Taxi Rank Update

15th December 2021

Hi Jake,

My committee sought progress report this week and were disappointed to hear that you had not yet got back to me.West Ham supporters are struggling every home game and we really do need to progress this as a matter of urgency.

I would be really grateful for an update and I have been instructed to report back by the end of the week.

Best Regards.

Paul.

15th December 2021

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your email.

I’ve attached our last correspondence. I was waiting for you to come back to me to put me in touch with the supporter. I don’t believe I’ve had anything to date.

What were you waiting on from me? I have confirmed proposed dates to Sue for the SAG/Matchday Subcommittee. Sue confirmed ISC availability. We’re now looking to confirm timings now amongst all attendees for 11th January.

Kind regards,

Jake

15th December 2021

Hi Jake.

Thank you for your email 15 December.

I feel I must make it clear that I find your comments to be both surprising and disappointing. As much as I wish there to be good news of genuine progress being made with regard to this matter, I fear those feelings of surprise and disappointment will be shared by the HU committee at our upcoming meeting where I am to report back. When we write to our members, currently standing at 18,300, bringing them up to date on the latest developments I’m sure they will be disappointed with the lack of progress too.

We wrote to you on 7th November pointing out that the supporter in question had already been in touch with Julie, who was unable to resolve the matter. It was following this particular dead-end that HU took up this person’s issue. For the record, I stress again that this is no criticism of Julie, who is held in high regard by the fanbase.

What would help this supporter, and hundreds more in similar situations, is a taxi rank or taxi pickup / drop-off point. This is what we are trying to achieve, on behalf of many loyal supporters for whom the final part of their journey to the LS is at best extremely difficult and at worst impossible.

In your email you ask ”‘what were you waiting on from me?”.

Please can I draw your attention to a previous email you sent on 5 November, in which you said, “I will speak to the London Safety team to understand where the confusion has come from here.”

You went on to say, “I’m happy to facilitate a discussion on the matter and will place it on the agenda for the next SAG/Matchday Ops sub-committee”.

We have put in a lot of hard work and time, as volunteers, including several meetings with the LTDA, communications with Newham Council, LLDC, LS185 and numerous site visits to the LS to view potential sites for a taxi rank/ pick up/drop-off point. We believe it is a reasonable expectation on our part that we be kept informed of any developments, no matter how insignificant.

This is why we feel let down at not receiving an update on the commitments you had made. The first we knew about it was when I requested an update from you, to which you replied on15 December saying that proposed dates had been given to Sue Watson.

Is there any particular reason this information was not shared with HU?

You also said in your email dated 5 November, in relation to the club’s access team, that a taxi rank at the LS has nothing to do with them. You then went on to say, “the decision to put this forward would need to come from the Stadium safety team.”

It seems that more groups and individuals are now getting involved. What has this to do with the ISC? Something that should be very simple is becoming ever more complicated. While all this is unfolding, supporters look on in frustration. Please believe me when I say that it gives me no pleasure to tell you that while HU’s reputation is not in question, the reputation of the club most certainly is.

There are loyal supporters crying out for a taxi rank/ pick up or drop-off point and this ought to be a very easy “win” for the club. Instead these supporters, who will always ultimately be the club’s judge and jury, are deeply disappointed by the lack of progress.

HU is really trying to help you (the club) make a very simple thing, which would be of huge benefit to some of the most vulnerable supporters, a reality.

Once again, I implore you to help HU help you.

Best Regards.

Paul.

Tue 22 Dec 2021:
Morning Paul,

Sue is leading the ISC SAG Subcommittee and I confirmed for you that I would place this on the agenda for that meeting.

As with all meetings, the dates, times and agendas are formulated with the ISC Chair or the relevant Subcommittee Chair, which is Sue in this instance. Sue and I liaised as per the Club/ISC agreement and confirmed 11th January for the meeting date. I believe this has been discussed at your ISC group meetings, but please speak with your fellow ISC members further.

Kind regards,

Jake

HU response:

Hi Jake,

Can I ask if you have spoken to the London Safety team to see where the confusion has come from?

I note that a meeting is planned for 11 January. Hammers United will be happy to attend, although it is a little concerning we that we only notified of this meeting having chased the matter at hand.

The issue of a taxi rank / pick-up & point drop off point is of great importance to many fans of the club. HU has devoted a great deal of time and effort to this important initiative and we must be kept informed of all developments at every stage of the process.

My understanding is that we need to make a presentation to the SAG matchday operations committee and that they and Hammers United are the only parties that need to be there. Therefore there is no need to involve anyone else.

There is a great deal of support for this initiative from the West Ham fanbase. Ultimately, it is the West ham fans that will be the club and ISC’s judge and jury. The club and the member groups on the ISC have agreed that:

- The aim of the ISC is to assist the Club to make decisions that are in the best interests of the West Ham United supporter base.

And that:

- It is acknowledged that the relationship between the Club and ISC must be received as credible and representative of the West Ham United fanbase.

Enabling supporters to be dropped off and picked up by taxis from London Stadium is, without doubt, in the best interests of supporters. Publishing news on a decision such as this would, without doubt, portray a credible and relationship with a representation of the fanbase.

These are aims that the ISC, HU by extension and the club have explicitly agreed to and must be conscious of striving towards.

We would like to see this progressed as a matter of urgency.

Thanks and best regards.

Paul.