p5&8 A WAR ZONE” “IT WAS LIKE · Aslam and Mr Farrar, said there was ... The letter also states that drivers could be liable to pay Uber a “few hundred pounds” if the claim

The newspaper of the Licensed

Taxi Drivers’ Association

www.ltda.co.uk @TheLTDA

#43113 November 2018

LTDA

LONDON TAXI PR: p20YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

“IT WAS LIKE A WAR ZONE ”

Gangs attack taxis in Lisson Grove after riot police retreat

p5&8

2 TAXI |||| 13 November 2018 www.ltda.co.uk |||| @TheLTDA

The Professional Drivers’ Tax Specialist

EMPLOYMENT

Hundreds of Uber workers protested against the company as it launched its second challenge to ruling awarding them proper rights.

The ride-hailing firm claims that its drivers are freelancers in the gig economy, who are able to work as they see fit.

But an employment tribunal ruled otherwise, saying that the company treated them as employees, and they should be entitled to statutory rights such as holiday and sick pay.

The panel found Uber’s agreements with drivers contained “fictions, twisted language and even brand-new terminology,” and that the contracts “did not correspond with the practical reality.”

However, Dinah Rose QC, for Uber, said that the contracts “reflected the true relationship and terms of the agreements between the parties.”

She argued that the tribunals “misunderstood or failed to apply basic principles of agency law” and had “treated as bizarre or absurd normal relationships widespread in the industry.”

Ms Rose concluded: “The only legally proper conclusion on the facts found by the [employment tribunal] was that the claimants were not employed as workers by Uber.”

Jason Galbraith-Marten QC, for Mr

Aslam and Mr Farrar, said there was “no express agreement” by which the claimants appointed Uber “to act as their agent and setting out the nature and extent of that agency.”

Uber’s QC also argued that the company’s arrangement with its drivers is no different from any other minicab firm, even though Uber regularly claims it is a facilitating platform and not a transport operator.

If the employment tribunal findings are upheld, it could pave the way for 10s of thousands of its drivers in the UK to receive the national minimum wage and paid holiday. The union claims that drivers are already £18,000 out of pocket because of the company’s refusal to accept the earlier ruling.

Before the hearing, hundreds of “precarious workers” attended a demons-tration outside the Royal Courts of Justice.

It was organised by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which represents Mr Aslam and Mr Farrar.

Frank Field, chair of the House of Commons work and pensions select committee, who led an inquiry into the gig economy, said the protest showed that precarious workers “have clearly had enough.”

Mr Field said the Uber drivers “began this three years ago and the boss class are stretching it out with appeals”.

He added: “They can afford to. Uber are rich enough to put themselves above the law.”

A judgment is expected later this year.

Uber Fights Worker Rights RulingGood News at Westminster BridgeTfL has announced that West-minster Bridge will continue to be open to taxis as well as buses, cyclists and pedestrians during the roadworks taking place between Monday, November 12, and Friday, December 14.

The regulator originally wanted to reroute taxis as well as general traffic but had a change of heart after pressure from the London Cab Ranks Committee, which is chaired by the LTDA.

Minicab Drivers Strike in HackneyMinicab drivers who take disabled children to school are to strike in a row over split shift payments.

The 32 drivers in Hackney are responsible for taking 240 children with special needs to and from school, but argue they are not being paid fairly by Hackney Council.

The action means parents of many vulnerable children will have to search for other travel arrangements to make it to school.

NEWS IN BRIEF

13 November 2018 |||| TAXI 3@TheLTDA |||| www.ltda.co.uk

TOP TRADE STORY

I doubt any of you missed the news that Uber’s relentless appeal of two employment tribunal decisions that said its so-called

self-employed drivers are in fact workers is back in court. This most recent case was heard at the Court of Appeal. During the hearings Uber continued to claim that its drivers enjoy flexibility and have more control than ever over how they work. This go-to line is getting old. We know that Uber will try almost anything to avoid paying its drivers more or giving them basic rights, all so it can gain maximum profit for itself. Let’s hope that the court isn’t fooled by Uber’s immoral business model and it ludicrous smoke and mirrors routine and tells the firm to cough up for its drivers.

It usually takes a few weeks to get a judge-ment from the Court of Appeal, but hopefully it will make the right call. Even if they rule against Uber it won’t end there. Uber has made clear it will take this case to the Supreme Court if it needs to.

Taxi/PHV RegulationMembers of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taxis have been pushing to get a debate in Parliament on the working group’s report on taxi and PHV licensing. I now have some great news – long-time supporter of the trade, Daniel Zeichner MP, has got one scheduled in the diary for this week.

Taxi Minister Nusrat Ghani MP is required to attend and respond to the debate. This is a crucial opportunity for MPs to encourage the Government to respond to the working group’s report, adopt its recommendations and bring forward new legislation, which is long-overdue. If you want to watch the debate on the day, then tune into www.parliamentlive.tv at 2:30pm on Tuesday, November 13.

The LTDA also fed into a Government

consultation on proposals to bring offences and penalties for cyclists who cause death or serious injury in line with those facing drivers. Our response made clear that dangerous cycling is becoming an increasing hazard to drivers and pedestrians, and that sentencing options for cyclists and drivers need to be better aligned to help make our overly congested streets safer. It’s time the Government listened and took action on this issue and stopped pandering to the cycling lobby and its claims of victimhood.

Cabbie Group Action LatestIf you’ve expressed an interest in the Cabbie Group Action, or have been chatting to those who already have, you will know that formal “sign up” letters sent out by law firm Mishcon de Reya have caused a lot of confusion.

To clear this up, the £3 million liability limit relates to the maximum amount a driver could sue Mishcon for IF it messes up the claim, which

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NEW UBER DOESN’T LOOK SO DIFFERENT

The Court of Appeal, but hopefully it will make the right call. Even if they rule against Uber it won’t end there...

is very unlikely. The letter also states that drivers could be liable to pay Uber a “few hundred pounds” if the claim fails – Mishcon have assured me that this is an absolute worst-case scenario, and that the insurance they have put in place is more than enough to protect drivers from Uber’s costs if they win. If needed, the insurance can still be increased at the expense of litigation funder Harbour, not you.

We all know what lawyers are like. Anybody who has ever used an accident claims company or used any “no-win, no-fee” solicitors for anything will have signed a near identical clause. They need to cover every possibility, no matter how unlikely! If you are still worried and want to chat this through with Mishcon, then get in touch on [email protected] or 020 3321 7000. u

Steve McNamara is the LTDA’s General Secretary


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Grove Gang Force Riot Police Retreat

CRIME The Lisson Grove estate has been declared a no-zone after cabbies came under attack and police in riot gear were forced to retreat following clashes with gangs.

The area which has become notorious for taxi drivers being targeted by menacing bilkers erupted in violence on Bonfire Night.

Yobs barricaded Lisson Grove and Rossmore Road and hurled fireworks at police officers, and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to at least four taxis.

One driver described how he thought he would be killed when large objects were hurled at him and a heavy steel bin was rolled towards his taxi in a bid to trap him in the estate.

Robert McKnight said: “I just ducked down and put the pedal to the floor – I thought ‘they’re not trapping me here.’ If I had stopped, I might not be here now. It was like a war zone. ”

The 53-year-old, of east London, had driven into Lisson Grove when his cab was bombarded with heavy unidentified objects, which caused an estimated £5,000 worth of damage to the body work.

Once again, the police have been criticised for failing to act on reports. Six officers in riot gear on the scene were driven back by around 20 youths. Robert managed to escape the area and

spotted police in Harewood Avenue. He said: “I got to Harwood Avenue

there were police officers there in a riot van – about half a dozen of them. They just told me they couldn’t do anything because there weren’t enough of them. I just couldn’t believe it. I was told me to report it online – but heard that no action is going to be taken.”

Police have admitted that they were forced to retreat after coming under attack, but later claimed they managed to disperse the group and made one arrest.

Another taxi driver, Ross Livingstone, was also attacked in the area on the same night. He said: “They threw a heavy traffic cone at my cab – it looked like he was on drugs because there was the look of madness in his eyes. The guy in front of me had the window of his TXe smashed in and was very shaken up. I was told there were multiple attacks on cabbies that night – it’s horrendous, someone is going to get killed if something isn’t done.”

It is the latest in a series of incidents in the area, which usually involve cabbies being hailed by thieves who claim to want a taxi, before stealing money bags and other valuables.

They often claim that a disabled relative will be joining them and strike while the driver fixes the ramp.

The LTDA has raised the Lisson Grove issue with Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick.

LTDA ADVICE: Your safety is paramount and our advice to you is NOT to accept a hiring that nishes on or near the Lisson Grove estate and to refuse to stop for groups of males matching the above descriptions in this area. Please also be more aware generally and keep your doors locked at all times. If you have any doubts or suspicions about anyone, or the destination, especially if it changes mid-journey, then refuse to complete the journey and terminate it at a place of your choosing, preferably somewhere very public, near a taxi rank or, if you can nd one open, outside a police station. If you are an LTDA member as a result of any of the above advice you receive a complaint or are contacted by TfL please call us immediately and we will respond on your behalf. If it is not safe for the police to venture here, it most certainly amounts to reasonable behaviour on your part to refuse a hiring.


