WIRRAL 

A taxi driver ran from the scene of a five-car crash in Wirral this afternoon.

The Ford Mondeo, which had an Argyle Taxis car magnet on the door, was involved in the multi-vehicle pile up on Storeton Road, Oxton , at about 2.45pm.

Police say the driver fled the scene but was later detained and found to have a head injury so was being assessed by paramedics.

The taxi and a Vauxhall Astra van were badly damaged in the collision and had to be recovered by police after the incident.

A number of other stationary vehicles were also damaged.

http://bit.ly/2rmuShl 

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LIVERPOOL

A Delta passenger screamed at a cabbie to ‘f****** drive lad’ as he was brutally attacked by two men wielding a hammer and pliers.

On board cameras captured an unidentified man and 24-year-old Daniel Leith smashing a window on the cab and landing “sickening” blows on the passenger, who refused to speak to police.

Terrified private hire driver Michael Hesketh had been blocked in by Leith, who was driving a black Ford Focus, on Townsend Avenue in Walton, late on April 30.

Mr Hesketh’s passenger was struck to the head with the hammer, wielded by the unidentified man, and hit in the back by Leith, who was armed with pliers, before managing to escape on foot.

Leith, of Landford Avenue in Walton, was jailed for two years at Liverpool Crown Court today after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm, dangerous driving and possession of an offensive weapon.

Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, said Mr Hesketh had pulled into Stainburn Avenue to drop the victim off, when the Ford Focus began following him and flashing its headlights.

He said: “At this point the Ford Focus pulled in front of the taxi on Sedgemoor Road, near the junction with Townsend Avenue, and the front passenger door opened and a male got out of the vehicle with a hammer.

“The passenger in the taxi shouted at Mr Hesketh to reverse, which he did. The male stood on Sedgemoor Road with the hammer then got back into the Focus which reversed, following the taxi onto Townsend Avenue.”

Mr Blasbery played CCTV footage from the taxi, which showed the passenger shouting: “Don’t let them get you, reverse the f****** car lad.”

Mr Hesketh could be heard shouting: “I can’t he’s in the way.”

The footage showed the second suspect, who has not been traced, approach the rear of the taxi and smash the passenger window with the hammer, as Mr Hesketh shouted: ‘f****** hell’.

The passenger can be seen desperately trying to hold the door closed but the attacker pulled it open and launched a series of blows, one of which audibly connected with the back of his head.

Leith, who could be seen opening the boot of his Focus to retrieve the pliers, then opened the opposite door and launched at least two blows on the man before he managed to escape.

The footage continued, capturing the audibly terrified Mr Hesketh breathing heavily and telling his control room about the incident.

But his encounter with the attackers continued as they pull up to his car and say: “We’ll get you a new window, just no police.”

Mr Hesketh is offered £60 but replies: “That won’t be enough.

The men can be heard saying: “Give us your number you’ll have a new window tomorrow.”

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/f-drive-lad-man-jailed-13119985

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Durban – The SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday threatened to shut the country down if Toyota – the manufacturers of the Toyota Quantum minibus preferred by government - didn't respond to their grievances within the next seven days.

The taxi operators brought traffic to a standstill on major Durban routes and surrounding areas on Wednesday morning while on their way to a Toyota plant in Prospecton, Isipingo.

They were protesting “over the escalating cost of the Toyota Quantum since it was introduced in the country 10 years ago”.

When it was introduced, it was at a fully imported price of R220 000. It is now however locally produced at R450 000 before interest which the industry feels is too expensive, Santaco said.

According to the organisation’s calculations, one Toyota Quantum costs more than R1m when the deposit, interest rate, instalments, premiums and insurance have been considered.

Santaco KZN chair Boy Zondi told News24 that they want Toyota to decrease the minibus price to R350 000.

“We also demand that Toyota stops supplying SA Taxi Finance with Toyota Quantums because of the high interest rate they charge us,” he said, adding that they suspect that banks, Toyota and SA Taxi Finance are colluding to cheat taxi operators.

Zondi said they gave the minibus manufacturer seven days to respond to their grievances.

“If they don’t respond, we will shut down the whole of South Africa,” he threatened.

http://bit.ly/2qDa8oJ

-------------------------------------------

A Pendle taxi firm has been ordered to pay over £2,000 after hiring a known sex offender.
The Borough Council won an appeal to stop the operator from letting the the man work as a dispatcher.

He was responsible taking bookings and sending out taxis to customers in that role while he was working for the firm.

The Crown and Greenline taxis' licence holder took that decision to Burnley Crown Court.
That appeal from Mohammed Sajid Khaliq was heard last Thursday (25th May) but it was unsuccessful and the company was ordered to pay £2,033.26 in court costs.

http://bit.ly/2rWA5iV

Northumbria police have today warned people of the behaviour of a certain taxi driver in Newcastle.
It comes after messages were posted on social media relating to the behaviour in the east end of Newcastle.
The posts suggested that a male taxi driver has been locking vulnerable women in his vehicle.

It's understood an upfront payment has been demanded from passengers and that they have been locked in unless they agree to pay the fare - an investigation is now underway.

There have also been reports of passengers being sick in a taxi and being locked in the vehicle until they hand over property or payment as a fine.

Both male and female passengers have reported these types of incidents and we do not believe that vulnerable women are being targeted or that a driver has ever intended to harm them.

A local taxi company has dismissed an employee in connection with the reports and a police investigation is ongoing to see if any criminal offences have been committed.

Meanwhile, a 29-year-old man has been arrested by police and his taxi licence has been suspended by the local authority. His vehicle has also been seized to avoid him driving for another company.

http://bit.ly/2scGCmI

----------------------------------------

Taxi drivers in Spain are striking today in cities including Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia to protest at what they see as the exploitative practices of ride-hailing transportation apps Uber and Cabify.

Cab drivers in Barcelona are staging a 24 hour strike and will be taking their distinctive black and yellow cars to Madrid to take part in a demonstration in the centre of the city planned for midday, according to El Pais. A shorter taxi strike also took place in Valencia this morning.

