Many in the Taxi trade say they seek a ban of pedicabs/rickshaws others tell you they want them banned but they are happy to allow legislation pass through parliament that will give pedicabs/rickshaws "bays" or has Martin Low of Westminster council said under cross examination by an opposed bill committee in the house of Lords "ranks" ! Check Hansard the parliamentary record if you don't believe us.
The RMT is the only union that has done any work regarding "clause 19" of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London (no.2) bill. All other trade orgs (LTDA/LCDC) and the union Unite were consulted by TFL but they never responded to the consultation and hence we are once again chasing the tail and playing catch up because others are asleep.
Thank god the RMT opened a taxi branch and thank god we are prepared to petition against this daft clause that I'm affraid Boris Johnson the Mayor and Chair of Transport for London supports. This bill is supported by Westminster City Council and TFL, Boris is the Chair of TFL and the taxi trade has a representative on this board. We do hope that the taxi trade representative on the baord of TFL speaks out against the proposed "ranks" on the public highway for they may well set a precedent for PHV's/mini-cabs seeking "ranks" sorry rest bays on the public highway too. But then again after partitions fiasco in PHV's/mini-cabs who knows what else is in store for the taxi trade?
On another trade org blog you may read about a Mark Field MP and his private members bill which sought to license pedicabs/rickshaws, well we are pleased to announce that this bill failed to progress in the last parliament and it is therefore a dead duck. The RMT was and is on the case regarding this issue others may wish to tell you what great work they are doing but on closer examination you may well find that this is not the case.
Remember the bill before parliament is the LLA & TFL (no.2) bill and not Mark Field MP's private members bill which failed in the last parliament. Boris Johnson the Mayor supports the "voluntary registration" of these death traps along with Westminster City Council.
If you want to save your right to "ply for hire" and campaign to stop pedicab/rickshaw "ranks" and then seek and work for a ban (not just talk about it and write stories with pictures) join the RMT online at http://www.rmt.org.uk/ or email Londontaxi@rmt.org.uk and request an application form, alternatively contact the branch via mobile/text on 07899 786 433.
