Taxi Driver Online

Mayor seeks new powers over private hire trade and unsafe pedicabs‎

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today pledged to push for new powers to enable him to cap the number of Private Hire Vehicles in the capital. The Mayor has also confirmed he will be seeking powers over unsafe and unregulated pedicabs and rickshaws on the streets of London's West End.

The Mayor, who has received clear advice from Transport for London, will be pressing for Primary Legislation from the Government to enable TfL to cap the number of Private Hire Vehicle drivers operating in the capital, which are rising by more than 1,000 each month.

Currently there are 78,690 minicab drivers in London and over the past year that number has risen by 12,268. At this rate, over the next two years, there will be an additional 26,526 minicab drivers – bringing the total number to more than 105,000.

The growth of private hire vehicle drivers in the last 18 months (from December 2013 to date) is approximately 18%. The Mayor is concerned that this unprecedented rise in numbers is causing increased congestion, particularly in central London, as well as more pollution and problems of illegal parking.

The Mayor is of the firm view that London must be able to cap the number of minicab drivers – however, currently Transport for London does not have the ability to do so. He will, therefore, be seeking legislation to give the capital that power.

In a separate move, the Mayor will press to obtain powers over the regulation of pedicabs. The Mayor believes these vehicles jam up roads in the West End and unnecessarily and consistently fail to ensure the safety of their passengers. Uniquely, London is not currently able to restrict or regulate pedicabs in any way, unlike the rest of the country.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “We must be able to take action against the threat posed by the massive increase we are seeing in the number of private hire vehicles. There are only 25,000 black cabs and 8,000 buses in London and yet there are already over 75,000 minicabs and rising. We’re starting to see a threat to free movement of traffic on the roads.

“What we are proposing therefore is legislation, which I will be looking to take forward in Parliament, to restrict the number of minicabs that can come on the streets.

“We will also be seeking powers for TfL over pedicabs – which so far have been completely immune from regulation. These vehicles jam up the roads and consistently fail to ensure the safety of their passengers.”

Notes to editor

Increase in private hire driver numbers in recent years:

2009/2010 59,191
2010/2011 61,200
2011/2012 64,063
2012/2013 66,975
2013/2014 65,656
2014/2015 76,249

Examples of traffic/parking congestion spots include:

West End (Piccadilly, Mayfair, Leicester Square) during Thursday, Fridays and Saturday nights and residential streets around Heathrow.

Particular streets/locations include:

St Pancras International
Dover Street
Berkeley St/Dover St
Piccadilly/Shaftesbury Avenue/Swallow Street and Wardour Street
Portman Square and Grosvenor Place
Knightsbridge/Hyde Park Corner
Edgware Road/ Marylebone (includes both Praed Street (Paddington Station), Star Street, Bryanston Sq and Marylebone Road).
Charing Cross Road/ Leicester Square
Camden High Street
Greenwich around 02
Clapham High St

The Mayor is seeking to include the legislation in a London Bill in this year's Queen's speech.

TfL currently has a major private hire review ongoing and will start making changes later this year. This includes an English language requirement and better geographic knowledge requirements for minicab drivers.

Tfl is also increasing its enforcement against touting and other illegal activity, working with the Metropolitan Police Service to target known hotspots and better responding to real-time information to take swift action against touting, for example.

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IDFIMH

Would be amazed if it doesn't make it in the Queen's speech.

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IDFIMH

Love to see what the Spivs have to say about the limit on PH.

Love to see how they come to the actual number and how they assess demand.

Love to see if when Boris becomes PM in 2020 he spreads the policy to the rest of the country, or sooner if it becomes part of the Cities Bill.

Interesting times.

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IDFIMH

Translated into 173 different languages.

So what happened to the free market and things finding their own level?

How about raising standards?

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

Boris opens his mouth and says lots of things .....

Very few get acted upon unless its to do with building cycle lanes on our already gridlocked roads.

Probably more Borisism drivel before he quits office next year.

Possibly, but he said the first Queen's speech, so it doesn't leave him much wriggle room if it's not in it.

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IDFIMH

Note deafening silence from the GMBPDB which funnily enough argued for years for PH numbers limitation and its still official Branch policy strangely the current Branch Sec a proprietor himself has been struck dumb on this issue.

Mind these figures should be viewed with caution many many people join the industry but within a year or so realise all theyeve been promised regarding earnings and hours is complete bollox and they leave but of course their licenses's are still current!!

Theres no doubt that the PH industry Proprietors 99% of whom are swindling barsterd lice have never had it so good under the co alition and the The Tory vermin their filling their boots big time,

There will be a ban on numbers i reckon

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All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

Uber seeks Boris Johnson meeting over minicab plans



Uber says smart technology helps to move people around London efficiently

The car-booking phone app firm Uber has requested a meeting with Boris Johnson about his proposals to "take action" against minicabs in London.

