Taxi Newspaper #438

LTDA The newspaper of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association www.ltda.co.uk @TheLTDA #438 5 March 2019

RELOCATION: p15

LTDA ON THE MOVE

p29

UBER DRIVERS TO SUE THE MAYOR Congestion Charge Plan is Racist, says union

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TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

@TheLTDA

Uber Targets the Cab Trade HIGH COURT

In rejecting the UTAG case, the judge said: “It reminds one of the Uber is demanding tens of thousands game of consequences or even the of pounds in legal expenses from the old song, ‘I danced with a man who cab trade after the High Court handed danced with a girl who danced with it victory in the bias case. the Princes of Wales.’

The company has “We think rather that contacted UTAG about the evidence relating to the costs, along with the these matters illustrates LTDA, which was an the type of problem that interested party in the case. could arise if there was a Chief Magistrate Emma duty ‘to check.’”

Arbuthnot was alleged to “We are satisfied that this have been tainted by bias first ground of challenge is when she handed Uber a not made out.”

He also agreed Lord Arbuthnot temporary operator’s licence Emma Arbuthnot The judge accepted that himself was unaware that the authority in June because her husband has Chief Magistrate Arbuthnot did not itself had a stake in the company. financial connections to the firm. know the Qatar Investment Authority, Uber was put on probation in June But in dismissing the taxi drivers’ which Lord Arbuthnot advised, and when it was handed a temporary case, the Lord Chief Justice Lord was a shareholder in Uber. licence at Westminster Magistrates’ Burnett ruled that there was no evidence of bias.

LTDA Legal Team’s Charlotte Collett says: He added that the list of “tenuous “Being ordered to pay the other legal team’s costs is one of the risks in bringing these types of cases. Civil cases connections unearthed” by UTAG and judicial reviews are relatively cheap to bring but can fell “well short of evidence that would be costly if you lose. Unfortunately, it means that it is begin to give a fair-minded observer difficult for smaller bodies to fight against the goliaths even pause for thought.” of this world, unless the legal team can get a protective The ruling comes as another High costs order restricting liability (see story page 7). At the LTDA, we’re careful about launching civil cases, and to a Court judge failed to cap a legal team’s lesser extent, criminal actions against large companies liability to Uber’s legal fees in case because of the risks involved. We look at each case on alleging that the minicab firm should its merits and weigh up the likelihood of winning against CHARLOTTE COLLETT the significant possible costs of failure.” be paying £200m in VAT every year (full story, P7).

Court, after Transport for London refused to renew it in 2017 over a series of safety failures.

The shorter licence with conditions was issued after it was claimed that the firm had made “rapid and very recent” changes. TfL did not oppose the issuing of a temporary licence.

In August, the Chief Magistrate said she would not hear any further Uber cases following a report in the Observer about her husband’s connections.

UTAG accepted the judge was unaware of the links but said she had a duty to check.

Lord Burnett and Mr Justice Supperstone also heard submissions from TfL and the LTDA.

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5 March 2019 |||| TAXI

3

While we fight to ensure the taxi trade is taken seriously, others blow raspberries from the side-lines

STEVE MCNAMARA

WHEN TWO WORLDS COLLIDE…

TOP TRADE STORY

I

whose committee I asked to scrutinise the Government’s meek plans for taxi and private hire reform as part of its programme for this year.

If we are to achieve our aims of pushing the Government to completely rewrite the archaic licensing laws that regulate the Lilian Greenwood taxi and private hire trades, Lillian is one of the key players, who we need on our side.

I’ll be sitting down with MPs from parties across the House of Commons to further take this forward and as a priority and make sure they are clued up on why the Government’s plans aren’t good enough, and what they need to do next. I’ll make the case that a definition of cross border hiring must be set in law to stop rogue drivers from shopping around for licences, and that the Government must define plying for hire and allow cities like London to cap PHV numbers to put an end to Uber’s foul play.

When the Government brings a bill to Parliament on national minimum standards and a database, we need MPs to insist it includes ALL the reforms we need. It’s crucial to get MPs’ votes in the bag now.

Last week, I was out and about in Westminster and spoke at a panel discussion on the Government’s plans. I joined former Taxis Minister Sir John Hayes MP in stressing how the current licensing system is failing passengers and drivers up and down the country and how it must be completely overhauled. I highlighted recent news reports which revealed that a number of drivers licensed by Wolverhampton City Council have been accused of committing crimes of sexual assault and child sexual exploitation against victims in other licensing areas. The ability of drivers to commit such heinous actions across the country only goes to further prove how broken the system is.

The Government needs to listen up and take notice now, and stop kicking the can down the line. u

t’s all politics: the real world, grown up variety, where we are trying to persuade the decisionmakers of the righteousness of our cause, and the other type, the surreal world of the cab trade. This usually involves a few self-appointed trade spokespeople, who know little about what’s really going on. These loudmouths spend untold hours on social media or standing in the street on their own filming themselves, broadcasting to the world (or the five people who watch their musings) convinced they know what they are talking about! The latest gem from one of these “broadcasters” last week concerned the LTDA’s recently announced move to a new building (full story p15). He was particularly aggrieved, even though he’s not a member and it has zilch to do with him, that I never conducted this complex deal involving two sets of developers, and lasting nearly two years, on Twitter, presumably so he could share his thoughts on the process.

Surreal? Make that totally bonkers. What is more worrying is that there are people out there who believe what these clowns post.

Unfortunately, sometimes these two worlds collide, as happened last week in Parliament Square, when a well-meaning cabbie made what he thought was a funny remark to a passing pedestrian enquiring as to the reasons for the demonstration. The pedestrian was Lillian Greenwood MP, Chair of the Transport Select Committee who tweeted the exchange.

“ Sometimes two worlds collide, as happened last week in Parliament Square... a well-meaning cabbie made what he thought was a funny remark to a passing pedestrian enquiring as to the reasons for the demonstration...”

But the twitterati were having none of that and continued to lambast her with tweets like this one:

This is the same Lillian Greenwood who, back in December, wrote to the Taxis Minister, Nusrat Ghani MP, on my behalf to ask when the Government planned to publish its response to the working group and if it would tighten up regulation. The same MP

Steve McNamara is the LTDA’s General Secretary

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LTDA

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@TheLTDA

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Virgin Wines are offering a fantastic £50 Wine Voucher to spend on the wines of your choice, plus you’ll also receive a FREE bottle of Senti Prosecco (normally £10.99) and FREE next-day delivery! Choose from exciting 12-bottle mixed cases starting at just £4.17 a bottle or browse over 550 top-quality, handcrafted bottles to pick and mix your own selection for the perfect Mother’s Day gift. This fantastic freebie-loaded £50 voucher acts as the perfect introduction to the cracking savings and exclusive VIP benefits you’ll receive as part of the Virgin Wines’ WineBank*.

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To take advantage of these and other fantastic deals visit the LTDA Plus Special Offers page today! *Terms and conditions apply to all benefits. See website for details. Offers subject to change without notice. Interflora - Code must be entered at the checkout to redeem discount. Code cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. All products are subject to Interflora standard delivery unless otherwise stated. Standard delivery is next day at £6.00. Free Delivery is next day via courier. Other delivery options available. At certain times of the year delivery prices may vary. Some delivery services are subject to availability and may be withdrawn without notice during busy periods. Some restrictions may also apply to certain delivery locations. Apple - Annual purchase limits apply. Discounts are subject to availability. For the latest offers visit the Apple EPP store. LTDA Plus is managed and run on behalf of LTDA by Parliament Hill Ltd.

@TheLTDA

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5 March 2019 |||| TAXI

Metering Disabled Assistance is Illegal HIGH COURT Switching on the taximeter before helping a disabled person into the cab is an offence under the Equality Act, the High Court has ruled.

A cabbie was found guilty of the offence under section 165 of the Equality Act 2010 when he turned on the meter before assisting Emma Vogelman with her wheelchair.

The central issue on the subsequent appeal was whether this constituted a “charge” being made by the driver before Ms Vogelman had boarded.

The driver was first on the rank at St Pancras station and after finding out the passengers’ destination, started the taximeter before unlocking the ramp.

Ms Vogelman and her assistant noticed the meter was running and challenged him about it. There was an exchange of words, resulting in the two ladies taking another taxi.

Mr Justice Julian Knowles had to consider whether the cabbie made an additional charge for carrying a wheelchair user on October 4, 2017.

Also, if the magistrates erred in

law by convicting him of making an additional charge for carrying a wheelchair user, contrary to s 165(7) Equality Act 2010.

The taxi driver argued that his actions did not constitute a “charge” within the meaning of the act, in circumstances where Ms Vogelman did not enter his cab, no money changed hands, no price was quoted and no services rendered.

He said there has to be a demand for the fare (either expressly or by implication), which is not made until the end of the journey. As such, the amount payable cannot determined with certainty until then.

However, Transport for London,

NEWS IN BRIEF

5

CHARLOTTE COLLETT

said that making an additional charge does not have to occur when the metered fare (including an impermissible extra amount) is demanded at the end of the journey.

TfL said it could include an indication by the driver at the point of hiring of an additional charge and where the taximeter is switched on before the disabled person and their wheelchair have been loaded.

TfL said the driver’s actions would make it possible for taxi drivers to be able to avoid carrying disabled passengers by saying there would be an extra charge.

Mr Justice Julian Knowles dismissed the cabbie’s appeal saying that “in my judgment the words ‘make an additional charge’ in s 165(4)(b) mean to impose an additional financial liability or commitment on a disabled wheelchair user as compared with an able bodied passenger, and such a liability or commitment is imposed no later than the point when a London taxi driver switches on his meter before such a person and their wheelchair have boarded the taxi.”

LTDA Legal Team’s Charlotte Collett says: This was an interesting case, with a disappointing result, with ramifications for the trade.

The driver switched on the taximeter because official advice had always been to do so as soon as you are hailed. The Equality Act 2010 now changes this, at least in respect of people with disabilities.

Magistrates at the original hearing found the driver guilty of putting on the meter before loading, saying it constituted an extra charge.

It was argued that it couldn’t have been an extra charge as no money changed hands – no price was even quoted – and the precise fare is calculated at the journey’s end.

