Taxi Driver Online

Concerns over Private Hire Taxi Kiosk Plans

19th July 2008

A "taxi war" in Richmond has been avoided but a band of black cab drivers believe battle could still break out.

Licensed black cab drivers were angry after they discovered a proposal for a private hire kiosk in Richmond rail station was being considered by officials.

Although Richmond Council's planning board refused the plan "based on free-flow of traffic, highway and pedestrian safety grounds," cabbies still fear the idea may become a reality.

Driver Mike Saward said: "It's not really over because the applicant has up to six months to appeal.

"I would not say we have won anything but common sense has prevailed at the moment."

The proposal was for a kiosk inside and a single space outside the station, offering alternative taxi services.

Colin Jackson, who has run his black cab out of Richmond for several years, said locating the minicabs in front of those of his and his colleagues "could well spark a taxi war".

He believed the council should only consider schemes that better served residents rather than the binge-drinkers who tended to come in from surrounding areas.

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

The LTDA, being the only London based driver representative body that is still in touch with reality (and not stuck in a Cafe, moaning about how good it was back in 1977) is fighting this proposal as we type.

Not on the grounds of competition, as that does'nt hold water, but as the driver quoted above mentions there's simply no room on the tiny forecourt which houses Richmonds main Taxi rank.

I know where my, and another 8000 members, £16 per month is well spent.

Money down the drain Bob, unless you want a cheap day return to Clacton.
If the LTDA is fighting the case my money will be on the mini cabs getting a kiosk. But then again, I think the planing permission has already been turned down. Just like the LTDA to fight a case that has already been won.
Perhaps they should spend more time reading the news and put down the travel papers.

Bob?

Yes your quite right Mr Anderson shelter, I should really be paying my money to a bunch of old men who sit in a cafe all day moaning and putting the world to right, instead of serving the public.

The LTDA specialist Barrister successfully objected to this application on behalf of the LTDA members who serve this rank, something the Royal Oak pensioners should try sometime.

That's why over 8000 drivers choose the LTDA, and that's why no one joins the LCDC.

You just dumped the best asset you owned.






Just a shame you don't know.

So YOU pay a bunch of old men to sit in their office and do nothing
instead of serving the TRADE
And they found another 8000 mugs like you

At least you would be welcome to share your views with all the drivers in the Oak, unlike fort Woodfield that house the illuminati, or so they think.
Mind you 8000 £16's a month nice wages for nothing much and no need for a fuel surcharge.

Joking aside. You could list all what the LTDA has done for the trade in the Past 35 years on a Postage stamp, in capitols, and still have room for the Lords prayer

8000 mugs?

Better 8000 mugs than half a dozen bitter old men who have no influence.

Any good 'hat camera films' for us to view?

ALL THE LTDA ARE GOOD FOR ARE CHEAP HOLIDAYS AND A CHEAP DAY OUT TO ALTON TOWERS.
WERE`NT THEY FORMED TO GET RID OF THE MI9NICABS?
ALL THEY HAVE DONE IS MAKE BOB ODDY,GEOFF KALEY ET.AL RICH MEN AT THE EXPENSE OF THE DRIVERS.
MINICABS NOW OUTNUMBER US 4 TO 1.
IF THOMAS/ANDERSON DID`NT DRIVE ROUND WITH A CAMERA FILMING THE ANTICS OF THE MINISCABS ,WHO WOULD?
YOU?

WHERE IS [edited by admin] BOB,HIDING HIMSELF BEHIND HIS PICKET FENCE NO DOUBT.

CARRRY ON THE GOOD WORK THOMAS/ANDERSON.
i FOR ONE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ARE DOING FOR THE TRADE.

Don't shout.

If you have a point, do try to put it accross in a reasoned fashion, instead of ranting.

What's Geoff Kaley got to do with the LTDA?

If you don't want to join the LTDA, don't.

They were formed to provide a service to their members, not to 'get rid of Minicabs'. If your not a member Mr TCB, and one of your passengers makes a serious allegation against you such as rape, then perhaps you will think £16 is a small amount to pay. As I said, if you don't, then no one's forcing you.

