 Taxis and TfL??? Are we just outsiders paying in? Have you sat in your cab and looked and wondered if we are part of Transport for London? Easy visible items to us such as when you drive in a bus / taxi lane, the sign on the ground states Bus Lane and not Bus / Taxi Lane. Is signing the road that much more expensive? You could argue that it should add cycles and M/Cs too, however these groups do not pay a fee to TfL who are responsible for the red routes. When you come to some of these junctions, the signs state Buses only. This leaves a grey and dangerous area for us, do we leave the bus lane at that point and endure the abuse of other drivers believing we have cut them up, or stay there and be subject to possible traffic fines and abuse by bus drivers? Log onto the TfL route planner and see how routes offer alternative forms of transport while omitting taxis – remembering that our fees help pay for this service. When you log onto a computer, you are not means or disability tested. The website should bear this in mind as it may well be easier and cheaper for a family with a pushchair or someone in a wheelchair going from Madame Tussauds to the London Zoo to take a taxi. Route planners instruct passengers to take an 8-minute walk to catch a 274 bus, then alight 12 minutes later for a 2-minute walk to the Zoo. That doesn’t include waiting time for the bus. A taxi is probably 8 minutes door to door. As a visitor to London, how do you know where to access a taxi? We’re not mentioned on the London Underground map, there are no symbols or signs to inform the passengers / tourists of where taxi ranks are. They could argue about the cost of changing all the Underground maps, but I argue that they’ve done it before with logo changes for TfL and the Mayor of London logo in addition to the recent zone colourings that have all been added to the maps. Also, as most passengers / tourists look online and print out a PDF form or even download them to their phone, the least that TfL can do is change the website or update Apps on mobiles to include us and importantly, keep the public up to date... |
LOOKING AT (TAXI) LIFE... With Tom Quigley |
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Cycle hire scheme and getting
fit... Has Boris unwittingly provided we Taxi drivers with a very cost effective way of keeping fit? Having looked at the TfL website for the Barclays rent-a-bike scheme, annual membership registration is £45 along with a £3 Key fee. The first 30 minutes is free and only £1 for an hour hire. This could enable us to park up on a new resting rank (I don’t believe there is a rule saying you cannot exercise during your break), hire a bike, have a quick ride around one of the parks and return it for free - or a £1 if you feel energetic enough! This works out a less than 15 pence per day. So look on the positive side of the scheme and use it to get fit... Getting rid of old cabs or old cabbies... |
made the profits of trade papers
through adverts viable. I could go on and believe me, meet me on a
rank and I will because in the present economic crisis, the finances
just don’t add up. As an example, take a 60-year-old driver driving an early TX1, Fairway or Metro who is looking forward to taking it easy, working fewer hours and possible early or semi-retirement. He/she now faces the prospect of financing a new cab that will have a large depreciation value along with a low trade-in value for their existing vehicle (I was offered £4000 for mine) and working a 5-shift week if they’re lucky in the present climate. To buy with a loan or rent, either way means they will have to find each and every week around £200, another £15 towards the colossal £750 tax to put a new TX4 on the road, add fuel of £100 plus another £50 for the nominal costs of meal breaks etc. And all this before they even show an income. It adds up to increasing their time on the road and with rank space at a premium, this will increase congestion and produce more emissions. I am not ignoring other age groups and I know we all have our own financial and family commitments, but the simple fact of life is you can buy most things, but you cannot buy years or hide from the fact that as you get older, your health problems increase. In an industry where records show it can be the most stressful job in London, finance companies will make the decision on this basis and choose not to lend or make insurance / medical cover so expensive that many drivers will be forced to lose their jobs. Alongside all that, the present government’s desire to increase the retirement age to 70 years old will leave many of our colleagues in a state of limbo... Tom Quigley (Y33) |
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Patsy Emerick |
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Call Sign
is sad to report the death of Patsy Emerick, who had at one
time owned the Cockney Cab Garage in Bohemia Place, Mare
Street, where his son Tony was also one of the mechanics. Many
Dial-a-Cab drivers used the garage. Whilst owning the garage, the floor was painted and always spotless with any oil got being mopped up immediately. The toilets and office were also kept in immaculate condition – something of a rarity in taxi garages. Out on his cab, Patsy was easily spotted when his British Racing Green Fairway was seen with its wood panelling - even on the dashboard and along the doors. He was a great one for golfing and adored Jazz. Patsy was laid to rest at Basildon Crematorium on 19 August. Our condolences to his family... |
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