Taxi Driver Online

Hospital Rank Denied As Cabbies Suffer;

Black cab drivers are not earning the minimum wage according to the London Cab Drivers Club

1st October 2008

A bid to set up a taxi rank outside a hospital has been turned down by health chiefs as cabbies battle against the credit crunch.

The London Cab Drivers Club wants to set up a rank outside Farnborough's Princess Royal University Hospital for patients and staff.

But Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust has denied its request, stating there is not enough space for the iconic black cabs.

The club has around 1,000 members and its secretary Steve Eagle says that the new rank would help generate extra business for black cab drivers.

Mr Eagle, himself a black cab driver from Chatham in Kent but working in London, said: "Things have changed a lot in London and it is tough out there for our drivers.

"The rank at the hospital would mean patients and staff could make their own way home and give them a bit of independence.

"We pick up a lot of hospital staff up from Orpington station in the mornings but then they can't get back in the evenings.

"Our members are struggling to pay their bills at the moment which is why we need to try and open more ranks for them - black cab drivers are struggling to make ends meet.

"A lot of our work is stolen by minicabs and drivers are not even earning the minimum wage now.

He added: "With the cost of fuel going up and the credit crunch, everything is playing its part."

The London Cab Drivers Club was founded in 1989 and represents the interests of black cabbies in the capital.

A spokesman for the hospital said: "Our taxi needs are currently fulfilled for patients, visitors and staff by a private cab company with whom we have a contract.

"This works extremely well for all parties concerned and avoids the need to turn valuable car park space into a rank for standing taxis."


Source; newsshopper.co.uk

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

That may well be the case, but there must be a main road somewhere near where a rank can be painted up.

_________________
IDFIMH

What a lot of sheeite. Typical o.t.t tactics by the militant pensioners dining club.



1 - If you’re over 68.
2- All 900 of their members, not 26'000 drivers.

Wonder which committee members suing the club this week?

'The London Cab Drivers In-fighting Club - Taking the trade backwards since 1989 . . . .'

Agree with you there GBC, it's one thing to be fighting for the benefit of taxi drivers; i'm with them 100% in trying to improve our lot by getting new ranks painted up etc but it annoys me when they go on and say:-



Firstly, and i can't believe i'm defending the PH lot but the work is not being stolen by them unless they are openly touting their services, if they are registered and licensed then sadly it's competition and one which we have to get used to.

Secondly, find me driver earning below the minimum wage. Granted that occasionally you may have an hour or so where through bad luck etc you may earn a big fat zero or at most a fiver having waited at Paddington for 30 minutes then got a job to Queensway before returning to Paddington to repeat the process but below minimum wage ? leave off!!

The people who read these papers or who they complain to are not stupid, they know that if a driver were really to be earning below the minimum wage he wouldn't be doing it, indeed if any London cabbie is earnig below that rate may i suggest you get the hell out the job and perhaps consider either becoming a PH driver (i know pride wouldn't allow such things), a traffic warden or perhaps a community support officer or London underground station staff (both around 24k with great holidays, pension, perks etc).

By making these claims the LCDC lose any credibility they may otherwise have gained; it's a sensationalist tactic that really doesn't work, better i think to state the case properly using valid and justifiable arguments.

In fairness it is aimed at suburban drivers in the SE sector 8 (?)

Now I know things are not as busy down there as say Knightsbridge / Brompton Road, but having worked Lewisham Station a few times when we lived down in Sidcup for a year it was far from quiet, especially at night into the small hours.

As Bart (Yellow Badge holder) says, there's a lot of good radio work on the Taxi card scheme, but as always most lads prefer to moan than better they're lot.

Besides, don't all the yellow badges have a permit to come up town after it gets dark?




I feel your going a bit far suggesting drivers become PCSO's though.

well perhaps my tongue was firmly planted in my cheek at that point

At Northwick park Hospital the rank was taken away because the hospital wanted to charge the drivers for the two spaces. But every day you can find PHV drivers there openly touting for fares at the main entrance.
The patients some with Cab cards are only too ready to use minicabs because of the terrible service given by Com cab. People were left for hours waiting.
The old local radio Taxi company gave a great service but Com cab took them over then sold off their office to a mini cab firm.

source, just talk to any driver on Harrow on the hill station rank.

Ah, that must be down to the evil forces of TFL and the LTDA as well.

Does anyone in the world (apart from your fake nephew/alter ego) who is'nt conspiring against you?

Are you paranoid?