Issue 355 - TAXI Newspaper

Transcription

“GOVERNMENT MUST
HELP TRADE” SEE PAGE 10
TAXI
The official publication of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association | www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
No.355 |3 NOVEMBER 2015
THE FUTURE OF
THE CAB TRADE?
ELECTRIC TX5 UNVEILED FOR CHINESE VISIT SEE PAGE 2
More readers than the rest put together. Ask any driver!
LTDA
2
TAXI |3 NOVEMBER 2015
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
NEWS
Electric TX5 unveiled for Chinese visit
The future of the London taxi trade?
Trade
A prototype of the new TX5 was
unveiled by the London Taxi
Company to coincide with the
visit of China’s premier to Britain.
The cab has been engineered
from the ground up with a new
plug-in hybrid engine, making it
zero-emissions capable as all
cabs must be to enter London
from 2018.
The new design is part of a
£250m investment by the
company’s owner, Chinese
manufacturer
Geely, to reshape the firm for the
new electric generation.
Chinese premier, Xi Jinpin, was
the first to see the cab during a
whistlestop tour of manufacturing
centres in the UK, and was greeted
by Li Shufu, Geely's chairman.
The Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge also enjoyed the
preview in Coventry.
Work has already begun on a
£50m new factory which is due to
make at least 36,000 vehicles a
year. Up to seven different electric
vehicles based on the same
technology and structure; an allaluminium spaceframe clad with
composite panels will eventually
roll off the production line there.
Li Shufu, founder and chairman
of Zhejiang Geely Holding
Group, said: “We will have invested
many years of development and more
than £300 million in bringing the
TX5 to market. This is testament to
Geely’s commitment to the UK and
The London Taxi Company, and
demonstrates our leading position on
new energy technologies, our loyal
and talented workforce and our
competitive edge when it comes to
delivering pioneering design and
technology. At the same time we are
happy to play a part in furthering
Sino-Anglo relations by investing in
the UK and strengthening business
and governmental ties between the
two nations”.
The TX5 is expected to go on
sale at the tail end of 2017 but no
details of the mechanics have so
far been announced other than
that it is a hybrid, with a nosemounted four-cylinder petrol
engine as a key component, but
which can run for an extended
period entirely on battery power.
The new taxi was styled at
Geely's design studio in central
Barcelona from a mechanical base
created in Coventry.
Various designs were made
before the final one was settled
on, which is said to take
influences from the FX4 of 1958.
Geely group design boss Peter
Horbury, who oversaw the
project, said: "It is little taller and a
little longer than its ancestors, but
it's no wider; taxi drivers we talked
to told us that was important.
"Our first car did the job, reinterpreting things like the vertical
grille, the haunches, the bustle-back
and the forward opening passenger
doors, but it was a bit too cute. A
London cab has to fit effortlessly into
the modern scene; to have an air of
authority and trustworthiness. We're
confident we have that now."
3 NOVEMBER 2015 | TAXI
More readers than the rest put together!
3
NEWS
Uber’s tax affairs criticised
Trade
Uber only paid £22,134 in UK
corporation tax last year despite
raking in £11 million, according
to the latest published accounts.
The UK arm of the US firm
made a total £866,302 in profit in
2014, most of which should have
been liable for tax.
The revelations about
Uber, and several
other tech giants,
caused outrage,
particularly
given that the
average UK
worker pays
£3,180 in
income tax and
£2,213 in
national
insurance
payments.
The company
says it has not done
anything illegal but
can legitimately
funnel profit into its
sister company in the
Netherlands, where it can pay a
lower rateof tax.
The accounts listed a payment
of £22,134 in “deferred tax,” which
can be rolled over from previous
years and into future tax periods.
Uber insists it has paid the full
amount of corporation tax.
Corporation tax is paid on
profits not revenue. “And,” an
Uber spokeswoman said,
“past losses offset future
profits.
“Deferred tax is an
accounting principle
that dates back to
Benjamin Disraeli to
encourage investment;
it's not a loophole.
“We’re a
young
company
- only
three
years’ old
in the UK –
that’s investing
heavily.”
Amazon has been
heavily criticised for its
Christmas Homeless Appeal
tax arrangements in the past but
recently admitted that despite the
company changing the way it's
UK arm is run, it will be unlikely
to pay any more tax in the UK this
year.
British shoppers spent £5.3
billion with the online store last
year. It recorded a profit of just
£34.4million and paid £11.9m in
tax on a turnover of £679m.
The Government has attempted
to stop companies funnelling
profit made in the UK through
their foreign arms and Amazon
will have to book sales here rather
than in their European
headquarters in Luxembourg.
But Christopher North, head of
Amazon UK, said the company
may still avoid paying tax in the
UK this year as it can offset the
investment made in expanding
here against profits.
Coffee company, Starbucks, has
also come under fire, as has
Facebook, another multi-billionpound company, which paid just
£4,327 in corporation tax in the
UK last year.
News in brief
Busiest
Speed
Camera
Revealed
An East
London speed
camera is the
most prolific in
the country catching almost 14 motorists
every day.
The camera on the westbound
carriageway in the Limehouse
Link tunnel caught 17,620
motorists in 2014-15, according
to Freedom of Information Act
figures.
Roger Lawson, from the
Alliance of British Drivers, said
the use of the cameras was
wrong.
He said: "Clearly it's unjustified
and they should do something
about it. The engineering of the road
is not appropriate if they're catching
that many people a day.
"I think the cameras in that
tunnel are totally pointless,
clearly they should have done
something else."
To plan your ad campaign in
Taxi magazine contact:
Charity
Jonny Knight
Cabbies are being asked
to pledge a parcel for
the homeless this
Christmas.
Paul Sweeney wants
drivers to offer useful
items or to volunteer
to deliver the packages
when they arrive.
Hats, jumpers, scarves
and other items of
clothing are especially
needed as are blankets,
thermals, toothpaste,
toothbrushes and some
packaged food items.
John Anderson at the
Oak Taxi Cafe has agreed
to hold all parcels for
five days prior to their
delivery by a team of
cabbies and their
partners.
Anyone who wants to
pledge a parcel or offer
of help should contact
Paul on 07969177778,
call or text, or email
[email protected].
t: 01727 739 193
e: [email protected]
w: www.centuryonepublishing.uk
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@TheLTDA
MEMBERSHIP
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LTDA, you have access to LTDA
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THE LTDA IS SPENDING
,
,
£1
000
000
FIGHTING TO SAVE YOUR JOB
We must convince the courts that U*** is breaking
all the rules, and its drivers are illegally plying for hire.
E
GIV
OT HT
L N FIG
WIL HIS
WE UP T
020 7286 1046 WWW.LTDA.CO.UK
5
NEWS
Another LTDA Victory
LTDA member Kazila Bitumba was wrongly accused of a serious crime and faced
losing his badge until our barrister stepped in and destroyed the prosecution case.
Roads
Most drivers will be familiar with the
filter lane on the Victoria
Embankment, where the westbound
traffic turns right into
Northumberland Avenue. The
junction is notorious for drivers who,
at the last minute, leap frog across
from the centre lane, and queue jump
the right turning traffic. However, it
was a different problem that LTDA
member Kazila Bitumba encountered
during the early hours of December
14 last year. At about 3am, Kazila
picked up a three hander from
Shoreditch High Street to the King’s
Road. All went well until Kazila
passed under Hungerford Bridge. He
was in the middle lane, intending to
proceed straight on towards
Westminster when, in his rear view
mirror, he caught sight of a car
speeding along the inside lane. At the
same time, Kazila noticed that there
was a line of coaches parked on the
nearside which would almost
certainly block the speeding car’s
progress. Surely enough, the car
accelerated even harder and passed
Kazila on the inside, before cutting
across the front of his Vito cab. Kazila
slammed on his brakes, but not
before the car clipped his front
bumper and sped off. The sudden
braking had caused one of the cab’s
passengers to fall forward off his seat.
Kazila followed the car along the
Embankment, flashing his lights and
expecting the driver to stop, but he
didn’t, until he reached the red light
at Bridge Street. At that point the
driver jumped out of what appeared
to be a Vauxhall minicab, and rushed
towards Kazila, demanding to know
why he was being flashed. Kazila
showed him the nearside front
bumper of the Vito, which was
marked with paint. The other driver,
who was of Asian appearance, was
not having any of it; he started
shouting at Kazila and calling
somebody on his phone in a foreign
language. Things started to get a bit
heated; so Kazila decided to take a
photo of the car’s number plate,
before continuing on to the King’s
Road. The passengers paid Kazila off
near Old Church Street and, as the
cabbie moved off, he noticed that the
Vauxhall had apparently followed
him, because it was now stopped in
the King’s Road, behind his cab. At
this point Kazila was hailed by a
“Joining the LTDA was the best money I’ve ever spent.”
couple on the other side of the road,
so he U-turned and picked them up.
Not guilty
On January 9, this year Kazila was
suddenly arrested at his home and
taken to Charing Cross police station.
He was granted bail; and on April 16
appeared at Westminster Magistrates’
Court charged with racially
aggravated common assault by
beating. He was advised to plead not
guilty by the LTDA legal team and
the case was set for trial by jury at
Southwark Crown Court on October
5. The defence was informed that his
accuser was relying on the evidence
of an “independent” witness. The
LTDA team, led by John Luckhurst,
undertook a detailed investigation
into the background of the surprise
witness. The trial ran for two days
and Timothy Folaranmi, the barrister
appointed by the LTDA to represent
Kazila, undertook the difficult task of
persuading the judge to allow details
of the witness’s past character to be
admitted in evidence. The jury retired
at the end of the second day, before
returning in just six minutes with a
not guilty verdict.
After the trial Kazila stated: “I’ve
been a member of the LTDA for 10 years
and never previously needed the
association’s services. Mr Folaranmi took
the so-called independent witness apart.
The four quid a week I pay the LTDA is
the best money I’ve ever spent.”
Taxi
Driver
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6
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
NEWS
HELP US FIGHT THE
UBER MENACE
LTDA STATEMENT
If everyone does their bit and nothing is neglected, we’ll ride out the storm and outlive Uber
n recent weeks we have seen
Uber up its game, generating
column inches, a petition and
plenty of media coverage as it
protests against TfL’s proposed
private hire regulations. Whilst it
is creating plenty of noise it’s
saying little of substance. Our
approach is focused on ensuring
the decision makers and those
who influence them understand
and appreciate the trade’s
arguments and are prepared to
speak out on our behalf. But our
drivers also have a crucial part
to play!
I
Strong reason to act
Over the coming months, the
LTDA will demonstrate how
Uber’s low-cost market entry
tactics are threatening the
survival of London’s iconic taxi
service. Avoiding paying taxes in
the UK allows Uber to price
aggressively in an attempt to
undercut licensed taxis, and there
is a very real possibility that prices
will increase once they have
gained a majority of the market.
We will ensure policymakers
understand the long-term dangers
of allowing a loosely regulated
multinational to undermine
hundreds of years of world-class
service and unparalleled
knowledge.
These are strong reasons to act,
but in order for our voice to be
heard we need to frame our
arguments according to TfL’s
concerns – and the private hire
regulations consultation document
is quite clear about how it will
LTDA Policy Statement
It is more essential than ever for drivers to be fully appraised of
the various trade organisations’ policies. In order to clarify the
LTDA’s position on the important issues facing the industry, the
Association reaffirms:
1.