Oxford Street is recognised and therefore a balanced strategy is proposed.n Review current arrangements and

provide taxi ranks of adequate capacity in convenient locations for shoppers and other visitors to the district.

n Ensure that proposed taxi rank locations are close to key locations and are easy to find with clear wayfinding from Oxford Street and the surrounding district.

n Ensure that taxi access to critical locations (such as department stores and other attractors) is maintained.

n Vehicle access, including taxis, may need to be restricted at specific locations and at certain times of the day to provide a safer and more comfortable environment for pedestrians. The detail of any traffic restrictions that affect taxis will be carefully considered and only taken forward if it can be demonstrated that there will be no significant impact on nearby residential streets (See Vehicle Access).

n Consider options for flexible taxi rank design which may allow locations to be used for loading activity or as footway at times of day when taxi use is low.

n Promote the adoption of zero emission capable technology. Providing an improved taxi rank arrangement for Oxford Street is a key objective. This should reduce the need for taxi drivers to circulate the district in search of a fare, as customers will be able to find taxis waiting at ranks more easily. Better located ranks will assist with reducing traffic congestion and air pollution.

General tra�c:Traffic in general terms includes buses, taxis, commercial vehicles, private cars and private hire vehicles. All of these types of movement need to be considered separately as each has a different role to play in providing for the transport needs of the Oxford Street District. However, there are some issues which can to be considered more generally. The presence of traffic within the Oxford Street District is essential to provide the full range of transport that the district requires. However, current levels of traffic result in unacceptable air quality, noise pollution, poor road safety, queues and congestion and an uncomfortable environment for walking and cycling.

A number of objectives need to be considered for the development of the detailed proposals that will follow this strategy:n Seek to minimise motor vehicle

movements and journeys across the

district. This can be achieved by improving access and ease of use to other more efficient forms of transport, encouraging walking and cycling, consolidating freight, servicing and delivery movements. Development of simpler designs for streets that reduce the need to circulate around one-way systems and minimise opportunities for rat-running.

n Better manage vehicle movements so that conflicts are reduced. This will include better planning for the delivery of freight, goods and personal deliveries so that periods of peak pedestrian movement are avoided in sensitive areas, restriction of some or all vehicles at key locations for critical times of the day, better management of kerbside space through careful consideration of parking and loading restrictions, identification of measures that address issues of traffic congestion.

n Manage vehicle speeds through the design of streets and the development of an Oxford Street District 20mph zone. Work with Transport for London to explore the options to limit bus speeds to less than 20mph in areas of acute pedestrian pressure.

n Carefully develop detailed proposals to ensure that the schemes brought forward within the Oxford Street District do not result in significant displacement of traffic onto sensitive residential streets.

n Protect neighbourhoods from any displacement of traffic that could occur as a result of proposals on Oxford Street or changes to other parts of the highway network brought forward separately. Closely monitor potential increases in traffic volume on sensitive local streets and consider appropriate measures that address concerns relating to rat-running.

n Design traffic junctions and streets to ensure that there is sufficient capacity and resilience for the necessary movement of vehicles without excessive traffic congestion and queueing.

n Consider changes to the complex system of one-way roads surrounding Oxford Street to simplify the traffic network, reduce conflict and provide capacity for essential traffic movements.

n Develop a carefully considered plan for traffic and transport construction impacts to be managed and minimised throughout the implementation of the Oxford Street District Delivery Plan. u

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

THE MASSETT FILE

T he Oxford Street District consultation got underway on November 5 and will run until

December 16. I urge all drivers, along with their friends and families, to go online and read the full consultation at www.osd.London and to respond to it before the deadline.

It is extremely important to take part. There is no point in just moaning about things on social media. The LTDA is currently working on its response to the consultation and we are also continuing to engage with Westminster Council, local businesses and most importantly of all, the residents, as we have done since Mayor Sadiq Khan put forward his original plan to pedestrianise the street.

Here is what the latest scheme has to say about taxis….

London taxis:London taxis perform an important function within the Oxford Street District. They provide a direct mode of transport

that is accessible for the mobility impaired. They transport customers and employees of local businesses. They are also used by residents and visitors to the area and support the night time economy. However, the volume of taxis within the Oxford Street District contributes to traffic congestion and air pollution. In particular, the act of circulating through the area to seek a fare results in a significant number of vehicle movements that are not transporting passengers, and this is not a desirable situation. Oxford Street itself is often used as a through route by taxis into and out of the West End. This is preferable to alternative routes on residential side roads at some times of day, particularly late evening and overnight. However, during periods of peak pedestrian flow on Oxford Street the high number of taxi movements contributes to the congested, uncomfortable and hazardous street environment. Taxi ranks on Oxford Street take up space which during the busiest times of day, would be better utilised by pedestrians to address crowding issues. However, the importance of taxi access to

Every driver must have a say on the latest plans for Oxford Street being put forward by Westminster

SPEAK OUT ON THEOXFORD STREET PLANRICHARD MASSETT

Keeping Your Knowledge Up-to-Date Below is a list of route changes and updates provided by Knowledge Point training school…

1. It is now possible to turn right out of Edinburgh Gate to Knightsbridge

2. No Entry sign to Leathermarket Street from Weston Street

3. Tanner Street between Bermondsey Street and Tower Bridge Road is now one way eastbound

4. No Right turn sign to Cranley Mews from Old Brompton Road travelling eastbound

5. Bohemia Place is now a no through road from Mare Street

6. From Conduit Street you cannot turn left to New Bond Street

7. Broadway Stratford has now become two way

8. You can now turn left or right out of Tooley Street to Duke St Hill or Tooley Street as the forced right sign has been removed

Knowledge Point School is the training arm of Taxi Trade Promotions Ltd and has over 25 years’ experience in training the KoL. Its teaching staff are all working taxi drivers qualified to teach to the PTTLS Grade 3/4 standard.

For more information visit the website www.taxitradepromotions.co.uk/ green-badge-knowledge-point-school.html or telephone 020 7700 3999

KNOWLEDGE POINT


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CHARITY

Donations have been pouring for the homeless warm clothing appeal, but there is still time to make your own donation.

Bags of essential items have been delivered by generous cabbies and are being stored at Taxi House, ready to be handed out next month.

Volunteers will give out essential items to people in need who congregate on the pavement between the Strand and Charing Cross Police Station on Monday, December 3, at 7pm.

Items required include men’s and women’s clothing, such as coats, jumpers, jeans, trousers, socks, hats, gloves, scarfs, toiletries, bags, rucksacks, backpacks, camping equipment, duvets, blankets, sheets, pillows, laundry bags.

Drivers who don’t have any of these items can contribute by purchasing new ladies’ and gents’ underwear and socks fairly cheaply from Primark, Asda, Sainsbury, Tesco and would be greatly appreciated.

Donations will be given out after the taxi sandwich run, when volunteers give out rolls, sandwiches, baguettes, wraps, salads, tea, coffee and water to the homeless. The taxi sandwich run takes

places every Wednesday outside Charing Cross Police Station in Agar street with the help of EAT, the fast food chain, and their staff who do this in their own time.

If you have any of the above and would like to get involved, you can drop off these items at Taxi House, 11 Woodfield Road, London, W9 2BA between 9-5pm, Monday to Friday, or bring them yourself on the night from 7pm.

Last year, 13 taxis collected all the clothing from the LTDA advan and then distributed them during the night.

Taxi Christmas Clothing Appeal

NEWS IN BRIEF

Veterans Mark Remembrance WeekCHARITY

Second world war veterans marked remembrance week by laying a wreath and planting poppy seeds at Hall Place in Bexley thanks to volunteer cabbies.

The heroes joined school children for the visit on November 5, which included visiting the Faces of the Great War exhibition and was organised by the Taxi Charity.

Veteran Bill Gladden laid a wreath

beneath a statue at the historic building. He said: “A huge thank you to the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans for arranging the visit. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the exhibitions and catching up with our friends and comrades in such lovely surroundings.”

For more information about the Taxi Charity visit the website www.taxicharity.org. See TAXI 432 for full coverage of the Remembrance day services.


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Senior police o�cers have �nally realised that people want proper action taken against real criminals

LESS PC AND MORE PC-INGLLOYD BALDWIN

ON POINT

S enior police officers have finally realised the people want to proper action against taken against real criminals

The decision of a senior police officer to speak out against the way crimes are being investigated, or not, chimes well with our recent issues in Lisson Grove and comes not before time.

Sara Thornton, [pictured] chairwoman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, called for a refocus on “core policing” in response to increasing violence and record-low conviction rates for crimes such as burglary.

She said that some worthy issues such misogyny and wolf-whistling or historical allegations against dead people, should be put to the back of the queue.

