BOLTON Council has produced new guidance to make sure taxi drivers in the borough are 'fit and proper' people.

The authority has carried out a review of its policy on providing licences to both private hire and hackney carriage drivers, which will help to decide if a person qualifies as appropriate to drive such a vehicle in Bolton or operate a private hire business in the town.

The guidance takes into account a range of different issues including the previous convictions, cautions and warnings of anyone applying for a licence.

There is also a large section dedicated to matters concerning safeguarding and Child Sexual Exploitation.

The guidance — which also applies to social needs transport — states: “Licence holders are in a unique position of trust and are often in one to one contact with children, young persons and vulnerable adults.

“They often have custody of property belonging to others, or have knowledge which might facilitate crime.”

In the statement, the council has stated that it is committed to ensuring that anyone operating a private hire or hackney carriage vehicle in Bolton are both “safe and suitable” and that the public are not exposed to anyone with “a history of dishonesty, indecency or violence” or any other offence or inappropriate behaviour.

The guidance stresses that one key aim is to make sure that the safety of children, young people and vulnerable adults is protected.

When it comes to applicants with convictions, cautions or other formal action against their name, the council will consider aspects including the nature of any offence, when it was committed, the individual’s age when the offence was committed and whether or not it represents a pattern of behaviour.

A spokesman for Bolton Council said: “Following changes to legislation and to support safeguarding we have undertaken a review of the policy applied to the licensing of both private hire and hackney carriage.

“The new statement of fitness and suitability sets out a range of information and factors, which will be considered by the licensing committee when deciding whether an applicant or licence holder is a ‘fit and proper person’ to drive a private hire or hackney carriage — or operate a private hire business. The policy will also apply to social needs transport.”

Operators and drivers have said they are in broad agreement with the guidance, but believe more work needs to be done to make the process more "efficient" and to protect drivers.

Nick Astley runs Bolton's biggest private hire firm, Metro, he said: "There has always been guidance in place and I think the council have tweaked it and perhaps made it more apparent and clear.

"Obviously passenger safety is paramount for all of us and anyone driving a taxi should be a fit and proper person, anything that improves that has got to be welcomed."

He added: "I think that the only problem comes with the amount of time it can take for drivers to be checked and cleared, which can leave them off the road and struggling.

"If that process could be speeded up and made more efficient, particularly for drivers who have years of experience, that would be ideal."

Yasif Khan is the secretary of the Bolton Private Hire Association, he said: "We are currently looking into this new guidance and talking to our members about it.

"We are in agreement with much of it and of course believe that everything should be done to make sure passengers are kept safe.

"But there are some things we are not happy about, we feel sometimes drivers are being punished and having their badges taken and names published before there is any evidence that they have done anything wrong.

"Of course if a driver is convicted of an offence, they should be punished and named and shamed - but the council shouldn't act as judge, jury and executioner if there is no proper evidence."

http://goo.gl/YX9c7y
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 BRISTOL

 Uber cars from London are flooding into Bristol for work, leaving local taxi drivers angry and out of pocket. Dozens of the private hire cars have been spotted taking fares in the city – even though they are licensed in the capital.

Taxi drivers based in Bristol say it is damaging to point they have considered strike action in a bid for authorities to clamp down on the influx.

It is not illegal for Uber drivers based elsewhere to work in Bristol, as long as they fill the right licensing criteria. But Transport for London, which licenses taxis in the capital, said a 'grey area' could make it easier for cabbies based in the capital to take jobs in Bristol.

Photos sent to the Post reveal scores of Uber cabs registered to TfL working in Bristol.

"It's affected everyone's earnings to a point where I'm probably at least 10 to 15 per cent down on what I was earning last year," said Bristol-based driver Bill Sawyer, who has been taking fares in the city for 26 years.

"They're quite clearly working here full time and nothing is being done about it."

Mr Sawyer, who drives for V Cars and also works for Uber occasionally, is one of dozens of drivers angry that London-drivers are taking fares in Bristol. A WhatsApp group used by more than 250 taxi drivers in Bristol is now being used regularly to point out TfL-licensed cars.

An Uber spokesman said the company, which works in 60 countries, encourages its drivers to work in the authority they are licensed – but 'does not instruct partners on where they should work'.

http://goo.gl/HceU2W
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 CRAWLEY

 A disabled woman has criticised Crawley’s health service planners after staff at new hospital transport provider Coperforma asked her, ‘Can’t you just take a taxi?’.

Vanessa Kirby, 67, of Bewbush, missed an appointment at East Surrey Hospital she booked months in advance after she stopped breathing three times on her birthday in February.

She criticised Crawley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) as Coperforma’s delays and missed appointments have continued for almost a month.

Vanessa was told repeatedly that Coperforma would pick her up when she called ahead of her appointment on April 21.

More than four hours and ten calls later, she said staff told her no transport was coming and asked her, ‘Can’t you just take a taxi?’.

Coperforma took over from previous provider South East Coast Ambulances Services on April 1. Vanessa claimed it used a cheaper, less ‘person-orientated’ booking system. She said: “This was the first time I’ve used the new Coperforma service and it hasn’t worked. I was stressed enough that I was going to this appointment, the fact I didn’t was even more stressful.

“The CCG have hired these people because they’ve said they can do the job but they are not doing it.

“It’s not working, you keep getting these people that are saying, ‘Yes, yes, it’s fine everything’s working fine,’ but now it’s been going since the beginning of April - it should be sorted.”

She added: “What’s the point of making appointment if I cannot get there, it’s ridiculous.