Its determination (despite opposition from certain trade organisations) to exclude
taxi drivers from any form of restriction on working hours or the compulsory fitting
of tachographs in cabs.
2.
Its total opposition to the proposed computerised Knowledge testing system
(Quickie Knowledge), which is intended to speed up and churn out new licences.
3.
Its support for a regular review of taxi usage in London in order to provide
effective management of the cab fleet which will prevent the streets of London
being flooded with empty cabs.
4.
Its support for the introduction of ‘rest ranks’ to enable drivers to legally leave
their cabs unattended whilst visiting adjacent toilet facilities.
5.
Its support for a complete ban on pedicabs.
6.
Its insistence on meaningful consultation with Transport for London.
7.
Its support for an effective minicab enforcement team, trained
to eradicate illegal touting by minicab drivers.
8.
Its campaign for taxi access to all bus lanes.
9.
Its insistence that taxis continue to be exempt from
congestion charges.
Congestion and the
environment
Since 2013, close to 40,000 extra
private hire vehicles have
flooded onto London’s roads,
whilst the number of black cabs
has barely increased to 22,500. It
is quite clear where the
increasing congestion, which we
have all seen over the last two
years, has come from.
Those extra PHVs are causing
real problems for public health
and air quality – already serious
issues for London. Poor air
quality is responsible for nearly
9,500 deaths a year in the capital
according to a study by the GLA
and TfL, and London is reported
to have the highest levels of NO2
of any European capital city. The
European Commission has even
started legal action against the
UK for breaching pollution
targets.
Black cabs are already taking
action. From 2018, we will be
moving towards a zero-carbon
service, with all our new taxis
having zero-emissions capability.
We will demonstrate to TfL and
the GLA that playing our part in
improving air quality in the
capital is just one of the ways in
which cabbies show their
commitment to ensuring London
remains a safe, enjoyable place to
live and visit. Contrast that with
the PHV industry and we need
to demand that the tens of
thousands of extra vehicles meet
the same high environmental
standards as those which have
been imposed on the licensed
taxi trade.
Accessibility and
public safety
10. Its policy to recruit, support and represent licensed
taxi drivers only.
If you require clarification on these or
other important issues, please:
POLICY
Call the LTDA on 020 7286 1046
assess the need for change. For
our campaign to be successful,
we need to focus our arguments
on TfL’s “overriding concern” for
passenger safety.
Accessibility is also key. Every
single one of our 22,500 black
cabs is wheelchair accessible, a
vital lifeline for people with
disabilities to get around
London, particularly when only
a quarter of underground and
half of overground stations are
wheelchair accessible. Uber, on
the other hand, recently
launched, to great fanfare, its
UberASSIST service, with “more
than 100” drivers signed up.
That’s one trained driver for
every 86,000 Londoners, so it’s
clearly no more than a token
effort to try and generate some
positive PR. Again, we will
demonstrate that it is black cabs
which offer the genuine support
and service which Londoners
need – fail to support us, and
you fail the thousands of people
unable to rely on other parts of
the transport network.
We also need to ensure that
the regulations address the very
real concerns about public
safety. Londoners want to know
that they are travelling in a fully
insured vehicle, with drivers
who speak English, have
appropriate background checks,
drive safely and know the rules
of the road. We will campaign
hard for these elements of the
proposals to be retained.
What we’re doing and
how you can help
To give voice to these and so
many other concerns that we
have heard from our passengers,
we need to mobilise you, our
members and readers. To do
that, we will be dedicating a
page in each edition of TAXI to
update you on the latest news
from our campaign. We will be
contacting you in the next
couple of weeks with details of
how you can lobby your MPs
and GLA members so they hear
the concerns of the grassroots.
We also need each of you to
respond to the consultation, and
we’ll be setting out how you can
do this in the near future.
The LTDA is working hard on
your behalf to speak to the key
politicians and officials to
communicate these messages,
and we are now being advised
by Bellenden, an award winning
public affairs firm with
significant experience in
London, to help get these
messages across. n
3 NOVEMBER 2015| TAXI
7
NEWS
Misery ahead in Euston
Roads
“Half-baked” plans to shut two lanes
of the Euston Road for up to six
years to allow the construction of a
new train station for HS2 will cause
misery for motorists and damage
businesses, Camden Council says.
The six-lane A400 Euston Road is
likely to lose one lane in each
direction between Regent’s Park
and Pentonville Road from 2020
until 2026.
Camden Council is opposed to
the proposal and claims it “will
bring a decade of blight.”
Around 3,000 jobs will be put at
risk and hundreds of homes and
buildings will have to be
demolished, officials say.
Peter Jones, of the anti-high speed
rail group Pan Camden HS2
Alliance, estimates the total losses
to residents and businesses as
around £3billion.
He said: “Clearly it’s going to have
a massive commercial impact. It’s got
to be billions, I don’t think anyone can
say it isn’t. It’s not just about the sixyear road disruption, work on the
station will have a massive effect too.
“We can say as a baseline that it
would cost Camden £1billion. Who
knows what the road blockages are going
to throw up? I think £3billion wouldn’t
be untoward.
“The people of Camden will be paying
for this project through social impact
and costs to businesses.”
David Leam, of the business
campaign group London First,
dubbed the existing plans “halfbaked”.
He said: “What we’ve seen with
Crossrail is London can adapt to fairly
major road disruption and major
regeneration work and carry on moving,
provided there is a good plan.
“Crossrail at Tottenham Court Road
is an example of a good project that’s
being well-planned. But with Euston we
simply don’t have a good plan. At the
moment we only have a half a plan. It
delivers an HS2 station but it in no way
incorporates the National Rail station.
“It’s as if we’ve learned nothing at all
from projects like King’s Cross St
Pancras and Crossrail.”
He said: “People are being asked to
put up with many years of disruption
Urgent Notice
DRIVER LICENCE
RENEWAL NOTICE
Lane closures could cost £3billion
If your licence expires in
less than four months it
is vital that you contact
TPH on:
0343 222 4444
with no prize at the end of it.”
A number of streets will either be
shut or narrowed between 2016 and
2024, which includes Eversholt
Street, linking the Euston Road to
Mornington Crescent station, which
will be blocked off for four months.
A spokesman for the AA said: “To
lose that capacity potentially is going to
have a big knock-on effect. The Euston
Road is one of those roads that London
depends on.
“It’s of more than local importance for
London’s traffic. Closing two lanes of a
main highway will be felt pretty
significantly.
HS2 Ltd spokesman Clive Green
said the group was doing its best
minimise disruption.
and request a renewal
pack. Failure to do so
could result in you being
out of work
Once the pack is received
you must submit your
application (especially
the CRB disclosure
application) A.S.A.P.
Please refer to tph notices
18/13 and 19/13 on their
website for ‘official’ advice
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/
info-for/taxis-andprivate-hire/
8
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
NEWS
Tout jailed after killing passenger
Uddin left passenger to die
Court
A prolific minicab tout who
dragged his passenger to his
death along the Essex Road has
been jailed for eight years thanks
to a quick-thinking cabbie.
Matab Uddin was found guilty
of causing death by dangerous
driving after Oliver Farrell, 27,
died three days after he was
found injured.
Mr Farrell had spent Saturday,
November 16, celebrating his
brother's birthday and was
making his way home from Old
Street when he unwittingly got
into the unlicensed minicab
driven by Uddin.
A short while later, Mr Farrell
got out of the cab to use a cash
machine, but Uddin drove off,
leaving Mr Farrell in Essex Road.
CCTV showed the 59-year-old
tout returning minutes later,
pulling up next to Mr Farrell,
who leaned through the open
passenger window.
Uddin, of Essex, then drove
away at speed, while Mr Farrell
clung to the car. After being
carried along for about 100
yards, he lost his grip and fell to
the ground, suffering a fatal
head injury.
The killer failed to stop but a
taxi driver who was behind him
took down his details, which
proved vital in getting Uddin
convicted.
Detective Sergeant Chris
Osborne said: "I would like to
pay tribute to the Mr Farrell's
family, who have retained the
utmost dignity throughout the
whole investigation and court case.
My thoughts remain with them."
"This case highlights the dangers
posed by unlicensed minicabs.”
CCTV on Kingsland High
Road also caught Uddin making
a dangerous manoeuvre,
crossing a central reservation
during his getaway.
The car registration details
taken by the taxi driver proved
vital in identifying Uddin, who
was arrested in connection with
the incident after handing
himself in at a north London,
police said.
Oliver’s brother, Ben Farrell,
said: “No punishment will ever
bring Oli back, however we seek
justice for the benefit of greater
society to reduce the chances of
other families having to experience
what we have been through and
will continue to go through. Oli
was a fair man and would want
nothing more and nothing less
than this.
News in brief
Battle of the Bank
leaked
All vehicles other than buses and
bikes could be banned from Bank
Junction if plans put forward by
the City of London are approved.
City’s transport chairman,
Michael Welbank, announced a
consultation and a 12 month trial
during a formal dinner at the
Guildhall Library.
The plans were supposed to
remain secret until November but
were leaked by architect Peter
Murray.
The project has been dubbed
the “Battle for Bank” but has yet to
win approval from TfL.
Cyclist Ying Tao, a young
employee of
PricewaterhouseCoopers, died at
the junction in June after being
crushed by a construction HGV.
Give a coat – warm a heart
Charity
A charity which helps people wrap up
warm for winter is once again
appealing for donations of coats.
Hands On London is celebrating
its fifth annual Wrap Up London
campaign and desperately needs
coats, especially ones suitable
for men.
The event runs for five days from
Monday, November 9 to Friday,
November 13, and aims to collect
20,000 jackets.
Last year's campaign was a huge
success, with members of the public
and businesses donating over 14,500
coats that were re-distributed to over
170 charities in London.
Donations can be made between
7am-11am on each of the five days at
any of the following stations when
you see a volunteer in a Wrap Up
London t-shirt…
n King’s Cross
n Victoria
n Waterloo
n Canary Wharf
n Charing Cross
n London Bridge
n Highbury & Islington
n Euston
They can also be made at the
Broadgate Welcome Centre, just by
Liverpool Street station.
You can also arrange to drop off
your coat(s) at one of the
participating Safestore Self Storage
centres below, during opening hours:
Safestore – Pentonville Road
79-89 Pentonville Road, London,
N1 9LG
Safestore – Clapham North
4 Timber Mill Way, Gauden Road,
Clapham, SW4 6LY3
Safestore - Nottinghill
Camelford Walk, Clarendon Road,
London, W11 1TX
Women’s, men’s and children’s
coats are all needed but the greatest
demand is for men’s coats.
Drop off coats at any of the
locations mentioned above or email
[email protected] if you
would be interested in donating your
time to transport some of the coats
for sorting or deliveries.
If you sign up for our free integrated card payment system you get your
taxi meter for £69.99 + vat per year on a 3 year deal*.
Normally £129.99 + vat
• The Cabvision card payment system is fully compliant, integrated
with the meter and easy to use
• On-site installation and training by our dedicated team
• Our 5% surcharge is the lowest of all our direct competitors
Call us on 020 7655 6970 or visit us on Hemming St E1
www.cabvision.com
*Conditions Apply
9
10
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
NEWS
Government must help cabbies, says Boris
“Minicabs are plying for hire”
Politics
The government has a "duty" to
help London's black cab drivers in
the face of competition from Uber,
rather than simply leave them at
the mercy of the free market,
according to Boris Johnson.