This has prompted predictable howls of discontent from the great and the good, who say that she is downplaying serious crimes against women, old people and middle-aged white blokes.

The fact is the police force at this time is underfunded and extremely stretched and while they are busy logging incidents that are not even crimes, serious

assaults, thefts and burglaries are being ignored. It is emboldening the scumbags targeting us in Lisson Grove, making them feel untouchable, and allowing them to operate with impunity.

No one is saying that offensive behaviour should be allowed to continue or that it doesn’t have a detrimental effect on the victim, only that perhaps it shouldn’t be a priority for the police in these straitened times.

As one of Ms Thornton’s supporters in the force quite rightly said, “crimes of hate need to be a clear

priority but extending the remit into incidents where no crime has been committed, such as misogyny and misandry, is fraught at any time. Doing it when we are struggling to get the basics covered is madness.”

Long gone are the days when the police could be called upon to give someone a clip

round the ear for errant behaviour, before sending them on their way. There are simply

not the resources – and the paperwork involved takes someone out of action for far too long.

Unfortunately, the increasing ability of people to take offence and whip up a Twitter mob, which then gets reported in the national media, means that our institutions have taken their eye off the ball. They appear more frightened of being criticised by the mob and having their reputations damaged than

of failing in their public duty and this must change.You only have to look at the response when the editor

of the Waitrose food magazine made disparaging remarks about vegans in an email to a freelance journalist – total uproar, about not very much.

The ensuing outcry forced William Sitwell to stand down. Waitrose was clearly terrified of the reaction of its vegan customers and potential for a boycott. Is it the biggest issue of the day? No. Does it even matter? No. There are plenty more serious issues that people should be protesting about. The fact is people need to knuckle down and do the jobs they are paid to do; get back to basics, get out on the street and start nicking criminals.

No left Turn NightmareI have contacted Camden Council about the recent introduction of a no left turn from Bloomsbury into Vernon Place, which is causing a nightmare for drivers. Apparently, it was recommended by the coroner after the deaths of two cyclists, including a young woman who was killed by a lorry in 2015. I’m in the process of writing a Freedom of Information request about this and am investigating ways of challenging the decision. u

Lloyd Baldwin is an LTDA Executive Support Officer


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Thin Blue ClothingLine Planned POLITICS

London Assembly member Keith Prince has called for a shake-up of the diesel cab delicensing scheme after poor take up.

The Tory taxi trade supporter suggested that the current payments designed to encourage drivers to go electric were not enticing enough.

Currently, cabbies are being offered between £1,200 to £5,000 to delicense their taxis depending on their age.

Drivers with vehicles between 10 and 11 years old can get the maximum £5,000, however, this is well below the market value for taxis.

Drivers with cabs that are 14 to 15 years old, which are in their last year of service, are offered just £1,200.

Mr Prince urged Sadiq Khan to review the scheme at mayor’s questions last month. Mr Khan said he would not make changes to the delicensing payments.

As of September 7, 2018, only 129 delicensing payments had been made to drivers since the TXe was launched at the start of the year.

The mayor said: “London’s filthy air is a public health crisis and taxis are a major contributor to pollution,

especially in central London, because of the very limited choice – until recently – of only diesel vehicles available for use.

“That’s why I have put in place a range of measures to help our world-famous trade become the greenest by giving drivers the financial support, priority and charging infrastructure they need to switch to cleaner models.

“I will continue to keep this package of measures under review to increase the uptake of zero-emission capable taxis in London to contribute to my wider air quality plans.”

“Delicensing Payments Too Small,” Mayor told

Sadiq Khan

FASHION Cash-strapped Scotland Yard is planning to turn itself into a global merchandising brand with a new line of goods bearing the Met Police logo.

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), which is increasingly under fire for failing to tackle crime, has employed the brand specialists behind the Tate galleries, Leon and Malibu to help them create a range of merchandise.

The over-stretched and underfunded force is being forced to find new revenue streams to fund more frontline officers by selling goods such as clothes, toys and stationery branded with the force logo.

So far, Met marketing efforts have been limited to cufflinks, a Scotland Yard model forensics kit, toys and a fluffy model of Obi, the police dog injured in

the London riots, and a teddy bear called Bobby.

The plan is based on the New York Police Department (NYPD), which includes baseball caps, mugs, aprons and

beach towels among its branded merchandise.

Simon Wilson, Director of Commercial Services

at the Met, said: “As a team we feel there is a huge global opportunity to develop market leading consumer products to

support our vision.”“I would think

it would be on a par with what the London Underground

has done. It could be worth millions.

Resources are stretched so let’s hope it is a multi-million pound success for London.”

The Met has made £720 million of savings since 2010 and must find a further £325 million by 2021.

Officer numbers in London are at their lowest level per head in 20 years.

bearing the Met Police logo.The Metropolitan Police

Service (MPS), which is increasingly under fire

merchandise.Simon Wilson, Director of Commercial Services

at the Met, said: “As a team we feel there



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F ar too often I speak to drivers who moan about changes to the road network, but who have not taken the time to take part in public consultation.

I know that it’s easy to think that these things are already done and dusted, and your response won’t make a difference, but that isn’t the case. Look at the what happened to the plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street – they were scrapped because of the strong views of the residents and businesses.

Unfortunately, another electric only street is being mooted, this time in Moor Lane, in the City of London.

The City is asking local businesses to fill in a very short survey https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/moorlaneulev

I would strongly recommend that all members, their families and friends respond accordingly. However, on the final page do not put you are a taxi driver instead put you are a resident, cyclist or a pedestrian.

As I‘m sure you will be aware, the project is the second such scheme in the capital. Hackney and Islington launched the “City Fringe Ultra Low Emissions Streets” in Shoreditch, which began in September.

However, this scheme has run into its own problems and is currently the subject of a legal challenge from local businesses led by the Nobu hotel group, and our legal

team has offered to assist. While the challenge is ongoing taxis can continue to service the Nobu hotel as before.

Unfortunately, the popularity of these zones can only increase as air quality becomes a bigger issue in London and elsewhere. We are currently seeking a legal clarification on the legality of excluding taxis, on the grounds of emissions only, when we are “compelled” to accept a hiring by the various statues and legislation concerning hackney carriages.

The latest scheme is mooted for April 2019 and would be in the form of a 12-month pilot, where a south section of Moor Lane, close to Moorgate London Underground Station, will be shut to all vehicles which are not Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) compliant.

Two options are being offered for the ULEV pilot in the southern end of Moor Lane. Option 1 would

introduce the measures 24 hrs a day and seven days a week. Option 2 would apply Monday to Friday from 7am-11pm.

The Short Arms of the Law As you will have seen elsewhere in TAXI, the problems in Lisson Grove have spiralled out of control. As we have repeatedly warned, the criminals have been emboldened by the lack of response from the police, and drivers have now come under attack from yobs in the area. Even the riot police were forced to retreat after being targeted with fireworks. Sadly, it seems that rather than step up the fight, the police seem happy to surrender the estate. It seems that this partly because they have no funds and a staff shortage because in the same week I read that they are planning to launch a clothing range in a bid to raise some cash. However, I reckon the tops will only come in short-sleeved versions, and might not even have a midriff, because they no longer have the stomach for a fight and the long arm of the law is considerably shorter than it used to be. Maybe they should stick to branded teddy bears. Avoid Lisson Grove and be lucky. u

Anthony Street is an LTDA Executive Support Officer

City of London is consulting on electric-only zone trials in Moor Lane — drivers need to get involved

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OBITUARYA London taxi driver who worked tirelessly for one of the trade’s beloved charities for over 60 years has died at the age of 94.

Harry Joel’s voluntary work and efforts to raise the profile of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans saw him awarded an MBE and made its Honorary Life President.

Harry, who served in the Navy during World War 2, was made President in 2006 and was praised by the charity as a “dedicated and hugely supportive volunteer who will be greatly missed.”

His experiences led him into the taxi trade and from there into volunteering saying that “as long as there is conflict and war around this world, there is a huge need for organisations like the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans and the work it does.”

Henry Nathaniel Joel MBE was too young to join the armed forces when war broke out, but was eager to help, so instead

he joined the Home Guard, becoming a bicycle messenger.

In 1943, aged 19, Harry was called up to join the Royal Navy, and sailed to Nova Scotia to join HMS Dittany.

Once aboard they sailed back across the Atlantic to Gibraltar and went on U boat detection and destroying duties.

His ship was responsible for sinking at least one enemy submarine and the survivors were put on Harry’s sick bay for treatment.

He was then posted to the Royal Naval Hospital at Trincamalee, Ceylon, Sri Lanka, where he cared for wounded troops, before being posted back to England and demobbed in 1946.

After the war, Harry joined the Merchant Navy as a medical officer, serving with the Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company and in 1951 he married Frances. They had a much-loved daughter Lee and remained blissfully happy until Frances passed away.

In 1955 Harry became a cabbie before volunteering to help the London Taxi Benevolent Association for the War Disabled (now the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans). Harry recognised that the Taxi Charity needed more support for its heroes and set about finding ways of improving its exposure to highlight the plight of war veterans and the work of the charity.

