June '19 newsletter

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Dear Members

Mike & Ian met with Franco on 7th June '19, the situation between staff parking & the taxi rank is ongoing at the moment. In the meantime could drivers who use Rochester Stn be courteous to the staff likewise the staff to you.

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On the 11th June '19 Mike, Ian, Nigel & myself met with drivers from the Gravesend LTA who want to join our MLTDA as affiliated members. As we both share the same licensing unit, if we potentially join together as one voice across two boroughs. Any views or comments.

I'm still getting Southeast LTA's together so UTAG17 can come to Medway to explain their plan.

 

Seat Belts

*The seat belt law, updated 30 October 2006
Children up to 3 years old must use a child restraint. However, if no such restraint is available in a licensed Taxi or Private Hire vehicle, the child may travel unrestrained.
The driver is still responsible.
A child who is older than 3 years but less than 14 years, must wear the adult seat belt if no child restraints are available in a licensed Taxi or Private Hire vehicle. 
The licensed driver is responsible.
Passengers aged 14 years and over, must wear a seat belt.
The passenger is responsible.

Seating Arrangement

It must be remembered that a licence is issued for a maximum number of passengers (regardless of age or size) and it is an offence to carry more than the number licensed for.

We have shown the Parking Enforcement team photo's of 'out of town' taxis parked on our ranks & pointed out the difference between Medway & T&M Hackney plates, also the difference in top signs & door signs. 

We have made them aware of Uber vehicles & what to look out for on these vehicles.

We have asked for a visible presence from the Enforcement team around the ranks during rush hours am & pm.
 1. 'out of town' taxis & Uber Parking on Medway Hackney Carriage ranks.  
 2. James Street Hackney Carriage Stand

We have managed to negotiate 15 mins unattended rest period on James Str Stand for Medway Licensed Hackney Carriage ONLY.  Medway Private Hire can not use this stand at any time for dropping off or picking up. It is an office under the local government miscellaneous provisions act 1976.

This is the law & legislation that governs the Private Hire trade nationwide.  A Hackney Carriage is regulated under the town & police clauses act 1847.

If anyone sees an offence committed by 'out of town' taxis or Uber, can you please take a photo including licensed Hackney plate & Road markings & Street signs, address date, time & location.

The photo can be sent to us - mltda.helen@gmail.com & we'll send it on. 
If its a T&M taxi you can email - Licensing.services@tmbc.gov.uk
If it's an Uber vehicle email -  Anand.nandha@tfl.gov.uk 

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Chatham Waterfront Bus Station Code of Conduct

The bus station has a series of safe crossing points & pedestrian crossings.
Drivers must observe the crossing points at all times.
All operators’ vehicles using the bus station must have their dipped headlights or daytime running lights on regardless of the time of day.

The maximum speed in the bus station is 10 miles per hour.

Drivers should be aware that the bus station is a public site. Please be aware that some members of the public may be unsure of the station layout, they may be rushing or distracted, therefore special care should be
taken to ensure that the way is clear before moving.

All users of the bus station must take notice and follow any request from the bus station manager or staff acting on the bus station manager’s authority.

When emergency situations arise in the bus station, drivers must follow any instruction given by the police and emergency services in Medway Police

 

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Plating appointments have now been scheduled for the next four weeks on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 10am & 1pm and 2pm and 4pm (one vehicle per plating appointment only).  
Medway’s Customer and Business Support Team (CABS) are continuing to make the bookings and take card payments for this period so drivers should continue to ring Medway 337108 for these.  
Drivers should refer to Medway’s website for all other enquires or email licensing@gravesham.gov.uk

Gravesham digital team are currently working on the on-line driver and vehicle licence renewal where drivers will then renew, pay and make their plating appointment on-line themselves.  Once this has been completed I will update you.

 

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Statement regarding the bus lanes in Medway.

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The Road Traffic Regulation Order for the use of bus lanes in 2011 was written following consultation with Licensing, Medway Renaissance, Parking Enforcement and Highways and in consultation with the Medway Licensed Taxi Driver Association (MLTDA), where it was agreed that only Medway licensed hackney carriage and Medway licensed private hire vehicles could use the bus lanes.

 

Enforcement of this order will be resumed by  on 1 July 2019.  This means hackney carriage and private hire vehicles (red with which chequered stripe; NOT Restricted Private Hire) licensed by Medway Council only are permitted to use the Bus Lanes.  Licensed hackney carriage and private hire vehicles licensed by other authorities are NOT permitted to use the bus lanes under any circumstance and if found to be doing so they will be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice.