It’s the second such anti-Uber demonstration in Spain, and follows the company’s limited re-entry into the market last year in Madrid, with a version of the Uber service that uses only licensed drivers. Uber has not sought to reintroduce the ability to hail a ride from non-professional drivers in the market. Nor does it currently offer its carpooling service, UberPool.

But it looks to be playing a longer game of attrition in the market — focused on lobbying for regulatory change so that it could reintroduce other services in future. In the first instance Uber is seeking to get a cap removed on the number of licenses for private hire vehicles — currently set at one per 30 taxis — to enable more Ubers to operate. Hence taxi drivers being angry.

Anger has also apparently been directed at Uber rival Cabify, which has claimed it’s been the target of various acts of aggression in the market — including having nine of its cars set on fire in Sevilla earlier this month.

In a blog post on its Spanish website yesterday Uber argued that eliminating the cap on the VTC licenses necessary to rent a vehicle with a driver would “reduce urban transport prices, create thousands of jobs and favor more sustainable cities”. Earlier this month it also published a report it commissioned which claims there would be “significant economic and environmental benefits” flowing from the liberalization of VTC licenses.

http://tcrn.ch/2skCdNR 

-------------------------------------

MANCHESTER APARTMENTS HAVE FREE UBERK RIDES FACTORED INTO THE RENT

A British housing developer is to begin offering flats with free Uber rides included in the rent.

The app-based taxi firm is following forays into food delivery and courier services by expanding into the property market with a UK-first partnership it claims could cut car ownership in cities.

Developer Moda Living plans to build apartment complexes across the UK with with few or no parking spaces, freeing up space for other facilities such as gyms, cinemas and swimming pools.

Tenants who forgo a parking space will receive up to £100 in credit each month to spend on Uber rides.

Uber hopes the collaboration will encourage city-dwellers to ditch their cars altogether.

Jo Bertram, general manager of Uber in the UK, said: "Cars are one of the most expensive assets most people own, but they’re used just five per cent of the time.

"By getting more people to ditch their own vehicles we can put some of the space wasted on parking to much better use. And with more people using car sharing options like UberPOOL we can reduce congestion and emissions too."

The first tenants offered the scheme will be residents of 466 apartments currently under construction at Moda's Angel Gardens in Manchester city centre. The development is being built with 149 parking spaces.

Other developments of more than 6,000 flats in total are planned for London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, and Birmingham.
Johnny Caddick, managing director of Moda Living, said: "Our apartments are for rent rather than for sale so we need to consider how our customers will live in cities in the future.

"Embracing future technology is vital from day one and these plans for a partnership with Uber would not only give our customers an affordable ride at the touch of a button – it would also enable us to design better buildings with more space for social interaction.

"Everyone wants a more frictionless life and Uber’s model fully aligns with our approach of wanting to drive efficiency and maximise value for our customers."

http://ind.pn/2rOTemD

LABOUR PARTY MANIFESTO

Taxis. Page 92..

A Tiny Paragraph on Taxis.

http://www.labour.org.uk/page/-/Images/manifesto-2017/Labour%20Manifesto%202017.pdf

------------------------------------------

JERSEY

Huge queues waiting for buses at Jersey airport after taxi strike.

Passengers arriving in Jersey this morning were left to wait for buses, after rank taxi drivers staged a "lightening strike".

It's over a disagreement to do with fare increases, which they say don't cover the costs they are having to pay as part of major reforms.

To ease problems, the Infrastructure Minister has allowed private taxis to serve the ranks and pick up customers who haven't booked.

Extra bus services have also been laid on, and more staff were on hand to help people.

http://www.itv.com/news/channel/update/2017-05-25/passengers-left-waiting-for-buses-at-jersey-airport-after-taxi-strike/
---------------------------------------

HULL

Big Weekend has clarified the situation on those planning to take a taxi to this weekend's major festival.

Following the atrocity in Manchester on Monday night, which saw a suicide bomber kill 22 people after an Ariana Grande concert, police and the BBC have reviewed security.

As part of this, the police have said anyone planning on travelling in a taxi to the Burton Constable Hall festival, running between May 27 and 28, will be taking to a special drop-off point near to the venue.

There, those ticketholders will be searched and will then be taken by shuttle bus to the festival where they will be subject to a second security search.

Organisers are stressing, as they have from the off, that their preference is for those going to Big Weekend to buy shuttle passes.

http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/radio-1-big-weekend-2017-what-you-need-to-know-if-you-re-getting-a-taxi-in-hull/story-30354647-detail/story.html#Viq1pcoiVM3SAhgd.99 

-------------------------------------------

EIRE

A motorist hit by a Garda car at a traffic light junction had to fork out €330 for a fire brigade to attend the scene.

Taxi driver, Patrick Cooke of Mountshannon Road, Lisnagry, sued the Garda commissioner and the driver of a Garda car over injuries he sustained in the accident.

Mr Cooke, 57, was driving a couple who were heading out for an evening meal on March 13, 2013. As he proceeded through a green light at the junction of Athlunkard St and Island Rd, he was struck by a Garda car.

Firefighters had to cut through the roof of his taxi to free him and his two passengers. They were taken to University Hospital Limerick.

The two passengers gave corroborative evidence that the patrol car was moving at the time of impact.

Garda evidence was given that the driver of the patrol car proceeded with caution through the junction and was stopped when the taxi struck the patrol car. The siren and flashing lights were on.

Judge Gerald Keys said Garda cars, ambulances and other emergency service vehicles do not have an automatic right to run a red traffic light — even with sirens and flashing lights activated.

“They can go through a red light if they so choose, but they have to take the consequences if another road user is on the green light observing the rules of the road. They can do so as long as they don’t endanger another road user. And that’s laid down in the Road Traffic Acts,” the judge said.

Lorcan Connolly, counsel for Mr Cooke, said the Garda car came into the path of the taxi, giving Mr Cooke no chance and causing the collision.

