TAXI TRADE BREAKTHROUGHAT STRATFORD

THE CAMPAIGNING PAPER FOR THE LICENSED TAXI TRADE APRIL 2012

Produced by

WORKING TAXI DRIVERSbelonging to Cab Section

Amajor hurdle in the London cab trades preparation for asuccessful Olympic Games

was cleared on Friday 16th March. After long discussions and the threat of

disruption in the lead up to the start of the Games,The London Organising Committee of theOlympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), theprivate, profit making, organisation overseeingthe transport arrangements finally agreed to meetwith the three London cab trade groups to moveforward the taxi plans at the Olympic site.

UNITE, LTDA and LCDC met with theLOCOG 2012 team headed by Alex Carter, Headof Transport Operations. Also present were tworepresentatives of the Olympic DeliveryAuthority and John Mason Head of London Taxi& Private Hire.

The main issue for the cab trade was to ensurethat the rank outside Stratford Domestic station atMeridian Square would stay in place for theduration of the Games. Not only that, but this rankarea needed to have more taxi capacity. ManyUNITE members have expressed their anger at

rumours that the rank would be closed.The LOCOG team responded in a positive

fashion to the cab representatives points. AlexCarter has given assurances that the MeridianSquare rank will remain open. He also acceptedour point that the rank needs to increase itscapacity. After discussions he agreed to a twoextra spaces and an 18 cab feeder rank forMeridian Square.

This is clearly a major move in the rightdirection, although a bit of a late starter, but still represents a new attitude of working in amore positive way with the London cab trade by LOCOG.

Negotiations on the ODR “ZiL” routes,especially Park Lane southbound and otherOlympic venues in London are still ongoing, asare other locations for ranks to service theOlympic Park at Stratford. Cab Trade News willbe updating cab drivers as proposals are finalised.

By JIM KELLY

TAXI TRADE BREAKTHROUGHAT STRATFORD

APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 2

The Law Commission is due to announce itsconsultation at the end of May or beginningof June. This is likely to show the threatsthat we are likely to face. UNITE has beenmeeting with the Law Commission but weare not hopeful that they are listening toanything other than their own politicaldogma.

They have been asked by the governmentto come up with new legislation within asimple, deregulatory framework. This is likelyto be a disaster for taxi drivers throughout thecountry. Some of the Law Commission’s ideasare completely barmy with no supportanywhere, including opposition from theprivate hire trade.

They have been advocating a one-tiersystem which will be deregulatory and likelyto be a boss’s charter along the lines ofSwedish deregulation. In Sweden taxi driver’searnings were decimated and many wereforced out of business.

Now almost every taxi driver works for aradio circuit and they are paid a very low wage.Each car has a mileage rate on the doors andcustomers look for the cheapest option. TheLaw Commission see this as their ideal wayforward. Cut throat competition in which thedrivers lose out.

It is UNITE’S intention to stop the LawCommission from destroying our members’livelihoods. UNITE has been very proactive,not only meeting the Law Commission on anumber of occasions, but also meeting manyof the stakeholders that the Law Commissiontalks to. It is their intention to split thesestakeholders away from each other. They give

the impression of wanting to listen but inreality they have their own agenda.

For those of you that think this will pass by,think again. 80% of the Law Commission billsbecome law. The government asked the LawCommission to become involved and gave theLaw Commission their remit. So it is veryunlikely that the government will reject theLaw Commission’s recommendations. Anyonethat thinks that they can win the argumentswith the Law Commission is wrong.

They will do things their way and destroyour trade. The only way of defeating the LawCommission and this government is through apolitical approach. We have been faced withderegulation on other occasions recently. Eachtime UNITE has defeated the threat. No othertrade organisation has the resources or theknowledge to defeat the Law Commission andto change the law for taxi drivers’ benefit.

There are plenty of people putting veryreasoned arguments and making well meaningrepresentations to the Law Commission, but wehave to remember they are not there to listen toreason they are there to do as the governmentasked. That is a simple, deregulatory new law.They have made it clear that they see thepassenger’s interest as the priority and theywant as little regulation as possible.

It is only UNITE that can defeat thisthreat. If you want to protect your job andstop the Law Commission then you need tojoin UNITE now. The more people thatstand up to the Law Commission the betterchance we have of winning. So don’t delay,join today.

Also see Comment on page Four.

Ken Livingstone will be laughing when he seesthe latest statistics relating to drivers that havecompleted the knowledge. As usual Ken wasright in his assessment of what was requiredfor the London taxi trade.

London is one of the most multicultural,integrated and diverse cities in the world. Over40% of Londoners are not white, and mostLondoners live or work with Black or Asianpeople. In fact, people in London celebrate ourdiversity, which is almost unique throughout theUK and the rest of the world. But KenLivingstone noticed that London’s taxi drivers donot reflect the diverse make up of Londonmulticulturalism. Black and ethnic minorities(BAEM) make up a tiny proportion of London’staxi drivers, so Ken decided to try to change it.He launched a campaign within the BAEMcommunities to promote the benefits ofbecoming a taxi driver. There were no specialprivileges, everybody that signed up to theknowledge had to complete it the same as everyother knowledge student. But the reaction ofsome of the taxi trade was astounding. Did theynot want a trade that would reflect London’sracial make-up, or did they see it as anexclusively white privilege. This was neveractually answered as the facts were never allowedto get in the way.

So it was with great pleasure that at a meetingI was attending recently John Mason, Director ofLTPH, announced on that morning he had handedout badges to new taxi drivers and half of thosehad been non-white. John was rightly very proudof this achievement and I, and my Unitecolleagues, concur very much with John. Therecan be no doubt this occurred due to KenLivingstone’s foresight over 4 years ago. Theaverage time to complete the knowledge at themoment is 49 months; John would have beenhanding out badges to drivers who would have

been inspired by Ken Livingstone into startingthe knowledge. They wouldn’t have done itotherwise. It is a fact that the number of BAEMtaxi drivers is increasing every month. All downto Ken’s vision.

But what has happened to that vision now?One of the first things that Boris Johnson didwhen elected Mayor of London was to stop this funding. It was a disgrace that Boris stoppedsuch a successful project that ultimately will have huge benefits for London’s taxi trade. It isclear that Boris Johnson does not have KenLivingstone’s vision or passion for a diverse,multicultural London and all the benefits -that brings.

