In the latest edition of the badge, it appears the LCDC and Unite were stunned to find out about a secret, unminuted private meeting, TfLTPH had with LTDA vice general secretary Bob Oddy, where Bob was allegedly shown a presentation about the structural changes about to take place at LTPH.
Mr Oddy vigorously denied the claim that he’d been given a full briefing and insisted that he was only shown a brief outline of all the proposals. Apparently, his main concern was that the KOL was not affected in any changes. But Mr. Emmerson said he had seen the presentation given to Mr. Oddy and claimed it to included a slide show outlining the recommendations of the Deloitte review, in regard to compliance and policy.
Deloitte's, an outside consultancy have made recommendations about changes to compliance and TfL policy???
It's amazing that LTPH refer to Bob Oddy as the Mayor’s chosen representative of the Taxi Industry on TFL and yet Mr Oddy strenuously denies this claim. I'm in possession of an email and letter, from Mr Oddy's personal solicitors stating that he is no such thing. The letter, is marked in big bold print, "not for publication", another secret kept from the trade perhaps?
Just who IS representing the trade at top level?
- LTPH, after serving its purpose, is now to be dismantled.
- No minutes taken at secret meetings between UTG and TfL.
- No published minutes from joint rank committee meetings with LTPH
- Law Commission draft bill was not presented. This means its straight into main bill, with a guillotine it will become an act.
- VOSA, pre-empts Law Commissions aim to create a national standard for Private Hire and Taxi licensing by merging with the Driving Standards Agency and forming DVSA in advance of a Law Commission submission.
Let's look at the evidence.
1. The Licensed Taxi industry, for the very first time in its history, will no longer enjoy a separate status from other modes of transport. Bundled in with dial a ride, Boris bikes and post Law Commission, possibly licensed Richshaw Bikes.
2. No formal consultation has been carried out with the Licensed trade organisations, with a TFL boss stating..."There is no requirement for us to formally consult”, inveritably rendering the engagement impotent.
3. TFL has claimed it gave a full presentation to the taxi industry, but in a private unminuted meeting on the 23rd April this year. LTDA Vice general secretary has vigorously denied this claim. Someone is not telling the truth.
4. Steve Burton, is now the Director of Enforcement & On Street Operations, which includes the new taxi compliance department. Unfortunately for the licensed taxi trade, he was a main instigator for the introduction of the cab trade’s nemesis the “Satellite Office” and actually won an award for the Safer Travel at Night Scheme.
20 comments:
bring back the met pol . the system worked well , everything going pairshaped now the end is nigh
Best article of the year!
Mnay searching questions for the LTDA to answer (forget LCDC & UNITE) they won't blow their nose without permission from Woodfield Road.
We now have the licensing authority (despite previously admitting that PH vehicles unbooked outside venues are illegal) have decided to overthrow parliament and decades of case law by permitting such illegal activity.
Urgent enquiries are being made to enquire whether that's an offence in itself!y
Hendy CANNOT issue guIdance in contravention of the law of the land no matter how much it suits the agenda.
The truly shocking thing is that's some of our trade organisations seem prepared to let him!
We get an odd rank appointed but most requests are refused or kicked into the long grass of the Merry go round of TfL-Council-TfL , eeven if the venue has a satellite office we still get the brush off and net loss of rank spaces increases year on year.
So well done editor for shining a light into a dark corner that neither TfL or the united trade group want exposed.
The sound of distant hoofbeats are deafening.Too late chaps the horse has bolted and as usual the complaicent short sighted taxi trade want to close the door after the event. I've been saying for years,that TFL will eventually merge the trade with the mini cabs for a one tier system. It makes financial sense, firstly in the fact that they won't have to employ staff solely for black cabs and secondly under a system in which we are all the same, they can impose blanket changes without having to bother with ancient acts of parliment that have no relevance to todays taxi trade.
This was always going to happen once we stopped being under the control of the met and tfl became a business rather than a government department.There's no point expecting the trade orgs to do anything because their intereset starts and finishes with their salaries and onlt lip service is paid to their members concerns.The bell is tolling on the trade chaps, get out and order that people carrier before the last chime.
Anon 11,25
Sorry you can't claim you predicted anything and remain anonymous.
Its like me saying "I told you Mason and Chapman would get fired and Steve Burton would take over new department as LTPH was scrapped".