The Mayor admitted that
minicabs were effectively being
allowed to ply for hire by new app
technology.
Speaking at the CityLab London
sustainable world conference, he
said the distinction between
private hire and taxis had been
ripped apart.
He claimed he was pressing for
action from the government to help
beleaguered cabbies.
Boris said: "The fundamental
distinction between a black cab and a
minicab has been obliterated by
technology. It's unfair on the black
cabs who have dedicated their lives to
the study of routes and have special
vehicles. In return for that expenditure
they have been told that they alone can
ply for jobs on the streets."
Controversial tax arrangements,
lax regulation and meter style
technology are allowing Uber to
undercut all of its rivals.
Johnson said: "The question is,
how do you strike a balance that
respects what's happened to the cab
drivers and tries to help them where
you can, but also reflects the fact that
technology is out there? You can't put
the genie back in the bottle. I think
there are more than one million people
in London who now have the app."
The mayor’s position on the
Uber and the taxi trade has not
always been straightforward. He
has said numerous times that the
Uber’s mobile phone system
operates as a meter but he caused
a furore last month when he
dubbed taxi drivers luddites at
City Hall, suggesting they fear
technology.
But more recently he has
appeared to support regulatory
changes which are being
consulted on, which aim to rein in
the minicab sector and level the
playing field.
Johnson believes that the laws
governing the trade do need
reforming. He added: "I'm striking
a balance. What we've got is a law
that is archaic and not fit for a world
in which you can hail a minicab
without the minicab even seeing you.
You can just push a button on your
Uber app.
"That to my mind is as good as
hailing it and seeing it. However,
that's not what the law says. It says
in order to hail a cab you've got to see
it and stand out in the street."
News in brief
Uber collision witness
appeal
A taxi driver who was
involved in a collision with
an Uber minicab is hoping to
trace two cabbies who offered
their services as a witness at
the time.
The taxi was damaged on
the nearside wing when it was
struck by the Vauxhall Sirocco
as it exited Waterloo Station
via the 'tunnel' onto
Westminster Bridge Road,
on Tuesday, October 7, at
around 10pm.
Glenn Broadbent said: “Two
cab drivers kindly stopped briefly
to offer me their details. I
declined because I had an in-car
camera, but it now transpires
that the camera was faulty and of
no use.
“If those two drivers are
reading this or if there are any
other drivers that witnessed this
accident please get in touch.”
Contact Glenn on
07963939596 or via email at
[email protected]
3 NOVEMBER 2015| TAXI
11
12
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
NEWS
✁
!
T
H
G
I
F
E
H
T
JOIN
The LTDA requires LTDA members to
act as trade marshals at specific
locations in the capital.
The marshals will be required to
assist at taxi ranks when required.
Marshals will be employed on an
occasional basis, usually in 2 or 4
hour shifts (daytime or evening), and
volunteers will be paid for their loss of
working time.
PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL OR TELEPHONE
THE LTDA OFFICE
First name………......................……………………
Surname………......................……………………...
Post code………......................…………………….
Badge number………......................………………
Green or Yellow…….….......................……………
Mobile No……….....................………………….….
, should enter their
or who require further information
k,
wor
nal
asio
occ
this
in
ed
rest
London W9 2BA.
LTDA members who are inte
A, Taxi House, 11 Woodfield Road,
details and post this form to: LTD
IF YOU’VE HAD
A NON-FAULT
ACCIDENT CALL
TAXIDENTS!
n We’ll answer your call 24/7
WE WILL UR
R YO
RECOVE 24/7
VEHICLE
CALL US DAY OR NIGHT ON
07719 454 606
AND SEE US IN ACTION!!!
n We’ll deliver one of our
brand new Elegances to
you with a full tank of
free fuel 24/7
n We’ll charge the other side
so your own insurance
history is unaffected
n Compensation if you're
injured, if not, no phone
calls that hassle you
n Our immaculate repair
of your Cab is guaranteed
n And! We’ll return it to
your front door, polished
and with a free tank
of fuel
NO EXCESS
NO FUSS
M
NO PROBLE
For more information, and to get in contact, visit us at www.taxidents.com
13
14
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
15
GET SPOTTED!
Tops for Tom and Great for Garry
he grim weather looks like it’s
here to stay but it only makes
our diary spotters more
determined to get out amongst the
ranks armed with their goodies.
They love nothing more than
pounding the streets, looking for
unsuspecting cabbies with a fistful
of Marks and Spencer vouchers, so
T
vouchers simply for having his diary
their families can wrap up warm in
some dapper new outfits or stock up in the windscreen.
Tom said: “Fantastic. I’ll really enjoy
the cupboards with some hearty
getting stuck into those.”
grub.
A short while later our diary
It wasn’t long before our
spotters pounced on Garry
spotters came across Tom
Taylor who was equally
Batty who was over the
DIARY
pleased to be handed
moon when he was
WATC
H
£150 for having his LTDA
handed £150 worth of
£ 150
M&S v
Tom: “Fantastic”
You’ll make sure
Jayne gets home
after a night out
with friends.
Proud to be a Compliance Officer
ouche
diary in the windscreen.
Garry said: “Great. These will come
in very handy.”
Each year we give away almost
£8,000 worth of vouchers, 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.
rs
Garry: “Great”
Join Transport for London as a Compliance Officer and you’ll support the taxi and private hire
trade by preventing, detecting, investigating and prosecuting illegal taxi and private hire activity
in the capital.
You’ll work shifts as part of a close-knit team of professionals – all dedicated to creating safe,
secure and reliable journeys for members of the public like Jayne. The work is intelligence-led
and varied – everything from targeted spot checks to investigating complaints, scheduled visits
to full inspections of a business’s records.
Visit tfl.gov.uk/careers to see if you’re the kind of person who’d thrive here.
16
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
[FIRST TWO MONTHS FREE FOR NEW MEMBERS]
APPLICATION FORM
CALLING ALL CABBIES
JOIN FOR £16.80 PER MONTH WITH
£12.80 ALLOWABLE AGAINST TAX!
Name
Address
Postcode
Tel
Mobile
Email
Date of Birth
Badge No.
Green (G) or Yellow (Y)
When obtained - Month
Have you been a member of the LTDA before? (Please tick) YES
NO
Year
Please tick if you DO NOT wish to receive information from the LTDA and other related organisations
in the future
I understand that my application for membership of the Association must be approved by the Council of
Management and that a Share Certificate will be issued to me if my application is confirmed.
Signed
Date
Please complete parts 1 to 5 below to instruct your branch to make direct payments from your account.
Then return the form to the LTDA, FREEPOST, (PAM 2005), London W9 2BR
For Office use only
LTDA Basic Direct
Debit Instructions
Originator’s Identification No.
9 1 4 4 2 8
INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUR BANK/BUILDING
SOCIETY TO PAY DIRECT DEBITS:
To the manager of
Address
1. Please write the name and full postal address of your
branch in the spaces above.
2. Name of account holder
Originator’s Reference
5. Your instructions to the Bank/ Building
Society, and signature:
• I instruct you to pay direct debits from my account
at the request of the LTDA LTD.
• The amounts are variable and may be debited
on various dates.
• I understand that the LTDA LTD may change
amounts and dates only after giving me prior notice.
• I understand that if any Direct Debit is paid which
breaks the terms of this instruction, the Bank/
Building Society will make a refund.
3. Account number
Signature(s)
4. Bank sort code
Date
Bank/Building Societies may not accept instructions to pay Direct Debit from some types of account
Phone 0207 286 1046 now!
[
LT DA
]
CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO JOIN?
17
LETTERS
STAR LETTER
London cabbies are the best.
just wanted to say a huge
thanks to the lovely cabby who
picked me up from St Tommy’s
Hospital and took me to St
Saviour’s Estate (Abbey Street) on
the morning of October 11, 2015.
The fare was £11.60 and he
refused to take f it. Thank You! I
I
All in a day’s work
y wife Mylene had to have
her biopsies at the London
clinic at 4pm on October 25. When
we arrived at 2pm she realised
that she had left all the scans she
needed at home. I was too
knackered to drive back as the
journey up was horrendous, it
was raining cats and dogs. I
couldn't get a cab so I walked to
Bond Street, getting soaked long
the way, and got a Central Line
train. A signal failure meant all
trains were stopping at Woodford,
where I got a minicab, an ignorant
git as it turns out, to take me to
Loughton on a wait and return.
Finally we got there and I took a
train to Bond Street where I hailed
a taxi. On the way to Devonshire
Place I told him about Mylene and
what happened and he was very
M
All is not lost
abbies across the globe generally
work hard, long hours and put
up with the same occasional crap
from the hands that feed us. Having
said that, it’s the gruelling, unpaid,
grind is the Knowledge that
separates us from other cities. Fair
comment? At times we loved being
on it, other times we thought bugger
this. It’s a real life roller coaster! We
are unique and that is undisputed.
Uber has infiltrated hundreds of
cities globally but they don't deserve
a free ride. They allegedly dig dirt
on journalists to prevent adverse
publicity - notice how many articles
appear “neutral.” Growing numbers
of punters have expressed concern,
often about drivers getting lost. I
know it's frustrating when we see
Prius cars all over the
place, and it's easy to
think all is lost, but
it really
isn't. We
are a
proud
bunch
C
wish I had your name or badge
number so you knew this is for
you. I’m sure this is something
Uber drivers wouldn't do for a
member of the community!
London cabbies are the best.
Dannielle Fitzgerald
sympathetic – he was a lovely
guy from Collier Row. As I got
out, he said don't forget the scans
and when I asked him how much
he asked me for less than was on
the meter, I think being
sympathetic. I gave him a good
tip. I got back with five minutes
to spare before Mylene went
down for the biopsy. I realised I
had left my iPhone in the cab. I
dialled the number and the driver
said he had discovered my phone
and brought it straight back to the
London clinic. He would not take
the reward I offered him. Often
cabbies get knocked, so I wanted
to make our experience known,
he will know who he is and we
want to sincerely express our
gratitude to him.
Stanley Perry
and always will be. Hailo and Gett,
and others, will only make us
stronger and I would suggest joining
them as it enables the public to order
a black cab from wherever they are.
I'm not here to moan about Uber as
we have to be realistic and assume
they're here to stay. We need to come
together as one. Cabbies’ etiquette is
crucial: never underestimate the
public or the importance of good
manners. The odd bit of light
hearted banter or tale usually gets us
a tip too!
I do believe we are a united trade
in the truest sense of the word and
we must always ensure our manner
is polite, courteous and honest.
Drive clean cabs, and take cut
throughs whenever possible. Take
those speed humps slowly, the
punters will definitely
appreciate it! There must
be no compromise on
what we already
know is right.
Rory Fraser
Badge 68991
History lesson wanted
am from Australia and own a 1962
FX4 cab with bunny ear indicators.
The vehicle is in great original
condition and is used regularly in my
vintage car club and attracts a huge
amount of interest whenever it has an
outing. I am a member of the London
Vintage Taxi Association.
I am hoping that a TAXI reader
may be able to fill in a gap in the
early history of my cab. It was
delivered to Mr. T G Gould by Mann
& Overton on June 8, 1962,
Registration No. 730 DYP and was
apparently used in London for the
next 10 years.