TfL said a passenger is obligated to pay what’s on the meter at the end of the journey and the moment the meter is on, the passenger is liable for the full fare. The judge agreed with TfL. This was the first prosecution for the offence under this legislation (making additional charge on wheelchair users) and is an important case for the trade.

I am sure that compliance officers will be on the look-out for any drivers who fall foul of this law, so beware!

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TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

@TheLTDA

Around £150 million is earmarked for the Oxford Street revamp but what will it mean for the trade?

RICHARD MASSETT

THE FUTURE OF OXFORD STREET

THE MASSETT FILE

for safety reasons, consideration will be given to closing parts of the street to some traffic at the busiest times.

These sections will be between Orchard Street, and Duke estminster City Council’s cabinet members Street, and between Soho Street, and Tottenham Court have reviewed the results of the recent Road: the busy periods being the afternoons. We have consultation on the Oxford Street strategy already pointed out to Westminster that the busiest times and agreed that it should be taken forward. It will now be for the street are also the busiest times for our trade. worked up into a full plan for the Oxford Street district.

Set against this is a commitment by the City council Around £150m of funding has been allocated to the that the whole street should remain accessible, as well as scheme. its commitment to ensure that traffic does not shift to At the present time there is little in the way of detail residential roads should parts of Oxford Street be closed as to how the Oxford Street district will look and during the busy periods. The strategy also suggests operate when all the improvements are in place for the that there will be pedestrian pockets in some places completion of the scheme, which is due to be in 2023. such as at the top of Davis Street and, although there The blueprint currently states that Oxford Street will is no information on how these would work, it does not remain a thoroughfare which will continue to be used by appear that they would impinge onto the Oxford Street traffic; that is, buses, taxis and cycles only. The number of carriageway. Marble Arch is set for major re-vamp to buses using the street is going to be significantly reduced, provide a gateway to the street, but again no plans for with just four services to be routed along it. Taxis will including a 20mph zone, although I’m pretty sure that no this are currently available. continue to have access, although it is proposed to provide one has got up that speed in the district for many years.

As the plans take shape, the LTDA will continue its a public piazza at Oxford Circus. This would require both The designers also want to promote ultra-low and dialogue with the City council and others with a view to buses and taxis to be diverted around the circus in both zero emission technology in all vehicles accessing the ensuring that there will be no disadvantages for taxis in directions via Great Portland Street, Margaret Street, zone, including: buses, taxis and private hire vehicles. It the final scheme. u Mortimer Street and John Princes Street. Regent Street suggested that they will work towards a strategy where Richard Massett, LTDA Chairman, would continue to flow as it does now both north and all commercial vehicles that aren’t zero emission are and Chairman of the southbound. banned from Oxford Street, where practical.

London Cab Ranks Committee There are expected to be traffic calming measures, The concern that we do have is that the strategy states,

W

MASSETT'S CAMERA HOTSPOTS EXMOUTH MARKET Red zone BERKLEY STREET J/W PICCADILLY Yellow box cameras JOHN ISLIP STREET No right turn into Ponsonby Terrace FULHAM BROADWAY/BARCLAY ROAD Yellow box CAMDEN 20mph limit WATERLOO ROAD Zig-Zags SELFRIDGES Over ranking LUDGATE HILL Zig-Zags CLAPHAM HIGH STREET Zig-Zags ISLINGTON 20mph limit RED ROUTES TfL is actively enforcing yellow box restrictions TOWER BRIDGE 20 mph speed limit – average speed cameras LIMEHOUSE LINK 30mph speed limit TERMINUS PLACE Bus only left turn. TfL to issue PCNs SMITHFIELD Do not park in loading boxes, they are enforced by camera A13 Average speed cameras in operation THE CITY 20mph limit

u HOTSPOT 1

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@TheLTDA

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5 March 2019 |||| TAXI

7

Jolyon Maugham

DEP

Blow for Uber VAT Case source (who could that have been?).

Maugham said: “We have grave A bid to limit costs in the case being concerns about the implications of the brought against Uber has been dismissed decision. It is an invitation to private by a judge, “handing corporations a corporations to use the threat of costs massive advantage in future cases,” it has liability to dodge legal accountability. been claimed.

It makes it difficult or impossible to The case now hangs by a thread, relying hold them to account. It damages the on the slim possibility of an appeal against rule of law. And these consequences, we the decision. believe, will further undermine popular The Good Law Project and its director, consent to capitalism.

Jolyon Maugham, say Uber supplies “Without a protective costs transport services which means it should application the litigation cannot be paying VAT and owes the HMRC continue. However, this is not the around £1billion in tax and interest. end of the line – in its short life Good Maugham’s lawsuit, which he says is in Law Project has already successfully the public interest, has been crowdfunded overturned three decisions against it, from the taxi trade. including two on appeal.

Last month he applied for a protective “We are seeking permission to appeal costs order (PCO) at £20,000, which in this case and are seeking financial would have limited the claimant’s support for permission to appeal from exposure to Uber’s legal fees should he other public interest actors. We are also lose the case. It is feared that taking into urgently exploring an alternative route account the hearing itself and possibly by which we might ensure HMRC does several appeals could send costs spiralling its job and Uber pays the £1bn in tax and make the case unaffordable. and interest we believe it owes.”

Unfortunately, the judge found that a Uber, does not dispute the figures PCO could not be obtained in “private law claimed, but says it doesn’t need to pay proceedings.”

VAT because it only matches drivers He also held that the fact that the and passengers. taxi trade had contributed to the However, Uber has recently agreed crowdfunding weighed heavily against to pay VAT in Egypt. Also, despite the the granting of a PCO, with particular minicab company’s claims the EU ruled reference being made to a £20,000 that it is in fact a transport service, not a donation from an “anonymous” taxi digital one, in 2017.

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TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

@TheLTDA

Be on your guard against distraction thefts, new road restrictions and don’t get caught out at Harrods

LLOYD BALDWIN

ON POINT

BEWARE OF THE THIEF

T

he thief pictured here [right] is deliberately targeting taxi drivers in central London, so avoid him at all costs. His MO is to approach cabs, usually at the front passenger door, before tapping on the window while waving a £10 note. He claims to want change, but if you open the door to him he tries to grab anything you have lying around, such as moneybags, mobile phones and other valuables. One driver said he was targeted at Westminster Abbey (see letters, P17).

Pointing and mumbling as a distraction, the thief managed to open the passenger door and tried to grab some items, but the driver was able to push him away before making his escape.

Other drivers have not been so lucky, and this swindler has escaped with considerable sums of cash. He has targeted drivers in Liverpool Street, St Paul’s, Oxford Circus and numerous other places. Watch out and keep your doors locked.

Rich Pickings at Harrods

I know I’m at risk of repeating myself but I’m certain TfL has been chuckling all the

way to the bank this past few weeks, thanks to the camera at Harrods. I don’t know why people insist upon over-ranking there, but I get untold calls about this blackspot and it’s virtually impossible to challenge fines issued there. There is a camera pointed directly at the bus stop and you will get a £65 ticket if you wait there, trying to get on the back of the rank. You would need to get a fare worth at least £85 to make the fine and the effort of paying it worthwhile in my book, and how often do you get one of those out of Harrods? I suggest not doing it. I know some of you are going to carry on anyway and I will get more calls about it next week, but it’s really not worth it.

Tackling the Minicab Menace

More than 114,000 minicabs are clogging up London thanks to the combined efforts of Transport for London and Uber and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find a rank that is not being used as a car park. If you see one of these liberty takers stopped on a rank take a picture and send it to me and I will ensure that compliance act against them. It’s

not wise to tackle them yourself, as you never know who you are dealing with. These people don’t care about the rules and are likely to become aggressive when challenged.

New Road Restrictions

New road restrictions seem to pop up every five minutes and you need to keep your wits about you out there on the road. A few drivers have been caught out by a pedestrian zone in Hackney, at Duncan Street [pictured left, bottom]. Vehicles are banned from entering the area from 8.15-9.15am and between 3-3.45pm – basically during school drop-off and pickup times. Only pedestrians, cyclists and residents with permits are allowed to enter during these times and there’s a £65 fine for breaching the ban.

There is another restriction westbound along Gillespie Road, towards Drayton Park.

Unfortunately, I haven’t managed to get a pic of the sign yet and I’m not sure of the hours, but keep your eyes peeled and be careful out there. u

Lloyd Baldwin is an LTDA Executive Support Officer

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www.ltda.co.uk ||||

TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

Cycling Casualties Rise ROADS The number of cyclists killed or seriously injured in London has risen despite efforts of TfL to improve safety by installing cycle lanes and other measures.

Overall casualty figures have soared, with a year-on-year increase of up to 26%, the regulators’ latest figures show.

There were 1,220 people killed or seriously injured between July and September in 2018, up from 966 in the same three-month period a year earlier.

Deaths rose from 28 to 31, five of which were cyclists and three being pedestrians who were struck by buses.

The figures reveal that the total number of cyclists killed or seriously injured increased 83%, from 153 to 280.

Cycling groups said the fact that the mayor had underspent on safety was part of the problem.

The Green Party said spending had consistently fallen on cycling safety since the Sadiq Khan took office in 2016.

However, critics said that the number of cycle lanes had increased dramatically since Boris Johnson became mayor and appeared to

be having no effect.

Last year’s warm, dry weather over the three-month period saw a 7.5% increase in cycling levels in central London.

Incidents involving motorbikes or scooters rose 20%, from 288 to 345.

Mayor Sadiq Khan has been frustrated in his efforts to extend the cycle superhighway network at Swiss Cottage, which was blocked by Westminster Council, and with the

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planned improvements to the north side of Lambeth bridge.

Further expansion plans in Greater London are currently seeking early public input, ahead of the proper consultation, in what has been seen has a more conciliatory approach to works.

TfL said the casualty figures were likely to reduce once they had been verified by the police, as several serious injuries would be reclassified as minor injuries.

@TheLTDA

NEWS IN BRIEF Stansted Operation Nets Minicab Drivers Two minicab drivers were caught operating illegally during a joint operation at Stansted airport.

A total of 46 private hire cars were stopped by officers from Transport for London, Essex Police and Uttlesford Council. One minicab driver was caught without a badge and another had no insurance documents.

TfL issued 12 advisory notices and deemed 10 vehicles as unfit according to Bishop’s Stortford Independent newspaper. Taxis and private hire vehicles were targeted as part of TfL’s Vision Zero approach. Two taxis were also checked. One was found to be unfit.