 

Kind regards

 

Mandy

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Mandy Francis BIIAB, PLP| Licensing Manager| Gravesham and Medway Shared Licensing Service | Medway Council Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, ME4 4TR

 

Thankyou for taking the time to read this

Mike Smith - Chairman

Ian Walton  - Vice chairman

Helen Hill    - Secretary

Nigel Jackson

 

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UTAG

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Uber & Weak Regulation.

National Problems Requiring National Solutions.

 

A precise of the aims of United Trade Action Group (UTAG).

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

“Take them on now or be ruled by them as they see fit forever, be it within the regulations or outside the regulations”.

W. Robert Griffiths QC, Senior Counsel to UTAG

May 8th, 2018

 
The ‘them’ Mr Griffiths referred to in the above verbatim quote are Transport for London and UBER.
Since he said that it has become obvious that you could interchange TfL for almost any Taxi/Private Hire regulatory body in the UK; the problem is nationwide.
UTAG has been set up in an effort to force Regulators to regulate.
UBER has become the common denominator across the UK, it is synonymous with;
‘Ignore the rules, do as we please and to Seek forgiveness rather than permission’.
UBER is attempting to become a monopoly, their plan through organised ‘disruption’ is carefully devised to destroy the established marketplace by creating a ‘gig economy’ and thereafter, reigning supreme.
The incontrovertible truth is that without a unified, nationwide fight against incompetent, weak, blind or scared regulators their arrogant, amoral plan will work and to some extent it already has.
Without action, we, the law abiding, knowledgeable, safe and trusted providers of surface transport to the millions of people who choose to use us, will be consigned to history and eventually the consumers that choose short term savings will pay the long-term penalty.
UTAG has been incorporated to defend the working practices that have served our country so well over decades. We have commonality across the country, we would be stronger working collaboratively.
Different regions have different rules, well established and accepted working practices for both the Taxi & PH industry.
UBER do not respect rules, they work under whichever rules suit them and, with the tacit agreement of many regulators, devise their own, such as UBER pick-up points.
They have vast funding, political reach and very expensive lawyers to defend their arrogance's which know no bounds.
 If they wanted it, they got it, by fair means or foul, mostly the latter.
However, the political landscape is changing, the damage Rideshare has foisted upon us is now being seen by cities that were once blind, such as New York and Los Angeles.
They've seen it late, but they have seen it.
UTAG's intention is to make sure that Local Authorities across the UK see it as well and if they don’t, we must hold them to account for failing to enforce the statutory regime.
The one thing that Local Authorities fear is unity.
For too many years in London, we have been a fragmented body with little or no engagement with the suppliers on whom we rely; Garages, Rental Fleet Owners, Meter and Credit Card terminal providers.
We spent most of our days ‘fighting’ each other rather than our enemies. Those days are over. We are fighting for our very survival and then we need to be focused in the right areas.
At long last we have solidarity to match the commonality between the supply chain and the work force and if that solidarity could become national, we as a nationwide group could have the ability to ensure that our Regulators uphold the legislation and restores the marketplace in to one where all parties can compete fairly.
Local issues can be dealt with at a local level but even then, if UTAG had national representation, the local issues would be far easier to deal with;
Unity is the collective power.
Only if we can restore the previous stability and ensure proper enforced regulation, can our futures be assured.
UTAG are not anti-competition, we are not anti-technology we are anti-bullies and free market practices that are anti-competitive.
 

For and on behalf of UTAG
Angela Clarkson
Director
United Trade Action Group
unitedtradeactiongroup.com

 

 

April 2019

 

Dear Colleagues

 

Thankyou for attending the meeting at the Mid Kent College.

 

The QC Stephen Walsh has given us his opinion, it is positive so we are progressing slowly in the right direction which is now putting pressure on the council to our way of thinking.

 

The MLTDA would now like your support again at a full council meeting, Cllr Dan McDonald

is speaking reference Uber

 

ST. GEORGES CENTRE

FULL COUNCIL MEETING

25TH APRIL 2019

19.00

 

Thankyou for taking the time to read this.

 

Mike Smith - Chairman

Ian Walton  - Vice Chairman

Helen Hill  -  Secretary