Sunday 27 February 2011

Safer Travel at Night (STAN)/Demonstrations.

If Transport for London which is chaired by the Mayor and the Metropolitan Police Service are serious about "tackling" touting by unlicensed and licensed mini-cab drivers can they please explain to the RMT London Taxi branch why they have done absolutely nothing with regards to the blatant parking and illegal ranking on the Charing Cross Road? Please note our members along with many others have complained to Westminster City Council and TFL/Taxi private hire.


A Taxi rank (night-time) is occupied by cars/touts every night of the week and the authorities choose not to even ticket those who sit upon a working Taxi-cab rank. Note the Met Police have the power to ticket and if necessary surely to remove vehicles placed upon a working Taxi rank.


In 2009 there were 143 reported sexual offences.We now know that of that 143 reported crimes 24 of them were actual rapes. Yes 24 women raped in London and 119 were sexually assaulted whilst the culprits or suspects "rank illegally" in the heart of the west end or outside night clubs/bars and those in authority eg the Met Police, the Mayor and Transport for London do very little other than the annual Christmas campaign that very few people take notice of when they are under the influence of alcohol.


What is even more worrying is the way the Metropolitan Police record crimes so the RMT London Taxi branch will be bringing to the attention a number of issues to the present commissioner of the Met Police and the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA).


Demonstrations.


All Taxi-cab drivers should note that the RMT London Taxi branch is a democratic well organised growing union of like minded Taxi-cab drivers who are prepared and willing to engage with people in authority so that we can improve the working conditions of you the Taxi-cab driver and provide an even better Taxi-cab service to members of the public.


We have over recent months engaged with the present director of Taxi private hire and have been involved and included in all Taxi trade consultations contrary to what some people might like you the Taxi-cab driver to believe. The committee of the branch works tirelessly on your behalf however there comes a point where those in authority fail to deal with and tackle problems that Taxi-cab drivers exprience on a near nightly or daily basis.


Branch members have mandated the committee of the RMT to start a programme of demonstrations at various locations/spots within London. I am pleased to inform members that plans are afoot and we shall be informing you and the media of a number of dates/times/places where we will begin more public/vocal and maybe even noisy events to highlight to the wider world the incompetency of many who hold office and fail to carry out their job/duties in a professional/competent manner.


Join the RMT London Taxi branch online at http://www.rmt.org.uk/ or pop into George Vyse (committee member) at Great Suffolk Street Taxi Centre or RMT Unity House in Chalton Street NW1 and sign up on the spot.


RMT "never on our knees".