Demo Halts London!
Call Sign December 2011
Page 5
Traffic chaos caused by stu-
Following
the
student
dents and then taxi drivers
demonstration in central
London on 9 November, a
assaults that had taken place against
United Cabbies Group organ-
women travelling in licensed and
ised demo involving licensed
unlicensed minicabs in 2010 had
taxis continued the chaos
increased by 54 percent.
already caused by the march.
UCG spokesperson, Jonathan
The UCG demo was to com-
Myers, said that around 4,000
plain about minicab touting
black cabs had attended the
and unsafe travel for the pub-
protest claiming that TfL and
lic and cited satellite offices in
LTPH were not enforcing the law
particular. This was despite a
regarding licensed and unli-
request from LTPH for drivers
censed minicabs.
not to join in, calling the
Dial-a-Cab
Jon
driver
UCG's justification for the
Robinson (E88) told Call Sign:
going from 100 up to 2000! RMT General
protest as being "based on inaccurate and false
"I was at the demo and surrounded by taxis
Secretary Bob Crow was at Trafalgar Square
claims about London Taxi and Private Hire and
but sadly many of them had fares in. I find it
informing the press as to why the demo was
the work it undertakes to provide a safe ser-
sad that drivers care so little about their own
taking place.
vice for the public." Strangely, although the
business and couldn't sacrifice just an hour to
He said: "The licensed taxi trade in London
LTPH request was sent out the previous day, it
help make a point."
is under an unprecedented attack and that's
was embargoed until the actual day of the
Unusually for a taxi demo, most of the peo-
why RMT members in the industry are work-
demo making it virtually impossible to inform
ple inconvenienced by the event were sympa-
ing for maximum unity to defend jobs, safety
Blackwall Tunnel northbound
and stop drivers from turning up.
thetic when Call Sign's reporter told them the
and the quality of service to the public."
The number of taxis taking part varied
official reason...
According to the RMT, the number of sexual
depending on which newspaper you read,
work completed
AGM
REMINDER
The northbound Blackwall Tunnel safety
improvement works have been completed 13
months earlier than originally expected. These
include improvements designed to significantly
reduce closures - last year 1750 incidents
forced the northbound tunnel to close. A
new HGV lane has also been introduced to
enable all over-height vehicles to be diverted
away from the tunnel before they reach the
entrance. Over-height vehicles caused the
northbound Blackwall Tunnel to be closed
All members should have received
1448 times last year leading to a total of 56
the Notice of Annual General
hours of avoidable closures. There are also
Meeting 2011 advising that the
new ventilation fans, better lighting,
meeting will again be held at The
upgraded CCTV and new communication
HAC, Armoury House, City Road on
systems installed throughout the 114 year
Sunday 5 February 2012 at 11am.
old tunnel. As a result, the overnight clo-
The meeting this year will consid-
sures ended on November 11.
er an agenda excluding the election
Hopeful
New safety inlets have been construct-
ly t
of officers, but including as usual,
whilst th he end of queu
ed in the tunnel wall with emergency
es
e northb
proposed Rule Changes and
phones and fire extinguishers providing a being
ound bo
worked
re was
Propositions.
on
safe area for drivers whose
Any proposed Rule Changes and
vehicles break down in the tunnel and will allow
Propositions must be received at
TfL to direct emergency services to specific incidents whilst helping
Dial-a-Cab House on or before
them deal with any potential disruption more rapidly.
09:00hrs on Friday 2nd December
London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "It will be of huge relief to drivers who use the tunnel
2011 as per the Notice of Annual
that we can finally bring the overnight closures to an end and I am very pleased that TfL have
General Meeting 2011 letter.
been able to do so over a year ahead of schedule. One of the reasons the tunnel is a notori-
Please remember that if you do
ous traffic hotspot is due to the number of times over-height vehicles try to scrape their way
not vote by post then you should
through. Last year a whopping 83 per cent of closures were for that reason and we hope the
new trial over-height lane will greatly reduce the number of such incidents."
attend. If you do not attend or vote
Finishing these hugely disruptive works over one year early does deserve praise, so well
by post, you will be liable for a £50
done to TfL and its contractor BAM Nuttall. The scale of refurbishment works carried out
fine.
is such that a similar programme of work within the tunnel should not be required for
Howard Pears
another 25 years. So watch out in November 2036!!!
Company Secretary