Outlining his injuries, Mr Cooke said he can no longer play golf or do the garden. Due to ongoing pain in his lower back, he can no longer go on long walks or attend matches if he has to stand.

His quality of life has completely changed. While he still works, he has to take a break from the wheel every hour. As well as constant pain, his sleep pattern has been affected. An MRI scan showed degenerative change to his lower back.

Judge Keys said whether the patrol car was moving or stopped, it still presented itself in the path of the taxi and it would be unduly harsh to penalise the taxi on grounds of contributory negligence: “This was a severe impact and the plaintiff had to be assisted from his vehicle, by virtue of the fire brigade representatives cutting off the roof of the car to get him out.”

Judge Keys awarded general damages of €45,000 and special damages of €5,080 — totalling €50,080 and costs.

On the application of Michael McNamara, counsel for the garda driver and the commissioner, Judge Keys put a stay on the award in the event of an appeal.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/taxi-driver-sues-gardai-after-patrol-car-runs-red-light-450914.html

 THE system licensing taxis and private hire vehicles in Wales is to be reformed, it has been announced.

Control over the licensing of taxis and private hire vehicles will be devolved to the Welsh Government early next year.

And, yesterday, Wales’ economy and infrastructure secretary Ken Skates announced plans to revamp the system.

Speaking in the Senedd Mr Skates said the reform would form part of a wider revamp of public transport in Wales, including the South Wales Metro.

“When these planned improvements to rail and bus services are implemented, there will remain communities within our society for which public transport is simply not available or a viable alternative to use of a private motor vehicle,” he said.

“Taxi and private hire services are, therefore, an essential aspect of the transport network here in Wales.

“Taxis and private hire vehicles provide a vital public service, connecting people to places when alternative public transport services are not available or viable.

“The contribution that the sector makes to the night-time and tourism economy in many of our communities should not be underestimated.”

But he said the legal framework governing taxis has not been significantly reformed for more than 200 years, while the most recent legislation relating to private hire vehicles outside of London dates back to 1976 and this, along with more recent developments such as mobile phone-based booking apps such as Uber, had resulted in “a complex and fragmented licensing system”.

Mr Skates announced a consultation into the planned changes, due to begin shortly after next month’s General Election.

He said he hoped the new rules would protect licensed drivers from exploitation by rogue firms, as well as ensure customers had the best service possible. He added he also hoped he would be able to make it easier for drivers to work across local authority borders.

“Above all, we have a duty to ensure that the licensing arrangement in Wales safeguards the public and prevents the exploitation of the professional drivers that are delivering these very important services across our communities,” he said.

There are around 9,200 licensed taxi and private hire drivers in Wales.

Details of the reforms are yet to be confirmed.

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/gwentnews/15305277.Taxi_reforms_on_the_cards_in_Wales/

Labour has given a manifesto promise to reform the taxi and private hire sector as it aims to drive up standards in safety, quality and employment rights.

In its 2017 election manifesto, the party said it would tackle a “rigged system” with reforms aimed at companies such as Uber and address the concerns of black-cab drivers.

The party wants to introduce national standards to “guarantee” safety and accessibility, updating regulations to keep pace with technological changes and “ensure a level playing field between operators”.

John McCallion, CEO of corporate ground transport company Groundscope, told BBT that reform in the sector is “not really required”.

“Groundscope welcome all initiatives to ensure taxis are safe and of a good standard but the introduction of a national standard seems too interventionist, we don’t have this in the hotel industry or restaurant industry.”

He added the industry needs to enforce its own rules and regulations.

“The key issue in the industry is that companies like Uber are getting round the good government legislation by claiming it not applicable to them but this legislation has been developed over time to protect passengers and ensure that they are being driven by someone who has been through a CRB vetting  process and that the driver is fully licensed and insured."

Mytaxi, global taxi booking app formerly Hailo, said it welcomes proposals by all political parties that properly regulate the sector.

Andy Jones, general manager UK, Mytaxi, told BBT: “We’re particularly concerned by the increasing difference in the cost of entry for black cab drivers compared to PHV drivers, especially when this is seen in the context of falling income. We believe that Londoners in particular value the Knowledge test that cabbies take, meaning they know the quickest way to the destination without the need for a satnav. 
 
We look forward to engaging with all political parties in the new parliament to make sure that the economic and social value of black cabs is properly understood, and to encourage politicians to uphold a stable and effective regulatory regime that is fit for the 21st century and that works for everyone.”

Labour shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said the current system is complex, outdated and in need of a “proper upgrade”.

“Passengers don’t have a guarantee of safety or quality, drivers are without proper employment rights and operators are competing against one another in a rigged market,” said McDonald.

"The Tories have ignored the fact that taxi and private hire vehicle regulations are out of date and have failed to act,” he added.

http://bit.ly/2rnuRc6

 GETT, GET ISRAEL's  BIGGEST AIRPORT

A Gett and Hadar Taxi joint bid won a tender for Ben Gurion Airport taxi, ending Hadar's monopoly.

A joint bid by Gett (formerly GetTaxi) app and Hadar Taxi has won the tender for tax services to Ben Gurion Airport, thereby ending Hadar's monopoly on the airport routes. Taxi traffic from the airport totals 1,100,000 rides a year.

Starting on May 30, 2017, travelers landing at Ben Gurion Airport will be able to order taxis using the Gett app from the airport, and will not have to order the taxi before takeoff, as they had been forced to do by the monopoly.

The bid by Hadar and Gett is 31% less than the consumer fee rate established in the Commodities and Services Price Control Ordinance set by the Ministry of Transport, whether the fee is determined by taxi meter or by special journey according to the rate list.

The companies will be obligated to publish the new lower prices, which will now be anchored in the ordinance.

http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-ben-gurion-airport-taxi-fares-to-fall-31-1001188522
-----------------------------------

NEW YORK -- An out-of-control horse caused chaos in Midtown Monday morning, and the incident raised questions about whether the animals should be put to work at all.