The cab was then purchased in
April 1972 from J H Payne & Son by
an Australian, Allan Baines. Allan
used the car and during the next two
years, drove it all over the UK. He
I
Music to Our Ears
y wife and I celebrated our
Golden anniversary in June
and had a large party for family
and friends. We had live music
provided by a three piece group
called Inflation. They played
music which suited all age
groups and everyone
commented on the quality and
diversity of the music, which
included hits from the 50s up to
the present day, and there were
hundreds to choose from. They
M
Mind your own business,
secretary
I
’m amazed that the Business
Secretary, Sajid Javid, has come out
in support of a company that pays
hardly any tax in the UK. Uber had
played down its £250,000 per month
lobbying budget, which it has used
to cultivate key journalists, editors
and politicians and get their
support. I would like to point out to
him that it is not only the traditional
towed a small caravan through 19
European countries as far as Istanbul
before returning to England. He
then transported it to Australia and
after using it for another two years
sold it to a collector. Prior to me
purchasing it in 2012, it had little use
during the past 36 years. I have all
the history on the cab since 1972 but
would like to fill in the first 10 years
life of the vehicle. Any information
your readers can furnish on Mr
Gould or the history of the cab
would be greatly appreciated. I am
happy to compensate for postage if
anyone has information or photos to
send me.
I can be contacted by email at
[email protected].
G Maunder
Australia
have played venues of varying
sizes and at golf clubs, halls and
weddings.
We are writing this to
recommend Inflation to any
fellow drivers out there who
might need a band for a social
gathering, as they certainly made
our celebration a success. You
can contact them on
0207 228 4813.
Mr and Mrs Nunn
Epsom
black cab that is being threatened but
the London Private Hire Association
(LPHCA) – and an entire industry
behind the trade. Sajid Javid has
attacked "heavy- handed" controls
suggested by by TfL, but we only
want fairness. London is lucky to have
such a great black taxi service, we
must be careful we don't lose it.
Stan Etheridge
London taxi driver
Do you have a gripe you want to raise or know someone in the trade that deserves praise? Contact us at [email protected] or Taxi House, 11 Woodfield Rd, London W9 2BA
18
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
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Call Us: 0208 691 9691
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Sat & Sun: Closed
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To see how much you could save call
0208 127 8419
www.quotax.net
19
Taxi Talk
HELPING TO SAVE
OUR TRADE
ALF TOWNSEND
Many drivers are refusing to lie down and let illegal minicabs take all the good jobs
I
’m not a political animal by
any means because it’s my
belief that the vast majority of
MPs are a bunch of posh, public
schooled types from wealthy
families who have never done a
proper days work in their lives.
Obviously, there are some
notable exceptions, such as Alan
Johnson, a former postie who
rose through the ranks to become
a minister in the last Labour
government and who was once
touted as leader material. But
nowadays it seems a prerequisite
that you come from a privileged
background and hold an
Oxbridge degree. This political
elitism is now par for the course
in the Westminster
establishment.
I’ve got the greatest admiration
for many of my fellow cabbies
who stubbornly refuse to accept
that the deep incursion into our
livelihood by Uber is permanent.
I’m not talking here about the
tireless work by the LTDA and
the other trade organisations
which are fighting our corner
24/7. This piece is about the
many cabbies who are taking
things into their own hands by
using their initiative and
business acumen in an effort to
protect their livelihood. A classic
example is the group of night
drivers who have got together to
fight the scourge of the touts
nicking their rightful fares, in
Mayfair and Clapham. They
keep in constant touch with each
other on their mobile phones and
send out key information about
the jobs coming out of the
various restaurants and clubs
and where touts are known to
prowl. This simple but effective
system enables cabs to service
these premises immediately,
without the punters having to
stand outside at the mercy of
these rip-off merchants. One of
the night men informs me that
they have managed to cut out
many of the illegal “clipboard
Johnnies” and the crooked
doormen with this effort: that’s
what I call fighting for your
livelihood!
They are by no means the only
people who are thinking outside the
box and coming up with creative
ways to snatch back work from the
growing army of minicabs, which
seem to be able to operate with
impunity while police officers turn
a blind eye.
These guys are trying hard to
protect our ever-diminishing
number of decent rides, unlike the
many armchair moaners who tend
to just sit on their backsides and
complain endlessly about what they
think needs to be done to save our
trade. When one of these guys starts
bashing my ear on this subject, I
simply ask them, “what trade
organisation are you in?” Their
embarrassed reply is always the
same – none!
Kind-hearted Cabbies
One of the guys I spoke to recently
told me he picked up this nice lady
recently at Swiss Cottage and took
her to Paddington station. When
they arrived he helped her out with
her case and, after saying “thank
you,” she walked off without paying
the fare!
The driver called out to her,
“excuse me madam, you haven’t paid.”
She walked back and informed him
she had already paid Hailo, “but’,
said the cabbie, “I’m nothing to do with
Hailo and you hailed me on the street.”
She apologised for her mistake and
asked him for a receipt saying “that
means I have paid twice.” But, as
befits our worldwide reputation of
being kind-hearted and generous,
the cabbie smiled and said, “forget it
luv, have this one on me!”
Backhanded Compliment
On one of my regular visits to GJ’s
Taxis in Edmonton, I got talking to
Vince the likeable head honcho. He
informed me that his mum had a
passion for reading books and
was interested in mine. So I asked
Vince what one would she like and
he replied, “one of each please.” I
told him that I had seven published
titles to which he replied, “that’s
no problem for my mum ‘cos she reads
a book every night in bed before she
goes to sleep.” So I sorted out the
seven books, signed them and,
after copping the best part of a
day’s takings, I decided to go
home instead of going into town
to work!
On my last visit I asked Vince
if his mum had enjoyed my
books. He said that his mum
thought they were brilliant and
that I had a wonderful way of
telling a story. He concluded by
saying she said that, “I should
have been a writer.” I take that
as a compliment Iris – I think!
Rude Rocker!
Further to my last piece in TAXI,
when I told the true story of the
Heathrow cabbie taking the two
young ladies to a village in Essex.
The driver was given a foulmouthed dressing down by a
famous, multi-millionaire rock
star, who threw the money in his
face after accusing him of ripping
off the girls after charging them
a fare of around £200.
This particular story seems to
have struck a chord among
TAXI readers and I have been
inundated by cabbies asking me
who the famous rocker was.
My son Nick said the same of
the airport fraternity, but many
of the drivers he spoke to
guessed the name correctly
because this particular rocker
has got a chequered reputation
among the Heathrow cabbies.
My son reckons some of them
can tell a better story about him
than the one I wrote about!
Unfortunately, I have to
remain tight-lipped about
the identity of the star, because
I don’t want to wind up
being sued. n
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20
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
THE BIG 40
ONE!
The membership of the LTDA is
times greater
than some other driver organisations!
HERE’S WHY...
CAUTION
The LTDA legal service is
the only trade scheme which
defends members for ALL
alleged offences (traffic,
hackney or criminal), anytime,
anywhere in the UK. Non
members are advised to
check carefully the exceptions
and exclusions contained
or imposed by other
legal protection schemes
circulating in our trade.
BADGESAFE SCHEME
The LTDA retains experienced
barristers with specialist knowledge
of the London cab trade. Normally
when drivers accumulate 12 points on
their licence they receive an automatic
6 month ban, but in the case of
LTDA members over 90% of those
represented by our barristers receive a
ban of just 1 month or in most cases
no ban whatsoever.
EXPERTISE = SUCCESS
The LTDA’s in-house lawyers are
proud of their unrivalled record of court
triumphs; in fact the rate of acquittals
for members defended
in court by the LTDA is 4 times
higher than the national average. This
unparalleled level of success is due
entirely to the expertise acquired by the
LTDA over many years of specialising
in cab related legal matters.
YOUR FUTURE
The LTDA remains the only trade
body resolutely opposed to the
computerisation of the Knowledge of
London testing system.
(No to the quickie Knowledge
campaign).
INLAND REVENUE
ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE
Many drivers and accountants refer
to the LTDA for specialist advice on
Inland Revenue investigations.
(Free to members).
SICKNESS AND
ACCIDENT PROTECTION
When trouble strikes it’s comforting
to know that you’ve got the strength
of the LTDA around you. (Additional
subscription payable).
LTDA HOLIDAY CLUB
Many members have saved
thousands of pounds by taking
advantage of special offers and prices
(members only).
WIN £5,000 EVERY
MONTH IN THE
LTDA LOTTERY
12 big prizes every year, but you have
to be in it to win it (members only £5
per entry).
ACCESS TO
‘SIMPLY HEALTH’
Great value health care from
the LTDA. The Association pioneered
this scheme in the taxi trade and it
still offers the cheapest rates. (Special
rates for LTDA members only).
HEATHROW OFFICE AND
REPRESENTATION
Call in to the LTDA office at Heathrow,
first door on the right in the canteen
block. The LTDA’s representatives will
give you a warm welcome. (Open to all).
WELFARE DEPARTMENT
LTDA officers make home visits to
members who are in severe distress
or with special needs and authorise
contingency payments where
appropriate.
RANKS AND HIGHWAYS
REPRESENTATION
The LTDA has negotiated taxi access
to most bus lanes and leads the way
negotiating on issues that affect you,
the licensed taxi driver.
GENERAL ADVICE
If you are new to the trade and you
don’t know your `roader’ from your
`legal’, give us a call. We’re always here
to help. (Tel: 020 7286 1046 - non
members are welcome to call).
24 HOUR TOUT LINE
Seen a tout in action? Take the details
and phone them in, we will do the rest.
(Tel: 020 7266 4769).
VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS
Continually representing members’
interests in disputes with vehicle
manufacturers and suppliers.
AUTHORITIES AND MEDIA
The LTDA is the largest and most
respected driver organisation in
the trade. We lead the way when
negotiating with the Government,
GLA, TfL, Police, Mayor’s Office,
Heathrow, Rail Authorities, Local
Councils and when dealing with all
sections of the media.
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Many cab drivers are discovering to
their cost that their licences are at
risk due to the TfL’s interpretation
of the new DVLA Group 2 Medical
Standards. The LTDA has successfully
challenged many decisions by the
TfL to revoke members’ licences on
medical grounds.
FANTASTIC VALUE
LTDA subscriptions have not
increased for 14 years! It costs just 4
quid a week to join the trade’s biggest
organisation and 3 quid of that is tax
deductible!
(Payable monthly).
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).
To learn more about LTDA benefits and current joining offers
call: 020 7286 1046 or visit www.ltda.co.uk
21
NEWS
Cycling “too risky” says top cop
“Cycling? In London? No chance”
Roads
One of the UK's most senior police
officers has said she would not
commute by bike in London
because is it’s too dangerous.
Suzette Davenport, the Roads
policing leader for the National
Police Chiefs Council, said her
job had made her sensitive to the
dangers of riding around the city
on a bike.
Asked about commuting by
bike, Ms Davenport, the Chief
Constable of Gloucestershire
Police, said: "I wouldn't do that,
because it's too busy, there are too
many risks.”
Cycling campaigners jumped
on the comments and said it sent
a “frightening message” and
accused police of not doing
enough to protect them.
The average
number of daily
journeys by bike
rose 5% last year
to 610,000.
It amounts to
roughly 23
million trips a
year, according to
Transport for
London figures.
