issue226 february2015 boris’swhiteelephant › 2010 › 02 › ... · 2/2/2010 ·...

Issue 226 February 2015More trade stories than all the others put together

INSIDE

SPORT

NEWS

PAGES4 &5

MANNY AND AMIR ATFITZROY LODGE

PAGE 11

HENDY TO FACE THEMUSIC AT CITY HALLGRILLING?

GLA PUBLISH‘FUTURE PROOF’REPORT ON TfL

PAGE 22

LCDC FIGHT FOR FUTURE OFTRADE OVER ULEZ PROPOSALS LCDC LAUNCH

BADGE ASSISTPAGES

12 & 13

BORIS’SWHITE ELEPHANT

Fulllstoryonpg 6

2 Issue 226 - February 2015

Published byThe London Cab Drivers’ Club Ltd.

Unit A 303.2,Tower Bridge Business ComplexTower Point, 100 Clements RoadSouthwark, London SE16 4DG

Telephone: 020 7232 0676

E-mail for membership enquiries:E-mail: [email protected]

Web: lcdcorg.wordpress.com

Editor: Grant Davis

The Badge is distributed free to theLicensed London Cab Trade.

For advertising enquiries please contact the office on020 7394 5553 or E-mail: [email protected]

All advertising in The Badge is accepted under ourterms and conditions. These are available

at the LCDC office.

Before entering into any commitment, financialor otherwise, always remember to seek

professional advice.

The views expressed in this publication are notnecessarity those fo the Editor or of the

Management Committee of theLondon Cab Driver’s Club.

Contributions for publication are welcomedand should be sent to the Editor at the

above address.

The London Cab Drivers’ Club Ltd.

GLA REPORTAs we do not publish in January, Iwould like to wish all our readers abelated Happy New year. As many ofyou are aware, much has happenedsince we published our last editionof The Badge.The eagerly awaited report from the GLA“future proof” was finally released justbefore Christmas. I am very pleased tosay that many of its findings concur withthe LCDC views on the serious failingsby TfL. I am proud that the Club madesignificant contributions to theconsultation undertaken by the GLA.This report is the first bit of good newsthat our trade has received in a long timeand in our opinion was long overdue.TfL performance as a RegulatoryAuthority of our Industry has been trulyabysmal; this has now been confirmedby the GLA and in my opinionvindicates our view that unless thereare changes made within TfL our futureremains uncertain. (Read GLArecommendations on pages 4-5).

ULEZOn page 6 you can read the Club’srecommendations to the Ultra-lowEmission Zone consultation.If you wish to read the full response (8pages) then you can do so by clickingon the Club’s blog site. We at theLCDC firmly believe that it is imperativefor the 15 year age limit (that was

agreed in 2012) to remain. It isoutrageous that a reduction in the agelimit should be discussed before any ofthese future taxis are even built. At mylast meeting with the Mayor, he agreedwith me that until the new greener taxisbecome a reality, age limits should beoff the menu.

CYCLE SUPERHIGHWAYLast week it was confirmed that TFLis to go ahead with the cyclesuperhighway.It seems utter madness at a time whenTfL is trying to implement an Ultra lowemission zone in the capital, that theyare planning to go ahead with ascheme which will cause such trafficchaos that it will have a completereverse effect on what they are trying toachieve.See page 16. I think it is fair to say thatthe lunatics have finally taken over theasylum.

UBERAs you are aware, the Mayor haspublicly stated “he believes” Uber areusing a meter in their vehicles tocalculate the fare of the journey. TheClub has been in contact for severalmonths with the I.M.C on this issue andas you can see opposite, they alsobelieve it is a meter… over to you TfL.

Grant Davis

Editorial:

L.C.D.CLEADERS

NOT FOLLOWERSJOIN TODAY:0207 394 5553

Issue 226 - February 2015 3

[email protected]

AMETEREDRESPONSEInstitute ofMeasurement &Control confirmLCDCview thatUber iPhoneAppis indeed ameterAS READERS will know, thedebacle over whether Ubervehicles are in fact using ameter device will be thrashedout in the courts later on thisyear.It seems that although TfL holdthe view that in their eyes it isnot a meter, we have seen theMayor of London, BorisJohnson, state on radio that inhis opinion the iPhone App isin fact a meter.Where does this leave us in thecab trade when TfL are sayingone thing, and Boris Johnsonis saying another? And whenMayor Johnson is in charge ofTfL and could suspend Uber ifhe wanted to?Over the last few months,the club has been incorrespondence with theInstitute of Measurement andControl, and has given themthe Private Hire Act 1998 andall other relevant legislation.Their response by letter hasconfirmed what we havealways felt.This situation cannot carry onfor much longer and TfL reallyneed to do what they are thereto do - namely to regulate theindustry.


www.lcdcorg.wordpress.com

Recommendation 1By May 2015, the Mayorshould publish a long termstrategy for the developmentof both taxi and private hireindustries. The strategyshould clearly set out theMayor’s position on thecontinued role of taxi andprivate hire services inLondon, and actions that willimprove passenger anddriver safety, guarantee asufficient number of highquality drivers and vehiclesacross the city, and ensurethat all services meet thehighest possible standardsfor accessibility. The strategyshould also set out how TfLwill strengthen itsenforcement and clampdown on illegal activity, withina clear and transparentgovernance and decision-making framework.

Recommendation 2By May 2015, the Mayorshould publish a long termstrategy for the developmentof both taxi and private hireindustries. The strategyshould clearly set out theMayor’s position on thecontinued role of taxi andprivate hire services in

London, and actions that willimprove passenger anddriver safety, guarantee asufficient number of highquality drivers and vehiclesacross the city, and ensurethat all services meet thehighest possible standardsfor accessibility. The strategyshould also set out how TfLwill strengthen itsenforcement and clampdown on illegal activity, withina clear and transparentgovernance and decision-making framework.

Recommendation 3By May 2015, TfL shouldfurther develop the databasethat links drivers to vehicleand operator information. TfLshould work with appdevelopers to produce a toolthat will enable passengersto check the status of theirdriver, vehicle or operator.

Recommendation 4By May 2015, TfL shouldproduce a signage strategyfor the licensed taxi andprivate hire industries,

including plans to pilotnumber plate-based fixedsignage.

Recommendation 5By March 2015, The Mayorand TfL should report back tothe Assembly on options toincentivise the uptake ofcashless payment options,for both the taxi and privatehire industries.

Recommendation 6By May 2015, the Mayor andTfL should set out how they

intend to monitor andimprove supply and demand,for both taxi and private hireindustries, across London.This should include aspecific study into potentialdemand for taxi services inouter London town centrelocations.

