setting down outside Tesco just as I was coming out with a heavy bag of shopping. I only wanted the top of the dreaded Holly Hill and I knew the fare would be about four quid and I’d give him a fiver. But again, the driver flatly refused to take my money saying he had joined HALT (Heathrow Airport Licensed Taxis) that I had helped to form in the 90s and that he appreciated all the hard work I had put in on behalf of the trade. The following week my daughter and I saw a cab setting down in Pond Street after coming out of the hospital. He ran us home and told us the same story about joining HALT, then refused to take any dough! It was the same

with a couple of cabs I hailed outside The O2. They were quite happy to run me up to the top of Heath Drive and not accept the fare. They said they were going home north bound and that seven quid couldn’t pay for all the work I had done for the trade!

For sure I was flattered by all these caring cabbies, but I wanted to pay my dues. So the next time I hailed a cab in Hampstead, I put on my shades as a disguise. The very first thing the cabbie said to me was, “I hear you’ve not been too well Alf!” So, the shades didn’t hide my boat race and it was yet another freebie!

However, it does make you think about your connection to the trade and your place in it.

I did get stuck in early on, volunteering by helping to take the underprivileged children to Southend. From then on, I was involved wherever I could be – with the LTDA as a rep at the airport and writing regularly for the esteemed organ you are reading now for 17 years, after being head-hunted by Battalion HQ.

It was in the 90s, when I fancied a change, I started working “the flyers;” I was then made senior LTDA rep at Heathrow. I gave up that position when I joined the very first committee of HALT. With the support of the canteen regulars we were able to set up taxi desks in all five terminals – manned in two shifts by uniformed cabbies who had lost their bills through ill-health. This was a major

Being a trade face about town has its ups and downs – but mostly ups

“GENEROUS AND CARING CABBIES!”ALF TOWNSEND

With the support of the canteen regulars we were able to set up taxi desks in all �ve terminals – manned in two shifts by uniformed cabbies who had lost their bills through ill-health...


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CRUEL LONDON

I n his seemingly normal everyday life, Dennis Nilsen- or ‘Den’ as he was known to his colleagues at

the Denmark Street Jobcentre (now a branch of Fernandez and Wells) where he worked – was a staunch trade unionist and in May 1980 he attended a union conference in Southport. After this sojourn he caught a train back to Euston and it was at the bustling station he encountered his third victim: 16-year-old Martyn Duffey.

Martyn was a troubled young man from Birkenhead who’d hitchhiked to London four days previously and was already sleeping rough. Feigning a good Samaritan routine, Nilsen invited the youth back to Melrose Avenue with the offer of food and a clean bed.

Once his grateful guest was asleep, Nilsen crawled upon the sheets and pinned him down with his knees. He then twisted a custom-made ligature

around Martyn’s neck and throttled the youngster. Although Nilsen put all of his might into the attack he noticed Martyn

ROBERT LORDAN

The second of a three part story about one of the country’s most notorious killers

THE MUSWELL HILL MURDERER (PT2)

was still breathing and so dragged his limp victim into the kitchen where he completed the evil deed by drowning the teen in the sink.

As 1980 progressed Nilsen began to kill so often – and was always blind drunk when he did so – that he could recall fewer of his victims’ personal details. He was however clear about dates and would later become infuriated with the press when they made mistakes regarding them.

He knew his fourth victim was named Billy Sutherland, a male prostitute who he killed in August 1980, but of the murder itself he could remember nothing, simply stating he woke up to find “another dead body.”

The next slew of victims were men who’d existed on the fringes of society and as such their identities remain unknown to this day. In September there was an Irish labourer, of whom Nilsen could only recall he had rough hands. In October there was a man who he believed to be either Mexican or Filipino who he met in the Salisbury pub. In November, a homeless man he’d discovered dossing in a doorway on Charing Cross Road – when strangled, Nilsen recalled that

this victim kicked his legs in the air as if pedalling a bicycle. In December he murdered a “long haired hippy”.

After killing each victim, Nilsen would bathe the body before keeping it around the house for days on end as a bizarre form of company; chatting to the corpse when he returned home from work, sitting it beside him whilst watching television and, perhaps most disturbingly of all, even sharing his bed with it. Once decomposition set it Nilsen would use the butchery skills he’d mastered as an army chef to dissect the bodies and then hide the severed parts beneath the floorboards. As for the organs, he’d toss them into an alley for birds and foxes to pick at. On one occasion he stuffed entrails into a shopping bag which he absently dumped on the pavement whilst walking his beloved dog, Bleep. This gruesome package was discovered by a member of the public who handed it into police – although the find led nowhere.

Unsurprisingly, the stench in Nilsen’s flat was appalling; so much so that the neighbours complained. They also noted how Nilsen kept his windows permanently open, even in the winter.

By late 1980 the sheer number of body parts was becoming a real problem for Nilsen, so towards the end of the year he built a large bonfire in the garden which he used to cremate the remains, heaping old tyres on top of the pyre to disguise the smell.

But still the killing continued. In January 1981 he met an “18-year-old blue-eyed Scot” in the Golden Lion, Soho, and invited him home for a drinking contest.