Referring to Ms
Davenport's
comments, the
RICHMOND ROAD
London Cycling Campaign's
Charlie Lloyd said: "It gives a
slightly frightening message.
"But also, the removal of dangers
on the roads is a police priority, and
we do not believe police take it
seriously enough.
"Road crime is not considered the
same as other crime."
It followed a call by the Director
of Public Prosecutions, Sir Keir
Starmer, for the Crown
Prosecution Service (CPS) to be
allowed to make the final decision
about whether to prosecute cases
involving the deaths of
cyclists.
It is currently up
to the police
whether to pass
on cases to the
CPS.
Two years
ago,
Metropolitan
Police
Commissioner
Sir Bernard
Hogan-Howe also
said he would not
cycle in London.
News in brief
TAXI board game offer!
The creators of new board game
based around being London taxi
driver are offering a special preChristmas discount to our readers.
Taxi London gives people the
chance to experience a cabbie’s life
from the comfort of their living
room. The players have to answer
general knowledge questions on
London to earn tips during a shift.
There are also Sound Off cards,
where a player must talk for 30
seconds on a particular topic.
Give or Take cards earn players
rewards or penalties, such as for
returning forgotten items or having
a mechanical breakdown and
players can lose money by accepting
fake bank notes.
The manufacturers are offering
the game to TAXI readers at a 10%
discount and with free postage and
packing, which means it costs
£26.95, rather
than £34.
Puchase TAXI!
rthrough amazon
and use the code
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Vehicle CCTV Supplied and Fitted n
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WE BUY AND SELL TAXIS (warranty available subject to conditions)
22
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@TheLTDA
23
FEATURE
A London Hero Remembered
“It was a really wonderful tribute to a courageous man”
Charity
London is full of large statues
dedicated to long-forgotten senior
military figures, but the acts of
regular military personnel are rarely
commemorated with the same
grandeur. The people of Bermondsey
did much to rectify this imbalance on
Friday, October 23, when a stunning
statue was unveiled to honour a local
boy who won the VC in the First
World War.
Able Seaman Albert McKenzie was
just 19 years old when he became the
first London sailor to receive the
Victoria Cross from King George V.
He was part of the crew of the HMS
Vindictive, which led the raid on
Zeebrugge harbour. The plan was to
create a diversion by taking out
German gun positions, while British
warships moved in to block the canal
entrance and prevent German
submarines from leaving the port.
Disaster struck when the smokescreen was blown away by the wind,
and there were heavy casualties
before the Vindictive managed to
pull alongside the harbour wall.
McKenzie, armed with a Lewis
gun, fought incredibly bravely and
took down about a dozen of the
enemy before the gun was shot
from his grasp. Incredibly,
he managed to find a
rifle, a bayonet and
a pistol and
fought on,
kicking and
punching as he
went, suffering
wounds to his
back and legs.
He was
nominated by his
shipmates for the VC.
Tragically he died just
before the end of the war,
not due to his wounds, but from
influenza.
The Bermondsey community put
on a moving and dignified
ceremony. The statue, created by a
Top Right: Albert McKenzie: the first sailor to get the VC
local blacksmith, was unveiled by
Admiral Lord West, and there was a
full gun salute on HMS Belfast.
Family members and dignitaries gave
speeches, including a representative
of the people of Flanders and the
Deputy Lieutenant of
Southwark, who read out a
message from Her
Majesty the Queen.
John Berylson, the
chairman of Millwall
FC, himself a
former US marine,
and his chief
executive, Andy
Amber, were in
attendance,
demonstrating the
support that this
London club gives to
Britain’s military. And no
ceremony of this kind would have
been complete without the Pearly
King and Queen of Rotherhithe.
Terry “Barking Bill” Ward, of the
London Taxi Benevolent Association
for War Disabled, Mickey Calvey and
I had the pleasure of escorting
several of the charity’s veteran
volunteer collectors to attend the
unveiling, and we were thrilled to be
invited back to the Oxford and
Bermondsey Club, where the
committee had prepared a
marvellous reception. This was the
moment when the charity’s veterans
came into their own, as they
performed a number of wartime
songs, much to the delight of the
assembled company.
It was a really wonderful tribute to
a courageous local hero. When you
are passing the junction of Tower
Bridge Road and Bermondsey Street
pause for a moment to remember
another of the fallen.
By trade supporter, Frances
Luczyc Wyhowska
To Support the charity
visit www.taxicharity.org
24
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
25
NEWS
Baby caught in road rage attack
News in brief
Crime
TfL scoops safety award
A cyclist showered a four month
old baby in glass when he
smashed a car window in a
horrific road rage attack.
Police are hunting for the
mystery biker who attacked the
window with his bike lock in
Mitcham Road, Croydon,
according to mum Rhiannon
Gautama.
She made the allegations on
Facebook and the post went viral,
and has been shared almost 10,000
times.
Rhiannon said: “The cyclist had
hit our car with his hand earlier on
the passenger side. The only reason I
could think he did this is he possibly
felt he didn’t have enough room to get
through.
“There were L plates on the car and
my partner was driving. As we
passed him again I said out the
window ‘we have L plates, have
consideration.’
“He caught up again as we hit
traffic, he switched to the other side
and smashed our car window with his
bike lock.
TfL has won praise in Europe for
reducing road deaths and injuries
on London’s roads.
The authority received the
Preventing Road Accidents and
Injuries for the Safety of Employees
(PRAISE) award for a rigorous safety
programme, which has improved
the standards of its own drivers
and subcontractors.
Every driver working for or on
behalf of TfL is required to undertake
vital risk assessments and training
and the work was recognised by
Executive Director of European
Transport Safety Council (ETSC).
Rhiannon Gautama with partner Barnaby Reardon
“There was glass over our child.
We have a baby on board sign and
there was a child sunscreen.”
The incident happened at
around 8am on Sunday, October
18. Rhiannon’s young baby is not
thought to have been injured and
slept through the drama.
She has now reported the
attack to police – describing the
man as aged between 30 and
Relicensing at NSL?
40, white, with long blond hair.
He was wearing a yellow
jacket and cycling glasses.
Scotland Yard said: “Police are
investigating an incident of alleged
criminal damage to a motor
vehicle.
“It was alleged that a cyclist
smashed a rear window of a car. No
arrests have been made and
enquiries are ongoing.”
Pedicab Pervert Jailed
A rickshaw driver who sexually
assaulted a woman he offered a free
ride to in exchange for “a chat” has
been jailed for six months.
Mohammed Hossain, 36, an
asylum seeker from Bangladesh,
spotted the 21-year-old woman,
leaving a Mayfair club in March and
offered her a ride. He got into the
back seat and assaulted her and later
claimed it was an accident.
Save time and loss of work with this LTDA checklist
!
o Vehicle registration certificate, logbook or new keeper’s
supplement (complete with bill of sale/receipt) where
vehicle is newly purchased prior to inspection
o Current vehicle licence (for renewal inspections)
o From October 1, 2014, vehicles no longer require a tax disc
to be displayed. Vehicles can be taxed online or at a post
office. If a vehicle is not recorded as taxed, NSL will accept
an online application/ post office receipt. (Information at
www.gov.co.uk/dvla/nomoretaxdisc)
o Insurance certificate (not a copy) – properly affixed in the
luggage compartment
o Valid MOT certificate (issued 13 days or less before
inspection)
If vehicle is less than one year old an MOT is not required
o Taximeter installation and calibration certificate, issued
within 30 days of inspection
Vehicle Make / Model
Tyre Size
Merc VitoMercedes Vito Euro 4
195/65 R 16 100/98T or 104/102T
o Exemption certificate (where applicable)
Mercedes Vito Euro 5
195/65 R 16 100/98T or 104/102T
o Modification approval (where applicable)
Fairway (declared max speed of 130 km/h)
175 R 16 N
o Tool to release ramps
o Tyres - must conform to manufacturer’s specification
(see table)
TX1 (declared speed of 130 km/h)
175 R 16 N
175 R 16 Q
TXII (declared speed of 147 km/h)
175 R 16 Q
175 R 16 Q
26
www.ltda.co.uk |
Drive for Gett
Reap the rewards
Make an extra £20 per
job with Invite to Gett
Pick your work
on future orders
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Keep all of your tips
No contracts or
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£25 is yours just for
signing up
SIGN UP T
TODAY
ODAY
01687 292 003 | gettaxi.me/driverhelp
@TheLTDA
27
CAUGHT ON CAMERA
If anyone can,
cabbies can...
T H E NG
NI
W I N IC!
P
!
ur Caught on Camera mail box
was filled to the brim with
pictures laying bare the lunacy
that takes place on London’s roads.
It is certainly another fine and varied
selection, which includes Uber drivers
who think roundabouts are parking
bays, and a bike rider who is clearly too
good for the cycle lanes that Boris laid
on for her.
But after a show of hands the editorial
team voted for car in a skip – which is
where all mini-scabs belong - and which
gets the snapper a handy £30.
We do our best to use as many of your
pics as we can each week in the paper,
but don’t be deterred if you haven’t
seen yours yet – it may appear in the
near future.
As you should know by now – the
winning snap gets the photographer
£30, which is not bad for a few seconds
work.
Send your entries to us via the MMS
line on 07908 640017 or email them to
[email protected]
O
£ 30 P
Nice parking!
The new minicab parking bay
“Blue isn’t my colour”
You’ve been Ubered
RIZ E
Wrong!
“You don’t know what you’re doing”
28
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
MANUFACTURER APPROVED
USED TAXIS
$
$//$33529('86('7$;,662/'7$;('$1'3/$7('
//$33529('86('7$;,662/'7$;('$1'3/$7('

0$18)$&785(5%$&.(':$55$17<21$//$33529('86('7$;,6
0$18)$&785(5%$&.(':$55$17<21$//$33529('86('7$;,6

32,1735('(/,9(5<&+(&.&203/(7('21$//9(+,&/(6
32,1735('(/,9(5<&+(&.&203/(7('21$//9(+,&/(6
Year & Reg
Model
Colour
Miles
OTR
Monthly
Weekly
2012 '12
TX4 Euro 5 Style Auto
Charcoal Grey
20000
£24,995
£430
£99
2011 '61
TX4 Euro 4 Elegance Auto
Raven Black
84632
£26,995
£473
£109
2012 '12
Raven Black
59700
£28,995
£522
£120
2012 '62
0KIJVſTGTGF
84178
£27,995
£500
£115
2012 '62
Quartz Silver
36342
£28,995
£522
£120
2012 '62
Storm Grey
84588
£28,995
£522
£120
2013 '13
13
Charcoal Grey
82896
£30,995
£565
£130
2013 '13
TX4 Euro 5 Style Auto
Raven Black
62129
£29,995
£543
£125
2015 '15
Raven Black
6000
£36,995
£662
£153
2015 '15
Raven Black
6000
£36,995
£662
£153
Call us now on 03300 245844 for more information
and to check availability.
The above is just a selection of our used taxis for sale.
For a full list visit www.london-taxis.co.uk/used-taxi-search.
Finance available from Black Horse Taxi Finance. Monthly payments based on Hire Purchase over 5 years with £5,000 deposit.
Terms & conditions apply. Business users only.