He is survived by his daughter Lee and his three grandchildren Alex, Ben and Natalie.

The Taxi Charity arranges numerous trips every year for veterans from all conflicts to places such as Holland, Belgium and France, as well as UK day trips to concerts or museums, and transport to attend fundraising events.

To find out more or to donate, visit the website http://www.taxicharity.org or follow its activities at Twitter @TaxiCharity.

Farewell to a Charity Legend

NEWS IN BRIEF

Uber Hackers Face New ChargesHackers who stole millions of users’ data from Uber have been charged in related to a another data breach at online learning portal Lynda.

Vasile Mereacre, a Canadian citizen living in Toronto, and Brandon Glover, a Florida resident, were arrested in October in Florida on federal hacking and extortion charges for stealing data on 55,000 Lynda users’ accounts.

The accusations are almost identical to the circumstances around the Uber breach months earlier.

Uber disclosed the breach of 57 million worldwide users — including 4.1 million drivers — almost a year later.

The company was accused of covering up the breach, after two former senior Uber executives — since fired — paid the two hackers $100,000 through its bug bounty to destroy the data that they obtained but without notifying customers or regulators.


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drivers. It really does beggar belief and shows media bias at its worst.

David Heath, Brighton

P.S. Uber is banned here and rightly so, as they are a truly appalling company that has milked their workers dry

DRIVING DOWN SAFETY STANDARDS

I t’s 20 years since TfL took over the running of the taxi trade from the Metropolitan Police. It will be recognised in the future how

unelected quangos drive down safety standards and rack up their own salaries at the same time. Accusations of rape and sexual assault have increased significantly, and TfL was happy to include taxis in that statistic rather than upset their private hire “friends “ and point out the accused were PHV drivers. Bearing in mind these accusations, why is it that TfL allows minicabs to drive around with blacked out windows? We all know that TfL is obviously not fit for purpose because any other organisation in possession of a brand thought of as the best in the world would not allow anybody else to trade off its reputation. London is famous throughout the world for its black cabs - PHV vehicles should be any colour but black to ensure that the differences between taxi and PHV, that TfL have tried to sweep away, remain.

Adrian Card

THE SHORT ARM OF THE LAW

I was robbed by four youths on October 10 in Hyde Park Crescent. I downloaded CCTV footage at my insurers which showed

the perpetrators. It is in the hands of CID, but I haven’t heard if they caught them. Could be the same robbers as the Lisson Grove mob. My CCTV is very clear: I don’t know what better evidence the CPS could want than this lot shown in the act of committing an offence.

Brian Prince

FRIGHTENING TIMES

W ith reference to recent taxi crime, I have recently been grabbed through the window in Austin

Street, but drove off quickly not caring if I took half an arm with me. On another occasion, my cab front left hand window was smashed, and thieves took my brief case containing only books. Of course, no police would attend. Also, after a recent argument over a £14 fare the police told me they would send someone within 90 minutes, so rather than be accused of false imprisonment I had to let them go. It is very scary out there at the moment and someone will get hurt.

Ray Coggin

CAN YOU CHANGE THE WORLD?

I t’s easy to condemn the LTDA and blame them for Uber, Bank Junction and a host of other things that have gone against us.

We all think we can do better. Well, think again. If the LTDA could just lift the phone and say “we don’t like this, take it away” that would be great. So those hiding behind the latest back stabbing exercise, name yourselves and your legitimate organisation. Say what you would do to change everything for the better. Unfortunately, there are many who don’t like taxi drivers and want to see the cab trade’s demise. You hear, “the London cab is an icon,” yet we are only that when the powers that be want it to be so. The only action we can take on a unified front are demos. After driving for nearly 50 years and being on many, as far back as the blocking of County Hall car park, I can say that they

never really work except to upset a lot of our customers. So, before we slag off our reps in all the trade bodies, think, can you really change the world?

Fred the Leg

HAS SKY GOT SHARES IN UBER?

I n a news item I watched about the employment tribunal appeal, they interviewed a pro Uber driver who loved

working for them and said he keeps a large proportion of what he earns. There was no mention or interview with the many dissatisfied

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Do you have a gripe or praise? Contact us at 0207 121 0523 or email [email protected]

LETTERSFAILED BY THE MET ”ROBBERY LEFT ME SCARED”

I picked up four young Arabic men from the Edgware Road, at approximately 8pm. They wanted to go to Piccadilly. Just before Piccadilly Circus they told me to stop. All four got out of the cab and two walked away. One of them came

to the passenger window and pulled out a credit card. I opened the window and told him he had to use the machine in the back of the cab, he pretended not to understand me and at the same time his mate walked round the front of the cab and up to my window, which was very strange and unnerving. As I looked around to see what he was up to, the other one leaned into the cab and

stole my money bag with my takings in it. This has totally shocked me, and I now feel like

a bag of nerves when working. From now on I’m only going to keep a minimal amount of money in my money bag and hide the rest until needed. I would like to warn other cab drivers of just how quickly and easily you can lose your hard-earned money. u Gary Illidge

STAR LETTER

Before we slag o� our reps, think, can you really change the world?

FLAGFALL INCREASE, GOOD OR BAD?

PAIN BUT NO GAINW ith regard to Tony Wright’s letter on the flagfall increase (TAXI 429): before the recent “increase,” one mile with

a £2.60 flag cost £5.60. Post the increase with a £3 flag we were blessed to receive £5.60! All the pain – with absolutely no gain. Sir Les Paterson

NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT?

T ony Wright raises a point regarding the increased flag drop (TAXI 429). Maybe, I’ve been lucky but almost two weeks on since the meter change I’ve yet to hear any punter comment about the increase. While Tony has a point about timing and scaring off potential customers, the question is “when is a good time to increase

fares,” February when it’s dead as a doornail or should we wait till Brexit starts, “ if it ever does”? Even at £3, as far as I know, we are still significantly cheaper than the competition, a half decent coffee, or a pint in most places, other than a working men’s club. With the braver amongst us now expected to stump up £53,000 plus for a new workhorse and all of us now lumbered with paying to process credit cards, a £3 flag fall seems a whole lot more realistic in the year 2018.

Geoff Crane, Chingford


ON THE ROAD

I t’s understood that through our training, London taxi drivers obtain an impressive grasp of the city in which

we ply our trade. While our knowledge of the geography of London is sound, we are sometimes deficient in other areas: namely, car mechanics. In my experience I’ve found that cab drivers have little more mechanical knowledge than a civilian car driver. We concentrated all our energies on passing the Knowledge of London and had little contact with the vehicle we would eventually need to rely on for our living. I’ve been caught out many times when the cab has played up. Sometimes things have happened beyond my control, while on other occasions having a better knowledge of mechanics would have made my life easier. My most recent breakdown resulted in a very expensive repair and an enforced holiday – just over a week after my real holiday.

I was driving into London on only my

sixth work day following a relaxing week in the sun. I was about a mile from my home in Leighton Buzzard when the cab lost power. I crawled into a layby with smoke billowing from the back and called the cavalry.

The RAC man spent a fair bit of time poking and prodding under the bonnet and consulting his laptop. After much deliberation, he said he thought I had at least one injector out. Rather than spend a depressing day at the garage, I let him

Cabbies know their way around London but most don’t know their injectors from their trailing arms

ALL I WANT FOR XMAS IS A NEW TAXICHRIS ACKRILL

tow the cab to Luton Cabs, while I walked back along the verge of the busy A505 into town. I caught a bus to the pub, which is my default action following such trauma.

I feel inadequate being at the mercy of others. Over the years I’ve paid a lot of money for parts that I don’t fully understand: wishbones, bushes, anti-roll bars. I tell myself that expense is inevitable because these parts wear out quickly due to the rigours of London’s roads; particularly all those speed bumps. I don’t really know what an injector is: I can guess what it does, but I don’t know what it looks like – or what it costs to replace. Then there are those mysterious radiators and water pumps. And the various sections of radiator hose that all too frequently need changing: hoses that seem surprised at being asked to handle hot water every now and again. Radiators have given me a lot of grief. The fluid in the expansion tank stays at the same level for months, then it suddenly plummets and there’s steam and hot fluid everywhere. Last but not least are the batteries and alternators that serve you well for a couple of years, then suddenly let you down and leave you stationary in the middle of London.

On this occasion it appeared to be an injector problem. But it wasn’t. It was far worse than that. My worst fears were realised: I needed a new engine. My 2011 TX4 has done over 290,000 miles; mostly motorway miles due to my living in Northampton, then Bedfordshire. It’s a lot of miles, and I knew that the engine could go at any time. I was thinking about

selling the cab before its inspection in March and buying a new one. That plan’s gone to the wall, as have my emergency savings.

