Boris Johnson tells Taxi drivers to jump of Tower Bridge

/in

In Boris Johnson’s speech at the Tory Party conference, he talked about taxi drivers protesting over the Olympic route network restrictions prior to the Olympic Games beginning. He said: “The taxi drivers were blockading the West End. One of them actually handed the keys of his cab to a police guy and jumped off Tower Bridge.

I wish some of the others could have done the same frankly but never mind.” Undoubtedly there will be drivers in the trade who would like Mr Johnson to take a running jump off Tower Bridge – or any other bridge of his choice. How can this be a helpful comment? Especially as just days before this comment, in a radio interview, Mayor Boris Johnson had apologised to taxi drivers and restaurant owners after their businesses were hit by the Olympics. Speaking on LBC 97.3, Boris Johnson denied claims that London became a “ghost town”, but said sorry to businesses whose trade was hit by the Games.

He told Nick Ferrari: “I’m not going to pretend it was a bonanza for everybody and for those that feel hard done by, I’m sorry for the losses or low takings they had. But the overall economic benefit to London of people around the world seeing a city that can deliver an amazing event like that so successfully was incredibly positive. If you look at the spend by tourists in the city, it was up overall. The economic impact of the Games is estimated to be massively positive.”

Private hire driver ordered to pay £2000 court costs

/in

A private hire driver who illegally picked up a passenger in Reading town center has been ordered to pay more than £2,000 after appearing in court. The Court heard how Mohammed Arif had been caught during an undercover operation by Reading Borough Council and Thames Valley Police officers acting as customers.

He denied plying for hire, but was found guilty after a trial at Newbury Magistrates Court. He was fined £110 and ordered to pay £2,016.60 in court costs.  Councillor Paul Gittings, Reading’s lead member for environment, said: “Most people who flag down a private hire vehicle in the street do not understand it is illegal and they are uninsured for the journey.”

News supplied by Taxi Cab News

Transgender Taxi driver closes in on mission to Mars

Transgender Taxi driver one step closer to Mars voyage

/in ,

A transgender taxi driver from Hull is one step closer to relocating on Mars, after being shortlisted for a reality TV programme which will chart the preparations for a permanent move to space.

Melissa Ede made it through to the final 705 candidates for the Mars One project, which plans to build the first human colony on Mars in 11 in years time. More than 200,000 from about 140 countries applied. The winners will get seven years of specialist training which will be filmed for a reality show by the makers of Big Brother. Transgender Melissa (pictured centre) says she would use the experience to promote diversity.

Transgender Taxi driver closes in on mission to Mars

Bonjour assevillers!

/in

Each year when the Magical Taxi Tour drives down through France a refuelling stop is made at Assevillers Service Station. Elior is a major global Company operating 257 outlets and shops in 70 Service Stations throughout France; each year the Assevillers staff liaise with the trip organisers and Esso to get ready for the arrival of the convoy. Whilst the cabs and support vehicles are refuelled, the children are given an amazing welcome by staff at the service station; they are entertained by all the staff at the services, many of them in costume, and they provide free gifts, face painting, stilt walkers and entertainers as well as food and drink for the children and their families. The children are always reluctant to leave after the one-hour stop off – as are the cab drivers once they discover the home made cake stand which the team at Assevillers also provide!

Charity Award was presented to the Management and Staff of Assevillers Service Station

Because of the time constraints of the trip the Magical Taxi Tour Committee Members do not usually have time to show their appreciation as much as they would like on the day – so this year the annual Charity Award was presented to the Management and Staff of Assevillers Service Station for their unsolicited kindness and generosity shown each year to the children and drivers involved in the Magical Taxi Tour. Kevin Deneux and Mickael Bruder made the journey over to the UK for the annual WCHCD Liverymen’s Dinner and were delighted to receive their Award.

Taxicabnews

Ronnie

Lifetime Achievement Award

/in

Ronnie Mitchell lifetime achievement award

The final presentation of the evening was the Lifetime Achievement Award. This year it was given to Ronnie Mitchell who first entered the cab trade in 1948. He drove a cab until 1962 when he decided to further his involvement in the trade, going into business as M & M Taxis renting and repairing cabs. In 1969 he sold his interest in the Company but because of the excellent reputation he had gained for fairness and good old fashioned customer care, there was a constant call from the cab trade for him to return to business. This he duly did and Stables Taxis was born. This was very much a family business with his beloved wife Edna and subsequently his two sons becoming an integral part. His interests were not just confined to business and he was involved in the Committee of the Albany Charity at its inception, as well as the War Veterans Charity. Ronnie had joined the Fellowship of Hackney Carriage Drivers in 1991 where he became an active participant in all of its activities, eventually reaching Court and Committee level as well as taking an active role in the annual Magical Taxi Tour as a driver. He has always been a keen campaigner for the relief of hardship for both those in and out of the trade, making it truly apt that he was given this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. There was a great round of applause as Ronnie accepted his Award.