Recommendation 7By May 2015, the Mayor andTfL should set out plans toensure that all Undergroundstations located on the 24-hour Tube network have a

FUTURE PROOFING THEAs regular readers ofThe Badge will be aware,the recently publishedGLA report, FutureProof, has vindicated theconcerns of the cabtrade, since TfL becameregulator.The GLA report hascalled TfL woefullyinadequate - a sentimentthat the London CabDrivers’ Cab fullysupports.Below we set therecommendations fromthe GLA, for the future ofour industry.

[email protected]


taxi rank in place by thelaunch of the programme inSeptember 2015, andsuburban Underground andNational Rail stations have arank by May 2016. TfLshould also prioritise rankprovision in outer Londontown centre locations withunmet demand. Ranklocations should be includedon TfL journey planning toolsand TfL should exploreoptions for increasing thevisibility of ranks throughdistinctive signage. TheMayor and TfL should alsoset out clear guidance forevent planners to ensure thattaxi and private hire provisionis explicitly contained intransport planning for majorevents and attractions.

Recommendation 8By May 2015, the Mayor andTfL should satisfy thisCommittee that the entryrequirements into eachmarket are fit for purpose.This should include providingevidence that there are noartificial barriers to entry, thatthe requirements arerelevant to the specificdemands of each industryand that they ensureprotection for passengers,drivers, and other roadusers.

Recommendation 9The Mayor and TfL shouldensure that disabled taxi andprivate hire passengers’needs are met by takingsteps to incentivise theprovision of wheelchairaccessible private hirevehicles (for example,through reduced vehiclelicensing fees) with a view toreaching 25 per centwheelchair accessibilityacross the private hire fleetby 2018. By May 2015, TfL

should also introducerequirements for all taxi andprivate hire drivers andoperators to undertakemandatory disabilityawareness training as part ofthe licensing process. TfLshould also enforce a zero-tolerance approach to driversand operators across bothindustries who illegally refuseto carry disabledpassengers, and increasethe visibility of its complaintsprocess so that disabled

passengers can name andshame providers who breakthe law. Drivers andoperators who are found tonot comply with theseregulations should facesuspension of their licences.

Recommendation 10By March 2015, theMetropolitan Police shouldimprove the information itcollects on cab-relatedcrime, to ensure greaterunderstanding of whetheroffences are committed bylicensed taxis, private hire

vehicles and Pedicabs, andby licensed or unlicenseddrivers/vehicles.

Recommendation 11By May 2015, The Mayorand TfL should provide theCommittee with a definitiveassessment of the resourcescurrently devoted toenforcement, setting outcosted plans to increasethese where necessary andaddress funding gaps. Thisshould include options to

increase licence fees toensure adequateenforcement resources areavailable.

Recommendation 12By March 2015, The Mayorand TfL and the MetropolitanPolice should set out specificsteps that will be taken toimprove the efficiency andvisibility of non-covert night-time operations.

Recommendation 13The Mayor and TfL shouldimmediately clarify the policy

on destination bookings andreinstate the requirement forprivate hire drivers andoperators to record adestination at time ofbooking.

Recommendation 14By March 2015, The Mayorand TfL should conduct a fullreview of the policy on‘satellite offices’, identifyingand securing theenforcement resourcesrequired to regulate these

effectively, including plans toclamp down on unlicensed‘marshals’. Any furthersatellite office applicationsshould be suspended untilthis has been achieved.

Recommendation 15By May 2015, the Mayor andTfL should enable greaterjoined-up working onenforcement, includingworking with the private hiretrade and boroughs todevelop a cohesive, pan-London policy on pickingup/setting down

arrangements.

Recommendation 16The Government should actupon the findings of the LawCommission Review andpropose legislation thatintroduces stiffer penaltiesfor touting, and greaterenforcement powers forborough and police officers,including higher fines andvehicle seizure powers.

Recommendation 17By May 2015, The Mayor’soffice, TfL and the tradesshould develop and publish aMemorandum ofUnderstanding which clearlysets out terms of referenceand defines the respectiveroles, responsibilities andexpectations of each party.This should include specificservice level agreements.

Recommendation 18By March 2015, TfL shouldrevise its driver engagementactivity to ensure that it is aswidely representative aspossible, and improve thetransparency of taxi andprivate hire policy anddecision making processesby routinely publishing theminutes of meetings with thetrades. TfL should alsoprovide and publish adetailed breakdown ofannual licence fee spending.

Recommendation 19By March 2015, the Mayorand TfL should set out how itwill increase the visibility andaccessibility of its complaintsprocess, and improvesystems for passengers togive feedback and makecomplaints about both taxiand private hire services.Complaints data should bereported to the TfL Board ona quarterly basis.

LONDON CAB TRADE


LCDC SUBMITS ULEZRECOMMENDATIONS

Summary and recommendationsThe 10 year age limit and new more expensive taxis will beextremely damaging to the taxi trade. Even with the proposed TfLincentives many drivers may leave the trade and new drivers mayopt to go to private hire. This will by definition reduce theprovision of safe, accessible transport for London’s population.

1. Recommendation 1. We strongly recommend that the Mayorwaits until the technology is in place and working beforeintroducing the TfL proposals for zero emission taxis from 2018.There is a significant level of risk that no manufacturer will beable to meet the proposed zero emission requirements and at atrue London taxi duty cycle. To frame policy before thetechnology is available and proven is not responsible. TheMayor should declare his intention to introduce the 50g/kmtarget but only when a minimum of 2 vehicle manufacturers candemonstrate they can produce taxis to at least a volume of 1,000 each per annum. If a zeroemission target is introduced then it also must be capable of being programmed so it works in the ULEZ zone.

2. Recommendation 2. TfL should encourage sales of Euro 6 diesel engine taxis as the fastest most practical way of reducingtaxi emissions in London. This could be done by providing some level of purchase incentive on Euro 6 taxis.

3. Recommendation 3. The Mayor should require TfL to introduce a standard taxi duty cycle which sets the emissions testingmeasurement for any taxi vehicle which is introduced into London, to hit the 50g/km target or whatever target is agreed asachievable.

Last month, the club handedin its response to the UltraLow Emission Zone to TfL

Read the full LCDC submission at: https://lcdcorg.wordpress.com/

L.C.D.CWE GO THE EXTRA MILE

JOIN TODAY: 0207 394 5553



The Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA) and Clean Air in London (CAL) invite theMayor to commit to an ‘Eight point transformation package’ for the taxi and private hireindustry in London for the benefit of current and future generations of Londoners.

