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Many drivers will remember Steve Norris as the Conservative
Minister of Transport for London. Now that he is a definite challenger to Ken
Livingstone at the next London Mayoral elections, Dial-a-Cab’s Call Sign
Magazine Editor, Alan Fisher, decided to ask Mr Norris some questions…
Call Sign: Unlike the last Mayoral election, you
are not standing as a Tory this time. Are there any major differences in your
philosophy as a Tory or as an Independent?
Steve Norris: It is quite untrue that I am
standing as an independent. I think the confusion arose because as usual, a
journalist repeated a half-truth to another who printed half of it. The usual
story! For the record, I’m very happy to be the Conservative candidate for
Mayor and my website (www.norrisforlondon.org.uk) explicitly says so. But, and
there is a big but, I’ve often said that anyone who voted for me simply
because I am a Conservative would be missing the point. In this election people
should vote for the candidate they think will put London first rather than any
political party. I’m very comfortable as a Tory, but in this election I am
standing for London. Whether the Prime Minister is a Conservative or New Labour
makes no difference to me. I will do the best deal I can for London with either
of them.
CS: As the Minister for Transport for London in the last Conservative
government, it was you who first mooted the licensing of private hire. Looking
at how the current situation stands, is there anything you would have done
differently?
Steve Norris: I always believed it was right to control unlicensed
private hire. It was intolerable that vulnerable passengers could be carried in
London by drivers with no licence, no insurance, no knowledge of the city, an
unroadworthy vehicle and a long criminal record. My regret is that so far the
new regulations are very expensive to implement, but have produced little
visible benefit in terms of ridding the capital of the touts who are still in
evidence at stations and all over the West End.
CS: During your period in government, you were quoted as saying that
minicabs (ie private hire) would never be allowed to ply for hire so long as
you were Minister. Has your view changed and if elected Mayor of London, would
that view remain…?
Steve Norris: My view has not changed. The right to ply for hire is the
exclusive right of the licensed taxi.
CS: You have said that if elected Mayor of London, you would discontinue
with the Congestion Charge. Is that still your intention and if so, how would
you deal with the volume of traffic that would again return to London’s
streets?
Steve Norris: I will cancel the congestion
charge, which is costing London hundreds of millions of pounds and yet affects
about 6% of the city. It is a typical anti-car gesture by a mayor who hardly
knows the way out of Zone 1 except to go home to Cricklewood. In its place I
would:
1. Rephase traffic lights to restore common sense
2. Restore road space that has been removed without any
benefit being conveyed to vehicle traffic.
3. Enforce Bus lanes properly, including removing the ban on
taxis in some bus lanes. This is a needless distraction and quite
unnecessary whatever Transport for London may say.
4. Enforce yellow box junctions
5. Provide safe routes to school for every London school
6. Look at a restriction on HGV and white van traffic
such as applies to every other
major city in some form or other 7. Ensure that roadworks are carried out as
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quickly as
possible including routine 24 hour working. The initial extra overtime
cost is massively overshadowed by cost to London’s economy as a whole.
And the virtue of all these measures is that they apply across the
whole of 33 boroughs, not just the parks and palaces of Zone 1. London
needs proper traffic management, not a ban on traffic. Incidentally, if
you want to ban traffic during the day, why not put up some very cheap no
entry signs? Surely that would be fairer than a system which bans poorer
drivers and which richer drivers benefit from most!
CS: Most leaders of taxi trade organisations, in addition to many
drivers, believe that we should be represented on Transport for London (TfL).
All requests have so far been rejected including one now-famous quote on a
live radio phone-in where it was stated that if taxi drivers were
included, they (TfL) would have to have everyone "including street
entertainers!" If elected as Mayor, how would you feel about the
licensed taxi trade having a representative within TfL?
Steve Norris: I believe the taxi trade
should be represented on TfL. I remember one of my favourite quotes from
an excellent management skills book I once read: "It is useful to
have someone on the board of directors who knows where the factory
is." ‘Nuff said!
CS: The Knowledge of London is considered by many to be the
backbone of our trade. You in the past have
suggested that it will become irrelevant as satellite navigation systems
get better. Has your view changed either way?
Steve Norris: There is no doubt that
over time the technology available in virtually all cars will replicate
much of what a driver now has to learn. That does not mean, however, that
the Knowledge test will disappear and certainly not for the foreseeable
future as far as I am concerned. I am a great believer in that old maxim
that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it…
CS: The trade has for some time been in disagreement with TfL over
the exclusion of taxis from some important bus lanes, such as those along
Islington High Street and Bishopsgate. Many of our drivers have been
issued with Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) for either setting down or
picking up passengers in these lanes. What is your view on taxis using bus
lanes?
Steve Norris: As indicated above, I would remove restrictions on
taxis in bus lanes.
CS: Ken Livingstone is currently flooding London with buses, with
some even going down quiet residential streets (such as Draycott Place in
Chelsea much to the concern of many local residents). A good public
transport system is of great benefit to the taxi trade, but many feel that
this proliferation of buses is heading out of control. Do you have a view
on the subject?
Steve Norris: The explosion in the bus
budget under Livingstone is an absolute scandal. He has landed the city
with half a billion a year of costs he has no money for. His response is
to tell the government they will have to pay. So far they have
understandably rejected his totally irresponsible line. That means huge
extra council tax bills from Livingstone, which will hit every Londoner
including the millions on low and fixed incomes who still don’t benefit
from all these extra buses. It makes me really angry to see the old GLC
irresponsible nonsense repeating itself once again and very few
journalists prepared to expose the scandal for what it is.CS:
The PCO/TfL has issued a document that recommends allowing
private hire cars to advertise on the outside of their vehicles. This
policy would surely make it
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immeasurably easier for these vehicles to tout
for business. As Mayor, would you be happy to go along with this proposed
policy?
Steve Norris: Let me make it clear that
I will not tolerate touting. It is totally unacceptable particularly given
the availability of licensed taxis and I want to see every patrolling
police officer call into their local station every night, not just once in
a blue moon, to make sure the touts are taken out of circulation along
with their vehicles. Touting is the type of low level offending
that law abiding people see going unchecked every day and thus adds to the
sense of a city which is becoming progressively less safe every day. So
doing something significant about touting is not just to help the licensed
trade, but also to reduce fear of crime and improve the quality of life
for all Londoners. I also confirm that any licensed private hire driver
that plies for hire will lose his license. As simple as that.
As far as advertising is concerned, I have no objection to some form of
identification particularly as this could make enforcement of illegal
plying easier, but I’d want to sit down with all those with an interest
in the issue to thrash out the most sensible way forward.
Call Sign: As of next July, no cab over 12 years old will be passed
for use as a London Taxi unless it meets the Euro 1 requirements, which
involves having a gas conversion. This is going to have a devastating
effect on the second hand cab market because even those cabs with 2 or 3
years to go will be unsellable as they approach the end of their new
working lives. As a former Minister, you are very aware of the high
standards that the PCO place on old (and new) taxis before they are
licensed. What is your view on the 12-year situation…?
Steve Norris: Age should never be the
issue, if the cab conforms to a particular physical or emission
requirement then that should be sufficient. I would scrap any specific age
requirement. Incidentally, I was faced with exactly the same issue when I
was Minister for Transport in London because I was lobbied to put an age
limit on cabs in respect of wheelchair access and I said no then for the
same reason.
CS: We are no longer allowed to charge for extra passengers. If you
were the Mayor, would you have taken this step?
Steve Norris: No, if elected I will restore the extras. I know of no
other transport system in the world, however subsidised, where five travel
routinely for the same price as one.
CS: Taxi drivers who work during evening hours now find it
difficult to even get close to theatres at finishing time due to the
number of Pedicabs parked outside. Do you have a view on Pedicabs?
Steve Norris: I agree pedicabs are an irritant. They may be amusing
and have some appeal for tourists, but if they get in the way of allowing
London traffic to circulate then we have to look at the relevant
regulations to see what can be done. They are a new phenomenon so I am not
sure of the law here without seeking detailed advice, but I just note in
passing that any environmental advantage of pedicabs is offset by the
extra pollution from other traffic that is held up behind them.
CS: If you had to describe the London taxi trade in 20 words or
less, what would they be?
Steve Norris: Without doubt the finest
taxi system in the world. And a vital part of London’s brand as a great
city…
CS: Thank you…
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