Previously, only black cabs could be given the nod to pull over, while private taxi companies had to be booked in advance
New rules for taxis in Belfast mean that you’ll now be able to hail any cab from the city centre.
Within a two-mile radius, and during certain time periods, all taxis - not just black cabs - can be hailed at will from today (Tuesday, May 31).
Previously, only black cabs could be given the nod to pull over, while private taxi companies had to be booked in advance.
The catch is that it’s only at peak times - from midnight on Friday and Saturday until 6am the following days.
Former Environment Minister Mark H Durkan said when announcing the move: “What consumers want is a modern well regulated taxi service which they can access much easier at peak times, easier access for people with disabilities, where the fares are clearly indicated and where a maximum fare prevails.
“What I am doing is exactly that. I am modernising and improving the regulations for the taxi industry including licensing requirements, accessibility standards and installation of taxi meters and imposition of maximum fares.
“Anyone trying to hail a taxi from midnight on a Friday or Saturday night within the Belfast Zone will be able to do so by waving down established private hire taxi firms rather than having to pre-book.
“In effect, these changes will mean that people in the north will get a much better taxi service.”
http://goo.gl/aYH709
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Taxi with ‘dangerous part’ removed from Aylesbury’s roads during operation in which nine out of ten vehicles were found to have committed a licensing offence
A taxi check operation across Aylesbury Vale saw 32 out of 36 vehicles checked found to have committed a licensing offence - with one deemed unfit for the road because of a sharp edge sticking out of its bumper.
The Road Safety Officer for Bucks stopped private hire vehicles around Aylesbury, Wendover and Stoke Mandeville as part of the operation on Friday May 20.
On the vehicle with the dangerous part a district council spokesman said: “It had to be removed from the road because a sharp edge was coming through the rear bumper.
“The vehicle is being repaired and once it has been re-checked and is deemed safe it will return to the road.”
A total of 36 vehicles were stopped and checked for defects by the Road Safety officer, and to establish the correct driving licence and insurance with the licensing officers from the district council checking the drivers for correct taxi documentation.
One driver was not insured under the restrictions on the insurance and received a fixed penalty notice for six points and £300 fine.
Offences included drivers not wearing ID badges and not displaying correct vehicle signage.
Drivers were given taxi enforcement points and 14 days in which to rectify the defect or face further action.
A district council spokesman added that there were likely to be ‘more frequent checks’ because of the high number of vehicles where issues were identified.
PC Liz Johnson of Roads Policing said: “The operation was a success, we checked a good number of private hire vehicles to ensure the public are safe when using them.”
http://goo.gl/p6xml3
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CHICAGO
On Monday night, a taxi jumped a curb and smashed into the glass doors of Terminal 3 at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.
There were no reported injuries during the incident.
According to NBC Chicago, the taxi that crashed into the doors of the airport Monday night at around 5:30 p.m. local time was a Toyota Prius marked with the company name “Dispatch Taxi Affiliation.”
Chicago police told NBC that there were no travelers injured in O'Hare Airport during the crash and the man driving the taxi refused medical treatment at the scene. Authorities say the driver was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
http://goo.gl/gqjh5Y
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