In February, there was a victim who Nilsen knew only as the “Belfast Boy” and in April a skinhead who he met in Leicester Square. This individual had a tattoo around his neck; a dashed line bearing the words “cut here” – an instruction which Nilsen took quite literally when carving up the body for disposal. Again, the identities of these men murdered in Cricklewood remains a mystery…

To be continued… u

Martyn was a troubled young man from Birkenhead who’d hitchhiked to London four days previously and was already sleeping rough. Feigning a good Samaritan routine, Nilsen invited the youth back to Melrose Avenue with the o�er of food and a clean bed

[FROM LEFT] Melrose Avenue, NW2 and Martyn Du�ey

15 year reminderThe London taxi 15 year age limit refers to the cab’s ‘birthday’ (in the log book) not its plate date.

For example: A cab passed when it is 14 years and 11 months old WILL be granted a further 12 months of life.

Cabs may be booked in for testing in the normal way when the plate has 28 days or less to run.

The cab can then work up to the test date. If the plates are taken off with more than 28 days to run, both the plates and the paper licence must be surrendered to one of the six NSL inspection centres in and around London.

The ‘unplated’ cab must then not be worked, and at least one week should be allowed before attempting to book the next NSL test, to allow the computerised booking system to recognise that the plates have been registered. Lost/stolen identi�erIf your identifier is lost or stolen

you must notify LTPH immediately (0343 222 4444 / tph.enquiries

@tfl.gov.uk)You may then continue

working. A letter of confirmation will be sent out to you by Transport for London, prior to a replacement identifier

being processed.

Shop a tout Anyone who sees touting or any

other form of illegal cab-related activity is urged to contact TfL with the details.

Take down the registration number and make a note of the date, time and location where incident took place.

Type “cab enforcement” into your internet search engine and follow the links to the ‘report illegal activity’ section of the TfL website.

DVLA reminderThe photo card part of the driving licence lasts for 10 years and must renewed after that period. The licence becomes invalid if it is not renewed with a current picture.

Cabs may be booked in for testing in the normal way when

working. A letter of confirmation will be sent

replacement identifier being processed.

Shop a tout Anyone who sees touting or any

STAY IN THE KNOW


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Crossrail Delay Hits Bus PlansTRANSPORT Changes to central London bus routes through Oxford Street have been put on hold because of the delays to completion of Crossrail.

Transport for London planned to slash bus numbers by 40% through the busy street to cut congestion and tackle air pollution.

Crossrail was due to start in December, but this has now been put back at least nine months until autumn next year.

It is thought that fewer buses could cause access problems for shoppers and people with mobility issues.

Commissioner of Transport for London Mike Brown told London Assembly members that Oxford Street bus route changes would be postponed at a meeting on Thursday, September 6.

A planned consultation on bus routes will still go ahead.

NEWS IN BRIEFCHARITY

One of the trade’s most beloved charities has been given a makeover by a leading design company.

The London Taxi Drivers’ Fund for Underprivileged Children (LTFUC) has a new name and visual logo.

It will now be known London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children (LTCFC).

Established in 1928 and run by London taxi driver volunteers, the charity enriches the lives of disadvantaged children.

This is its 90th year and it was felt that the logo and name needed to be updated to be more reflective of the work that it does to help children with special needs.

A design team from Pentragram stepped in and kindly offered to rebrand the charity and set about the task of creating a flexible brand more in tune with the digital marketing world and which would enable it to engage with a

broader audience. LTCFC Chairman, Michael Son

BEM, said: “We have been very fortunate to have Pentagram, the world’s largest independently-owned design studio work on this rebrand project for us and we are incredibly grateful for their support.

“In this enlightened society, we do not believe children should be labelled so the word ‘underprivileged’ will cease to be part of the name of our charity. The new name is neutral and modern and along with our new, fun, eye-catching logo, will allow us

to reach out to a wider audience. “Together with our associates,

we are very optimistic that the new branding will bring a more contemporary, neutral and friendly feel to our identity.”

LTCFC has organised hundreds of events and helped thousands of children to enjoy days out that they otherwise would not have been able to.

It has also provided essential funding for the purchase of recreational, technology and mobility equipment for children, schools and hospices.

Pentagram is the world’s largest independently-owned design studio. They work globally and have a prestigious portfolio including, Citibank, Lloyd’s of London, National Academy, Rolls-Royce and Victoria & Albert Museum and many other prestigious organisations.

To find out more about the LTCFC, to volunteer for one of the events or to donate, please visit www.ltcfc.org.uk.

Children’s Charity Gets a Rebrand


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ENERGY

Fuel prices are expected to continue to rise despite the relatively low cost of oil, according to the RAC.

The RAC has warned that 2018 is “rapidly becoming a horrible year on the UK’s forecourts” and said that more rises were “inevitable” and there is “no end in sight” for motorists.

Prices for unleaded have reached £1.30 per litre, while diesel has hit £1.34 per litre.

This is the highest levels fuel prices have been at since the summer of 2014.

Fuel costs are still rising

despite the fact that the cost of oil, a key factor in determining pump costs, was 26 dollars higher ($106) at that time than the $80 price today.

However, over the same period of time, the value of sterling has declined from $1.70 to $1.29.

It means it is more expensive now to buy fuel on the wholesale

market despite low oil prices.A standard TX4 costs at least £70

to fill up. Earlier this year it cost just £58 when diesel was £1.10 per litre. A Vito now costs around £98 to fill up.

