Turnover Increase
We are now well into our current financial year which began on 1 September 2003 and I’m pleased to be able to report that up to and including the end of December 2003, our turnover was up from (aprox) £10.7 million in 2002 to £12.1 million in 2003 - an increase in excess of 13%. In addition, the numbers of trips that you completed were up by some 4.4% on the previous year. 
   There is no doubt that things are improving, with the trend for most industries moving in an upwardly direction and we have to hope that this trend continues for the foreseeable future. Personally, I feel extremely optimistic that it will continue, always of course, on the assumption that there are no major disasters. 
   There is certainly an air of optimism in the City, one which is percolating through into our industry and I have no doubt that, as usual, the Taxi trade is probably the best economic barometer for London and the South East as we in this business are always the first to feel any movement - whether it be up or down - within the economy.

Heathrow Terminal 3
Many Dial-a-Cab subscribers will be aware that there is currently a major refurbishment and extension programme taking place at Heathrow’s Terminal 3. This is mainly due to the new, larger generation of intercontinental airliners that will be despatching their passengers at this terminal. 
Because of this increase in load of both passengers and luggage, the terminal will have to be extended in order to accommodate three extra conveyor belts for luggage unloading and of course, to accommodate the extra passengers. During the building works, it will become necessary for Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) to move the radio Taxi pick-up point. They moved it for the first time some two weeks ago, so that it is currently just to the right of the exit of the rank on Terminal 3. In around six weeks or so, HAL will be forced to move the pick-up point again as the building works progress, but again, it will be within the immediate vicinity of the main Taxi rank. 

   I have been shown all the various positions that the pick-up point will occupy over the coming months and they will all be within the immediate vicinity of the main rank. When the pick-up point is moved, the telephone that connects to the Taxi information desk will be moved along with it. So the point that I’m making is that if you have to pick up a radio job on Terminal 3, please be prepared to look for the new pick-up point as it might possibly have moved since you last picked up there! 
   While on the subject of Heathrow, can I remind you that HAL allow us these pick-up points as a concession and the last thing that we would wish to do is cause them any unnecessary problems. They are at liberty to revoke this concession at any time, so if you have any problems locating the pick-up point, then I would suggest that you ask the person in authority on the rank exactly where the new pick-up point is located. 
   I use the term ‘person in authority’ on the rank because as of 1 February - which will probably be 1 March - the wardens at Heathrow who service the Taxi ranks will be disbanded and replaced by a private company called Meteor. It would appear that they are part of the Go Ahead Group and that they have the franchise to operate the feeder park along with the ranks for the next five years. 

Taxi Regulation at Heathrow
Incidentally, and still on the subject of Heathrow, a new computer system will be installed in April/May to regulate taxis. It’s a French system called Taxi Expert and is similar to the computer system that regulates taxis at Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris. I am reliably informed that it will be installed at considerable expense to HAL, so

much so that the cost of the entrance fee to the feeder park  will be increased from the current £2.71 by possibly £1 - taking it close to £4 mark. 
   In my opinion, I believe it to be highly probable that for the first time, Transport for London (TfL) will allow part of the entrance fee to be charged as an ‘extra’ on the meter – I’d hazard a guess at that ‘extra’ being £1. 
   If my suspicions are correct and that turns out to be the case, then it opens up a whole can of worms. Let’s assume that the increase is put on the meter, where will it then stop? Will all London’s railway stations adopt the same policy and charge us to enter their forecourts knowing that a charge can be passed on to the customer – it makes you think…?

Cecil Selwyn
Cecil Selwyn passed away at the end of last year and was buried on New Year’s Day. I’d known Cecil for around ten years and we were Board Members together under Aubrey Siteman’s Chairmanship. Cecil retired from Dial-a-Cab a few years back and whatever anyone’s views of Cecil, no one can doubt that he was most definitely one of the characters within our trade! I would like to offer my sincere condolences to his widow Denise and his family.

And Last But Not Least - The 2003 AGM…!
As a customary reminder, don’t forget that the Dial-a-Cab AGM will be held on Sunday 8 February at The Brewery in Chiswell Street with the meeting commencing at 11am sharp and 
you should all have received your Ballot papers by now. 
   Those of you who intend voting by post, please remember that the Ballot papers have to be with the ERBS by 6 February. Should you vote by post and then decide that you can after all attend, then you still can, but of course you cannot vote twice. 
   Again as a reminder, I must remind you that if you do not vote by post OR attend the AGM, then you will incur a £50 fine. 
I look forward to seeing you all there…

Brian Rice, Chairman
Dial-a-Cab