CBS New York reports the incident that was caught on surveillance video around 10 a.m. Monday was unusual. Two men were seen riding horses up Eighth Avenue near 56th Street, followed closely by a vendor with a food cart.

Suddenly the brown horse, named Billy, got spooked, reared back and trotted backward. The rider struggled for control, and then Billy bucked sideways and wound up on the ground after colliding with a cab.

http://cbsn.ws/2rkzqUh
-------------------------------------

UBERK CANADA

A small Canadian town has launched a first-of-its-kind ride sharing-transit partnership with Uber.
Innisfil will subsidise a portion of the fare for all trips with the taxi firm taken by residents within the town's boundaries.

Officials say the deal offers more flexibility for residents and is cheaper than adding a town bus service.

Uber Canada public policy manager Chris Schafer says the project has sparked global interest.

The cost of a ride to any four of the community's transport or recreation hubs will cost residents between C$3 (US$2.20/£1.70) and C$5 (US$3.60/£2.80).

They will also get a C$5 discount on any custom trip within Innisfil, a lake-side Ontario town of about 36,000 people 100 km (62 miles) north of Toronto.

Tim Cane, the town's land use planning manager, said Innisfil had been struggling to figure out an affordable transport model that would serve an area over 290 square km (110 square miles).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39927165
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LEYLAND

Taxi driver who abused autistic boy still working

The abuser: Leyland Avacab driver John O’Sullivan was convicted and fined in 2013 of assaulting an autistic 13-year-old, trussing him up with bungee cords when he took him to his special school.

His taxi licence has twice since been renewed, and he is still on the road

It began with a shocking disclosure: that after two children had been assaulted by taxi drivers in Leyland, a small Lancashire town, the local council had renewed the predators' licences, putting other vulnerable passengers at risk.

Girl A, who was aged just five when she was assaulted sexually, has been left severely traumatised. Her mother says when her daughter caught sight of her abuser back at the wheel of his cab, it triggered nightmares and bed-wetting.

Boy B, a 13-year-old with autism, was physically attacked multiple times by the driver who took him to his special school, and trussed up with elastic bungee cords.

According to his father, he has never recovered: 'Finally a carer witnessed what was happening, and the driver was convicted of assault. But my son didn't speak for five months. He'd been making progress. It immediately went into reverse.'

These bare facts emerged last year, when parts of an inquiry report were leaked. But until now, neither the scale nor the appalling aftermath of the scandal have been made public.

In fact, this newspaper can reveal, South Ribble Borough Council has gone into meltdown. Its former Conservative leader and chief executive have resigned, and its director of human resources has been on indefinite paid leave since Christmas.

Parents of abused children have been yelled at and threatened with legal action. Meanwhile, although the staff responsible for licensing rogue drivers have been reprimanded and are not at work, they continue to draw salaries.

Worse, the whistleblowing officer who tried to tackle the problem claims he has been hounded from his job, along with councillors who supported him. But the council's latest move is to spend thousands on an investigation by an expensive law firm, Weightmans – not to find out what went wrong, but who to blame for last year's leak.

And John O'Sullivan, the driver convicted, fined and ordered to pay compensation for assaulting Boy B, is still a licensed driver with the Leyland firm Avacab. The child's father is now suing Lancashire County Council, which contracted O'Sullivan to take the boy to school and continued to employ him after the attacks were first reported.

  http://dailym.ai/2qm5PdR

A married Uber driver was arrested in Florida for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl as she was leaving her boyfriend's house Monday night, police said.

David Pena-Melo, 27, was taken into custody by Osceola County Sheriff's Office deputies on a sexual battery charge after the victim reported the incident, according to a police statement.

Around 3am on Monday night, Pena-Melo picked the girl up after she used the Uber application to request a ride from her boyfriend's house in Kissimmee, Florida, to her aunt's house in the same city.

When the victim first got into his vehicle, Pena-Melo complimented her beauty and asked her questions about her age.

He then made the girl sit in the front seat where he 'began to make sexual advances towards the juvenile and sexually battered her', police said in the statement.

The victim told authorities that she asked him to stop several times but he was 'forceful and persistent,' according to an arrest report.
 
A short time later, Pena-Melo drove past the victim's destination and parked his car near a wooded area.

Police said he then forced the juvenile to perform a sex act before finally driving her to her requested destination.

http://dailym.ai/2rbW3v1

------------------------------------------

TOM WATSON.  M.P.

‘When it comes to Uber, government ministers have turned obfuscation into an art form"

http://dailym.ai/2puzILN

   BRISTOL

A crackdown on ‘out of town’ taxi drivers and unlicensed operators has been promised by a Bristol city council chief, just a day after around 100 drivers protested outside the council offices.

Deputy mayor Asher Craig, who is ultimately in charge of taxi driver licences, endorsed a crackdown by colleagues in Birmingham, and said a similar move would be followed in Bristol.

In Birmingham, council chiefs and the police have joined forces to create a new role of a specific police officer whose job is to enforce the rules and regulations involving taxi cabs and private hire vehicles.

The officer is regularly out on patrol on the streets of England’s second city, and tweets pictures of vehicles he has stopped and checked.

One of his most common ‘catches’ are taxis licensed from out of the city who come into the middle of Birmingham and ‘ply’ for trade - by waiting in taxi ranks or drive around the city centre waiting to be hailed.

That offence is one of the biggest complaints made by taxi drivers in Bristol, who have recently mounted a series of protests against the council in recent weeks.

A couple of weeks ago they brought the city centre of Bristol to a standstill by filling the roads around Temple Meads in protest at a cut to the number of taxi ranks at the station.

And on Monday, the drivers gathered at the council’s main office at 100 Temple Street, to air a long list of grievances.

Along with a demand for council chiefs to listen to their concerns more clearly, the issue of business being lost to ‘out-of-town’ taxi drivers, and that not being enforced by Bristol City Council, was high on the taxi drivers’ list.