Amanda Stretton, the motoring editor at Confused.com, said: “Drivers will be hit in the pocket even more if the freeze on fuel duty is lifted in the next autumn budget. Paying for fuel is part and parcel of owning a car but the government could end up pricing drivers off the roads.

“To save money, motorists should

concentrate on making their cars more fuel efficient by driving at lower speeds, accelerating gradually and avoiding over-revving.”

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “August was another bad month for motorists and it’s rapidly becoming a horrible year on the UK’s forecourts and it looks like further increases are inevitable.

“Having benefited from some very low prices two-and-a-half years ago, drivers get a nasty shock every time they go to fill up their cars, having to fork out more and more.”

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Diesel Price Hits Four Year High£400m Charging Point Boost UnveiledELECTRIC CARS The Government has pledged to inject millions of pounds into creating thousands charging points across Britain to encourage electric car take up.

Transport Secretary Chris Gray-ling said £400m would be spent creating a comprehensive national infrastructure.

Points could be installed at motorway service stations as part of the plan.

He said he wanted to usher in a “new age of the car” which would help to create cleaner air for all.

The Government has stated its ambition to see that at least half of new cars sold are ultra-low emission by 2030, as part of its Road to Zero strategy. The sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles could be banned in the UK by 2040.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Diesel pump prices, January 2015 to date

95

105

115

125

135

2016 2017 2018



MONEY MATTERS

I f you live in London, you’re living in the debt capital of the UK. According to a report by StepChange debt

charity, Londoners are more likely to be struggling with debt than the rest of the UK, despite the higher average incomes in the capital.

StepChange reckons more than half a million Londoners are in problem debt, driven by many having to spend a higher proportion of their incomes on essentials such as housing and fuel. Londoners also owe more on credit cards, overdrafts and payday loans than those elsewhere, and have higher arrears on essential bills.

StepChange chief executive Phil Andrew says: “Despite earning more on average than the rest of the country, Londoners have to fork out more to cover essential costs, pushing over half a million people living in the capital into problem debt. We found that higher housing costs are responsible for leaving Londoners with less money in their pockets after paying for household bills.”

Meanwhile, research by Vanquis Bank found 10% of Brits have been in debt due to household bills. Adults aged between 18 and 34 are most likely to fall into arrears with bills such as council tax and energy; 12% of this age group said bills had been the biggest factor behind their debt. The research also found that London was rated the worst place in the UK to rent property with 12.8% of adults highlighting rent as the biggest factor in their debt problems.

Falling behind on household bills tends to have more severe consequences than missing payments on consumer credit agreements such as overdrafts and personal loans. Tenants in rent arrears could be evicted from their homes, while people behind on gas and electricity payments risk having services cut off or being forced on to more expensive prepayment meters.

So, what should you do if you’re struggling to pay the bills? Firstly, don’t panic as there are steps you can take to

get yourself back on your feet. If you’re struggling to afford your

energy or water bills, contact your supplier to discuss ways to pay what you owe. Your supplier is obliged to help you come to a solution. In some cases it may be able to set up a repayment plan or switch you to a cheaper tariff. Many people will be able to save money by switching to a cheaper supplier.

If you can’t afford to pay phone or broadband bills, ask your supplier if you can downgrade to a cheaper package. A slower broadband speed probably won’t make much difference to surfing the net, but could save you some money. Ditch premium TV channels such as Sky Sports or Sky Movies until you can comfortably afford them. If you’re happy with your mobile handset, look at switching to a SIM-only tariff; these can be found for less than £10 a month.

If you’re on a low income, you may be entitled to some help towards paying your council tax. This is called “council tax reduction” (CTR) and you’ll need to speak to your local authority.

Make sure you’re receiving all the money you’re entitled to. Check whether you’re eligible for any benefits by using the benefits calculator on the Gov.uk website.

An important step towards getting control of your finances is understanding

London is the debt capital of the UK, but if you’re struggling to pay your bills there’s help at hand

WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE IN DEBT?EMMA LUNN

what you have coming in and going out each month. Do you have money left over each month that can be used to pay off debts or save? Are you frittering money away on day-to-day purchases such as takeaway coffees or snacks? Are you paying for a gym

membership you no longer use? If you’re struggling to pay bills, repay

debts or just manage your money well, don’t be afraid to seek help. Charities such as Step Change and Citizens Advice can offer tools and advice to get you back on track. u

Falling behind on household bills tends to have more severe consequences than missing payments on consumer credit agreements such as overdrafts and personal loans. Tenants in rent arrears could be evicted from their homes...


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ON THE ROAD

I was dismayed to hear that a case of touting in Reading by a TfL licensed minicab was thrown out. Part of the

reason given was that the car wasn’t easily identified as a private hire vehicle because nobody could read the TfL licence roundel on the back window.

We’re easily identified, our competitors are not. Most London-licensed private hire vehicles carry no identifying marks, apart from the little sticker on the back window. The sticker might as well be an Aero wrapper. You won’t notice it on a tinted window unless you are two feet away from the vehicle, and you won’t be able to read the licence number until you are at point-blank range. There are no PH plates or roof signs, by law.

