• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

I think you will be aware that, some years ago, London Transport entered into a fairly cosy deal with a firm called Adshel, who installed bus stops across London; and that since then there has been an undeclared war between them and various other companies, including Decaux. Although you are a relatively unreformed socialist, this might be a case in which competition between those two companies, and perhaps others, could be a means of encouraging the installation of more and better specification bus stops. There is some evidence that that has happened already, but there is concern that TfL are...

• Question by: Louise Bloom
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

I was at the London Accessible Transport Association AGM last week, when the issue of bus shelters and seating was raised by several people. Could you assure us that, when these plans are considered, the needs of disabled people who are not wheelchair users are taken into account, and that suitable seating and other aids are installed at bus shelters?

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

I support much of what has been said. The Public Carriage Office is in my constituency, so I have a particular interest. In fact, a number of cab firms are based in my area. There is an important issue about the balance between the quality for Londoners and maintaining the knowledge. If Dave Wetzel talks to the black cab companies, he will find that they have a view that there are ways of speeding it up considerably without watering it down. As has been said, there is certainly capacity for more cabs on the streets. If Dave Wetzel is visiting...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

It is fine to look at licensing minicabs, but at the end of the day they cannot ply for hire. One of the great problems, certainly in central London late at night, is people wanting to put their hand out and get a cab. There are no cabs there, and the touts are filling a gap - that is part of the problem. I do not think that it is true to say that the police do not try to crack down on it. The former police chief in Westminster, Bob Currie, told me once that they had had a...

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

No: it is not about the standard. Are you saying that three years is a reasonable time for somebody to go through a test? That sounds ridiculous, so can Dave investigate and let us know why it takes so long?

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

Can I add one other thing to that? If you look to reform of the knowledge, I am sure that you will see that there is great support for this move - that it cannot be right that it takes three years to go through a process which enables someone to get a licence. There is some work there that your office or TfL can do. There is also, I think, a need for an information campaign for Londoners about the safe use of minicabs. This is not just about enforcement of the law against touting. I hear that the...

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

Thank you for that. When I tabled the question, I was not aware that we had taken membership of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, and I welcome that. Although I am aware of your friendship links with some smaller cities, a matter of concern has been raised with me. Certainly the West Indian community would feel a little more assured knowing that the GLA will be working in partnership with CALGA and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum. Having arrangements with, say, Jamaica does not give a wide association with the whole Caribbean, as I am sure you appreciate. The associations...

• Question by: Samantha Heath
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

Thank you very much. It is very important that people like Elizabeth, who represents the area, and the MP for the area, Martin Linton, are also invited. This is a very important issue. There have been some serious incidents on the route, and we have a duty to the people we represent to cover buses. I wanted to highlight how we go about making complaints and moving into the formal arena. There was a case of severe racism on this service, for which I understand the driver was sacked. This service is manifestly poor. Probably in writing, we need to...

• Question by: Trevor Phillips
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

Mr Wetzel has written to me saying that he would like to see instantly any complaints that come to Members of the Assembly. I suggest that we funnel everything through Dave Wetzel, therefore.

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

As the Assembly Member for that area, I would also be delighted to attend that meeting; it would have been nice if I had known about it. I have also put down a Question for written reply over the same issue. My complaint at this time is the lack of response by the senior management of the buses to letters asking for information. After one from me and a reminder, it was two months before I could get any letter from Mr Hendy about this issue. And then all he did was copy the letter he had written to the...