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Carole Fresco Last month I complained that with everyone going away, I had little left to write about. I now realise how totally unimportant in the great scheme of things, that statement really was. On Sunday 9 August, Linda’s closest friend Carole – wife of TAXI columnist Al Fresco – passed away in Barts Hospital, just six weeks and three days after being diagnosed with cancer. That diagnosis came on Linda’s birthday. Alan and I have been friends for many years, but it was the friendship between our wives that took centre stage. They went everywhere together – from the hairdressers to the gym to the shops. They were often described as being like sisters. Carole’s death has left her family distraught, but in her own way Linda felt many of the emotions Alan, Gavyn and Danny had to bear as her best friend slowly weakened. We were at the hospital every day and watched helplessly as Carole fought so hard against her illness. I also watched Linda’s tears as we left Carole’s bedside each evening. Sadly, the initial diagnosis had come too late and any chance of a recovery was just not to be. It is often the way that those who have passed away before their time are portrayed as being loved and I have no doubt that is true on many occasions. But I think I can truly say that everyone loved Carole. She never had a bad word to say about anyone and both Linda and I were heartbroken as her time came – just 6 days before her birthday. The four of us had tickets for the Open Air Theatre at Regents Park to help celebrate the day. Never in a million years could we have guessed at the time of booking that Carole would no longer be with us. All the Fresco family know what Linda and I thought of Carole and we don’t need to repeat it here, other than to say that we miss her terribly. Smart cars not so smart? Demise of the Taxi Board |
 collapse behind him. LTI and the LMCPA (proprietors) followed closely and as just one organisation was left at the time of writing and it was over their activities at Heathrow that the exodus began, it seems unlikely that the group will reform. My own view is that the three should have stayed and forced the other circuit out via a vote of no confidence, however, then with just DaC left as a taxi driver organisation, the LTB would have then carried too little weight. There will be those who say that it carried no weight anyway, but they would be very wrong. I’ve heard criticism on internet chat rooms for years that claimed the LTB was unelected and did nothing. Well, it may well consist of unelected representatives, but as the majority of the trade belong to nothing anyway and are happy to accept any benefits such as fare increases etc, then few really care because the world is full of groups consisting of representatives of other groups within their field. And of course the LTB cost drivers nothing! The question is whether the LTB accomplished anything and they certainly did that. I had listed several of the things they had successfully done, but the Chairman’s Report in this issue has a piece on the LTB and some of their achievements, so I am leaving that to him. However, I have published numerous reports in previous Call Signs involving meetings that Brian Rice has attended wearing his LTB hat and which were of tremendous benefit to our trade. But if those who are cheering its demise can give me a good reason how we would have been better off without speaking to MPs and the Mayor’s office etc, I’d be interested in hearing it. But please don’t give me any rubbish about them being "unelected" ‘cos that doesn’t wash with me. If they have done no good, then I’m happy to listen… United trade? |
being presented with a PCN from a
Westminster Parking Officer whilst looking for a job outside the Haymarket
club. He was legitimately upset, bearing in mind the non-stop touting that
consistently goes on there. That led to the drive-in. Call Sign later heard later that a representative of the LCDC – who as part of the Joint Ranks Committee had been negotiating a 9-cab rank outside the club - phoned Westminster Council’s Director of Transportation, Martin Low, to complain about the PCN and was told that Mr Tank’s ticket would be cancelled if the ticket number were passed over to him. Considering some of the negative publicity Mr Low has racked up from the trade press, this was a nice gesture from both Mr Low and the LCDC. Was this some new trade solidarity? This magazine and the LCDC are not known for being buddies, but we believed that this was a good example of the trade finally understanding that unity is our best chance and of the good we can do by sticking together. In addition, a negotiated rank outside Tiger Tiger would have been a great result. However, we were later told that the aforementioned Mr Tank told the LCDC to mind their own business and that if they were looking for a headline for The Badge, they should get their own parking ticket! Ah well, back to Heathrow then…!
Not so angelic! Second class female PH drivers? Alan Fisher |
