Dunlace Taxi DALSTON Services Ltd STEAM CLEANING Drivers Wanted Cabs to Rent Fairways, TXI’s, Taxis Steam Cleaned TXII’s and TX4’s & Undersprayed Overhauls While You Wait Service and Running Repairs To PCO Standard! Units 10-11 Period Works 1 Lammas Road, Unit 17 Period Works Leyton E10 7QT 1 Lammas Road, Tel: 020 8558 4240 Leyton E10 7QT Mobile 07988 424533 020 8558 9945 The voice of the taxi trade’s only independent organisation Issue 183 OCTOBER 2010 Dear Boris, INSIDE Chapman We at the L.C.D.C are led to believe that by the end of This month, you will have explains decided on setting an age limit for London’s Taxicabs. Some of the feedback we LT & PH have received lately suggests that you might be leaning towards a ten year limit. review We respectfully would like to point out to you, that should this be the case then PAGE 3 we firmly believe that the ramifications for our trade would be catastrophic. NEWS After all, it was only two years ago under the last Mayor that the Cab trade was forced to spend £32 million pounds to upgrade their vehicles just to comply with the new emission levels. Dial-a-Cab dilema At meetings we have attended TFL figures stated that the Licensed Taxicab trade was responsible for a mere 1% of emissions within the Capital. It makes no sense whatsoever to decimate the fleet of Londons taxis, to reduce emissions by such a PAGE 5 miniscule amount. NEWS We are sure that the last thing you would wish to leave as a legacy for Londoners is that during your first term as Mayor, you oversaw the demise of the finest taxi Airport service in the World, and one that has served this Capital for over 300 years. matters Yours Sincerely PAGE 6 Grant Davis - Chairman NEWS The return Protect your badge and bill with LCDC legal cover of Edgy contact The LCDC for details - 0207 394 5553 Eddie “You’ve got nothing to lose except your bill” PAGE 9 2 Issue 183 - October 2010 Editorial Grant Davis - Chairman D-Day Published by The London Cab Driver’s Club Ltd. Approaches Unit A 303.2, As you will have seen from the Tower Bridge Business Complex front page, we at the LCDC are Tower Point, 100 Clements Road very concerned that once again Southwark, London SE16 4DG the Licensed Taxi Trade will be the whipping boy when it comes Telephone: 020 7232 0676 to cleaning up Londons air. It seems Incredulous to me that we E-mail for membership enquiries: still have London buses driving E-mail: [email protected] round on Euro 3 emission levels blame for Dial A Cab having to have Web: lcdcorg.wordpress.com and paying just £165 a year in road Pedi Cab Bill a Private Hire Operators Licence. tax, whilst we on the other hand are The fact that they have a whole Editor: Grant Davis facing the decimation of our Soon Upon Us floor of their new building dedicated Industry. let us hope that common The controversial Pedicab Bill will to booking minicabs has nothing to The Badge is distributed free to the Licenced soon be put before Parliament and London Cab Trade. sense prevails,and the Mayor Boris do with it whatsoever.! Johnson extends the age limit of once again, as in the past it appears I am very flattered that they have For advertising enquiries please contact the Taxis to 15 years. the LCDC are the only Trade dedicated 3 pages of their Callsign office on As we are going to press I have Organisation who are fighting the 020 7394 5553 or E-mail: [email protected] magazine to me once again using just received the Private Hire and proposed plans to allow Pedicabs to slurs, mistruths, and innuendos All advertising in The Badge is accepted under Taxi Consultation Document, but be licensed by Westminster City against both myself and the Club, our terms and condidtions. These are available have not had the opportunity to Council. As far as we are concerned at the LCDC office. whilst at the same time stating that study it in full and as such I will not- they are a death trap and should not we at the LCDC are so un- impor- Before entering into any commitment, financial make any comment as of yet, but in even be allowed on the streets of the tant…really? or otherwise, always remember to seek next months issue of the Badge, Capital. In the past, Dial A Cab were free professional advice. there will be a break down and to print any old rubbish they cared The views expressed in this publication are not analysis of all the major points. to, and use Callsign to undermine necessarity those fo the Editor or of the However in the mean time, if you so any individuals that stood up to the Management Committee of the Dial - a - Cab London Cab Driver’s Club. wish to view the document in full B.O.M and particularly the you can, download the document at Diatribe Chairman. It is about time that they Contributions for publication are welcomed the website below. realised that this has all changed and should be sent to the Editor at the And finally….it appears once again above address. and realise silence is golden. [email protected] that we have upset our friends at The London Cab Driver’s Club Ltd. Dial A Cab. Apparently, I am to Issue 183 - October 2010 3 P.H. consultation document released PHVs, and other measures to clarify the distinction between EXCLUSIVE taxis and PHVs in London OPERATORS Helen Chapman - Deputy Director 1 Restrictions on operating centres in late night venues and London Taxi & Private Hire other shared premises 2 A return to assessing the The licensing of the private hire status of planning permission trade commenced in 2001, cover- before granting licences for ing the licensing of private hire operating centres operators, drivers and vehicles in 3 A commitment to comply with London. parking regulations in the area of Since its introduction, only small suggestions and ideas received DRIVERS the operating centre(s) 4 Restriction on the acceptance changes have been made in from other areas such as the Safer 1 Additional licensing of bookings to a designated area respect of private hire licensing and Travel at Night team. requirements for new drivers in the licensed premises the time is therefore right to under- In summary, there are 16 propos- 2 Enhanced driving assessment 5 An obligation to have take a consultation to review the als contained within the consultation for new drivers arrangements in place to provide existing arrangements. document for responders to consid- 3 All drivers to obtain the NVQ accessible vehicles when One of the key objectives of er and comment on. Wherever in Road Passenger Vehicle required (directly or by London Taxi & Private Hire (formally possible we request that when Driving sub-contract) the Public Carriage Office) over the responding you 4 All drivers to display identifi- 6 Restrictions on small opera- past 12 months has been to work provide evidence to support your cation to be visible to passengers tors and operating centres in res- as part of a team to identify and views. There is, of course, an 5 No driver is to make a remark idential premises. understand the key issues currently opportunity for you to provide addi- of a sexual nature or have any 7 A requirement that operators in place and to draft proposals that tional comments and proposals in sexual contact in a licensed vehi- provide a landline number for we feel address these issues. your formal responses. cle Proposals have been put together accepting bookings 8 A requirement for a standard based on information and discus- The full consultation VEHICLES document is available on CRB check on applicants for an sions with the private hire trade, 1 Replace the existing licence our website operator’s licence. issues arising through our day to discs and red route signs with www.tfl.gov.uk/tph 9 Restrictions on premises day work and observations seen on consolidated signage or it can be requested by emailing where an operator licence would street. We have also taken on 2 Restrictions on what types of [email protected]. be granted. board vehicles can be licensed as 4 Issue 183 - October 2010 Walker on the march.... LTDA and Comcab was to fight the very accepted a case for a limit. people they are now, indirectly supplying I shall put on my tin helmet and say that work to. On the other hand, two million an age limit does not have to be that big smackers can, and possibly has, done a a problem. Many London cabs do not lot for the membership of the LTDA. remain plated in London for 15 years or Does the means justify the end? Or is even 10 years before they are shipped there a moral imperative that says the off to the sticks. I am lead to believe that LTDA should distance itself from many of the TX2s that M & O accepted Comcab? in part exchange went straight “oop Fortunately, as I am no longer an LTDA north”. So sure, there are a few cabs that member, it’s not a decision I have to are still being plated at 20 years old but it make. is a small minority. It would make far more sense to accept ADDISON LEE an age limit on cabs but on condition that the limit is not retrospectively set.