1st April 2025

📚 CabbieBlog News

Exactly this time last year, I announced that I wouldn’t be uploading daily postings for various reasons that I won’t reiterate again. Restricting uploads to just three days a week has given me time to write my first novel. Thanks for all your support by entering the competition. The winner who got the answer was Mark, one of our Colonial Cousins. He was out of the blocks with the correct answer within hours.

🦆 A new app

In January, I ticked off one from my bucket list. On a walk in a park and along our local river, I saw five foxes, a little egret, and a kingfisher. Spotting the colourful bird encouraged me to download the Merlin Bird app. So far, I’ve spotted 34 species. It’s not an obsession, but I can see how you could be drawn in.

📖 What I’m Reading

I’m working my way through the Bryant and May novels by the late Christopher Fowler. So far, I’ve reached number 9, The Memory of Blood, out of 23 books in the series.

📺 What I’m watching

I’ve just discovered Detectorists, Mackenzie Crook’s touching comedy about male relationships and men’s obsession with their hobbies. Working long hours on shifts, I missed it when it was first broadcast. It is now available on BBC iPlayer.

󠀿❓ What else

It’s nearly 13 years since a senior manager at TfL was generously wined and dined by the American company that now dominates London’s private hire. This has resulted in a serious decline in the number of licensed taxis and drivers, raising serious concerns about the future of the trade. Figures from Transport for London show that more drivers are leaving the industry and fewer new entrants are replacing them. As of the week ending 16 February 2025, the number of licensed taxi drivers fell to 16,816—a decrease of 20 compared to the previous week- and only 2 new taxi driver licences were issued. The number of licensed taxis (vehicles) also declined by 17, bringing the total to 14,470, with just 1 new vehicle licence granted. In comparison, 10 years ago, 25,538 cabbies pushed their vehicles around London’s streets. Now TfL are starting to become alarmed; with fewer entrants into the profession, it is only a matter of time before we turn into New York.

🚙 Gallows Corner

Gallows Corner near Romford is being improved with a new flyover; it promises to be a summer of disruption at this busy junction. It is named after a nearby execution spot that ably served the local community’s hanging needs from the 16th to 18th century. In 1932, a Metropolitan Police car collided with a cow at the junction. The animal was so badly injured it had to be destroyed. It was, in all probability, the last time the authorities had to make an execution at Gallows Corner. My thanks to the Londonist for this rather gruesome anecdote.