We can all make claims in hindsight
Point us to where you said this, giving links and put your name to it, then we may well believe you.
Veritas, "best article of the year"...taken straight from the badge paper.
Anon 12,49
Based on information that appeared in the badge. Bit different to taken straight from it.
Let's face it Davis and co haven't got the bottle to lay the facts out this straight, still worried about the poxy engagement policy that's gone for a Burton.
Wonder who gets to keep the fold up table.
As reported in The Badge You wish!
As ever just a publicity stunt from the biscuit factory without any suggestion as to a resolution.
The key question is what are the LCDC going to do?
Publish more photos of the chairman?
No credibility any more, that went with Alan Fleming .
A resolution to what??
We are alteady merged. Your TFL reference number which might be only 1 digit away from a PH driver, takes precedence over your badge number. When your on cab ID is scanned the hand held units display you reference no. Not your badge.
We merged under LTPH, the clue was in the title. We will have to wait and see if anything changes for us under Burton?
anon 11.25am, with respect, the only way there willever be a one tier system in London is for the KOL to be watered down so much that all the PH become black cab drivers. The big PH bosses will never let that happen, they need a healthy black cab trade, and in a strange way we need them. Think about it.
Excellent post anon 9.54, most readers on hear don't realise the power of the KOL.
TfL don't have big bosses with brains and business acumen. They employ retards and Internet sex deviants. If these so callef big bosses of yours were competent business people TfL wouldn't need to spend a small fortune with Deloits to sort out the complete mess they these people have made of LTPH !
Watered down knowledge, REM didn't that happen when red ken declared we were a white racist Masonic gentlemen's club and forced examiners to push through ethnic and female candidates and then sent recruiters to the mosques with free bikes, maps and other incentives to make sure his 40% increase was met. The knowledge is unnecessary these days seeing as most punters throw a postcode at you and couldn't care less what way you go as long as they get there.Did you miss the takeover of Addison Lee by the billion pound a year company earlier this year ? These people have a massive ambitions to control the very lucrative London cab trade and there are mini cab office owners just waiting to sell there scabby firms for prices they could only dream of. One big firm made up from all the little tin pot firms in London means ultimate coverage and if they're smart enough they'll install the right equipment to make a street hail part of their profits too. we already have the smart apps, what's to stop them making it so all cabs will have to be paid for by card registration and cash not accepted.I can see hmrc liking that idea. A one tier system makes sense and there would be nothing to stop whoever's running it imposing higher licence fees and rules that suit themselves. You seem to be one of those " it'll never happen " cabbies, funny how all the other things that would never happen did and that's how we've ended up on the brink of the abyss.We saw the warning signs but as usual we were too busy telling punters We're not going south to do anything about it.
OK right, first the PH bosses I referred to were not the idiots at TFL, but John Griffin, Steve Wright ect, these are the guys that control the PH industry, the drivers are nothing, two a penny. A cashless society may come, but not in our lifetime. We will be ok so long as we ensure high standards.If anyone thinks the KOL has been watered down just ask any of the new guys out there. Be Lucky.
Not quite a cash less society, but dont be to surprised if all cabs have to have a "working" card system installed within the near future(like NY). We are way behind the rest of the world with card payments in taxis.
Isn't this the same Burton guy that designed STaN and said in his notes... "in order for STaN to work all agencies would have to collude together ". In other words turn a blind eye to the illegal side of this agenda in order for it to work...
So can anyone tell me what his remit will be as head of enforcement ? He will be paid for doing FA - nothing new about that, is there !
anon 10.19 you know as well as anyone that the examiners can make it as easy or as hard as they like. Any cab driver is only as good as the days they were tested and even then the score that day depends on if the examiner wants to give you a break or not. What standards are there these days the new mob on the streets are carving you up and jumping lights all over the shop to get in front of you.Any camaraderie went a long time ago.Face it the cab driving we know is on borrowed time and it will be a case of adapt or perish.
Yes it was, anon 4:17, just as our own paid UTG leaders have colluded with one another to turn a blind eye to the illegal activities of the mini cabs,gut churning.
Standards haven't dropped, the KOL is the one and only thing that raelly protects us making a living, it allows us to ply for hire and controls the numbers getting out. Without it we are as good a minicab drivers.
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