Putney Road Bridge

Putney Bridge

/in

The Putney Bridge will be closed to all vehicle traffic on July 14th for urgent repairs. It will remain closed for approximately three months. During this period pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to cross it but cyclist will need to dismount and wheel them across. The decision to close the bridge to all traffic – instead of a partial closure – was backed by a clear majority of both residents and businesses during the public consultation last year. The public’s preferred option was getting the job done in the shortest possible time and at the lowest cost to taxpayers. The works are needed after a study found that the bridge’s waterproof membrane, which protects the internal structure from water penetration, needs replacing. The installation of a new membrane should prevent the problems caused by water penetration, which experts say has contributed to the poor road surface despite continuous repairs. The council’s transport spokesman Councillor Jonathan Cook said: “Unfortunately a major repair like this to a busy river crossing means there will be disruption to the travelling public and we would like to apologise for the inconvenience this will cause – but we have pushed hard to keep this to the absolute minimum and ensured the works are carried out at a time of the year when the roads are at their quietest. However, the repairs are absolutely necessary to protect the bridge’s internal fabric and structural integrity. Our primary goal now is to get this important task done quickly and efficiently.”

Putney Road Bridge

THE HISTORY OF PUTNEY BRIDGE

It’s said that in 1720 Sir Robert Walpole was returning from seeing George I at Kingston on Thames and being in a hurry to get to the House of Commons rode together with his servant to Putney to take the ferry across to Fulham. The ferry boat was on the opposite side, however and the waterman, who was drinking in the Swan, ignored the calls of Sir Robert and his servant and they were obliged to take another route. It was then that Walpole vowed that a bridge would replace the ferry. The then Prince of Wales was also often inconvenienced by the ferry when returning from hunting in Richmond Park and asked Walpole to use his influence by supporting the building of a bridge. The legal framework for construction of a bridge was approved by an Act of Parliament in 1726. Built by local master carpenter Thomas Phillips to a design by architect Sir Jacob Acworth, the first bridge was opened in November 1729, to become the only bridge between London Bridge and Kingston Bridge at the time. It was a toll bridge and made of wood; it had tollbooths at either end of the timber-built structure. The bridge was badly damaged by the collision of a river barge in 1870. Although part of the bridge was subsequently replaced, soon the entire bridge was demolished, and in 1886 was replaced by the stone bridge that stands today. The Metropolitan Board of Works purchased the bridge in 1879, discontinued the tolls in 1880, and set about its replacement. The current bridge was designed by civil engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette as a five-span structure, built of stone and Cornish granite. Bazalgette also designed London’s sewerage system, and the bridge integrates two of his five outfall sewers running perpendicular to it. It was constructed by John Waddell of Edinburgh, whose tender of £240,433 was accepted on 15 April 1882. It is 700 feet long and 43 feet wide, and was opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales on 29 May 1886. Putney Bridge unique, because it is the only bridge in Britain to have a church at both ends, St. Mary’s Church, Putney is located on the south and All Saints Church, Fulham on the north bank.

NV200 Taxi for New York

New York gets ready for a Nissan invasion

/in

The Taxi of Tomorrow, the Nissan NV200 is most likely coming to New York City on October 28th, although there are still those opposing the program. The Nissan NV200 is more of a van than a traditional sedan that is normally used as cabs in New York. The Nissan NV200 was the winner of the Taxi of Tomorrow contest and was designed from the inside out using input from New York taxi drivers, medallion holders, and passengers.

The vehicle offers interesting features such as more space for passengers, increased luggage room, and even a transparent roof so passengers can look up at the city. The NV200 will only be replacing non-hybrid cabs in the city however, and some NYC taxi driver operators aren’t happy with being told what to buy. Lawsuits to prevent implementation of the Taxi of Tomorrow have been filed, claiming the vehicle is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act because it is not wheelchair accessible, although the Nissan NV200 can be retrofitted. It is reported that a few NYC taxi fleets have planned to retire their current non-hybrid cabs early and purchase new cabs that are not Nissan NV200s, likely using the old Crown Vics for as long as possible. With these new cabs in operation before the deadline, implementation of the 3 to 5 year plan could take much longer.

NV200 Taxi for New York

Seriously injured cyclist warns others – Don’t run a Red light

/in ,

Craig Dortkamp, an ‘experienced’ cyclist, had never encountered any problems with other road users or suffered any accidents. Or so he says! But that all changed when Craig cycled through a red light in the City of London – suffering serious injuries as a result.

Reflecting on his experience, Craig said: “It’s so easy not to consider the consequences, but I don’t think I will ever go through a red light again.” On 17th May, Craig was cycling to work during rush hour traffic at about 8am.  As Craig approached the junction of Holborn Circus the traffic lights were showing red indicating for him to stop. He failed to stop at the red light and as a result found himself in the middle of a busy junction with cars travelling in all different directions. As he struggled to get out of the way of oncoming traffic he cycled into a taxi.