I think that the scrapping of schemes such asthese also feed racism within our trade. Over thelast year or so there has been a marked increasein racism from some sections of the taxi press andblog sites. Every minicab driver is seen as a threatto our society, the only reason being that he may be Asian, and even worse, a Muslim. Thesepeople seem to think it fine to label minicabdrivers as terrorists, or a massive threat to us,purely because they may park their car on thestreet. They claim to be experts in armyintelligence or surveillance and then use this tomake blatantly racist remarks usually aimed atminicab drivers. So, for instance, having areasthat private hire can pick up at the Olympics is athreat to our National security. Lots of otherpeople are picking up, but of course the inferenceis that the private hire drivers are most likely to beMuslim and therefore terrorists. It is utter racistnonsense but these people say it continuously andobviously believe it to be true. Boris cancellingthe great initiative of Ken to get more BAEM taxidrivers just encourages these racist attitudes. Thisis yet another reason we need such a progressiveperson as Ken to be elected as Mayor. Vote forKen and let us rid our trade of these racist views.

It was announced some time ago that thetaxi inspection (overhaul) that is currentlycarried out by SGS is being replaced withtwo MOT tests and one vehicle inspection.

SGS will not be awarded a further contractwhen their current one expires in 2013. Thedecision to require taxis to undergo two MOTtests per year in addition to an annual vehicleinspection brings taxis in line with private hirein London. The decision has been made toaward the Vehicle Licensing and InspectionService contract to NSL Ltd was taken a fewweeks ago.

NSL Ltd already has a number of majorcontracts with TfL including Red Routes,Yellow Box junctions and congestioncharging, so they are used to working withTfL. The contract was awarded as part of theTaxi and Private hire Re-let and ModernisationProject. The aim will be for NSL Ltd tointroduce an end-to-end IT system to supportthe licensing of drivers, vehicles and operatorsand to support compliance activities.

At the moment there are some licensingcentres that deal with Taxis and private hireand some that are exclusive to one or the other.In future all of the NSL Ltd centres will licenceboth taxis and private hire. It is likely that therewill be at least six fixed inspection centres plusone mobile centre.

The sites for these centres are still beingdecided on, but it is likely they will be very wellscattered around London. The new inspectionsystem is likely to start around February 2013.It is then that the current licensing service willend and the new requirement for 2 MOT’s willstart. Taxis will be able to go to any MOTstation for the mechanical check but for theannual licence, taxis will be required to go toone of new licensing centres run by NSL Ltd.

We are due to find out the locations of thenew centres soon and there will be a lot ofpublicity about these locations. It remains to beseen if the two MOT’s plus the annualinspection will be an improvement on thecurrent system.

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) SaferTransport Command (STC) funded byTransport for London made a total of 123arrests over the weekend of 24 and 25February for touting as part of OperationCondor, the largest MPS operation of the yearwhich cracked down on a range of unlicensedactivity in the Capital.

The touting part of the operation was co-ordinated across London by the STC and all32 borough-based Safer Transport Teams weremobilised to tackle illegal minicabs on theirboroughs.

Steve Burton, Transport for London’sDirector of Community Safety, Enforcement andPolicing said: ‘‘TfL is pleased with the number oftouts taken of the street during Operation Condor.Any minicab journey that isn’t booked through alicensed minicab operator is illegal and puts thetravelling public at risk.

We take this issue extremely seriously andwill continue to push for the strongest penaltiesagainst unlicensed or licensed drivers that breakthe law by touting. Compliance officers from TfL worked in partnership with the MPS across London to check all aspects of taxi andprivate hire licensing for the duration of theoperation.”

Acting Commander Sultan Taylor, SaferTransport Command said: ‘‘The Safer TransportCommand Cab Enforcement Unit is dedicated toproviding a safe environment by cracking down

on touting. This operation was a great successand it is my intention is to continue our excellentwork with our policing colleagues to robustlytackle through sustained action.”

Transport for London, local authoritiesand trading standards are some of thepartners involved in the combined effort toincrease public safety.

Helen Chapman, Deputy Director of LondonTaxi and Private Hire, said: ‘‘TfL is pleased tohave had the opportunity to support theMetropolitan Police as part of Operation Condor.Our compliance officers worked in partnershipwith the Safer Transport Teams across London tocheck all aspects of taxi and private hire licensingfor the duration of the operation.

“We take the issue of touting extremelyseriously as it puts the travelling public at riskand undermines the legitimate and law abidingtaxi and private hire trades.

In this operation the Safer Transport CabEnforcement Unit, with support from the taxi andprivate hire compliance team has been successfulin cracking down on touting and enhancing thesafety of the travelling public.”

Met Police Commander, Mak Chishty, who is leading the Operation said: “Licensing laws are there for good reason as they help protect usfrom danger. Breaking them is not acceptable.Operation Condor is about keeping ourcommunities safe from harm. This includeshaving licensed and safe minicabs.”

CONSULTATION DRAWS NEAR

KEN LIVINGSTONE: RIGHT AGAIN

VEHICLE INSPECTION CONTRACT AWARDED TO

NSL LTD

OPERATION CONDOR SWOOPSACROSS LONDON

Comment by UNITE CAB SECTION

By MIKE HEDGES

APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 3

APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 4

GET INVOLVED!By FRANK HULL

We are but a short two months away from learning what the LawCommission’s proposals are for the changes it would like toimpose on this trade. We can only hope that those proposals arenot this trade’s nemesis.

The changes that come about from this exercise are bound to bringabout the biggest shock wave to this trade since the 1976 Misc’Provisions Act was thrown at it and brought legal chaos to theprecarious situation that at that time governed the taxi trade in thecountry. No doubt those that introduced it meant well. Alas for us theyknew nought about the taxi trade.

Now it is up to everyone involved in this licensed taxi trade to getinvolved in the debate up to and after these proposals are finallyreleased. This should be easier these days than in the seventies. Mostof you will be into IT or have family or friends who will help you getyour views on line.

We seem to sense that the line of thought is for a one tier systemor even part one tier system. If this were the case then we must opposeit with all our might. Look at Northern Ireland and the nightmare facedby the trade there. Politicians and officials who, lets face it, know littleor nothing about the taxi trade have brought this about.

The commission could be considering deregulation. This trade,through bitter experience, knows that this benefits neither ourcustomers nor us. Recently, as in many other areas, we have seen there-regulation of both the Wirral and Watford, proof indeed thatderegulation does not work. Unfortunately these two trades and others,also the people who work them have paid a heavy price for theseexperiments.

We hope the Commission is giving really serious consideration tothe responsibility of local licensing authorities, for this is from wherea lot of this trade’s problems stem.

Has the Commission thought about simple mathematical formulafor regulating the number of taxis required in those many differinglicensing areas in this Country? We believe it to be onerous on anauthority to provide adequate rank space for its local taxi fleet. Webelieve that the number of rank spaces needed could also bedetermined with a simple mathematical formula.

