A minicab driver died in hospital after his heart stopped at the wheel and he crashed into a metal barrier outside King’s Cross, it has emerged.

The man, believed to be in his 50s, died about an hour after the collision in Pancras Road on Saturday evening last week.

Police confirmed no other vehicles were involved in the crash, with witnesses speaking of the man appearing to swerve around a cyclist moments before colliding with the barrier.

Others said the man had had passengers, though police were unable to confirm this.

Plumber Oscar Buzzard drove past in the moments following the smash.

“There was a female cyclist sitting on the floor looking visibly shaken,” he told the Standard. “Her bike was lying on the pavement about 20 feet from where she was sitting.

“The driver was motionless and very pale. The bonnet of the car was completely crumpled and there was smoke from it.

“There were passers-by already tending to both of them so I just carried on driving.”

It is not known which firm the driver had worked for, although Uber said he had not been working for them.

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We were called at 6.09pm to reports of a road traffic collision at Pancras Road and Goods Way in NW1.

“We sent a single responder by car, an ambulance crew, a duty officer and a doctor to the scene.

“We treated a man reported to be in his 50s in cardiac arrest. He was taken as a priority to hospital.”

A Scotland Yard spokesman said the man’s next of kin had been informed.
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The boss of Sheffield’s new Uber taxi service – which has proved controversial in other cities – says ‘competition is a good thing’ as it launches today.

The service allows people to order and pay for a taxi from an app on their mobile phone which sends the closest licensed private hire driver signed up to the scheme to each customer.

It has expanded rapidly since launching in 2010 – and in London triggered massive protests from black cab drivers who felt there was a lack of regulation.

Earlier this month, Sheffield taxi firms Mercury and City revealed they were merging due to ‘increasing competition’.

And Gett, the global taxi app which works exclusively with hackney carriages and black cabs, also launched in Sheffield yesterday.

Max Lines, general manager for Uber Sheffield, which is based at Bramall Lane and will go live from 5pm today, said: “I think all this competition is a good thing.

“Maybe I would say that, but in other UK cities I have never seen one where there is only one major taxi operator, which I don’t think would be a good thing for riders and drivers.

“I think Uber will be great for both riders and drivers in Sheffield, anything that increases the choice available.”

The Uber business model allows drivers – including hackney carriage drivers – to work when they want and works by taking 20 per cent commission from drivers’ fares.

It says its fares are more ‘affordable’, with a journey from Sheffield train station to Hunters Bar listed at £4.60.

Mr Lines said it was expanding to Sheffield because hundreds of residents had downloaded the app,

“The fact that we send the job to the closest driver means they have a shorter distance to go so they are not using as much fuel.

“We make it as efficient as possible so even though the fares are lower the drivers are kept busy and are doing more work.”

Gett has launched a recruitment drive to find hackney carriage drivers in Sheffield to sign up to its scheme.

It too works through an app which is cashless and has come to Sheffield after operating in other cities.

Unlike Uber, it allows passengers to book in advance.

Chief executive Remo Gerber said the expansion followed an ‘amazing response’ from across the country.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/competition-is-a-good-thing-says-taxi-boss-as-sheffield-uber-launches-tonight-1-7294275

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 Taxi driver representatives have criticised Caerphilly Council’s licensing department for “inconsistencies” in vehicle checks.

Members of Caerphilly Taxi Drivers’ Association described checks on ‘tinted’ windows and rear seats when applying for a vehicle licence as “pot luck”.

Under licensing laws all vehicles used to carry passengers commercially must be checked by the council, but drivers say inconsistent tests are ruining their livelihoods.

Caerphilly County Borough Council is one of three local authorities in Wales that do not allow heavily tinted rear windows, according to Freedom of Information responses.

But, while Neath Port Talbot and Blaenau Gwent councils use special equipment to measure the light coming through a window, it is understood Caerphilly officers use the naked eye.

Chris Bumby, Caerphilly Taxi Drivers’ Association, said one driver lost £500 replacing windows deemed tinted on a brand new car.

He said: “If you go on a sunny day you might be lucky but if you go on a dark day you’re stuffed.

“They just come out and look at the car. There’s no measurement at all it depends how good their eyes are.”

There are also concerns over “inconsistencies” with the licencing of vehicles able to carry six passengers.

The association provided evidence showing that of three Vauxhall Zafiras, one was licensed to carry six passengers while the two others can only carry six people “where the two rear seats are used solely for the carriage of children under 16 years of age and/or when fulfilling Caerphilly County Borough Council school contracts”.

David Miller, Secretary of Caerphilly Taxi Drivers’ Association, sold his brand new car, losing £4,000 when he was told he may have conditions put on his vehicle.

He said the council would not provide a list of vehicles that they will licence.

Mr Miller said: “As an association we’ve always worked hand in hand with the authority, but the relationship between the taxi drivers’ association and the council is starting to breakdown.

“The relationship we’ve built up over ten years is being smashed to bits.”

A spokesperson for Caerphilly County Borough Council said: “The safety, welfare and comfort of passengers and drivers of licensed vehicles is always a key consideration for the council.

“The taxi trade were consulted on the introduction of CCBC Vehicle Inspection Standards (based on a National Standard developed in conjunction with VOSA) prior to their approval and adoption by the Licensing Committee in December 2014.

“We will continue to work with applicants and support them through the assessment process. Any disputes will continue to be determined independently by the authority’s Licensing Sub-Committee.”