Brian Rose for mayor!

[BS Dave]

Wow. I think Khan has done a pretty good job. The Tories have slashed local budgets, smashed social welfare, slashed school budgets, slashed NHS budget and London keeps on going. He hasn't wasted £50,000,000 on a garden bridge or a ski lift over the Thames, or water a load of cash designing his own vanity buses, or used public money to take his intern away with him on trips. TFL strikes have been massively down, he's locked fares on the tube and buses, in fact everything he's had control over seems to have gone OK (albeit increasingly less as the Tories keep voting to take power away from him)...

 

[Jean-F]

Wow. I think Khan has done a pretty good job. The Tories have slashed local budgets, smashed social welfare, slashed school budgets, slashed NHS budget and London keeps on going. He hasn't wasted £50,000,000 on a garden bridge or a ski lift over the Thames, or water a load of cash designing his own vanity buses, or used public money to take his intern away with him on trips. TFL strikes have been massively down, he's locked fares on the tube and buses, in fact everything he's had control over seems to have gone OK (albeit increasingly less as the Tories keep
voting to take power away from him)...

Not everyone approves of him, I no longer have a dog in the hunt, Khan did little for me, not that he had to by the way, but here’s something from a few years ago.


Two taxi groups have joined together to submit legal papers to the High Court, challenging not only the new Bishopsgate Bus Gate scheme that excludes licensed black cabs during peak times, but also a review of the entire London Streetspace plans.

The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) and United Trade Action Group (UTAG) have both taken the steps to challenge both the Mayor of London and TfL over its new Streetspace plans near Liverpool Street Station, which closes through road access to motorists and wheelchair accessible licensed taxis.

Taxi numbers in the capital have been dropping at an alarming rate, according to recent data released by TfL.

In April 2015 there were 22,500 taxis registered in Greater London. Since then there has been a steady decline in the number of taxis available to cabbies. In August there were only 17,126 taxis licensed in the capital, a total that represents a drop of nearly a quarter of all taxis since Spring 2015.

 

[Pestilence]

Rose is an absolute fruitloop, lol.

 

[ash_scotland88]

blaming every issue on the Tory government I can give on forever .

Don't tell the SNP that fact, they'll sign him up.

 

[BS Dave]

Not everyone approves of him, I no longer have a dog in the hunt, Khan did little for me, not that he had to by the way, but here’s something from a few years ago.


Two taxi groups have joined together to submit legal papers to the High Court, challenging not only the new Bishopsgate Bus Gate scheme that excludes licensed black cabs during peak times, but also a review of the entire London Streetspace plans.

The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) and United Trade Action Group (UTAG) have both taken the steps to challenge both the Mayor of London and TfL over its new Streetspace plans near Liverpool Street Station, which closes through road access to motorists and wheelchair accessible licensed taxis.

Taxi numbers in the capital have been dropping at an alarming rate, according to recent data released by TfL.

In April 2015 there were 22,500 taxis registered in Greater London. Since then there has been a steady decline in the number of taxis available to cabbies. In August there were only 17,126 taxis licensed in the capital, a total that represents a drop of nearly a quarter of all taxis since Spring 2015.

Uber. And I think London has done more to challenge them than most places.

 

[stockhausen]

. . . Streetspace plans near Liverpool Street Station . . .

Enabling more people to walk and cycle is key to a green recovery for our city, and our world-leading Streetspace for London plans will make a huge immediate difference as staff return to work. [LINK]

Seems perfectly reasonable to me.

 

[Bald-Eagle22]

Not everyone approves of him, I no longer have a dog in the hunt, Khan did little for me, not that he had to by the way, but here’s something from a few years ago.


Two taxi groups have joined together to submit legal papers to the High Court, challenging not only the new Bishopsgate Bus Gate scheme that excludes licensed black cabs during peak times, but also a review of the entire London Streetspace plans.

The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) and United Trade Action Group (UTAG) have both taken the steps to challenge both the Mayor of London and TfL over its new Streetspace plans near Liverpool Street Station, which closes through road access to motorists and wheelchair accessible licensed taxis.

Taxi numbers in the capital have been dropping at an alarming rate, according to recent data released by TfL.

In April 2015 there were 22,500 taxis registered in Greater London. Since then there has been a steady decline in the number of taxis available to cabbies. In August there were only 17,126 taxis licensed in the capital, a total that represents a drop of nearly a quarter of all taxis since Spring 2015.