Anand Nandha, head of taxi and private hire compliance at TfL, said: “Our compliance officers inspect licensed taxi and private hire drivers, vehicles and private hire operators in London to ensure they comply with relevant legislation and regulations.

It’s vital that all drivers follow the rules of the road, as careless and dangerous behaviour puts themselves and others at risk. “Operations like this are part of our Vision Zero approach to eliminate death and serious injury from London’s roads.”

@TheLTDA

|||| www.ltda.co.uk

5 March 2019 |||| TAXI

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11

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www.ltda.co.uk ||||

TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

@TheLTDA

ASA Backs Standard Over Uber “Promo” MEDIA Complaints that a double page spread on Uber in the Evening Standard was advertising which was not properly labelled have been rejected.

London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon and Brighton MP Caroline Lucas led the charge against the puff piece with company CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, which was criticised for being passed off as genuine news.

But the Advertising Standards Agency, which has a history of kowtowing to Uber against the LTDA, has rolled over once again.

Liberal Democrat Caroline Pidgeon is “extremely disappointed” in the response of the ASA, which is despite there being a well publicised financial agreement between Uber and the Evening Standard.

The newspaper was accused of selling its integrity last year after devising a commercial scheme worth £3 million involving potential advertisers.

It emerged that six companies were invited to get “money can’t buy news” coverage as part of the sponsorship scheme, which was later rebranded as Future London.

But after the most recent interview was published, politicians cried foul and urged the ASA to step in.

The ES was accused of dressing up PR as news and not making it clear to readers that Uber was one of the signatories to its Future London project.

In a long interview, a journalist praises Khosrowshahi, as “gentle, unassuming, with a clerical calm and a clean-cut CV,” while blandly accepting statements about the company and its ambitions to clean up the air in London and be a one stop shop for London transport without question.

The complaints about the interview included that it “initially appeared to be editorial,” but was “in

fact marketing communications and not labelled as such.”

An acknowledgement that Uber is part of the Future London project has since been added to the website version of the story.

However, the ASA said it can only intervene if an “ad appears likely to be in breach of the UK Codes of Advertising by, for example, being likely to cause serious or widespread offence, being materially misleading or risking causing significant harm.

It said no further action should be taken as the articles complained about fell outside the remit of its code.”

The Evening Standard “provided evidence of the contractual relationship with Uber, which required it publish pieces of content as part of the London 2020 / Turning London Electric / Clean Air Campaign.”

However, the paper maintained that the articles in question were not from the programme of work outlined in the contract and that they had sole editorial control of the articles.

The ASA accepted the standard’s assertion that it retained sole editorial control of the articles and they were outside of the Future London project.

The ASA Council “considered that the contract between Uber and the Evening Standard was not directly relevant to whether the articles were effectively paid for and controlled by Uber. They therefore considered that the material fell short of the advertorial definition as there were no grounds to assume that the articles were controlled by Uber and disseminated in exchange for payment or some other reciprocal arrangement.”

@TheLTDA

|||| www.ltda.co.uk

5 March 2019 |||| TAXI

13

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www.ltda.co.uk ||||

TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

@TheLTDA

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@TheLTDA

|||| www.ltda.co.uk

5 March 2019 |||| TAXI

15

LTDA on the Move PROPERTY After over 40 years in its current building, the LTDA will be moving in 2020 to a new purpose built, state of the art facility in SE1, twenty five yards from Borough High Sreet.

The current building has served the association well, but in recent years the layout and design have become unsuited to its current needs. The association has extended the building twice in the last 15 years, but as the demands of the increasing membership have changed, it is once again in need of extra space.

Our new building will give us an extra 1200 sq ft and the layout will be designed to suit the 21st century.

This will include a doubling of space allocated to the legal department with extra offices, conference rooms and CCTV viewing suites.

The increased number of members coming into the existing building for assistance with DBS checks, licensing renewals, medical problems, PCNs and road traffic offences has resulted in longer waits than we would like. This will not be a problem in the new building where extra interview rooms and office space will enable the team to provide an even better service to the growing membership.

Over the years, the LTDA has received dozens of offers for our existing site but the requirement on developers to provide 30% social housing on any new development has seriously impacted on land values.

However, as a result of selling the existing building to a mixed usage development, the association has managed to achieve a sales price nearly 20% above the “red book” valuation, realising £21.25 Million.

The new Taxi House has been bought freehold and the executive is currently negotiating the price of the build project, the details of which will be shared with members.

CHECKLIST RELICENSING AT NSL?

Save yourself time and loss of work 

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



Current vehicle licence (for renewal inspections)



From October 1, 2014, vehicles no longer require a tax disc to be displayed. Vehicles can be taxed online or at a post office. If a vehicle is not recorded as taxed, NSL will accept an online application/ post office receipt. (information at www.gov.co.uk/ dvla nomoretaxdisc)



Insurance certificate (not a copy) – properly affixed in the luggage compartment

VEHICLE MAKE / MODEL



Valid MoT certificate (issued 13 days or less before inspection)



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



Taximeter installation and calibration certificate, issued within 30 days of inspection



Exemption certificate (where applicable)



Modification approval (where applicable)



Tool to release ramps

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Tyres – must conform to manufacturer’s specification (see table below)

TYRE SIZE

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TXII (declared speed of 147 km/h)

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TX4 (declared speed of 147 km/h)

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16

www.ltda.co.uk ||||

TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

@TheLTDA

APPLICATION FORM Name Address Postcode Telephone

Mobile

Email

Twitter

Date of Birth

Badge No.

Badge colour (Please state whether green or yellow)

Year badge obtained

Suburban badge sector numbers Have you ever been a member of the LTDA before? (please tick)

Yes

No

Do you currently have points on your DVLA driving license? (please tick)

Yes

No

If Yes how many points do you have?

Please tick if you DO NOT wish to receive information from the LTDA and other related organisations in the future?  I understand that my application for membership of the Association must be approved by the Council of Management and that until this is confirmed I am not eligible to vote in relation to any form of Association matters. I agree that all benefits prior to approval of membership shall be at the discretion of the Council of Management.

Please note: We do not provide assistance for any matters that have occurred prior to you joining LTDA. Signed

Date

LTDA Basic Direct Debit Instructions Instructions to your Bank/Building Society to pay Direct Debits: Please complete parts 1 to 5 to instruct your branch to make direct payments from your account. Then return the form to the LTDA, FREEPOST, (PAM 2005), London W9 2BR

Originator’s Identification No. 9 1 4 4 2 8

For Office use only 1 Please write the name and full postal address of your branch in the box (left) 2 Name of account holder

To the Manager of

3 Account number 4 Bank Sort Code

Address

Banks/Building Societies may not accept instructions to pay Direct Debit from some types of account.

5 Signature(s) Date This guarantee should be detached and retained by the payer

The Direct Debit Guarantee • This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits.

• If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit LTDA will notify you (10 working days) in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request LTDA to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request.

• If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by LTDA, or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society.

- If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when LTDA asks you to.

• You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

@TheLTDA

|||| www.ltda.co.uk

5 March 2019 |||| TAXI

17

LETTERS

that he had bought his tea and sandwich when he came to my assistance, which I also assume went to waste. He led me to A&E locked up my cab for me.

When I gave the receptionist my symptoms, I was STAR LETTER ushered straight through, firstly for a blood pressure test (six in total), followed by an ECG. Then five phials of blood were taken for testing, followed by a chest X-ray, a Saline drip, another ECG and a final blood test. Thankfully, the doctor said everything was “better hilst driving along Brompton Road on February 20 at about 9pm, and than normal,” so a great relief and an amazing full MOT by the NHS, whose after experiencing some chest pain and nausea I felt the need to get out staff were utterly professional and caring! The conclusion was that I had a severe of the cab. By which point, a very short space of time, I also became bout of food poisoning! Simon even found the time to return to the hospital to disorientated. I collapsed on the pavement suffering from the above symptoms speak to staff over his concern the cab would be towed away. Fortunately, it wasn’t and now I was profusely sweating. A cab driver by the name of Simon came to and was waiting for me when I was discharged at 4.40am. All I know from our my assistance, along with several other people, to make me comfortable, to give brief conversation is that Simon lived out near the airport and had been driving me water etc. Simon called an ambulance but took it upon himself to drive me for 23 years, but I will be forever grateful for his help and support. In the hope in my cab to Chelsea and Westminster. I asked him to take money from my bag that Simon will recognise himself I include my phone number so I can thank him Mike Pinching (Tel. 07932 646418) for his fare back to his own cab and he insisted absolutely not! I was also aware personally. u

SIMON TO THE RESCUE…

W

THE THOUGHT REALLY DOES COUNT

R

ecently myself and my wife were sitting having out breakfast and discussing what we should do today when the front door bell rang. Opening it, there stood our usual postman with a box. Somewhat confused, as neither of us had ordered anything, we opened it with some trepidation. To say I was surprised at the contents is understating the fact; within moments that surprise was replaced with delight.

Many moons ago, when I first joined the industry, I was told that if I lasted 25 years without any complaint against me, the carriage office would send me a letter, or a certificate, congratulating me on my service. That time passed by and my letterbox remained silent.

In a similar vein, on April 12, 2018, around midday, I switched off my light for the last time and drove home. It felt strange that I should just disappear from an industry I had spent 30 odd years in with no recognition that I had been a part of it.

So, with those thoughts in mind I want to day a big thank you to the LTDA for the crystal taxi and the moving letter that accompanied it.

Now, all we have to do is decide where to put it.

James Reid

ON YER BIKE DONNACHADH

I

don’t know why my fellow cycling campaigner Donnachadh McCarthy displays such special dislike of taxis. But I do know that the statistics he used to try to scare us (in his letter in last week’s CNJ) are nonsense – and would be even if they were accurate.

Although my professional statistical work was a long time ago, I know enough to see that comparing the emission of one particular type of pollutant from taxis, with the number of taxis as a proportion of one sub-category of vehicle in one particular area of London, and with the proportion of one sort of journey undertaken by taxis, tells us nothing.

Without knowing many other factors, including the breakdown of emissions, as between all sorts of vehicles, the division

between passenger and other traffic, and the variation in traffic density in different areas of London, we can draw no intelligent conclusions as to how the balance of danger to utility of taxis compares with that balance for other vehicles.

