Cheshire West and Chester Council has launched a public consultation into taxi services

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s licensing team would like to hear from residents who have used or use licensed taxis in the borough as part of a consultation on licensing policy.

It is the responsibility of Cheshire West and Chester Council to license taxis, private hire vehicles and drivers.

Licensed taxis (Hackney cabs) can be hired immediately from a rank or by hailing in the street, while private hire vehicles can only be booked through a licensed operator.

The council has recently launched a consultation into its licensing policy for Hackney cabs and private hire vehicles and would like anyone who uses or would like to use these vehicles in Cheshire West to share their views.

Questions in the consultation include the level of service received and how easy it is to obtain the right vehicle, at the right time. The council is keen to hear from users or potential users who consider themselves disabled or who have particular vehicular needs.

Cllr Mark Henesy, Cabinet member for environment and community, said: “At this time of year, many of us will be using a taxi or private hire vehicle for the festive celebrations. Please take part in the consultation and let us know what you thought of the service you received.”

The formal consultation period runs until February 21, 2016.

http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/cheshire-west-chester-council-launches-10654940
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New York’s yellow taxicabs are the only vehicles in the city allowed to pick up passengers who hail them from the street. The medallion system, in place since 1937, sets an upper limit on the number of those cabs. As demand grew, medallions became more and more valuable.

This chart shows how medallion prices rose from about $250,000 in January 2004 to a peak of just over $1 million for an individual medallion — and about $1.3 million for a corporate one — in March 2013.

But starting in 2010, Uber’s drivers — who aren’t allowed to accept street hails — started filling this government-created vacuum. As Uber added more and more drivers, medallion priced stagnated, then started to fall precipitously. The more people hail cars through Uber, the less money cab drivers make, and the worse taxi medallions look as an investment.

One of the city’s largest taxi companies, White & Blue Group, saw its monthly medallion-leasing income drop as much as 50 percent in the past year, according to a lawsuit it filed against the city last month.

http://www.vox.com/2015/12/26/10647418/uber-new-york-taxi-medallions
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KEIGHLEY

THE taxi driver who died following a crash in Keighley early this morning has been named locally as 33-year-old married father-of-three Liaquat Mahmood.

Mr Mahmood, who was from Highfield, was driving a Vauxhall Vectra which was involved in a head-on crash in Park Lane shortly before 1.20am.

He was taken to Leeds General Infirmary following the collision, where he died soon afterwards. A passenger in the other vehicle, a black-coloured Rover, was seriously injured.

Mr Mahmood worked for 1st Choice Private Hire, which is based off Church Street in the town centre.

Company manager Kabir Hussain said he and his colleagues were in a "state of shock".

"He'd been with us for four or five years," he said. "He was a very honest, well liked and happy person.

"He had two young boys and a girl and was very close to me and my other drivers.

http://www.keighleynews.co.uk/news/14166441.UPDATE__Keighley_taxi_driver_killed_in_accident_early_this_morning_is_named/