It’s not just the cost of the new engine, it’s the time off. I can get on with my writing, but it was costing me money going into town every two days to go food shopping. I can’t go into town without having a pint or two to make the trip worthwhile. Just as diesel fuels our cabs, beer fuels the writer. Reviewing my work in the pub provides satisfaction, but the costs add up when you’re doing it so often.

Even though I’m back working, I’ll eventually need to change some of the parts mentioned above before I can change the cab. Now the engine’s gone, the next fear is that my ageing cab might need a new gearbox in the near future. I’ve been driving really carefully since I got the cab back. I had lots of work done while the cab was in the garage, including an MOT. I’ve been told I’ll need a new trailing arm next service. Trailing arm? I’m sure they make these names up.

Anyway, I’ll review the issue next year. I’m nervous about buying a new cab though. There are still no affordable e-cabs on offer and the charging infrastructure still needs building up. Someone told me there are two new charging points in the town centre, but it’s still not enough. Maybe things will have improved in 18 months’ time when I’ll think again about trading up. u

Chris Ackrill is a Taxi Driver and former Knowledge Examiner

In my experience I’ve found that cab drivers have little more mechanical knowledge than a civilian car driver. We concentrated all our energies on passing the Knowledge of London


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TOP RANK

T oo often I encounter drivers who claim to have all the answers to how the trade can increase work levels.

Unfortunately, when you ask them to put their money (or time) where their mouths are, you get nothing but lame excuses.

Thankfully, our trade also has a great band of people who go the extra mile and give up their time to try and improve our lot.

Every so often you come across a unique driver who sees a problem, has an idea and follows it through, not because it will make them rich or will see them showered with accolades, but simply because they care.

A case in point is the team at LondonTaxiPR – a non-profit company set up in 2015 to promote the trade, which has won widespread plaudits for its campaigns. The people behind it understand that no matter how well known you are, you still need to promote your product – even Coca-Cola needs to advertise.

LondonTaxiPR is funded through subscriptions, which can be as little as £2 per month. Please, have a read of this Q&A and give some serious thought to signing up, call it an early Christmas present to the trade.

Questions for London Taxi PR

Q: Who are the team behind London Taxi PR?

A: Lee is the main figurehead and co-founder of LTPR. It’s his ideas and vision that we work upon. Andy Scott is our PR guru, he does the press releases, social media and the hassling of journalists, politicians and others, to try and get us valuable exposure and coverage. Mickey is another valued member of the team, contributing and providing input and ideas. Each member of the team is valuable and passionate about what we at LTPR do and our aims for the future. We are all in it for the long term and committed to raising the profile of our profession.

Q: What made you decide that this was the cause/path for you?

A: We wanted to promote the profession and give it the exposure it has never had before. The aim is to show and illustrate the benefits, advantages and safety of using a licensed London taxi to Londoners, businesses, visitors and tourists alike. Every iconic major global brand has its own PR, its own advertising campaigns and promotions, so why should it be any different for the licensed London taxi trade? We had to do something to get positive messages and promotion about what we, as a profession do. There’s also been too much of a media bias

This week, Paul meets the team behind London Taxi PR, who answer questions put by cab drivers

THE POWER OF POSITIVE PRPAUL BRENNAN

advertising variations for exposure from Rooftop advertising, Bus Stop advertisements – fixed and digital, advertising billboards both fixed and digital all of which have been displayed in and around central London. We also had campaigns in business magazines which have included both editorial and advertisements. We have worked with the likes of 8 Outdoor, JCDecaux, Verifone and Clear Channel all of whom have been supportive of our campaigns and helped get our messages out to the general public.

Q: Who comes up with the ideas for the campaign?

A: It’s a team effort. We have regular team meetings, discuss what is happening in the profession, what issues, what’s affecting the industry or what promotion we can do to help best illustrate the profession in its best light.

Q: How much does a typical campaign cost?

A: It varies; obviously, we try through our relationships that we have established with the media/advertising outlets the best price possible, with the most coverage, be it editorial/advertising and/or billboard/digital media. We operate on a very tight limited budget as our funds come from the profession (those that contribute through one of our three direct debit facilities) or through supporting companies/associations. However, the more money we have coming in, the bigger the budget and therefore the more we can do.

Q: How many drivers have signed up?

A: Just over 700. We appreciate all our supporters, and again, sorry to sound like a broken record, but more would be fantastic.

Q: Who decides what campaign gets priority for the limited funding you have?

A: At our team meetings we will all debate, discuss, then agree our plan(s) and agree who needs to do what and when. We also share ideas and discuss these on our WhatsApp group. Lee delegates and the rest of us do! No seriously though everyone in the team plays their part contributing ideas, taking images, designing through to writing the press releases and editorial and getting it out there via all forms of media. It’s a team decision on which campaign will be the next one, but we try and make the best to be as diverse as we can with what we do with the small budget we have.

Q: Where does the funding for the campaigns you do come from?

A: As previously stated, all our funds come through support and donations from the profession, and/or those companies and

towards some of our competitors and we wanted to try and level up the playing field as much as we could. That’s why we regularly put out messages about using licensed London taxis, and we promote and take pictures of the taxis that we see being used for promotional purposes. Then we also challenge the media to try and give us valuable media/column inch coverage and exposure.

Q: How many campaigns have you had, and what media outlets did you use?

A: So far we have had, rooftop advertisements that were provided by Verifone; two campaigns with British Airways involving advertising in their High Life magazine and posters in the Terminal 5 Business Lounge, followed by an advertisement again in High Life; an advertising campaign in The London Magazine (a high end property and residential title); a three-month digital billboard campaign in conjunction with 8 Outdoor media, showcasing the taxi trade on three digital billboards in and around West London; and then with Clear Channel, which involved advertisements on phone boxes and digital pop up banners. We then teamed up with JCDecaux for our largest campaign, which took in 80 streel level bus stop advertisement sites across central London for the, “Hail a Ride in London’s Pride” campaign. We followed this up by teaming up with 8 Outdoor media again for The Knowledge, “I did it, so can you” diversity campaign with digital and fixed billboards in and around central London sites. We also had an editorial and advertisement in a high-end luxury travel publication, Inspired Travel, and this is set to be repeated in their next issue; so, watch out for that if you are in the airport business lounges anytime soon!As you can see we have used a mixture of media

We wanted to promote the trade ... to show the bene�ts, advantages and safety of using a licensed London taxi to Londoners, businesses, visitors and tourists alike...


associations who also contribute. We appreciate all our support but obviously we need more to sign up to support us. We have just over 700 contributors from a profession that numbers 23,500. The smallest contribution is £2 per month. You do the maths, if we were to get everyone contributing, how great would that be?

Q: What do you believe has been your most successful campaign to date?

A: Definitely, it was The Knowledge campaign. It not only helped to spread the word about how diverse the profession is, but it got more individuals signed up to The Knowledge school and encouraged more people to embark on becoming a licensed London taxi professional. There was a noticeable increase reported by the Knowledge school, numbers went up and therefore our campaign was extended. It included more formats for promotion, from digital taxi rooftop signs to more advertisements in and around London. We also got our first bit of column inch coverage in PR Week!At the same time during this year we have won two major awards for promotion, one of which was best Public Transport Promotions Group for England. Both of these awards have helped endorse and underline the significance of the work that we do, and how it is viewed. As an independent standalone representative business for the profession we believe this has been a great achievement in such a small period of time, as we have only been in existence since 2015.

Q: What are your plans for

future campaigns?

A: We are planning a new campaign specifically for the Christmas period. This will be our next major one. Additionally, the ULEV road restrictions campaign has raised awareness, and through our persistence via social media, we will now be having a meeting with the Mayor of Hackney and representatives from Hackney Council to discuss these in detail. We want them to know how they affect the profession and the impact they have had, together with the position they have put the profession in with regards to disabled taxi passengers. The City of London have also announced a trial of this as well and so they are now on our radar. We are also going to seek advice with regards to the legal implications of these restrictions, and if it could lead to something. As issues arise we will tackle them on behalf of the profession and we want them to know we are active, constantly aware and putting the profession first at the forefront of agenda and any campaigns. That’s what we do. At LTPR we want to be the positive response

(PR) for the profession, no pun intended!

Q: How can drivers sign up to contribute?

A: It’s easy – they can go through the website donation link here http://londontaxipr.com/donate/ then choose a direct debit option.

Q: Can drivers help in other ways? A: Yes, of course. They can offer to distribute leaflets, we will have a new one coming out soon by the way, they can display one of our LTPR stickers in their taxis, they can spread the word with other drivers, retweet our feeds etc. Every little bit helps. We need support and the more the better from the profession which will help us to help them. That’s what we do and want to continue doing more and more. So, get behind us, we need more support!n If people want to keep up to date with what we

are doing then they can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, go to the website http://londontaxipr.com donate to help fund our campaigns and keep supporting us, as we support the profession, simple as that

MASSETT'S

CAMERA HOTSPOTS

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

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

u HOTSPOT 2 Lea Bridge Road —20mph zone

We want [the mayor]to know how they a�ect the profession and the impact they have had...


