RMT TO FIGHT THE PEDICAB BILL

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: april 2010 :: RMTnews 26 The London Taxi branch have fought the "Pedicab Bill" currently going through Parliament with protests on the streets of the capital. Clause 19 of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London (2) Bill 2009 is the second presented to Parliament in the last five years and has sought to legitimise the use of pedicabs or rickshaws on the streets of London. Some think of these operations as a tourist gimmick without fully understanding the safety issues which abound. The provision of taxis (hackney carriages) has been controlled by the Public Carriage Office with strict rules regarding the character of taxi drivers and the safety of their vehicles. The licensed taxi trade in London has to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act in making all taxis wheelchair accessible. Not only that but all drivers must undergo a three year regular check with the Criminal Records Bureau before being re-licensed. A previous Bill which would have allowed the Licensing Authority to license these "trikes" as Hackney Carriages was defeated at the Select Committee stage of the Bill on the basis that these "vehicles" could not be available for immediate hiring as this would make them a hackney carriage within the definition of the law. Vehicles licensed as taxis in London have to meet certain safety criteria which pedicabs most certainly did not and there was also the vexed question of how do you vet itinerant workers from other countries without the possibility of character and criminality checks before letting them loose on the public. Not only that but also consider the fact that these people can charge what they like and do not publish any regular fares for any journey they carry out. The thrust of the current Bill was to give Local Authorities the power to bring pedicabs under some sort of control by way of a voluntary system of registration and control by way of issuing Penalty Charge Notices for offences under the Road Traffic Acts. There is no doubt that these uncontrolled vehicles provide a disproportionate amount of congestion which hinders the legitimate work of bus and taxi drivers in the already congested streets of the capital, particularly at night. The RMT Taxi branch is against any controls and want to see these dangerous vehicles banned outright and confined to the dustbin of history. RMT members are the only taxi trade activists campaigning on this very important of issue of transport and public safety. Clause 19 cannot be allowed onto the statute book as this would open the door for all manner of other gimmicky vehicles and undermine the legitimate trade of regular hackney carriage drivers and make a mockery of the whole rigorous and systematic checks and controls currently imposed on licensed taxi drivers by the Public Carriage Office, the Licensing Authority for London Taxis. The branch urges all RMT members visiting London to consider their safety before embarking on the hazards of pedicab rides. Through the auspices John McDonnell MP, the London Taxi branch will endeavour to ensure that Clause 19 is kicked firmly into touch. TAXI!:From left to right John Mcdonnell MP for Hayes & Harlington, John Mason Director of Taxi/Private Hire, Stan Marut compliance officer, David Vidgen branch secretary. RMT TO FIGHT THE PEDICAB BILL Stan Marut of London Taxi branch makes the case against the use of pedicabs or rickshaws in London