Boris Johnson, mayor of London, said the state has a duty to protect black cabbies in their war against the taxi-hailing app Uber because they "have been told that they, and they alone, will be able to ply for hire on the streets".

Uber drivers, of which there are more than 15,000 in London, have private hire licences and are classed as minicabs. The city's 22,500 black cab drivers have taxi licences and are regulated more heavily. They must stick to strict rules on their vehicles, which govern things such as emissions and disability access.

But they are also given privileges, such as the exclusive use of taximeters, because they have taken "The Knowledge", which tests comprehensively a diver's understanding of the city's roads and routes. So black cab drivers were furious after the High Court ruled that the Uber app does not breach taximeter rules because it does not itself calculate fares. The app sends data to Uber servers in the US, where the fare is then calculated based on journey time and distance travelled.

"The fundamental distinction between a black cab and a minicab [...] has been obliterated by technology," Johnson said at the CityLab conference in central London, where he was joined by the former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg.

"It's unfair on the black cabs who have consecrated their lives to the study of routes and who have special vehicles and who in return for that very great expenditure they have made on their vehicles have been told that they, and they alone, will be able to ply for hire on the streets.
"So the question is how to strike a balance which respects what's happened to the cab drivers and try to help them where you can, but also reflects the fact that technology is out there. It's changed. You can't put the genie back in the bottle. People want Uber and there are more than a million users of Uber here in London.

"Since the days of Oliver Cromwell, the black Hackney carriage trade had been regulated and governed by the state. Now if the state is going to do that to these people then they've got a duty I think to try and manage [the change]."

Johnson also said there were congestion problems to think about. He blamed Uber for a sharp rise in the number of minicabs entering central London's congestion zone. The mayor, who is also an MP after being elected at the 2015 general election, said two years ago just one in 100 vehicles in the congestion zone was a minicab – now it is one in ten.

Bloomberg challenged Johnson, arguing that Uber was simply meeting demand and that they may well be displacing other vehicles. The billionaire founder of the Bloomberg empire said the taxi industry should be opened up to market forces and competition to the benefit of consumers.

He also suggested the Uber technology is beneficial to cab drivers because it allows them to rate their clients. "So when you go on Uber and hit the 'get me a car' button, Uber drivers in the neighbourhood see whether you are a good client or a bad client, and they rush to take very good clients," Bloomberg said. "All of a sudden, if you're an asshole you're not going to get a cab."
Despite overcoming the High Court challenge, Uber is facing a new threat from Transport for London, which governs the city's minicab system. TfL is consulting on a number of measures that would crack down on Uber, including forcing its drivers to wait at least five minutes before picking up a fare – the current average is three minutes – and forcing them to take bookings up to seven days in advance. Uber does not offer an existing pre-booking service.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/boris-johnson-uber-city-hall-132922966.html#t5OC5rT
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MIDDLESBORO

 A TAXI driver who may have information about the attempted rape of a woman in Middlesbrough is being asked to come forward by police.

The woman was attacked on Whitfield Avenue, Middlesbrough, after being approached by a man close to the Royal Cars taxi rank on Marton Road, at around 4am on Sunday, October 4.

The suspect approached her near the rank and they both walked from Park Vale Road on to Angle Street and then on to Whitfield Avenue, where the attempted rape took place.

The woman was left with minor injuries but did not need hospital treatment.

Detectives from Cleveland Police want to trace the driver of a black and yellow taxi which collected the victim after the offence, between the old White Rose pub and St Joseph’s Church at the junction of Marton Road and Park Road South.

The driver is described as an Asian male in his early 30s, of medium build with bald or shaven hair. Police say he may be able to help with inquiries.

Detectives are also hoping to trace another potential witness, a man who was standing close to the Royal Cars taxi rank when the victim was approached by the subject.

They said he could have “vital information” which could help officers.

He is described as a white male, aged in his late forties to early fifties, of medium build with a ‘short back and sides’ hairstyle and wearing blue jeans and a red top.
     
It is believed that two cyclists were also in the area of Marton Road near to the junction with Southfield Road around the time of the incident. A 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape and he has been bailed pending further enquiries.
http://goo.gl/iFj6cE
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CORK

A taxi driver was convicted of punching a female passenger in the jaw as the judge dismissed his allegations that he had been racially abused.

Charles Ibebugwu, aged 40, of 24 Coolmore Gardens, Shanbally, Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, was ordered to do 200 hours or community service instead of three months in prison for assaulting Cathy Brogan on May 31 2014.

Judge Olann Kelleher said that when Garda Aisling Murphy and Sergeant Pat Lingane arrived at the scene, there was no complaint by Ibebugwu of having been racially abused. Such an allegation was not made until he subsequently gave a statement and again in court.

Ibebugwu did not have his shirt torn when gardaí met him at the scene. However, before they left, the front of his t-shirt was torn. Inspector Eileen Foster suggested he had torn it himself. The defendant denied tearing his shirt to make it look like he had been the one assaulted.

Judge Olann Kelleher said: “I am totally satisfied there was no allegation on the night of racist comments. I do not believe these words were spoken at all.”

The accused claimed he was racially abused as a “black monkey” and told to go back to his own country. In his statement, he said Ms Brogan made the racist comment. Ms Brogan denied it and said she found it very upsetting to be accused of making racist comments as it was something she would never do.

When Ibebugwu came to give evidence yesterday in Cork District Court he said it was Brendan Cullinane — Ms Brogan’s then boyfriend, now husband — who made the comment. He also denied saying any such thing.

The couple got into the taxi after being out socialising. Each of them said they had about eight drinks and got the taxi from Grand Parade to Innishannon. The journey in the defendant’s taxi only got as far as Cork University Hospital.

Mr Cullinane said he asked the driver what way he was going when he took the third exit at Wilton roundabout rather than the second one which they felt would have been more direct.

Both of them said the driver told them to get out of the car as soon as the route was queried. They said that even though he told them to get out he prevented them from walking away until the €11 of the fare to that point was paid. They felt they should not pay as they had been put out of the car.

“He hit me into the right side of my jaw with a closed fist. Then he started saying, oh my God, oh my God, I’m sorry,” Ms Brogan said.

Ibebugwu, who was never in trouble before, was convicted of that assault. A charge of assaulting Mr Cullinane was dismissed.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/mhgbaucwojey/rss2/