If the Commission has given any thought to fares and fees, letshope it has looked at the many differing rates operating across theland. This system is ok, but why can’t the yearly increases to both faresand fees be in line, nationally, in relation to the cost of living index?

We have mentioned here a few of this trade’s concerns. Perhapsyou have concerns that you feel should be raised if so get on line andstate them now!

As we have already said, we are just two short months away from“Proposal Day” so we urge you all to get involved now!

If you want to UNITE with us then simply fill in the applicationform on page 15.

Frank Hull is a UNITE Cab Trade Committee Member.

CTNComment

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APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 5

UNITE THE UNION

JOIN THE

CAMPAIGNING UNION

FOR TAXI DRIVERS

CAB SECTION

THE TAXI DRIVERS’ UNION

WHAT IT COSTS£13.96 (Unite Core) per month

(includes a Section Fund of £3.00 per month)

or with Driver Care

£17.42 (Unite Core) per month

AS A MEMBERYOU WILL RECEIVE

UNITE Knowledge and ServicesDriver CareFor as little as 80p a week, UNITE Driver Care gives you a specially tailored cover of £7,000 should you lose your driving license due to injury, disability, illness, poor eyesight or assault, subject, to the Terms and Conditions of the Driver Care Scheme. As well as loss of license cover UNITE Driver Care also provides financial cover for legal costs you may incur whilst working as a professional driver.

Free Legal Advice and AssistanceOn any matter relating to your work as a taxi driver or anything else you need advice on UNITE CareXpress provides an easily accessible free legal helpline. The UNITE also provides a Free Will Service.

AccountancyMartin Cordell provides a comprehensive accountancy service for only £333.12 (VAT inclusive) per year for UNITE members.

First rate skills at all levels, in dealing with the:

London Taxi and Private Hire (LTPH)

Transport for London GovernmentDepartment for TransportPoliceLocal CouncilsLicensing AuthoritiesRail FranchisesAirport AuthoritiesEuropean Commission

on such issues as:FaresVehicle designRanksBus Lanes, Traffic schemesLicence appeals, etc.

on policiesdemocratically decided by

youThe UNITE the Union Cab Trade Advisory Committee administer the Section Fund on behalf of the Cab members in London & Eastern.

To apply, please complete the application form on Page 11

UNITE the Union seeks to obtain the best possible deal for union members it cannot, however, accept any liability for thebenefits provided by outside organisations.

Peter J RoseSecretary UNITE Cab Section, London Branch

We are now only weeks away from the London Mayoral Elections andUNITE is supporting Labour candidateKen Livingstone, who is standing againafter losing a very close fought election in2008 to Boris Johnson, the ‘Cab Driver’sMayor’?

Ask a lot of taxi drivers what they thinkof Ken Livingstone and most often they willtell you that ‘’he was the worst thing ever forthe trade’’. The funny thing is that when youask them why, they then struggle to give youa reason. Often they will tell you that he wasresponsible for the licensing of minicabs.Not so, that came from Government with the1998 Act – Ken Livingstone just happened tobe the Mayor (because he won the election)that had to implement the new legislation.

So what about the rest of it...?Ken Livingstone was the Mayor that gavethe taxi trade Rate’s 2&3, clear recognitionfor those taxi drivers that work the lesssociable hours, nights and weekends. KenLivingstone also made sure that we wereallowed into 90% of the bus lanes TfL areresponsible for.

‘‘What about his emissions policy’’ I hearyou screaming at me! Well okay, but lets notforget that it was Ken Livingstone that gavethe trade an opportunity to upgrade our cabsrather than take them off the road altogether,no age limits! He also went further by adding20p per job to the meter to help pay for theupgrade, no such help from Boris.

He also accepted the taxi trade’s decisionnot to take seat on the board of TfL because ofthe limited negotiating powers a seat holds.The railways union also refused a seat.Livingstone went further for the taxi trade andrefused the private hire trade a seat because ofour rejection. After his election in 2008, Borissoon invited private hire take a seat, perhapsbecause of the £20,000 campaign donationfrom Addison Lee – who knows?

But probably the most important thingKen Livingstone gave the London taxi tradewas a real voice. Under Ken the trade wasentitled to consultation and negotiation atthe highest level, sometimes directly withKen himself and not just another meetingwith the head or in some cases the deputyhead of London Taxi and Private Hire, theold Public Carriage Office.

Nowadays we don’t even have PublicCarriage Office, gone within the first two

years of Boris’s term in office. Now we arejust another department under the Transportfor London umbrella. Gone is the dedicatedbuilding in Penton Street and with it themuch missed taxi trade counter, wheredrivers could renew their licence, book anoverhaul, report a lost licence etc. Now wehave to take a trip to the Post Office andhope for the best.

Under Boris the trade has seen arguablyits biggest demonstration ever because ofinadequate touting enforcement and thesetting up of what was effectively a minicabrank in the West End, the dreaded SatelliteOffice. Now they are out of control and itwould seem there is no real will to bringthem under control and certainly no desireby this administration to abolish them.Instead we’ve had a long drawn out‘consultation’, the result of which has been,well no change at all really and even whengiven clear evidence of private hiremisdemeanours Boris’s London Taxi andPrivate Hire has been, again and againreluctant to act. But perhaps the biggestthing we can accredit to life under Boris isthe introduction of an age limit on the taxisthat we drive.

A strategic part of Boris Johnsonselection manifesto was the abolition of theWestern Congestion Zone and one of theways to get it passed the Green lobby wasthe introduction of a TEN YEAR age limitfor taxis. By taking ‘dirty taxis’ off the roadthe removal of the western zone was all themore possible he argued. It took a toughfight to persuade his administration that tenyears would be devastating to our trade andwould make our taxis uneconomical if notimpossible to run. Fortunately UNITE waspart of a strong trade lobby that persuadedthe Mayor to at least hold the limit at fifteenyears. Although it looked touch and go for along time with the mayor’s office refusing tobudge. Worth noting; is the fact that, UNITEhas never agreed to an age limit for taxis.

Now I’m not going to tell you what wayyou should vote in the up-coming elections,as cab drivers, we are all over twenty oneand more than capable of making our ownminds up.

All that I or anyone can ask is that whenit comes to vote time, you look at thecandidates objectively, look at theirrespective records and not be influenced byothers that refuse to see beyond pre-conceived attitudes.

THE LONDON MAYOR

APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 6

Professional taxi drivers who aremembers of Unite can benefit froma unique service to support them

at work – DriverCare

Why DriverCare?For all professional drivers an accident,illness or injury could mean thepermanent loss of their licence. And nolicence means no job.