“If this happens next time I just won’t go, a lot of people just won’t go.”

Dr Amit Bhargava, chief clinical officer for the Crawley CCG, said: “We are very sorry to hear of Ms Kirby’s experiences with the Patient Transport Service. Crawley CCG is always working on behalf of the population, especially the most vulnerable and frail, to ensure they receive safe and effective health services. We have been working with our co-commissioners in Sussex right from the beginning of the month to ensure that the deficiencies in Coperforma’s service are addressed speedily for all patients, particularly those going to hospital for dialysis and cancer care.

 All the Sussex CCGs are holding regular operational meetings with Coperforma to monitor the local position, and the on-going impact on our patients. Coperforma now has service delivery teams in hospitals across the county dealing with PTS issues and working with each individual hospital to develop local action plans specific to individual sites and localities.”

http://goo.gl/FyU0Cp
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 Young women left abandoned as St Albans taxi drivers refuse short fares

Taxis are obliged to accept any fare as part of their licence but a group of young women were recently denied a safe journey home from a nightclub by 10 taxi drivers before securing a cab home.

They were trying to return to a home on Harpenden Road, which is located near the nightclub in question, Club Batchwood, but were refused on the grounds that the address was too close.

The women had to get a bus into the city centre and a taxi from the St Peter’s Street rank in order to avoid the 2km walk home down a dark driveway.

Sarah Howell, 20, of Gustard Wood, said: “We came out at peak time so there were lots of people trying to get a taxi, so I think the marshals were slightly overwhelmed.

“We were all staying at my friend’s house in Harpenden Road and every single taxi we approached said they would not take us back and waited until someone else came along with a better fare.

“It’s not right, taxi drivers have a duty to ensure people get home safe.”

Taxis are not permitted to turn down a fare on this premise. Mudassar Yasin, general secretary of the St Albans and Harpenden Taxi Association (SAHTA), said that he did not condone such behaviour from drivers.

He added: “It is wrong for the driver to do this not only legally but on a moral basis too.”

St Albans district council, which provides taxi drivers with their licence, employs taxi marshals at peak times to control the crowds wanting to get a taxi home.

The council’s head of legal, democratic and regulatory services, Michael Lovelady, said: “Licensed hackney carriage drivers are not allowed to turn down fares on the grounds that the journey is too short.

“If anyone is turned down for that reason, they should note as many details as they can about the driver and vehicle. This could be the number of the taxi plate at the side and rear of the vehicle.

“If they inform us, we can investigate and take appropriate action. We have not had any complaints of this sort for some time.”

He added that the marshals were to receive refresher training soon on what to do if a taxi driver refused a short fare.

http://goo.gl/GlLwBs

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 CANADA

 Shocking footage of Polish taxi driver running over teen released by judge in hit and run trial

This distressing dash cam footage shows the moment a taxi driver runs over a teenage girl as she is lying in the middle of the road.

It was released by a judge presiding over the trial of 70-year-old Polish man Stanislaw Maguder, who is standing trial for killing Tyla Chipaway.

Mr Maguder is charged with hit and run knowing a death occurred.

The trial has heard that he committed 25 driving offences are hitting the girl, running red lights, failing to stop at road signs and changing lanes erratically.

He then washed his taxi before driving home after the accident which happened at around 3am on March 18, last year in Calgry, Canada.

The footage taken from two different cameras in the cab shows the girl lying in the road, then the movement of the car from inside, then follows his journey after the crash occurred.

It is not known why the 16-year-old girl was lying in the middle of the road, and Mr Maguder admits hitting her with his car.

The issue at trial was his intent, and whether his actions in driving away was to avoid criminal prosection.

Witnesses who were driving by stopped, tried to help Chipaway and called 911.

Maguder was arrested about 16 hours after the crash.

The trial continues.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/shocking-footage-polish-taxi-driver-7843674
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 DURHAM

  A TAXI company owner claims the county council is "killing the trade" with tough and costly tests putting off prospective drivers.

James Crowe, who runs Newton Aycliffe-based Horndale Taxis, has called for a meeting with Durham County Councillors and MP Phil Wilson to discuss the raft of hoops that he says would-be taxi drivers are forced to jump through.

Figures from Durham County Council (DCC) show from the beginning of January 2015 until April 21 this year, 122 applications for licences were received and 86 applications were approved.

 "It's killing the trade in County Durham," said Mr Crowe. "People come to me (for a job) and say it's too much hassle and they aren't interested.

"There are people out there who want to work but they don't want to do the test because it's a mammoth task."

Mr Crowe believes the low number of qualifying drivers is leading to a county-wide shortage with around 20 "needed to bridge the gap" in Newton Aycliffe.

A representative for the Hackney carriage trade in the town, he has six vehicles and five drivers but is still looking for three further full-time employees.

However, he says he is unable to fill the vacancies as a result of the difficult nature and overall cost of the tests which can come in at around £300.

To gain a badge in the county, drivers have to pass a medical check, criminal record check, advanced driver course, a knowledge test and locality test.

Mr Crowe said the latter requires knowledge for across the county which he believes is unfair.

"I've been doing this job for 20 years and I wouldn't be able to pass this test," he added.

Mr Crowe believes the answer could be to issue drivers with a temporary badge to give them time to learn the roads and earn money before embarking on the various tests.

Deborah Plews, one of the owners of Ferryhill's Clarks Taxis, also believes the cost and "difficult" tests were turning people away.

"With the locality test you don't learn most of it until you do the job and with sat navs you don't need it," she said.

http://goo.gl/Z7hcrC
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