Response Letter To Grant Davis, From Mayor Sadiq Khan, In Regards To £1,600 Payment To Bus Drivers.

Just before the start of lockdown it became clear that Sadiq Khan, was so worried about the amount of bus drivers giving up their jobs, he decided to creat a scheme where each bus driver would be eligible to a grant of £1,600 just to stay in the job. 

The Chairman of the London Cab Drivers Club (LCDC) wrote you the Mayor to try and get all cab drivers the same grant as the bus drivers had been given. 

Grant has finally (three months later) received a reply from the Mayor:

Dear Grant,

Thank you for your letter of 23 March about the bus driver retention initiative and extending the scheme to taxi drivers.

Please accept my apologies for the delayed response. 

I hope you will understand that we have been working under considerable pressure over recent weeks and it has not been possible to respond to all correspondence as quickly as we would have liked. I do appreciate that this is a very challenging and unsettling time for taxi drivers. 

Since your letter was sent, the Government has announced a Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, through which the Government will pay those adversely affected by coronavirus a taxable grant worth 80 per cent of their average monthly profits over the last three years, up to the value of £2,500 a month. 

Further details of the scheme are provided here: 

http://www.gov.uk/government/news/ chancellor-gives-support-to-millions-of-self-employed-individuals.

Other resources are available providing details of financial support that the Government is currently offering, including:

http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19

http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses

http://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/ourpartners/coronavirus-business-interruption-loan-scheme-cbils

In addition, the Financial Conduct Authority has also launched an initiative that means motor finance customers should be able to request a payment deferral (holiday) for a period of three months.

Turning to the bus driver retention initiative: the initiative was launched on 14 February with a specific aim, as bus operating companies have reported that retention of bus drivers is becoming increasingly challenging, with most likely to leave their job in their first two years in the profession and with some operators reporting a 30 per cent average staff turnover within this timeframe.

          

 The initiative is designed for a framework of bus services that Transport for London (TfL) directly contracts out to the bus sector which in turn directly employs bus drivers. 

We directly pay for 670 bus routes that operate on fixed timetables and require a pool of 24,700 drivers working shifts to deliver these to strict quality service standards. 

All buses charge the same fixed fare across London, irrespective of distance travelled within an hour, and operate vehicles that meet our contract specifications for London.

In contrast, TfL is the licensing authority and regulator for taxi, and indeed private hire vehicle (PHV), services in London. TfL does not employ licensees and does not require them to operate services at specific locations, at specific times and for specific fares. TfL would, therefore, be unable to offer a similar scheme for taxi drivers.

Thank you again for taking the time to write. 

Yours sincerely,

Sadiq Khan

Mayor of London

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT: 

The government has removed the 2m rule & has relaxed the social distancing rules... so why are Khan, TfL and Local Councils insisting on continuing these ludicrous unnecessary road and pavement widening schemes, are they not a waste of money ???

Some say this is elite capture dressed up as safety.

Also, slightly confused here...

Why has ‘The Mayor’ given The City of London Corporation,  funding for Temporary changes to the road layout ??   

Where’s all the dosh gone from Bank Junction fined?? 

Now the CoL gets funded from a near bankrupt TFL. 

Is this a joint quid pro quo effort to remove cars, and force people to use London transport buses and tubes ??????

As Mr Brown leaves TFL for a new job let’s look back over the last 5 years.

He’s earnt more money then most people would in a life time.

Left TFL with a £1.6bn bailout.

Cross rail delayed and over budget by billions .

Did we ever get the answer to the Merc Euro 6 engine being allowed in Minicabs but not Taxis ? 

God help Big Ben !!!