HailO

Companies House have raised a Red flag over HailO Holdings Ltd.

Their accounts are overdue and the previous two years accounts have shown a loss over £13 million.

Perhaps this month, may be a time to be careful.

 -----------------------------------------
ACCRINGTON

A TAXI driver was threatened by a knife-wielding robber in a frightening early morning attack, police said.

Detectives have issued a witness appeal following the armed robbery, which happened in Beech Street, Accrington.

Police said a taxi was called to Beech Street at 4.30am on Saturday, and when the 56-year-old driver arrived, he was threatened by a man carrying a six-inch kitchen knife.


The man is believed to have threatened the driver with the knife and said he would kill him if he didn’t hand over all his money, officers said.

As the victim tried to shut the driver door of his grey Vauxhall Vectra, the attacker leaned in to the car and tried to pull the keys from the ignition. Police said the key snapped and the attacker ran away empty-handed.

DI Mark Haworth-Oates said: “This was a terrifying incident for the driver, who was going about work. He has clearly been shaken up by the ordeal but he’s fortunate to have not suffered any serious injury.

“I would ask anyone who ordered a taxi to Beech Street at that time or if you were in the area and saw anything to get in contact with police immediately.”

The armed robber is described as a white man, 25 years old, 5ft 8in tall, wearing a dark-coloured hooded top and dark tracksuit bottoms. He was said to be clean-shaven.


DI Haworth-Oates said police are examining CCTV footage from the area and have made door-to-door enquiries.

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said: “It’s unusual to get knife or gun crime in this area. By and large, Hyndburn is quite a safe place, but there are people who have no concern for the safety of others at all and are willing to commit atrocious acts.

“People like this need to be pursued by the police and apprehended. It’s a despicable act.

“It’s very worrying for taxi drivers, who do a lonely job.”

Barnfield ward councillor June Harrison said: “It’s appalling. This kind of behaviour is unacceptable. There’s no words for it really. It’s disgusting. This was somebody just trying to do their job and he’s getting attacked."


“It’s bad enough him being shaken up, but I’m just glad he wasn’t injured and they didn’t get any money.”

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/?search=taxi&lang=en&searchheadlines=1
-------------------------------------
 LIVERPOOL

 Squaring up over a road rage spat, a motorcyclist and a taxi driver were filmed engaging in a bizarre stand-off before their argument erupted when the biker unleashed a karate kick on his rival's cab.

Queues of stunned motorists witnessed the dramatic encounter, which took place at a set of traffic lights outside Royal Hospital in Liverpool when the motorcyclist thought he'd been hit from behind.

It was recorded from a nearby car, with the footage showing the biker approach a Hackney cab and attempt to take a photo of the driver with his phone.

Taking exception to this, the taxi driver is seen knocking the phone from the motorcyclist's hand before the pair come face to face and a bizarre stand-off ensues.

Both are seen almost dancing around one another, seemingly daring the other to make the first move, before the cab driver returns to his vehicle.

As he gets inside and closes the door it's at this point the biker snaps, showing off his martial arts moves by karate kicking the Hackney cab.

In retaliation the taxi driver knocks over the motorcycle, before its rider, still wearing his helmet, makes several failed attempts to land more karate-style kicks and punches.

Eventually the cabbie gets back into his vehicle and goes to drive off, while the motorcyclist picks up his bike and continues remonstrating with his rival as the two go their separate ways.

http://goo.gl/gyOSrd
----------------------------------------

LINCOLN

A taxi driver from Lincoln says he is angry he is going to lose money whilst attending a controversial new college course which comes into force today for drivers in the city.

Robert Simons, who has been a driver for 12 years, says he will not only have to fork out £240 for the BTEC course itself, but will also lose money whilst taking time off work to attend it. He thinks drivers should be able to take the course online instead.

City of Lincoln Council say they are one of a number of authorities across the country introducing the new licence. The course is expected to include modules on health and safety and the 'safety of passengers'.

500 drivers and operators have been contacted and told they need to take it. 50% of those have signed up to do so in the first month. The changes come into force today meaning the drivers now have a year to pass the course.

Mick Crow from Direct Cars Lincoln Ltd said it is unfair to ask drivers who have been working in the industry for decades to take the new test though he understands that changes have to be made. But he feels the course should have been used to rectify bad behaviour in drivers.

He also says his company already has many safeguarding measures in place to protect the public like numbered cabs and vehicle monitoring devices.

http://goo.gl/wcaIxV
------------------------------------
 SLOUGH

  A TAXI driver association has hit back against child safety campaigners who have expressed concerns about a lack of sufficient checks and safeguarding training for drivers.

Ibrar Khan, chair of the Slough Taxi Association, has condemned comments made by child safety campaigners that a high number of taxi driver licences issued by councils and the lack of child safety training for drivers, inferred children could be at risk.

He says the dangerous comments 'insinuate drivers are being perverts'.

Mr Khan said: "These comments are damaging to the taxi trade in this area.

"Slough is geographically very well situated [hence the high number of licences] and the council has a robust policy. They are very strict about who they give licences to and are very stringent in the checks that it does."

Richard Stokes, former leader of Slough Borough Council, is concerned after safeguarding training, initially due to have been implemented from January, was delayed.

The council said it simply did not have the resources for the training at the time and hopes to kick the training off in April.

http://goo.gl/FxKlqT
----------------------------------------
 YORK

  A York taxi company has become the first cab firm in the world to use safety-boosting cyclist detection technology.

That is the claim of Cycle Alert, whose Radio-frequency identification (RFID) devices have been installed in Streamline Taxis' vehicles.

Cycle Alert kits enable Streamline's drivers to detect RFID-tagged cyclists and ensure they give then enough room on the road.

The partnership came about through the University of York, which promotes Streamline to students as its recommended taxi provider.

Streamline Taxis' business manager Bob Gilbert said: "With our link-up with the university, when Cycle Alert came up we had a meeting and they asked us if we would like to see how it was going.

"We thought let's go for it. Anything we can do to make York a safer place for everybody is worthwhile.

"A lot of students ride pedal cycles, so it links in well.

"To be the first taxi company in the world to do it, I think that's great news. We like to think we are leading the way."

Mr Gilbert added: “By ensuring our Streamline cabs have the latest cyclist detection technology we hope to make our drivers the safest in York, and make York the safest city in the Britain for its cyclists, many of whom are our customers.”

With York having the UK's second highest levels of cycling per population size - only Cambridge is higher - Cycle Alert saw the city as an ideal place to promote its technology.

Having already been used in HGVs and buses, Cycle Alert has received positive feedback on its latest venture from cyclists and drivers.

“Cycle Alert is an important road safety tool aimed at helping make roads safer,” said creator Peter Le Masurier.

“Technology has an incredibly positive contribution to make, to help cities function for all road users.

"Effective road safety saves lives, reduces the burden on over-stretched public services, such as health and social care.

"It also helps to tackle health inequalities and supports other public policies, such as helping and encouraging people to walk and cycle in a safe and attractive environment.”

A spokesman for The University of York said: “The safety of our staff and students is a priority for us. We are pleased that Streamline are taking these steps to help protect our cycling community.”

http://goo.gl/4LIJwa