A professional full time body like the LTDA need full time staff like any trade union has. Part time representative bodies give a part time service, I and 8000 other drivers don't want that, and we, the members have no problem with that poultry sum.

Perhaps we should scrap the Knowledge, then we could be flooded with drivers that outnumber the PH drivers by 4 to 1? That would be good would'nt it?

Filming the Minicabs? Here's a better question, apart from you, Anderson shelter and a few other's at a soon to redeveloped Taxi Cafe, who actually pays any attention to a shaky video of some Minicabs parked up at the side of the road?

What does that prove?

Let me answer it for you.

No one.

You and Anderson shelter seem to be obsessed with Bob Oddy.

Here's a question for you to answer.

What have you ever done for the Taxi trade in London?

you are getting dillusional.
Dont know who you think I am ,but I did`nt mention filming minicabs.scrapping the knowledge.
what is the reference to a redeveloped taxi cafe have to do with anything
What have i done for the cab trade.to much to mention here.
I hardly call telling the truth about the LTDA a rant.

GBC. Geoff Kaley was one of the gang that broke away from the TGWU in the early Sixties, and formed the 'Ginger group' that later became the LTDA.

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Make trafic wardens redundant. PARK LEGALLY.
Congestion charge! Before it was free.

GBC wrote
They were formed to provide a service to their members, not to 'get rid of Minicabs'
Where did you get that from GBC

The LTDA was formed by a group of well meaning cab drivers to do something about the onslaught being dealt out by illegal cars acting as taxi's.
after a short while it was clear to the board that more money could be made from the drivers than actually working a cab and after a couple of fit ups and Coup's, so called trade leaders emerged.
Empire builders who have for many years lined there own pockets with money they take from mugs like you.

What's Geoff Kaley got to do with the LTDA?

Geoff Kaley was on the board of the LTDA for many years, with investment from the membership started up London wide radio Taxi's. With the help of further investment from the LTDA he built COM-CAB into the biggest Radio Taxi business in Europe. But then he got greedy and tried against all advice to float the company and it has now been lost to the membership with all their investment, to an outside company.
That's cab drivers though, put them in an office and they think they can do what they like with other drivers money.
But I would have thought you knew all this GBC as you persist to tell us you know every thing about the trade.

What have you ever done for the Taxi trade in London?

What we have done ( we being, The Anderson shelter group) is set up a collection of sites where drivers can get the information to complain directly to the people reasonable for the every day woes. We have a surveillance web site for drivers to reference to when sending in emails.
Personally WE have done nothing that can be praised, nor should it be. Every result that has been achieved , and there has been many in our first year, is the direct result of the drivers themselves sending in hundreds of emails to the PCO, TFL and local councils.
To date the drivers themselves, have got the weight restriction at Albert bridge increased ( with the help of Peter Holme Cross London Assembly Member and officers of the royal borough of Ken and Chelsea). Tickets given out by the Police from Wandsworth have been refunded or cancelled .
The Tickets given to drivers stopping more than 18 inches from the kerb in York Way Kings Cross refunded and stop ( with the help of Navin Shah London Assembly Member)
Westminster council is to now stop issuing these unlawful tickets outside Annabels after intervention from Mr Shah.

After many emails from our drivers, over two hundred, to Ken Livingstone, Len Simpkins and now Boris Johnson we have been given the right, at night , to stop on red routes for ATM's.

Mini cabs Illegally parking in Drury Lane at The End club have moved to High Holborn but this is still a work in progress.

Individual drivers have used our sites to seek help with unlawful PCN's. We have been successful on many occasions and had many thousands of pounds worth of tickets cancelled.
But best of all, its free.
Unfortunately the wireless hat cam has packed up, but I've just replace it with a dash mounted small handy cam.
So now when you run out of debate material your posting your holiday pictures. Bit childish

BTW, I only mention Bob Oddies name once, how is that an obsession. When I referred to you as Bob I was referring to Tossa Bob your alter ego