Taxi Driver Online

London Cabbies Say They've Been 'Excluded from the Olympics'



- 'It is extraordinary that there has been such a chronic lack of Taxi involvement,' says Bob Crow


LONDON taxi drivers have accused Olympics organisers of airbrushing them out of the 2012 Games, a particular bugbear being Get Ahead of the Games, Transport for London's guide to travel during the biggest sporting event ever to hit town.

Get Ahead of the Games' one page devoted to taxis makes it clear that cabbies "are not permitted to use Games Lanes during their operational hours".

It also stands accused of ignoring taxis' facilities for disabled travellers.

“Why is it in all the plans and websites for the games that the iconic London Taxi, used to promote the London Olympic bid, has been excluded from transporting able-bodied and disabled passengers around London including journeys to and from the Olympic site?" asked Bob Crow, leader of the RMT transport union, which covers taxis.

"It is extraordinary that there has been such a chronic lack of Taxi involvement in the Olympic transport planning process, right through from the banning of these accessible and safe vehicles from the Olympic Route Network, through to the strategy for assisting those with disabilities."

Last month Ruth Bashall, TFL's own former disability advisor, blamed "lack of money" for the way disabled access to the Olympics "slipped down the list of priorities".

In response, the Olympic Delivery Authority said: "Our accessible transport strategy has been shared with numerous transport experts and disability user groups to ensure it is fit for purpose."

http://www.londonnet.co.uk/news/2012/ju ... mpics.html

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I'm sure that by now a lot of those who were hopping from foot to foot with orgasmic elation when it was announced that London had won the right to host the 2012 Olympic games are now more likely to be pulling out every hair on their body through frustrated resentment at the chaos and misery these Games are creating.

too much information

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

He's right though.
These yookay olympics have soaked up a huge amount of cash from the whole of the UK and the beneficiaries seem to be only a chosen few in the South.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

so HOW would you have included EVERBODY ?

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

I agree, it's just a ceremony for the rich.

I disagree, and so would the disabled kid who carried the torch through Carlisle tonight.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

No offence, and I don't want to detract from this kid's special moment but....
What about all the lottery cash that has been spent in olympicshire over the last few years, instead of the rest of the country.
This kid and many more like him/her could have had a lot more than a few minutes carrying a flame...........

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

From what I heard on TV the lad was chairman of carlisle youth council, I believe they operate in a building built from lottery money.

I understand where your coming from, but I very much doubt any cash saved from not holding these events would have actually gone to him anyway.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Nice of them to dust off the disabled and to put them on show when it suits them...

And?

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IDFIMH

That's hardly a fair statement, they've had as much time to train as the rest of us.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

They had the chance to dance with the Child Snatcher, but they decided otherwise.

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IDFIMH

The Ceremony in London is for the rich, I bet the disabled kid was made up he was carrying to torch.

TBH after the doubling it up thing the London cabbies have done I have no defence for them, I think they've acted in a greedy self serving way and will know all about it afterwards when their bread and butter is now ringing for a cab instead.