With all the talk about congestion and pollution, I wonder if Transport for London is ashamed of its unrestricted private hire licensing policy? Mayor Sadiq Khan’s appeal for the power to cap numbers suggests so – it doesn’t sit well with the efforts to clean up the air. If the public noticed that nearly every “private” car in central London was actually a minicab they’d raise a fuss and force TfL to act.

There are around 24,000 taxi drivers competing with around 114,000 private hire drivers (21,000 actual taxis and 87,000 PH vehicles).

It means there are currently 87,000 minicabs exempt from the Congestion Charge. It’s good that they are considering making PH drivers pay the charge, but I’m sceptical it’ll happen anytime soon. Like the various Uber issues, there will be years of legal wrangling and court appeals. By the time the charge is brought in most vehicles will be electric and exempt anyway, or the whole taxi and private hire trade will be overrun by self-driving pods.

The New York licensing authority is planning to cap the number of Uber cars licensed. TfL keep saying it needs an Act of Parliament before it can cap private hire licensing. A while back, Mayor Khan claimed to have tried to get

the Government to change its unlimited licensing policy, but didn’t hear back. We now hear he’s written to the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling. Let’s hope he put a stamp on the letter this time.

Taxi licences also include yellow badge drivers licensed only for certain outer-London boroughs. Drivers licensed in Barnet and Enfield and Hounslow are not allowed to pick up in inner-London’s green badge area. Minicabs can operate all over London – and semi-legally, it seems, in any other towns of the driver’s choosing, such as in Brighton, Southend and at Gatwick Airport. Uber doesn’t respect other people’s borders, global or local, and seems happy to draw up its own.

The issue of cross-border hiring surely affects provincial towns more than it affects London: it seems London-licensed private hire cars are running riot in the provinces. Maybe there should be private hire sectors, similiar to our suburban sectors?

TfL has tightened up a bit on its licensing requirements, but there’s still a long way to go before adequate standards are put in place. TfL is still one of the country’s go-to authorities for a quickie PH licence, with few questions asked, and inadequate checking of criminal records and insurance.

Of course, we go back to the identification problem: nobody can identify TfL private hire vehicles. The

issue of identification will remain should cross border hiring be curtailed. And it seems while identification is an issue, enforcement will remain impossible.

Private hire drivers disguise themselves pretty well too. “A minicab driver? Who me?” However smartly Uber drivers dress, they’re still minicab drivers, and they’re

still driving for a minicab company. The smart, sombre, attire is worn to confuse us: are they over-dressed minicab drivers, or MI5 operatives? TfL love black suits. As a Knowledge examiner I sometimes had to ask the “men in black” to help me access the Palestra building when my swipe card stopped working. Everyone’s a terrorist suspect at TfL, and everyone who works on the front line carries a serious demeanour. I find it amusing now I’m no longer there, but it must have scared the life out of the Knowledge boys and girls who used to go up to Palestra for an appearance. Personally, I don’t trust anyone who wears a black suit in the daytime!

I presume TfL also license tour buses? After a weekend of being caught behind buses blocking up Ludgate Hill and Buckingham Palace Road I wondered what London would look like if tour bus numbers ever reach 113,000? u

Chris Ackrill is a Taxi Driver and former Knowledge Examiner

The problem of cross-border hiring is compounded by the lack of obvious identi�cation on minicabs

ARE YOU UBER IN DISGUISE?

There are currently 87,000 minicabs exempt from the Congestion Charge. It’s good that they are considering making PH drivers pay the charge, but I’m sceptical it’ll ever happen anytime soon...

CHRIS ACKRILL

Beware the men in black



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CALL TODAY:

OR EMAIL:

LICENSED TO CHAT

W hat a summer! For most of it I felt like a chicken roasting in an oven. It was criminally hot. A mobile air

conditioning unit is going straight to the top of my Christmas wish list.

Mr Meg has had his own summer woes. These are quick on their feet with bushy tails. Squirrels. Or those b*£tar! squirrels as he affectionately calls them. Squirrels have been feasting on the heads of Mr Meg’s sunflowers and swallowing the seeds he needs for planting next year.

We arrived back from holiday last weekend after 12 hours of driving and five hours in a car ferry. It was 4am and raining. I did a zombie walk from the car straight to my bed, but Mr Meg dashed out to the garden to check on his sunflowers.

He woke me (big mistake) to shout that “those little gits have eaten all my sunflower seeds!” and then, with menace, he declared “they’re finished!” Then he brushed his teeth and went to sleep. War was postponed till morning.

It was a big sunflower year for Mr Meg who

had bought a batch of ‘Mongolian Mammoths’ (seeds not animals) on eBay. He planted them in May and watered them, sang to them and took photographs of them daily. His sunflowers grew 14 feet high and had heads like dustbin lids. They were his pride and joy. But while we were away the squirrels had visited every day raided most of the seeds. Operation Seedsave swung into action.

Carrier bags tied over the flower heads were the obvious choice but, oopsydoopsy, the eco warrior I married banned plastic bags from the house, so that wasn’t an option.

He called the garden centre and they advised him to set up a sound barrier around his crop. Mr Meg was all for that until he heard the machines cost between £50 and £500. He improvised and tied his iPad to a nearby tree. Cliff Richard’s worst hits were played at full blast for half an hour. That’s as long as it took before the neighbours (front back and sides) complained so it had to be turned off. I took down the iPad and hid it in the one place in the house Mr Meg would never go - the ironing pile.

