Support Back Taxi's Demands To Be Addressed By The Mayor And TfL...by Sean Day.

London's licensed taxi trade actively opposes the violent action taken by taxi drivers in Paris against those working from off-shore based app corporations. 

However, to quell the growing unrest evidenced by drivers here on a daily basis, we demand, on this day for The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to address the following in the first instance. A statement of intention is expected

Firstly, to ensure clarity that the grievances London’s taxi drivers are experiencing are the result of decisions made by our licensing authority, TFL and not a ubiquitous app based product, I will briefly highlight the reasons why. 

The French President Francois Hollande accused Uber a technologies Inc of not respecting social and fiscal rules and called for the service to cease and desist. Uber responded by telling drivers to continue until a ruling was made by the country's top court. Couple the official stance by the President with taxi drivers (always revolutionary minded) taking matters into their own hands, Uber are now discontinuing on the grounds that it is not safe for their drivers. A fine example of a contradiction in terms. 

One could also say that every journey undertaken from Uber’s platform is potentially unsafe- for both driver and passenger- as Uber do not accept liability for any incident that occurs between the passenger and transport provider, re: Terms & Conditions

As a working cab driver who mainly working nights, I feel that the violence-marred taxi strikes in Paris, reflect the ever growing tensions here in London over how the cab trade accommodates the use of fast-moving technology and staying competitive, whilst simultaneously containing sedition caused by big finance corporations illegally entering the business, along with a complicit government with its own invested interest.

On September 16th we, the London Taxi Trade, take an official stance against TFL's refusal to not enforce the law directly to City Hall. The protest will be on foot. The buck stops with the Mayor and in an attempt to quell tensions within the the taxi industry that are running on high octave, we are there to demand answers that day. The trade at least has the right to know where it stands, if not, what we are dealing with is nothing short of totalitarianism.

What drivers are experiencing is the total collapse of the taxi trade, who's earning capability can no longer meet the running costs of TfL’s authorised vehicle. Contributing factors that are detrimentally impacting on the trade are insurmountable. These are primarily concerned with TfL’s defiance to not take on the financial might of Uber (Goldsmith Sachs/ Google). 

It is true that Uber are merely symptomatic of the the cause, but it has spurned numerous apps that now base their product on Uber’s working model and are hitting the market at an unprecedented rate, geolocalisation boundaries are not adhered to as taxis from all over the country descend on London to ply their wares, the utterly inexcusable delays in the renewal of driver licenses, thus denying drivers their democratic right to earn a living, and the almost indescribable lack of effective enforcement carried out by a team that would be considered a joke, if they didn't prove to be such a public liability.

The fact is, the taxi trade is the recipient of a closed government that continues to offer a free pass to a 50 billion dollar international conglomerate . Enforcement is non-existent, and licensed taxi drivers, all of which have to meet the conditions of fitness laid out by TfL, are being unduly targeted by a covert government agenda. 

This policy is being steadfastly upheld by TFL, who continue to issue Private Hire licenses at an unsustainable rate, whilst keeping the licensed trade strangulated with their own stringently enforced regulations.

September 16th, we call upon the Mayor and Chair of TfL to issue a Statement of Intention that day, if not, subsequent protests will escalate. The statement of intention will require affirmative answers to the following requests:

1. 1)  TfL will clearly and firmly uphold its policy on transparency, by opening up the cabbie cabinet meetings to relevant members of the GLA and Trade Representatives. Minutes from the meeting will be available for the industry to read.

   
   

2. 2)  The high court case seeking a ruling on what constitutes a taxi meter to be a public hearing. It cannot, in any conceivable terms, be conducted in private. The taxi trade is highly suspicious- with good reason- of the financial clout of certain lobbyists, and TfL are using public money to defend the working model of an app based product. The case is of public interest, and again, for transparency reasons, the court proceedings should be open. Whichever side the Judge sees fit to rule on, the democratic right pertaining to ‘justice should be seen to be done’ has to be upheld by TFL

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   3)  An immediate cap placed on the issuing of private hire licenses. There is no law that compels or prevents TfL from issuing licenses. The guidelines clearly state that if a person meets the criteria listed then they can apply for a license. Applying for a licence is not make getting a license mandatory. Indeed, mitigating circumstances such as the inexorable increase in motor traffic congestion, and subsequent Pollution implications, should be deterministic factors for capping licenses.

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   4)  Temporary licenses (Bill renewal) issued to taxi drivers if there is a delay due to inept and inconsistent administration, that is of no fault of the driver. To not issue the driver has completed the necessary paperwork, has had the money deducted from his/ her account and is of previous good character, denies him/ her of the fundamental right to earn a living.

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   5)  Finally, the undeniable and corroborable contempt that Mr Leon Daniels has for the licensed taxi trade brings into question his ability to act with discernment when making trade associated decisions. Primarily, the unmethodical issuing 30,000 private hire licenses over a two year period (most of which facilitated the en-mass infiltration of smart phone instant hire car services) was reckless in the extreme. In doing so, we openly accuse Mr Daniels of overstepping his brief by intentionally derestricting a market that already satisfied demand with supply. It is of my informed opinion also, that the stress level of those within the trade is becoming infective, to the degree that depression could elevate to a serious organisational matter. 

The fact that many decisions lack rudimentary economic sense is a failing by someone who’s duty it is, at the behest of the current mayor, to comply with prevailing legislature (or modify it by legitimate means). From an observant position, the taxi trade’s relationship with Leon Daniels TPH is beyond reparation. We therefore request his immediate removal.

Editorial Comment: Breaking News.

Just as we were in the process of posting this item, we heard the fantastic news that after Sean Paul's online petition, mayor Boris Johnson has decided to override TfLs decision to hold their high court action in private. 

 

      

Again, well done Sean Paul.

One down, four to go.