The United Cabbies Group has called for a MASS DRIVE-IN DEMONSTRATION at Trafalgar Square on Wednesday 9th of November 2011 @ 4pm.
We feel this action, as unanimously voted for by our members is necessary to STOP Transport for London destroying the Licensed London Taxi trade and endangering the safety of the travelling public.
Transport for London and The PCO are just laughing at each and every one of us! This Private Hire Consultation was TfL’s big chance to slay the monster that they have created and they have failed miserably. Satellite Offices continue to spring up everywhere with ranks of illegal minicab touts facilitated by TfL denying us our legitimate right to ply for hire. A right that you and I sacrificed precious years of our lives with hard graft and toil to obtain, and the Authorities have just sold it to anyone who can stump up the cost of a Private Hire License. We will not put up with this any longer! Now, more than ever is the time to stand together & fight!
Our 350 year old World Famous Taxi industry is under threat like never before. Treacherous Civil Servants who are nothing more than Merceneries are trying to wipe us out! Are we going to let them? Or are we going to stand up to them? Apathy is NOT an option any more!
If we as a trade do not turn out in force, be in no doubt that TfL will accelerate their agenda that is crippling our trade.
If you are going to attend one demo in your lifetime…
make it this one because this could be our last opportunity!
No Excuses – Add this date to your diary now!
If you are a dayman, stay out longer. If you are a nightman, come in earlier, just make sure you are there!
If EVERY Taxi driver attends this demo, make no mistake, TfL will be left quaking in their boots and will be shamed into action! A couple of hours of your time is all it will take to safeguard our future.
United Cabbies Group Press Release Statement
The United Cabbies Group has called for a Mass Drive-In Demonstration of Taxis at Trafalgar Square on Wednesday 9th November 2011 at 4pm.
Following a series of UCG demonstrations in 2010, Transport for London announced they were to undertake a Private Hire Consultation to address the serious issue of rapes and sexual assaults in Licensed and Unlicensed minicabs in London. 2010 alone saw a 54% increase in these crimes, bringing the total to over 350 in the last 3 years.
Approximately 2 attacks per week are committed in these vehicles which we feel are mainly due to the creation of Satellite Offices, under the Safer Travel at Night Agenda (STaN).
Many of the original proposals put forward by TfL received the support of the Taxi trade, but in the final outcome most of these were subsequently dropped.
We find this inexplicable and feel that this shows the utter contempt that TfL holds for both the London Taxi trade and the travelling public alike.
www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/businessandpartners/08-11-outcomes-of-private-hire-consultation.pdf
Londoners are being put at risk by the lack of concern shown by TfL and in particular their Transportation Commissioner, choosing instead to dogmatically push through the Safer Travel at Night agenda regardless, which has been shown to be grossly flawed in both its application and interpretation, as well as contravening Hackney carriage Law which clearly states that Private Hire vehicles must NOT wait to be hired in view of the public.
TfL astonishingly employ only 7 dedicated night time officers to enforce 62,000 Private Hire, and 24,000 Licensed Taxis and we believe this is another contributing factor towards the high number of attacks.
Our concerns have been underpinned by TfL’s Director of Taxis and Private Hire in a comment he recently made in Private Hire & Courier Magazine where he said…
“At the moment, I cannot give an assurance that an applicant for a private hire driver’s licence has never done anything wrong and hasn’t been arrested for a sex attack or violence and never been charged. And this worries the hell out of me.” PH&C Magazine August 2011
TfL have consistently refused to listen to our concerns, but rather chooses to play one side of the Taxi trade off against the other by validating only those organisations within our trade that are prepared to ignore the issues because of the accreditation and approval they receive from TfL.
We at the United Cabbies Group find this wholly unacceptable and are left with no choice but to resume our protests.
The decision to call for this action, as unanimously voted for by our members was not taken lightly, and is the result of the refusal of Transport for London to take our concerns seriously and officially engage with us.
The United Cabbies Group regrets the disruption that this will inevitably cause to Londoners, but we refuse to stand on the side-lines any longer and watch helplessly as these rapes and sexual assaults in unbooked minicabs continue to take place.
This demonstration will be the next in a series of demonstrations until TfL properly address our concerns, because we believe TfL behaves more like a private corporation than a public body funded by the tax payer to the tune of nearly £10 billion per annum. It should also be noted that 379 of its employees are paid more than £100,000 per year.
We are calling for the reopening of the Private Hire Consultation, a Public Enquiry into the running of Transport for London, and We demand that the Director of Licensed Taxis & Private Hire (LTPH) allows representatives from the United Cabbies Group to attend meetings with them as it does with the other trade representatives – without the pre-conditions that other trade representatives do NOT have to agree to.
