Taxi Driver Online

GMB member assaulted and injured as two men carjack his Mercedes chauffeur vehicle


At 15.45 yesterday (Sunday 3rd February 2008) at Sovereign Court on Sipson Road, Heathrow Airport two men, in their twenties, subjected a GMB member, who works as a chauffeur, to a carjacking. One of the men struck a blow to the rear of the vehicle which made a loud banging noise. The chauffeur driver, who was about to leave to pick up a passenger from the airport, got out to investigate. As he was dealing with the man at the rear of the vehicle a second man jumped into the driver’s seat and started to drive the vehicle away. The chauffeur driver attempted to stop him and was dragged, by the moving vehicle, for some distance before he lost his grip.


He suffered injuries to his wrist, arm and knee and to the side of his body. He had to attend an accident and emergency unit in hospital to receive treatment for his injuries. He was working at Heathrow Airport for a chauffeur company called Sovereign Chauffeurs based in Canary Wharf. He is currently unable to work due to his injuries and the lack of car. His Mercedes S Class cdi registration KN05 DPY, which cost £60,000 when new, was insured for £44,000. The car was later involved in a police chase. It was subsequently recovered after it had been crashed into a brick wall in West London. There are witnesses to the carjacking.


Terence Flanagan, GMB Professional Drivers Branch Secretary said, “This vicious attack on our member and the carjacking of his vehicle comes days after GMB warned of the increasing violence being meted out by the public to professional drivers.


GMB want to see coordinated action by everybody involved in the industry to minimize and eliminate the avoidable risks to which GMB members are exposed. GMB want to see CCTV in passenger vehicles and in the places where the cars wait for passengers. GMB want to see the specialist insurance companies who deal with professional drivers amending the insurance policies to cover the full gamut of the damages to drivers, their vehicles and their livelihoods that are now commonplace in the industry. GMB will be seeking meetings with the relevant bodies to learn the lessons from this carjacking.”


Ends


Contact: Terence Flanagan, GMB Professional Drivers Branch Secretary on 07958 275339 or GMB Press Office: Steve Pryle on 07921 289880 or Rose Conroy on 07974 251823.

_________________
Mick Hildreth (07814 032002)
GMB PDB P39 Southern Region Branch Secretary
mick.hildreth@gmbtaxis.org.uk
www.gmbpdb.org.uk

GMB 22/24 Worple Road LONDON SW19 4DD Tel: 020 8971 4209 Fax: 020 8944 6139 www.gmb.org.uk

Thursday 7th February 2008
PRESS RELEASE
1 of 2 pages
Immediate Release
Attention: News desk, Transport, Finance and Industrial Correspondents

GMB WELCOME SUPPORT FROM INSURANCE AND CAR HIRE COMPANIES FOR CHAUFFEUR SUBJECTED TO CARJACKING AT HEATHROW AIRPORT
Direct Chauffer Line and MSL Legal Expenses car hire company generously support GMB member assaulted and injured

A GMB member working as a chauffeur, who was subject to car jacking at Heathrow airport last weekend, is being supported by his insurance company Direct Chauffeur Line and car hire company MSL Legal Expenses. These companies have generously agreed to supply him with a replacement Mercedes S Class to enable him to continue to earn his living. This is while his own car is being repaired even though his level of insurance did not require them to do so. GMB welcome this outstanding level of support and care.

This follows an incident when at 15.45 Sunday 3rd February 2008 at Sovereign Court on Sipson Road, Heathrow Airport two men, in their twenties, subjected a GMB member, who works as a chauffeur, to a carjacking. One of the men struck a blow to the rear of the vehicle which made a loud banging noise. The chauffeur driver, who was about to leave to pick up a passenger from the airport, got out to investigate. As he was dealing with the man at the rear of the vehicle a second man jumped into the driver’s seat and started to drive the vehicle away. The chauffeur driver attempted to stop him and was dragged, by the moving vehicle, for some distance before he lost his grip.

He suffered injuries to his wrist, arm and knee and to the side of his body. He had to attend an accident and emergency unit in hospital to receive treatment for his injuries. He was working at Heathrow Airport for a chauffeur company called Sovereign Chauffeurs based in Canary Wharf. He is currently unable to work due to his injuries and the lack of car. His Mercedes S Class cdi registration KN05 DPY, which cost £60,000 when new, was insured for £44,000. The car was later involved in a police chase. It was subsequently recovered after it had been crashed into a brick wall in West London and is currently being repaired.

Terence Flanagan, GMB Professional Drivers Branch Secretary said, “GMB is very grateful to the support that this GMB chauffeur member has received from these two companies. They have enable him to get back to work while his damaged vehicle in being repaired. They did not have to do this as his level of insurance did not cover him for this kind of incident. This support underlines the absolute necessity of professional drivers having the correct insurance cover to enable them to deal with the aftermath of the increasing violence to which they are increasing subjected. GMB and these two companies will now step up our efforts to ensure that GMB members have the right level of insurance cover for their work.