And why do you think this is ? Something to do with a worldwide pandemic maybe ? Black cabs ( vehicles ) are licensed on an annual basis , the majority of the black cab trade ( vehicle supply to drivers )are rentals from garages and drivers have been returning them in droves as it just not an economically viable to make a living at the moment.The garage in turn have not had them licensed due to most of the. It going out on hire . You want to look at driver badge numbers rather than vehicle licenses - they are two separate things .

The whole of the black cab trade in central London for many years has been a victim of working as individuals rather than as a collective , for the LTDA and United Trade Action Group ( big lols at these guys ) it’s a case of to little to late .

MARK MY WORDS , the only London black cabs you will see in the not to distant future will be resigned to station and airport ranks. For the remaining badge holders then they would just be advised to ask TFL to have a cull on badge numbers it will be the only way to survive long term . Black cab radio circuits , Dial a Cab , Radio Taxis , Comcab are al dying companies and are already using the private hire trade to service customers.

More to the point the black cab trade has also been sold down the river by Khan and TFL and the majority of them are to blind to see it . In 2016 the black cab trade protested against Uber with demonstrations in Whitehall against Uber and I took my hat off to them https://www.theguardian.com/technol...rivers-uber-protest-london-traffic-standstill But unfortunately what happened next was Khan played them like a fiddle . He gave them exemption in the congestion charge zone and made UBER and the rest of the private hire trade pay it . I understand this was a big concession but was it worth accepting as much as letting Uber operate illegally , this was the last time the black cab trade could have sorted this out in numbers . Uber will continue to grow and the corporate world and now taking a very close look,at using them .

Forget all the other apps , captain , bolt ect . There all loss making funded by Car manufacturers as an avenue to sell cars to drivers

Personally I’d use a black cab every time but Uber now have TFL in their pocket. More to point the driver on Uber know how to play the game -WELCOME to surge pricing London.

 

[stockhausen]

And why do you think this is? . . .

Probably for much the same reasons as Debenhams and Arcadia have disappeared - Hackney Cabs are overpriced, not particularly convenient anachronisms.

Their disappearance would happen under Sadiq Khan, Boris The Bridge Johnson or the anti-Vaxxer Rose -the inevitable, unstoppable march of progress.

 

[bm_999]

Good info on rose mate, never knew a couple points about him

Again not sure on him becoming mayor but i think he will push his oar in a couple of places

 

[Bald-Eagle22]

Probably for much the same reasons as Debenhams and Arcadia have disappeared - Hackney Cabs are overpriced, not particularly convenient anachronisms.

Their disappearance would happen under Sadiq Khan, Boris The Bridge Johnson or the anti-Vaxxer Rose -the inevitable, unstoppable march of progress.

Don’t disagree but was not what I was referring to when quoting Jean F . Like I said the black cab trade has invited this all upon them and I don’t have any sympathy, they have only ever acted as individuals and never as a collective .

South of the river on a Friday night , no chance guvnor .

 

[Jean-F]

Don’t disagree but was not what I was referring to when quoting Jean F . Like I said the black cab trade has invited this all upon them and I don’t have any sympathy, they have only ever acted as individuals and never as a collective .

South of the river on a Friday night , no chance guvnor .

Writing as someone who was in “the game” for 30 years, I can’t deny that we never acted as a collective, we had a few entities who put themselves forward as the representatives of the trade, L.T.D.A., L.C.D.C., U.T.A.G., but they all trotted out different agendas, and most drivers preferred to stay out of groups or clubs, and to wing it on their own, hoping against hope that it would all come right in the end, unfortunately “the game” died a natural death.
That “South of the river, no chance guv’nor” certainly existed in the 80s 90s and 00s, but from then on it was no more true than the urban myths about Blackpool landladies, but I agree, refusing to go South was never right.
I won’t lie, there were times when I got a fare to Balham or Streatham and my heart sank, but I did the job, as that WAS the job, as long as I got paid the meter fare, I’d go anywhere.
Here am I, Jean-François, urban hero.

Probably for much the same reasons as Debenhams and Arcadia have disappeared - Hackney Cabs are overpriced, not particularly convenient anachronisms.

Their disappearance would happen under Sadiq Khan, Boris The Bridge Johnson or the anti-Vaxxer Rose -the inevitable, unstoppable march of progress.

Another one that is unarguable, particularly since Covid has rocked the trade, but the thing that most punters are blind to, is that TFL set the tariff in Black Cabs, NOT the drivers.
Of course, you could say, “Why not petition TFL to lower the fares, to encourage the public to use you”. but if you’ve paid, 40, 50, or more grand for your cab, or are paying £300, £400, £500 p.w. to rent one, you need a good return to pay the H.P. or rental rates.