In response, Cllr Craig retweeted one of the tweets from Birmingham’s designated taxi enforcement officer, and said such an initiative would soon be coming to Bristol.

http://bit.ly/2r8GLr0 
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UBERK FLORIDA

An Uber driver who also worked at a foster-care home in Florida has been arrested after allegedly kidnapping and raping his female passenger, authorities said Monday.

Gary Kitchings, 57, picked up three women from the SunFest music festival just after midnight Sunday, according to the Jupiter Police Department.

He dropped off two of the women and began flirting with the remaining passenger, she told police.

In an attempt to escape, the woman says she tried to open the door and jump out of the car but the doors were locked.

Kitchings “told her that he had a gun under the seat and if she didn’t do what he wanted, he would kill her,” according to a police report.

The victim was sexually assaulted in the car and when they reached her apartment, she thought he would drive away, she told police.

Instead, he forced his way inside her home, she said.

Kitchings allegedly made the woman perform oral sex “against her will” and raped her inside her house.

He reportedly told her he would “kill her and her dogs if she didn’t shut up.”

The victim, who said she took a picture of Kitchings’ license plate, was able to call 911 for help around 2 a.m.

Kitchings was arrested for kidnapping, sexual assault and burglary after cops conducted an investigation.

The Florida Department of Children and Families has opened an investigation to ensure no children were harmed at Place of Hope, the foster-care home where Kitchings worked, “as a result of this individual’s alleged illegal actions,” agency spokeswoman Jessica Sims told the Sun Sentinel.

“This is a deeply disturbing incident,” Sims said. “We have high standards for the individuals who work in the child welfare system as their jobs are extremely important in ensuring the safety of children.”

Kitchings was an Uber driver for six months and “has been removed from the app,” an Uber spokeswoman said Tuesday.

He is a former member of the U.S. Navy and has a long history in social services, WPTV reported.

http://nyp.st/2q9jzKr 
---------------------------------------

NEWCASTLE


A taxi driver has died after a crash with a bus on the Redheugh Bridge.

Six people were injured and the road was closed in both directions for more than nine hours after the collision on Wednesday night.

Police say a 36-year-old man, believed to be the taxi driver, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 53-year-old man, thought to be the Stagecoach bus driver, was taken to hospital with a leg injury. His condition is serious but not life-threatening.

The bus was travelling southbound towards Newcastle city centre when the crash happened. The bridge was closed by police shortly after 11pm, reopening at 8am on Thursday.

Of the six injured, three were described as having “serious” injuries and were taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) by ambulance.

Three more were taken to the RVI for a precautionary check-up by North East Ambulance Service’s (NEAS) patient transport service vehicle.

http://bit.ly/2q9nYwV 
------------------------------------



 

ADVOCATE GENERAL EUROPEAN COURT

Uber operates a transport service, not a software service, and so can be subject to taxi licensing regulations, the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union advised Thursday.
According to Advocate General Maciej Szpunar, Uber's platform falls under EU regulations for transport, not information services, so can be required to obtain the necessary licences and authorizations under national law.

If Szpunar's opinion is followed by the full court, which is now beginning its deliberations, then the ruling could cause trouble for Uber and companies like it across the European Union.

The case began in 2014, when an association of local taxi drivers asked a commercial court in Barcelona, Spain, to rule that neither Uber nor the UberPop drivers in Barcelona offering rides in their own vehicles have the necessary authorizations to operate a taxi service there.

The Barcelona court asked the CJEU to rule on questions of EU law in the case. In cases such as this, the final ruling is preceded by an advisory opinion from one of the CJEU's Advocates General. It informs, but does not bind, the court's judges.

If the CJEU were to find that Uber offers an information service, not a transport service, then the company would be able to claim exemptions from local regulations under rules guaranteeing the freedom to provide information services across the EU.

But Szpunar's view is that Uber offers a composite service, part electronic and part not -- and that, critically, the non-electronic part is neither wholly independent nor wholly controlled by Uber. It is not a mere intermediary between drivers and passengers, and it is undoubtedly transport that users are paying for, and not simply to use the Uber app.

Following Szpunar's line of argument, that makes Uber's business one of transport, and not merely of connecting drivers and passengers, and the company should therefore be regulated as a transport company.

http://bit.ly/2qXIUbq 
----------------------------------------

USA PLATE VALUES SINK.

The disruptive and largely unregulated ride-sharing industry is leaving select taxi-cab rivals upside down on loans as their operation licenses, known as medallions, plunge in value.

Also hurt in the mix are the financial institutions that lend to taxi companies, prompting at least one credit union to file multiple lawsuits.

Since April 28, a New York credit union has filed five lawsuits over a total of six medallions owned by five Chicago taxi owner-operators, alleging they’re in default on their loans and seeking about $1.4 million, the Chicago Tribune reported. The suit specifically mentions competition from ride-sharing apps Uber and Lyft. The latest filings bring to 28 the number of lawsuits that Lomto Federal Credit Union has brought against cab companies so far this year in Cook County Circuit Court, the report said.

Unlike ride-share companies, which allow people to use a smartphone app to order and pay for rides from drivers using personal vehicles, cab companies in Chicago, New York and most cities are required to have a local government-issued medallion. The loan companies often finance the purchase of the medallions. Taxi companies, forced to shrink fleets or log fewer fares, can resell medallions, but they may be under water on the loans.

Chicago city records show that the highest price paid for a Chicago taxi medallion this year is $100,000, down from a peak of $370,000 about four years ago. A New York City taxi medallion sold for $241,000 in March — less than one-fifth of what the cab-ownership tags were going for just four years ago. There are currently 13,587 yellow-taxi medallions in New York — and more than 50,000 Uber and Lyft cars, the New York Post reported.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio earlier this year said taxis will have to weather the competition.
“I think you will see some leveling off [of the market] over time, and that could strengthen the medallion values again, but I am not ready to commit to reversing course,” de Blasio said on his weekly radio show, reported by the New York Post . “I also think there were free-market dynamics that created an opening for Lyft, Uber and others, and the taxi industry has to learn from that . . . in every way possible.”

http://on.mktw.net/2q7GYKN
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NEW YORK

A British tourist who lost her leg after being struck by a taxi in Midtown cannot sue the city for failing to keep the cabbie off of the road.