The ‘Eight point transformation package’needed from the Mayor of London:1. Require electric or plug-in petrol electric hybrids with a minimum daily range of 40 miles for all newly licensed taxis by no

later than 1 January 2018. Consider tyre and brake wear standards.

2. Require electric or plug-in petrol electric hybrids with a minimum daily range of 40 miles for all newly licensed private hirevehicles (PHVs) with immediate effect (because many such vehicles are available to purchase today). Consider tyre andbrake wear standards.

3. Establish a network of 500 rapid charge points in Greater London by no later than 1 January 2018 for the sole use of taxiswith a geographic focus on inner London and air pollution hotspots to encourage visits to them. These must offer at least an80% charge within 30-40 minutes at modest or no cost to drivers i.e. not two hours. If this number proves more thannecessary for the taxi industry after 12 or 24 months some might then be made available to the general public.

4. Scrap the 15 year and proposed 10 year age limit requirements on newly licensed taxis with immediate effect.

5. Scrap the 25 foot turning circle requirement from the ‘Conditions of fitness’ for taxis with immediate effect. Keep theaccessibility requirement and other Public Carriage Office requirements. Confirm that no state aid hurdles restrict fundingbelow.

6. Establish a fund totalling £150 million offering with immediate effect one-off financial grants of the greater of £10,000 or100% of the VAT due on the purchase price of a new taxi that meets the requirements above for each of first 15,000 fullycompliant taxis purchased. This would be on top of the £5,000 government grant already available for electric vehicles(irrespective of the number of taxi providers).

7. Undertake never to allow geo-fencing near air pollution monitors, which are used to warn people of smog episodes andreport legal breaches, whereby taxis or PHV’s would switch from fossil fuel tailpipe emissions to electric mode near thoselocations.

8. Deliver new Vehicle Excise Duty bands and Benefits-in-kind taxation, if necessary initially just for new and used taxis andPHVs, based on the total sum of real world tailpipe emissions (grams per kilometre) of carbon dioxide (CO2), fine particles(PM5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). These changes should be tax neutral overall. Exhaust emissions must be independentlycertified.

The ‘Eight point transformation package’ is not an a la carte menu from which the Mayor canpick and choose. The LTDA and CAL have agreed this list as a ‘total package’.

& ISSUE 8POINT ULTIMATUM TO MAYOR


Alan’s AngleLast month a bizarrecycle route sprang upovernight at the rotunda.To my knowledge theconsultation was only opento people near the rotundaand we as a trade were notinformed of these changes.The City Of London complainabout air pollution levelswithin the square mile thengo and create a traffic jamfrom rotunda that backs upway past Wood Street.Trying to make a complaintand get a answer can behard work with the COL, Butfinally I received this backfrom them.“Dear Mr McGrady,Thankyou for contacting Cityregarding the Museum ofLondon Rotunda.The City of London is triallinga new layout at the Museumof London roundabout to

make the junction safer. Thejunction is being monitoreddaily for performance andsafety. According to recentdata, this junction is the Cityof London's fourth mostdangerous junction. In thelast 3 years, there were 14collisions and 9 of thoseinjured were cyclists. Thislow cost trial seeks to makethe junction safer whilst amajor project is beingdeveloped to improve thewhole area. Makingdangerous junctions safer isa significant component ofthe City of London's RoadDanger Reduction Plan.Local occupiers wereconsulted on this trialscheme and the scheme waspresented to the City’sStreets and WalkwaysCommittee for approval.However, we are aware of

the scheme’s resultantwestbound delays on LondonWall and we are currentlyinvestigating ways to restoretwo lanes westbound whilstretaining most of the safetybenefits for cyclists on the

roundabout. We are planningto obtain Member approval(to restore London Wall backto two lanes) in February’sCommittee and it is expectedthat on-street changes willfollow shortly after.”

I'm happy that City OfLondon have seen that thisscheme is not working andare looking to change theoutlay and put the two lanesback in. Let’s hope they do itsoon.

COL cause chaos at London Wall!

Some of us who havebeen the behind thewheel for a while knowSea Containers house,but do we all know it’schanged in to MondrianHotel?It’s taken some time butfinally theMondrianHotelhas got aThree cabRankoutside. There have beena lot of discussionsbetween the trade, TPH,MondrianHoteland the council over the bay outside thehotel. The sticking problemhas been thecycle lane that runs along the side of thehotel. The council’s concernwaswecould injure a cyclist pulling away fromthe rank and also taxis over ranking inthe cycle lane. Sowhatwe have beengiven is a three cab rank that will be ontrial basis and hopefully if all goeswell a

permanent one in the up comingmonths.Wehave fought hard for the rank spaceand fromwhat I've seen and personallyworked the rank isworkingwell and thehotel appears to be playing straight forthe time being. If anyone has anyconcerns that the hotel is either puttingthe goodwork into taxis or private hireover the phone please get in contact withthe club.

Praed StreetTfL has informed us thatthey have received furthercomplaints about taxisillegally ranking in PraedStreet outside Paddington Station,resulting in problems for the hotel,station and other motorists,including taxi drivers. TfL’sEnforcement Team will be patrollingthe area and reporting any driverswho do rank up in Praed Street.

W HotelTfL have had reports from the WHotel that some drivers are refusingfares from the taxi rank on WardourStreet. They have also had reportsthat some drivers are leaving taxisunattended on the rank. The WHotel would like to work with the taxi

trade to ensure that theirguests are able to easilyaccess a taxi from the rankwhen this is requested.The Cab Ranks’ Committee

have had two meetings with the hoteland Taxi and Private Hire about therank and have been assured that thehotel’s concierges will follow therequired procedure and put guestsinto a taxi on the rank when a taxi isrequested by the guests.The hotel will continue to reportboth refusals and unattended taxisto Taxi and Private Hire and thesewill be investigated but all driversshould use the rank in the correctway and accept all fares.A follow up meeting with the hotelwill take place within the next fewmonths to discuss how the rank isbeing used and progress made.


Chaos at London Wall astraffic piles up, thanks tothe City of London CycleScheme.Photo by Steve Dewell

Don't shoot the Messenger!Mondrian cab rank at last


HENDY FACING ADRESSING DOWN?

ComeandsupporttheGLAquestioningofTfLsupremoatCityHall -February25that10am


THE LCDC has been workinghard to bring another majorbenefit to our members, andwe’re delighted to announcethe launch of Badge Assist.