While all Unite members are entitled to awide range of services at work and supportin personal matters too, Unite’s DriverCarescheme - first introduced in 1997 - offerscompensation for the permanent loss of alicence and extra benefits, includingaccident and assault cover, all for a smallsum on top of the standard Unite CabSection membership contribution.

If you're not a Unite member but thinkyou might benefit from the DriverCarescheme, join Unite now. For existingmembers wishing to benefit fromDriverCare, contact your regional office.

DriverCare benefitsFor only 80p a week extra on top of thestandard Unite membership contributiondrivers and their families can benefit fromthe following:• £7,000 cover following loss of licence

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increased personal accident cover of£30,000 and assault cover of £3,000 in placeof loss of licence benefit: full details ofbenefits are available from DriverCarecategories, visit unitetheunion.org

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DriverCare terms and conditions can befound at www.unitetheunion.org

“IF YOUR minicab’s not booked, it’s justa stranger’s car.” So reads a posterplastered across London’s tube stationsand bus stops, part of campaign toencourage Londoners to avoid unlicensedtaxis and minicabs.

London’s taxis (“black cabs”) are amongthe most expensive in the world. Minicabs,which are not allowed to pick up customersoff the street and must be booked in advance,are somewhat cheaper: they operate in amore competitive market and require less of the drivers. (They do not, for example,need to memorise London’s street map(called “the knowledge”) — and can insteadrely on GPS.)

So why not allow minicabs to pick upcustomers? The main argument against it issafety. A particularly gruesome poster byTransport for London (TfL), the regulatorfor cabbies, shows a woman in tears in theback of a cab along with the words “Stop,no. Stop please, no, please. Please stoptaking unbooked minicabs.” Licensed cabdrivers must pass a background check,medical tests, a “topographical skillsassessment test” and pay a fee of £262.This no doubt makes Londoners safer, or atvery least gives them an opportunity tohold somebody to account if they arerobbed, or worse. But it also gives priceyblack cabs a monopoly on London’s streets.

But what would London look likewithout TfL’s regulations and licenses? Areal world example of an all-but-free taximarket can be found in that renowned hub of capitalist free-marketeering, Tehran. Inthe Iranian capital, any car is a potential taxiand anybody who wants to pick up apassenger does.

There are 22,000 black cabs in Londonand another 49,000 vehicles licensed forprivate hire. Some 30,000 licensed taxisoperate in Tehran. But so do an estimated53,000 unlicensed taxis—though thisnumber is extremely fluid. The result is notA Clockwork Orange-type world ofwidespread sexual attacks, armed robberyand societal breakdown as foretold by TfL.Instead, getting from place to place inTehran is remarkably easy, safe and cheap.

Your friendly neighbourhood driver

In the absence of formal structures, asophisticated eco-system of cab options hasemerged. Commuters can call a taxi to thedoor or flag one down on the street to go darbaste (literally, “closed door”), hiring thewhole cab for themselves. Or they can walkto the nearest main road and, at any point onthe street, jump into one of the passingshared taxis that ply fixed routes up anddown that particular street or between majorcity squares. These shared taxis form a city-wide hub-and-spoke network. Unlicensedcabs look like normal cars, but move slowlyas they look for fares, flash their lights atwaiting commuters and tend to have thewindow open just a crack so people canshout their destination at them.

Driving a fixed route obviates the needfor drivers to know the roads or readingmaps. Unlicensed drivers tend to preferthese routes (which is not to say they cannotbe found for longer routes and morecomplicated journeys). This systemcomplements the city’s public transportsystem, which includes a metro with threelines, scores of buses routes and theinevitable motorcycle taxis.

The result is that commuters rarely haveto hang around. Taxis do not to disappearduring rush hour, as they tend to do onLondon, but seem to multiply. Supply alsoexpands to accommodate demand at nightwhen people head home.

Taxis are also remarkably cheap. This isnot only a result of Iran’s cheap petrol prices.Drivers get a fixed monthly quota of 60litres of subsidised fuel per month. Anythingover that must be bought at a significantlyhigher price on the open market. What ismore, one of the benefits of owning a taxilicense is a higher fuel quota. This keepsprices of licensed taxis in check.

Taxi drivers the world over seem todislike going short distances, making itdifficult to get a ride for passengers who justwant to go a few blocks. Tehran’s hop-on-hop-off shared taxi system effectively solvesthat problem. It also helps to reduce thenumber of cars on Tehran’s roads.

The system works for the unlicensed taxidrivers, too. Iran’s inflation for 2011 was22.5% and unemployment hit 15%,according to the International MonetaryFund. Picking up a few passengers on yourway home from work is an easy way to makea little pocket money—assuming you have ajob at all. If you don’t, a car and a driver’slicense is enough to be self-employed. Evenif easing commuters’ woes is currently noton top of politicians’ mind in economicallymoribund Britain, a way for drivers to makea few extra quid would surely be welcomed.

Comment from UNITE CabSection member Steve Plumb

This discussion hinges upon a number ofparadoxes. The prime one being, that like the“prophet not honoured in his own country”,the London driver Taxi seems to provide aservice which is the envy of the world, yetwhich is treated with some disdain byresidents of London. The key criteria forqualifying as a London Cabbie are: 1 Aclean criminal record 2 the ability to speakthe native language clearly 3 an exhaustivetopographical knowledge of a six mileradius of the City in question. At least two ofthe forgoing would disqualify any cab driverin any other City of the world. As a LondonCabbie of 20 years’ service, my foreignpassengers are daily amazed and oftenbemused that they enter a cab where thedriver not only (in London’s case) speaksclear intelligible English, but that the driverin 95% of cases knows the precise locationof a destination, simply by reference, not toa postal address, but to the name of the place ie The Carlton Club, Birkbeck College

REGULATING CABSNO KNOWLEDGE NEEDED

or John Bell & Croydon (a Drug store!).To understand the whys and wherefores

of the London Taxi system, one simply hasto realise that the service is founded on awhole raft of legislation which is in place toprotect you, the consumer. This legislationhas been finely honed by WestminsterGovernment over 400 years! Be it therequirement for a purpose built vehicle, thenecessity of the painfully difficulttopographical knowledge or the setting inplace of a Fare Tariff which preventsarbitrarily over-charging. Add to this, thesystem of accountability which allows thepassenger to make a complaint from theirBlackberry whilst in transit via email (theaddress is clearly visible in the back of then cab); in toto, one has a public carriage system in place where thepassenger is the priority.

As for GPS systems. As users of PrivateHire cars in London have found to theirdaily distress, that being driven by a driver

with limited language capability, third worlddriving habits and sole un-contextualiseduse of Sat Nav systems, arriving on time atthe required destination is a hit and missaffair. A simple search on Twitter for#addisonlee will find a steady flow ofcomplaints regarding the quality of PrivateHire Drivers.