This fits in with GMB’s campaign to see coordinated action by everybody involved in the industry to minimize and eliminate the avoidable risks to which GMB members are exposed. GMB want to see CCTV in passenger vehicles and in the places where the cars wait for passengers. GMB want to see the specialist insurance companies who deal with professional drivers amending the insurance policies to cover the full gamut of the damages to drivers, their vehicles and their livelihoods that are now commonplace in the industry. GMB will be seeking meetings with the relevant bodies to learn the lessons from this carjacking.”

Andy Hussey, Managing Director of Direct Chauffeur Line said, ‘I was very saddened to hear of the dreadful attack on one of our clients, and pleased to be able to provide him with a replacement car. I understand how important it is for him to keep on the road and hope that he will be well enough to sit behind the wheel again soon. I should like to take this opportunity of wishing him a speedy recovery and hope, for the sake of all drivers, that the police soon catch up with the criminals who perpetrated this distressing crime.’

Ends

Contact: Terence Flanagan, GMB Professional Drivers Branch Secretary on 07958 275339 or Andy Hussey, Director of Direct Chauffeur Line on 0845 3304460 or GMB Press Office: Steve Pryle on 07921 289880 or Rose Conroy on 07974 251823.

_________________
Mick Hildreth (07814 032002)
GMB PDB P39 Southern Region Branch Secretary
mick.hildreth@gmbtaxis.org.uk
www.gmbpdb.org.uk

Direct Chauffer Line and MSL Legal Expenses car hire company generously support GMB member assaulted and injured
7 Feb 2008

A GMB member working as a chauffeur, who was subject to car jacking at Heathrow airport last weekend, is being supported by his insurance company Direct Chauffeur Line and car hire company MSL Legal Expenses. These companies have generously agreed to supply him with a replacement Mercedes S Class to enable him to continue to earn his living. This is while his own car is being repaired even though his level of insurance did not require them to do so. GMB welcome this outstanding level of support and care.


This follows an incident when at 15.45 Sunday 3rd February 2008 at Sovereign Court on Sipson Road, Heathrow Airport two men, in their twenties, subjected a GMB member, who works as a chauffeur, to a carjacking. One of the men struck a blow to the rear of the vehicle which made a loud banging noise. The chauffeur driver, who was about to leave to pick up a passenger from the airport, got out to investigate. As he was dealing with the man at the rear of the vehicle a second man jumped into the driver’s seat and started to drive the vehicle away. The chauffeur driver attempted to stop him and was dragged, by the moving vehicle, for some distance before he lost his grip.


He suffered injuries to his wrist, arm and knee and to the side of his body. He had to attend an accident and emergency unit in hospital to receive treatment for his injuries. He was working at Heathrow Airport for a chauffeur company called Sovereign Chauffeurs based in Canary Wharf. He is currently unable to work due to his injuries and the lack of car. His Mercedes S Class cdi registration KN05 DPY, which cost £60,000 when new, was insured for £44,000. The car was later involved in a police chase. It was subsequently recovered after it had been crashed into a brick wall in West London and is currently being repaired.


Terence Flanagan, GMB Professional Drivers Branch Secretary said, “GMB is very grateful to the support that this GMB chauffeur member has received from these two companies. They have enable him to get back to work while his damaged vehicle in being repaired. They did not have to do this as his level of insurance did not cover him for this kind of incident. This support underlines the absolute necessity of professional drivers having the correct insurance cover to enable them to deal with the aftermath of the increasing violence to which they are increasing subjected. GMB and these two companies will now step up our efforts to ensure that GMB members have the right level of insurance cover for their work.

This fits in with GMB’s campaign to see coordinated action by everybody involved in the industry to minimize and eliminate the avoidable risks to which GMB members are exposed. GMB want to see CCTV in passenger vehicles and in the places where the cars wait for passengers. GMB want to see the specialist insurance companies who deal with professional drivers amending the insurance policies to cover the full gamut of the damages to drivers, their vehicles and their livelihoods that are now commonplace in the industry. GMB will be seeking meetings with the relevant bodies to learn the lessons from this carjacking.”


Andy Hussey, Managing Director of Direct Chauffeur Line said, ‘I was very saddened to hear of the dreadful attack on one of our clients, and pleased to be able to provide him with a replacement car. I understand how important it is for him to keep on the road and hope that he will be well enough to sit behind the wheel again soon. I should like to take this opportunity of wishing him a speedy recovery and hope, for the sake of all drivers, that the police soon catch up with the criminals who perpetrated this distressing crime.’


Ends


Contact: Terence Flanagan, GMB Professional Drivers Branch Secretary on 07958 275339 or Andy Hussey, Director of Direct Chauffeur Line on 0845 3304460 or GMB Press Office: Steve Pryle on 07921 289880 or Rose Conroy on 07974 251823.

_________________
Mick Hildreth (07814 032002)
GMB PDB P39 Southern Region Branch Secretary
mick.hildreth@gmbtaxis.org.uk
www.gmbpdb.org.uk

Was it a licensed car

Hi tcabbie,

It was a licensed London Private Hire driver and car.

Regards
BB

_________________
Mick Hildreth (07814 032002)
GMB PDB P39 Southern Region Branch Secretary
mick.hildreth@gmbtaxis.org.uk
www.gmbpdb.org.uk