Sales opening hours:
hours: 8.30am
8.30am – 5pm
5pm Monday
Monday to
to Thursday
Thursday and
and 8.30am
8.30am – 4pm
4pm Friday
Friday
The
T
he London
London T
Taxi
axi Company
Company
39-41
N7
9QH
3
9 - 41 Brewery
Brewer y RoaGLondon
RoaGLondon N
79
QH
www.london-taxis.co.uk
ww
w.london-taxis.co.uk
L
[email protected]
[email protected]
Allll iitems
A
tems ar
are
es
subject
ubject tto
oa
availability.
vailabilit y. A
Allll p
prices
rices ar
are
es
subject
ubject tto
oc
change
hang e w
without
it h out n
notice.
o t i c e.
VAT rates
rates and
and DVLA
DVL A ffees
ees c
o r rec t a
ime of
of print
print but
but will
will be
be charged
charged at
at the
the prevailing
prevailing rate
rate at
at point
point of
of delivery.
deliver y.
VAT
correct
att ttime
29
NEWS
MASSETT’S
CAMERA
HOTSPOTS
Extreme Hotspot 1:
Beware Westway speed camera
Extreme Hotspot 2:
Terminus Place
Bus only left turn. TfL to
issue PCNs
Mansion House Street
Yellow box
Berkley Street J/W Piccadilly
Yellow box camers
Bagleys Lane/New Kings Road
Yellow box
Harrods
Zig-Zags behind the rank in Brompton Road
and no U-turns
Camden
20mph limit
Waterloo Road
Zig-Zags
Selfridges
Over ranking
Eldon Street
Do not set down on Zig-Zags
Clapham High Street
Zig-Zags
Islington
20mph limit
Red Routes
TfL is actively enforcing yellow box
restrictions
Tower Bridge
20 mph speed limit – average speed cameras
Limehouse Link
30 mph speed limit
Craven Road
Zig-Zags
Smithfield
Do not park in load in boxes, they are
enforced by camera
A13
Average speed cameras in operation
The City
20mph limit
HALVEY ENGINEERING
ECO-TAXIS
CABS TO RENT
GOOD
RATES
BRAND NEW TXII ENGINES
Why pay £1,800 for rockers and chain
when you can have a brand new
Also
out-of-the-crate genuine Ford
TX4 engine
reconditioned
engine for £2,600 fitted.
Recon TXII engines supplied and fitted £1,800
0208-312-2224
All prices subject to VAT
WOOLWICH AREA
1yr warranty
for
£2,300
30
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
31
FEATURE
WINNERS DON’T
TAKE IT ALL
PAUL COLLINS Martin Cordell Services Ltd
To take your pension in one lump or keep the annuity that is the question
As many of you will know, there
has been a major change to
pension provision.
An understanding of these
changes and how they affect all
those of a more senior age is
vitally important, as they give you
the ability to claim your whole
pension pot in one lump – which
is a major decision and one which
shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Prior to the change, once the
policy holder reached 55 years old
they were able to claim 25% of
their pot tax free. The rest of the
balance would be paid monthly as
an annuity.
The new rules vary greatly, in
that the monthly annuity is no
longer a necessity. However, if you
decide to take the total fund only
the tax free lump of the sum
remains the same – 25%. The
remaining 75% is taxable.
Of course, you would not expect
an article written by an accountant
on this subject to be about the tax
free 25%, but instead I want to
offer some information which give
you pause for thought.
You will almost certainly be
taxed, whatever you decide to do
with your fund, but taking the
whole amount could mean paying
a whopping 40% tax on some or all
of the money. This would only be
the case if, in the period in
question, all your other income,
once assessed, takes you above the
40% tax threshold.
To counteract this problem,
pension providers will sometimes
allow what is known as a
drawdown. The recipient can
collect smaller sums each tax year,
normally based on a percentage of
the fund, this is used to negate
the chance of paying 40% cent
tax, on some of the cash.
Please be aware that
some pension providers
are not allowing the
drawdown. This could
lead to a policy
holder being unable
to avoid higher rate
tax.
Please also be
aware at the present
time pension funds
are the best and most
tax efficient way of
saving, both on the
basis of the 20% tax relief
they attract and that
pension fund investment
returns are much higher than that
of regular savings, which are low
and look to remain so for quite
some time.
This article has been
written to make those
people affected by these
changes evaluate their
individual
circumstances not to
make you jump one
way or the other.
It is brief, but the
objective is to
badger people into
obtaining proper
pension and tax
advice before
committing
themselves to a
fundamental change with
regard their futures. n
NOW YOU CAN BUY DIAMOND
JEWELLERY AT WHOLESALE PRICES
DIRECT FROM THE MANUFACTURERS
We supply retail shops with a vast range of
beautiful diamond jewellery for the last 35 years.
We can now offer the same prices to Taxi
Drivers on production of their ID passes.
18ct gold solitaire
engagement ring
1/3 carat size
Retail price £1,350
Our price £620
Platinum diamond
solitaire engagement ring
1/2 carat size
Retail price £2,800
Our price £1,250
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t. 020 7242 5831
e. [email protected]
w. www.alanbick.co.uk
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irst
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Suite 207, 100 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8NX
32
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33
Taxi Matters
LET’S DISRUPT
THE DISRUPTER
GEOF KALEY MBE, Former LTDA chairman, and ex ComCab Managing Director
The two-tier system is under serious threat and we must fight for survival like never before
ber’s Co-Founder & CEO,
Travis Kalanick, said last year
that “the reason Uber could be
expensive is you’re not just paying for
the car, you’re paying for the other dude
in the car. When there is no other dude
in the car, the cost of taking an Uber
anywhere becomes cheaper…”
The other dude was, of course,
the driver!
U
look things up or key something
into a satnav.
It’s the two-tiered system and is
set by Parliament. Yet Uber comes
along and has thrown a spanner in
the works.
Even stranger; the one thing
private hire is licensed to do: “take
pre-bookings,” Uber doesn’t offer.
Law Commission
Better for Who?
Later on in 2014, Kalanick stated,
“this year we intend to launch Uber
Pool in London sharing: instead of
owning a car, take an Uber. What if we
could remove one million cars from the
streets of London? No traffic in London;
100,000 new jobs: good for the city, good
for the rider and good for the driver…a
better living for families.”
What families was he talking
about? Certainly not existing
drivers’ families!
Not only are these two statements
contradictory - they demonstrate
either Kalanick’s complete lack of
understanding of how drivers make
their living in this industry or that
he just doesn’t care.
Since writing in a recent edition of
TAXI that a small group of us are
working on a plan to launch a new
commercial counter offensive
against Uber, I have heard from
numerous drivers and their families,
explaining to me how bad things
are and how worried they are for
the future.
The stories grieved me not just
because of the injustice of
encouraging people to commit to
three years to the Knowledge in
return for the exclusive right to ply
for “immediate” hire – which is being
taken away - but because the
regulatory solution seems to be
so simple.
Two Tiers or One?
We all get it: it’s great being able to
book your minicab, almost
instantaneously, on a mobile, but
you can do that with a taxi, which
has drivers who have been trained
and licensed to respond to
immediate hirings. You can also
pre-book a private hire car on your
app, if you prefer, with drivers who
haven’t been trained for immediate
hire but who will have the time to
The government funded Law
Commission review last year
confirmed: “We favour continuation
of the two-tier system. Whilst we
recognise that technology is making
enforcement of the distinction between
plying for hire and pre-booking more
difficult, it does not make the
distinction meaningless. The legal
definitions should be flexible enough to
accommodate technological bookings,
such as those made through
smartphone applications.”
So, with some operational
common sense, an amendment to
the act could define the use of apps:
n Taxis displayed for hire on the
app with immediate availability
and available for pre-booking;
n Private hire cars not displayed
for hire on the app but offered
privately for pre-booking (only) which for anyone who has
developed cab dispatching
systems, means longer than an
ASAP running time, which is
more than 15-20 minutes after
the booked time.
This takes nothing away from
anyone:
n It doesn’t reverse the elimination
of costly call centres
n Nor does it take choice away
from the public
But it does maintain
differentiation between plying for
immediate hire (taxis) and taking
pre-bookings (private hire) - and it
complies with the law both in spirit
and in fact.
The death of choice
The trade is pursuing such a
regulatory definition but if the
government doesn’t adopt this
because of Uber bullying – or fear of
a negative public reaction - then
there is a real risk of losing the first
tier as we know it today.
In time, the Government will be
faced with a declining taxi fleet: street
hails will become more difficult, if not
impossible, there will be long
customer queues with too few cabs at
main line station ranks and a greater
unrest amongst the trade.
Government will have to act and an
obvious measure will be to reduce or
remove the Knowledge. Once this
happens, without any alternative
form of control, London’s private hire
drivers will flood the taxi tier and
London will have a one-tier system.
It happened, for different reasons,
in Dublin.
The public will lose the benefit of
choice and will have street taxis with
drivers who have to rely on satnavs.
What’s Next?
My next article will be different:
we will announce our new entity and
hope most sincerely that we get a
huge response from the trade
drivers because as good as our
ideas might be, we can achieve
nothing without your support.
Wrecking Ball
It’s all very well for investors to
wax lyrical about market
“disrupters” but the taxi and
private hire laws did not happen
overnight, they have evolved to
reflect the times and to maintain
balance.
In the medium to long term, all
Uber will do as it swings its
wrecking ball, into a city that
boasts the best taxi service in the
world, will be to gain a monopoly
position at the expense of the taxi
tier, which, I am certain, everyone
concerned will live to regret. n
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34
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
35
Licensed to Chat
LADY NO
LUCK
MUSHER MEG
It’s said that every loser wins but if you’re asked to bet on Meg – close your wallet
t’s official. I am a loser. Over
the past few weeks the chit
chats I have been having with
my punters in the cab (in
between the whining feedback
on my intercom) have featured
the Rugby World Cup, Strictly
Come Dancing and, most
recently, The Apprentice. These
all just happen to be perfect
sweepstake opportunities.
I was brought up in a family of
gamblers. My parents would bet
on horses and greyhounds, they
did the pools and the Irish
Sweep. They loved roulette and
playing the card game 25s and
Pontoon - and there were many,
many nights, as a child, when
they were on a
losing
streak,
that I
thought
they
might
stake my
sister and
me.
So it’s in
my blood to
gamble, but in
a nice safe,
don’t lose the
house way; which
is why I have
become the
I
sweepstake queen. It’s a fun
flutter, and sociable too.
In the Meg family our
sweepstake team of 12 is made
up of parents, big kids (with
cash) their boyfriends and
girlfriends, one border collie, one
labradoodle and one charity.
We’ve been sweep-staking and
spending £5 each for a few years
and, as per the law of averages,
everyone has won the £60 pot:
bar me that is!
And my win nothing streak
continues. The last few weeks
have been a lose/lose
dis-aaaaas-ter for me.
Let’s start with the Rugby
World Cup. I drew
Italy. Great at
pasta,
rubbish
at scrums
- bye bye
£5. And to
make
matters
worse Mr
Meg drew
New Zealand.
And he never
shares his
winnings.
Next, up was
Strictly Come
Dancing. When
this year’s line-up
was announced I was thrilled to
see Daniel O’Donnell would be a
contestant. This man is HUGE in
Ireland and all over the world, I
tell you. I know you couldn’t
explain it to an alien but the fella
makes holy statues swoon. Daniel
O’Donnell has put legions of
women back in touch with their
pelvic floor - and I drew him in the
family sweepstake!