What common sense tells us, however, is that the health of both Londoners and our planet urgently requires us to get nearly all private cars (including the cowboy, tax-avoiding private hire vehicles) off our roads, with an almost total switch to public transport - of which our properly-regulated “black cabs” are a small but essential part.

And as we rid ourselves of the current plague of cars, the need for taxis as an occasional back-up to walking, cycling, buses and Tube journeys will become ever more essential.

Not everyone is able to undertake most of their day-to-day journeys by bike, as Donnachadh and I do, and cyclists have every reason to support adequate public transport provision – of all types.

Albert Beale, London

BEWARE OF THE THIEF

I

have sent a photo of a man who is deliberately targeting taxi drivers, attempting to steal money from them.

Recently on a Friday afternoon I was ranked on Westminster Abbey when this man approached my front passenger door.

I lowered my window and the man leaned

EASY RUN

HARD RUN

u Imperial War Museum to Olympia Station

u Homerton Hospital to St John’s Wood Station

Do you have a gripe or praise? Contact us at 0207 121 0523 or email editor@ltda.co.uk

in. At first, I thought it was another taxi driver. He handed me a £10 note and pointed towards my receipt pad. I thought he wanted to buy some receipts which is not wholly unusual, but then he pointed to my phone then to my footwell and kept mumbling in a foreign accent. By this time, unbeknown to me, he had opened my side door and was now kneeling in. The £10 note and the pointing to different items was just a distraction, as his hand was now descending towards my money bag. Fortunately, I had the strength to push him out of my taxi. This and the fact that there were another couple of drivers that by now were looking on deterred this man from steeling my money bag.

I believe he is east European, he is very strong, quick and very clever and I am worried he may come across drivers not so strong, or on their own, that will fall for his tricks. I posted this picture on Twitter and Facebook and other drivers have had the same thing happen in Liverpool Street and St Paul’s that I know of, so it is apparent that he is targeting taxi drivers Martin Dolan

18

www.ltda.co.uk ||||

TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

@TheLTDA

The taxi trade has changed a greatly in the last 50 years, but are things really that different?

CHRIS ACKRILL

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE…

ON THE ROAD

A

lthough I have my own book to promote, I always read the books others have written about the cab trade. One of my favourite writers is Maurice Levinson. Maurice was editor of TAXI when he published The Taxi Game in 1973.

My writer friend, Robert Lordan, recently lent me a copy of Maurice’s earlier book, Taxi! This yellowing hardback hails from 1963 (priced at 15 shillings). Robert has a book about the Knowledge of London out, so we were both eager to read about how things were in the cab trade in earlier times. We weren’t sure a 56-year-old book would have any relevance to the cab drivers of today, but I was pleasantly surprised. The author’s sense of humour is in full flow, and the whole thing reads as easily and naturally as any modern book. What struck me most is how many of the issues the trade faced in the 60s still apply now.

The back cover blurb gives an indication where Mr Levinson is coming from: “His present occupation, and his pet hatred, is driving a taxi; his ambition is to stop driving a taxi.” At least you know you’re going to get the truth, and the truth according to Levinson is highly informative, and often very funny.

Some things have changed over the

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years, others haven’t. I was struck by how things have changed for Knowledge applicants. Our own Alf Townsend can tell us how things were for Knowledge boys in the old days. Every time I read Alf’s books I shout out, “how could they treat people like that?” I believe the questions asked on the Knowledge were easier in the past, but the way people were spoken to and treated was a disgrace.

Knowledge examiners were all recruited from the Metropolitan Police, which gives some idea of the attitudes. Maurice paints a dark picture of how things were in the 50s and 60s. Before Levinson’s time, Knowledge appearances were conducted by a man in full police inspector’s uniform. And yes, they were all men; the recruitment of female examiners is a recent innovation. Before taxi licensing came under the umbrella of TfL, the examiners were a law unto themselves.

You couldn’t question anything and there was zero transparency. Today’s Knowledge candidates are examined in a pleasant, respectful, environment, although I’m sure some people may beg to differ. The person asking the questions is a (fairly) normal man or woman. They’ve been through the process themselves and they all hold a cab driving licence. They even write down your scores on a feedback sheet for you, perhaps even with a few words of encouragement.

Once in the job, many drivers drove a cab belonging to a garage (around 40% of drivers owned their own cabs in 1963).

The cab was returned to the garage at the end of a shift, where another driver would be waiting to start his day, or night. The

driver would be paid a commission based on the takings the meter had recorded for that shift.

Cab owners found the annual inspection was a major trauma. The owner would drive his cab while the inspector sat in the back, pulling at all the switches and latches, and listening out for any untoward noises (I don’t think I’ve ever driven a cab that didn’t emit strange noises!). Even the slightest of defects, or a pin-point of rust, would result in the cab being sent away to be put right.

Apparently, traffic congestion is not just a modern phenomenon and was a problem in the 1960s too. Maurice devotes a whole chapter to it, though he’d be spinning in the grave if could see the cycle superhighways and other traffic systems which have come in recently.

I can’t comment on the traffic in 1963 as I was only one.

In my own book I suggested that drivers of the 60s enjoyed a good standard of income, but I’m less sure now. Levinson says he was reliant on the goodwill of his customers, and expected 25% of his income to come from tips!

Levinson asks a question that I still ask 56 years on: why do we rent the meter and not buy one and have it installed ourselves? I have no answer, I’m just saying.

The subject of delicensing remains a hot potato to this day. A taxi would only be licensed for 10 years in the 1960s, “even if its owner has looked after it as he would a Rolls Royce.” Levinson goes on to say that, “owning a taxi is the only kind of business that starts off at its best and finishes up a dead loss.”

Naturally, the author has a lot to say about minicabs. They weren’t officially licensed back then, but they were becoming a menace. Maurice mentions a cab trade protest against private hire and how it demanded from the police a definition of “plying for hire.” This neatly brings us up to the present day if nothing else does! The more things change, the more they stay the same?

Maurice Levinson books are long out of print, but they can be found for a few quid on Amazon or eBay. Visit Chris’ website at pubcat.co u

Chris Ackrill is a Taxi Driver and former Knowledge Examiner

Many drivers drove a cab belonging to a garage... the cab was returned to the garage at the end of a shift, where another driver would be waiting to start his day, or night...

@TheLTDA

|||| www.ltda.co.uk

5 March 2019 |||| TAXI

19

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20

TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

www.ltda.co.uk ||||

@TheLTDA

@TheLTDA

|||| www.ltda.co.uk

5 March 2019 |||| TAXI

Police Want Your Eyes and Ears

We trust your instincts. If you think something isn’t right, it probably isn’t ANTI-TERRORISM

their instincts and report any suspicious activity, no matter how small.

Police are appealing for taxi drivers to help PC Matt Tucker said: “You know the them in the fight against terror by keeping routes and neighbourhoods you work their eyes and ears peeled. in better than anyone, so we trust your Officers working under Project Servator instincts. If you think something isn’t believe that cabbies could be key to saving right, it probably isn’t. the lives of Londoners because crowded “We’re asking you to report anything places, iconic sites and transport hubs are you’ve seen or heard that’s out of place at the heart of the trade. or doesn’t feel right. You won’t be Taxi drivers are being urged to trust wasting our time.”

LTDA LOTTERY

Project Servator is a policing tactic aimed at disrupting terrorist activity, including the information gathering techniques they use.

Officers are deployed across London in uniform and plain clothes and are specially trained to spot the signs of criminals.

They are supported by firearms officers, police dogs and horses, a network of state-of-the-art CCTV, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and vehicle checkpoints. These are normal police deployments and officers are keen to talk to people to tell them about Project Servator and how they can get involved.

PC Tucker added: “Any piece of information could be important – it’s better to be safe and report. You can report it knowing you’ve done your bit, and we will do the rest. You can help us and our partners prevent terrorism and other crimes, and potentially save lives.

“Wherever they go, our officers work with and are supported by businesses and security teams, retail staff and CCTV operators, who also act as our eyes and ears when we’re not there. Every day, we act on intelligence from our partners and the public and stop people carrying knives, firearms and drugs, because it isn’t just terrorists who ring alarm bells.

If you see or hear something unusual or suspicious, trust your instincts. Report it to a police officer or call 101. In an emergency, always call 999.

You can also report concerns online at gov.uk/ACT or by calling in confidence on 0800 789 321.

Find out more about how you can help keep London safe and secure. Visit met.police.uk/projectservator or follow #Project Servator on Twitter.

21

NEWS IN BRIEF

On-demand buses trialled An on-demand bus service allowing passengers to book their seat using an app is to be trialled by Transport for London.

The scheme will run for a whole year in Sutton, where residents rely heavily on cars.

Passengers will be able to book seats on a 14-seat minibus that will stop at convenient locations, including areas not currently served by public transport.

ViaVan and Go-Ahead have been chosen to take part in the trial, which will operate from 6.30am to 9.30pm, seven days a week.

A guaranteed seat, free Wi-Fi and USB charging points will be included as part of the service.

Michael Hurwitz, TfL’s Director of Innovation, said: “We are always looking at how we can harness the latest technological developments in transport to improve the service for our customers. This trial will help us to understand if a demand-responsive service will support the objectives of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy in reducing car dependency and if it can be deployed to support the established bus network.”

A public consultation period runs until March 20, when TfL will decide if the scheme is viable.

New Book Publishes Ubergate Emails BOOKS

Simon collects his cheque at Taxi House

What a Lotto Dough!

MEMBERSHIP LTDA member Simon 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 join this month’s lucky winner is pick up the phone and ask to join – it costs just £5 each month.

Simon, who collected his cheque from Richard Massett at Taxi House, said: “I couldn’t believe it when I got the call. Looks I’ll heading off on a Caribbean holiday this year thanks to the LTDA.” 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.

The Government’s complicity in allowing Uber to trample over regulations and cause enormous damage to the London taxi trade is laid bare in a new book by two cabbies.

Ubergate X by Stuart Wilder and Jamie Hawes contains all the emails detailing how the minicab app managed win over Downing Street and “bullied their way through City Hall and Transport for London.”

The emails obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal how Uber feared out-of-date regulation could stand its way and how the Government came to put pressure on the former Mayor of London Boris Johnson on behalf of Uber.

