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Every issue of Call Sign takes a look back at ODRTS history through the pages of the magazines of the time with a Flashback… DIAL-A-CAB FLASHBACK |
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Two months back, Call Sign
mentioned the first DaC girl we had used as a sort of pin-up, but
couldn’t remember her name – only the Harley she was perched on! So
just for all those drivers that begged us to find her, here she is –
Michelle Anderson…
From Call Sign, November 1997… Good luck Michelle |
Dial-a-Cab control room for the
discomfort of a bicycle seat and a trip across Egypt! She flies out
on November 30th, hoping to complete the long bike ride in six days
and to raise much-needed funds for Mencap. Anyone wishing to add to the money Michelle has already raised by fair and fowl means (she dressed as a chicken outside a supermarket) can leave it in the Call Sign cubbyhole at Brunswick House. Everyone at DaC wishes Michelle the best of luck and all we can add is that we think we’ll |
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PH and external advertising… and Barry! |
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The last time Dial-a-Cab driver
Barry Spear (Y16) sent Call Sign a photograph as
evidence of a misdemeanour, it caused a huge shock to all London
taxi drivers. The photo was of an out-of-town taxi from Sevenoaks
that was using the M4 bus and taxi lane. We said we’d check just to
confirm they were for London taxis only and were shocked to discover
from Transport for London that any licensed taxi from
anywhere in England or Wales could use our taxi lanes. Call Sign then spoke to Luke Richard, the PCO’s Senior Strategy Integration Officer, and he confirmed that TfL were correct and any licensed taxi from anywhere in England or Wales CAN use |
our taxi lanes – unless
there was a specific sign saying London taxis only. That did, of
course, also mean that London taxi drivers can use bus and taxi
lanes anywhere in England or Wales too, provided the bus lane sign
doesn’t say local taxis only and they are, of course, in
their taxi. PH cannot use the lanes. Luke also confirmed that any coach licensed for at least 8 passengers and the driver could use all bus lanes. So when Barry sent us another picture as evidence, we were reluctant to bring it into the open because of that last experience! This time he sent a photo of a London private hire car with advertising on its door panels. |
 Barry’s photo showing licensed PH with illegal door ads. If you see the numbers. TFL want to know about it... |
| "I thought they weren’t allowed to do that," said Barry using perhaps a somewhat more colourful language! We put our brave face on and called TfL to see whether anything had changed, bearing in mind Barry’s last piece of evidence. But no, TfL confirmed that private hire vehicles licensed for London cannot have advertising on the side of the car. They can have it on their rear windscreen and a small phone number near the PCO plate, but nothing on the side. TfL also ask any Dial-a-Cab drivers to let them know if they see door ads on PH cars. Second time lucky, Barry…! | ||
