The Cockney Scouser
The Berk with a Merc that doesn’t miss radio werk!!!
Just for a change,Iʼm going to
these three radio circuits and hand over upwards But as I said before, worst of all, is the
upset a few people now, but hey
of £2,000 per annum and in return they get what unspeakable Radio Taxis Group. On their very
exactly…? Well shafted actually… as you all own website it says: “Whether you require a taxi,
the truth hurts doesnʼt it me old
know to qualify to become a London cabbie, a chauffeur driven vehicle or need to make a
Cockney Sparras?
you must have passed the countless knowledge secured delivery, Radio Taxis can be relied upon
examinations (which can take four years!) to assist”. They are proud to advertise the fact
I am constantly dismayed at the amount of
and 25,000 streets must be committed to your that they are encouraging their clients to use a
London cab drivers that whitter on and whinge memory (whereʼs that street off again geezer? chauffeur driven vehicle instead of a licensed
about the ʻuselessʼ taxi trade unions and the lack Avenʼt bin over the river for years, got no choice London taxi driver and the licensed London
of work from their radio circuits that they belong nowadays though!) All the points of interest must taxicab…my father was a driver, dispatcher,
to. When they do get offered a job (via the set) also be memorised. And a point of interest can board member and Company Secretary (and
itʼs a normal ʻrun of the millʼ hiring, although the be anything from a place of worship to a shop, an still to this day, many people say he was the
odd roader does slip through once in a blue official building to a nightclub, a hotel to a knocking best Company Secretary that they have ever
moon. I see the same old faces parked up in the shop… oooh donʼt touch me there yer bitch! had) for this firm through the 60s, 70s and 80s,
Heathrow Taxi Feeder Park, now called ʻFantasy so therefore helped to build it up from its infancy
Islandʼ waiting for that elusive booking, and 19 Indeed, ladies and geezers, itʼs mind-expanding as Londonʼs best licensed ʻBlack Cabʼ circuit to
times out of 20 they get offered nil jobs. Question stuff. And it gets even more baffling. As already now become one of Londonʼs best Private Hire
is, do I miss being on a radio circuit? mentioned, all these Licensed ʻBlackʼ Cab Radio circuits!!!!!!! A complete and utter disgrace to all
Circuits OWN, and I repeat OWN, and currently those founder members, and if you wonder why
Itʼs over two years now since I threw the radio run their own minicabs, and have done so for am I ranting so much, for all you readers outside
equipment back (although they insist that they several years, using them for the more lucrative London, here is the reason why…
ʻstripped me outʼ) to some upstart who knows work to their utter shame (la crème de la crème
nothing whatsoever about taxis or the taxi trade werk ya berk). Itʼs also been known that theyʼve The British Airport Authority (BAA) recently
by the way. In actual fact, heʼd be out of a job if ʻfarmedʼ the work out to minicab companies… announced and incurred the wrath of us London
all the gutless moaners on this particular circuit well, I should be a bit more professional and cab drivers by striking a deal to allow two
had the bottle to do what I did… heʼd have up to date, quoting the London Private Hire Private Hire companies to pick up passengers
to put himself on complaint then,ʼ cause heʼd vehicles (1998) Act and refer to our growing and at Heathrow for a trial period of six months. The
be the only one left! Yes ladies and geezers PCO/TfL reconcnised competition as Private deal would have allowed Addison Lee (who are
people like him rely on us for employment, we Hire. Perhaps these so-called ʻBlack Cabʼ professional by the way) and One Transport
donʼt rely on them - you would all do well to circuits could and should reduce their prices for to operate a booking service directly from the
remember that and whose window the punters licensed taxis because research has shown the airport. The reason according to BAA that they
put the money through. Anyway I digress, as for following: The account user will pay (1) a ʻrun were implementing this scheme is that 24% of
the other two London radio circuits, well thereʼs inʼ charge which is the cost on the meter for the passengers use London Private Hire Vehicles
not a lot I can say about them except there is taxi to travel from wherever it is when booked and only 2% use Londonʼs Licensed Cabs… yea
an element of hipocracy as they both embrace to the pick up point, this is generally around okay. You all know who Addison Lee are donʼt
Private Hire, albeit, one more than the other, £4.00 (2) an administration fee for the booking you? This is how clever they are as they had
I canʼt remember whether the latter is called company which is generally between 5 and huge billboards behind the goals on national live
Radio Taxis or One Transport at the moment 15% of the total journey cost, (3) a booking fee, BBC1 TV for the recent West Bromwich Albion
as they havenʼt changed the logos on the cabs usually a further 5% of total journey cost or a Vs Newcastle United match the other day.
yet. It all gets a little confusing for a ʻBerkʼ like flat fee, (4) the actual cost of the journey – this According to their very own website, Addison
me at times as Iʼm not so clever mister. Oh and will be on the meter and will be unpredictable Lee charge a whopping £87.50 from Heathrow
donʼt missunderstand me ladies and geezers as we all know, depending on time of day and Terminal One to Oxford Circus, Central London
for one minute, Iʼve got nothing against Private traffic conditions, (5) any waiting or parking and that is around £30 more than travelling in a
Hire competition, after all Iʼm one of those charges – waiting time will always be charged in Licensed London Cab, but according to Addison
ʻBerkʼs with a Mercʼ as refered to in a letter full as it appears on the meter and needs to go Lee they are 33% cheaper than us! The price
in the mailbox section of Call Sign. What a to the driver, and (6) VAT. There is, of course, the other way is still an amazing £80.00, so just
narrow-minded individual the author is. Just for some account work, which is an exception, who are you kidding Mr Griffin?
his information, I canʼt be that much of a ʻBerkʼ but this is a general guide and as you can see
because Iʼm now getting all the ʻwerkʼ, and there is some very nice money to be made isnʼt Now who exactly is One Transport…? Well if
laugh when I pass the 96
th
cab fowling the back there? And the circuits wonder why their work youʼve read thus far, youʼll know they are part of
of the Padders or the Loo rank with a £100 plus is down! You donʼt have to be a ʻberkʼ or a brain the Radio Taxis Group! Geoffrey Riesel, C.E.O.
ride in the back of my ʻMercʼ – a job that used to surgeon to see the reason why, especially in this and Chairman of the Radio Taxis Group said
belong to a Private Hire company – would you Gordon Brown induced recession... On the odd when this Private Hire firm was set up that: “Radio
believe, Iʼm booked up for a month! Now whoʼs occasion I manage to have a tête à tête with Taxis Group has a proud reputation as a transport
the berk me old son? some struggling Yellow Badge cabbies (I say innovator. We have always sought to improve
some ʻcause as youʼre probably aware there the services that we offer our customers, and
Many decades ago (as far back as the 50s are quite a few who hate me, even more so with the launch of One Transport we continue to
actually), London introduced a new way of now that Iʼm a ʻBerk with a Mercʼ!) on Edgware do so. One Transport will revolutionise corporate
hiring a taxi and this special feature of Londonʼs rank and all they mutter on about is that in the ground travel management in the UK by providing
Taxi Industry was the Radio Taxis, which Harrow suburbs virtually every TC (Top Cat) job, companies with unprecedented amounts of
provided a service for customers to pre book unless the passenger is disabled, goes into a control and information, thus saving them time
travel, via telephone, with one of the famous minicab, sorry I mean Private Hire Vehicle. Like and money.” Forgive me, but what exactly has
ʻBlack Cabsʼ…and notice I donʼt use the word I said earlier, Iʼm pleased that I resigned when this to do with ʻBlack Cabsʼ as your company was
minicab YET. This form of hiring a taxi provided I did geezers as I donʼt envy you lot one iota, set up to provide ʻBlack Cabsʼ to their customers
a fantastic service that lasted for decades until subsidising someoneʼs salary who looks down NOT minicabs, even if these minicabs are ʻFirstly
the three radio circuits sold their soul down his nose at you… I know whoʼs boss and thatʼs Executive!ʼ (No pun intended!) Oh and for your
the Thames River… Currently there are some me, not some upstart threatening ʻon complaintʼ information, Geoffrey, your customers also include
8,000 London Taxi Drivers that subscribe to bleedinʼ cheek! the 2,500 licensed London taxi drivers that
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