Wharf driver warns of rogue cabs

Customer relations manager at luxury taxi company Executive Transporter Ivo Aulik said revellers around Docklands were often fooled or persauded into using illegal cabs when leaving restaurants and bars.

Mr Aulik, whose company is based at Marsh Wall, said: “People have to start being careful or something really terrible could happen.”

He said he has seen touts try to steal his pre-booked fares by pretending to be his company’s drivers.

He said: “It lowers the reputation of honest companies like ours who do things the right way and it’s also frustrating because they are taking our customers away.

“We offer a quality service but these people drive around in dirty cabs and kick women out in strange parts of London. And it can only get worse.”

Mr Aulik said he had learned one female passenger got in to an illegal minicab at Westferry Circus only to be kicked out of the car and left stranded at Limehouse following an argument.

Another woman was so scared when the driver spent the entire journey arguing on his phone, she was too frightened to ask to return to the bar after she realised she has left her mobile there.

Then, just this weekend, the American, who works at a Canary Wharf bank, was robbed after getting into a cab in central London, following a Saturday night out.

The driver, who is described as black and driving a dark Mercedes, pulled into a side-street by Limehouse before demanding the man’s watch and money.

Touting for fares is illegal in the UK and only Hackney Carriage cabs can pick up without being pre-booked.

In the case of an accident even a licensed minicab is uninsured if it is not pre-ordered.

And if the passenger is attacked there is no record of them even being in the car.

Areas around Docklands such as Westferry Circus and Hertsmere Road are hotspots for this illegal activity, said Mr Aulik.

Canary Wharf Group’s director of security Richard Kemp, urged Wharfers to only use legal cabs.

He said: “Unlicensed taxis are illegal to operate and offer the public no safety guarantees. Our advice to people is always use a licensed taxi.

“We work to prevent unlicensed taxis operating on the Canary Wharf Estate.

“We have a number of security measures that make it very difficult for unlicensed taxis to operate here, including challenging any illegally parked or suspicious vehicles immediately and moving these on as quickly as possible.

“If we are aware of a vehicle acting as an unlicensed taxi our security team will act to prevent it from coming onto the Canary Wharf Estate.”

If you have any information on the robbery call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.