Mr Meg goes into battle with some seed munching squirrels but ends up on the defensive

SOWING THE SEEDS OF WAR

Squirrels have been feasting...

The squirrels feasted again. My poor man was now virtually seedless. I headed to work because I had no words to console him. He was muttering about buying an airgun when I left.

After sitting foe eight hours in solid traffic, I came home to find that Mr Meg’s sunflowers

were all wearing tights. £12 a pair tights. Eight pairs of MY £12 tights. Some new out of the packets.

Worst of all, two sunflower heads were sheathed in a pair of white silk stockings. Mr Meg was sitting at the garden table looking triumphant. “I am a genius, Meg! Squirrels

hate tights….. they can’t get to the seeds!” he called, slapping himself on the thigh to congratulate himself.

I told him the white silk stockings were the ones I had worn on our wedding day. For sentimental reasons I’d kept them safe for many, many years in the bottom of my

undies drawer. The one that he had just raided. I expected him to gasp in horror

and beg forgiveness. Instead he said, “But what’s the problem? They’d be much too

small for you now.”Now it’s me that wants an airgun. u

MUSHER MEG

They were his pride and joy. But while we were away the squirrels had visited every day raided most of the seeds. Operation Seedsave swung

Carrier bags tied over the flower heads were the obvious choice but, oopsydoopsy, the eco

complained so it had to be turned off. I took

came home to find that Mr Meg’s sunflowers were all wearing tights. £12 a pair tights. Eight pairs of MY £12 tights. Some new out of the packets.

Worst of all, two sunflower heads were sheathed in a pair of white silk stockings. Mr Meg was sitting at the garden table looking triumphant. “I am a genius, Meg! Squirrels

hate tights….. they can’t get to the seeds!” he called, slapping himself on the thigh to congratulate himself.

the ones I had worn on our wedding day. For sentimental reasons I’d kept them safe for many, many years in the bottom of my

undies drawer. The one that he had just raided. I expected him to gasp in horror

and beg forgiveness. Instead he said, “But what’s the problem? They’d be much too

small for you now.”


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C ome rain or shine, our diary spotters are always keen get out amongst the ranks armed with their goodies. They love nothing more than pounding the streets, looking for unsuspecting cabbies with gift cards to dish out, so their families can snap up some new clobber or stock up the fridge.

And our new All 4 One cards can be spent at dozens of stores including Debenhams, Argos, River Island and Marks and Spencer.

During their recent jaunt our spotters came across Said Chaghouani, who was over the moon when he was handed a £150 gift card simply for having his diary in the windscreen.

Said told TAXI: “Really? That’s fantastic – I’ll look forward to spending these.”

A short while later our diary spotters surprised Terence Kendall who was equally pleased to be handed £150 for having his LTDA diary on display.

Howard said: “Great! I think I’ll give them to my wife – she’ll know what to do with them.”

Each year we give away almost £8,000 worth of gift cards, so the odds of coming up trumps are pretty good. Just make sure you have your LTDA membership diary on display and let us do the rest.

DIARY PRIZE

ALL 4 ONE BONUS FOR SAID AND TERENCE

Said: “Fantastic.” Terence: “Great.”


Q&A Plan Insurance Brokers' Head of Sales Daniel Severin CIIFollowing the recent high profile London Taxi PR Knowledge campaign, we’ve received a number of enquiries from drivers who have recently passed The Knowledge regarding the cost of insurance. We also have a new facility for cabbies with distressed driving records as well as an update on electric taxi insurance rates. So I thought I’d take the time to address these topics here:

Is it more expensive to insure an electric taxi? �e cost is only marginally higher than it would be for an older vehicle like a TX2, and similar to what we would quote for a recent TX4 or Vito.

Some insurers may be reluctant to quote for electric vehicles as they don't have much historical claims data. Repair costs may be higher and parts could be harder to source, making it di�cult to anticipate the value of claims.

We are proud to con rm that our main insurer partner has not been deterred by this and they want to support taxi drivers in their transition to keep up with the new regulatory requirements.

Does Plan offer cover for cabbies with driving convictions?�roughout a lifetime on the road, several drivers are unfortunate enough to receive a driving suspension and end up spending their days searching for cover to get them back on the roads. It's common for convicted drivers to be given incredibly high premiums or even to be rejected by an insurer.

Here at Plan, we place value on treating you as an individual and want you to be able to continue working.

�at’s why we have worked hard with our main insurer partner and are now able to o�er insurance to drivers with several points.

We are not the regulator nor the enforcer of the rules. If the Licensing Authority allows you to work and drive a taxi, then we are committed to helping you rehabilitate your driving record and get your premiums back down to more manageable levels.

So, if you have previously been given a ban, or gathered points on your licence for driving o�ences, our friendly sales experts will be happy to discuss and sort your taxi insurance needs.

Can Plan insure younger cabbies?It is important for insurers to embrace the next generation of taxi drivers and help the growing number of drivers under 25.

Many of these new drivers will nd it challenging to get a competitive quote, or face the unfortunate experience of being rejected by insurers or brokers altogether.

