London Taxi Drivers

The latest edition of London Taxi News, an anti-pedicab special, is now availale to download.

In this edition:

• RMT London taxi branch calls for unity to save trade
• Unity meeting discusses common approach to review
• We can't rely on Boris
• RMT scores major victory over pedicabs
• Demo at Stratford a great success
• United we stand - Implementation of identifiers has been greeted by the trade with different levels of
  enthusiasm.

You can download the full newsletter using the link below, or click 'read more' to view the pdf if you have a modern browser.

We note the resolution from our London Taxi branch. We instruct the General Secretary to obtain from the branch full details of why it advocates this ban, which should include their concerns about public safety, and which should address the objection that such a ban would prevent people from earning a living, and to place this in front of us.

We rename this file 'Ban On Pedicabs During The Olympics.'

We note the resolution from our London Taxi branch, and its request that legal advice relating to taxi issues should be obtained from a legal firm that specialises in Hackney Carriage Law. We refer this to our Council of Executives for consideration at its meeting on the 2nd of April.

We note the resolution from our London Taxi branch and fully support its sentiments. It is vital that Taxis are able to use the fastest and most direct routes, in the interests of both passengers and drivers and to avoid unnecessary congestion.

We therefore agree that road signage changes should not apply to Taxis, and instruct the General Secretary to request our Parliamentary Group to table an Early Day Motion calling for an exemption.

London Taxi branch to be advised.

We note the resolution from our London Taxi branch and fully support its sentiments. Current plans for the exclusive VIP Olympic Lane will severely restrict the ability of Taxi drivers to earn a living, and will deny passengers the opportunity to use Taxis.

We therefore instruct the General Secretary to request our Parliamentary group to submit an Early Day Motion calling for the legal right for London Taxis to be allowed to drive in the VIP Olympic Lane for the duration of the Olympics and/or London Taxis to be classified as official Olympic vehicles.

AFTER MONTHS OF campaigning by RMT taxi branch, and with the support of the RMT parliamentary convenor John McDonnell, who through a series of actions blocked the progress of the London Local Authorities Bill, the sponsors have now been forced to withdraw the offending clause which would have enshrined the right to register pedicabs and provide them with rank spaces.

If the Bill with the offending Clause had been enacted it would have meant the introduction of a fully-fledged licensing and right to ply for hire regime for pedicabs, undermining the tightly-regulated licensed taxi trade.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the correspondence on file. We are very disappointed by the failure of TfL management to respond to our repeated requests for discussion on this issue. We instruct the General Secretary to write again to TfL in the precise terms set out in the request from our Regional Organiser.

London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the resolution from our London Taxi branch, and the concern expressed by our members about the complaints procedure of the London Taxis and Private Hire Directorate of TfL. We instruct the General Secretary to obtain a report from the branch giving fuller details of its concerns, and once this report is received, to obtain the legal advice requested, within a reasonable timescale.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the legal opinion on this matter, which is disappointing. We note that our London Taxi branch is due to discuss this matter at its meeting this evening, and instruct the General Secretary to place this matter back in front of us once the branch has communicated its views.

RMT General Grades Committee decision: