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TX4 taxis and press releases… Well, when September began, I could never have imagined that over 1000 Call Signs being stuck in sorting offices all over the south east of England would come nowhere near not being my biggest problem of the month. Not by a long chalk… Then we began hearing about 56 registered TX4s catching fire and all the TV and radio news channels making it into a headline story, you knew then the trade was in for a bumpy ride. Amazingly, the last to officially know about the problem were the drivers. LTI obviously knew from the first cab catching alight and were looking at why. There was no need to inform anyone at that time because these things happen – rarely perhaps – but nothing is impossible. By July 31, that one cab had become two and the PCO were informed. The trade weren’t. When the number reached 7 in London, the story broke and suddenly the trade press began receiving notices, ending up with several from the PCO, LTI and TfL. They all gave a similar version of events and said that 56 registered TX4s would have to go for a safety check. When cleared and given a stamp confirming that, they would be ok to return to work. Then came a further press release literally hours after the ‘ok to work’ batch. This one pulled all 56 reg cabs off the streets immediately and came at 8pm on a Friday evening. Press releases are one thing and we have no doubt that the earlier information was true at the time, but to pull all the 56 cabs at 8pm on a Friday evening giving them almost no chance of weekend work? Could it be that the PCO are showing signs of panic? Why was the press release with the suspensions signed by both Mary Dowdye and Ed Thompson. We never have two signatures on a press release. I have no doubt that LTI will solve the problem, but I do not believe that our licensing authority and their bosses have come out of this well. The sooner the matter is put to rest, the better. In the meantime, you can read the story of Richard Hennessey in this issue. His burnt-out TX4 made number eight… LTI and the credit crunch |
 financial assistance from
Intelligent Energy and Lotus Engineering. The target is to be ready for the
2012 London Olympics. Black Mercs Colin Salmon (N81), as you will read in this issue, loves his Mercedes Vito. I have put my faith into a new TX4. No it hasn’t caught fire and yes, it drives like a dream. However, Colin tells this mag that his Merc also drives beautifully. During our chat, it became obvious that whilst our thinking on taxi driving was very close, our views on the taxis we drive were quite the opposite. But we were agreed on one thing; if you choose to drive the Mercedes Vito, you should stick to the colour of black, which at least is the natural colour of London licensed taxis and does give the Merc something of that traditional look. The current in-colour of silver does nothing to help recognition and does indeed make it look like a people carrier… PS. My DAB digi radio with the TX4 is wonderful. At long last I can listen to Spurs losing on 5Live without any interference! No pump at Aldgate! When I was young, just a few years back, I knew that whenever I walked past the Aldgate Pump at the junction of Fenchurch at Leadenhall Streets, I was leaving the east end and closing in on the west end. In those days, the City was a quiet place where very little |
happened and which closed at 5pm. Anyone
working there would be over 40, usually wear a bowler hat, carry a rolled-up
umbrella and have the ability to whisper. Nowadays the City has become an asylum where you are washed up by 35 and the Aldgate Pump is now purely decorative, because Aldgate is now also part of the City – and the way things are going, the only way you will be able to get to Aldgate is by the way I did in those younger days – walk! See inside this issue for the real reason that TfL and the good old London Corporation are allowing Aldgate to become a no-go zone for motorists. And it isn’t the official reason about creating open space!
Lou Gitlin Nanny! On that last occasion I picked her up, it was just her and four very young children who I assumed were her grandchildren. They were going to a local Chinese restaurant and because children don’t know how to speak quietly, I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation – most of it revolving around what they would have to eat. But the loveliest part was that to these four well-behaved children, this wasn’t acclaimed British actress; Felicity Kendal, this lady to them was just Nanny! Such small things can create the biggest smiles! And… Alan Fisher |
