Hero passenger tells of how he saved life of taxi driver after M4 truck collision

A HERO passenger has told how he helped save the life of a taxi driver who was seriously injured when a truck ploughed into the back of the car they were traveling in.

Chris Owen described the horrifying moment the taxi, being driven by Karen D’Agostino, was struck with a “splintering crunch” while they were parked on the hard shoulder of the M4, four miles west of junction 13, after the vehicle had broken down.

Karen, who runs Abbey Taxis and the Karen’s Sweet Treats shop in Malmesbury, was knocked unconscious by the impact.

But she was helped immediately thanks to the quick-thinking of her passenger and fellow Malmesbury resident.

Chris, 56, who came out of the crash unscathed, spoke about the incident and how he had thought on his feet to prevent a potential fatality.

He said: “The taxi engine lost power, so Karen pulled over on to the hard shoulder.

“As she was reaching for her AA card a truck hit us square in the back.

“The inside of the car was lit up by headlights from behind, then there was a splintering crunch. The car got kicked about 30 metres down the road.

“The impact was enough to break her chair, and she ended up in the back of the taxi.


“I got an annoying thump in the back of my neck as the car came forward but wasn’t hurt.”

In the moments after the crash, Chris knew he had to react quickly to save Karen’s life.

“She was gurgling, staring at the ceiling unconscious, so I knew I had to get her in position on the seat so her neck was in the correct position so she could breathe,” he explained.

“I angled her head back so her airways were clear. I stayed with her as I was concerned about her laboured breathing and was worried I would have to give her the kiss of life.”

The crash happened on the M4 between junctions 13 and 14, shortly after 6am on Saturday, December 5.

Karen was taken to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford by ambulance where her daughter Teresa met her.

She said: “We had no idea if we’d lost her. It’s amazing that she’s doing as well as she is. She’s a proper fighter.

“She’s doing well – better than we thought. She’s speaking and resting at home.”

Teresa was quick to thank Mr Owens. “We can’t thank him enough,” she said.

“If he wasn’t in the car I hate to think what would have happened. The quick thinking from him is unbelievable, especially as he was shaken up.”

David Gallagher, spokesman for the South Central Ambulance Service, said: “We were called to reports of two cars colliding at high speed.

“We had one male patient with minor injuries who was taken to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon and one female patient with serious injuries who was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital. 
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 A Doncaster taxi driver who lost his taxi licence over a decade ago after being jailed for heroin possession has failed in his magistrates’ court bid to get a new one.

A taxi driver who lost his licence after falling asleep at the wheel also failed in his bid to get a new one.

Attiq Mohammed, aged 43, of Elmfield Road, Hyde Park applied to Doncaster Council for a new licence in March 2015.

The authority refused citing his previous character and conviction history.

Mohammed appealed to magistrates on November 26 who heard that his licence was originally revoked after he was imprisoned in 2003 for 8 years for Possession of Heroin with intent to supply.

The court also heard that Mohammed was convicted of Battery in 2012 and disqualified from driving in 2013 following a number of motoring offences. His appeal was dismissed.

At the same sitting, 49 year old Jasbir Singh of Tickhill Road, Balby also appealed to magistrates over the council’s decision to withdraw his licence.

Singh, who worked for Alpha Minicabs, was falling asleep at the wheel during a journey from Doncaster to Thorne in the early hours of 2 August 2015.

The journey ended when his private hire vehicle collided with a central reservation in Moorends.

Councillor Chris McGuinness, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “It is essential that the public have complete confidence in our taxi drivers.

“Doncaster Council takes appropriate measures to ensure that our taxi drivers are safe and trustworthy, and is prepared to revoke or refuse a licence in order to keep the public safe.

“We are pleased to see that once again the courts have supported our decisions. The vast majority of drivers are decent, law abiding people who work very hard to provide a good service to their customers.”

http://goo.gl/zlB4kf
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 UBER Australia.

 Uber is officially legal in New South Wales, following a decision by the cabinet to regulate the ride-sharing service.

The cabinet of the premier, Mike Baird, agreed to legalise the service on Thursday after considering the recommendations from an independent taskforce into the taxi industry and transport providers such as Uber.

A compensation plan will be developed for taxi drivers, who face a significant drop in passengers and revenue.

Uber Australia said the decision was a reflection of Sydneysiders’ support of the service.

“Ride-sharing is not only revolutionising the transportation status quo but also helping make Sydney a more economically vibrant, better connected and more sustainable city,” the general manager of Uber Australia and NZ, David Rohrsheim, said in a statement on Thursday.

The consumer advocacy group Choice said: “We welcome the NSW government’s decision to legalise ride-sharing services. It is another clear win for common sense and stands to increase competition into the point-to-point passenger market in NSW.

“However, all point-to-point rides including Uber and cabs will face a $1 per trip levy to fund taxi licensee compensation. This taxi tax will see all consumers pay more to compensate an industry that refused to innovate or improve its customer service.”

Police say two men were part of a group who allegedly punched drivers and another motorist, stole one of their phones and damaged their cars

NSW is the second jurisdiction in Australia to regulate the Uber. The first was the ACT.

Under the changes, ride-share drivers will need to have hire-car driver authority, which costs $45. They will also have to register their vehicle for business use and undergo the necessary criminal and driving history checks. Vehicles will also need to be checked for safety and be fully insured.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/dec/17/nsw-legalises-uber-compensation-plan-being-prepared-for-taxi-drivers
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    Taxi drivers in Leicester will hold another go-slow protest today which could cause travel misery for many commuters.

