IN THE NEWS
LONDON TAXI PR LAUNCHES LARGEST EVER CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE “THE KNOWLEDGE”
London Taxi PR (LTPR), an organisation which represents the interests of the licensed London taxi profession, has launched its largest ever London-wide billboard advertising campaign, to promote ‘The Knowledge’, aiming to encourage more individuals to under- take studying to become a licensed London taxi driver. London Taxi PR has acquired the use of 31 digital billboard advertising screens across central London, for a period of six weeks from 19th March. The advertising campaign features five London taxi drivers, all of whom are from varying gender and ethnic minority backgrounds, with their images featuring alongside the tagline, ‘I did it, so can you’, along with a link to TfL’s website where information can be found on undertaking The Knowledge and
signing up to become a London cabbie. “Given the effect of the pandemic on the profession, the drastic fall in student numbers on The Knowledge, and with many people within the profession expressing their concerns about its future, it was essential that we, (London Taxi PR) did something, both quickly and with maximum impact and coverage,” said Andy Scott, from LTPR. This latest campaign follows an extremely tough unprecedented two- year period for the profession, which, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, has seen not only driver numbers fall considerably, but also a significant fall in Knowledge student numbers. All of which has had a massive impact on the current state of the profession and lead to increasing concerns about its future.
PORTSMOUTH BUS LANE PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLE TRIAL HAS BEEN PULLED AT THE LAST MINUTE
A trial to allow private hire drivers in Portsmouth to use bus lanes has been postponed a week before it had been due to start. HampshireLive reports that the city council said the impact changes to the Highway Code giving greater priority to pedestrians and cyclists in January meant more research was now needed, but industry representatives have questioned the decision. “We are committed to making sure this trial is run as safely as possible and with the most up to date research at our fingertips,” cabinet member for transport Lynne Stagg said. She said the council was writing to other local authorities to ‘share our collective knowledge and learn from each other’ and said the trial would now start in the summer. “We are working closely with users of bus lanes in the city to make sure they
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are informed and empowered to use the bus lanes in the correct manner,” she added. The trial had been due to start on March 25 and run for a minimum of three months having been approved by Cllr Stagg in December, despite admitting she had ‘concerns’ over it. Objections were also made from cycling groups which warned that allowing the 1,000 PH drivers in the city to use bus lanes could lead to the serious injury or death of cyclists. PH drivers had campaigned for permis- sion to use bus lanes in the city for years and said the decision to postpone the trial was ‘staggering’ “The changes to the Highway Code were made three months ago and now they are being used to justify delaying the trial a week before it was due to start,” Uber driver representative Peter
Sutherland said. “There’s been a reluctance in some areas of the council to ever run the trial. “If, somehow, the changes may have an effect on bus lanes, then is usage being suspended for all other vehicles whilst the matter is bring investigated?” He said there had been no advanced warning from the council nor any suggestion of a postponement. Councillor Scott Payter-Harris, the vice-chairman of the council’s licensing committee who worked with PHV drivers to bring the proposal forward, said the decision was ‘disappointing’. “I hope there’s a change of heart,” he said. It’s a bit of a poor excuse and a stab in the back for cabbies. “We would not have treated the bus companies this way; they deserve better.” No new date has been set for the start of the trial.
APRIL 2022
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