BIRMINGHAM

From today private taxi drivers in Birmingham will have to pass a new test to assess how well they know the city's streets.

Councillors have agreed that new private hire drivers looking to be licensed by Birmingham City Council will have to show that they can read a map.

As well as demonstrate a good understanding of the law applicable to their trade and the conditions attached to their licenses.

The proposal to replace the current 'knowledge test' was approved by the council in June 2016.

Candidates must pass all elements of the new test – which tests navigation, listening and communication skills, those who fail will not be licensed.

"Our ‘knowledge test’ is seen as one of the toughest in the region, so it is hoped that removing this from the application process will encourage more drivers to be licensed in Birmingham, rather than in other local authority areas. This will give us more control over drivers working in our city."

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EIRE

Unlicensed operators are posing as genuine taxi drivers as a result of a legal glitch that could allow criminals to operate fake taxis.

Taxi operators and unions are demanding a total overhaul of taxi industry controls to enhance public protection.
A TV3 investigation has revealed the ease with which fake taxis can operate on Irish streets.

A fake taxi roof sign was obtained for as little as €200 – and a fake taxi was able to operate from city centre ranks without being either detected or challenged.
Challenged

The investigation, conducted over the past 12 months, found that on all occasions when a garage owner, who agreed to pose as a legitimate taxi driver for the purposes of the investigation, drove, he was not detected or challenged.
No fares were accepted as part of the investigative operation.

Taxi groups said they were shocked and said their greatest fear was the obvious risk to which members of the public were being exposed.
The Department of Transport insisted that “the regulation of the taxi industry, including issues relating to taxi signage, is a matter for the regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA)”.

However, the NTA admitted that it faces inherited problems over taxi signs, their design and distribution.
“The design of the currently used taxi roof signs in Ireland dates back many years,” a spokesperson said.

“Because of this, the NTA does not own the design of the sign and cannot legally control or prevent sign manufacturers’ from making a taxi sign.”
As a consequence, the supply of taxi signs cannot be either restricted or controlled.

Effectively, anyone can purchase a taxi sign.
However, anyone caught using a fake taxi sign or posing as a licensed operator can face heavy fines.

The NTA pointed out that “it is an offence to operate a vehicle with a sign saying ‘taxi’ or ‘tacsaí’ unless the vehicle is licensed as a taxi”.
Anyone found guilty of such an offence can be fined up to €5,000 in the district court.

https://goo.gl/k5Kg0R

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MANCHESTER

A naked drunk man has been seen ‘shouting uncontrollably’ and jumping on top of a taxi in the city centre.

Distressed passers-by called police after they spotted the nude man on Store Street at 6.47am this morning.

A few minutes later the man was seen trying to get in a taxi, but was now partially clothed.

When the taxi driver refused he jumped on top of the roof and began to bang it with his hands.

Police have arrived to the scene and found the man close to Piccadilly train station.

https://goo.gl/ENTa9l