The RMT London Taxi Branch is currently working on a new website that will pull all of its blogs together under one URL address. This will make navigating the various issues much easier for visitors and users alike.
In the meantime, postings will remain available on our blogsites until the new website is up and running.
Thank you for visiting.
Friday 4 November 2011
Friday 28 January 2011
PHV Consultation...
Some news from the rather odd looking building on Blackfriars Road and it is regarding the PHV Consultation.
It appears that Taxi Private Hire (TPH) a directorate of Transport for London (TFL) needs a reasonable amount of time to now compile its conclusions to a consultation that was meant to have closed before Christmas but was extended to the 14th January 2010 to help some organisations/associations actually respond.
The issue for the RMT London Taxi branch is very clear.PHV's more commonly known as mini-cabs DO NOT have the right to ply for hire. Plying for Hire by way of legal definition eg stated case law is a "stationary activity" this occurs when you sit on a rank or stand or you stop in a street or road after responding to a hail. Now somebody at TFL created the "Satellite" or sub mini-cab office and I'm afraid somebody will need to take responsibility for this most disastrous policy that has created "illegal" ranks with operators "touting/soliciting" upon the pavement.
After TPH have sifted through all responses it will be for the main board of TFL and a sub committee called the surface transport panel to decide the actual outcome of this consultation.
Please be assured that the RMT London Taxi branch will take all necessary action to defend our members hard earned right to "ply for hire" and we call upon the TPH/TFL and the Mayor of London to end the madness of the Satellite mini-cab office/illegal rank.
Join the RMT online at www.rmt.org.uk
It appears that Taxi Private Hire (TPH) a directorate of Transport for London (TFL) needs a reasonable amount of time to now compile its conclusions to a consultation that was meant to have closed before Christmas but was extended to the 14th January 2010 to help some organisations/associations actually respond.
The issue for the RMT London Taxi branch is very clear.PHV's more commonly known as mini-cabs DO NOT have the right to ply for hire. Plying for Hire by way of legal definition eg stated case law is a "stationary activity" this occurs when you sit on a rank or stand or you stop in a street or road after responding to a hail. Now somebody at TFL created the "Satellite" or sub mini-cab office and I'm afraid somebody will need to take responsibility for this most disastrous policy that has created "illegal" ranks with operators "touting/soliciting" upon the pavement.
After TPH have sifted through all responses it will be for the main board of TFL and a sub committee called the surface transport panel to decide the actual outcome of this consultation.
Please be assured that the RMT London Taxi branch will take all necessary action to defend our members hard earned right to "ply for hire" and we call upon the TPH/TFL and the Mayor of London to end the madness of the Satellite mini-cab office/illegal rank.
Join the RMT online at www.rmt.org.uk
Friday 12 November 2010
Update on the PHV consultation...
All members and Taxi-cab drivers should note that the RMT London Taxi branch is included in ALL consultations regarding matters that affect you the self employed London Taxi-cab driver. This was recently confirmed by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson.
At present the issue of satellite/sub offices of mini-cab operators is causing much trouble within the London Taxi trade and the RMT London Taxi branch has formed a sub-committee which has recently met on two occasions to formulate our response to the phv consultation paper. Sean Kellett our excellent Ranks and Highways representative is chairing/leading our sub-committee and members can be assured that our response will be both robust and technically sound.
ALL members should note that the RMT is engaging with TFL/TPH on this most important issue for it has major ramifications for the Taxi trade and our "hard earned right" to "ply for hire".
Join the RMT London taxi branch online at www.rmt.org.uk and pop along to our next branch meeting on the 1st of December 2010...
At present the issue of satellite/sub offices of mini-cab operators is causing much trouble within the London Taxi trade and the RMT London Taxi branch has formed a sub-committee which has recently met on two occasions to formulate our response to the phv consultation paper. Sean Kellett our excellent Ranks and Highways representative is chairing/leading our sub-committee and members can be assured that our response will be both robust and technically sound.
ALL members should note that the RMT is engaging with TFL/TPH on this most important issue for it has major ramifications for the Taxi trade and our "hard earned right" to "ply for hire".
