YESTERDAY IN PARLIAMENT
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Unannounced spot checks on Banbury cabs revealed a number of transgressions from insurance details to identity badges for drivers.
The operation covered four hours, from 8pm to midnight and stopped 17 vehicles.
They checked vehicles’ plates matched drivers’ registration documents and that the latter were up-to-date. They also ensured Hackney meters were sealed and roof lights switched on. A small number was found in breach of conditions.
Officers stopped 17 vehicles. Although the majority of drivers were fully compliant, a small number were found in breach of conditions.
Breaches ranged from failing to display or carry driver badges to out-of- date insurance details. Drivers were issued with warnings and appropriate follow-up action taken.
Councillor Tony Ilott, said: “We take licensing of our taxi drivers incredibly seriously and it is one of our top priorities to ensure all drivers are fully compliant and properly licensed.
“Cherwell is committed to ensuring its residents feel as secure and comfortable as possible when travelling by taxi. This operation was a big success and we will be running more like it alongside our police partners.
“The vast majority of Cherwell’s drivers know it is in everyone’s best interests.
“We are also consulting on the introduction of a new policy attaching further conditions to taxi licences.”
http://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/news/local-news/spot-checks-reveal-some-breaches-by-banbury-taxi-drivers-1-7475759
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LIVERPOOL
A taxi driver denied buying sensitive intelligence from a Merseyside police officer in a plot to burgle cannabis farms.
Prosecutors say Robert Sloan, 45, was a cocaine dealer who used information provided by ex-PC Barry Parkinson, 46, to keep “one step ahead”.
They also allege that Parkinson passed Sloan the addresses of suspected cannabis farms , as part of a conspiracy to break in and steal the drugs.
Sloan, of Steeple View, Kirkby , denies conspiracy to commit burglary and to supply cannabis in a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
The bouncer and debt collector admits using and dealing steroids to friends, but denies having anything to do with cocaine or cannabis.
He today told the jury that he would ring Parkinson and his friend David Gould “all the time”, but this was never to discuss cannabis farms.
The dad-of-six said: “Most of the time I’m just bored in the taxi. We just talk about anything and everything.”
Prosecutors say Sloan passed the addresses of suspected cannabis farms to Gould, 53, who in turn told Shaun Blackburn, 32, to burgle the premises.
However, the ex-amateur boxer told the court a text message he forwarded to Gould in January 2014 containing several addresses were actually locations where a traveller called Bernie Campbell was suspected to be living.
Sloan said this was about him trying to find Mr Campbell to collect a debt that he had owed his friend, who died of cancer.
He said he promised his dying pal that he would get the money for his family back from Mr Campbell, who went to ground after initially promising to pay the cash.
Sloan told the court he was sent the addresses by another traveller called Lee Jones, who had been lumbered with the responsibility for Mr Campbell’s debt.
Charles Lander, defending Sloan, said: “Why were addresses being sent to you?”
He replied: “Bernie Campbell had gone missing. The traveller’s community wouldn’t talk to me.
“Lee Jones’ dad is the head of the travellers. Lee explained the situation to his dad that Bernie has put him in debt.
“The dad was giving me addresses to find out where Bernie Campbell was.”
Sloan said he also found out around this time that Mr Campbell owed him £3,000 for diet pills, much to his annoyance.
He said he gave Mr Jones 5,000 Effigen tablets from a dealer known as ‘Pops’, but then discovered Mr Jones had passed them on to Mr Campbell.
Sloan said: “I wouldn’t have given him last night’s ECHO. I was £3,000 out of pocket.”
Parkinson, of Beechburn Crescent, Page Moss; Blackburn, of Kenbury Road, Kirkby; and Gould, of Grange Avenue, West Derby, all deny conspiracy to commit burglary and to supply cannabis.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/taxi-driver-denies-buying-sensitive-11610384
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Birmingham’s oldest taxi firm, TOA Taxis, has boosted
its fleet by 50 drivers, and has recorded one of its most successful
years on record.
The firm, founded in
1961 by the Taxi Owners Association, started with around 25 cabs but now
boasts 400 cabs which operate across Birmingham City Centre.
TOA recently secured a coveted contract with The NEC, naming them as the official taxi service provider for the NEC site, which includes the NEC, Genting Arena and Resorts World Birmingham.
http://www.bqlive.co.uk/2016/07/13/birminghams-oldest-taxi-firm-celebrates-success/
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ROTHERHAM / ROSSENDALE
A LANCASHIRE council which licenses taxi drivers from outside its borders has confirmed it has approved applications from 17 Rotherham drivers.
Rotherham commissioner Mary Ney has conceded that drivers are able to apply for licences in other boroughs to avoid Rotherham’s new strict regulations, including compulsory CCTV cameras in cabs.
Rossendale Council said it had not done anything wrong licensing cabbies from elsewhere.
Its policy currently required drivers applying for a licence to declare their intention to work “predominantly” in the Rossendale borough area, a spokesman said, stating that it was “unlikely” that drivers would be granted a licence if they live outside a 30-mile radius from the town centre.