I can only reiterate the constantappreciation given to me and my colleaguesby business people visiting London fromoverseas. As for the Warboys’ crime. He wasone of 24,000 licence holders.

The M word reared its jealous andchurlish head. Why is a licensing system, inplace to protect the public, considered a“monopoly”? Let’s ask the Law Society, theBar Council, the BMA, RIBA, RICS and theRoyal College of Surgeons.

Taken from the Economist on-line,February 9th 2012, 12:50 by L.M.

www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2012/02/regulating-cabs-0

SchumpeterBusiness and management

APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 7

APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 8

MEDIA ALERT

VeriFone drivers have their cake and eat itVeriFone unveil second driver operations centreOn 12 March, staff and drivers tucked into two huge celebratory cakes, a tasty London taxi and a New York cab, provided by VeriFone Taxi Solutions to mark theopening of their new HQ in Kennington. Having acquired, refurbished and upgraded ‘Gloucester House’, the former Taxi Media Operations Centre in SE5,VeriFone have doubled capacity as the existing Dunbridge Street site is also about to undergo a similar upgrade. VeriFone now have the convenience of twoOperations Centres for drivers and fleets to choose from.

Responding to the needs of their drivers and fleet owners, Asher Moses of VeriFone explained “We’ve made this investment to ensure the taxi trade gets thevery best service, quickest turnaround and most comprehensive support from our teams”.

The new 15,000ft2 HQ is now home to the VeriFone logistics, operations and technical teams. It has14 fitting bays where livery and superside adverts and cardpayment systems will be fitted. There is a well appointed new Driver Lounge serving complimentary hot and cold drinks with a TV and pool table, a card systemdemonstration area and smart toilet and shower block. The bright, light and safe fitting bays have been designed to cut the time needed to install ads and cardsystems, and are the culmination of consultation with drivers and VeriFone operations staff and fitters.

The extra facility was needed as demand for ad contracts amongst drivers has been stimulated by the Olympics this summer, and the well-documented need fordrivers to accept card payment continues to increase. According to Mark Roberts, VeriFone Taxi Solutions Vice President and the man who helped bring ‘Chip &Pin’ to the UK, the public want to pay by card. “If taxi drivers can’t take card payments, someone else will. That helps to explainwhy so much taxi business has been lost to private hire in recent years. We’re supporting taxis and helping them to reclaim

those lost fares. Card payment makes it easy for the public, business travellers and overseas visitors, so it’s in every cabbiesinterest to accommodate them. Tailored to suit London, our system shares much of its DNA with our New York network whichyou’ll find in every yellow taxi in the Big Apple.”

The new HQ features graphics and decor inspired by the iconic London taxi. On the huge glass windows facing the street andthroughout the building, images of taxis and London landmarks have been created using hundreds of small icons includingtaxis, badges, meters, credit cards, London landmarks and taxi drivers (one of whom is playing golf – see if you can spot him!).

Now that Kennington is open, the existing Operations Centre in Dunbridge Street is due for a thorough upgrade too. Drivers willthen have two well-appointed VeriFone sites to use, although both are open and fully operational now.

A familiar face to many VeriFone drivers already, Sana Omari will be greeting drivers at Kennington and is very excited by thenew facility. “My drivers will love it, although they may not need to wait long enough to get a whole frame of pool in before their taxi’s ready to go!” Sana also reports that the black London taxi cake provided on the opening day was much tastier than the

yellow New York version!

The Gloucester House site is at 10 Camberwell New Road, London SE5 0TA. VeriFone confirm that all telephonenumbers and pre-scheduled appointments remain exactly as before.

Mark Roberts and Asher Moses from VeriFone The new VeriFone fitting bays ready for the officialopening of the refurbished Kennington site on 12 March

Sana Omari, VeriFone.

APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 9APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 8

MEDIA ALERT

VeriFone drivers have their cake and eat itVeriFone unveil second driver operations centre

On 12 March, staff and drivers tucked into two huge celebratory cakes, a tasty London taxi and a New York cab, provided by VeriFone TaxiSolutions to mark the opening of their new HQ in Kennington. Having acquired, refurbished and upgraded ‘Gloucester House’, the former TaxiMedia Operations Centre in SE5, VeriFone have doubled capacity as the existing Dunbridge Street site is also about to undergo a similar upgrade.VeriFone now have the convenience of two Operations Centres for drivers and fleets to choose from.

Responding to the needs of their drivers and fleet owners, Asher Moses of VeriFone explained “We’ve made this investment to ensure the taxitrade gets the very best service, quickest turnaround and most comprehensive support from our teams”.

The new HQ features graphics and decor inspired by the iconic London taxi. On the huge glass windows facing the street and throughout thebuilding, images of taxis and London landmarks have been created using hundreds of small icons including taxis, badges, meters, credit cards,London landmarks and taxi drivers (one of whom is playing golf – see if you can spot him!).

Now that Kennington is open, the existing Operations Centre in Dunbridge Street is due for a thorough upgrade too.Drivers will then have two well-appointed VeriFone sites to use, although both are open and fully operational now.

A familiar face to many VeriFone drivers already, Sana Omari will be greeting drivers at Kennington and is very excitedby the new facility. “My

drivers will love it, although they may not need to wait long enough to get a whole frame of pool in before their taxi’sready to go!” Sana also reports that the black London taxi cake provided on the opening day was much tastier thanthe yellow New York version!

The Gloucester House site is at 10 Camberwell New Road, London SE5 0TA. VeriFone confirm that all telephonenumbers and pre-scheduled appointments remain exactly as before.

Mark Roberts and Asher Moses from VeriFone The new VeriFone fitting bays ready for the officialopening of the refurbished Kennington site on 12 March

Sana Omari, VeriFone.

APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 10

A bogus cab driver, who was driving whilstdisqualified, has been jailed for 20 weeksthanks to Metropolitan Police Service'sCab Enforcement Unit (CEU), part of theTransport for London (TfL) funded SaferTransport Command Unit (STC).

Kumar Gunadheera, 56, who usesnumerous aliases, was sentenced at EastLondon Magistrates' Court on Monday 12March after pleading guilty to solicitingpersons for hire car services, resisting/obstructing a constable, driving with noinsurance, driving otherwise than inaccordance with a licence and driving whilstdisqualified. He was also disqualified fromdriving for a further three years.

Officers from the CEU were on patrol inShoreditch when they came across a carbeing driven by Gunadheera with passengersin the rear. Officers suspected the driver was

touting and stopped the car. Gunadheera,who gave a false name, stated he had offeredthe passengers a lift home free of charge,however, the passengers confirmed thatGunadheera approached them in ShaftesburyAvenue and agreed a price of £20 to takethem to east London. Gunadheera wasarrested and taken into custody where histrue identity was confirmed.

