Taxi Driver Online

Cabbies to sue over taxi fires

Hundreds of drivers whose black cabs were taken off the road after several burst into flames are threatening legal action to recover lost earnings.

Many have been unable to work for several weeks since all TX4 models with a 56 registration were recalled. Work to modify the vehicles is not expected to finish until mid-November.

A Hertfordshire-based legal firm said it would be lodging a class action on behalf of more than 300 drivers and it expected many more to join the action. The cabs have been built by Coventry-based LTI Vehicles which employs more than 450 people.

LTI , which manufactured the first black cab in 1948, said four measures were being introduced to prevent a repeat of the fires, including replacing the exhaust gas recirculation pipe.

Matthew Phillips, of solicitors McKeowns, based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, said it was "mounting a large class action" on behalf of more than 300 black cab drivers affected by the recall.

"Many more will not be aware that they are entitled to compensation for loss of earnings and we expect significantly more numbers to get in touch during the course of the crisis," said Mr Phillips.

Ed Thompson, director of taxi and private hire at Transport for London's (TfL) Public Carriage Office, said it had been "a really tough time for drivers".

"LTI has assured me they will be working around the clock to get as many cabs back on the roads as quickly as possible," he said.

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IDFIMH

BBC have it reported too....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7703665.stm

A long road me thinks!

Did the LTDA organise this?

LTI had this story dead and buried if they'd done the right thing, now it's all over the National press again.

I wonder what part TDO played in all this considering we were the first and only medium to highlight the necessity of a class action in such strobg terms.

I'm glad that someone has been able to organise a class action but I'm scepticle about the figure of three hundred considering we haven't seen or heard of any advertising.

Do you know someone involved in this class action?

Supposedly 800 to a 1000 are affected but the action could drag on for years especially if LTI insist on documented verification of loss of earnings.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

I'm hoping one of the London associations/unions has got the ball rolling, and maybe the firms of lawyers are going to put adverts in the trade mags.

Maybe they want to put a flyer up on here.

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IDFIMH

It's on Page 7 of the latest issue of Taxi.

It would seem the LTDA are going with a Blake-Turner, a city based outfit.

The adjacent advert would suggest you do not need to be a member of the LTDA to be represented by the aforementioned company.

After all, the more the merrier.

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii27 ... can121.jpg

my guess is that a large compo claim would see LTi driven into recievership/administration (or even voluntary) resulting in no payouts then they re-open as "Lti 2009"

Even if all the affected 1000 drivers were able to find a cab to rent, it would be in excess of a £1m claim.

WB...I agree with you............ and if they go bankrupt, what will happen to all the guarantees on the existing vehicles, straight out the window..... amateurs playing with professionals and they wonder why their fingers get burnt.... but the solicitors will probably get paid out........... they always do............

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

ps.. and can somebody fix this thread

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

it only takes one bright spark to think that liquidation is the quick fix and there will be no warranties on vehicles sold the day before it happens, no fire fault fixes and no compo for loss of earnings, LTi will go the same way as MG (i.e. chinese) and be up and running again in days....and viable

For the first time in weeks I agree with you.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Won't LTI have some kind of insurance against these claims?

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Grandad,

Wont vehicle owners?

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin