Tuesday 29 March 2011

Time to Petition...

At long last the London Local Authorities and Transport for London (no.2) bill is on the move with a 3rd reading in the House of Lords last night (28.3.2011) which should be swiftly followed by the bill moving to the Commons and then a ten (Parliamentary) day petitioning period opening for the RMT London Taxi branch (and others) to petition against "Clause 19" which seeks to give pedicabs ranks/bays on the public highway of our beloved capital city under an unenforceable "voluntary" registration scheme.

The RMT specialist transport union were ready to petition our Parliamentary team when warned the bill was moving. John Kennedy (branch chair) along with Brian Whitehead our Regional Organiser and James Croy Political Officer of the union with fellow branch activists Tony Cook, David Little and Paul White will be meeting/preparing all the necessary paperwork/files ready for an opposed bill committee hearing in Parliament.

Pedicabs ranks/bays today will lead to mini-cab ranks/bays tomorrow. At night we all witness the illegal ranks of cars/mini-cabs outside bars/clubs and those in authority do little or nothing to protect our right to ply for hire. Look at the time and effort TFL go to when they seek to protect core bus revenue with teams of Police Officers raiding buses along with Revenue Protection Officers. Why no protection for the London Taxi trade !

Say NO to Clause 19 of the LLA and TFL (no.2) bill and join the RMT London Taxi branch online at http://www.rmt.org.uk/ or pop into George Vyse's Office at Great Suffolk Street Taxi centre.

RMT London Taxi branch "others brag we just get on with the work"