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Page 33
Call Sign February 2012
Continued from page 32
of your representation, give any mitigating
With regards to Alan's comments regard-
world-wide, by sending out Call Sign to
circumstances and for further informa-
ing the time taken to process a renewal.
them. Our thanks to you for allowing this.
Hans Dooren,
tion, add that you would like to dispute
Ten minutes? If only this were true! I can
LVTA PR, Holland
the PCN on the following facts: 1/ The
assure you that Alan's licence fee would
cameras are not valid and 2/ The signs are
be a lot cheaper than it is now. I've made
Hi Hans
not valid. Also request a copy of the
no secret of the fact that the "systems" we
I do not know how many other members
Traffic Management Order. Of course the
have are old, antiquated, out of date sys-
thank you, but I would personally wish to
easiest method is not to go past the signs
tems and processes, many of which are
say thanks for sending out taxi related
be they valid or not! ...Ed
held together by sellotape and string. This
magazines via the internet and in partic-
means a huge reliance on paper-based
ular the Call Sign, which I feel is really
processes and that the processing of appli-
the best of all of them as it contains so
Green / Yellow badge
cations and renewals is very manual and
many items of real interest and so much
heavily resource intensive. However, I
information. Sincere thanks to you and to
identifiers
have made it a priority to address this
the Call Sign editor for producing such a
problem and we have a very clear pro-
Hi Alan
good read.
I have just received my green badge iden-
gramme of work to modernise the IT and
Barry Elson
tifiers in the post. A great idea, however
revolutionise the way we work, which we
LVTA 1077
are hoping to implement next year.
this was announced April 2010, some 21
This world is a very `you scratch my back
months ago and all they can supply is a
and I'll scratch yours' one. We are happy
cheap stick-on sleeve. Having just paid
for Hans to send out Call Sign around the
Identifiers: 19th
£250 for the TfL part of a licence renewal,
world, whilst in return he has kindly
which probably took about ten minutes
century tactics?
offered to assist any Dial-a-Cab driver to
work by someone and about a quid's work
find the war graves of any family member
Dear Al
of material, you have to assume that the
anywhere in Holland. Then if at all possi-
In the 19th century, the Austro-Hungarian
money hasn't been spent on the identifi-
ble, Hans will visit the grave site and even
Empire had such an efficient system of
er. I would expect the new identifier hold-
take a photo to send back to the DaC dri-
snooping and spying on its citizens that
er to be Fit for Purpose (a good old PCO
ver. When it comes to it, Hans' offer
one mother was moved to say "my daugh-
terminology). The identifier has to be
makes our permission for him to send out
ter has only to sneeze and Prince
removed every time the cab is unattended,
Call Sign seem tiny. Again our sincere
Metternich (the Prime Minister) will know
in my case every night after I finish work.
thanks for his astonishingly kind offer
of it."
Having just stuck this holder on, my first
...Ed
I feel that TfL seem to be adopting simi-
attempt at removing the card saw me
lar tactics regarding the Taxi trade.We have
begin to pull off the sticky bit from the
to wear a badge, display a licence plate and
Moving Traffic
windscreen. It also goes in the place
now stick on the new identifiers. The
where the No Smoking sign goes. The pho-
chance of getting away with anything will
Contravention
tograph on the instructions does not have
be remote!
Hi Alan
a No Smoking sign. Do we now not need a
Contrast that with our competitors in
Got a PCN for a Moving Traffic
front windscreen No Smoking sign? Did
the Private Hire industry. The only identifi-
Contravention for entering Old Broad
cation on the vehicles are those tiny
TfL/LTPH try out the removal of the iden-
Street and I would like to thank Nuala in
roundels, which often curl up or fall off or
tifier a number of times?
Driver Services for helping me to appeal it
are hidden behind smoked glass. The play-
TfL/LTPH, please get as professional as the
even though it was not a DaC ticket. As a
ing field is about as level as the old Yeovil
drivers you are attending to...
Alan Nash (A95)
result it was cancelled before it went
football pitch.
Geoff Levene (W32)
Director of Taxis and Private Hire at LTPH
to the adjudicator. My case number is
Drivers have been complaining regularly in
John Mason responds: Alan has made a
2110685270 if it helps anyone in the
Call Sign since October 2008, when a dri-
number of comments. Firstly, with regards
future.
ver's wife blew the whistle on yellow badges
to the quality of the identifier; we are sat-
Thanks again...
who worked in town. Many letters and arti-
isfied that the quality is sufficient for the
Pat Keefe (G01)
cles have appeared in this magazine since
purpose of the scheme which is to primar-
Nuala has helped lots of drivers get off the
then. We now have the identifier that drivers
ily act as a self-deterrent and also to assist
Old Broad Street MTC (PCN) thanks to
asked for and we're still not happy! But the
the Police and our Compliance Officers
advice from Barrie Segal. She and Barrie
unhappiest driver I've spoken to so far was a
with enforcement. We did look at a num-
work closely together and the number of
yellow badge in Richmond. He helped me
ber of different materials for the identifiers
successful appeals DaC now have proba-
find the building I was looking for - which I
and this solution struck the right balance
bly runs into four figures compared to the
was outside without realising! I introduced
between quality and cost.
occasional one before Barrie arrived on
myself and we spoke about the identifiers
Display of the no smoking sign was cov-
the DaC scene. So far as Old Broad Street
and he commented that the new system
ered in the guidance that was issued to dri-
is concerned, the general advice if you
would affect his takings. Was that because
vers. In the driver's compartment, the no
have an MTC is to appeal by ticking the
he used to work in town? Nope, it was
smoking sign should be attached to the
box on page 2 that says the alleged con-
because those that did had now been rum-
rear of the plastic wallet containing the
travention did not occur. Then on the
bled and would have to return to their own
identifier (i.e. facing inwards).
reverse where it asks for additional details