Taxi drivers will be driving slowing through the city at rush hour to protest against a penalty points scheme.
When is the protest taking place?

The RMT union said it would be staging a slow moving procession of taxis from 4pm to 7pm today.

They have also confirmed another demonstration for Monday's rush-hour.


Taxi drivers will come into the city along London Rd, into St Georges Way, St Matthews Way and Burleys Way, before turning into Abbey Street, Charles Street, Rutland Street and Belvoir Street.

From there it will go to Welford Place, Welford Rd, Mill Street, Duke Street, Regent Road, Granville Road and back out along London Road, ending at Leicester Racecourse on Palmerston Way.

The RMT union, which represents hackney cab divers in the city, is objecting to council's introduction of a misconduct penalty points scheme for drivers.

The system will mean that drivers who commit offences, ranging from illegal parking to driving unsafe vehicles, will receive points.

When they reach a dozen points they will face a hearing before councillors who may revoke their licences.

RMT Leicester branch secretary Umar Khan said: "My members feel that their livelihoods are at risk as the penalty points scheme could potentially have their licences revoked within several months if drivers collect up to 12 points."

The council has said it hoped the system would improve the standards and behaviour of the city's 1,900 licensed drivers.

But city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby say the new regime is reasonable and there is "absolutely no chance" of the council changing its mind.

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Taxi-drivers-slow-protest-need-know-today-s/story-28384960-detail/story.html
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 Students who find themselves without cash will now be able to get home safely in a Glasgow Taxi, just by using their matriculation card.

Glasgow joins Manchester, Cardiff, Liverpool and a number of other cities from across the UK to join the Safe Taxi scheme.

Through the initiative, Glasgow Taxis Ltd will work with universities and continue to make sure the late night trip home is a safe one for students. Even if they don’t have cash or debit card on them, students will now be able to guarantee payment with their matriculation card.

Stephen Flynn, vice-chairman of Glasgow Taxis said: “Students will be able to access a Safe Taxi by calling Glasgow Taxis and quoting a code available from the university.

The student will then give the driver their student card, and repay the cost to the Students’ Union when they collect their card after one working day.

Gary Paterson, President of the University of Strathclyde Students’ Association, said: “We are delighted to be setting up a scheme with Glasgow Taxis to ensure there is a safety net in place for students who may, for many reasons, not have enough money to get home safely.

Michael Stephenson, President of the Glasgow Caledonian University Students’ Association added: “From time to time students get caught out and end up walking home on their own. we hope the Safe Taxi scheme offers a safer alternative.”

http://www.glasgowsouthandeastwoodextra.co.uk/news/taxi-home-no-cash-no-problem-for-students-1-3977222#ixzz3ueL7P357
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 MP Metcalfe shows support for Thurrock's Black Taxi drivers

AS a Member of Parliament for an area where a number of Black Cab drivers live, this morning I showed my support for the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA) as it launched the Better for London campaign in Westminster, which is calling for Government to give Transport for London (TfL) the power to cap the number of Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) in London.

The campaign champions the benefits of taxis while raising awareness of the longer-term impact of unfettered growth in PHV numbers in London. Central to it are three key positive messages about why black cabs are the better long-term prospect for London:

· Better for the environment – All new taxis to be zero-emissions capable from 2018. We think all Private Hire Vehicles in inner London must match or exceed our emission standards from the same date so we can all breathe cleaner air.

· Better for access – Black cabs remain the only form of public transport in London which is 100% wheelchair-accessible and guide dog-friendly, with drivers trained to support passengers with access requirements.

· Better for passengers – Unlike PHVs, taxis have to prove at all times that they are comprehensively insured – so passengers and other road users know they are covered in the event of any incident – and driven by a professional who knows the streets of London.

Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the LTDA, said, “London is becoming more congested as the number of Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) on its streets has now surpassed 90,000 – up 20,000 in the last year alone. London already tends to register the highest of NO2 of any city in the world, and accidents involving PHVs are on the rise. Taxis are taking the lead in becoming greener and 100% debit and credit card-friendly, whilst being properly insured and fully accessible. We need TfL to take action in the interests of all Londoners and improve air quality, reduce congestion and ensure London continues to benefit from a world-class taxi service.”

McNamara added: “As the regulator for transport in the capital with responsibility for the environment, accessibility, passenger safety and reducing congestion, TfL should be able to decide where the line is drawn.”

Simon Birkett, Founder and Director of Clean Air in London, said: “The next Mayor needs to introduce emissions-based road charging to address the problems of diesel pollution and traffic chaos in our streets. TfL needs to be given the power to cap minicab numbers to keep London moving. 92,000 minicabs should start paying the congestion or emissions charge in full.”

As the LTDA will indicate in its response to the TfL consultation, cabbies also want TfL to ensure all vehicles available for private hire in the capital meet high standards that ensure passenger safety. This includes displaying evidence that they are appropriately insured, and that operators give customers the option to contact them by a landline in order to discuss bookings, trace lost property or make a complaint.

The campaign will run until the Mayoral Election in May 2016. All 11,000 LTDA members will be encouraged to display a window sticker highlighting the benefits of black cabs, with a number featuring wrap-arounds promoting the benefits of taxis. The LTDA will also be pressing the Government and the Mayor to act through its response to TfL’s proposed Private Hire Regulations.

http://www.yourthurrock.com/MPP-Metcalfe-shows-support-Thurrock-s-Black-Taxi/story-28380897-detail/story.html
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LONDON.

Green Tomatoes PH firm launch Hydrogen Car.


http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/taxi-firm-creates-cab-that-only-emits-water-and-no-harmful-fumes-a3139421.html