Launched in conjunction withCricklewood Carriers, the schemewill ensure that LCDC members ina non fault accident do not haveto pay excess, can choose theirrepairer, and get a plated cab onthe same day, where possible.

Along with a handful of otherbenefits, being a member of theLCDC for just 50p a day may be aNew Year resolution you justcan’t afford not to keep!

Badge Assist -Your Insurer

In the event of a non fault accidentwe can supply:

CONTACT DETAILSEmail :[email protected]

TEL: 020 8452 5461

Mobile: 07866 0 07866

Office hours:Monday – Friday 08.00 – 17.30Saturday 08.00 – 12.00

Badge Assist, a new service set up andbacked by “The Badge” in conjunctionwith Cricklewood Carriers, is nowoffering a complete accidentmanagement service, all non-faultaccidents for members of the LCDC,who can now qualify for an accidentmanagement solution without losingyour no claims bonus. You will not haveto pay for any services provided andbenefit from 100% no win no fee if

required for any personal injuryclaims.**

1. What is Badge Assist (BA)?

Badge Assist is a one stop solutiontailored specifically for the London TaxiDriver to keep you on the road. We offeran exclusive credit repair service andcredit hire service, to non-fault accidentvictims. We will arrange for repairs to becarried out at Cricklewood Carriers.Since quality repairs take time we offeryou a like for like replacement vehicle touse for the whole time your car is beingrepaired. We will then manage andmonitor the repairs throughout thewhole process.

2. What is the benefit of usingBadge Assist?

If you are involved in a non faultaccident we will arrange for your vehicleto be repaired at Cricklewood Carriersand deliver you a replacement Cab touse the same day where possible.

Badge Assist can answer any queriesyou may have. Our account managers

aim to build a trusting relationship withevery customer, like you, to ensure youare kept thoroughly updated. We alsooperate a facility whereby you will beable to log in and track the progress ofevery single claim via your owncomputer.

3. Who areCricklewood Carriers?

Cricklewood Carriers Cab Company hasbeen in business for over 30 years. Weare one of the oldest and mostestablished London Taxi garages. Inthat time we've built up a reputation forhonesty, reliability and a focus oncustomer satisfaction. Our customerservice is second to none

4. Why Cricklewood Carriers /Badge Assist?

For starters, 10 reasons...- 24 hour breakdown andrecovery- Get-you-home cover as standard- Replacement cab if you break-down- Weekly system check- Full valet service on all cabs

LCDC LAUNCH

BADGE ASSIST

✓✓ A plated cab the same day where possible

✓✓ No Excess or any other costs

✓✓ You can choose your repairer

✓✓ We get quotes/write off values for you

✓✓ We handle all the paperwork

✓✓ Expert Solicitor appointed

OTHER INSURERS

✗✗ A small courtesy car, but only if available

✗✗ You pay your Excess

✗✗ They choose the repairer

✗✗ You provide multiple estimates

✗✗ You run around, sorting things

✗✗ They instruct their own solicitor



- Wide selection of cabs to choose from- Wide range of colours with no adverts- Wide range of models and ages- TX1, TX2, TX4, Fairway- Full flat or half flat- Double Teams

With all this as standard, and a wideselection of models to choose from, youcan see why so many cab drivers makeus their first choice for cab rentals.For the discerning cab driver, we havebrand new Silver Spec TX4's in metalliccolours with no adverts.We are full members of the LMCPA(Originally known as “The Masters”)

5. How much does this cost?

You will be required to enter into a hireagreement but all these charges will bepaid by the at fault party. You will not evenneed to pay a deposit!We believe strongly that if your drivers arenot to blame for their accidents then theyshouldn’t be left out of pocket.Unfortunately this isn’t the way mostinsurers think, as many drivers are leftwith an inferior replacement vehicle,having to pay their excess, or beingcharged for higher premiums.

With Badge Assist the financial benefits toyour drivers are clear: they don’t need payanything towards any part of the entireprocess. The costs are absorbed by theinsurer of the other driver who was at faultfor the accident. So your driver can havetheir vehicle collected and repaired, whilethey drive a like-for like replacementvehicle, at no cost to them what so ever,meaning their income is not affected.

6. Will this affect my insurance?

By using Badge Assist you will not haveto pay your Excess and your No ClaimsBonus should not be affected.

7. Where do I collect the replacement vehicle from?

If your cab is driveable you can dropyour cab to Cricklewood Carriers theywill already have a replacement vehiclewaiting for you.

8. What if my Cab is not roadworthy?

We will arrange recovery of your vehicle

and deliver you a replacement vehicleto wherever is most convenient. We willarrange for repairs to be carried out withan exclusive Badge Assist 2 yearwarranty on all repairs. Since qualityrepairs take time we offer you a like forlike replacement vehicle to use for thewhole time your car is being repaired.We will then manage and monitor therepairs throughout the whole process.

9. What if I wish to use my own garage?

You can do this but Cricklewood offer atwo year warranty on all repairs to giveyou total peace of mind.

10. Who insures the replacement vehicle?

The hire vehicle comes fully insuredwith a nil excess (conditions apply)

11. Can my drivers claim if the accident is their fault?

Countless drivers believe we cannothelp with fault accidents, when in actualfact they may not be completely at fault

for the accident. You may be able tobenefit from Split Liability in the event ofany accident, as we may be able to helpyour drivers with some of our services.

12. What if I am injured along with any of my passengers?

If you have been hurt through no fault of yourown we can get our expert Solicitors to helpyou claim the compensation you deserve. Allclaims are run on a 100% no-win, no-fee*basis and you will never be asked for anymoney to start your claim. If you don’t winyour case, you won’t pay a penny.And remember, passengers are alsoentitled to seek compensation regardlessof whether the driver is at fault or not.

13. Finally, is there anything further you would like to add or a message to our drivers?

Lastly thank you for taking the time tolook at our new venture with BadgeAssist, we are truly passionate aboutthe service and tools we can provide tothe trade and overall empower ourmembers and drivers to benefit from theextra services we can now supply.In the event of an accident we all reachfor the phone and call our insurancecompanies, if it is not your fault, thendon’t call them, call us. Not only are youguaranteed a replacement plated,metered cab, a repairer that cares andstands by the work provided with 2years full warranty. With the addedbenefit of no loss of earnings and aprotected no claims bonus. We aim to take the inconvenience andthe costs away from accidents that arenot your fault. Knowing now that youdon’t have to lose out if an accidentoccurs or if you need any advice feelfree to call our Badge Assist team.

