LCDC fighting today for a better tomorrow More trade stories than all the others put together Issue 218 April 2014 INSIDE SHAFTED TFL APPOINT NEW DIRECTOR PAGES 4&5 AT THE NEWS BORIS SHARD STEPS IN PAGE 7 Demo May 6th NEWS @2:00pm Full story: TFL, TIME TO page 3 RAISE YOUR GAME PAGE 16 2 Issue 218 - April 2014 Editorial Grant Davis trade stood up for itself and stopped this undermining of our trade. As you can see from the front page Is this the future we can expect from the Club has backed calls for a TFL under the new SIPs regime? Published by drive-in demonstration at The Shard Minicabs outside the door, and the The London Cab Drivers’ Club Ltd. licensed taxitrade down the Unit A 303.2, building in St Thomas Street on the Tower Bridge Business Complex Tuesday 6th May. roadSSS..literally. Tower Point, 100 Clements Road The Shard has already become in the BE THERE ON THE 6TH MAY Southwark, London SE16 4DG short time of opening a major London iconic buildings attracting thousands of ----------------------------------- Telephone: 020 7232 0676 visitors every week. It is vital that the Surface Intergration seen from last month’s edition of the E-mail for membership enquiries: licensed taxi trade be given an Programme Badge, the Mayor agreed with me that E-mail: [email protected] opportunity to be able to offer its world Talking of SIPs, TFL have finally after it was indeed a meter but TFL still Web: lcdcorg.wordpress.com class service to what has already six months found someone to be the seem reluctant to take the same become one of the most famous Editor: Grant Davis new Director of Service Operations. conclusion. The way TFL is running our buildings in the World. The fact that it has taken this long when Industry, to be honest we at the Club The Badge is distributed free to the The reason that the 6th May has been all the other Directors were appointed Licensed London Cab Trade. feel they are not fit for purpose. chosen is that there is to be the almost immediately tells us that this is For advertising enquiries please contact the office on opening of the new Shangri-La 020 7394 5553 or E-mail: [email protected] a poison chalice (see more on pages ----------------------------------- All advertising in The Badge is accepted under our Hotel with 202 rooms and 17 suites. 4-5). terms and conditions. These are available Currently the TFL approved taxi rank is Suburban review at the LCDC office. Finally, you have until the 10th April to so far away from the door (see ----------------------------------- Before entering into any commitment, financial respond to the Suburban Review or otherwise, always remember to seek opposite page) that the hotel says they professional advice. Rouge Apps Consultation. I have spoken to TFL and will need a light beacon for drivers to be Following on from last month’s edition, The views expressed in this publication are not called, a lighthouse would be more have been told the response has only necessarity those fo the Editor or of the it still seems that TFL have not yet been a few thousand. This is your Management Committee of the appropriate!! decided to what action if any, they will London Cab Driver’s Club. opportunity to have a say in how your Not only that, but TFL and the be taking against rogue Apps operating Contributions for publication are welcomed Shangri-La Hotel have placed a two trade is being run. Please go-on line and should be sent to the Editor at the in London and how they calculate and have your say. (See page 6 for above address. minicab drop off and pick up rank fares on their App. As you may have outside the door. It’s about time the email address) The London Cab Drivers’ Club Ltd. Issue 218 - April 2014 3 Shafted at the Shard Over the last few years during our says two minutes only. working day we have all witnessed Why does PH need a waiting area there? the birth of a building that is destined When dropping off at the hotel this takes just to be an iconic landmark in this great a minute for passengers to alight from the Capital City of ours. vehicle and even picking up, the passengers I for one watched it grow and apart from who have booked the car would see it pull moaning about the congestion due to site up outside the door and get into the vehicle. traffic have fallen in love with the building The P.H waiting bay should be a two cab known as The Shard. So much so, like many rank outside the main door and work like other people I and my family have paid a say, The Berkley Hotel facing West and the visit to the viewing area and I must say it Concierge can call cabs straight to the door. was a trip worth making. It now transpires at the Emergency site So how have we come to this? meeting on the 2nd April that the Shangri-La It all started around a year ago when the has its own car service, London Executive Joint Ranks Committee were given drawings who store their cars in the Hotel regarding the provision of taxi ranks at the underground car park. With us right the way Shard building. The Ranks Committee back roasting on the useless rank just short opposed them straight away and Of Borough High Street and for us to watch, When they then received another set of hawk like for a beacon to call us up the updated drawings six months later, these too roadS. It was suggested by the Club that a where rejected out of hand and the JRC lighthouse might do the job in question, it’s made representations to where the rank that far away! should be situated as in their opinion the We all know what happens at a majority of position of the rank ( where it is at present ) Hotels in London, out of sight, out of mind, would be unworkable for the drivers and guests can’t see a taxi outside the door and public alikeS..like the useless rank at ask for one, the doorman orders them a Abacus. Shangri-la car. Several months ago Leon Daniels attended We in the Licensed Taxi trade are not a site meeting at the Shangri-La Hotel and scared of fair competition, we have serviced listened to where the hotel wanted the mini- London for the last three hundred years and cab drop off and pick up areas which are survive because Londoners want to use us currently in place right outside the door. (see and are happy to use us. What we cannot photograph) accepted these plans and left accept is being treated like second class TFL to try and work out where we could go. citizens by both the Hotel but more I have worked the shard and it is not unusual importantly by TFL our Licensing Authority. to see the same cars park up there and be there for twenty minutes plus, even though it See you at The Shard 2pm May 6th Private Hire waiting to pick up in thier designated area outside the hotel DRIVE-IN DEMONSTRATION Shangri-la Hotel @ 2:00pm May 6th, 2014 [email protected] 4 Issue 218 - April 2014 TfL FINALLY APPOINT A DIREC As I mentioned That integrated London Taxi & immediately confirmed saying that Taxis and Private Hire co-habit on in my editorial, Private Hire with Congestion Mr Blake will be taken up the new the streets of this Capital City has finally, after six Charging, Boris Bikes, Victoria position in June 2014. been given this post. months TFL Coach Station, Dial-a-Ride and Mr Peter Blake is currently Head I was so shocked by this River services. Whilst the other Of Integrated Transport at announcement that someone have appointed Directorate posts were filled Worcestershire County Council from the outside and with no a new Director almost immediately, this post where he is responsible for Public experience of London was given of Surface has taken almost seven months Transport, Education, Social the job in preference to other Operations. Peter Blake to find a suitable candidate. Services Transport as well as the candidates who are currently After the Our sources within TFL have Counties Highways and working at TFL and also have Deloittes informed me that the post will be Traffic Management Services. experience in some of the other Review last summer TFL filled by a certain Mr Peter Blake, The number of taxi and private services that are included in the decided to reorganise the at the time of reading this TFL will hire vehicles that come under Mr newly formed Directorate. way surfaces were to most probably have made an Blake’s jurisdiction throughout the I emailed Garrett Emmerson to delivered. official announcement to the whole of Worcester is some 1,600 ask him whether he knew Peter They announced there was to be Trade. On hearing this news I vehicles, It is of great concern to Blake or had he worked with him 8 new Directorates, one of them immediately contacted Mr Garrett us at the Club that someone in the past? being the newly formed Surface Emmerson to ask if this was without any working knowledge of You can see from his email Operations indeed the case, to which he the unique way in which Licensed below that he did.