It also deals with how a Jolyon Maugham QC tried to take on company over the VAT he said it should be paying and the on-going class action by the drivers against it.

Ex-policeman, Stuart said: “Once

we received the emails, we set about unwinding this web of intrigue. All taxi and private hire drivers have suffered because of this and should read this book to understand the true scale of Uber’s activities. Uber did not come in peace, it’s a rapacious bully.”

Purchase Ubergate X for £15 at Amazon, or £8 for Kindle.

22

TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

www.ltda.co.uk ||||

@TheLTDA

@TheLTDA

|||| www.ltda.co.uk

5 March 2019 |||| TAXI

23

Any sense of unity in the taxi trade is threatened by petty bickering in the Twittersphere

PAUL BRENNAN

TRADE UNITY! WHAT TRADE UNITY?

TOP RANK

M

ahatma Gandhi once said, “unity to be real must stand the severest strain without breaking.”

Very wise words indeed. Unfortunately, I think the tentative unity this trade has had is extremely close to breaking. If that is the case there will be only one winner and it’s not anyone who’s currently reading this article.

Let’s be honest there is no way the 24,000 drivers in this trade will agree on everything and that’s okay, we don’t have to. It’s perfectly fine to express our disapproval or to disagree with each other. What isn’t okay is for people to constantly wash the trade’s dirty laundry in public because they have narcissist tendencies and a need to always be on camera, or because having a few more people join their group appears more important than the damage caused by showing the whole world our divisions.

I know I’m not always right and sometimes make mistakes. I don’t always get my way in group discussions or proposals, in short, I know I’m not perfect. I also

recognise that neither is anyone else. The difference is you won’t find me shouting it from the rooftops to score a few brownie points or make myself look good. You most certainly won’t find me telling lies, half-truths or distorting facts to make others look bad, unfortunately that can’t be said of some others in the trade.

I’ve put myself forward as someone who speaks for the trade, sometimes I don’t personally agree with what I’m arguing for or against, but I know the majority of others do, so I play for the team not myself. I also know because I’ve put myself forward I can and should expect to be challenged or criticised.

For instance, my kids love sending me snapshots of doctored photos of me they find on social media they find it extremely funny and my skin is thick enough that it doesn’t faze me. Of course, hopefully along the way, I hope to get a little acknowledgement for my efforts, although that is not the reason for them.

The LTDA has recently been under attack from a small but vocal group for not putting member’s money into the recent UTAG crowdfunding. There was of course several reasons for us not doing so, some of which I’m sure has been mentioned elsewhere in this publication.

We were also criticised publicly by a leading trade figure,

who is not connected to UTAG, for not putting members’ money in. Of course, at no time did he tell anyone how much of the substantial six figure sum he has at his disposal he had put in, I wonder why? Especially as he told us all the end is nigh. It’s very easy for others who have done nothing to criticise someone else who has tried but failed. “What’s the LTDA ever won?” some shout; who apart from us has ever tried? Who else has even attempted to fight that which was highly unlikely to be won? Up until last week the answer was no-one.

Unfortunately, UTAG has now joined us, after losing its JR against Westminster magistrates. It is not a great surprise, as it was always going to be difficult. Fortunately for UTAG, those that castigate the LTDA for losing the unwinnable are saying “well, at least they tried!”

Of course, when it suits them and its efforts have long since been forgotten, UCG will hear from the very same people, what have you ever won? For the record, and before anyone tries to spin or say what my thoughts or intentions are with this article, I want it on record that my respect for Trevor Merralls in this endeavour knows no bounds. But to the trade’s Dot Cottons; I implore you, stop washing our laundry in public. u

Paul Brennan, LTDA Executive

DIARY WATCH

W

ALL 4 ONE BONUS FOR LTDA MEMBERS

hat better way to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather than by meeting one of our diary spotters and being handed a £150 gift card completely free.

Our spotters love nothing more than hopping around London looking for unsuspecting LTDA members to hand goodies to.

This week they caught up with Kieran Brady , who was delighted when our spotters surprised him with a £150 All 4 One gift card just for having his LTDA diary on show in the windscreen of his cab.

All 4 One cards can be spent on a huge array of items in dozens of stores, including Debenhams, Argos, River Island and Marks and Spencer.

Kieran: “Fantastic.”

Kieran said: “Fantastic. This will come in very handy. I never thought I would win Diary Watch.”

A short while later our spotters managed to catch up with Paul Fennell who was pleased as punch when he was handed a £150 gift card simply for having his diary on display.

Paul said: “That’s great, thanks a lot. That’s made my day. I’ll have a nice weekend out with my wife, with this.” Each year we give away almost £8,000 to LTDA members, 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.

Paul: “Great.”

24

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TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

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Uber to Pay VAT in Egypt INTERNATIONAL

Egyptian parliament

Uber has agreed to pay VAT in Egypt after long running battle with taxi drivers.

The head of the Egyptian tax authority, Abdel Azeem Hussein, said that the tax will apply to all ride-hailing companies at a rate of 14%.

According to state news agency MENA, Hussein said: “Reaching an agreement and determining the tax treatment that will be applied to Uber and other companies operating in the same area will enhance confidence and cooperation between the authority and the tax community,” In the UK, Uber has long maintained that it does not need to pay VAT as its drivers act as a self-employed agents.

The current VAT threshold stands at a turnover of £83,000 each year, a total unlikely to be achieved by its struggling drivers.

However, after a high profile employment tribunal ruling and several failed court appeals, driver employment status is officially “workers,” rather than “self-employed.”

In 2017 Uber confirmed that there has been dialogue with HMRC, but never a formal investigation into how the company pays its tax.

Uber critics, including Meg Hiller, the Labour MP for South Hackney and Shoreditch, say it is “extraordinary” that Uber has not been subjected to a formal investigation.

@TheLTDA

NEWS IN BRIEF

Bus Garage Chargepoint Plan Probed ELECTRIC CHARGING Bus stations can be turned into electric charging points under plans being investigated by TfL. Peter Elliot, Head of Development at Transport for London told delegates at the Smart Cities Development Conference that regulator is looking at redeveloping its bus stations.

Garages are largely empty during the day and could be used by emergency vehicles, taxis and even cars for topping up.

The proposed switch to electric buses means that fumes and noise would be lessened, increasing the chance that residential accommodation could be built above them.

Elliot said: “These hangars are empty during the day and chock full at night. The opportunity for them is absolutely vast. We can leverage against our land holdings and local authority or private sector landholdings: those sites are driving thousands of units.”

Meg Meg Hillier Hillier MP MP

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5 March 2019 |||| TAXI

27

Lawless London is leaving cabbies in danger, and the origins of the British Tommy

ALF TOWNSEND

THE DANGERS OF CABBING AT NIGHT!

TAXI TALK

I

n my heyday cabbing at night was a piece of cake and after some 20 years, I’d only had a couple of punch-ups and just one bilker! The bilker was a bit of a joke. He was a young Paddy who had had too much to drink.

I picked him up in Kilburn High Road and took him to a little side street in Cricklewood.

He asked me to stop, opened the door and ran into one of the houses opposite. “Here we go again,” I said to myself, getting ready to bash the door down. Suddenly, the light went on in the first floor window overlooking the street, and there was the young man staring out into the darkness and waving his hands! I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself. I had the choice of phoning the ol’ bill and losing about two hours work, or wiping my mouth at losing a few quid and going about my business.

I took the latter option and gave him a friendly wave as I pulled off!

Cabbing in London at night in those far-off days of the 60s, 70s and 80s really was easy money. I used to creep out in the evening rush hour, do a few hours before stopping at the All Nations Shelter for some grub and a chat.

Then I would head back out to get the “theatre burst,” do a couple more hours, then go home for a kip. The reason I packed up night work was because of our dog Tara, a beautiful Doberman bitch. She adored my late wife and took to sleeping beside her on the bed. One night, when I went to get into bed about 2am, she suddenly snarled at me threateningly. It was only when my wife moved the Doberman across was I able to get in! I can handle punchups in the cab but not being mauled by a dog the size of a jaguar!

But, according to the word on the grapevine, and on Twitter, there are many cabbies working at night – especially some of the more mature ones. It seems they are facing increasing numbers of incidents of guys grabbing their mobiles and money bags. This trend of violence seemed to start around Lisson Grove and Church Street where a little firm of yobs directed the cabbies to a dead end street.

Then one would pretend to pay the fare while the other opened the luggage door and nick the money bag and mobile. But even though the cabbies all had dash-cam pictures of the perpetrators, the ol’bill didn’t react. This gave all the other snatchers carte blanche, knowing they could get away with it!

Even when there was a full-scale riot outside the Lisson Green Estate with many cabs being badly damaged with missiles, the Ol’Bill only sent in a small squad of riot police.

They looked the business in their protective helmets, shields and truncheons, but even they had to retreat because of the violence by a rampant mob!

Many of the night men tell me that they are

The young man staring out into darkness, waving his hands.

I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself...”

concerned when they pick up a couple of blokes or more.

They say there is no police support in the event of any aggro, no bobbies on the beat and hardly any police stations open.

Yet we are forbidden by law to carry anything to protect us. But it wasn’t like that many moons ago when the very aptly nicknamed “Violent” Pete used to carry a huge baseball bat for all to see. God help anyone who tried to leg him over, when the red mist descended on him he was liable to batter someone to death! Unfortunately for him, his old ticker couldn’t stand the pressure of these violent outbursts and soon he headed for the big cab rank in the sky!

The violent attacks on cabbies working at night are increasing, as are the murderous knife attacks on the streets of London. So yes, it’s a worrying trend that can only be addressed with many more bobbies on the beat, just like the old days. But the police are under pressure with the Government cutting their annual allowances, hence the closure of many police stations to sell as real estate! It’s well-nigh impossible to control the everincreasing violence on the streets of our great city when the perpetrators know they are almost certain to get away with it. But many people will suffer with this situation at night, not only cabbies, but tourism and transport as well!

Tommy Explained!

I’ve often wondered why the British soldiers on the Western Front in 1914-1918 were called “Tommys”.