A Manhattan Appellate Court ruled Tuesday that Sian Green, 28, did not prove the city was to blame.

Green was struck by a cab that jumped a curb in August 2013. The driver, Faysal Kabir Mohammad Himon, had a checkered driving history, including three moving violations in 2011.

http://nydn.us/2q7J3pY
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WELWYN

Drivers have told the Welwyn Hatfield Times that they are not happy with the terms of a contract that AAA has asked them to sign.

Drivers claim that AAA has also asked them to pay for a PDA (personal digital assistant), which is currently included as part of the payment they already make to the taxi firm.

Despite being on strike, drivers say they have had no response from AAA over their concerns.
Driver Mohammed Ali said: “We have been told by our union that we should not sign any contract.”

Shahzad Malik added: “They’re trying to make us sign a self employed contract.

“We’re all self employed now so that’s why we don’t have to sign any more contracts.
“From May 18 they want us to supply our own PDA.”

Mazhar Iqbal, who has worked with AAA for eight years, added: “If we sign a contract, we’re working for them and we’re not self employed.

http://bit.ly/2r2fipN
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UBERK the Conspiracy may continue

SCOTTISH Ministers are embroiled in a conflict of interest row over the inclusion of controversial taxi firm Uber on a government panel which will consider regulating the company.

The Government announced earlier this year that a team would look at the regulation of firms such as Uber, which has been criticised for the treatment of its drivers, and accommodation provider Airbnb.

However, Uber has been given a seat at the table, and the chair of the panel is employed by an organisation that has done work for the company.

Labour MSP Neil Findlay said: “Increasingly we see the Scottish Government working hand in glove with corporations at the expense of local communities and small businesses. This appears to be a clear conflict of interest.”

According to the Government, the so-called “collaborative economy” connects individuals via online platforms and allows services to be provided “without the need for ownership”.

To this end, a panel was set up to provide “advice and expertise” on the sector and make recommendations to Ministers.

Part of the remit is to ensure that regulation is “fit for purpose” and issues relating to taxation and employment conditions are “understood”.

Panel chair Helen Goulden, who is the executive director of “innovation lab” Nesta, specifically mentioned Uber and Airbnb in her online overview.

The creation of such a panel is believed to be an opportunity to consider the future of companies which, while popular with the public, have generated negative publicity.

Uber, an app-based service that has revolutionised the taxi industry, has been criticised for hiring drivers on a self-employed basis, which means there is no entitlement to holiday pay, pensions or other workers’ rights.

In a landmark decision last year a UK employment court found that Uber drivers are workers, not self-employed contractors. The company appealed the ruling.

However, although there is trade union representation on the panel, the Government is facing heat over why Uber and Airbnb, which have a stake in any changes, have been given places.

It is understood the panel members were chosen by Goulden “in conjunction” with the Government and Cabinet Secretary Keith Brown.

It can also be revealed that a Nesta subsidiary provided consultancy services to Uber for a report last year.

Gary Smith, the Scotland Secretary of the GMB trade union, said: "Whether you call it the precarious, gig or collaborative economy, there's no doubt there is widespread exploitation of workers’ rights in this sector and GMB has been at the forefront of the campaign to tackle it.

“Our concern here is that the Scottish Government is letting the wolves into the sheep pen early in the process. The panel shouldn't be talking about how we 'overcome regulatory, economic and social challenges' – that's worrying rhetoric. The focus should be ensuring the pursuit of economic growth is underpinned by decent rights, terms and conditions for the people who will deliver it.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “There are a wide range of organisations including the STUC and business experts who will bring a global perspective of the sector. The purpose of the panel is to provide advice, expertise and experience for policy development on the collaborative economy and make recommendations to the Scottish Government on how to balance the benefits and challenges that the collaborative economy brings.”

A spokesperson for Nesta referred to the Scottish Government statement, but noted: "Nesta Enterprises Limited, Nesta's wholly-owned trading subsidiary, has previously, on one occasion, provided consultancy services to Uber."

http://bit.ly/2pOKsDi
 

UNITED CABBIES SECRETARY SACKED BY LABOUR

Labour has sacked one of its parliamentary candidates following allegations that he suggested that Europeans should “eradicate Islam from our continent”.

The Independent understands that Labour's investigation centred around the @wellingblueboy Twitter account, which is alleged to have been that of Trevor Merralls, who was until today the Labour parliamentary candidate for the safe Tory seat of Old Bexley and Sidcup.

The Twitter account, which has now been deleted but is still viewable in web caches, posted and 'liked' a number of racist and Islamophobic messages over the course of the last few years.

Mr Merralls is the general secretary of a taxi-drivers cooperative United Cabbies Group (UCG) and a black cab driver in London; he has held the leadership position since an announcement on 1 December 2016. @wellingblueboy identified itself as “trev” and said it was a taxi driver in London and campaigner with the UCG.

Mr Merralls denies that the Twitter account belongs to him. However, in a comment under a video of Mr Merralls posted on social media in November 2016, he is introduced by the person who posted the video as: “His name is Trevor Merralls, deputy general secretary of @unitedcabbies – UK’s only nationwide trade org for black cab drivers. Aka @wellingblueboy on Twitter.”

Denying that the Twitter account belonged to him, Mr Merralls said in a post on social media: “Already the smears and fake tweets have begun. I've been through this before. I'm standing in a safe Tory seat. What are they so afraid of?

“Uber accessed highest level of government and used ministers like paid up lobbyists. Made up, cropped, and photoshopped tweets wont shut me up”.

He added: "That's categorically not me".
During a discussion about Islam on Twitter on 3 March 2014 the @wellingblueboy Twitter accounted posted “on a positive note that should eradicate Islam from our continent for years”.