Join the RMT London taxi branch online at www.rmt.org.uk and pop along to our next branch meeting on the 1st of December 2010...
Saturday 30 October 2010
Private hire consultation...
The long awaited consultation regarding private hire and more importantly the sub or satellite mini-cab office is here.
The London Taxi trade needs to inform TPH/TFL that the creation of these offices has created illegal hackney carriage ranks all over the Metropolitan Police district. This must stop and TPH/TFL need to take into account all relevant case law.
We look forward to yet again responding to a long overdue consultation.
RMT London Taxi branch, others claim to lead we just get on with solving the many problems the trade faces...
The London Taxi trade needs to inform TPH/TFL that the creation of these offices has created illegal hackney carriage ranks all over the Metropolitan Police district. This must stop and TPH/TFL need to take into account all relevant case law.
We look forward to yet again responding to a long overdue consultation.
RMT London Taxi branch, others claim to lead we just get on with solving the many problems the trade faces...
Saturday 11 September 2010
The Biggest threat to the London taxi trade...
The Satellite mini-cab office is the biggest threat to the London taxi-cab driver since the inception of the very idea of radio controlled cars. The comparison here is very important for mini-cabs are meant to be pre-booked or pre-ordered they should not be ranking on the public highway insight of the public at venues where we are denied ranks by the very authority that is charged with licensing ourselves.
We at the RMT London will be taking a very robust, proactive stance regarding this issue and we await the long over due consultation on these offices which have merely turned out to become a "touts" charter with little or no enforcement of the law from TFL or the Met Police.
Be assured that the RMT and its London taxi branch will do all within its power to seek the closure of these offices, we will not sit back and watch your livelihood disappear in front of our eyes for we the branch officials/officers all drive taxi-cabs for a living.
The "safer travel at night programme" run by TFL fails this trade miserably.
We await the long overdue consultation on this issue...
We at the RMT London will be taking a very robust, proactive stance regarding this issue and we await the long over due consultation on these offices which have merely turned out to become a "touts" charter with little or no enforcement of the law from TFL or the Met Police.
Be assured that the RMT and its London taxi branch will do all within its power to seek the closure of these offices, we will not sit back and watch your livelihood disappear in front of our eyes for we the branch officials/officers all drive taxi-cabs for a living.
The "safer travel at night programme" run by TFL fails this trade miserably.
We await the long overdue consultation on this issue...
Saturday 21 August 2010
Don't hold your breath...
Don't hold your breath and don't expect satellite mini-cab offices to be closed down by transport for London (TFL)/taxi private hire (TPH) in the up and coming review which is soon to report.
Before the world cup drivers taxi-cab drivers took it upon themselves to mount/hold a couple of very well attended demonstrations in an attempt to highlight to the media and the masses the many problems the London taxi trade faces on a day/nightly basis. One of the biggest threats to the very existence of the London taxi trade isn't the proliferation of the mini-cab but the lack on enforcement and the inability of even the new director of taxi/private hire to get a grip of the situation regarding "touting" and the "illegal ranking" of mini-cabs outside bars/clubs where TFL/TPH have granted a mini-cab licence.
London taxi-cab drivers have earned the right to "ply for hire", plying for hire is in fact a stationary activity and the ranking of mini-cabs outside bars and venues is an "illegal activity" that this trade must bring to an end in the future.
We at the RMT will be seeking and working towards doing just that for this trade is failing. Mini-cabs are stepping on our toes by ranking outside these bars/venues. But how do we know they are ranking well the acid test is a very simple one you merely ask the drivers of these mini-cabs for the details of the pre-booked job they are waiting for, you'll find that they don't have any details or they just make up a name that can't be matched with a person within the venue/bar. Therefore if they haven't got any details why are they waiting ?Remember this activity is the sole preserve of the taxi-cab driver, we are the group of workers who have the right to rank and wait whilst on display to members of the public and not mini-cabs.