Daniel Severin Cert CII, Head of Sales & Schemes with over a decade of experience in the industry

At Plan however, we truly understand the complexities and speci c requirements of each niche within the marketplace. If you’re a young driver, we will ensure you are given a policy that suits your needs, at a fair price.

Whether you’ve decided to become a cabbie at 40 or at the tender age of 21, once you’ve met the licensing requirements, we can provide you with insurance to match your needs. With experts readily available to speak to, we make sure you are given the correct level of cover required and allow you to concentrate on keeping your business motoring.

Thank you for taking the time to read this column. For more information, feel free to tweet us any questions you may have @PlanInsurance on Twitter.

Alternatively, you can keep up with me via the CabChat podcast at CabChat.London, or on Twitter @DanAtPlan.

Exclusive Black Cab Insurance Rates from £995

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OVERHEARD

After six months of strict dieting I feel successful because I’ve only gained three pounds. I’ve put on weight in several

places, but mostly the dining room. The trouble is my favourite food is seconds. Squirrels store food for the winter. I store it for lunch. The light of my life has been the one that comes on when I open the fridge. I’ve never been successful with diets. I’m what’s known as a poor loser. With me, most diets have a slim chance of succeeding. It’s quite obvious that my bottom’s too big. I don’t have the end to justify the jeans. I used to do chin ups, but I had to stop because I couldn’t decide which chin to use. I once had a firm chin, till the firm decided to take in partners. I’m so heavy, when I get in a lift it HAS to go down. One day I was standing next to my car and got a ticket for double parking. In the past my body cast a shadow. Now it’s more like an eclipse. I’m so overweight they’re thinking of giving me my own post code. My doctor says I should practice girth control. He wants me to start deserting desserts. He says if I keep putting it off I’ll keep putting it on. When I weigh myself I use two sets of scales. One for each foot. I’ve reached the point where I have to give myself an incentive. Every time I lose 1lb I treat myself to a Mars Bar. I tried going to Weightwatchers meetings. We’d all sit around singing their theme songs: “I’m Going To Live Till I Diet.” “We Shall Overeat” … “The Best things in Life are Fried.” …“The Days Of Wine and Roast Beef.” And “I Want to be Around To Pick Up The Pizza.”

Unfortunately, Weightwatchers didn’t work for me. Their meals were so delicious I’d eat two at a time. My wife tells everyone she’s loved me through thick and thin. She says I should get it into my head it’s survival of the fittest, not the fattest. She’s even put a “Visiting Hours” notice on our larder. In a serious effort to help me, she serves up smaller portions. We’re the only family in our street with left-unders. My weight gain has a lot to do with giving up cigarettes. I used to be a heavy smoker. Now I’m a heavy non-smoker. As a generous gesture I’ve willed my body to science. I’ve just heard science is contesting the will. I’ll leave you with this final thought. If you’re thin, count your blessings, but if you’re fat, count your calories. u

—Brad Ashton

C omplete our crossword puzzle and be in with a chance to win £50! Send your entry to: Crossword 427, Taxi, Taxi House, 11 Woodfield Road, W9 2BA before October 4. The first name out of the proverbial hat wins the cash! u

DOWN:1 Nook (6)2 Plunge (4)3 Continue (7)4 Tree stem (5)5 Remedy (8)6 Acute (6)12 Windward coast (3, 5)14 Distressed (7)16 Practice (4,2)18 Guard (6)19 Fat (5)21 Quick (4)

ACROSS:7 Rinse (6)8 Hired (6)9 Seep (4)10 Guard (8)11 Orchestra musician (7) 13 Exhibitionist (5) 15 Socially inept person (5)17 Forestall (7)20 Forbid (8)21 Fair (4)22 Pride (6)23 Barefoot (6)

WINNER: ISSUE 425

Peter Kelly Ricksmanworth

ACROSS: 1 De facto, 5 Tilde, 8 Meaning, 9 Abaft, 10 Yacht, 11 Entrain, 12 Livery, 14 Fleece, 17 Gnocchi, 19 Wince, 22 Amend, 23 Shingle, 24 Ditty, 25 Overtly.

DOWN: 1 Dimly, 2 Franc, 3 Critter, 4 Orgies, 5 Toast, 6 Leakage, 7 Entente, 12 Laggard, 13 Violent, 15 Low-rise, 16 Fiasco, 18 Caddy, 20 Night, 21 Every

CROSSWORD #427

PUZZLER

PRIZE CROSSWORD

PUZZLER

SUDOKU

Have a go at this medium level Sudoku puzzle. Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1-9 just once

Just for fun...

Puzzles © 2018 Puzzler Media Ltd.www.puzzler.com


THE BIG ONE!The membership of the LTDA is 40 times greater

than some other driver organisations!

To learn more about LTDA benefits and current joining offerscall: 020 7286 1046 or visit www.ltda.co.uk

HERE’S WHY...

BADGESAFE SCHEME

The LTDA retains experienced barristers with specialist knowledge of the London cab trade. Normally when drivers accumulate 12 points on their licence they receive an automatic 6 month ban, but in the case of LTDA members over 90% of those represented by our barristers receive a ban of just 1 month or in most cases no ban whatsoever.

EXPERTISE = SUCCESS

The LTDA’s in-house lawyers are proud of their unrivalled record of court triumphs; in fact the rate of acquittals for members defended in court by the LTDA is 4 times higher than the national average. This unparalleled level of success is due entirely to the expertise acquired by the LTDA over many years of specialising in cab related legal matters.

