What’s Good For The Goose : One Rule For Taxis And Another Rule For TfLBuses

Just over a week ago, we saw TfL step in and banned super side adverts on a number of Taxis. But we now see the weakness of this licensing authority who are not fit to do the job as the adds appear on a number of London buses.

More than100 buses have been criss-crossing London with advertisements for “Free Balochistan” as part of a campaign by Baloch nationalists against Pakistan’s alleged human rights abuses in the resource-rich province.

The campaign was launched days after a similar drive on London’s taxis was stopped by authorities. The advertisements on the buses have the slogans “Free Balochistan”, “Save the Baloch People” and “Stop Enforced Disappearances”.

Transport for London (TfL), the body that runs the city’s transport network, removed similar advertisements on taxis by the World Baloch Organisation following complaints by Pakistan, which described the campaign as “sinister” and “malicious”.

However, WBO said it would continue to peacefully and respectfully speak out against rights violations in Balochistan.

Bhawal Mengal, a member of WBO, told Hindustan Times: “We have delivered our message through taxis, billboards across London and now on over 100 buses. So far the buses are carrying the adverts but we can expect pressure again from Pakistan authorities.

“We are in touch with TfL to challenge the removal of our adverts from taxis, and will do it again if they are removed from buses that are actually owned by TfL. This is the third phase of our campaign after taxis and billboards.

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT :

Again we see TfL being selective in their administration.

• We’ve seen them do nothing when Addison Lee refused to take off Rugby World Cup livery

• We’ve seen them fail to suspend the 13,000 drivers with fake DBS certificates, and probably the same number with fake medical passes

• We’ve also seen TfL fail to suspend or revoke Uber drivers convicted of fraud and sentenced to jail. All five Uber drivers who were convicted of theft and fraud are still registered on the TfL website as licensed Private Hire drivers.

Licence no Name Expires

But in their defence, their COs did remove copies of a Taxi trade publication from sight in the rear windows of Taxis.

Well done Helen, you must be so proud that our customers won’t be advised about the risk of UberRape.

Source : Hindustan Times, London.