 

[Bald-Eagle22]

Writing as someone who was in “the game” for 30 years, I can’t deny that we never acted as a collective, we had a few entities who put themselves forward as the representatives of the trade, L.T.D.A., L.C.D.C., U.T.A.G., but they all trotted out different agendas, and most drivers preferred to stay out of groups or clubs, and to wing it on their own, hoping against hope that it would all come right in the end, unfortunately “the game” died a natural death.
That “South of the river, no chance guv’nor” certainly existed in the 80s 90s and 00s, but from then on it was no more true than the urban myths about Blackpool landladies, but I agree, refusing to go South was never right.
I won’t lie, there were times when I got a fare to Balham or Streatham and my heart sank, but I did the job, as that WAS the job, as long as I got paid the meter fare, I’d go anywhere.
Here am I, Jean-François, urban hero.



Another one that is unarguable, particularly since Covid has rocked the trade, but the thing that most punters are blind to, is that TFL set the tariff in Black Cabs, NOT the drivers.
Of course, you could say, “Why not petition TFL to lower the fares, to encourage the public to use you”. but if you’ve paid, 40, 50, or more grand for your cab, or are paying £300, £400, £500 p.w. to rent one, you need a good return to pay the H.P. or rental rates.

Good man .

Yep 30 years here but from an operators perspective 5 years a driver and 25 in operations . I’ve worked with DAC Radio Taxis and Comcab and have seen the demise in driver numbers across all circuits , believe you me I know how well Brain Rice prospered in the late 90’s early noughties . The badges are still there but drivers are just chasing cash now resigned to a lifetime of weekend working and anti social hours to make ends meet .

Afraid the game is up with the Black cab trade now , the arm on the street to hail a cab has been firmly substituted my a phone app and the punter doesn’t even have to raise there arm now . Uber like it or not will be the increasing dominant force in the London cab trade and will wipe everyone out in time , except the station and airport ranks .

Kahn has been complicit in instigating this , had Uber been banned under there recent license suspension TFL stood to lose a lot of money . Money talks and he sold the black cab trade down the river .

 

[Terminal_Boy]

Don’t disagree but was not what I was referring to when quoting Jean F . Like I said the black cab trade has invited this all upon them and I don’t have any sympathy, they have only ever acted as individuals and never as a collective .

South of the river on a Friday night , no chance guvnor .

When I lived in Stockwell, I found that giving the cabbie a £20 note straight away after telling him where we wanted to go worked wonders almost every time and if the first cabbie wasn’t interested, the next one we hailed would be.

 

[Jean-F]

Good man .

Yep 30 years here but from an operators perspective 5 years a driver and 25 in operations . I’ve worked with DAC Radio Taxis and Comcab and have seen the demise in driver numbers across all circuits , believe you me I know how well Brain Rice prospered in the late 90’s early noughties . The badges are still there but drivers are just chasing cash now resigned to a lifetime of weekend working and anti social hours to make ends meet .

Afraid the game is up with the Black cab trade now , the arm on the street to hail a cab has been firmly substituted my a phone app and the punter doesn’t even have to raise there arm now . Uber like it or not will be the increasing dominant force in the London cab trade and will wipe everyone out in time , except the station and airport ranks .

Kahn has been complicit in instigating this , had Uber been banned under there recent license suspension TFL stood to lose a lot of money . Money talks and he sold the black cab trade down the river .

You’ll never get anywhere here by keep regurgitating the truth Bald-Eagle.
Uber having their licence reinstated stunk to high heaven, after all the cases of drivers letting their unlicensed brothers drive the Uber at weekends, and the rape and sexual assaults committed by a minority of Uber drivers, there were unsubstantiated rumours of thick brown envelopes finding their way to TFL, who knows?
If you substitute DAC for RTG, and Brian Rice for Geoffrey Riesel, you could be me!

When I lived in Stockwell, I found that giving the cabbie a £20 note straight away after telling him where we wanted to go worked wonders almost every time and if the first cabbie wasn’t interested, the next one we hailed would be.

Very commendable TB, but the thing is that you should never have had to do that to get to Stockwell.
Let’s be fair, if a guy dropped you anywhere off South Lambeth Road, or went past the clock tower along Stockwell Road, he could be back to Victoria in 9 or 10 minutes, that’s how I saw it anyway.