YOUR FUTURE

The LTDA remains the only trade body resolutely opposed to the computerisation of the Knowledge of London testing system. (No to the quickie Knowledge campaign).

INLAND REVENUE ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE

Many drivers and accountants refer to the LTDA for specialist advice on Inland Revenue investigations. (Free to members).

SICKNESS AND ACCIDENT PROTECTION

When trouble strikes it’s comforting to know that you’ve got the strength of the LTDA around you. (Additional subscription payable).

LTDA HOLIDAY CLUB

Many members have saved thousands of pounds by taking advantage of special offers and prices (members only).

WIN £5,000 EVERY MONTH IN THE LTDA LOTTERY

12 big prizes every year, but you have to be in it to win it (members only £5 per entry).

ACCESS TO ‘SIMPLY HEALTH’

Great value health care from the LTDA. The Association pioneered this scheme in the taxi trade and it still offers the cheapest rates. (Special rates for LTDA members only).

HEATHROW OFFICE AND REPRESENTATION

Call in to the LTDA office at Heathrow, first door on the right in the canteen block. The LTDA’s representatives will give you a warm welcome. (Open to all).

WELFARE DEPARTMENT

LTDA officers make home visits to members who are in severe distress or with special needs and authorise contingency payments where appropriate.

RANKS AND HIGHWAYS REPRESENTATION

The LTDA has negotiated taxi access to most bus lanes and leads the way negotiating on issues that affect you, the licensed taxi driver.

GENERAL ADVICE

If you are new to the trade and you don’t know your `roader’ from your `legal’, give us a call. We’re always here to help. (Tel: 020 7286 1046 - non members are welcome to call).

24 HOUR TOUT LINE

Seen a tout in action? Take the details and phone them in, we will do the rest. (Tel: 020 7266 4769).

HEALTH AND SPORTS PROMOTION

We regularly run promotions with leading health and sports companies resulting in big savings to members.

LEISURE DISCOUNTS

Huge savings on weekend breaks at fine hotels and holiday centres. You will not believe these prices! (Members only).

VEHICLE MANUFACTURERSContinually representing members’ interests in disputes with vehicle manufacturers and suppliers.AUTHORITIES AND MEDIAThe LTDA is the largest and most respected driver organisation in the trade. We lead the way when negotiating with the Government, GLA, TfL, Police, Mayor’s Office, Heathrow, Rail Authorities, Local Councils and when dealing with all sections of the media.MEDICAL ASSISTANCEMany cab drivers are discovering to their cost that their licences are at risk due to the TfL’s interpretation of the new DVLA Group 2 Medical Standards. The LTDA has successfully challenged many decisions by the TfL to revoke members’ licences on medical grounds.FANTASTIC VALUELTDA subscriptions have not increased for 14 years! It costs just 4 quid a week to join the trade’s biggest organisation and 3 quid of that is tax deductible! (Payable monthly).

The LTDA legal service is the only trade scheme which

defends members for ALL alleged offences (traffic,

hackney or criminal), anytime, anywhere in the UK. Non members are advised to

check carefully the exceptions and exclusions contained

or imposed by other legal protection schemes circulating in our trade.

CAUTION



All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means electronic, mechani-cal or by photocopying without prior permission of the publishers. The views and opinions expressed in this publication may not necessarily be those of the publishers. Please note that the last day for inclusion of Clas-sified lineage advertisements is five working days prior to publication. No liability is accepted by the publisher should advertisements not ap-pear in the requested issue(s). While the publisher will take every care to ensure accuracy, no liability can be accepted for loss or damage resulting from errors.

Published by LTDATaxi House 11 Wood�eld Road,London W9 2BAT: 020 7286 1046 | www.ltda.co.uk

@TheLTDA

Managing EditorSteve Still T: 0207 121 0523E: [email protected] Massett File Richard MassettInternational News Wim FaberTwo Fingers Al FrescoTaxi Talk Alf TownsendOverheard Brad AshtonLicensed to Chat Musher Meg

Produced byCentury One Publishing LtdAlban Row,27-31 Verulam RoadSt Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 4DG.T: 01727 893 894, F: 01727 893 895E: [email protected]

Advertising Sales ExecutiveJack Green T: 01727 739 196E: [email protected]

Advertising Sales ManagerJonny KnightE: [email protected]

Art EditorAlan Booth

Advert CoordinatorCaitlyn Hobbs

Printed byManson Group, St Albans

A selection of our numerous Distribution Points

u A1 Taxis, Melody Lane, Highbury, N5u Abacus Accounts, Southbrook Road,

Lee, SE12u Astral Café, Regency Place, SW1u Bubbles Car Wash, E2u C & S Taxis, Dunbridge Street, E2u Cabsurance, Seven Kingsu Camber�eld Taxi Servicesu Computer Cab, Mitre Way, W12u Coney Allen, Dunbridge Street, E1u CP Beehive Service Station,

Beehive Lane, Gants Hillu Cricklewood Carriers, Cricklewoodu Dial A Cab, City Road, N1u Edgware Station Ranku Euston Station Ranku G & L Taxis, Crayford Road, N7u Globe Transmissions,