Craig, who was not wearing a helmet, crashed into the side of a taxi and his head went through the side window smashing the glass completely. He sustained a serious cut to his head which went down to the bone.  He required surgery and over 200 stitches. He also suffered smaller cuts to his face, two black eyes and bruising to his neck.

He hopes that by publicising his experience it will encourage other cyclists to stop, think and not to go through red traffic lights. Craig offered advice to other cyclists: “Be sensible, don’t take unnecessary risks, don’t run through a red light – you don’t know what is around the corner. I hope I don’t see any other cyclists running through a red light. If you don’t take that risk your chances of being hit by a vehicle are much slimmer and you probably won’t end up with scars on your face for the rest of your life like me.” 

Between April 2012 and March 2013 145 cyclists were injured in the City, 21 seriously. Cyclists caught going through a red light will be issued a Fixed Penalty Notice which carries a £30 fine.  Last year over 3,000 fines were given to cyclists for traffic offences in the Square Mile. Of these, nine out of 10 were issued to cyclists who went through a red light.

20mph limit to be implemented in the City of London

/in ,

A 20mph limit is to be implemented across all roads in the City of London. The City of London’s full Court of Common Council has voted for an area wide 20mph limit to protect workers and visitors to the square mile. 20mph limits passed the Planning and Transportation Committee and Policy and Resources Committee in June after the City of London commissioned an air quality impact report from Imperial College. This showed no negative effects. Research also found that for the 1.6 mile widest City of London journey limits would only mean a maximum 25 seconds extra journey time. In July the Mayor’s Roads Task Force recommended that the all the central zone i.e. West End, The City and Southbank become 20mph across the whole area. A quarter of London boroughs now either have a total 20mph limits policy or are moving towards a 20mph speed limit, these include Islington, Camden, Southwark, Haringey, Hackney, Waltham Forest, Lambeth and now the City of London. Other boroughs are watching the City’s decision. More are expected to announce their own borough-wide 20mph limits soon.

This vote confirms the City’s move to borough-wide 20mph limits which will be highly cost effective. A relatively small investment in signage is predicted to reap road casualty savings of 9 per cent per year. Campaigners now hope it will send a message to the rest of the UK that a 20mph environment would encourage active travel and health, as well as providing better road safety. This vote sends a huge message to London and other global centres about the City’s aim to maintain its position in the top rank of global financial centres by prioritising road safety. Campaigners say that a 20mph limit creates an environment that encourages active travel and health through walking and cycling.

Jeremy Leach, ‘20’s Plenty for Us’ London Co-ordinator said: “A 20mph City of London says strongly that 20’s Plenty where people work. The City of London joins Paris and Tokyo in recognising that 20mph limits are better for business and health”. Rod King MBE ‘20’s Plenty for Us’ founder said: “The City of London has chosen wisely in civilising streets for people with 20mph limits. This highlights the need for our ‘It’s Time For 20’ call for a review of signage requirements to enable it to be far cheaper for local authorities to implement 20mph limits.” Time for 20 asks the Department for Transport to allow authorities to sign exceptions to 20mph limits which can halve the cost of implementing 20mph limits. Transport charity, ‘Sustrans’ London deputy director, Matt Winfield, said: ‘A 20mph limit is welcome wherever it is put in place across the country, but a postcode lottery where pedestrians and cyclists are safer in some areas than others is not acceptable – 20mph must become a national default speed limit.’
Author- TaxiCabNews

 

 

Eros turned to Snow globe

Eros on Piccadilly Circus turned into a Snow Globe

/in ,

By now you will have seen the snow globe that surrounds Eros on Piccadilly Circus. You may not have given it much thought, but it was quite a challenge to design and build. The City of Westminster Council approached Wildstone and Architen Landrell with the challenge. Eros has a long history of being a target for spirited personal attention in the lead up to New Year’s Eve. As a way to protect the aluminium sculpture and get everyone in the West End ready for Christmas, the idea was to have Eros in the centre of a larger than life Snow Globe. Architen Landrell was awarded the contract to design, manufacture, test, and install the ‘World’s Largest Snow Globe over Eros. ’ The Snow Globe will remain in place until 4 January. It will then be packed up and stored until it is reassembled again next year. With its prominent position, the octagon base of the Snow Globe houses eight of some of Europe’s highest resolution LED video screens. As a Snow Globe of this scale has never been attempted before, the designers installed it, minus Eros of course in their car park and their Site Operatives worked around the clock to meet the completion date of 17 November. The lights, video and snow went live on 18 November at 18:00. A 30 ton crane was needed for the final installation; the globe is made of 685 m2 of clear PVC fabric, weighing a half ton, kept inflated by fans running to keep the globe pressurised at all times; 8 snow blowing machines are strategically installed around the inside of the base. The base itself is 12 metres across, 4 metres high, made of steel & filled with ballast – weighing 21 tons, with the globe having a 15 metre diameter and 19 metres height.
TaxiCabNews

 

Eros turned to Snow globe