Call Sign December 2010 - Page 18 - Will you work during the Olympics?

Dial-a-Cab driver Bernie Silver (G08) has been around the block a few times since coming to DaC on 31 January 1975. He told Call Sign that while he still has the occasional moan, most of those moans revolve around the conditions we work under in London rather than anything in DaC itself. One pet hate is the hole in the road in Finsbury Pavement just as you turn left from Bernie’s second home at Finsbury Square! "I’ve written to fixmystreets.com several times and they’re just trying to fob me off," an irritated Bernie told us, "so that’s one current moan that irritates me. That hole has been there so long, many drivers are beginning to think it’s just a normal dip in the road!" But just a few weeks ago, Bernie called this magazine to tell us of a small survey he had just completed. Of eight drivers, seven told him that they didn’t think they would be working during the London Olympics and Paralympics, which will be held from 27 July to 12 August 2012. And bearing in mind that in just four weeks time it will be 2011, it isn’t as though we are talking years for those planning to book a holiday during the London Summer Games. If you live to the east of the capital, you must have noticed the way the Olympic site has been developing – the stadium itself – which is even taller than Nelson’s Column - the amazing velodrome and BMX circuit, the aquatics centre, the competitor’s village and just the site itself, which gives the impression that London is well ahead of schedule in its building work. However, we aren’t athletes. Our concern is that at a time notorious as being the quietest part of the summer when the kids are on holiday from school, will all the extra work the Games bring in be worth the hassle we will get through horrific traffic conditions? These will be exasipated by the Olympic Route Network that ban everyone – including taxis – except those linked to the Games, from athletes to Olympic committee members. That means we will be sharing road space with thousands of extra vehicles heading towards Stratford and without any doubt into massive traffic jams. Then when we arrive at the Games, where will we be setting down and will there be provision for picking	Call Sign asked Dial-a-Cab drivers... Will you work during the Olympics?
	Bernie Silver gave Call Sign the idea to ask drivers if they intended working during the London Olympics?
	up – perhaps as Wimbledon tennis fortnight has? We know that DaC Chairman Brian Rice has spoken to the organising committee on several occasions about possible problems involving taxis, but as yet there is still nothing definite about picking up or setting down. But he was told that licensed taxis will definitely not have access to the Olympic Route Network. Among those routes will be the Blackwall Tunnel, Marylebone Road and of course, our former pal previously known as the M4 bus lane! So back to the headline and will you work during the Olympics? Call Sign asked 132 drivers on the night of Sunday 7 November. The question we posed was this: If trading conditions remain as they are, do you expect to work over the four-week period covering the 2012 London Olympic Games? The result was possibly surprising, bearing in mind Bernie Silver’s informal survey. Out of the 132 drivers, 103 said that they would be working, leaving just 29 who said they wouldn’t be working over the Games duration - although	Mark Cutler (N03) did add the proviso that his yes vote assumed he wouldn’t scoop top prize in the lottery! Some of the yes drivers also added that if traffic conditions became so unbearable that passengers were complaining at the length of time journeys to Stratford were taking, they might reconsider. Equally, there were several no drivers who told Call Sign that if taxis were seen to be moving well, they could think again about whether they should work. It may not have matched the thousands surveyed by some organisations, but this was big enough to give a good clue as to what the taxi situation would be like in 2012. The Call Sign survey has 78.3% of drivers working, which translated into hard figures suggests that 19,575 drivers out of the 25,000 fleet will be out there during those four weeks. Perhaps TfL and the organising committee will look at this 132 driver survey and say that 19,575 drivers working during the Games are worth helping...??? Alan Fisher
	Anyone seen a number 22 bus???
	It was just another Thursday afternoon and Dial-a-Cab driver Barry Spear (Y16) had just passed Harrods on his way back towards Piccadilly. Suddenly the traffic came to a halt when a number 22 bus seemed to be attempting a u-turn in the ultra-busy Brompton Road! The westbound bus had apparently missed the left turn into Sloane Street and was now trying to do something that even taxis can’t always manage easily when there’s so much traffic – attempt	that u-turn! "Eventually it managed the turn whilst causing chaos to the traffic going in both directions," Barry told Call Sign, "but at the risk of humiliating the bus driver, I just had to take a photo!" And here it is...!!!

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