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A S S I S T A N C E3 2 1


CRUEL LONDON

J ust before 7.20am on the chilly morning of December 12th, 1988, the characteristic sound of doors

slamming shut on an old-style British Rail train echoed along the platform at Basingstoke station as hundreds of commuters crammed into a service bound for Waterloo.

For the next 40 minutes, the train clattered along without incident. That was until it approached a green signal, which suddenly flickered red without warning. Unable to stop in time, the driver – Alexander McClymont – halted the train in a cutting on Wandsworth Common, just south of Battersea Rise, where he climbed out the cab and used a trackside telephone to inform the nearest signal box of the problem.

After being told there was nothing to worry about Alexander hung up, but as he did so a second train – this one heading up from Poole – roared around the corner at approximately 50mph. According to witnesses onboard, the driver of this train – John Rolls – barged out of his cab in the final seconds before impact, no doubt realising it was impossible to brake in time. The Poole train ploughed into the Basingstoke service, killing John and many others instantly.

Lee Middleton – a survivor on the Poole train – described the moment: “I heard a deafening noise and then all hell let loose. We were getting thrown around the carriage like rag dolls.” Lee found himself pinned beneath the wreckage, his gaze forced towards the clear winter sky which had been exposed after the carriage roof was “split open like a ripe tomato.”

“I heard crying and moaning… I thought it was curtains for me.”

Alexander meanwhile could only watch in horror as carriages from his Basingstoke train were thrown into the air, hurling a number of passengers out. He immediately snatched the phone back to call for the emergency services. Moments later a third train tore into the

area, smashing into the already tangled wreckage. Mercifully this train was empty, although tragically a number of people who’d been ejected from the Basingstoke carriages were crushed beneath its wheels. It was only by sheer fortune that a fourth train managed to stop in time just yards from the carnage.

Alongside personnel from London’s emergency services – including doctors who performed a number of operations and amputations on site, the greatest heroes that day were pupils from the Emanuel School, which is located on the embankment overlooking the disaster zone. Upon hearing the terrifying smash, teenagers far too young to witness the horror they were about to encounter scrambled down the slope to help. The very first person to enter the stricken carriages was Tony Stoppani whose birthday it happened to be that day. He’d just turned 12 years old.

“There was a huge bang, just like a bomb explosion” Tony explained when interviewed. “I saw all parts of the train flying into the air…we jumped over the railings and climbed into the train through a broken window. The first thing I saw was legs with jeans and shoes on. There was no top half of the body…In

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Train driver, John Rolls, barged out of his cab before [the] impact, no doubt realising it was impossible to brake in time. The Poole train ploughed into the Basingstoke service, killing John and others instantly...

ROBERT LORDAN

Almost 30 years ago, 35 people died, when faulty wiring caused a horri�c train crash

THE CLAPHAM RAIL DISASTER

the train people were screaming and too frightened to talk. We started pulling people out through the window.”

Another pupil – 18-year-old sixth former, Simon Murie – yanked wreckage

away with his bare hands, comforting victims as he did so. Another unnamed 14-year-old held a trapped passenger upright in their twisted seat for several hours before they could be freed.

These young rescuers were praised by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and personally thanked by the Secretary of Education for “their immense courage and maturity.”

Overall 35 people were killed and hundreds more injured in what became known as the Clapham rail disaster. Amongst the dead was technician Michael Newman whose glittering theatre signs for shows such as Cats and Phantom of the Opera earned him the nickname, “the man who brought the West End to light.” On a personal note, my father knew Mike and had worked with him installing these famous displays.

It was determined the cause of the accident was down to faulty signal wiring resulting in a £250,000 fine for British Rail. A memorial to those who died was unveiled on Spencer Park in 1989. u

Fire service personnel, and rail sta�, work to free the injured



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MONEY MATTERS

C hancellor Philip Hammond delivered the latest budget on 29 October. His speech, and

associated small print, laid out how the economy is performing, how the government plans to spend our taxes, and changes to the way people are taxed.

But what does it all mean for your bank balance?

Income taxMost people will pay less income tax from next April. This is down to two key changes. Firstly, the personal allowance – how much you can earn each year before you pay income tax – will go up from £11,850 to £12,500 in April 2019. This will save you £130 in tax each year.

Secondly, the threshold at which you start paying the higher rate tax of 40% will go up from £46,350 to £50,000 from April. This will put about £730 back in people’s pockets.

However, National Insurance (NI) thresholds have also gone up. If you earn more than £8,424 a year you must pay NI. This qualifies you to receive a state pension as well as some other benefits.

At the moment you pay no NI on the first £8,424 of your income; 12% on amounts between £8,424 and £46,834; and 2% on anything over £46,834. But from April 2019, you’ll need to earn £8,632 before you start paying NI, but you’ll pay 12% on amounts between £8,632 and £50,024. These changes mean you’ll pay more NI than before if you earn more than £46,834.

HousingFirst-time buyers are already exempt from paying stamp duty when buying homes worth up to £300,000, with reduced tax on purchases of up to £500,000. Hammond announced that this stamp duty concession is being extended to people buying shared ownership homes on part-buy part-rent schemes.

The change will be retrospective back to the last Budget (November 22, 2017) so if you’ve bought a shared ownership

property since then you’ll be able to claim the stamp duty back.

Hammond also announced that the Help To Buy equity loan scheme will be extended for two years – until 2023. This scheme for new-build properties is designed to help those with 5% deposits get on the housing ladder. However, going forward it will now only be open to first-time buyers, not movers, and regional price caps will be applied.

National living wageThe national minimum wage is the minimum pay per hour most workers under the age of 25 are entitled to by law. The national living wage, on the other hand, is the minimum pay per hour most workers aged 25 and over are entitled to.

April 2019 will see the national living wage rise from £7.83/hour to £8.21/hour. The 38p increase represents a 4.9% rise, amounting to an annual increase of about £690 for a full-time worker.

Universal creditThe budget included two new measures to help universal credit claimants. The Chancellor has set aside £1bn over five years to fund top-up payments for those migrated onto universal credit from other benefits.

Also, the amount households with children, and those with disabilities, can earn before their universal credit starts to be withdrawn is to be increased by £1,000

Many people will pay a little less tax after the budget but will you be better o� overall?

BUDGET 2018: HOW WILL IT AFFECT YOU?EMMA LUNN

from April 2019. The government says this means around 2.4 million households will keep an extra £630 each year.

Alcohol and smokingThe duty on beer, cider and spirits is being frozen for the next year. The duty you pay on beer varies depending on

its strength – weak beer comes with a rate of 8.42p for every percentage point of alcohol, which rises to 19.08p for medium-strength and 24.77p for strong beer.

Wine duty will increase at the retail prices index (RPI) rate of inflation, while tobacco duty will increase at two percentage points above RPI.

TravelAir duty tax is a charge on outgoing flights from the UK paid by airlines to HM Revenue and Customs. It’s passed on to customers via ticket prices. Air duty for short haul flights was frozen in the budget but long-haul rates will go up in line with inflation.

Fuel duty was frozen for the ninth year – but this was already announced at the Conservative party conference. Drivers will also benefit from the £420m the government will give local authorities to fix potholes and other issues with roads following damage caused during last year’s cold winter. u

From April 2019, you’ll need to earn £8,632 before you start paying NI, but you’ll pay 12% on amounts between £8,632 and £50,024. These changes mean you’ll pay more NI than before if you earn more than £46,834...


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NEWS IN BRIEF

No e-taxi bus lanes planned The Mayor has refuted claims he is planning to introduce e-taxi bus lanes, despite receiving Department for Transport approval.

Sadiq Khan was responding to a question put to him by London Assembly member Keith Prince about when they would be introduced.

Transport for London received DfT authorisation for e-taxi bus lane signage, raising fears that diesel cabs would be banned from some lanes.

The mayor said there were no current plans for electric only lanes.

He said: “Approval from the DfT was needed for zero emission capable taxi signage to be put in place at taxi-only charging bays. TfL took the opportunity to gain approval for e-taxi versions of all other relevant signage.

“As you may be aware, I committed to looking into ZEC taxi rank provisions as part of my Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan. At present, there are no plans to use any of the e-taxi signs other than those for taxi-only charging points and ZEC taxi rank.”

TRADE

October saw 161 new TXe taxis join the ranks. This is the highest monthly figure to date for the new cab.

Unfortunately the word is that LEVC is planning to raise the price of the cab. This is due to a series of factors, including increased costs and the falling pound. The exact increase is still to be finalised, but it is rumoured to be around the £900 mark. At the same time, it is believed that the factory is going to switch to “two shift” working, which will effectively double production and hopefully tackle the growing waiting lists, which are currently running at 12-16 weeks.

This clearly shows that the cab trade’s doom and gloom brigade, who have been predicting a collapse in sales of the new cab, were once again wrong. Unfortunately, the looming problem of collapsing residual values (RVs) shows no sign of slowing down or stopping. With the lack of stability in the market and continued uncertainty, many dealers are now refusing to take a risk and are refusing to accept part exchanges.