Disclaimer **

** Subject to insurance costs. Feepayable if case not pursued at client’srequest

† No Claims Bonus protection is notguaranteed in all cases. Customer areto check their insurance policy fordetails

BADGE ASSISTIssue 226 - February 2015 13



Following from anoverwhelming amount ofpublic support, theMayor of London, BorisJohnson, has confirmedhe will be buildingEurope's longestsegregated urban cyclelane through centralLondon. The "Crossrail for Bikes"project is part of Johnson's£913 million "cycle revolutionfor London" initiative and willbe a protected route throughParliament Square, along theVictoria Embankment andUpper Thames Street,eventually linking Barkingand Acton and King's Crossand Elephant and Castle. A total of 84% of the 21,500responses were in favour ofthe plans. "We have done

one of the biggestconsultation exercises inTfL's history," said Johnson."We have listened, and nowwe will act. Overwhelmingly,Londoners wanted theseroutes, and wanted themdelivered to the high standardwe promised. I intend to keepthat promise." "But I have also listened to

those concerned about theeast-west route’s impact ontraffic," he added "Thanks tothe skill of TfL’s engineersand traffic managers, wehave made changes to ouroriginal plans which keep thewhole of the segregatedcycle track and junctions,while taking out much less ofthe route’s motor traffic

capacity – and so causingmuch shorter delays." It's expected that work willbegin as early as April 2015with completion of the mainpart of the route, betweenTower Hill and the A40Westway flyover atPaddington, to be completedin April 2016. "I now look forward to the

transformation that theseroutes will bring – not just forpeople who cycle now, but forthe thousands of new cycliststhey will attract. Getting morepeople on their bikes willreduce pressure on the road,bus and rail networks, cutpollution, and improve life foreveryone, whether or notthey cycle themselves."

Recipe for chaos looms as TfL confirms‘Crossrail for Bikes’ across London



MAYOR’S QUESTION TIMEYou will find a report of the recent“question time” elsewhere in thisissue but I’d like to draw yourattention to the previous one thislast December. This demonstrateshow seriously the business istaken.During questions about the MPSfunding, an AM told Boris “you are lying”and “you are misleading the public”.Serious stuff, eh? Boris’ response was“clean your ears out” and “you shouldpay attention to your personal hygiene”and to the speaker “he’s dirty”.At this time the speaker became theschool teacher and threatened to keepthe whole class behind for ten minutes ifthey didn’t behave. Seriously, he did! Hetold them he couldn’t chuck Boris outbut he could suspend question time forten minutes and that would keep themall behind for ten minutes.The next one is 25th February. It doesn’tmatter if you aren’t interested in tradepolitics. Come anyway and enjoy theslapstick performance.

LOYALTYI very recently had discussions withthe management of Comcab. One ofthe things that came up was theperceived inability of drivers to see pastthe next job. In my opinion, this is just asmuch a lack of loyalty as this inability.Although this was Comcab, the sameproblems have been voiced on manyoccasions by the management of theother two circuits.Comcab, in its former incarnation ofLondon-Wide, began life with a maingoal of taking on the minicabs at theirown game. Although we failed to do this,for the first ten years or so it was aglorious failure. The drivers andmanagement pretty much worked intandem as there was no reason not to.There was no real competition otherthan the other circuits and the circuitwork was genuinely a better quality thanstreet work.Every job had a decent run-in, astandard 10% gratuity and a reasonablewaiting time rate. It was completely inthe drivers’ interests to study the circuitaccounts and they would run for jobs ata loss sometimes if necessary. It was agenuine partnership between circuit anddrivers.It is impossible to fix a date but thesituation started to change in therecession of the late 80s/early 90s. Run-ins were eroded in real terms, gratuitiesand waiting time payments were no

longer universal. By and large the circuitwork was still superior to the street job butnot by as much and not in every case.The partnership was completelydestroyed at the turn of the centurywhen two things occurred – PHlicensing and rates 2 and 3 on themeter. PH licensing was by far the mostdamaging effect on the whole trade asthis not only allowed corporatecustomers to now use PH operators, butit allowed the corporate sector into thesupply side of our business by buyinginto PH operations. The circuits now hadto compete with PH and this usuallymeant a reduction in price to a greateror lesser extent.The result was that while the circuit jobwas still sometimes of better quality tothe driver, it was just as likely to beinferior. Now the previously dedicatedcircuit driver was starting to weigh up thevalue of circuit jobs, rather than justaccepting what came.The partnership was finally andirrevocably broken when the circuits “gotinto bed with PH”. This was the wrongstrategy in my opinion. The circuits tookthe view that if they didn’t work with PH,the other circuits would. Did you eversee the Russell Crowe film “A BeautifulMind”? It was the story of John Nash, abrilliant mathematician. He won a NobelPrize for his “equilibrium theory”.Basically, this theory turned economicson its head and proved that it could bemore beneficial for firms to co-operate

than to compete.Greed or lack of trust caused the threecircuits to fall over themselves to offer orrespond to demands for total groundtransport provision. Had theycollaborated to collectively refuse towork with PH, they may well still beseparate from them today and maybethe “them and us” attitude that prevailstoday from drivers towards the circuitswould have remained “them and us”jointly with the circuits towards PH.That isn’t necessarily to say that thecircuits still would not have lost almosthalf their combined turnover from 2007-13, down from £171 million to just £100million but they may have retained thedriver goodwill that often made thedriver put the good of the circuit abovepersonal interest. But we are where weare and any hope of that the circuits willde-link from PH is long gone.However, it’s no use the circuitmanagements moaning that driverscannot see further than the next job. Isuspect it is less about that and moreabout drivers doing what is best forthem, irrespective of whether that is badfor the circuit or not.