The account also ‘liked’ a tweet from a Twitter account with the display name “STOP #WHITEGENOCIDE” which read “Jew #Labour paid off the muslims with votes and illegal wars with 600,000 British White girls. #UKIP #BNP”.

At one point the Twitter account also identified itself as a supporter of the BlueHand movement which describes itself as an “online movement against political correctness”.

Its website says: “Free Speech is a fundamental right, one that is nature/God given. Sadly, it is also a right that our politicians are attempting to take from us, thanks to the appeasement of Islamism coupled with the constant wolf-cries of certain minority groups.”

When the news was revealed a spokesperson for Jeremy Corbyn said the party National Executive Committee was "urgently investigating allegations of racism involving a prospective parliamentary candidate".

Later this afternoon a Labour spokesperson said: “Trevor Merralls has been removed as Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Old Bexley and Sidcup. His replacement will be announced in due course.”

https://yhoo.it/2pQeghp

BARROW

Taxis have been targeted in a police crackdown in South Cumbria in an attempt to take unsafe vehicles off the road.

Cumbria Police, along with Barrow Borough Council and the DVSA, stopped a total of 79 taxis overnight on Friday April 28.

Checks on licensing, the condition of the vehicle and whether or not drivers had proper insurance were carried out by the partner agencies.

Thirteen vehicles were taken off the roads for a range of offences including faulty tyres, suspension, lighting and breaks. Another driver was penalised for a defective tyre.

One vehicle had its entire ABS system removed – a particularly dangerous action which means the vehicle’s inbuilt safety system would not respond in a controlled manner in the event of sudden or emergency braking.

Cumbria Safety Camera Partnership also supported the operation and detected 44 drivers using excess speed on Michaelson Road. A driver travelling at 56mph was clocked on the 30mph stretch of road.

A further 25 drivers were reported for excess speed on Abbey Road.

PC Simon Smith, of the South Mobile Support Group, said: “This was a successful multi-agency operation which saw us working closely with others, including the Special Constabulary, to increase road safety in the Barrow area.

“I would like to thank Barrow’s taxi owners and operators for their assistance, support and patience. We will continue to conduct these operations to ensure robust checks take place and enforcement is carried out.

"This is vital to making sure members of the public can have confidence in the safety of whichever taxi they choose.”

http://bit.ly/2qGmI2K 
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 CHINA

When her taxi driver started masturbating in front of her, a woman in the eastern province of Zhejiang responded by taking a video on her phone — only to find herself detained by police under China’s strict anti-pornography laws.

The incident took place in Shengzhou, a city in the center of Zhejiang, on the evening of April 23. The Paper, Sixth Tone’s sister publication, reported that the woman, surnamed Wang, had booked a cab through ride-hailing app Didi Chuxing.

Once in the car, she noticed that her driver — identified only by his surname, Xu — was pleasuring himself with his free hand. Wang secretly filmed Xu in the act and subsequently sent the incriminating evidence to a group of colleagues on messaging app WeChat. She did not alert the police but did register a complaint with Didi.

Wang ran into trouble because one of her colleagues forwarded the video to others in her own social network.

When police questioned Xu and Wang, the taxi driver was put into administrative detention for eight days after confessing to the crime of indecent conduct. But police also detained Wang for three days for disseminating obscene material.

Wang’s punishment aroused fervent discussion on social media, given that she sent the video evidence to a closed group of WeChat contacts and that her colleague forwarded the clip to a wider community of users only later.

“This woman only shared it in private to a select group of friends,” read the most upvoted comment below The Paper’s article. “She’s innocent; her colleague should be held responsible.”

Yet in an interview with The Paper, lawyer Deng Xueping pointed out that Article 68 of China’s Public Security Administrative Punishments Law targets those who manufacture and disseminate obscene materials, or who use computer or telecommunications networks to spread obscene information.

“Masturbation videos belong in the category of obscene recordings,” Deng said.

“Filming [the driver masturbating] counts as manufacture, and posting it on WeChat counts as dissemination.”

http://bit.ly/2p37JD3

NEW YORK

E-hail apps and burdensome rules for yellow cabs have made taxi medallions practically worthless, a driver suing the city and taxi regulators told the Daily News on Tuesday.

Marcelino (Nino) Hervias, a yellow cab driver and medallion owner from New Jersey, filed suit this week with Queens medallion owner William Guerra to force the city to come up with a way to pull the industry out of its financial straits.

“They have created totally unfair competition,” Hervias, 58, said. “We are competing with somebody else to do what we do, with no (medallion).”

The suit argues the city and the Taxi and Limousine Commission are bound by a rule to create standards ensuring medallion owners “remain financially stable.”

“The purchasers felt they had the city and the law behind them, to protect them, that the valuations wouldn’t be so wildly erratic,” said the medallion owners’ attorney, Brad Gerstman, who’s been a courtroom adversary to the city since the rise of e-hail apps. “This suit is the first of its kind as it pertains to the taxi industry.”

Hervias says the city allows the app to dominate the streets and provide rides similar to taxis, but with none of the financial and legal burdens he faces as a medallion owner and driver.

Now, he has to hustle harder and longer to get enough passengers to cover his $3,000 monthly medallion loan repayments and expenses.
He estimates his business is down 30% and he has to work a few extra hours each shift to get 20 fares a day.

“We have to be very aggressive now, which is the stress we are living in today,” Hervias said.

The cost of medallions has dropped from their $1 million heyday before Uber and e-hail apps reigned. Now, sales hover in the mid-six figures, like a medallion that sold for $241,000 in March.
Hervias, who has two sons, 19 and 13, dreamed his medallion would be worth about $2 million when he planned to retire.

Now he doesn’t see a market for his medallion because lending is tight.

“The financial institutions, they’re not lending a dime if you want to buy a medallion,” he said. “The only medallion you can buy is the ones the bank have in foreclosure.”

