Taxi union RMT confirmed today that their Parliamentary Convenor John McDonnell MP has successfully objected to the TFL London Local Authorities Bill at Second Reading - specifically on the grounds that it would lead to the continued proliferation of unlicensed, unsafe rickshaws clogging up central London

The RMT Parliamentary Group objection means that the Bill is now kicked back and will have to be presented again for second reading on 6th September at which point RMT will object again and keep objecting until the final debate on the Bill is given. RMT intends to use this breathing space to give us the leverage to force TFL to negotiate on the revised content of the Bill and to take tough action against the unsafe and unlicensed spread of rickshaws.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

“Our taxi branch members don’t want the rickshaws at all as they see them as unsafe, increasing congestion and with no check on who is fit and proper to operate them.

“If John McDonnell hadn’t taken decisive action on behalf of RMT taxi drivers to get this Bill knocked back it would have had dire consequences for passenger safety.

“The clauses that TFL were trying to bulldoze through made little or no provision for any statutory minimum standards to be applied or for any checks to be carried out on the rickshaws, their riders, or their operators. Nor would there have been any provisions for any training to be required or for compulsory registration.

“It is shocking that TFL have refused to negotiate on this issue and that instead they are ignoring the recommendation of previous Parliamentary Committees that a compulsory registration scheme for rickshaws/pedicabs should be explored. RMT and our MP’s will continue to fight on this issue to defend the licensed taxi trade against this attack on their livelihoods.”