Chief Superintendent Sultan Taylor, SaferTransport Command, said: ‘‘Gunadheera'sactions not only put the passengers in dangerbut other Londoner's by touting and drivingwhilst disqualified.

This case demonstrates the good workbeing done by the joint STC/ TfL CabEnforcement Unit, who are a dedicated unitthat carries out anti-tout initiatives to tackletouts and improve the safety of passengerswho use taxis and private hire vehicles.’’

Steve Burton, Director of CommunitySafety, Enforcement and Policing at TfL,said: "TfL take touting extremely seriouslyand the conviction of Mr. Gunadheera asanother example of this. We continuouslywork with our policing partners and theMayor of London to reduce the number ofillegal minicabs operating in the capital.

Anyone who thinks about picking up a minicab off street is urged to not take the risk. Only black cabs can be stopped and picked up off the street and minicabs,even those licensed by TfL, must always bebooked through a licensed minicaboperator.’’

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FREE LEGAL HELP ON NON-WORK MATTERSWhen you join Unite, we’re not just a friend at work, but at home too. As a member, you are entitled to free initial legal advice on any non-work related matter, anytime, visit our website or by ringing our 24-hour Legal helpline. This valuable benefit could put your mind at rest on matters such as motoring offences, consumer complaints or property disputes.

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APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 11

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Working with benefits specialist, Personal Group, Unite Cab Section have put together a comprehensive packageof benefits for all members. These include discounted retailvouchers, fantastic offers on music, short breaks and hotels, afinancial and mortgage advice service plus much more!

Use your Retail Vouchers to make great savings of up to 12% at several high street stores, save money on largehousehold purchases with 9% discount at B&Q, 10% at Curry’sand Comet, cut the cost of food with a number of popularsupermarkets including Asda and Sainsbury’s. Cut the cost ofshopping online with 7% off purchases at Amazon, plus many,many more discounts.

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In a bid to clear the streets of unlicensed taxis, dozens of newly hired officers atthe Taxi and Limousine Commission have, in recent weeks, flagged down, finedand seized so many cars that New York City has run out of space to keep them.

With the city’s violation tow pounds at or near capacity, the commission has resorted toholding the seized vehicles in a parking lot at its safety and emissions center in Woodside,Queens, where as many as 500 taxis are inspected every day.

Finding space has become such a challenge that the commission plans to issue a request forproposals for parking lots next week; in some cases, because of the lack of space, thecommission has not been able to tow away as many unlicensed taxis as it would like.

“We would seize more,” said David S. Yassky, chairman of the Taxi and LimousineCommission, referring to its enforcement officers. “Day to day, when they are out doing theirdeployments, their instructions for the mission depend on how much space they have.”

On Monday morning, Mr. Yassky strolled through the parking lot in Woodside, which was filledwith 69 unlicensed Lincoln Town Cars, stretch Hummers and limousines that officials hadpicked up since Friday. Ray Scanlon, a deputy commissioner who runs inspections and theuniformed services bureau, said 15 cars were picked up at Kennedy and La Guardia Airportson Friday. More unlicensed cars were seized near clubs in Manhattan, in the meatpackingdistrict and in the theater district on Saturday.

On Sunday, officers seized 20 more cars in Queens from drivers who were not licensed by theTaxi and Limousine Commission and were illegally picking up passengers at shopping malls.

But the city had space for only four vehicles at its tow pounds over the weekend — so thecommission squeezed the remaining cars into the parking lot in Woodside, where yellow taxislined up on Monday morning for quarterly inspections.

Mr. Scanlon said he expected most of the drivers to pay their fines and retrieve their cars assoon as they could. He said he hoped the packed lot in Woodside would clear out soon, toaccommodate all the taxis coming in for inspection.

“These cars, more than likely, will be retrieved by Tuesday afternoon,” Mr. Scanlon said.

Allan J. Fromberg, a spokesman for the Taxi and Limousine Commission, said, “We’ve neverhad a car sitting for weeks or months in the yard.”

The space problems started late last year, when the commission began doubling the size ofits 100-person force in anticipation of the enforcement effort in the boroughs outsideManhattan that are served by livery cabs, which are not allowed to pick up street hails. In thepast six months, the commission has hired 61 officers, 40 of whom are already in the fieldpicking up illegal vehicles. By the end of the year, the commission hopes to have hired 100new officers.

Avik Kabessa, a member of the board at the Livery Roundtable, a group representing liverydrivers and chauffeurs, and a partner in Carmel Car and Limousine Service, said he remainedskeptical about the effort. He said he was afraid that the commission would use the newofficers and any added parking spaces to prey on livery drivers picking up unauthorized fares,rather than drivers who are not licensed at all.

“We often welcome more enforcement,” Mr. Kabessa said. “But unfortunately, instead ofgoing after those who are truly illegal, they are going after those who have the Taxi andLimousine Commission plates. Usually they’re going after the low-hanging fruit like the liverydrivers.”

Mr. Yassky said he hoped that the additional enforcement measures would keep more riderssafe from all types of unlicensed drivers.

“The job will still be enormous,” he said. “But at that point, it will be manageable.”

In Crackdown on Unlicensed Taxis, City Runs Out of RoomBy CHRISTINE HAUGHNEYPublished: March 19, 2012

CABTRADENEWS.co.ukTaxi trade news and comment from working drivers belonging to UNITE theUNION

APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 12

The Melange column has written onSex and The City of London in thepast. A conclusion has been drawnwith the plethora of striptease barsaround the edge of the squaremile. . . . It is not possible to find sex inthe The City, but there’s plenty ofminge on the fringe. . . .!

The City of London, or theCorporation of London, as it is referredto for the purpose of local governmentadministration, is also very different toall the other London boroughs. Its rules

are very unique. The City is highlyremoved from the norm of localgovernment management . . . perhapsthis why it has such a cavalier attitude towhat lies just outside its boundaries?

WHY IS THERE NOLAPDANCING IN THE CITY?