Time to join the only union/organisation that has the intelligence and ability to deal with these matters in a professional manner/way. Whilst others print papers and tell you stories we just get on with the hard work and do our level best has working taxi-cab drivers to save all our jobs. Instead of asking questions of the mini-cab trade others should be asking questions of the TFL and its TPH division.
Before the world cup drivers taxi-cab drivers took it upon themselves to mount/hold a couple of very well attended demonstrations in an attempt to highlight to the media and the masses the many problems the London taxi trade faces on a day/nightly basis. One of the biggest threats to the very existence of the London taxi trade isn't the proliferation of the mini-cab but the lack on enforcement and the inability of even the new director of taxi/private hire to get a grip of the situation regarding "touting" and the "illegal ranking" of mini-cabs outside bars/clubs where TFL/TPH have granted a mini-cab licence.
London taxi-cab drivers have earned the right to "ply for hire", plying for hire is in fact a stationary activity and the ranking of mini-cabs outside bars and venues is an "illegal activity" that this trade must bring to an end in the future.
We at the RMT will be seeking and working towards doing just that for this trade is failing. Mini-cabs are stepping on our toes by ranking outside these bars/venues. But how do we know they are ranking well the acid test is a very simple one you merely ask the drivers of these mini-cabs for the details of the pre-booked job they are waiting for, you'll find that they don't have any details or they just make up a name that can't be matched with a person within the venue/bar. Therefore if they haven't got any details why are they waiting ?Remember this activity is the sole preserve of the taxi-cab driver, we are the group of workers who have the right to rank and wait whilst on display to members of the public and not mini-cabs.
- Why is TFL/TPH allowing mini-cabs to rank illegally outside bars/venues?
- Why does the united trade group (LTDA/Unite the union) sit back and accept the feeble excuses put forward by this division of TFL?
- The taxi trade needs new ranks all over London outside bars/venues.
- Case/common law needs to be enforced with regards to our right to "ply for hire". Before the UTG or should I say LTDA/UNITE start screaming we must ask why have you been doing to remedy the situation regarding this issue/right to "ply for hire".
Time to join the only union/organisation that has the intelligence and ability to deal with these matters in a professional manner/way. Whilst others print papers and tell you stories we just get on with the hard work and do our level best has working taxi-cab drivers to save all our jobs. Instead of asking questions of the mini-cab trade others should be asking questions of the TFL and its TPH division.
- Why are TFL allowing mini-cabs to rank illegally outside bars and venues?
- Why does TFL and the Met Police take little or no action regarding this matter/issue?
- Why has TFL failed to appoint taxi ranks in the correct/appropriate places e.g. outside bars/venues for the London taxi trade?
Thursday 5 August 2010
Time for the sub/satellite office to go...
Whilst we wait for the recently announced review of sub/satellite mini-cab offices to be completed you can rest assured that the RMT London Taxi branch is working hard to sort this mess out.
We have requested a list of all sub/satellite offices from the Taxi Private Hire directorate and we will be visiting many of these premises ourselves. Collecting intelligence and collating information so that we build up a solid case against the biggest threat to our right to ply for hire since the inception/creation of the mini-cab.
Only the RMT have the will and the resources to challenge TFL and the policy that has created "illegal ranks" of PHV's all over the capital.
Join online at www.rmt.org.uk or pop into George Vyse's office at Great Suffolk Street Taxi centre and request an application form.
PS. We would also like to inform you all that satellite offices will not be closed by TFL/TPH.The review will only seek to tighten up the lax rules that are unenforceable now.
We have requested a list of all sub/satellite offices from the Taxi Private Hire directorate and we will be visiting many of these premises ourselves. Collecting intelligence and collating information so that we build up a solid case against the biggest threat to our right to ply for hire since the inception/creation of the mini-cab.
Only the RMT have the will and the resources to challenge TFL and the policy that has created "illegal ranks" of PHV's all over the capital.
Join online at www.rmt.org.uk or pop into George Vyse's office at Great Suffolk Street Taxi centre and request an application form.
PS. We would also like to inform you all that satellite offices will not be closed by TFL/TPH.The review will only seek to tighten up the lax rules that are unenforceable now.
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