But after reading the excellent book Tommy by Richard Holmes, the bestselling author of Redcoat, all was revealed! In 1815, a war office publication showing how the soldier’s pocket book should be filled in, gave as an example one Private Thomas Atkins, No.6 Troop, 6th Dragoons. Atkins became a Sergeant in the 1837 version and was now able to write his name rather than make his mark. By the 1880s, the expression “Tommy Atkins” was in wide use to describe the stereotypical British soldier. During WW1 the nickname was widespread and had been shortened to Tommy, with derivatives like Tommy Cooker, for a small trench stove.

Talking “Tommy,” to describe other rank repartee, or even “Tommyness” to define certain attitudes and behaviour. When British and German soldiers yelled greetings or insults across No Man’s Land, it was always “Fritz” and “Tommy”! Nicknames are not always popular with their recipients and such was the case with Tommy. Many soldiers felt patronised by it and its English implication grated on the Scots, Irish and Welsh soldiers.

But it never went away and was even stronger by the end of the war! u

28

TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

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@TheLTDA

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|||| www.ltda.co.uk

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29

Uber Drivers to Sue the Mayor ENVIRONMENT Private hire drivers are planning to sue the mayor over plans to make them pay the congestion charge.

The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which counts Uber drivers as members, says the charge discriminates against people of colour because 94% of them are from black, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds.

The union began the process by writing a pre-action letter to the mayor – the first step to a judicial review of the decision.

Sadiq Khan [pictured, right] says soaring numbers of minicabs in the city are increasing congestion and pollution and need to be reined in.

All private hire vehicle drivers will have to pay the £11.50 daily congestion charge to drive in central London from April 8.

Uber backed the move by the mayor even though its drivers will have to soak up the extra cost themselves.

IWGB General Secretary Dr Jason Moyer-Lee says the plan is “regressive” and “both discriminatory and fundamentally unfair”.

“We would urge the mayor to adopt one of the many alternative policies which would actually address congestion,

instead of just penalising low-paid ethnic minority workers,” says Dr Moyer-Lee. He argues that if the minimum wage was paid to all private hire drivers, companies would control the number of drivers because they would not want cars circulating without paying passengers.

There are around 114,000 private hire (PHV) drivers licensed to work in London and a report says that they are overwhelmingly from black, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds.

The study entitled “Changes to the Congestion Charge”, says that it will have a disproportionate effect on minorities,

although it says the impact will be “minor adverse”.

Indirect discrimination is set out in the Equality Act 2010. It occurs where there is a practice, policy or rule that is applied generally to a large group but a sub group that possess a particular “protected” characteristic ends up being treated less favourably.

Highlighted characteristics include race, age, disability, sex or sexual orientation, religion or belief, gender reassignment, maternity and pregnancy, marriage or civil partnership.

The mayor and the government

are under pressure to tackle pollution in Britain’s largest cities. However, politicians have so far refused to grant Mr Khan the power cap minicab licences, as he has requested.

In a statement, the mayor’s office said: “The number of private hire vehicles entering the congestion charge zone has shot up from 4,000 a day in 2003, when it first came into operation, to more than 18,000 now.

“Sadiq simply isn’t prepared to ignore the damaging impact this has on congestion and increasing air pollution.

“Congestion has a crippling impact on businesses across the capital.

“At the same time, our toxic air in London is a major public health crisis that is stunting the lung development of our children, leading to thousands of premature deaths, and increases the risk of asthma and dementia.

“Removing the congestion charge exemption for private hire vehicles is a key part of our plans to both reduce congestion and to protect Londoners from harmful emissions from polluting vehicles.”

The changes are expected to reduce overall traffic by 1%, and minicab traffic by 6%. Around a third of PHV drivers enter the congestion charge zone, meaning most will not be affected.

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31

The taxi driving test was hard! But soldiering on with blood streaming down your face is something else

AL FRESCO

TWO FINGERS

BLOOD, SWEAT AND NO TEARS Knowledge completed, his drive booked, all he had to do was practice for a final time before the real thing...

parked it at the carriage office in Penton Street. At the due time, the examiner turned up, and set about putting Danny through the cab check routine. First off, ollowing the publication of my recent column was the fire extinguisher in the driver’s compartment. about the nerve-wracking experience of taking Danny prepared to open his driver’s door to find the fire my “drive,” Danny, my taxi driving son not only extinguisher. Unfortunately, he bent forward and opened admitted to reading one of his old man’s articles but had the cab door at the same time – smashing the door the temerity to ask why I hadn’t written about his taxi against his eyebrow. Immediately, blood gushed down driving test “mini-crisis” at Penton Street 17 years ago. I the three-point turn, but he was adamant. He needed one the side of his face. Without the examiner being aware, had to admit, I’d forgotten all about his “drive drama.” last real time rehearsal. I racked my brain for a solution – Danny used a hand to wipe away the incessant flow of I’d practiced that all-important three-point turn when a possible miracle materialised, just across the road blood. It dripped through his fingers and ran up his arm.

– utilising the cab’s iconic 25-foot turning circle – in from Madras Place. Mann & Overton! The LTI showroom He found a handkerchief in a pocked and tried to stifle Northiam Street, a tiny street between Cambridge Heath in Holloway Road. I wondered if I could magic up some the flow of blood. Still unaware that Danny had a severe Road and Victoria Park Road; driving backwards and chutzpah? I telephoned the showroom and asked for the cut over his eyebrow, the examiner told Danny to carry on forwards every day for weeks on end, until the day of my manager. His secretary, as secretaries do, intercepted my with the drive. So, with both hands on the wheel Danny drive finally dawned. Danny’s three-point turn venue call. Fortunately, through my involvement with a trade intermittently mopped the blood from his face, wiping his was Madras Place, a sufficiently narrow location between newspaper, we were on first name turns. I explained and bloody hand on the fabric beneath the driver’s seat. And, Liverpool and Holloway roads. the manager came on the phone. “So, Al, you’d like me he passed! It was only then that Danny told the examiner His Knowledge completed, his drive booked, all he had to lend your son a cab for a short while so that he can put what had happened and was ushered into the inner to do was practice for a final time before the real thing. the finishing touches to his three-point turn? His drive, sanctum of the carriage office, and get to work on Danny Only, on final practice day, the cab he’d hired for his my secretary tells me, is tomorrow? OK, bring him down with the contents of the carriage office’s first aid box. practice had broken down and no replacement cab was and we’ll sort something out for him.” He was as good Danny took the hired cab back to the garage. The available. The phone rang in my Taxi Trade Times office. I as his word. Danny picked up a cab from the showroom proprietor took a look at Dan’s bloody face and blood listened to my son explaining his predicament and could yard in Holloway Road, and spent the next few hours stained hand, ”blimey!” he said, shocked. “You didn’t hear the stress in his voice. I told him that after all the turning himself inside out. have to fight him for it, did you?” “No”, said Dan, practice he’d put in over the past few months, he was Dan’s drive the following day was far more dramatic. wincing at the thought, “it was just, a matter of blood, more than capable of sailing through his drive, especially He’d picked up his shiny hired cab for the drive and sweat but no tears.” u

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33

Gang violence has a long history but one brutal murder gave birth to the Teds

ROBERT LORDAN

THE VIOLENT BIRTH OF THE TEDDY BOY

CRUEL LONDON

G

ang violence is nothing new. It’s a problem that’s plagued society for years and the names of outfits operating in London today – such as the Pembury Boys, the Get Money Gang and the Kilburn Bandits – bear uncanny similarities to their ancestral counterpartsThe Bow Commoners, the New Cut Gang and the Forty Thieves being just a few examples.

On the evening of July 2, 1953, several south London mobs – including the Brixton Boys, the Latchmere Lot and the Plough Boys converged around Clapham Common’s bandstand where a concert was being staged playing the latest hits of the day.

Although some 200 youngsters were present it was the gang members who stood out due to their snappy look; slick hair, long coats and bootlace ties; the style that would soon be dubbed the Teddy Boy. As the music finished and twilight set in, the crowd continued to mill around, amongst which were four teenagers; John Beckley, Matthew Chandler, Brian Carter and John Ryan.

Hailing from Walworth and Bermondsey, these lads weren’t local, nor were they Teds. They exuded confidence however and slouched across two benches, their legs stretched out blocking the path. This presented a problem when one of the Plough Boys – 15 year old Ronald Coleman – wanted to stroll past with his girlfriend, Sylvia. When the four refused to budge, Coleman barged his way through, to which one of the youths swore at him and snarled that they should walk round the other way.

Although Coleman didn’t immediately retaliate, his mates standing nearby clocked the insult and began eyeballing the outsiders. Noting the tension, the four youths headed off. However, six of the Plough Boys went after them, catching up

[ABOVE] John Beckley [LEFT] Michael Davies

near Clapham Common North Side. A punchup ensued, during which one of the Teds was heard to say, “get the knives out.”

Although Ryan was stabbed in the shoulder the four lads managed to flee; Ryan and Carter darted into Clapham Common tube station whilst Chandler and Beckley leapt onto a 137 bus as it turned out of Cedars Road.

Unfortunately, traffic hindered the pair’s escape and as the bus slowed the Plough Boys dragged Chandler and Beckley from the back platform. In the frenzied attack that followed Chandler was slashed but managed to escape. Beckley, however, was surrounded and knifed multiple times. Gravely injured, he staggered a short distance before collapsing outside Okeover Manor.

Passengers from the bus ran to Beckley’s aid and he was rushed to Bolingbroke Hospital where he died the following morning aged just 17.

It didn’t take police long to round up the Plough Boys and haul them to Bow Street magistrates’ court where all were charged with murder. Despite being brazen – with one complaining how vexed

The four refused to budge, Coleman barged his way through, to which one of the youths swore at him and snarled that they should walk round the other way...

he was to have been nicked on a Saturday night – there was one – 20 year old Michael Davies of Turret Grove – who immediately admitted being involved, although he insisted he’d only used his fists.

All six were tried at the Old Bailey during autumn 1953.

When reporting on the proceedings, the Daily Express commented on the gang’s distinctive style of dress and referred to them as “Teddy Boys”; the first instance in which the term entered the popular lexicon.

Five of the accused were found guilty of assault and received short sentences – including Ronald Coleman who,

despite being just 15, was considered too dangerous for Borstal and thrown into an adult prison.

The blame for John Beckley’s murder now fell solely upon Michael Davies.

Found guilty, he was sentenced to death but immediately protested his innocence.