If this problem is not resolved quickly many cabbies risk being caught in a

negative equity trap, where they want to buy a new clean cab but are unable to do so because their investment, or financial commitments, in their existing cab far exceeds the cabs RV.

The last time this happened with cab prices was back in the 1980s – although it was to a much lesser extent. The FX4R, a Rover engine cab, had such an appalling reliability reputation that second-hand prices collapsed when cabbies refused to buy them, and five-year-old cabs were worth more than one-year old vehicles.

The only possible solution to this pending crisis is a substantial

increase in the decommissioning grant from Transport for London for diesel cabs that are removed from service – although, as you may have read elsewhere (P10), the mayor is reluctant to do this. The existing scheme is limited to £5k per cab for 10-year-old models dropping to only £1k for a 14-year-old cab. Sadiq Khan has a £40 million pot to fund taxi decommissioning and to encourage the uptake of new clean cabs, the scheme needs an urgent review focused on helping cabbies stuck with cabs they don’t want and can’t sell as a direct result of forcing cabbies to go electric.

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What a Lotto Dough!MEMBERSHIP

LTDA member Troy Rodrigues was over the moon when he was told he had scooped £5,000 in our monthly lottery.

A cash windfall can go a long way, especially if you fancy jetting off on holiday or doing up your home.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of joining this month’s lucky winner is pick up the phone and ask to join – it costs just £5 each month.

Troy, of Croydon, who collected his cheque from Richard Massett at Taxi House, said: “I couldn’t believe it – it was a total shock. It’s come at the right time too. My wife’s car has just packed in, so some of it will be going on a new car.”

One lucky LTDA member’s name is pulled out of the hat every month and scoops the jackpot. To join, telephone 0207 286 1046 and ask for Jenny.

LTDA LOTTERY

Troy collects his cheque at Taxi House

NEWS IN BRIEF

Taxi Charity AGMThe annual general meeting of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans will be held at 1pm on Tuesday January 8, 2019 in the Royal Hospital, Chelsea [pictured, above].

Nominations must in writing by December 10, 2018, and duly signed and proposed, to the Secretary Paul Davis, 88 Grasvenor Avenue, Barnet Herts, EN5 2DB.

Due to extra security at The Royal Hospital and the change of meeting room, anybody wishing to attend is asked to contact the secretary Paul Davis on 07860 850102 by Friday, January 4, 2019.

Taxi Break-in WarningCabbies are urged to avoid leaving their taxis unattended on the rank in Harewood Avenue or by the fish shop in Lisson Grove as thieves are in operation.

Several cabs have been targeted by youths operating in groups of two or three, who circle the vehicles and shatter windows to gain access.

If you need to leave your taxi to go the toilet or get something to eat or drink, ensure that all valuables are out of sight.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

CRASH, BANG, WALLOP...!

Officially Halloween is just once a year, but since Uber came to town there has been a lot more horrific driving on our roads, as these pics go to show.

As usual, keen-eyed drivers have been emailing snaps to our Caught on Camera page laying bare the daily chaos on our roads. All manner of weird and wonderful pictures have been dropping into the inbox and this week’s winner is the spooky Halloween taxi and gets the snapper a handy £30.

As usual, there were a high number of the now obligatory examples of Uber drivers causing destruction.

Caught on Camera will be returning once more for the Christmas edition of TAXI in December, so keep your eyes peeled for some festive pics. The best one will get the photographer a £50 cheque. We try to publish as many of your pics as we can each week, but make sure they are good quality photos, not blurry, and don’t take pictures while driving.

Send your entries to us via the MMS line on 07908 640017 or email them to [email protected]

Uber driver joins starvation wage protest

The Nightmare Before Halloween

“Thanks, but I think I’ll take the bus.”

“I said let’s toast TO Uber…” A real horror show If the Met won’t help…


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W hat better way to kick off the season of goodwill than with a free £150 to spend on anything you like.

Each fortnight our diary spotters head out looking for members to hand £150 All 4 One gift-cards to.

All you have to do to ensure you’re in with a chance of being spotted is have your LTDA diary in the windscreen. Then you can shop away, stocking up the fridge, snapping up some winter woollies, or even buying some extra presents

for under the tree. Recently, they caught up with Vida Bediako, who was delighted with her windfall.

Vida said: “Great. Thanks very much. It’s perfect timing with Christmas around the corner.”

And our new All 4 One cards can be spent at dozens of stores including Debenhams, Argos, River Island and Marks and Spencer. You can even enjoy a slap-up feast at a host of restaurants.

A short while later our diary spotters surprised Steve North, who was equally pleased to be handed

£150 for having his LTDA diary on display.Steve said: “Brilliant! I’ve seen it in the paper but

never thought it would be me. It’s made my day.”Each year we give away almost £8,000 worth of gift

cards, so the odds of coming up trumps are pretty good. Just make sure you have your LTDA membership diary on display and let us do the rest.n The 2019 LTDA members’ diaries are on order – please make sure your address is up to date so that we can send it to the right place. Call 0207 286 1046 now.

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Vida: “Great!” Steve: “Made my day.”



The Whitehall taxi demo of 1979

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TAXI TALK

E very so often a story surfaces clearly illustrating the changing face of the trade and the difficulties of

making ends meet. Even after years on the Knowledge and 50 years in the game, I found myself struggling to make a decent living on most days. And in my dotage, I certainly wasn’t making as much as a modern day labourer – sadly, I no longer have the knees for it these days.

A good mate of mine of over 50 years- now a fellow retired cabbie, decided to have his St. John’s Wood flat completely renovated – on the insistence of his wife, of course. He did a deal with the boss of a local builders, an English-speaking Romanian guy and the team turned up a few days later – who were also Romanians! Did you know that Romanians now number 411,000 in Britain and are now the second largest, non-British immigrants after the Polish, on 1m? My mate was well pleased with their work and congratulated the boss who claimed that he had to “pay them £200 a day or they go elsewhere!” Not bad in this day and age when a global crash, austerity and the march of modern technology have combined to drive down wages in a numerous sectors. If that’s cash in hand, then it’s worth a lot more! Things are changing fast. Tube drivers earn up to £60,000, but there’s only so long the unions can hold back the tide of automation, and those jobs won’t be around much longer I suspect.

It wasn’t always as hard as it is now in the transport business. When I first got my Bill in the early 60s, even with a metre that started at 1s and 9d – the equivalent to less than 10p in today’s money – you could still earn a comfortable living by working short shifts. I hark back to a little firm of cabbies who were regulars at night in the Leicester Square shelter. Every year they did the same in the New Year; work their socks off over Christmas and

the New Year, then head for the sunshine until Easter! They’d book a cheap cabin on one of the banana boats that used to moor near London Bridge, then head off to the canaries. One of the guys told me that you could live for as little as five shillings a day. That would be reduced to nowt if one of the lonely, attractive widows – who were having a jolly-up on their late husband’s insurance policy, took a shine to one of them. After a bit of “tea and sympathy,” they would move in and not pay a penny for “services rendered!” I hasten to add that to my knowledge, none of the cabbies were married! In 1979, the LTDA organised a demo in Whitehall, protesting because we hadn’t got a fare increase for a few years. The turnout of cabs was amazing and central London was gridlocked for several hours. We succeeded in getting a fare increase soon after, but the sting in the tail was that we lost a lot of radio work to the opposition in the process! The years rolled by and now there were around 24,000 cabs – three times as many than as when I got my bill. But our major concern was with TfL handing out hundreds of minicab licences, willy-nilly every month. The minicabs soon surpassed our numbers making it harder to get a living. Uber was just the final kick in the teeth.

Fast forward to the present day, and our trade was getting harder with all the competition from the 120,000 minicabs and Ubers on the streets of London day and night. Especially for us part-time “golden oldies” who, like me, rented and were getting frustrated when after a day shift sitting in heavy traffic I was taking home less money than I could have earned stacking shelves in a supermarket! But you have to count your blessings, because many of the guys in the past who worked their socks off to pay their mortgages and buy new cabs have gone to “the big cab rank in the sky.”

As for me, I was never much of a grafter and was quite happy playing rubbish golf a couple of times a week, or having a jog around Hampstead Heath. The major part of my earnings was spent taking my lovely wife and three lovely kids on long, exotic holidays to Spain, Portugal, Malta or Ibiza. Sadly, I lost some of my loved ones over the years, but hey, I’m now a widower pushing 84, and I’m still alive and kicking! I can always remember my lovely, late wife saying to me in her posh voice – she wasn’t common like me. “Enjoy what you have in life Albert, because you can’t take it with you!” That’s so, so true, what’s the point if you’ve got bundles in the kitty and you’re brown bread? Here endeth my sermon on life! u

The world is changing at quite a pace but earnings just aren’t keeping up with the times

“YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU”

Every year they did the same in the New Year; work their socks o over Christmas and the New Year, then head for the sunshine until Easter!

ALF TOWNSEND



Bon�re night is not just a fun night for supermarkets but enjoyable for all the family – or it should be!