PETER HENDY – STAND-UP COMIC?Commissioner Peter Hendyrecently gave an interview to theEvening Sub-Standardnewspaper. He’s obviously a man

who likes a joke. He was questioned about Uber’s use of ameter. It was pointed out that even the taxiand private hire trades had come togetheron this issue to complain about this breachof the law. Even Hendy’s guv’nor BorisJohnson has stated that Uber’s farecalculation constitutes a meter.The interviewer reminded Mr Hendythat the Uber i Phone that is used tocalculate fares cannot be used as anormal phone or send/receivemessages and has i Tunes and webbrowser disabled. In short, it isn’t anactual phone in the accepted use. Theinterviewer, having shown how the UberPhone cannot be used as a phone atall, quoted the legislation that perfectlydescribes the phone as a meter.Mr Hendy’s reply – “none of the lawswere written for the modern mobilephone and app era”. What the bloodyhell difference does that make. They arethe laws we have and they are the lawsMr Hendy should be applying. It is nothis place to decide that the laws are nolonger suitable as that is for the courts todecide. His job is simply to apply thelaws whether they are suitable or not.Mr hendy then swerved the questionover Uber being based in theNetherlands. He says it’s a question forthe taxman. No it isn’t, it’s about theiroperation being in Holland. That’s wherethey pay tax so that’s where theirbusiness is conducted, even if part of it isconducted in the UK. Forget us poor oldcab drivers, this harms bona fide PHoperators that are playing the game.They are put at an unfair advantage bypaying tax on profits made in the UK.Uber are making the profits in the UKand transferring them to Holland to paylower tax rates. By doing so, they denytax revenue to the UK society and under-cut home-based operators unfairly.Please Mr Hendy – do your job or moveover and let somebody do it who is ableto. The best joke though was when hesaid “But I’ve yet to meet a black-cabdriver who’s actually able to say to methat Uber has damaged their business.”Slick that. Doubtless that’s because hedoesn’t speak to cab drivers and that’swhy they are unable to tell him theirbusiness has been damaged by Uber.Let’s all make it easy for him. He is dueto answer questions on 25th Februaryat City Hall. Let’s get as many of usthere as possible to fill the public galleryand hopefully, on his way in and out,there will be loads of us that can tell himthat Uber’s illegal activities aredamaging our businesses.

Walker on the March....



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KNOWLEDGESTUDENTS



Another knife in the backBY MATTY NEWELL, LCDC COMMITTEE MEMBER

It is nearly a year since theLCDC broke the news thatHailo were applying for aPH Operators Licence.Like many drivers I wasdisgusted and angered bytheir treacherous decisionand my feelings since havenot diminished.Hailo deny they use mini cabsand instead refer to them asHailo Executive. Typical spinwhich we have becomeaccustomed from them. Youcan dress it up all you like, if ithas a roundel on the front andback and is driven by someonehypnotised by a Sat- Nav it is amini cab, driven by a mini cabdriver!They explained it wasnecessary strategy to gainCorporate Accounts as thesecompanies insist on high end

executive vehicles for certainclients and members of staff.Hailo said that Executive Carswould be for Hailo For Businessonly and not available on theapp to non-business customers.Well nearly, a year on where arethese so-called businessaccounts???We know that Hailo pulled outof America as they could notcompete with UBER or LYFTbut it appears that they areruthlessly trying to gain a biggermarket in London. Are theyplanning to put the knife in a bitdeeper this time? They havehad Taxi Drivers recruiting forthem at all the main line stationsand at Canary Wharf trying toget back the drivers they lost .Sneakily they have beenrecruiting mini cab driversdropping off at the stations atCar Washes. However, mostalarmingly they have added anew feature for its customerscalled Hailo Backup, which will

certainly get many taxi drivers’backs up when they know thedetails. The leaflet which theyhave been circulating to minicab drivers offers them a bonusand reduced commission from20 to 10%.Hailo Backup essentially is amin cab option on the app for allHailo’s customer base, whichremember, was built up by usTAXI DRIVERS. They havenow the choice between us or amini-cab. Worryingly most ofthese mini cab drivers will bealso using the UBER app. Sobriefly, Hailo are offering our taxistreet work to clueless UBERdrivers. In addition, it appearsthat Hailo are breaking PHlegislation, as many of thesejobs will be instant hails ratherthan pre-booked.This new feature is further proofthat those running Hailo do notvalue our trade, tradition andservice and see us as a one tiersystem with scabs. It is all

about maximisingprofit with our workrecycled, chargingus 10% and nowoffering it tominicabs who theywill charge 20%.I am amazed that drivers stillwork it! Why would you do threeyears on KOL to work side byside by a mini-cab driver?However, unfortunately we dohave some small-mindedselfish drivers who cannot seeor care beyond their day’stakings. If you are still on it,would you share a rank with amini cab driver including UBERand allow the customer tochoose between you andthem? Well this app is now aVirtual Shared Taxi/Mini cabRank!This company got the good willof the Taxi Trade with thebroken promise of “Winningback the work” from PH and isnow “Giving them back the

work” and more. In my opinion,THEY cannot be TRUSTEDand are an ENEMY of the taxitrade.How long before the ultimatebetrayal? They build up the PHfleet and decide to dispose ofTaxis. Don’t think it could nothappen? Do you trust themafter everything they havedone?

Follow on Twitter: Mattthecab14



HAL PREPARED TORECONSIDER TRADE’S PLANSThe Heathrow United Trade Group(HUTG) met Heathrow Ltd. at the endof January and we were all pleasedto hear that HAL is prepared toreconsider the trade's plans to raisefunds for the purpose of promotingand improving Heathrow's taxiservices. As reported in the December issue ofThe Badge, when the trade met HAL inNovember, HAL expressed itsreluctance to support proposals forfunds to be raised by adding a speciallevy to the gate money. (The 'gatemoney' is the payment drivers make forentry to the Heathrow Taxi System).HAL is now exploring the possibility thatthe current gate money charge of £3.38could be increased to £4.00 per entry. Anew levy of £0.62 per entry to the TaxiSystem would provide the taxi trade atHeathrow with much needed funding.HAL agrees that our share of theonward travel market at Heathrow willcontinue to decrease unless our taxiservices are advertised and promotedboth inside and outside the passengerterminals. Many drivers are alreadyenthusing about what could be donewith a new revenue stream, but itshouldn't be forgotten that the suddencollapse of HALTS in 2013, was anevent that is going to prejudice thetrade's standing at Heathrow for a longtime to come. Undoubtedly, whateverhappens in the coming year, if the taxiservices at Heathrow are to flourish andexpand, the rules that drivers workunder will have to undergo severalradical changes. The local journey rules and Fair Faresrules need to be revised so that fixedfares are set at optimum levels, butdefinitely not at levels that will makedrivers competitors in a race to thebottom. Despite many legal obstaclesthat have to be overcome, proposals forthe taxi trade to offer fixed fares atHeathrow have not been ruled out andfixed fares could be allowed underLondon Hackney Carriage law. TfL hasmade a point of explaining that it is notTfL's intention to invite Heathrow driversto make their own interpretations of thelaw, but to provide a clear legalframework that will be of benefit to bothdrivers and customers. TfL has furtherexplained that it has the powers toregulate and define fixed fares whenappropriate. TfL appears to be confidentthat it could make a Cab Order which

