"London Taxis Minicabs and Airports" via Anand in Google Reader

£40,000 Hi-Tech Car to Fine Motorists Parking Illegally

2011-09-05T22:40:48Z

£40,000 Hi-Tech Car to Fine Motorists Parking Illegally

23 August 2011

Councils are considering deploying a camera car to deter drivers from parking illegally and generally ignoring road and traffic signs. Hartlepool Borough Council has used the vehicle already to snap photographs of parents dropping off their children at school or at bus stops.

At a recent briefing with the local taxi association, concerns were raised about people parking in the middle of a taxi rank, disrupting their flow and returning after a meal on the marina. At the moment, officers patrol the area on foot, however deployment of the camera car would dramatically reduce risk and health and safety issues.

A spokesman for the Council said “the camera car has the potential to remove a lot of the risk and we are considering whether to use it for this kind of enforcement.”

The hi-tech vehicle, dubbed the "camera car", would cost £40,000 each and comes fully equipped with computer technology and a camera to snap shots of people parking on double-yellow lines, stopping on zig-zag lines or disregarding parking restrictions in taxi ranks and bus stops. These shots would be sent back to a central office to be processed and a fine letter sent to the driver's address.

It was reported recently that in only eight weeks on the streets, the camera car caught 813 vehicles parked illegally which amusingly included four council vehicles.

Disgruntled drivers who have already received fines have blasted the Council for using these tactics to raise revenue to reduce the impact of cuts from central government. Drivers who have been caught stopping on double-yellow lines to make a drop-off at charity shops or even parking on the kerb outside their own homes say this system would be used purely as a 'cash cow' for the Council. The Council's own figures suggest they would raise over £55,000 in just the first two months of operation.

Clearly road and traffic rules need to be enforced, however increasingly, local councils seem to be embarking on these activities to capture more revenue, rather than out of any requirement to decrease offending rates.

Meet Boris Johnson - a London Taxi Driver

2011-08-16T21:58:39Z

Meet Boris Johnson - a London Taxi Driver

7 July 2011

If you haven't been to takemethereboris.co.uk yet, its worth a visit for the comedy factor alone. Its quite amusing to see London's mayor acting as a London taxi driver in this virtual simulation online.

Designed to act as a promotional tool for the new London International Conference Centre at London's ExCel centre, Boris takes the driver's seat and talks about London's famous landmarks along his route - complete with picking up and dropping off taxi passengers on the way.

St Pauls and the Tower of London are some of the sights mentioned with snippets of history thrown in for good measure.

The recently opened conference centre extends London ExCel's size by 50% and makes it the capital's first purpose-built large conference centre. Funded by the ADNEC group from Abu Dhabi, it is backed by the Mayor and by Visit London with a view to making London more competitive in the international convention trade.

With takemeboris.co.uk, international businesses travellers may be able to get a glimpse of what it would be like taking a London taxi from the airport direct to the new London ICC.

Commuting for Longer Probably Means You Get Paid More

2011-06-09T23:53:40Z

Commuting for Longer Probably Means You Get Paid More

3 June 2011

The ONS (Office for National Statistics) this week have released findings that show a very clear correlation between commute times and the amount you earn. Those whose commutes to work take over an hour, are averaging £18.80 per hour, whereas those with a 15 minutes or less commute are averaging almost half, at £9.60 per hour.

The above figures are for within London. Outside London, the figures are £14.30 and £8.30 respectively.

In London, over 60% of people travel to work without using public transport - so you'd expect them to be using their own cars, a chauffeur and the odd taxi. Outside of London, a staggering 75% of people have a commute of upto 30 minutes, though in the capital that figure shrinks to just 44%.

The pay differential shouldn't be all that staggering really, when you also take into consideration that the higher commuting times are also associated more with full-time roles and with highly-skilled professions.

"The link between long commute times and high earnings suggests that transport costs are a huge barrier to people looking for work outside their local area", said TUC general secretary Brendan Barber.

BAA Heathrow: Air India to move to Heathrow Terminal 4

2011-05-24T07:49:45Z

Air India to move to Heathrow Terminal 4

24 May 2011

Air India is moving to Heathrow’s newly refurbished Terminal 4 on 25 May after more than 43 years of operating from Terminal 3. The move will take place overnight so that all departing and arriving passengers will be welcomed at Terminal 4 on the morning of 25 May.