The evidence used to convict him had been sketchy, based upon a single eyewitness – Mary Frayling – who’d been a passenger on the top deck of the bus and claimed to have seen every detail despite having a limited view. Mary’s statement was taken by DC Kenneth Drury who, in his later role as head of the Flying Squad, would end his career in disgrace after being imprisoned for corruption, which included intimidating witnesses.

After 92 days in the condemned cell, Davies’ sentence was commuted to life and he was released in 1960 after just seven years. Unusually, despite being pardoned, he was never exonerated and died in 1992, aged 59.

Visit Robert’s website here: www.blackcablondon.net u

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35

Was a wild bus ride the turning point which convinced Meg that taxis were the way to go?

MUSHER MEG

NO MORE BUSES FOR ME

LICENSED TO CHAT

B

uses can be more exciting than taxis when you are small. Although looking back, it may be one bus-bound adventure that bounced me into life as a taxi driver.

50 years ago, London buses had open platforms. These allowed passengers to fling themselves off, or on, even when the bus was moving. Elf and Sadie hadn’t been invented then and if you killed yourself doing something stupid it was, literally, your funeral.

I had a maiden aunt, Aunty May, who volunteered to take me and my brother (then aged seven and five years old) shopping in Marble Arch and on to Holland Park to see the peacocks and have afternoon tea. It was the treat of all treats.

When the day finally arrived, mum dressed us up like mini-Royals in our Sunday best double-breasted coats and made us say “pleasethankyoupleasethankyoupleasethankyou” on a loop and threatened all sorts of pain and torture if she

ever found out that our manners weren’t impeccable when we were out with Aunty May. It was all going so peachy, we spent the morning in C&A and then walked across Marble Arch and onto the Bayswater Road to get the bus to Holland Park.

Opposite the Tyburn Convent Aunty May looked over her shoulder, saw a Number 88 bus approaching and screamed, in a pants on fire panic, “run, run! We must get this bus!”” She took off like road runner and because she was 5 feet 10, with long legs, covered a lot more ground than my brother and I could.

The bus stop was in the far distance and Aunty May had already reached it – so we used our initiative and when the bus stopped at a traffic light alongside us… we climbed aboard.

We stood on the open platform clinging to the pole with both hands and thought we would soon be reunited with Aunty May. Problem was the bus didn’t pull up at the bus stop. It sailed past, picking up speed as it headed to Lancaster Gate Tube station.

Aunty May was a woman of many sporting talents; apparently, she was evil with a hockey stick and able to

See your advertisement here TAXI is the membership magazine for the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA). It is circulated to 15,000 taxi drivers in London every fortnight.

The LTDA is the definitive voice of and for London cab drivers and is responsible for ensuring best practise in the trade, making sure its members’ voices are heard and serving members with the back up and support they need.

Get in touch To see your advertisement in the leading magazine for black cab drivers in London contact us today: Jack Green Jack@centuryonepublishing.uk 01727 739 196

outrun any greyhound. So, probably fearful of what my mum would do to her if she returned home without us Aunty May took off in a sprint after the bus and ran so fast, she almost caught up. Not giving up she then took a dive and managed to get her hands around the base of the pole on the platform. The same one we were clinging too.

One of my first and most vivid childhood memories is Aunty May clutching the pole of for dear life as she was pulled along the road, hair grips and pearls pinging off.

Somehow, the conductor and driver jollied along with no clue about the drama unfolding on their bus platform.

The bus finally stopped at traffic lights and before it could pull away again Aunty May grabbed my brother and I, one ankle apiece, and bounced us off the bus on our bottoms, onto the road and dragged us to the pavement.

Her clothes, skirt suit and tights, were shredded, and there were only a few pearls left on her broken necklace string. Blood was oozing from her knees and feet and her chignon hairstyle had uncoiled. Oh, and she had a blackened face from exhaust fumes.

My brother and I had bumps bruises and scratched from where she’d dragged us off the bus to the safety of the pavement.

Aunty May asked, “are you two hurt?” and, mindful of our mother’s warning earlier in the day, we answered in Unison, “yes please. Thank you.” I remain trepidatious about taking buses to this day. u

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TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

@TheLTDA

West London Cycle Route to Start Work ROADS Construction of a new cycle route between Acton and Wood Lane will get underway this month.

Work on the 3.5km cycling and walking route is due to start on March 18 and is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

The scheme will create a new two-way cycle track separated from traffic and pedestrians between Savoy Circus and Kathleen Avenue.

The project will also see the shared cyclist and pedestrian space on the southern side of the A40 between Savoy Circus and Wood Lane changed, providing more space for people to get around the area on foot or by bike.

Feedback from the 2016 consultation highlighted a number of issues with a proposed extension of the route from Wood Lane to Paddington along the A40 Westway.

Several suggestions were incorporated in the final plans following feedback from residents, including extending the two-way cycle track from Glendun Road to Savoy Circus, and widening crossing points.

TfL is continuing to work on an alternative extension of the route from Wood Lane to Notting Hill Gate and will consult on this over the coming months.

From mid-April, the A40 will be reduced from three lanes to two in some sections for westbound traffic 24 hours a day during works.

The A40 will be much busier than usual travelling westbound, especially during the afternoon peak hours (weekdays 2pm-6pm).

People are advised to plan ahead, travel outside peak periods, and allow more time for journeys.

One of the best ways of making journeys to and from the area during these works will be by Tube.

Last month, TfL announced its next steps for a major new cycle route between Brentford and Olympia in west London. The 7km route will transform roads between Kensington Olympia, Hammersmith and Brentford Town Centre and construction work is planned to begin in summer this year on consulted sections.

STAY IN THE KNOW 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 identifier If 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 reminder

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

Golf Day Tee Off CHARITY The annual fundraising golf tournament organised by the Taxi Driver of the Year Charity Fund will tee off at Hendon Golf Club on Thursday, June 6.

The popular event costs £70 per person, or £250 per team of four, which includes a light breakfast, tee off at 10.30am, a buffet and trophy ceremony at the end.

There is also a hole in one prize of a holiday voucher worth £5,000.

For application forms or more information about sponsoring the event, please write to the TDYCF, 5 St Brides Avenue, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 6BT or email info@taxiofund.co.uk.

All fund raised will be donated to our five charities and presented at the TDYCF annual dinner dance on November 30. Entry forms must be submitted, and payment made, by May 16.

@TheLTDA

|||| www.ltda.co.uk

5 March 2019

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@TheLTDA

THE BIG 40 ONE!

The membership of the LTDA is times greater than some other driver organisations!

HERE’S WHY...

CAUTION

The LTDA legal service is the only trade scheme which defends members for ALL alleged offences (traffic, hackney or criminal), anytime, anywhere in the UK. Non members are advised to check carefully the exceptions and exclusions contained or imposed by other legal protection schemes circulating in our trade.

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

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

YOUR FUTURE The LTDA remains the only trade body resolutely opposed to the computerisation of the Knowledge of London testing system.

(No to the quickie Knowledge campaign).

INLAND REVENUE ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE Many drivers and accountants refer to the LTDA for specialist advice on Inland Revenue investigations.

(Free to members).

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

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

WIN £5,000 EVERY MONTH IN THE LTDA LOTTERY 12 big prizes every year, but you have to be in it to win it (members only £5 per entry).

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

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

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

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

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

24 HOUR TOUT LINE Seen a tout in action? Take the details and phone them in, we will do the rest.

(Tel: 020 7266 4769).

VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS Continually representing members’ interests in disputes with vehicle manufacturers and suppliers.

AUTHORITIES AND MEDIA The LTDA is the largest and most respected driver organisation in the trade. We lead the way when negotiating with the Government, GLA, TfL, Police, Mayor’s Office, Heathrow, Rail Authorities, Local Councils and when dealing with all sections of the media.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE Many cab drivers are discovering to their cost that their licences are at risk due to the TfL’s interpretation of the new DVLA Group 2 Medical Standards. The LTDA has successfully challenged many decisions by the TfL to revoke members’ licences on medical grounds.

FANTASTIC VALUE LTDA subscriptions have not increased for 14 years! It costs just 4 quid a week to join the trade’s biggest organisation and 3 quid of that is tax deductible!

(Payable monthly).

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

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

To learn more about LTDA benefits and current joining offers

call: 020 7286 1046 or visit www.ltda.co.uk

@TheLTDA

|||| www.ltda.co.uk

5 March 2019

|||| TAXI

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PUZZLER

C

PRIZE CROSSWORD omplete our crossword puzzle and be in with a chance to win £50! Send your entry to: Crossword 438, Taxi, Taxi House, 11 Woodfield Road, W9 2BA before March 19. The first name out of the proverbial hat wins the cash! u

ACROSS:

DOWN:

7 Fixed (6)

1 Okay (4)

8 Badger (6)

2 Reddish-brown (6)

9 This

3 Medicinal mountain herb (7)

10 Blueprint (8)

4 Verse (5)

11 Thief (7)

5 Bangel (6)

13 Reserve (5)

6 Obscure (8)

15 Stow (5)

12 Maverick (8)

17 Misfortune (3, 4)

14 Amble (7)

20 Inert gas (8)

16 Hit (6)

21 Sell (4)

18 Parsley type (6)

23 Gesture (6)

19 Envoy (5)

24 Absorb (6)

22 Non-viable (2, 2)

PUZZLER SUDOKU Just for fun...

Have a go at this medium level Sudoku puzzle.

Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1-9 just once

CROSSWORD #438

WINNER: ISSUE 436 — Doreen Lee, Borehamwood ACROSS: 7 O level, 8 Cackle, 9 Exit, 10 Liniment, 11 Hydrate, 13 In-law, 15 Conga, 17 Abdomen, 20 Sand dune, 21 Life, 23 Troops, 24 Vinous

Upstairs at The Gatehouse Theatre

BAD GIRLS, THE MUSICAL THEATRE REVIEW

B

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

DOWN: 1 Flux, 2 Avatar, 3 Ululate, 4 Scene, 5 Iceman, 6 Elongate, 12 Yeomanry, 14 Observe, 16 Godson, 18 Online, 19 Nurse, 22 Flue

ad Girls is a musical based on the popular TV prison series which ended its run in 2006. Its creators, Maureen Chadwick and Ann McManus, teamed up with composer and lyricist Kath Gott to create this stage musical. It takes us inside a fictitious women’s prison to view the frantic antics of an anarchic group of prostitutes, murderers, drug addicts and shoplifters and the tangled lifestyles of their keepers. Fraternisation is rife between Chief Warder Jim Fenner (Alexander Forster) and most of the sex starved prisoners with whom he has intimate relations. But when he rapes new convict Rachel Hicks (Megan Jobling), who commits suicide, her fellow inmates rebel and want him shamed and blamed. Ready to assume the position of prison

governor is Helen Stewart (Bella Bowen), who is having a affair with convict Nikki Wade, but is determined to end Jim’s reign of terror and get him fired. Through an unsuspected honey trap involving the sexiest, most predative of the banged-up women, Jim Fenner’s nefarious crimes are revealed and his come-uppance achieved. That’s the basic motivation of this musical. But helping to sustain the suspense are a bunch of songs with clever lyrics that are belted out with great gusto mostly by the ensemble group, but with a few solo ballads in between that show the whole cast (all fourteen of them), are in fine voice, the show’s director, Rebecca Eastham, has perhaps included a little too much in-youface sex, but I guess that’s become the norm for many modern-day productions looking to entice jaded audiences. u —Brad Ashton

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TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

HELP PROMOTE YOUR TRADE What is LondonTaxiPR? LondonTaxiPR has been set up to solely positively promote & raise the profile of our world famous iconic Licensed London Taxi trade.

@TheLTDA

@TheLTDA

|||| www.ltda.co.uk

5 March 2019

|||| TAXI

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TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

LTDA

A selection of our numerous

Distribution Points

u A1 Taxis, Melody Lane, Highbury, N5 u Abacus Accounts, Southbrook Road, Lee, SE12 u Astral CafĂŠ, Regency Place, SW1 u Bubbles Car Wash, E2 u C & S Taxis, Dunbridge Street, E2 u Cabsurance, Seven Kings u Camberfield Taxi Services u Computer Cab, Mitre Way, W12 u Coney Allen, Dunbridge Street, E1 u CP Beehive Service Station, Beehive Lane, Gants Hill u Cricklewood Carriers, Cricklewood u Dial A Cab, City Road, N1 u Edgware Station Rank u Euston Station Rank u G & L Taxis, Crayford Road, N7 u Globe Transmissions, Cudworth Street, E1 u The Ham, Brentford u Heathrow Airport Canteen u Hexagon Garage, Lukin Street, E1 u Jet Garage, Clipstone Street, W1 u Knowledge Centre, Caledonian Road u KPM, Hemming Street, E1 u London City Airport Canteen u LP Motors, Dunbridge Street, E2 u Martin Cordell, E3 and Stanmore u Paddington Station Rank u Putney Bridge Taxis, The Arches, Putney Bridge Station, SW6 u Richmond Road Taxi Centre, E8 u Safewise Supermarket, Harrow u South Bank Service Station, Great Suffolk Street, SE1 u TAXI HOUSE, W9 u Taxi & Private Hire, Blackfriars Rd, SE1 u Temple Place Shelter u Tent Street Taxi Centre, E2 u Turbo Accessories, Three Colts Lane, E2 u Waterloo Station u Wimbledon Station Rank u WizAnn Knowledge School, Watts Grove, E3

Published by LTDA Taxi House 11 Woodfield Road, London W9 2BA T: 020 7286 1046 | www.ltda.co.uk @TheLTDA Managing Editor Steve Still T: 0207 121 0523 E: editor@ltda.co.uk The Massett File Richard Massett International News Wim Faber Two Fingers Al Fresco Taxi Talk Alf Townsend Overheard Brad Ashton Licensed to Chat Musher Meg Produced by Century One Publishing Ltd Alban Row,27-31 Verulam Road St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 4DG. T: 01727 893 894, F: 01727 893 895 E: enquiries@centuryonepublishing.uk www.centuryonepublishing.uk Advertising Sales Executive Jack Green T: 01727 739 196 E: jack@centuryonepublishing.uk Art Editor Alan Booth Advert Coordinator Caitlyn Hobbs Printed by Manson Group, St Albans

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means electronic, mechanical 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 Classified lineage advertisements is five working days prior to publication.

No liability is accepted by the publisher should advertisements not appear 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.

@TheLTDA

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

TREATING PROSTATE CANCER QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

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

This booklet has two aims: • to help you become better informed about prostate cancer and its treatment. • to guide you in the decisions you will make about your care with your doctor.

g t ng atitin rea T Tre

e t te prosta r e c n ca nd and Questions an

s ers answer

It cannot replace talking to your GP or hospital doctor.

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

Your support is vital!

Prostate Cancer Research Centre • 67 Riding House Street • London • W1W 7EJ Tel: 020 7679 9366 • email info@prostate-cancer-research.org.uk • www.prostate-cancer-research.org.uk

@TheLTDA

|||| www.ltda.co.uk

5 March 2019 |||| TAXI

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www.ltda.co.uk ||||

TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

@TheLTDA

CLASSIFIED

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TAXI

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Jack Green

t: 01727 739 196 e: jack@centuryonepublishing.uk w: www.centuryonepublishing.uk

@TheLTDA

|||| www.ltda.co.uk

5 March 2019 |||| TAXI

45

CLASSIFIED

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0%

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Available on all approved used TX4 models Terms and conditions apply

Please call

Steve on:

07799 113046

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NEW G&H_Eighth_366.qxp_Layout 1 11/04/2016 15:02 Page 1

G&H TAXIS FLEET RENTAL Established 1993 Est

25

years

518 KING STREET, OFF BRUCE GROVE, TOTTENHAM N17 8AW

BEAT THE RECESSION! TX4 for HIRE Fuel-Saving LPG Taxis from £185 per week

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CALL US NOW 07946 110815 / 020 8885 1844 WEB: www.gandhtaxis.comEMAIL: gandhtaxisfleet@aol.com

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Eat in only

Home Home of of Cabbies Cabbies

46

www.ltda.co.uk ||||

TAXI |||| 5 March 2019

@TheLTDA

LINAGE ● TX4s SILVER SPEC. £170PW. ● BLACK 2015 TX4. £225PW, back-up, RAC cover. Hertfordshire Full back up with a spare cab.

Call on 07595 920029 based. Long term only. ● CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS 078900 35747 & 01992 309224 specialising in the taxi trade.

CABS FOR SALE Accounts and tax returns £312inc ● CHEAP RELIABLE CABS VAT. Call 0208 360 1446 to rent full & part-time 24/hr ● RAVEN BLACK TX4 recovery eastlondon e15 call Alfie elegance. Euro 6 2.8 engine. 1 owner from new. FSH. Turbo AIR CONDITIONING 07590 203043 mode. 66/Oct 16. A/C all round. ● TAYLAN TAXIS, CABS FOR Ulez compliant. Afternoon ● MOBILE AUTO AIR rent, 1st week free, based in E2, viewings £31,295. 07415 316544. conditioning service and repair call Ozie 07462 885206 for taxis, Telephone Nick on ● 63 PLATE VITO, VERY GOOD 07785 900006 7 days condition 130,000miles 12 months ● TX ELECTRIC TAXIS FOR plate £21,500. 07956 211478 rent. £325pw. 4 weeks free per year. Phone 07736 743159 CABS FOR RENT

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

● TXIIs & TX4s TO RENT, GOOD reliable service, Waterloo Garage SE1, Call Andy – 07964 943659

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

ACCOUNTANTS

● A TX4 FROM £200PW. BASED in Kingsbury. NW London. RAC Backup. Spare Cab. 0208 200 8488.

07956 422658 ● A TX4 FOR RENT. FIRST week free. RAC Back up Starting from 190pw. 07908 639567 ● ALL MERCEDES VITOS TO rent. Full back up. Prices starting from 200pw. 07508 977592 ● ALL VITOS FROM £190PW TX4 from £190pw +TXII from £160pw, all taxis well maintained, first 2 weeks 50% discount, full back up with spare cab, taxi recovery with spares on board, 24hr garage based in E2, pay at any HSBC/ Internet Banking, call Andy 07970 915778

● VNK MOTORS -TXIIs & TX4s for rent, from £170pw-£225pw.

Full back up, Caledonia Road, North London area, breakdown service, overhauls, running repairs & body work. 0207 700 1045 or 07951 661430 – Nick.

Looking for a taxi mechanic. ● TXIIs/TX4s, ROMFORD based, from £175pw, 24-hour backup, own garage, body shop, 01708 347288/07715 512263 ● TX4s FOR HIRE, NO ADS, FULL backup, RAC cover, 07980 288333

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● ALL TXIs & RETIRING TXIIs wanted, instant decision - cash paid. Tel: 07973 335739 or 01253 407500 ● GOOD, CLEAN TXIs & TXIIs wanted, top prices paid, quick viewing, North London based, Graham- 07435 562759 oldlondontaxis@yahoo.co.uk ● LEAVING THE TRADE? PART exing for LEVC? We want your cab now! 07723 309653

● CABS URGENTLY WANTED, Any condition, cash same day, sell and rent back. Call Roy ● DE-LICENSED TX4 CABS 07448 132226 required. Best price paid. We collect, cash or transfer. Tony, ● TOP QUALITY TX4s UP TO 5 Liverpool. 07919 401622 years old wanted. Also quality decommissioned TX4s considered.

07787 513629 ● ALL CABS WANTED. WE come to you. Any condition quick decision. Instant cash paid. 07763 699767. ● ALL CABS WANTED, WE come to you, top prices paid, cash/ bank transfer, instant decision, finance settled, nonrunners or sell & rent back, Taxi’s available to rent. call 07956 317300

MUSIC ● A MALE & FEMALE FUNCTION band. Past and present songs and styles.

References 07890 363380 & 0207 228 4813 ● SELL YOUR OLD VINYL records for cash call mark 07729 354477. Email Blackcabrecords@gmail.com

PLACE YOUR LINAGE BY WEDNESDAY MARCH 13TH FOR TAXI 439 UP TO 15 WORDS: £35

UP TO 25 WORDS: £45 UP TO 35 WORDS: £55

CALL JACK ON 01727 739 196

@TheLTDA

|||| www.ltda.co.uk

5 March 2019

|||| TAXI

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D

Central London Taxi Hire LTD

N EW TAXI

RENTAL

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We have just placed the

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