The Corporation of City ofLondon is old fashioned,undemocratic and out oftouch. It’s amazing to thinkin 21st century Britain thestructure still stands. Each of the 25 City wards electsone Alderman and a numberof Common Councilmendepending on the size of the electorate. Now theelectorate is where itbecomes interesting . . . the9,000 residents get a voteand so do the businesses.The bigger the business the

bigger the vote. The Banks, law firms,insurance companies and other financialinstitutions are controlling the City. Themembers of the Court of CommonCouncil also have different means ofqualification to the rest of the UK. Tobecome a member of the CommonCouncil you must be the owner of afreehold or leasehold in the square mile.That’s some of the most expensive realestate on planet Earth. It however, getsmore complicated, and perhaps to get abetter explanation it is worth quoting

George Monbiot from hiscolourful article, WealthDestroyers, written lastautumn. “There are fourlayers of electedrepresentatives in theCorporation; commoncouncilmen, aldermen,sheriffs and the LordMayor. To qualify for anyof these offices you must bea freeman of the City ofLondon. To become afreeman you must beapproved by the aldermen.You’re most likely to

qualify if you belong to one of the Citylivery companies; mediaeval guildssuch as the worshipful company ofcostermongers, cutpurses and safe- crackers. To become a sheriff, you

must be elected from among thealdermen by the Livery. How do youjoin a livery company? Don’t evenask,” writes Monbiot. Well, at least inthe cab trade we have the washers andpolishers, also known as, the worshipfulcompany of cabmen.

Bankers, synonymous with The City,have been the recent focus of theOCCUPY demonstrations at St. PaulsChurchyard and the continuing protestjust outside the City’s limits on FinsburySquare. They have garnered a good dealof public support for highlighting theinequalities in our society. In the UK, wehave the biggest income inequalitycompared to the rest of European Union!

On a similar level, but nowhere nearas high profile, The City shows noconcern for its neighbouring boroughsand repeatedly refuses any applicationfor a striptease waiver licence. It isanother example of “one law for them and another for the rest.” It can be hard to argue that the proliferation ofsexual encounter establishments thathog the City fringe and blight theneighbourhoods generate a great deal of their custom from bosses and

employees of the City’s financialinstitutions who go slumming atlunchtime and in the early evening.

Four hundred years ago Shakespearehad problems getting his playsperformed in the City. So famously theywere performed south of the river or inthe Liberty of Norton Folgate to complywith City rules. Oliver Cromwellbanned theatre completely during hispuritan rule. When the monarchy wasrestored with Charles II, the Citycontinued to prevent bawdy thespiansstrutting their stuff.

The present day sees Tower Hamlets council taking on the might ofthe sex industry to prevent lap dancing

and striptease clubs beinglicensed in their borough.This could be a tough task as the sex industry is up there with the oilcompanies, armamentsmanufacturers, and both thelegal and illegal drug tradeswhen it comes to financialmuscle. A far fairer fightwould be to see the sexindustry in the guise of acompany like, SpearmintRhino, taking on theCorporation of the City ofLondon to establishpremises in their domain. Asimple solution to see theCity move into the presentdemocratic world would beto have Cor pora t ionabsorbed into a neigh-bour ing bo rough . Orperhaps a more equitableanswer could be to have theCity carved up and mergedinto the adjoining localauthorities of Westminster,Camden , I s l i ng ton ,

Hackney and Tower Hamlets. Thewealth creation would remain. Thepomp and pageantry could remain, butthe antediluvian mediaeval practices and privileges would be replaced with democracy, transparency andaccountability.

Mark’s Mélange 95Mark’s Mélange 95By MARK EDWARD TAYLOR

SEX AND THE CITYPART III

marktaylor842@btinternet.com

APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 13

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TT H E A T R EH E A T R EBy TRUDI-JOY LEVY

JACKIE MASON “Fearless”at the Wyndham’s Theatre

Jackie Mason started the evening by announcingthat this was his ‘Farewell’ tour. “So if I stink, youwon’t come back. So what? I’m not.” From thenon it was impossible to stop laughing. He pokedfun at the pretentiousness of life - we areprepared to pay a fortune for foam and burntcoffee in a cardboard cup - because it has a fancyname. We’ll eat burnt fish and pronounce itdelicious because it’s ‘Cajun’. He covered thecompetitiveness of owning the latest mobile‘phone. “I’ve got a 4, have you only got a 3?”Room service charges, sushi, opera, ballet,parking, and - throughout it all - the inherentdifferences between Gentiles and Jews. In thesecond half he covered politics, which enabledhim to do his impressions of George W. Bush,John Kennedy and Henry Kissinger. At the age of75, he was able to do two hours of stand-up,without a stool or water. He could certainly showthe young lads on the circuit how it’s done.

ANTON & ERIN “Let’s Do It”Nationwide Tour

For any fans of “Strictly Come Dancing”suffering from withdrawal symptoms, you’ll beglad to hear that Anton du Beke and Erin Boagare now touring the country with their spectacularshow “Let’s Do It”. They have been partners fornearly 15 years, so never put a foot wrong. Theyare joined by a full orchestra, conducted byRichard Balcombe, and “Strictly” singer LanceEllington. Lance is the son of Ray Ellington,whom many of us remember as the bandleaderfrom the Goon Show. Stepping out from theshadows of “Strictly”, Lance is a great addition tothis show, adding variety, and joining in some ofthe song and dance numbers. They are also joinedby two other dancing couples, which gives themtime for costume changes - of which there aremany.

Every dance style is encompassed, but, for me,the highlights of the first half were a sublime waltzto “Somewhere in Time”, a tango to “CarminaBurano” and a parody of “Let’s Do It”. Cole Porterwould not recognise any of the words, as theypoked fun at the “Strictly” contestants and judges.The first half ended spectacularly with a medleyfrom “Chicago” which involved all the dancers.

The second half included some Gershwin andan amusing ‘Question & Answer’ session whichinvolved interaction with the audience; somethingat which Anton excelled. Erin seemed to changecostume for every number - she admitted that sheowned 564 - and looked as glamorous as GingerRogers in the ‘30s. Do try to catch this show whenit comes to a venue near you.

ABSENT FRIENDSat the Harold Pinter Theatre

Pictured: Kara Tointon. Jeremy Herrin will directDavid Armand, Elizabeth Berrington, KatherineParkinson, Steffan Rhodri and Reece Shearsmith inAlan Ayckbourn’s classic comedy of manners and socialembarrassment Absent Friends, previewing at theHarold Pinter Theatre. Photography by Simon Annan.I have to admit that I have a soft spot for this play,having appeared in it myself in the 1970s. Itfollowed closely after the success of “The

Norman Conquests” in 1974, and wasn’t quitethe hilarious comedy everyone expected fromAlan Ayckbourn. In fact, this play is about deathor, as Ayckbourn puts it: ‘the death of love’.