Air India passengers will benefit from more check-in space, a dedicated new premium lounge, and more space at arrivals for meeters and greeters. £170 million has been invested, and the refurbishment has been so successful that a recent passenger survey ranked Terminal 4 as Europe’s most improved airport terminal.

To celebrate Air India’s move, Heathrow staff will be donning traditional Indian dress, have been given lessons in welcoming passengers in Hindi, and will be greeting Air India customers with garlands and trays of luxury barfi sweets.

BAA Chief Executive, Colin Matthews, said: “I am delighted that Air India’s will be flying from the newly refurbished Terminal 4. It means easier journeys and a better airport experience for their passengers. Direct flights to India are very important for the UK: they create jobs and bring families together. That’s why we are investing to modernise Heathrow and keep it Europe’s number one airport for Indian flights.”

Chairman and MD, Air India, Mr. Arvind Jadhav, said: “We are moving to Terminal 4 in Heathrow after a half-century in our old home at Terminal 3, and we looked forward to BAA’s support in making it a success in terms of enhanced convenience and comfort for our passengers.’’

Air India is one of Terminal 3’s longest airline residents, starting its operation in the 1960s with Heathrow’s first ever connection to Mumbai. Since then it has increased its route network, connecting London to some of India’s most exciting cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Amritsar. Today, Air India flies more than 390,700 passengers annually from Heathrow, and Heathrow has more direct flights to India than any other airport in Europe.

Heathrow Express Staff Vote to Strike

2011-05-24T07:49:23Z

Heathrow Express Staff Vote to Strike

23 May 2011

Heathrow Express trains will grind to a halt this Friday for 48 hours as members of the RMT union stage a strike beginning at 3.40am.

If the company cannot come to an agreement with the union, then more 24 hour walkouts may go ahead in June and July.

Once again, it is a pay-related dispute, with the RMT rejecting an above-RPI increase over the next two years. The RMT general secretary, Bob Crow makes the point that the 2 year deal may look good on paper but is "loaded with strings", such as a condition on personal absence.

Last week, Mr Crow made demands for bonus payments for RMT members during the Olympics as he has already secured from Network Rail, however it does not seem like this strike action is part of that demand, at least not at the moment. Tube drivers from ASLEF seem to be making similar demands as negotiations continue.

Heathrow Express have advised that they are preparing a 'contingency timetable' but gave no assurances on how many trains, if any, would be operating during this strike.

Competition in the Taxi & Minicab Sector for West London

2011-05-12T15:13:50Z

Competition in the Taxi & Minicab Sector for West London

12 May 2011

Leading Route Cars has been in operation now for almost two years. In that time, the business has grown from one driver to 23 and back down to single-digits again, then back up. To say its been a rollercoaster ride would be an understatement.

With over ten business account customers, an outsourced call centre operation and great positions within the major search engines for local and airport search terms, the company is faring well in the current economic climate.

Competition in this sector is fierce as you can see from the snippet from Google Maps below. Each red dot represents a minicab company in this part of West London and its not that big an area.

The quality of LRC cars, the reliability of LRC drivers and the customer service delivered by the entire LRC team (not to mention the brilliant text messages) is what makes the difference despite the competition. Delivering value works, even in the London minicab industry.

Heathrow Airport 2 where?

2011-05-12T14:19:21Z

Heathrow Airport 2 where?

Editorial content

A selection of quality, witty and topical articles from a host of budding writers.

Our writing team: Rajdeep Sandhu, Anand Pajpani, Valerie

Typical Prices

Heathrow to W1: £34
Heathrow to SW1: £38
Heathrow to EC1: £37
Heathrow to Oxford: £66

Heathrow to Reading: £45
Heathrow to Chelmsford: £97
Heathrow to Birmingham: £163

To advertise, please click here.

Heathrow Taxi Service - 020 8991 9191 or Book Online

2011-05-12T14:18:50Z

Shared by Anand
London Taxis, Minicabs & Airports

Welcome to Leading Route Cars

Offering quality cars and a customer focussed, professional service, we are your first choice for private hire minicab travel including London airport transfers.

Text (SMS) alerts confirming your booking & the registration mark of your car.
Book Online or by calling 020 8991 9191.
UK-wide airport transfer services to or from all London airports.
Seaport transfer service.
Long Distance & Executive travel.
Fixed prices. No taxi meters or other hidden charges.
Satellite Navigation as standard in every car.
Account facilities. For business clients & frequent travellers.

We have vehicles to suit all requirements, from Saloon cars to Executive cars, from MPV's / People Carriers to Minibus options, we ensure that all clients have a range of options available.

