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Martin Cox and Call Sign... When I published Martin Cox’s letter in the last issue of Call Sign as a response to the previous issue in which Mike Son had written an interesting article on how we could win back work from private hire, I was unsure whether anyone would take umbrage. It didn’t take long before the question was answered! For two solid days, my phone never stopped ringing. Some congratulated me, understanding the reason I had decided to publish a letter that I knew would be controversial. After all, Martin Cox may well have been a green badge driver and on the Radio Taxis Board for several years leading up to their demutualisation, but for many years now, he had been on the private hire side of the line. Others said that I shouldn’t have published it, with yet others saying they were pleased I had published his views because it showed how dangerous that opposition could be – however, they felt I had been too polite towards him. I make no apology for that. Yes, as several pointed out, I have no problem in answering back and yes, I knew exactly where Martin Cox was coming from and what he was trying to do. But it was a polite letter and deserved a similar response. Most – but not all – callers seemed to understand where I was coming from. My position is difficult because I dislike our connections to private hire, yet I know that without Concierge our workload would have probably evaporated by now and you wouldn’t see any taxis at all outside either of our corporate London Wall accounts. Many callers mentioned the "core business" of taxis, but I have always thought of that as referring to street hails, because whether you or I like it or not, corporate clients are saying that taxis dispatched via radio are too expensive and they want to use PH – preferably with taxis as well – but if necessary they would pick them over us. Some drivers believe – and it is their right - that without Concierge we would be better off. But would our corporate accounts then not have the capability of phoning LD or any of the other PH companies by themselves? DaC didn’t introduce them, although we admittedly made it more convenient for them, but in return there was a large slice of their work for DaC taxis. There was a time when our sheer size meant that large accounts couldn’t go anywhere else, but look at Addison Lee now – their size is comparable to a taxi circuit, but because they can only pick up radio work (legally), in reality it means they can cover more work than most circuits that don’t have street work interfering! And as much as my view on John Griffin is not too pleasant, I honestly believe him when he claims that he does not want any of his drivers to pick up in the streets. He wants a fleet that is prepared to wait however long it takes to get a radio job. He wants 100% account coverage because he knows that leads to more |
 account work. Most taxi drivers just couldn’t afford to work that way with John and son Liam Griffin knowing that only too well. If you or I phoned AL for a quote, they probably wouldn’t sound that cheap, but their pricing is different for account clients from the account address – and that’s what customers seem to go by. Since we last went to print, Martin Cox has sold his share of Chauffeur First to London Executive, who will now be that much bigger and who will no doubt continue to expand until someone buys them. That is how it’s going and what we are up against. Telling the client that we are not prepared to change and that they must take us as just we are, is just not going to work anymore. Private hire fill their ranks with drivers who see their minicab stint as a way of getting quick money and who will work far cheaper than we can, whereas their bosses are earning money from driver’s monthly rentals - which are far more expensive than ours. As a consequence, I’m afraid that talking about our "core business" is meaningless whilst we sit and watch everyone in the private hire business march past us. I truly believe that publishing Martin Cox’s letter will help to show exactly what we are up against. Mr Cox is one of only a few people who have worked as a licensed taxi driver and a private hire executive. His letter – especially the polite smugness of it - shows exactly what we are up against. There is also a blogsite that inferred I was ‘set up’ to prime drivers into getting ready for demutualisation by allowing Martin Cox the space to write in Call Sign. It forwarded the article link onto me. Well, for those that bother reading The Nissen Hut, I have never met or even spoken to Martin Cox about the topic on the phone. I print articles that are interesting and not for ulterior motives. I rarely look at internet blogs, not for any reason other than I rarely have the time and in any case, find the views of someone like "Russell Wilson," who is afraid to publish his real name, as being pretty close to worthless. But if I do have a few minutes to spare, I think The Anderson Shelter seems to contain more interesting material. At least "Thomas the Tank" isn’t afraid to give out his real name when necessary – even if they do (so I’m told) often have a go at Call Sign or me. And they also allow you to respond – which is more than The Nissen Hut apparently does. Either way, why I’m bothering to respond to a blogsite, I really don’t know! Blackwall Tunnel and the Olympics...? |
current closure of the Blackwall Tunnel
for southbound traffic after 9pm on most evenings, however, I am surprised
that when publishing the piece, not one mentioned the fact that a three year
closure is going to have a serious effect on the Olympic Games in 2.5 years
from now. Call Sign’s Richard Potter has written an article inside this issue and I believe his view that the reason TfL never aligned the closure with the 2012 Games is so that whilst the Olympics are on, they will be able to reopen the Tunnel for those taking part as an Olympic Route Network. Call Sign wondered aloud last month when publishing an article called What will happen to the Blackwall Tunnel, just how the ORN would operate, bearing in mind that the stadium and Olympic Village were on the A12 northside, while the O2 will have gymnastics and shooting and horses tearing up the Greenwich Park grass on the southside of the Tunnel. You would have to ask TfL why they began a 3-year closure plan 2.5 years before the Games commence. The Mayor’s office promised Call Sign an answer, but sadly it isn’t election time at City Hall, so the response failed to arrive. But the news isn’t all bad! I have now had offers from two MPs, who, with a General Election imminent, have offered Call Sign the opportunity of interviewing them. Sorry chaps, I don’t have the time... perhaps after the election? You might be too busy? Just like me now...
AGM A new daughter-in-law for the Chairman... PC repair Alan Fisher |
