STAMP OUT DANGEROUS ILLEGAL MINI-CABS

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2013 :: RMTnews 7 R MT is demanding that Transport for London stamp out illegal taxi touting in London. The union has demanded that every Private Hire Operator must have an IT booking system approved by TfL that receives bookings with details of the driver, passenger, destination and any other key details. TfL can bring this about very swiftly by making it a condition of licensing without any legislation and it end fictional scribbled ‘instant’ pre bookings outside venues that flout the law and in effect ensure the passengers are uninsured and vulnerable travellers and road users put at risk. It will also break the links between corrupt door security staff, predatory drivers, organised crime, drug dealing, money laundering and much else. The union is insisting that private hire businesses operate within the law and enforcement authorities have a clear ‘audit trail’ of all bookings made in advance available in real time. This would protect legitimate operators and preserves the Taxi trades hard won right to ‘Ply for Hire’. It also ensures that all licensed PH drivers are working for an operator and those not so liable for the congestion charge etc., as all work must come through an operator, they can’t be working legitimately. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that RMT London taxi branch had put forward a simple solution to end the dangerous scourge of illegal private hire activity and it can happen now without waiting for the long- delayed Law Commission Draft bill. “There is everything to gain for the law abiding citizens and visitors to this great city of stamping out these dangerous practices by adopting RMT’s proposals. “The only losers are those with criminal intent. “The question has to be asked why those with the power are resisting moves to clean up the trade and clamp down and what we know is happening out there on London’s streets night after night in the West End and beyond,” he said. STAMP OUT DANGEROUS ILLEGAL MINI-CABS E uropean Union proposals to allow mega trucks to cross international borders would lead to the vehicles coming to Britain by default over time and cost taxpayers billions in infrastructure adaptation and maintenance, according to Freight on Rail. Last month the European transport commissioner Siim Kallas announced proposals to review the Weights and Dimensions regulations (Directive 96/53) and article 4 states that 25 metre mega trucks should be allowed to cross international borders. Whilst the UK government currently says that it will not allow mega trucks in, it will come under huge pressure from the road haulage industry on competition grounds to allow such lorries, once mega trucks are allowed to travel internationally, despite all the adverse safety congestion and environmental consequences. Eurocrats have not evaluated the impacts and cost to society of this policy, contrary to EU rules. Philippa Edmunds of Freight on Rail warned that mega trucks would devastate consumer rail freight which has a much better environmental record than road as UK rail freight produces 70 per cent less carbon dioxide emissions than the equivalent road journey. She said that the UK government should continue to resist pressure for their introduction in the strongest terms. “For Europe to introduce a policy without analysing the overall impacts which will inflict huge costs on taxpayers is irresponsible, especially at a time of austerity. “The UK taxpayer has barely finished paying for the bridge strengthening increases to 40/44 tonnes and yet they will be forced to pay the billion pounds cost to adapt the infrastructure and the extra wear and tear on our roads as a result of mega trucks. “In Austria alone, it would cost 5.3 billion euros to adapt the motorway and dual carriageway network. Instead, Europe should be promoting freight by rail, in line with its own policy,” she said. CROSS BORDER MEGA TRUCKS WOULD COST UK TAXPAYERS BILLIONS