GLASGOW

 A TAXI driver accused of the attempted murder of a pedestrian by driving over them and a cabbie facing charges of raping a passenger after a fare dispute have been removed from the road.

The pair were amongst four in the taxi and private hire trade banned by the authorities within less than an hour after Police Scotland brought to light a string of serious criminal allegations.

Another driver was ordered in front of licensing officials after a police complaint that he has been charged with stalking, which includes allegation of rape. 

 The fourth driver had his licence removed on the back of accusations of driving over the legs of a passenger following a dispute.

The series of bans by licensing chiefs in Glasgow comes just days after a taxi driver operating in the city was jailed for attempting to coerce two females to urinate in the back of his cab.

Robert Smith, who had his licence removed over 12 months ago, was sentenced to more than a year at the city's Sheriff Court.

In the first case before the licensing committee on Thursday, Police Scotland informed the councillors on the panel that a 68-year-old driver had become embroiled in an argument with a pedestrian who walked in front of his vehicle in the city centre last month.

It was then alleged the driver deliberately accelerated, knocked the man to the ground and drove over his legs before he was stopped by members of the public.

He has been charged of assault causing severe injury and attempted murder. No trail date has been set. 

https://goo.gl/3UvvHX

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More than 250 Derby taxi drivers have registered in a town in Lancashire where they do not have to take a "knowledge" test.

A total of 254 people with Derby addresses are officially licensed in Rossendale, 103 miles away. There are 1,500 taxi drivers licensed with Derby City Council.

Rossendale Borough Council said it has handed out the licenses to people with Derby addresses since the start of 2013.

Derby City Council said it is powerless to stop drivers with licences handed out by other authorities from working in Derby because of a loophole in the law.

To obtain a Derby licence, drivers must first pass a knowledge test, which looks at their expertise in getting around the city, before they are awarded their badge. But some other councils do not require drivers to take the test.

Mark Keenan, managing director of Derby-based taxi firm Western Cars, believes this is the reason people are travelling further afield to gain their qualifications. He said: "Out-of-town councils should stop issuing licences for people who aren't going to work in the area, it needs looking at.

https://goo.gl/5ZxtFI

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A Milton Keynes taxi driver has been fined for charging a passenger nearly double the legal fare.

Nasir Iqbal of Leafield Rise, Two Ash Mile, appeared before city magistrates yesterday (Wednesday September 14) to admit failing to engage his taxi meter and charging more than the legal fare.

He was fined £50 for failing to engage his taxi meter and £50 for overcharging. He was also instructed to pay costs of £500 and a £20 victim surcharge.

The magistrates told Iqbal they were particularly disappointed, as he had lost the trust of his customers.


The court heard how on March 22, the complainant was at Central Milton Keynes railway station trying to get a taxi to take him home.

He approached a Hackney Carriage taxi outside the main station doors and asked the driver if he took card payments.

The driver then advised the complainant the fare would be a minimum of £10, which the passenger didn't question because he was tired and keen to get home, even though he had doubts over the price quoted.

However, he noticed that at no point during the journey was the taxi meter 'switched on'.

Once home the driver used a PayPal payment system on his mobile telephone to take a payment of £9.90.

The passenger later made a formal complaint to Milton Keynes Council that he was overcharged for the journey.

As a result of this, Taxi Enforcement officers tested the route taken by the driver in another Hackney Carriage vehicle and the fare shown on the taxi meter at the end of the journey was £5.80. The complainant was therefore overcharged £4.10.

https://goo.gl/tCTAcW

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TELFORD

A group of Go Carz drivers say they have reluctantly decided to strike after not being able to come to an agreement with management.

Up to 86 drivers took part in the action this morning while about 130 joined a second protest this afternoon.

The first group went on strike at 7.30am, driving around Telford Shopping Centre until 9.30am.

A statement released by the striking drivers said: "For a lot of drivers, working at GoCarz has become a nightmare. Paying a weekly rent in excess of £100, carrying out school contracts which pay less than the minimum wage, call centre staff booking jobs with incorrect prices/times/destinations, favoritism within the workforce and inequality.

"Meetings with management have not progressed the way we hoped they would and now all dialogue has come to a halt with the driver representatives not being given any kind of feedback. Managers/owners/directors do not seem to care when a threat of strike action was mentioned as they did not believe we would follow it through. We simply ask for better treatment of all drivers and show us a little respect.

"The introduction of a new system has led to up to 50 drivers leaving GoCarz to work for our main competitor, Diamond. Customers are suffering too with incorrect prices being quoted, late taxis and generally a poor service.

"In some cases drivers have worked for this firm for over a decade yet they are still not given their due respect.

"It's a shame that we have to take this measure to get our voices heard. We hope that management listen to our concerns and make changes which will be beneficial for both the drivers and customers. If there is not a sufficient amount of change soon, a lot of drivers will be leaving to join Diamond Taxis."

https://goo.gl/uLX49H