Passengers and other drivers have noted Rossendale-licensed taxis operating in Rotherham.
And Ms Ney warned that drivers licensed elsewhere would avoid coming under Rotherham’s new rules meant to protect passengers and drivers, such as compulsory CCTV cameras in cabs.
The strict rules were imposed in the wake of the Rotherham child sexual abuse scandal, with the Jay Report saying cabbies played a “prominent” role in the abuse of hundreds of children.
The Rossendale spokesman said: “We are aware that there are Rossendale-licensed taxis operating in Rotherham.
“This is legal, and results from changes to national regulations which means taxi drivers have the right to apply for licences wherever they wish, subject to meeting the local application criteria.
“Once a vehicle has been licensed as a hackney carriage it is a hackney carriage for the duration of that licence, wherever it is currently located, and can therefore be used for pre-booked purposes in any district in England and Wales.
“It is not an offence for a licensed private hire operator to take bookings and then dispatch a hackney carriage licensed by a district which is different from that which licenses the operator.
“A hackney carriage can lawfully be used for pre-booked work outside its district.
“This is the result of national regulations, over which we have little or no influence.
“There are 17 currently licensed hackney carriages with the word Rotherham in the licence holder’s address.”
The spokesman said that Rossendale Council did not actively encourage taxi drivers to use its licences instead of Rotherham ones but drivers could choose where to apply for a licence.
He added: “For new applicants, we have an intended use policy, where applicants must declare their intention to work predominantly in the Rossendale area.
“We have also refined this down to a 30-mile radius and we’ve introduced basic skills tests for new applications.
“This is being phased in for renewals.
“Detailed assessment criteria for local areas are set by licensing committees.
“There is variation in these from area to area.
“We have not undertaken a direct comparison of Rossendale’s criteria with Rotherham.
“However, we do participate in local officer networks to help understand, review and share good practice.”
http://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/news/103817/17-rotherham-taxi-licences-approved-by-lancashire-council.aspx
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TOA recently secured a coveted contract with The NEC, naming them as the official taxi service provider for the NEC site, which includes the NEC, Genting Arena and Resorts World Birmingham.
http://www.bqlive.co.uk/2016/07/13/birminghams-oldest-taxi-firm-celebrates-success/
----------------------------------------------------------
ROTHERHAM / ROSSENDALE
A LANCASHIRE council which licenses taxi drivers from outside its borders has confirmed it has approved applications from 17 Rotherham drivers.
Rotherham commissioner Mary Ney has conceded that drivers are able to apply for licences in other boroughs to avoid Rotherham’s new strict regulations, including compulsory CCTV cameras in cabs.
Rossendale Council said it had not done anything wrong licensing cabbies from elsewhere.
Its policy currently required drivers applying for a licence to declare their intention to work “predominantly” in the Rossendale borough area, a spokesman said, stating that it was “unlikely” that drivers would be granted a licence if they live outside a 30-mile radius from the town centre.
Passengers and other drivers have noted Rossendale-licensed taxis operating in Rotherham.
And Ms Ney warned that drivers licensed elsewhere would avoid coming under Rotherham’s new rules meant to protect passengers and drivers, such as compulsory CCTV cameras in cabs.
The strict rules were imposed in the wake of the Rotherham child sexual abuse scandal, with the Jay Report saying cabbies played a “prominent” role in the abuse of hundreds of children.
The Rossendale spokesman said: “We are aware that there are Rossendale-licensed taxis operating in Rotherham.
“This is legal, and results from changes to national regulations which means taxi drivers have the right to apply for licences wherever they wish, subject to meeting the local application criteria.
“Once a vehicle has been licensed as a hackney carriage it is a hackney carriage for the duration of that licence, wherever it is currently located, and can therefore be used for pre-booked purposes in any district in England and Wales.
“It is not an offence for a licensed private hire operator to take bookings and then dispatch a hackney carriage licensed by a district which is different from that which licenses the operator.
“A hackney carriage can lawfully be used for pre-booked work outside its district.
“This is the result of national regulations, over which we have little or no influence.
“There are 17 currently licensed hackney carriages with the word Rotherham in the licence holder’s address.”
The spokesman said that Rossendale Council did not actively encourage taxi drivers to use its licences instead of Rotherham ones but drivers could choose where to apply for a licence.
He added: “For new applicants, we have an intended use policy, where applicants must declare their intention to work predominantly in the Rossendale area.
“We have also refined this down to a 30-mile radius and we’ve introduced basic skills tests for new applications.
“This is being phased in for renewals.
“Detailed assessment criteria for local areas are set by licensing committees.
“There is variation in these from area to area.
“We have not undertaken a direct comparison of Rossendale’s criteria with Rotherham.
“However, we do participate in local officer networks to help understand, review and share good practice.”
http://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/news/103817/17-rotherham-taxi-licences-approved-by-lancashire-council.aspx
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