I was joyous and even took a trip
to my local betting shop to put £10
on this singing superhero to win
Strictly – at lovely odds of 16/1. In
my head I already had my
winnings spent (Dermologica
Facial and an Indian Head
Massage thank-you-very-much)
and then the show started, and I
saw my great Irish hope dance.
The man moved like a cart
horse crossed with a waxwork
dummy. Pop went my bet and
my sweepstake opportunity.
That left me with my draw in
The Apprentice. And guess who
I got? Dan - who wasn’t the
Man. First out Dan “I couldn’t
sell food to hungry people”
Callaghan cost me the chance to
win £120 because we’d upped
our stake to £10 each.
I am a freak of nature. I defy
the law of averages and never
seem to randomly pick a
winner. My luck may be in
hiding for now, but I console
myself with the saying “the only
sure thing about luck is that it will
change.” I’d (maybe) put money
on that being true. n
CALLOVERCABS
DRIVERS
WAN
TED!
• BRAND NEW EURO 5 & EURO 6 TX4’S AVAILABLE
• RAC BREAKDOWN COVER
• FULL BACK UP SERVICE
• FULL GARAGE FACILITIES
• DISCOUNTS FOR NEWLY PASSED DRIVERS!
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2a Three Colts Lane
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8am
Mon – FFri
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@TheLTDA
NEWS
Traffic light numbers rising
Stay in the know with the LTDA
Roads
DVLA reminder
The number of traffic lights in
London has jumped 5% since
2008 – despite a pledge from the
Mayor that numbers would fall.
There were 5,972 sets of traffic
lights across the city in 2008 - 3,163
at junctions for traffic and 2,809 at
pedestrian crossings.
But by 2015, the figure had
jumped to 6,252 - 2,907 at junctions
and 3,345 at pedestrian crossings,
according to a Freedom of
Information response to the
Institute of Advanced
Motorists from TfL.
Newham saw the greatest
increase in traffic lights
between 2008 and 2015 leaping 23% to 207. The
second biggest rise was in
Barking and Dagenham,
which has seen an increase of
16%, bringing the number of
lights in the borough to 166.
Some boroughs did see
traffic light numbers drop; in
Chelsea there was a
reduction of 7%, whilst the
number in Bexley fell by 3%,
while Westminster and Camden
both saw drops of 2%.
In 2009, the Mayor said he
wanted to declutter the streets of
London.
The photo card part of the driving
licence lasts for 10 years and must
renewed after that period. The
licence becomes invalid if it is not
renewed with a current picture.
The five biggest rises
Hillingdon
n In 2008: 180 traffic lights
n An increase of 12%
Barking and Dagenham
In 2008: 143 traffic lights
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Redbridge
An increase of 12%
Havering
In 2015:145 traffic lights
An increase of 10%
Newham
n
North London’s
BLACK TAXI
rentals
24HR Backup service
Full RAC cover
Spare cabs available
Newly passed drivers welcome
Cabs bought for cash
Full garage facilities
UNIT 7, DOMINION BUSINESS PARK,
GOODWIN ROAD, EDMONTON, N9 0BG
15 year reminder
The London taxi 15 year age limit
refers to the cab’s ‘birthday’ (in the
log book) not its plate date.
For example: A cab passed when
it is 14 years and 11 months old
WILL be granted a further 12
months of life.
Cabs may be booked in for testing
in the normal way when the plate
has 28 days or less
to run.
The cab can then work up to the
test date. If the plates are taken off
with more than 28 days to run, both
the plates and the paper licence
must be surrendered to one of the
six NSL inspection centres in and
around London.
The ‘unplated’ cab must then not
be worked, and at least one week
should be allowed before
attempting to book the next NSL
test, to allow the
computerised
booking system to recognise that the
plates have been registered.
Lost/stolen identifiers
If your Identifier is lost or stolen you
must notify LTPH immediately
(0343 222 4444 /
[email protected])
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.
BRAND NEW
15 PLATE
TX4 ELEGANCES AVAILABLE NOW!
2011 TX4
Elegance
@ £225pw
TX4’s
from £200pw
Drivers
wanted
0208 807 7931
C&S
Taxis
(London) LTD
N EW TAXI
RENTAL
BONANZA!
We have just placed the
BIGGEST
ever order in the history of London
for 200 brand new
TX4 Elegances
Brand new in the box
TX4 Elegances
For details and to add yourself to the waiting list please get in touch
Office: 020 7613 4442 Mobile: 07951928502
Email: [email protected]
First
come first
served!
39
40
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
PUZZLER
Crossword competition!
o complete our prize
crossword and be in with a
chance to win £50 send your
completed entry to Crossword
T
355, Taxi, Taxi House, 11
Woodfield Road, W9 2BA before
November 17. First name out of
the hat gets the cash.
ACROSS
7 Post atomic war period (7, 6)
8 Super boffin (4, 4)
9 Young cow meat (4)
10 Cancel (4, 3)
12 Arm strap (5)
14 Turn red (5)
16 Lush green vegetation (7)
19 Object (4)
20 Stock or supply (8)
22 In all directions (5, 5, 3)
DOWN
1 Light device (4)
2 Not singular (6)
3 Launch (7)
4 Came to (5)
5 Sniffle (6)
6 Advance fee (8)
11 By or from, grammatical (8)
13 Massive change (7)
15 Solemn (6)
17 Shower (6)
18 Muscle (5)
21 Sticky earth (4)
Overheard by Brad Ashton
CROSSWORD NO. 355
SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD 353
“What this country needs right now is a
good laugh. So it’s the right time to
have Jeremy Corbyn lead the Labour
Party. He’s vowed to renationalise the
railways, and Jeremy’s a man who keeps
his vows. Ask his ex-wives. As
opposition leader he has to put together
a strategic plan. I wouldn’t even trust
him to put together a flat pack from
IKEA. That man stands for a lot of
things. But the national anthem isn’t
one of them. And I think he’s dyslexic.
He sees the letters after his name MP
as PM. His followers think because his
initials are JC he’s going to be our
saviour.
Jeremy, like most politicians, got
elected because he promised
change. But as soon as they get in
they changed their promise. I think
with him in charge the Labour
Party has as much chance of
turning the corner as an Eskimo in
an igloo.
To be fair, the Conservative
Government’s not that great either.
They’re always arguing amongst
themselves. The only time they only all
agree is when they vote themselves a
rise. Chancellor George Osborne’s come
out against Corbyn’s plan to soak the
rich. He wants to soak everybody. I
never used to believe in re-incarnation
till I realised Scrooge came back
as George Osborne. Thanks to
his new pension plan my nest
egg couldn’t even make an
omelette. It seems every time I
make ends meet, Osborne
changes the ends. His
philosophy is that if he can put a
smile on just one person’s face he’s failed in
his job. Give that man a free hand and he’ll
put it in your pocket. He’s started a new
breed, the nouveau poor. Now we have a
race between Osborne and Boris Johnson to
be the next leader. On that score the best
things are being said about Boris - mostly
by Boris himself. Personally, I think that
anyone who wants that job must be mad.
So either one of them would fit the bill.”
“We’re coming up to Christmas,
the time when turkeys wish the
whole world was vegetarian. Santa
must be crazy. Every house has a
front and back door, yet he comes
in through the chimney. It’s fantastic
how he manages to deliver to the
whole country in one night. We
should get him to replace Royal Mail.
But I think we’re a really stingy lot.
None of us ever buys Santa a
present back. “
“People are saying if you wanted a
turkey this year you should have bought a
Volkswagen.”
“Last year they had a Christmas
service in Hollywood. The Vicar sang
‘Come All Ye
Faithful’ and
only two men
turned up.”
Across: 7 Plexus, 8 Reopen, 9 Jeer, 10 Long-life, 11 Throaty, 13 Equip,
15 Snide, 16 Ellipse, 18 Hypnosis, 19 Link, 21 Weirdo, 22 Ersatz
Down: 1 Sloe, 2 Extraordinary, 3 Isolate, 4 Front, 5 Colloquialism,
6 Deaf-aids, 12 Honeybee, 14 Oldster, 17 Ascot, 20 Note
Congratulations
Issue 353 winner,
Mr Peter Kelly, Watford
Just for fun
Have a go at
this medium
level Sudoku
puzzle. Fill
the grid so
that every
row, every
column and
every 3x3 box
contains the
numbers 1-9.
Follow @TheLTDA on Twitter for news, updates and warnings
41
42
www.ltda.co.uk |
axi
a Services Ltd
GB TTaxi
s
e
t
a
l
p
s
e
0
t
1
a
4
l
X
p
5
T
4
6
6
2
£
4
X
O
T
OVERHAULS
0
To T
1
2
M.O.T.
T STATION
T T
£
M
CAB RENTAL
A
O
R
F
SERVICING
V
CRASH REPAIRS
A
GB Taxi Services Ltd
Unit 22 Redburn Ind Est
Woodall Road
Enfield EN3 4LE
TAXI
A selection of our numerous
Distribution Points
n A1 Taxis, Melody Lane, Highbury N5
n Abacus Accounts, Southbrook Road,
Lee SE12
n Astral Café, Regency Place SW1
n Bubbles Car Wash, E2
n C & S Taxis, Dunbridge Street E2
n Cabsurance, Seven Kings
n Camberfield Taxi Services
n Computer Cab, Mitre Way W12
n Coney Allen, Dunbridge Street E1
n CP Beehive Service Station, Beehive
Lane, Gants Hill
n Cricklewood Carriers, Cricklewood
n Dial A Cab, City Road N1
n Edgware Station Rank
n Euston Station Rank
n G & L Taxis, Crayford Road N7
n Globe Transmissions, Cudworth
Street E1
n The Ham, Brentford
n Heathrow Airport Canteen
n Hexagon Garage, Lukin Street E1
n Jet Garage, Clipstone Street W1
n Knowledge Centre, Caledonian Road
n KPM, Hemming Street E1
n London City Airport Canteen
n LP Motors, Dunbridge Street E2
n Martin Cordell, E3 and Stanmore
n Paddington Station Rank
n Putney Bridge Taxis, The Arches,
Putney Bridge Station SW6
n Richmond Road Taxi Centre, E8
n Safewise Supermarket, Harrow
n South Bank Service Station, Great Suffolk
Street SE1
n TAXI HOUSE W9
n Taxi & Private Hire, Blackfriars Rd SE1
n Temple Place Shelter
n Tent Street Taxi Centre E2
n Turbo Accessories, Three Colts Lane E2
n Waterloo Station
n Wimbledon Station Rank
n WizAnn Knowledge School,
Watts Grove E3
@TheLTDA
VITOS
FROM
£230
24HR ROADSIDE SUPPORT
SPARE CABS AVAILABLE
NEW DRIVERS WELCOME
Call: 020 8912 2351
PUBLISHED BY LTDA
Taxi House 11 Woodfield Road,
London W9 2BA
T: 020 7286 1046 | www.ltda.co.uk
@TheLTDA
MANAGING EDITOR
Steve Still
T: 0207 121 0523 | F: 0207 286 2494
E: [email protected]
THE MASSETT FILE Richard Massett
INTERNATIONAL NEWS Wim Faber
TWO FINGERS Al Fresco
TAXI TALK Alf Townsend
OVERHEARD Brad Ashton
LICENSED TO CHAT Musher Meg
PRODUCED BY
Century One Publishing ltd
Alban Row,27-31 Verulam Road
St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 4DG.