Heathrow Airport Transfers

Read more about our Airport Pickup Procedures: Where do we pick you up?

TOP PICK: Tube strike - Common sense prevails

Due to our location, we specialise in Heathrow transfers, but also cater for Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City Airport. Heathrow to Gatwick is our most popular journey.

No matter which terminal you are coming into, we can meet you at the Information Desk, or just outside the terminal building.
Short-notice pickup. We are able to provide vehicles to any of Heathrow's 5 terminals within 10 minutes.
Free flight monitoring. No waiting time costs for delayed flights.
Nationwide service from London to any town or city in the UK

Our services

Airport transfers
Business / Executive trips
School runs
Hotel transfers
Seaport transfers

Wedding hire
Station pick-ups
Courier/parcel services
Business account facilities

Book your Taxi Online or call 020 8991 9191 - Leading Route Cars

2011-05-12T14:18:45Z

Shared by Anand
London Taxis, Minicabs & Airports

Book Online

With our convenient online booking system (see the Red Box on the right), you can book your journey quickly and easily.

Booking your journey has never been easier, whether your journey is:

Long distance
In and around London
London airport transfers from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton or City Airport
Seaport transfers including Dover, Portsmouth, Plymouth & Southampton

Booking in advance is essential. We advise customers to book at least 24 hours in advance if booking online. We can of course cover journeys at lesser notice, but recommend you phone us to arrange these trips.

Comparing Prices?

Bookmark this page & compare at your leisure. We don't mind.

Get instant information on:

Approximate journey times (provided by Google Maps)
Type of cars available
Each vehicle's passenger and luggage limits
Fare for your proposed journey

Open a Business Taxi Account with Leading Route Cars

2011-05-12T14:18:41Z

Business Account Customers

Are you looking for a reliable minicab company in London for your company?

We pride ourselves on being one of the foremost Private Hire companies in West London, supplying saloon cars, executive cars and MPV's to match your needs.

You can open a business account:

using our ONLINE FORM (easier option)
or DOWNLOAD a copy to your local computer.

Our account customers receive the following benefits:

Preferential treatment
Priority over our cash-paying customers

Better expenses management
Allow your staff to travel with peace of mind without the need to stop for cash.

Improve your cash-flow
Invoice facilities enable to you to keep greater control over your cash flow.

Cost reduction
Upto 40% cheaper than Addison Lee on your main journeys. We can also negotiate bespoke pricing for your most common trips.

Book with confidence
With our UK text (SMS) facility, and professional attitude, there's no need to worry when arranging airport transfers for your clients.

Why choose us?

Customer service is at the core of our business model
Smartly dressed, professional drivers
Text (SMS) confirmation of bookings
Online booking facility
Quality, clean cars
Fully licensed Private Hire drivers and vehicles

Heard enough and ready to open an account? Click here to apply.

Ranked 19th out of 954 UK
Airport Transfers Companies

Awarded by the FreeIndex Airport Transfers Companies directory

Executive Taxi Services

2011-05-12T14:18:36Z

Executive Taxi Services

As a premium Private Hire company we have a series of Executive vehicles in our fleet catering business professionals and VIPs that require that extra level of service and luxury on their journeys.

We provide services for:

Company executives
Celebrities
High-profile journalists
Members of Paliament
Foreign dignitaries
VIP-packaged holidays
Honeymoon couples

Additional benefits of our Executive Taxi service:

Priority over other non-Executive customers
Fully uniformed drivers
Meet & Greet as standard for Airport transfers
SMS confirmation of bookings
Guaranteed punctuality and reliability
Free daily newspaper in the car (if requested)

PCO Drivers Required for Leading Route Cars - Driver Vacancies available here

2011-05-12T14:18:32Z

Shared by Anand
London Taxis, Minicabs & Airports

Want to Drive for Us?

All driving positions are on a self-employed basis. You must be able to demonstrate a good knowledge of the streets of London and London airports in particular.

If you are an experienced minicab driver in London or the Home Counties, then we want to speak to you. We operate a busy circuit and use the latest computerised booking & dispatch software and all drivers are provided with a PDA to ensure a fast and efficient service.

What is required?

You must have excellent communication and customer service skills. Our company aims to provide the finest minicab service to our clients, so professionalism, excellent communication and customer service skills are vital. You and your vehicle must also be licensed by the Taxi & Private Hire office (part of Transport for London).