Diana (Katherine Parkinson), has decided tohold a tea party for old friend, Colin (ReeceShearsmith) who’s fiancée has drowned. She hasinvited others from their group: John (DavidArmand), his wife, Evelyn (Kara Tointon), Marge(Elizabeth Berrington), and her hypochondriachusband, Gordon, who never appears. Relationsare strained long before bereaved Colin appears,as Diana suspects that monosyllabic Evelyn ishaving an affair with her husband, Paul (SteffanRhodri). Evelyn denies this, as she doesn’tconsider that “doing it in the back of his car”constitutes as affair. John turns a blind eye to thesituation, as he is anxious to continue hisbusiness relationship with Paul, and they have ababy who is wheeled on and off the stage.

Pictured (left to right) Katherine Parkinson (Diana),Reece Shearsmith (Colin) and Elizabeth Berrington(Marge) in Absent Friends at the Harold PinterTheatre. Photo credit Simon Annand.

When Colin appears, the others are unsurehow to behave with him. Death was a taboosubject at that time and they are embarrassed thatthey may say the wrong thing. He asks after sickGordon and Marge replies “he’s not quite atdeath’s door yet” then realises with horror whatshe has said. Colin, on the other hand, is only toohappy to talk about his fiancée, and thewonderful, but brief, relationship they hadenjoyed. Ironically, he envies his friends’marriages, none of which are perfect. Diana ismarried to a selfish chauvinist. Childless Margehas made pathetic Gordon into her surrogatechild. Bored Evelyn is stuck at home with acrying baby, unfulfilled. At times, it seems morelike a Mike Leigh play than classic Ackbourn.

Director, Jeremy Herrin, has rightly kept thesetting in the 1970s. Relationships today are farmore equal, with most wives working, and themodern generation are more comfortable talkingabout subjects such as death and infidelity. Everydetail of the set by Tom Scutt is spot-on, down tothe sunray clock and spider plants. It is truly anensemble piece, well acted by the entire cast andElizabeth Berrington is as funny as I rememberMaureen Lipman was in the original London cast.

Pictured: Stefan Armand (John) and Steffan Rhodri(Paul) in Absent Friends at the Harold Pinter Theatre.Photo credit Simon Annand.

Street LegalBy VICTORIA PHILLIPS

Street Legal

RELEASE OF LILANY OBANDOI returned recently from a harrowing but inspiring trip to Colombia, as part of a Justice for Colombia (JFC) delegation of UK trade unionists and lawyers. Theseincluded Dennis Wilson, Esther Reay and Tom Murphy from Unite London region.

I will never forget the momentous moment when Lilany Obando, a Colombian tradeunionist, academic and human rights defender, walked free from Buen Pastor Prison inBogata, after more than three and a half years imprisoned there without charge, falselyaccused of “rebellion”.

Five of us including Esther had visited Lilany two days before her release. This was thefirst international delegation to be allowed to see the prisoners since a new prison governorwas appointed last year. Lilany had no idea that we were coming. No one anticipated thatshe would be freed so soon afterwards. She had recently been moved to a maximumsecurity “patio 7”, where access to visitors, including her eight-year-old daughter andteenage son, was very limited or denied. There had been no explanation for the move, otherthan it was “for her own security”. Lilany believed the real reason was to isolate her fromthe other prisoners because she was seen as a leader.

Although Lilany was a political prisoner, the maximum security patio also heldparamilitaries. So much is reported in the British press about the so-called terrorism of theleft-wing guerrilla organisation FARC, but it is the right-wing paramilitaries who directtheir violence mainly towards peasants, trade unionists, teachers and human rights workers.

Sharing a prison wing with them was extremely dangerous for Lilany, who waswrongly accused by the authorities of being the partner of a FARC commander.Laughingly, it had been suggested by the prison governor that she was a danger to theparamilitaries. Lilany and some of her fellow political prisoners gave us many distressingaccounts of their treatment in prison and of the persecution of trade unionists in Colombia.Every year numerous union leaders, union activists and union members are assassinated.Two days later, when we heard that she was to be released, we waited outside the prison formany hours. On her release we took her, her family and her lawyers into Bogata and thenext day she came with us to meet the British Ambassador.

We made representations to both the interior ministry and the British Embassy abouther future protection. She is now at more risk than ever.In the most dangerous place in theworld to be a trade unionist, Lilany Obando is a truly inspirational woman.

For more information about JFC and its campaign to stop the persecution of Lilany andother trade unionists go to: www.justiceforcolombia.org

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APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 15

National monthly paper of thelicensed taxi trade

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UNLICENSED CABDRIVER JAILED

FOR SEXUALASSAULTS

An unlicensed cab driver has been sentenced atIsleworth Crown Court (Friday 24 February)following sexual assaults on two women inKingston and Chelsea in 2010.

Amir Bhatti, 33 (Left), of Cranford Lane,Hounslow pleaded guilty to two counts of sexualassault and one count of theft in October 2011. Hewas sentenced to four years' imprisonemnet forpublic protection.

Detective Constable Serena D’Adamo ofSapphire said: ‘‘Bhatti used his job as anunlicensed cab driver to target vulnerable womanand get them into his car so he could carry out theassaults. This case should serve as a reminder towomen to take sensible precautions when planninga night out and ensure they have a safe way ofgetting home.

‘‘If anyone thinks they have been a victim ofsexual assault I would urge them to report it topolice; they can be assured that they will be treatedsensitively by specially trained Sapphire officers.’’

An allegation of sexual assault was made topolice on 11 November 2010 by an 18-year-oldstudent who had been at a nightclub in Kingston inthe early hours of that day.

She had become separated from her friendsand left the venue, getting into the front passengerseat of a cab now known to be driven by Bhatti.During the journey she became aware that he wasdriving in the opposite direction to where she lived,and when the car stopped at traffic lights hetouched her upper leg. She managed to get out ofthe car and run into a nearby hotel to get awayfrom him.

A second incident was reported three dayslater on 14 November when a woman wasassaulted after leaving the Chelsea area in a caband the two offences were linked.

The victim, 31, left a nightclub on the KingsRoad after becoming ill, she then recalled being inthe rear of a parked car with a man on top of her,assaulting her. The victim claimed she needed tobe sick and got out of the car before running tosafety.

Both women also had money stolen from theirbank accounts via a cashpoint machine on thenights they were assaulted.

Detectives from Sapphire identified AmirBhatti as a suspect from a partial registrationnumber of the car used in the offences. CCTVfootage from the cashpoints used by the victimsshowed him standing with them when they madethe withdrawls, and a record of him storing one ofthe victim's pin numbers in his mobile phone wasretrieved.

Records from the phone were also able to pinpoint him as being at the locations relevant to theassaults at the time that they happened.

Bhatti was arrested on 29 November 2010 and subsequently charged. Due to theoverwhelming evidence against him he entered aguilty plea prior to the start of the trial.

APRIL 2012 – CAB TRADE NEWS – Page 16