would remove (disapply) the obligationto use the meter and define a schemethat offered fixed fares from pick uppoint to final destination. It appears to beTfL's expectation that regulations wouldcontinue to specify the maximum fare,leaving drivers with discretion to chargea lower fare if they so wish. Passengers with credit cards areentitled to expect five-star treatment onthe ranks, even though TfL and HALacknowledge that under currentHackney Carriage laws, drivers cannotbe compelled to accept credit cards.HAL isn't in a position to indemnifydrivers against losses resulting fromfailed c/c transactions ; hence evenwithout the protection of HackneyCarriage law, the decision to accept orreject a credit card hiring rests with thedriver who is asked to provide credit. Uber Operations at HeathrowUber has drawn an imaginary boundaryaround Heathrow and their drivers havebeen supplied with a map of what isknown as Uber's Airport Zone. Themain roads situated just outside theairport's perimeter road such as Bathroad, are included in Uber's parkingzone along with all the B roads andresidential streets ; in fact whereverparking space can be found. When anUber driver enters the Airport Zone, heis automatically placed into a virtualqueue where he waits for instructions.All Uber drivers are issued with a set ofwritten instructions on how to meet andgreet passengers at Heathrow. Whenan Uber driver accepts a job, heimmediately calls his passenger'smobile to find out their location. Intheory, Uber drivers meet theirpassengers inside Arrivals after parkingtheir minicab in the short term car park.Again in theory, the parking charge isadded to the final fare paid by thepassenger. However, in practice it'smore than obvious that the majority ofUber drivers arrange to pick up theirpassengers on the set down areas ofthe terminal forecourts. Not only is it away of saving time, it's a simple way ofhelping passenegers to avoid parkingcharges. At the time of writing thisarticle, the taxi trade organisations haveagreed that we need taxi marshals onthe forecourts to warn minicabs to eithermove on or risk prosecution. It's not onlyTfL licensed minicabs who operate fromthe forecourts, there's also a majorproblem with private hire and taxis fromout of town. The HUTG intends to get intouch with the licensing authorities of

these illegal parkers and warn them thattheir licensees are committing criminaloffences at Heathrow. If licensed taxisfrom Bucks, Berks, Surrey and Hertsetc. were forced to use Heathrow's carparks, they would find it much harder tounder-cut Fair Fares and other farescharged by taxis waiting on the airport'sranks.

HEATHROW POLICE AND UBER Heathrow police (MPS) and HAL arefully aware that more and moreempty Uber minicabs are ignoringthe byelaws that specifically forbidparking on the set down areas of theairport's forecourts. So what are MPS and HAL the airportowner, doing about the illegal parking byUber and other cheap-jack minicabs ?At the present time they are doingnothing at all. Senior police officers whoallocate resources for dealing withminicab touts inside the terminals, areprobably hoping that the taxi trade willgive further cost-free assistance to theMPS. Already this year, we provide theMPS with thirty-six taxi marshals topatrol the passenger terminals on thelookout for minicab touts. The MPScontribution to the strength of this anti-tout force is just four officers. Thismeans the police provide only one tenthof the manpower responsible for anti-tout duties, while the taxi trade providesthe remaining nine tenths. The latestInformation obtained from the MPS bythe LCDC in December shows that thevalue of the work done by the taximarshals isn't even discussed whenpolicing costs and manpower issues arethrashed out by Crime and Securityexecutives at official meetings. TheLCDC has told the taxi marshals in nouncertain terms, to stop makingexcuses for the MPS when it's allegedthat Heathrow police officers appear tobe deliberately ignoring offencescommitted by minicabs.

NEW CODE OF CONDUCT Looking back over the years, thetaxi trade's plans to improve itsservices at Heathrow often get

rejected and all too often it'sbecause not enough legalresearch has been carried out.HAL wants the taxi trade to increaseour efforts to devise a new Code ofConduct. But private rules such asthose that could be devised jointly byHAL and the HUTG can't beconsidered as a substitute forHackney carriage laws and taxibyelaws that target the few driverswho cause trouble at Heathrow. Theintroduction of private rules shouldnever be considered by the taxitrade to be a solution to problemscaused where law enforcement hasbeen tried and failed or is ineffective.(E.g. Heathrow police are notenforcing the mininicab byelaws).HAL and the taxi trade organisationsdon't have any legal powers toenforce each and every rule thatcould be embodied in a Code ofConduct. Past experience showsthat DIY disciplinary rules aresometimes defective or overlookimportant procedural points. The lasttime an effort was made to producea Code of Conduct at Heathrow,HAL took charge at the initial draftingstage. However, HAL over estimatedits powers to discipline erring driversand the project failed to earnTransport for London's approval. Aswith any Code of Conduct, TfL is theultimate arbiter of what disciplinaryaction can and cannot be takenagainst drivers who break the law.The HUTG proposes to deal withtroublemakers by arranging withHAL to suspend their local journeyand Fair Fares concessions. It's aproposal that deserves and hasearned 100% support. Theconcessionary rules in questionwere devised by the tradeorganisations and are enforced onbehalf of the trade by HAL. In short,offenders who breach the new Codeof conduct, could find themselvesstripped of their concessionary rightsto return to a Heathrow taxi rank,irrespective of where their last hiringterminated.

Airport MattersBY PETER “THE CANNON”L.C.D.C AIRPORT REP

Vito Taxi ClubWe Vito taxi owners all know that

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MB is listening to, and learningfrom the owners and drivers.

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Join us Mike & Paulwww.vitotaxiclub.org



The Vito Taxi Club wasinvited to PensoCoventry to discuss allaspects of the Vito taxi,and for them todemonstrate theirinvestment andcommitment into theproduct since thecollapse of one80 andKPM.As well as Mike and Paul,attending was anindependent - John Boyne,plus Mercedes LondonDistrict Manager - AdamLowe, Mercedes Head ofService Quality - Mick Gloverand Penso Head of TaxiBusiness Development -Roy McMaster.Throughout the day we hadpresentations from alldifferent marketing,production, and developmentsenior executives. Theyexplained their individualroles and inputs togetherwith their future vision of theproduct which now thatPenso has the IPR, they aretotally focused on bringingthe Vito Taxi in line withMercedes-Benz quality.The day began with theirmarketing executiveexplaining to us what Pensohas achieved with otherpremium brand motormanufacturers and aircraftmanufacturers. They wenton to explain what theirfuture involvement is withMercedes and the Taxi trade.We were then taken on atour of their technicalanalysis and developmentareas, their postproductiontrim areas. We were thenintroduced to their Taxiproduction manager whotook us to the newproduction area.We were shown how theyreceive vehicles fromMercedes and the fullprocess in converting theminto taxis.Afterwards we were taken tothe factory floor to be shownall the different areas of

conversion from start tofinish.All our questions wereanswered withoutcompromise before beingtaken to another technicalarea where they had theirown Vito Taxi (V1) andPaul’s Vito wheretechnicians were working ondifferent areas of test on newand worked vehicles for thesmooth upgrade transitionand ways they are workingon bringing down theupgrade times.We were given a full tour ofother development areaswhere we were given a fulldemonstration of carbonfibre technology in its rawform all the way to finishedrear spoiler on a highperformance super car.

