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Call Sign October 2011
LTDA win "concessions
According to a report in the London Evening
Standard, the London Taxi Driver's
Association - the trade's largest organisation -
are apparently on the verge of winning con-
over ORN"
cessions with regard to getting taxis priority in
the battle with Transport for London over road
restrictions during the 2012 Games where the
in return for dropping blockade threat...?
Olympic Route Network is expected to cause
probably the biggest traffic chaos this city has
The Mall and Birdcage Walk will all be shut
ever seen.
together with the section of Pall Mall from St
In return, London's licensed taxi drivers will
James Street to St James Square. That is in
drop a veiled threat made earlier this year to
addition to Westminster Bridge and the
blockade the capital during the Olympics.
Victoria Embankment containing an ORN, just
The article claimed that after talks with the
as Park Lane will also have together with
LTDA, Transport for London who are work-
many side streets around the Hilton and
ing with the IOC and LOCOG - is close to
Dorchester being closed or partially shut.
agreeing to make taxis exempt from the rules
If your passenger wants to catch the fast
that until now had given official Games vehi-
train from St Pancras to Stratford, well you will
that talks have been ongoing for over a
cles priority on a 109-mile road network.
have to negotiate that without using Russell
year and that contrary to the ES story,
Some of the exemptions are said to include
Square, three sides of which will be used to
nothing definite has come up yet but they
allowing taxis to use a third of the network
park coaches with the fourth side
do expect that some concessions will be
where the lanes are shared with buses. We
(Southampton Row) in use as an ORN with
made.
would also be allowed to turn right across the
taxis considered to be undesirables! And con-
With the Olympic road restrictions now
Marylebone Road to access the West End,
trary to TfL's promise that restrictions will
revealed, this trade will need all the help it can
while TfL are also looking at ways to make it
begin just two days before the Games, Russell
get. There will be times when taxis west of
easier for taxis to pick up and drop off at both
Square will shut three weeks before the start-
Hyde Park Corner will need to travel east, yet
Baker Street and Park Lane.
ing date! The word chaos may have to be
there will be times when Constitutional Hill,
Speaking to the LTDA, Call Sign was told
redefined...
TAXI DEMO AGAINST LOCOG
UCG organise it in hours via tweets and texts
The United Cabbies Group recently organised a demonstration
outside the Grange St Paul's, but contrary to messages that
several Dial-a-Cab drivers put out over the Society's terminals, it
wasn't a demo against the hotel because it has no taxi rank, but
very unusually, against some of the people inside the hotel!
It was called after the group were told that a meeting was to
take place at the hotel by LOCOG - the London Organising
Committee of the Olympic Games. The demonstration was to
show what the trade feels about the Olympic Route Network
and the banning of taxis from it during the 2012 London
Games.
The majority of drivers were contacted via tweets and texts
and while Call Sign hasn't seen exact numbers, drivers we
have spoken to told us that they estimated around 80 90
taxis turned up but that the congestion caused around the
area was more than enough to cause havoc.
According to the UCG, it was pointed out to a LOCOG
official that the London taxi trade are aggrieved at the ban-
ning of taxis from the ORN. With the Paralympics following LOCOG we
re having
the main Games, it was also pointed out that the licensed taxis we
a meetin
re demon
g inside t
strating o
he Grang
taxi trade were 100% wheelchair compatible in a way that
e St Paul
utside
s, while
no other transport is, yet we have been banned!
The demo ended after 45 minutes so as not to cause too much inconve-
nience to the public.
LTPH REMINDERS
Two reminders from London Taxis and Private Hire / Transport for
in place prohibiting vehicles from driving in them. The orders are in place
London regarding the cycling superhighway and setting down in
between 07:00 - 19:00, Monday to Friday and these lanes are now being
Old Broad Street...
enforced. Taxis and private hire vehicles can still enter the lanes to pick-up
We are aware that there has been some confusion regarding access to
and drop-off passengers. Further information about the Cycle
Old Broad Street, EC2 and some drivers have been issued with Penalty
Superhighway routes can be found on the TfL website at
Change Notices (PCNs). In addition, enforcement of the Cycle
www.tfl.gov.uk.
Superhighways has commenced so we're issuing the updates below to
help drivers avoid being issued with a PCN.
Setting down in Old Broad Street for Liverpool Street Station
Access to Old Broad Street has been partly restricted. Taxis and private hire
Enforcement of Cycle Superhighway
vehicles are allowed to drop off passengers in the section of Old Broad
The cycle lanes along Millbank and Grosvenor Road, which make up part
Street between London Wall and Broad Street Avenue but should not pass
of route 8 of the Cycle Super Highways, have Traffic Management Orders
Broad Street Avenue to avoid being issued with a penalty charge notice.