Documentation:

About you: Private Hire driver licence, CRB pass certificate, Passport, Driving Licence (both photocard and couterpart), National Insurance card, Recent utility bill/bank statement (no more than 3 months old), 2x recent passport-sized photographs

About your vehicle: Private Hire vehicle licence, Valid PHV insurance, Proof of ownership (logbook), Valid MOT (less than 6 months), Valid road tax.

Ready to register?

Call us now on 0844 5678 966 and ask for Driver Vacancies and to book an appointment to come and see us.

What is Private Hire - Leading Route Cars

2011-05-12T14:18:28Z

Shared by Anand
London Taxis, Minicabs & Airports

What is Private Hire?

There is much confusion about what Private Hire actually means. Is it to do with chauffeurs? Is it about hiring minicabs? Is it about hiring taxis or is it about VIP travel only?

There are two main types of private road transport in London, Black cabs and Private Hire. Private Hire vehicles are often referred to as minicabs, mini-cabs, private taxis, cabs. However, the terms cabs and taxis should only refer to the Black Cabs of London, as defined by the Public Carriage Office (part of Transport for London).

The main difference is that Private Hire (minicabs) can only pick up passengers that have made a prior booking and Hackney Carriage taxis (black cabs) are able to pick people up off the street without bookings being made in advance.

Leading Route Cars is a Private Hire Vehicle firm, offering quality cars and a customer-oriented professional service to its clients. We have a number of 7-seater people carriers and executive saloon cars in our fleet, ensuring you, the client, have a range of options when booking your journey.

Our services

Airport transfers
Business / Executive trips
7-seater bookings
Hotel transfers
Seaport transfers

Wedding hire
Station pick-ups
Courier/parcel services
Bespoke A to B (or even to C/D/E) journeys

Heathrow Taxi - 020 8991 9191 | Heathrow Transfers | London to Heathrow

2011-05-12T14:18:23Z

Shared by Anand
London Taxis, Minicabs & Airports

Heathrow Airport / TW6

We provide London airport taxi transfers for all London airports, and due our location, Heathrow taxi services are our speciality .

Being based in West London, we are able to provide a transfer at very short notice (normally within 10 minutes) and also offer a nationwide service from London Heathrow to anywhere in the UK.

Serving over 1500 airport customers per week, our prices are competitive and service impeccable.

If you're looking for a pick-up from Heathrow, you can opt for our optional Meet & Greet service where our driver would come into the terminal and stand at the arrivals gate holding a board with your name on it. Free flight monitoring is including in all our airport pickups, so you don't pay for flight delays.

Call 020 8991 9191 to book your taxi today.

To read our Airport Pickup Procedures, click here.

Our services

Airport to Seaport transfers
M25 transfers
Long distance transfers
Executive services
Minibus services

Terminals 1, 2 & 3
Terminals 4 & 5
Courier services

Heathrow to Gatwick Airport Transfers | Gatwick to Heathrow Taxi & Minicab Service - Leading Route Cars

2011-05-12T14:18:19Z

Shared by Anand
London Taxis, Minicabs & Airports

Heathrow to Gatwick Airport

We provide London airport taxis for all London airports, and due our location, Heathrow taxis are our speciality .

Book in advance, and we'll send a taxi to Heathrow Airport and take you to Gatwick Airport, or send a taxi to Gatwick Airport and bring you to Heathrow Airport. Whether you're in Cardiff or Norwich, book with us and you don't have to worry about your taxi to Heathrow.

Call 020 8991 9191 to book your Heathrow airport taxi today.

Read about Private Hire & Taxis in London as well as London's Airports

2011-05-12T14:18:05Z

Shared by Anand
London Taxis, Minicabs & Airports

COMMENT

You can read regularly updated comment here from our team of writers. Topics covered are varied, and cover a wide range of topics related to the London taxi and private hire industry as well as topical commentary on London's airports.

London Taxis to Get Chargers on the Move

Honest Taxi Driver Hands Back 50k

Heathrow, Stansted & Glasgow See a 0.9% Rise in Traffic

Airline Bomb Hoaxer Gets Three Years

bmi is the Best of British at Heathrow

Heathrow Drops to Fourth

Norwich Black Cabs To Be Cut

NCP Gatwick Launches Free Parking And Cheap Taxi Services

BA Launches Complimentary Executive Taxi Service From Heathrow

NCP Gatwick Unveils Innovative Parking Zones and Cheap Taxi Services