For further information you can contact our spokesperson on…
Jonathan 07890 696764
unitedcabbies@london.com
Thank you,
United Cabbies Group.
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frankie3
November 2, 2011 at 4:52 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Can’t wait!
Please make sure you’re there whether your org’ backs this demo or not!
It’s time for us all to stand up together to tell Boris, Hendy & Co…WE’VE HAD ENOUGH!
tq
November 3, 2011 at 3:40 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Lets all be there! NO excuses!
Good luck everybody!
Mark
November 3, 2011 at 9:02 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
All for one and one for all !!!
These other trade organisations are just
yes men to the powers that be.
Never been interested in paying these parasites
My hard earned cash to go arse licking
At their meetings and diinner parties dressed
Like toffs
We. Need to defend our trade by us’taxi drivers’
not plebes in dinner suits doing it
We all work hard so let’s start fighting
HARD. !!!!’
1
November 4, 2011 at 3:33 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
I am currently studying the knowledge of london and read with concern the bo**ox that the PCO are up too.
I for one, and i’m sure a many more knowledge students would take time out too attend the demo.
Do you have any plans too accommodate us????
editor 1
November 5, 2011 at 12:27 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Hi 1, all Knowledge students are welcome and encouraged to support this demonstration because this is your future.
Please spread the word to your fellow Knowledge students, friends and colleagues.
Come to the Square on your bikes and stand shoulder to shoulder with us on the 9th
and help us fight to save the world’s best Taxi trade from being destroyed by the treacherous civil servants at Transport for London.
See you there.
Steve Ellison
November 5, 2011 at 6:32 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
I’m a big user of the Black Hackney Carriage, I totally agree with your cause.
The last time I used a Mini-cab was out in the suburbs, I told the driver where I wanted to go, in his poor and broken English, he asked me how to get there!
Might as well have driven myself!
delboy1
November 6, 2011 at 10:44 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
i will be there and so should everyone who wants to save our history lets go get em itsbeen to long comin enough is enough
Lady Fanny
November 6, 2011 at 12:55 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
As a Female and also a cab driver i find it disgusting that London streets are rife with sexual monsters praying on vulnerable women.
TFL are not fit for purpose and need to be exposed.
Well done the UCG for supporting women and trying to salvage London’s once fine reputation.
john
November 6, 2011 at 11:05 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
i don t think other trade rep really look after us what about the cost of our liecence or the cab thats not fit for purpose i ll be there
RML76
November 7, 2011 at 7:01 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Another knowledge student on board here and i will bring as many as i can from the school wednesday afternoon!!!! Well done for standing up to shithouses at TFl/PCO and keep up the good work!!!
greystoke
November 7, 2011 at 9:21 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
gentlemen and ladies,well done to all concerned for calling for this action its about time somebody with balls stood up for the london taxi trade, we all know how useless the other trade bodies have become, with maybe the exception of the lcdc.might i suggest if you dont intend going on the demo get your self down the job centre and start looking ! as a footnote if you are not going to attend the demo, from four o clock on wednesday dont pick up a fare for thirty minutes, chances are you wont get far anyway, so get yourself a cuppa and stand down for half an hour this action in itself should raise a few eye brows !
charlie
November 8, 2011 at 4:58 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Well done ugc , And its about time mr ODDY – IOT got on his rickshaw and retired ! wake up LTDA BOYS !!!
tony
November 8, 2011 at 5:21 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
i shall be there and if anyone out there is just thinking about it and needs convincing, then let me tell you this is a very serious thing with mine and your livelihood at severe risk. Please be there if you can .
007
November 8, 2011 at 8:53 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Stand and be counted now >> because if you don’t your life as a Taxi driver which we all worked so hard for to become would have been pointless because we won’t have a future I’ll be there !! An hour of your time won’t break the bank but a failing TFL WILL !!
mel gibson
November 9, 2011 at 7:58 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
as a K student I thought i should attend and show support for the trade im hoping to join and also to see exactly what the issue are, its seemed to me to be a great turn out and the spirit amongst cabbies and K boys was good to see, its a shame the police started moving us on as early as ten past four, after all it was a peacefull protest and they let the students march for hours closing down half of London in the process, maybe TFL were issuing the orders, must say though, it was bad to see quite a few cabbies with fares on, surely they could have either joined in or just turned the light off for a while, good luck to you all
peter mack
July 17, 2012 at 3:22 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
This pedestrian fully supports any action by our London Cabbies they will never be muggins for anyone !Older drivers will remember the littleTea Bar by the Hungerford Bridge foot. I worked (social worker for the poor homeless )in the asbestos building opposite -under the bridge-Great crack with you lads -us scousers & you cockneys take no shit !Keep at it Best Wishes