Call Sign November 2011
Page 5
Glasgow Taxis back on top!
After battling organised
Call Sign makes no apolo-
gies for the fact that our main
crime, just beating other
concern so far as news is
legitimate businesses must
concerned is about Dial-a-
have been a doddle for
Cab, its drivers, staff and
Glasgow Taxis
anything that we believe will
be of interest to them.
appreciate
our
service,
So we rarely publish press
because like Dial-a-Cab that's
releases about taxi sales in
what we strive to achieve a
Birmingham,
Bristol,
good service."
Barnsley or Scotland. But as
The company, whose staff
taxis are our core business,
organise the annual Scottish
we feel that the progress of
seaside charity outing for sick
the London cab in other
and disabled kids, grew out of
countries can be of interest.
Glasgow
Licensed
Taxi
But rarely do drivers ask
Operators, which dated back
questions about circum-
from their Glasgow schools.
to the 1950s and became the company it is
stances that occur out of the London and
We admit to being surprised at how often
today after an amalgamation of city cab
suburban zones except for one exception
DaC drivers have emailed or phoned to ask
firms in 1997.
Glasgow Taxis. They first came to read-
how Glasgow Taxis are coping. Well things at
Evening Times Editor Tony Carlin, told us:
ers notice in the March 2008 issue when
Scotland's largest radio taxi company - and
"The finalists for the Evening Times
we ran a story on their visit to Dial-a-Cab
indeed the largest taxi company outside of
Glasgow's Favourite Business award were
to study our dispatch system.
London - are definitely on the up!
all of an extremely high calibre. Each of
Past issues of Call Sign since then have told
Although they are currently fitting a
the nominees is highly successful in its
how Glasgow Taxis who use London style
new dispatch system that was scheduled
own field and each has earned a respected
black cabs and run a radio circuit similar to
to go live as you read this, more impor-
and well-deserved reputation for excel-
Dial-a-Cab - lost several large accounts to
tantly so far as this article is concerned is
lence. But there could only be one winner
firms that Strathclyde police inferred had
that the company that has been through
with our readers and congratulations go
links to organised crime. We also ran an inter-
so much recently, has won the award as
to Glasgow Taxis, not just for their com-
view with Glasgow Taxis Secretary, Robert
Glasgow's Favourite Business an annual
mercial successes but for their work in the
Dunabie, who told this magazine that one of
event that is sponsored by the City's
community and in particular, for their
the accounts they lost was with the Glasgow
Evening Times.
long-standing commitment to their extra-
NHS. The hospitals tender clearly intimated
Now up to 1400 taxis and 2100 drivers,
ordinary annual taxis outing which has
that the requirement was for `real' taxis with
Glasgow Taxis beat many nominees from
been a highlight for hundreds of young-
partitions etc, yet a minicab firm using cars
all walks of Glasgow life from department
sters every year for decades."
won the contract! They later lost another valu-
stores to theatres.
We think we can safely say that Glasgow
able account to the same car company that
Director Jack Ferguson told Call Sign: "It's
Taxis never, ever considered rolling over and
involved ferrying vulnerable children to and
so fantastic and down to the people that
allowing the world to walk over them. They
fought and look to have won, because with
this award comes the fame and many Scottish
Pancras Road update
customers will want to be associated with
them. Well done to all at Glasgow Taxis.
Dial-a-Cab drivers who have tried to pick up at the Kings Cross rank in Pancras Road or
attempted to drop their passengers at the Eurostar set down point, will not need reminding
about the ongoing gas works to improve King's Cross and the disruption it is causing.
Messages from Camden Council, passed on via London Taxis and Private Hire, are
asking drivers to avoid waiting or stopping in areas that will cause delays to other road users
and are reminded that the drop off and pick up bays on the western side of Pancras Road
have a maximum time limit of 5 minutes although the signage seem to suggest just 2 min-
utes. Camden claim that they are giving out PCNs to anyone caught breaking the 5 minute
time limit including taxis and private hire vehicles - although Dial-a-Cab drivers have the
coach park for Eurostar pick-ups. However, a leaked memo from Camden Council suggests
that PCNs are averaging around fifty per month hardly likely to put fear into the numerous
PH drivers that wait there.
As for the ongoing works; Pancras Road southbound will remain closed until the end of
March 2012 whilst new gas main infrastructure is being placed into the ground. The north-
bound section of road should be reopening as you read this, but before celebrating, it will
close again at the beginning of January 2012 until the middle of March 2012 to complete
the change over from the old gas controller to the new one.
Camden Council told Call Sign: "In terms of planned works, these remain extensive with
significant disruption as a result. Currently, the contractor BAM Nutall on behalf of the
developer Argent and the UK gas supplier are relocating and renewing a large Gas control-
ling station that steps down medium pressure gas from the National Grid to a useable low
pressure gas that will supply the development and the surrounding area. The task is a large
scale Civil Engineering project in itself and subsequently, the time it will take to complete the
works is substantial.
Even more unfortunately for the area, the gas pipes for this move are situated under
Pancras Road and as such we have experienced a lot of unavoidable disruption."