Last week he called for action against the threat posed by the "massive increase" of private hire vehicles.

Jo Bertram at Uber said the answer to London's traffic problems was not to "limit licences and jobs", which she said would push up prices.

A spokesperson for the mayor said he was "not on an Uber witch-hunt".

Ms Bertram said that limiting licences and jobs would also "force people back into their own cars, causing more congestion and pollution".

'Doesn't make sense'

She said: "This is why smart technology like Uber is so important as it ensures modern, clean vehicles can move lots more people around the city efficiently."

Ms Bertram said she wanted to work with the mayor to improve transport and keep the capital moving.

A spokesperson for City Hall said: "This [tackling the number of private hire cabs] is about London being able to provide a high-quality minicab and black cab trade for London, which isn't eroding key objectives such as keeping traffic moving and cleaning up our air.‎"

The spokesperson said it did not matter who the drivers work for, saying: "It just doesn't make sense to have such a large number of minicab drivers in the capital."

source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-32807747

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

Excellent - at this meeting perhaps they could explain why uber are using non London licensed vehicles to cover work in the capital

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

Strangely enough i met a proprietor today of a substantial PH firm who stated "Uber are hitting him hard" this company one of the 1% run fairly is getting really concerned

What info Capt do you have of non London Vehicles working in London via Uber ?

_________________
All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

Is 78,000 not enough for Uber?

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IDFIMH

photos on my twitter feed

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

WTF is that cant you post em on here comrade

Personally i reckon the GMB and other Unions ought to do a deal with Uber and Bankrupt the Proprietors in London then take Uber on, common sense really DIVIDE AND RULE too simple for the pillocks running the GMBPDB these days or is it connected with their Branch sec being a proprietor who gives work to scabs ie Non Union Drivers rumour has it he employs some as well ..............mind he resigned then did a Farage the other week allegedly

_________________
All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

Addison Lee and Uber united against plans to cap private cars


London’s largest private hire company has found rare common ground with Uber in opposing plans by mayor Boris Johnson to cap the number of private hire vehicles in the capital. But, unlike the e-hailing app, Addison Lee believes the solution to the proliferation of minicabs is regulation.

In an open letter to Mr Johnson, London’s mayor and the newly elected MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Addison Lee’s chief executive Liam Griffin described the response of Transport for London, the regulator, to the rise of Uber and similar operators as “deplorable”.

Its hesitancy “to apply the same regulatory standards for private hire operators to app-based firms has enabled these e-hailing services to distort public perception of the wider sector”, Mr Griffin said in his letter.

He welcomed Mr Johnson’s review of private hire regulations but said the proposal to cap numbers is “an unworkable and outdated solution; a panic measure being brought forward in the attempt to get TfL off the naughty step”.

Mr Johnson has said that the increase in private hire vehicles — numbers have risen by a fifth in the past year to 78,000 — has led to greater congestion in London, more air pollution and more illegally parked cars. His staff insisted the mayor was not on a witch hunt against Uber.

But Mr Griffin argued that the cause of the problem was not the existence of operators such as Uber but TfL’s failure to enforce regulations properly by “turning a blind eye to the new e-hailing operators’ behaviour”.

Mr Griffin therefore calls for an “overhaul of the regulatory system to accommodate and address the needs and issues of the modern transport environment”.

Uber said this week that a cap on the number of operators would mean higher prices and less availability for millions of travellers.

The proposal to cap numbers is an unworkable and outdated solution; a panic measure being brought forward in the attempt to get TfL off the naughty step

- Liam Griffin, Addison Lee chief

Jo Bertram, the head of Uber’s UK business, said new regulations were needed but these should “protect people — their personal safety and their pockets — not hamper new innovations they value and that make their lives easier”.

TfL has rejected accusations of inconsistency in implementing regulations. In March, it submitted an application to the High Court for a ruling on whether Uber’s and other app-based services should be considered meters — as claimed by black cab drivers.

An initial hearing could be held within the next few weeks but a ruling is not expected for months.

Leon Daniels, TfL’s managing director of surface transport, said: “We have not treated, and do not treat, Uber any differently to any other London operator and we are satisfied that Uber complies with private hire licensing requirements.

“Where the requirements are met, we are legally obliged to grant an operator’s licence.”

Black cab drivers, who have to do several years’ training before they can ply their trade, are calling the latest in a string of strikes on the issue on Tuesday May 26. The United Cabbies Group hopes thousands of taxis will drive slowly between Victoria Station and TfL’s headquarters in nearby St James’s.

source: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/94f482f4-0086 ... z3b8ZIItNj

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