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T: 01727 739 193
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
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last day for inclusion of Classified lineage advertisements is five
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publisher should advertisements not appear in the requested
issue(s). Whilst the publisher will take every care to ensure accuracy,
no liability can be accepted for loss or damage resulting from errors.
Comcab radio circuits fitted in all TX4 loan cabs
C&S Taxis London Ltd - have now purchased new Vito Merc's to coincide with six
existing TX4s, specially allocated for their crash repair body shop - A Class Of Their Own
43
44
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
CLASSIFIED
Section Heading
Section Heading
Cabs for Rent
BERMONDSEY
TAXI RENTALS
Brown’s Taxis
TXII’s & TX4’S
FOR RENT
(Mitcham Based)
SERVICE, REPAIRS
& BODYWORK
PHONE PAUL ON 020 7358 1272
CABS TO RENT
ʻV Reg to ʻ12 Reg
24-Hour AA Recovery • Spare cab available
CABITAL TAXIS
Best Rental Company by Far
Call Danny on
Great Choice of Quality Cabs
0203 673 4819
Rental Prices to Suit All
or (M) 07956 463040
Cab Rental Hotline
07940 021014
Cabs for Rent
Garage in Bethnal Green
MEM’s 24hr Breakdown Service • Spare Cabs Always Available
Talk to Tom or Charlie: 07940 021014
Email: [email protected]
Established 1970
Cabs for Rent
BUTLER’S
Black Cab Rentals
TXI, TXII & TX4’S
FULL BACK UP 24-7
NEW RECOVERY
SERVICE AVAILABLE
0796 098 2507
Based in Mitcham - CR4 4NQ
Cab to Rent
CABS WANTED
URGENTLY
TXII 55 plate to rent
£190 pw • Immaculate condition
Backup cab available
(Fulham based)
TXIs, TXIIs, and TX4s
Ring 078 8937 8639
Contact John on 07956354671
[email protected]
Cabs for Rent
Arin Garage
Cab hire, Running repairs, Overhauls, Crash repair
TXII, TX4 Engine rebuild specialists
Cabs
Available
Now
TX4 Reconditioned Engine £1,900
(4 Years or 100,000 miles warranty) All genuine LTI parts
TXII Reconditioned Engine £1,600
(2 Years or 50,000 miles warranty)
TXIs, TXIIs, & TX4s from £160 pw
Access house, Imperial Street, London, E3 3EA
0208 981 1647 / 07951 321566 / 07951 110152
Wanted:
We will pay £300 more
than main dealers trade-in
prices. Cash waiting
45
CLASSIFIED
Cabs for Rent
t
t in lee
ac jo F
nt to ier
Co day em
to Pr
us n’s
o
nd
Lo
Michelin tyres fitted as standard
Verifone card readers provided free of charge in every vehicle
National AA cover, Homestart and Relay
All vehicles are serviced every 6,000 miles
No insurance excess to pay
Maintained and repaired by the best mechanics and technicians in London
www.randellcabs.co.uk
020 7473 4559
[email protected]
Cabs for Rent
TXII AND TX4
CABS TO RENT
Very competitive rates
Full Backup 24/7
Available now
Please call Steve:
07799 113046
VNK MOTORS LTD
TAXI
New Premises:
2A-3 Stock Orchard Street N7 9RW
TX4 &
NEW TX4 EURO 5
FOR RENT
With Air Conditioning
& Competitive Rates
07738 162 518
N OW
HIRING
a Taxi
Mechanic
We buy TXIIs, TX4s
24 Hour breakdown
Taxis for Rent TXI, TXII & TX4’s from £180 - £235
All repairs undertaken including; insurance bodywork,
ovenbake process, overhauls and MOTs arranged
Tel: 0207 485 0959
LTDA Meetings
Insurance
LTDA Branch Meetings
Fantastic value Black Cab
insurance
SW and SE
NW and NE
First Monday of
Jan and third
Tuesday of March,
May, June, Nov
Last Tuesday of
Jan and last
Monday of April,
June, Sept, Nov
Supporting your iconic trade
0333 003 0062
Keeping your business motoring
Services and Repairs
46
www.ltda.co.uk |
@TheLTDA
CLASSIFIED
Services and Repairs
LINAGE
Accountants
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
specialising in the taxi trade. Accounts
and tax returns £295inc. Call Andy
02083601446
Cabs for rent
A1 TAXIS are now at Melody Lane,
Highbury Grove (opposite church),
family run garage, TX4s to rent, 24 hour
backup system, 1st week refunded after
2 months 02072264642
TXI & TXII’S FROM £160PW. VITO’s
£225pw. RAC Cover. No Adverts.
Garage Backup. Essex 01708373786
TXII 02 PLATE, NEW GEARBOX,
VGC, £6250 ONO call 07779614874
TXI’S AND TXIIS, KINGSTON, SW
Area, RAC, also weekend driver, call
Brian 07940592367
TXII 2002, JUST PASSED,
one year’s plate, full wrap advert
(expired) £5200 private sale,
07956924407
TXI’S FROM £180PW, TXII’s from
£185pw, TX4’s for rent, 24hr back-up
system, Clean cabs – 02076132436,
07947644541 or 07702221672
TX4 BLACK, 58 REG, 95K MILES,
1 owner, plated to September 2016,
service history £15,000, 02086510103 or
07711069040
TXI’S, TXII’S & TX4’S FROM £180,
Central London location, full back up,
call 07771713722
VGC 2003 TXII SILVER MODEL,
£7750, just plated, 3 more plates left,
call Mark 07932312159
ALL MERCEDES VITO’S, Euro4 &
Euro5 for rent, prices start from
£200pw, call 07508977592
TXII’S & TX4’S FOR RENT,
full back up, Family garage, Old
Kent Road based 02073581272
ALL NORTH/WEST, TXs. Full
Flat/Part time/ Odd Days/ Shifts from
£180, Full backup 07549102030
TXII’S £155 TO RENT, cheapest in
London, £155pw, 24 hr backup, pay
in bank 07478698754
CHEAP TAXIS – TXIs/TXIIs/TX4s from TXIIS AVAILABLE from £170pw, RAC
cover, call 07534814900 Kingston &
£150pw, Full Back-up, Bethnal Green,
Wimbledon area
Call Eric 07766542798
E16 RENTALS, TX4s Ascotts
maintained, also Merc’s available. Pay
by cash, bank, online, 07957465423/
www.e16-taxirentals.co.uk
TX4 11 PLATE SILVER, no ads, reliable
cab, AA back up, available 8th
November, £220pw, call Dave
07947220043 Watford area
EAST LONDON BASED TX4’S, full
flat from £185pw, full back up –
07595920029
VERY CLEAN and well maintained
TXII, yellow badge only, close to City
Airport garage, £170pw, free week
Christmas 07903439281
PAULS TAXI SPECIALIST LTD, cabs for
rent, TXI, TXII, TX4 & Vito, prices
Cabs for sale
starting from £165pw, call
01708553037, 07969522681 or
07545951691
MERCEDES VITO 2010,
140,000 miles Black, plated until
TAXIS FOR RENT, Enfield/North
March 2016, very clean cab, £17,000
London area, small reliable fleet,
07956354671
full backup, call Ian on 07956582416
TXI, X-REG FOR SALE,
TAYLAN TAXIS, cabs for rent based in
1 years plate, very good condition
E2, call Ozie 07462885206
£3800, 07947644541
Cabs Wanted
ALL TXI/FAIRWAY TAXIS
purchased for cash, clean owner
driven, quick viewing. Graham
07435562759
[email protected]
ALL TXI’S & FAIRWAYS WANTED,
instant decision - cash paid. Tel:
07973335739 or 01253407500
WANTED TXI’S - off plate/plated,
top quality TXI’s wanted,
GUARANTEED TOP PRICE PAID
07787513629
A CAB WANTED URGENTLY,
fair condition, any year; we pay
the most, 01322669081 or
07836250222
ALL CABS BOUGHT FOR CASH,
top prices paid. Cab hire also
available,EastLondonAndEssex
TaxiRentals.co.uk,
07877093866
ANY RETIRING TAXIS and still
plated wanted. Instant cash,
Waterloo/Holborn. Andy
07903940786
TROY TAXIS – ALL 15 YEAR OLD
TXI’s wanted, no one beats me on
price, cash paid…instant decision call
Troy (green badge driver)
07958652921
WE BUY VITO’S & TX’S.
We also sell/rent TX’s and Vito’s
ready for work 07985124194
Recovery
RECOVERY AND ROADSIDE
assistance/relocation for London
taxis, reasonable rates 7 days,
07785900006
Miscellaneous
OLD KNOWLEDGE BIKES
Wanted, Dead or Alive, Cash on
Collection - Please Call 07749488367.
Thankyou
PLACE YOUR
LINAGE BY
WED 11
NOVEMBER
4PM FOR TAXI
ISSUE 356
Century One
Publishing
CALL JONNY ON
01727 739 193
At Plan we fully support your efforts to
protect your iconic trade.
We back your cause and have joined
your protests. Your future is our future.
Great Value
Cab Insurance
Fantastic value cover designed to
keep your business motoring
Stay on the move with free
breakdown assistance inc. homestart
Protect your business with a
replacement black cab following a
fault claim
Keeping your business motoring
planinsurance.co.uk
0333 003 0062
47
The new Euro 6 TX4 has arrived. Its 2.8 litre diesel VM engine
has been designed to be cleaner, greener while
delivering improved power output without impact on fuel economy.
It has been engineered with a lighter chassis and drivetrain,
offering an improved, smoother experience for driver and passenger.
Sounds good, right? Book your test drive today and see for yourself.
TX4: A taxi from the people who only make taxis.
Book your test drive today:
The London Taxi Company
Call us now on 03300 245 944
Go online to London-taxis.co.uk
Visit Brewery Rd, London N7 9QH
Ascott Cab Company
Call us now on 0208 692 1122
Go online to www.ascottcab.com
Visit Blackhorse Road, London, SE8 5HY
TheLondonTaxiCompanyUK
LondonTaxiCoUK
LondonTaxiCompanyUK
*Terms and conditions apply. Business users only. Finance offer available on Personal Contract Purchase, figures based on TX4 Elegance
(automatic transmission) at £42,795 OTR with a customer deposit of £2,995 followed by 48 monthly payments of £714.79 (equivalent weekly payments of
£164.95) plus an optional final payment of £15,735 based upon an annual contracted mileage of 30,000 (120,000 over term). Deposits can be made from £0
and paid on collection; the above is an example deposit based on the finance illustration. Three year plans are also available. Excess mileage charge of 6.0 pence
(+VAT) per mile applies. If the vehicle is in good condition and has not exceeded the allowed mileage you will have nothing to pay. Finance is subject to status
and is only available to UK residents aged 18 and over. Finance is provided by Black Horse Taxi Finance a trading style of Black Horse Ltd, St William House,
Tresillian Terrace, Cardiff CF10 5BH. Other models are available.
Fuel economy information: TX4 (Euro 6) in mpg (1/100km): Urban 25.7 (11.0), Extra Urban 41.5 (6.8), Combined 33.2 (8.5). CO2 emissions: 222 g/km.
A wholly-owned subsidiary of