TAXI Newspaper...very odd.

In the latest edition of TAXI newspaper along with the usual knocks aimed at the RMT London taxi branch a very odd article appears which alleges to inform the trade and readers of PCO policy towards the RMT London taxi branch. This article raises very serious questions about the quality/accuracy of articles that appear in TAXI and where they source their information.

Let me make it very clear the RMT London taxi branch have not responded formally to the Director of Taxi and Private Hire regarding his Taxi Engagement Policy and therefore we find it really odd that the editor of TAXI newspaper and the owners of the publication appear to mislead self employed taxi-cab drivers yet again.

John Kennedy Chair RMT London taxi branch.

PS London's taxi-cab drivers should be rightly concerned at this development. Members of the RMT London taxi branch will be discussing the Taxi Engagement Policy at our next meeting on the 14th of July 2010.

Bob Oddy, John Thomas, Barry Hooper and Richard Masset really do need to get behind the wheel of a London taxi-cab and experience the fact that this trade needs a safe secure rail network delivering passengers to the many taxi ranks across London. I shouldn't have to remind the officers of the LTDA that they run a taxi sharing scheme at Paddington where trains bring thousands of jobs to taxi drivers on a daily/nightly basis.

A Safe rail network is in the interests of ALL London taxi drivers, shame the executive of the LTDA don't seem to understand this.

NO to Age Limits on Taxi-Cabs...

Members of the RMT London taxi branch attended a meeting at the Department of Transport last Monday and had it confirmed that the DoT do not have a policy for age limits for Taxis. In fact they believe a well maintained fleet of taxis is the the right way to deal with emissions issues along with the development of new technologies that will allow the London taxi to carry up to 6/7 passengers with luggage and maybe one in a wheelchair.

We must therefore ask why is the Mayor and Transport for London not adopting this sensible policy from the Department of Transport? We all understand and know of the emissions issue here in the capital but we must remind the Mayor that the present Transport commissioner Peter Hendy and the director of surface transport David Brown have both been in post for a reasonable number of years and surely they should have been examining ways of ensuring that the makers of taxi-cabs develop cleaner/greener taxi-cabs slightly quicker than they are at present.

Our policy and position is simple at the RMT London taxi branch we oppose the introduction of any age limit to London taxis.If a taxi passes its annual rigorous test then that taxi is fit to be on the road. Natural wastage will deal with older vehicles and this was confirmed at the Department of Transport last week where a senior civil servant confirmed you see very few taxis over the 12 year age limit on the roads of the capital.

Time for the Mayor to see sense and realise that the London taxi-cab driver needs open free roads to operate within the capital and the policies of Westminster and other councils just creates congestion and therefore pollution.

Time for TFL to wake up and introduce a sensible road policy...

Join the RMT London taxi branch and get a voice and a vote but not an air freshener, join online at www.rmt.org.uk

The Bill is Back...

The bill is back and we are awaiting the date for a 3rd reading in the House of Lords.

Now whatever you have read or you are told by so called "trade leaders" and the "disunited trade group" ask yourself this, if they are so concerned about your right to "ply for hire" and so concerned about public safety why are they not joining the RMT and opposing "clause 19" of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London (no.2) Bill ?

If this Bill with clause 19 becomes law you and I will be ranking next to pedicabs and rickshaws throughout the West End and then other London boroughs. We must remember we were told by the same people in authority that the licensing of mini-cabs would bring an end to touting well just look at how useless the authorities have been in tackling that problem.

The voluntary registration scheme is a fudge designed to get those in authority off the hook and allow them to deliver a daft compromise that will damage our trade further. Westminster City Council and Transport for London have been given more than one opportunity to discuss clause 19 of this Bill yet they ignore a simple request for talks/discussions.

Other trade groups namely the LTDA the "leaders" of the united trade group produce great videos, great ads but when it comes to the crunch they just don't cut the mustard and fail the trade by allowing this Bill passage with no opposition. If you seek to BAN pedicabs you don't support a Bill that will give the 3rd World Transport Brigade "RANKS" on the public highway.

The RMT London taxi branch urge all trade bodies/groups to oppose "clause 19" and protect the job and livelihood of the self employed London taxi-cab driver.

Join the only trade union/organisation that seeks to BAN 3rd world dangerous transport from the public highway, join the RMT...

Legal Matters...

The RMT specialist transport union has a legal department second to none and if you are a member of the RMT London taxi branch you will receive legal cover that beats the best in the business...

RMT Union membership gives you many more benefits with Thompsons Solicitors ranging from ;

• Free advice on personal injury (away from work) including road traffic accident injuries
• Free advice on industrial diseases
• Free advice on non work issues
• Free Wills
• Reduced rates for conveyancing
• Special terms for clinical negligence
• Holiday injury advice
• Free personal injury legal services for member's family

For full details contact RMT Legal Services 0800 587 7516 oh and have your membership number handy...

Limited and exclusions and terms and conditions apply.