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http://www.blink.org.uk/pdescription.asp?key=15560&grp=62&cat=214

New scheme tackles barriers to taxi Knowledge

Women and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, who are currently significantly under-represented in the taxi industry, will now have new opportunities to train to be a licensed taxi driver under a project being launched by the Mayor of London and the London Development Agency.

The project, run by the London Development Agency, aims to address some of the barriers experienced by people from under-represented groups to work towards greater diversity in the taxi trade to reflect London's diverse population.

Around a third of Londoners are from an ethnic minority background, and over half of Londoners are women. Yet only approximately 5 per cent of London's taxi drivers are from Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic communities, and 1.6 per cent are women.

The project will support people from under-represented groups in participating and completing the Knowledge. Additionally, help will also be provided where appropriate in language and numeracy skills, and childcare provision.

Launching the programme the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said:

"The black cab is one of London's most instantly recognisable trademarks and is an incredibly important part of London's transport network. This project will help address the barriers to employment that currently exist for women and people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to participate in this important part of our city's life."

Manny Lewis, Chief Executive of the London Development Agency, said:

"London is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. This programme for women and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities will help them do the Knowledge course, and ultimately achieve greater diversity in the taxi trade to ensure that it is more representative of London's population."

Vivienne Hayes, Director of the Women's Resource Centre, said:

"The Women's Resource Centre welcomes the Mayor's initiative to promote women’s employment in this predominantly male arena. Women in London will no doubt be pleased to see an increase in female taxi drivers. Women's Resource Centre acknowledges and thanks the Mayor for continuing to address issues concerning women’s inequality and poverty, particularly in the current environment where the discourse around gender consistently fails to address the continued discrimination faced by all women."

Megan Dobney, Regional Secretary South East Regional Trades Union Congress (SERTUC), said:

"I very much welcome this scheme. The black cab trade provides skilled work as well as presenting the "face" of London to millions of visitors - this initiative will help ensure that London's jobs reflect the diversity of London's population."

Mahmud Hasan MBE, Chair of the Consortium for Bengali Associations, said:

"The Consortium of Bengali Associations fully supports the Mayor's initiative on encouraging more Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Black Cab Drivers. We wish to see more opportunities created to enable more people from the Bangladeshi community to become Black Cab Drivers".

Dr Bahri, Muslim Council of Britain, said:

"The benefits of this scheme will be felt by communities right across the capital. London is home to more than 7 million people and schemes like this provide an opportunity for every resident to help contribute to the economic success of our city. I congratulate the Mayor for his work on this scheme."

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

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/2961


Taxi drivers stage noisy protest outside Palestra


Dozens of London taxis converged on the London Development Agency's Blackfriars Road HQ on Wednesday lunchtime to protest against a new scheme some cab drivers claim is "racist".

A constant stream of taxis circled round Palestra creating an ear-splitting sound with their hornsTaxi drivers constantly sounded their horns and blew whistles as they drove round and round the London Development Agency's offices in the Palestra building opposite Southwark tube station.

The hour-long demo was organised by the Elephant and Castle-based London Cab Drivers Club.

Last week the Mayor of London and the London Development Agency announced a new scheme to encourage more women and people from black, asian and minority ethnic communities, who are currently significantly under-represented in the taxi industry, to train to become licensed taxi drivers.

The LCDC claims that this scheme "is an attempt at social engineering where the result will be to create division among black, Asian and white people where none exists within the taxi trade at this time".

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

If the aim is to help individuals pass the knowledge why should these opportunities be restricted to certain sections of society?

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 JEWISH KNOWLEDGE BOY WENT TO TRY TO GET ON THIS, THEY SAID NO EVEN THOU THEY ARE A MINORITY ITS A RACIAL THING WITH RED KEN

Discrimination is discrimination, whether it is positive or negative.
The only criteria which should apply is the ability to pass "the knowledge".

I hope red Ken isn't planning to give anyone an easy ride through. That would be unfair on all who have worked hard to achieve "the knowledge" and lessen its status.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

I think that is exactly what the London cab trade is concerned about.

If it was just a case of saying we are going to assist non English speaking individuals to learn to read and write in English then that might be a different kettle of fish but to say we are going to assist non english speaking individuals to read and write in English and then help them pass the knowledge test, then I believe that would be discrimination against every person in the UK who wished to avail themselves of the same opportunity to pass the knowledge test.

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 say let them take a translator or aide to their 'appearences' - I'm sure GBC would be more than willing to offer his services

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Why not issue them with a tom tom and let them get on with it, and abolish the knowledge all together .
The folk that publish the A to Z could hand out SD cards with the most up to date maps of London at a tenner a time, and if there are any changes just pop back and exchange it at a fiver a throw.
The language thing is no barrier as the tom tom comes with about 20 built in.
Now that would realy please GBC

lol I think your giving Red Ken some bright ideas.

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 offered my services today by attending the above mentioned demo. Good turn out, it's a shame the LTDA chose not to get involved.

The whole idea is an insult to the thousands of 'black' black cab drivers, and female's that have done the Knowledge over the decades. It's nothing more than the socialist fool doing his usual contraversial headline seeking publicity stunt.

I know for a fact, from a certain examiner, that the candidates signing on hoping to get an easy time because of the colour of their skin will be in for a suprise. The work and standards will still have to be done, and met.

A significant proportion of the demo was made up of ethnic minority drivers who are as pee'd of as the rest of us with the patronising lunatic who is in charge of London.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7037495.stm

Excellent.... so business wants cab drivers who cant speak english and dont know where they're going?

CC

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

Do they not like the idea of another association taking the lead?

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IDFIMH

i was contacted by the ltda and they said ken wants 600 put through the london knowledge and if we agree then the pco and tfl and ken will not change the knowledge because the pco are testing sat navs to allow a quickly knowledge its not good, but when they do the sat nav thing the ltda will step in

Sat Navs are crap. They don't work in London, the routes they prescribe are long, blocked, tell you to turn right off bridges to the street below, tell you to turn left through central reservations, tell you to drive through the internal roads behind Buckingham Palace, lose signals, suggest the most ridiculous routes where a quick u-turn suffices etc etc and etc.

They will never replace what the human brain learns on the knowledge. Wheres the Shakes, old Gatwick and the Hole in the wall entry to Victoria? The Raft, the stage door? Sat Nav's? That's why Minicab drivers cause chaos, and take twice as long to get their customers around, the knowledge goes back to Cromwell, it'll take more than the fool Livingstone to change it.