“I AM THE GOD OF HALLFIRE…”

LICENSED TO CHAT

T his year it was my turn to host the neighbours’ annual celebration of two huge selling opportunities for supermarkets – ooops, I

mean the popular family-friendly autumn celebrations, Halloween and Bonfire Night. In our street we combine them and call November 3rd, Hallfire night.

Mr Meg, dressed as Cruella De Ville, crafting a splendid eco-friendly bonfire that crackled beautifully all night long. Mr Meg, there can be no denying, is a man who takes good care of his wood.

The Hallfire Bonanza is an after dark event – the rules are bring your own fireworks/booze and dress in a suitable scary costume. I went as a dalmation and took charge of the buffet – no easy task, when you consider the number weird and wonderful diets and allergies that have emerged in recent years.

Being very 2018 myself, I messaged the neighbours to ask if any of them had any special dietary requirements or allergies. My plan was to serve meat and veggie sausages, beans, baked spuds and grated cheese with pumpkin coloured cupcakes for afters; bish, bash, bosh – catering sorted.

There were 27 people on my guest list and 23 replied.

Only, they didn’t all reply to my actual question – I asked if there was anything they couldn’t eat, not what they fancied eating on the night.

Here’s what pinged into my inbox from the residents around Meg Towers:

“Brownies.” Brownies? Did the sender mean brownies are a yes? A no? Or a must have?

“Vegans.” Toasted on the bonfire and stuffed in a bun?“No eggs, please.” No eggs? Do these people

from number 29 think we’re celebrating Easter Sunday in the garden on November 3rd?

“No alcohol.” What! Where the heck do Number 3 think they’re going? To the Salvation Army Bonfire Night bash?

“Raw food only.” Ha they’re welcome to a raw sausage straight from the freezer. I can accommodate that dietary preference.

This next one is my all-time favourite…“flexitarian times 2. Thanks’. What is a flexitarian? Someone who eats meat, fish, veggies, raw, cooked and everything else besides, and therefore didn’t need to reply to my question about special dietary requirements. They’re everythingetarians.

The cheekiest reply came from the owners of the house nearby that has just had pricey wooden (as in, not MDF)

shutters fitted. They messaged with, “if you are doing the usual seasonal sausage and beans fare, you should know we only eat Waitrose sausages. To be exact the ones with a caramelised onion confit added, so we’ll bring those along and all we need is for you to reserve some of your grill space on the night. Thanks ever so, Mwah.” I enjoyed telling this pair where to place their fancy sausages…

Then there was a request, not about the food, but about the fireworks. It came from

the poet lady who lives in number 33. “Could you ask people to bring bang free fireworks? The beauty of the night is about lights contrasted against the night sky along with the evocative smoky

smells that open up the subconscious and uncover lost memories. Noisy fireworks will

harsh the gorgeous mellow of the night. Please pass this message on to all so we can have a truly special evening.” I did pass that message on… straight into the eco-friendly bonfire. It turned out to be a top night. Lots of mulled cider, bangers and bangs. And when Mr Meg went to stoke his environmentally friendly bonfire, the embers set the tip of his Cruella De Ville wig alight, so he ripped it off and dunked it in the pan of cider punch. Fright Night! u

MUSHER MEG

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BUSINESS

The Government is planning to introduce legislation requiring tax registration checks to be undertaken on all taxi and private hire licence holders.

The HMRC consulted on measures to tackle tax evasion in the “hidden economy” in 2017.

It made particular reference to the public sector, which included taxi and private hire licensing.

The term hidden economy refers to individuals and businesses with sources of taxable economic activity that are entirely hidden from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

Applicants would need to provide proof they were correctly registered for tax in order to be granted a licence. HMRC says this would make it more difficult to trade in the hidden economy, “levelling the playing field for compliant businesses”.

The details of how this may work in practice are still to be finalised but could involve:u New applicants for a taxi/PH licence

will be directed to their tax obligations and HMRC services to ensure that

they understand their taxable status and are able to register as soon as possible after they begin trading.

u Checks will be undertaken on those renewing licences to confirm and provide evidence of their tax-registration status.

u New “fit and proper” criteria may include an assessment of an applicant’s financial integrity.

The HMRC is due to publish its summary of responses on November 7 that is expected to include a commitment to use the Finance Bill to push through the implementation of tax status checks.

Tax Check Changes Ahead 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 identi�erIf your identifier is lost or stolen

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

@tfl.gov.uk)You may then continue

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

being processed.

Shop a tout Anyone who sees touting or any

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

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

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

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

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

working. A letter of confirmation will be sent

replacement identifier being processed.

Shop a tout Anyone who sees touting or any

STAY IN THE KNOW

HALVEY ENGINEERINGTX2 & TX4 ENGINE SPECIALIST

SERVING THE TAXI TRADE FOR THE PAST 28 YEARS

RECON TX2 ENGINE - supply & fit £1,795

RECON TX4 ENGINE - supply & fit £2,100 with 1 year guarantee

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0208 312 2224 [email protected]

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30K,60K £350 INC vat £225 INC vat

36K,72K,108K £130 INC vat


C omplete our crossword puzzle and be in with a chance to win £50! Send your entry to: Crossword 431, Taxi, Taxi House, 11 Woodfield Road, W9 2BA before December 5. The first name out of the proverbial hat wins the cash! u

DOWN: 1 Rebellion (6) 2 Ponti� (4) 3 Martial art (7) 4 Completely (5) 5 Forbearance (8) 6 Commercial (6) 12 Fictionalise (8) 14 Belittle (7) 16 Hard animal outgrowth (6) 18 Novice (6) 19 Join together (5) 21 Arguably (4)

ACROSS: 7 Number puzzle (6) 8 Scru�y (6) 9 Edge or mark (4) 10 Untimely (3, 5) 11 Athlete (7) 13 Nativity (5) 15 Cut o� (5) 17 Arctic rodent (7) 20 South Asian country (3, 5) 21 Street of converted stables (4) 22 Wealthy social group (3, 3 23 Ideal (6)

WINNER: ISSUE 429

T Williams Croydon

ACROSS: 7 Revere, 8 Cohort, 9 Jest, 10 Inwardly, 11 Fiefdom, 13 Beefy, 15 Shock, 16 Concoct, 18 Amethyst, 19 Oops, 21 Enjoin, 22 Minion

DOWN: 1 Fete, 2 Certi�cation, 3 Demigod, 4 Scowl, 5 Charge account, 6 Proli�c, 12 Inhumane, 14 Tom-toms, 17 Tying, 20 Poop

CROSSWORD #431

PUZZLER

PRIZE CROSSWORD

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OVERHEARD

M y vacations are usually easy to plan. I go to Spain a lot because they have great golf courses, but you can tell they

have raging inflation. Before every stroke now they shout “five!” Spain’s the favourite place for planned package holidays. But I think the one I went on was planned by the Marquis De Sade [pictured]. It was £3.50 per week and for an extra £25 pounds a day, meals were thrown in. But they were so bad I threw them out again. Supper was always soup, sausage and sorbet. All in one sandwich. The room I got was that small the mice were round shouldered. To show you how small it was, one day I ordered a pizza and it had to be delivered one slice at a time. The view was unique. It overlooked the dustbins. And that wasn’t all it overlooked. I requested twin beds. What I got was a single bed with a white line painted down the middle. And the bath towels were tiny. I didn’t complain. I figured these things are sent to dry us. Location-wise, the hotel was supposed to be two minutes from the beach. And it probably was, by rocket. It turned out to be so far away, if I hadn’t got lost I’d never have found it. It was in a place so small the town clock was a wristwatch. They had to close the library for a fortnight because someone borrowed the book. Nothing had changed there for over a

century. The traffic lights were still in black and white. At the other extreme, I once stayed in an ultra-modern hotel in Rome. It was so exclusive its room service had an unlisted number. They even had a recovery room for when you get your bill. If you ordered oysters and found a pearl, it didn’t even cover the tip. My wife chose Italy because she wanted to feel the pinch. Her bottom was squeezed that often, she came home with a cauliflower rear. They say travel broadens the mind. That trip flattened my wallet as well. Probably the most frightening thing about

holidaying abroad is the flights. I always book one-way tickets,

because I never know if the airline will still be in business

when I return. So many are going broke they’ve replaced holding patterns with folding patterns. I was on one plane already on the runway when the

captain announced, “we hope to take off shortly,

as soon as we get clearance from the bankruptcy court.” We

eventually took off, but they certainly made cut-backs. Instead of an in-flight movie

the stewardess passed round her holiday snaps. We were expected to take turns with the oxygen masks. But I was the luckiest passenger onboard. I won the raffle for the parachute. The good news is that when we landed the first two pieces of luggage on the carousel were mine. The bad news is it was just one piece when it started. Summing up, I’d say the main lesson I learned about foreign holidays is: in future, take half as much luggage and twice as much money. u


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

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

@TheLTDA

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

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

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A selection of our numerous Distribution Points

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

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