Carbon fibre is a lightweightproduct being used toimprove performance, and aweight reduction materialbeing used to reduce CO2for TFL future requirements.Another Senior EngineeringExecutive gave us a talk onthe previous RWS systemand was very open with hisopinions and spoke how thenew system was way aheadof any achievement that theprevious company couldever dream about. At thispoint EU4 was discussedand explained why the newsystem wont work in it andsome solutions werediscussed as regards to EU4owners, which the Vito TaxiClub will work with Mercedesto finding an ethical solution.Our final topic of the day was

with yet anotherdevelopment engineer whospoke to us in detail areaswhich could be improvedand aspects of the Vito couldbe improved for ourpurposes which includedsteps, ventilation, as wellother things which webrought to their attention.Penso would like topersonally invite otherowners to their facility todemonstrate what weexperienced, so anybodythat is interested in goingplease [email protected] he will be organisingthese trips.Roy McMaster for Pensocommented “What athorough and effectiveworking session we had with

the Vito Taxi Club! It signalsthe beginning of us allembracing a new and frankrelationship. What we mostlike about working with theVito Taxi Club is that itprovides us with an openchannel for all Vito Taxidrivers to express theiropinions and makesuggestions. This is a greatopportunity for us all toimprove and benefit. There’salready a strong Mercedes-Benz Commercial dealernetwork to provide productsupport. “And now it’s great to seeS&B Commercials havebeen appointed to startselling the Vito Taxi to thehuge number of drivers whobelieve that the Vito is thebest taxi in London.”


Vito Taxi Club visit Penso

The Vito taxi production line at Penso in Coventry



Boxing punditsare like taxidrivers, get 8 in aroom and you get9 differentanswers!Boxing fans around the World arefeasting on the menu of having four verytalented welterweights at present, whoare all looking for the massive fight whichin turn produces mind boggling financialrewards. Who have we got? Starting with the mainman Floyd Mayweather Jr, we haveManny Paquiao, Amir Khan and comingin at the back our very own IBFChampion, Kell Brook.There could be one or two monster fightsahead this year and who should boxwhom and where, is the talk of boxing atthe moment.In the last few weeks, we have had AmirKhan and Manny Paquiao visiting thefamous London gym, Fitzroy Lodgewhere we are told there were murmurs of“getting it on” in the summer, but then lastweek we had Manny bumping into Floyd

at a basketball game... coincidence? Youtell me. Amir is a very fast cookie sowould Mayweather need such anawkward opponent right now? Some pundits are saying that MannyPaquiao has showed signs of slowing

down and is ready to take on in thesummer.Our very own underrated IBF ChampionKell Brook also deserves a top fight aftergoing over to America and beating thehighly rated Shawn Porter.

Either way we could be looking at abumper crop of fantastic welterweightfights in 2015Khan Vs Brook at Wembley with thewinner facing the winner of MayweatherVs Paquiao in Las Vegas.

Why 4 into 2 must go

Tyson Furywill bebolsteredduring hisnextperformanceon February28 at the O2Arena inLondonagainstChristian Hammer with his fatherJohn Fury released from prisonon Feb 11. Fury Snr, a former professionalheavyweight boxer, guided Tyson to theEnglish heavyweight title after onlyeight paid fights. "It will be good for me to have my dadthere, back in my corner. It'll mean a lotto me because he started me in thesport and guided me to the British title,"said Fury, unbeaten in 23 contests, andon the verge of a world title challengethis year. The unbeaten Mancunian plans todefend the WBO International titleagainst the German in London andthen face either Wladimir Klitschko, theWBO champion, or Deontay Wilder, theunbeaten American boxer who claimedthe WBC heavyweight crown lastweekend in Las Vegas. John Fury, the father and trainer of

Tyson, and a former heavyweight boxerhimself known in the Eighties as‘Gypsy' John Fury who fought theformer WBC champion HenryAkinwande in 1991, was jailed for 11years after gouging out a man's eye ina brawl four years ago. Fury Snr had steered Tyson throughhis early career, but since February2011 the heavyweight boxer has beentrained by his uncle, Peter Fury, also aformer boxer. "My dad still analysed a lot ofopponents when he was away andalways gave me advice on the styles. Itwill be inspiring to have him back in my

corner," Fury said. Fury has consistently stated that hebelieves Klitschko will avoid him, buthas responded to Wilder's taunts in thelast week that he will fight and defeatthe Mancunian this year. "I'll bring itdown to a dog fight where it will be abattle of heart and will," Fury said lastweek. "If the Wilder fight is put to me I'll take itbecause it's a world title fight, but I ammandatory and I have worked six yearsto be mandatory for Wladimir. "I thought Wilder was impressiveagainst Bermane Stiverne in LasVegas. It was an educated

performance, he stuck to the gameplan. If you look at Wilder, he's tall,athletic - built more like a basketballplayer than a bodybuilder - and he'svery fit. "As a 6ft 7in tall heavyweight heshowed how you fight a smaller guy.But I'd out-think, outsmart, and out-heart him. I'd put it on him from roundone. I'm taller and bigger than him andhe wouldn't be able to bully me, oroutjab me. "Deontay versus me is a very excitingbuild-up and very exciting fight. I'd takeit straight away, even though I'mmandatory for the WBO. It's the WBCheavyweight title we're talking about.I'm prepared to go to Las Vegas,London, Manchester. Wherever it takesplaces, it would sell out." But Fury says he is not takingHammer for granted. "ChristianHammer was a 2006 World JuniorChampion. I know him from amateurtournaments. He was a talented boxerand this is his time to shine, so I will notbe looking past him. It's called ‘RiskyBusiness', this event and it is exactlythat, because a loss would take mymandatory status away. "The reason I'm taking this fight is thatI need to keep my eye in. There is nopoint fighting journeymen because theydon't come to fight. I need to bemotivated, and I've got that with thisHammer fight."

Steve Bunce-BOXNATION

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Floyd Mayweather Jr calls the shots Manny and Amir down at Fitzroy Lodge IBF champion Kell Brook


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