We are now in the month of April and it is the time when the BoM review the monthly subscription charges that are paid by members. I am delighted to inform you that there will NOT be an increase this year, this being the third consecutive year that there has not been any increase in subscriptions thereby giving you, the member, even greater value for money. The end of last year did give me some cause for concern when for two consecutive months, the number of trips going through the system fell on the figures for the previous year. I very nearly started to believe the economists who were talking us into a recession. I, like many other people including some of you out there no doubt, was beginning to fear the worst.
   However with the turn of the year, the job figures have so far increased over last year and it would appear that the downturn in work was just a glitch in London’s economy with things now seemingly seen to be getting better as more people regain their confidence.
   Even assuming that the market remains buoyant, that is not reason enough for us to become complacent as in the next couple of years there will be an even greater threat to the licensed trade - especially the Radio circuits - as the unlicensed trade becomes legitimate probably starting from this June when the first of the offices become licensed.

We need to look after our clients even more than we have done in the past as the competition attempts to prize them away from us. Remember, you and our call-takers are the first line of contact, it is now more imperative than ever that you maintain and even try to improve upon, the service that we supply. Remember, if we can’t give it, others will!

Westminster Account

The Taxicard account was successfully re-negotiated with Westminster at the end of last year despite stiff competition from our competitors

and the new contract will run for a five year period commencing on the 1^st April 1999 (not a joke, honest!)
   The new contract is a considerable improvement for you the member and I believe will lead to an even better service for the cardholders. There are some new terms that you should familiarise yourself with…
   There will be a maximum £3 run-in as opposed to the current £2, this will stay in place for the first two years of the contract, the run-in will then be increased - something about which you will be informed of at the appropriate time. We have also successfully negotiated a £4 premium for every wheelchair that is transported by you. The premium will automatically be added to the fare by our new accounting system, provided that the job carries a ‘W’ attribute.
   If for any reason, you take a Westminster trip and you have to take a wheelchair but the attribute does not appear on the job offer, you must inform the back channel immediately so that the premium can be added, the job details can be amended and the attribute added for future reference. We have produced approximately seven thousand new cards for this account, every one of which has been produced in-house. You will notice that the new cards are completely different, they have all been embossed and are of a different design. There is a picture of the new card on this page. Please give of your best to this account.

Brian Rice