Cudworth Street, E1u The Ham, Brentfordu Heathrow Airport Canteenu Hexagon Garage, Lukin Street, E1u Jet Garage, Clipstone Street, W1u Knowledge Centre, Caledonian Roadu KPM, Hemming Street, E1u London City Airport Canteenu LP Motors, Dunbridge Street, E2u Martin Cordell, E3 and Stanmoreu Paddington Station Ranku Putney Bridge Taxis, The Arches,

Putney Bridge Station, SW6u Richmond Road Taxi Centre, E8u Safewise Supermarket, Harrowu South Bank Service Station,

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SE1u Temple Place Shelteru Tent Street Taxi Centre, E2u Turbo Accessories, Three Colts Lane, E2u Waterloo Stationu Wimbledon Station Ranku WizAnn Knowledge School,

Watts Grove, E3

LTDA

TREATING PROSTATECANCER QUESTIONS

& ANSWERSFor a FREE copy of this booklet please contact us at the address below.

This booklet has two aims:• to help you become better

informed about prostate cancer and its treatment.

• to guide you in the decisions you will make about your care with your doctor.

It cannot replace talking toyour GP or hospital doctor.

If you can help us by raising funds for our research or to make a donationplease contact us at the address below.

Your support is vital!

Treating

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Prostate Quarter Page 111mmx 141mm:Prostate A4 ad 15/10/2012 16:22 Page 1


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ARTWORKFOR YOURAPPROVAL

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� TX4 ELEGANCE STORM GREY, 62 reg. 1 years plate. 107,000miles. FSH. 1 owner. £18,000. 07956 393829

� TX4 ELEGANCE 2012. 68,000 miles. Tested March 19. FSH. Excellent condition. £20,500 07786 831715

� TX4 EURO 5 ELEGANCE, 64 plate. Immaculate condition, FSH. Manufacturer’s warranty and extended mileage, warrantee until December. £27,500 ONO Call Richard 07958 542136.

� TX4 SILVER 08, BLACK. 28,000 on reconditioned engine. Plated until January 19. V.G.C. £7750ono 07891 891469

� TX4 GOLD 60 PLATE. NIGHTFIRE Red. 148,000miles. Fully air-conditioned. Plated until August 2019. Immaculate condition. £14,850ono 07956 356533

� TX4 56 SILVER, PLATED UNTIL Feb 2019. 1 private owner from new. New engine with full 1 Year warranty. Clean cab. £5950 quick sale. Halvey Engineering. 020 8312 2224

� 2009 VITO, VERY GOOD condition Low Mileage 12 months plate £10,650 07956 211478

CABS WANTED � TOP QUALITY TXIs & TXIIs wanted, plated or un-plated, top price guaranteed 07787 513629/Email [email protected]

� ALL TXIs & RETIRING TXIIs wanted, instant decision - cash paid. Tel: 07973 335739 or 01253 407500

� AAA- CABS WANTED, ANY year, any condition, top prices paid 013 2266 9081/07836 250222

� ALL CABS WANTED, WE COME to you, top prices paid, cash/ bank transfer, instant decision, finance settled, non-runners or sell & rent back, call 07956 317300

� ALL CABS WANTED, WE come to you, instant cash, finance cleared if required. 07877 093866 eastlondonand essextaxirentals.co.uk

� CABS URGENTLY WANTED, Any condition, cash same day, sell and rent back. Call Roy 07956 293748

� GOOD, CLEAN TXIs & TXIIs wanted, top prices paid, quick viewing, North London based, Graham- 07435 [email protected]

� TROY TAXIS – WANTS YOUR 15 year old TXI up to £1000, instant cash, 07958 652921

MISCELLANEOUS� OLD KNOWLEDGE BIKES wanted, quick decision and cash on collection. Please call 07749 488367 Thankyou.

PLACE YOUR LINAGE BY WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26TH

FOR TAXI 428

UP TO 15 WORDS: £30 UP TO 25 WORDS: £45 UP TO 35 WORDS: £53

CALL JACK ON 01727 739 196


LINAGES


Why Have Your Taxi Servicedwith Ascotts?

We carry out manufacturerwarranty repairs

We use the lastest diagnosticand test equipment

We use genuine parts designed

to your taxis exact standards.

PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT

AND RESALE VALUE

OF YOUR TAXI

£39.95

MOT & NSL PRE TEST

Every 15.000 Miles 15k,45K,75K

90K £699 INC vat

ALL PRICES INCLUDE vat & ALL FILTERS

LTC GENUINE TX4 FRONT PADS

£50.00

0208 692 1122www.ascotts.london

Every 12.000 Miles12K,24K,48K,60K,96K

£99 INC vat

84K £450 INC vatALL PRICES INCLUDE vat & ALL FILTERS

30K,60K £350 INC vat £225 INC vat

36K,72K,108K £130 INC vat

Exclusive Black Cab Rates from £995

Fantastic value cover designed to keep your business motoring

Stay on the move with free breakdown assistance including home start on selected policies

Protect your business with an optional policy that provides a replacement cab after a fault claim

Keeping your business motoringplaninsurance.co.uk0800 542 5946

The Plan Group Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) no. 307249

Documents

Drivers admit manipulating app to boost their earnings · their location is hidden. “That means the app thinks there aren’t many cabs available in the area, so the surge price