Representatives for Mayor de Blasio and the city’s Corporation Counsel did not return request for comment.

A TLC spokesman declined to comment.

http://nydn.us/2oZPle0
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NEW YORK

A cab driver lost control and flipped onto its roof on a Midtown street Wednesday, officials said.

The cabbie had a passenger in his back seat when the car overturned on Fifth Ave. near 49th St. about 2:15 p.m.

Witnesses told NBC News Radio that the taxi was trying to avoid another cab when he struck a pole and flipped.

http://nydn.us/2qB6WX1
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PEOPLE in Hyndburn are being invited to have their say on proposed taxi licence changes in the borough.

The council is reviewing its policy for taxis and private hire vehicles and is asking the taxi trade and people for their views.

The consultation will run until May 31 and the proposed changes to be considered include mandatory CCTV in all taxi’s and private hire vehicles.

Other changes include introducing an age limit on vehicles and allowing vehicles powered by liquid petroleum gas to be licensed, among others.

Licensing manager Wendy Peck said: “We want everyone to have their say about the proposals, whether they currently use taxis or not and we’re particularly interested to know what people think about the introduction of CCTV in taxis.

“This could help ensure that both taxi drivers and their passengers stay safe and help to detect and prevent crime.”

http://bit.ly/2qu5mJa
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WHERE IS UBERK BANNED

Uber is one of the world’s most popular apps, but it's not without controversy. In the UK, a tribunal ruled just last month that the company should treat two drivers as workers and pay them the minimum wage and holiday pay.

This is just one of many legal battles, regulatory disagreements and driver strikes that have taken place across the globe, and more than one country has outright banned the leading taxi app.

Here is a comprehensive list of all of the places you won't be able to order an Uber on your next trip away.

Europe

Bulgaria

Uber suspended services after being accused of “unfair trade practices”. The chairperson of the transport committee, Grozdan Karadzhov said that if Uber wants to return to the Bulgarian market, it will have to meet the minimum requirements of legislation and register as a taxi service.
Denmark
Taxi metres have been made mandatory for Danish taxi drivers, meaning Uber was forced to pull out of the market this year after operating there since 2014.

Italy

Uber will soon be completely banned from the country, after its business practices were found to “constitute unfair competition”. Uber's services have been blocked, and it is not allowed to advertise. The company is permitted to continue operating until a final court ruling is made, but that time will soon run out.

Hungary

The Hungarian government passed legislation saying that Uber drivers “breach[ed] regulations other taxi firms must adhere to” after allowing them to operate for two and a half years. The new law permits the Hungarian national communications authority to block internet access to "illegal dispatcher services".

Uber has also faced suspensions in Finland, France, Spain and the Netherlands, primarily over its UberPOP service. Barcelona’s main taxi operator accused the company of running an illegal taxi service and is currently awaiting a ruling from the European Court of Justice.

USA

Austin, Texas

The company pulled operations from the Texas city after being told to fingerprint and background check all prospective and current drivers, which it said did nothing to improve safety and penalised minorities.

Alaska

Uber operated for six months in the state, before pulling out over a dispute as to whether drivers were independent contractors or registered taxi drivers – which would mean they are entitled to workers' compensation insurance. Uber paid a $77,925 (£60,000) fine to the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development over the dispute, before abandoning the Alaskan market.

New legislation could change that, but for now the state remains Uber-less.

Uber also faced a huge backlash in the US following Donald Trump’s Muslim ban, when drivers didn’t adhere to a taxi strike in New York City aimed to show solidarity to those affected.

#DeleteUber trended worldwide, and hundreds of users deleted the app. Its main competitor, Lyft, capitalised on this boycott by donating $1m (£775,000) to the American Civil Liberties Union and issuing a statement condemning the Muslim ban.

Canada

Vancouver, British Columbia

Ride share apps are not legal in Vancouver. The Liberal Party has promised that if it wins in the elections taking place in May, it will move forward with legalisation and make Uber possible in the city by Christmas. Transport Minister Todd Stone said: “We think we are striking a balance between what the vast majority of British Columbians want…all the while…respect[ing] the industry that’s been there for so many generations and get this right to protect the jobs that already exist.”

Asia

China

The company was losing huge amounts of money in the Chinese market, and it was bought out by Chinese competitor Didi Chuxing after allegedly losing billions of dollars.

Taiwan

Services were suspended after Uber faced millions of dollars' worth of fines by the government. However, it has reached an agreement to use rental car agencies on the ground under the Uber brand, but the service remains limited.

Australia

Northern Territory

The territory has completely banned Uber after refusing to change the law to accommodate the app's legality. It will allegedly re-evaluate this at a later date but, for now, Uber remains out in the cold.

http://ind.pn/2paT4RX
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MANCHESTER

A man has been awarded a Chief Constable’s commendation after his quick actions helped to save the life of a man who was stabbed eight times.

Naveed Mubashar from Crumpsall was called to pick up two passengers from an address in Blackley.

At the end of their journey, Naveed pulled up at the side of the road, one passenger got out of the vehicle while the other stayed in the taxi to pay the fare.

Naveed noticed a car pull up behind his vehicle and saw five men get out of the car. The man who had left the taxi saw the group of men and ran off.
Things moved very fast at this point and before Naveed knew it, one of the men ran to his vehicle and stabbed his passenger who fell back onto the seat. He was stabbed a further seven times in both his arms and legs.

Naveed said: “As soon as I saw the car and five men get out, I knew something bad was going to happen. I just didn’t know what to do, I couldn’t get out of my vehicle, I didn’t want to get hurt, he could easily have stabbed me too.

“I shouted ‘stop it, you’ve done it now, leave him alone’ – he eventually stopped and ran off with the rest of the group after the other man who had been in my taxi.

“I realised that I needed to get the man to hospital as soon as possible, I knew there was no time to call for an ambulance, it would have taken too long, he was losing so much blood. I kept him talking the whole time, I didn’t want him to lose consciousness but by the time we got to the hospital, he had passed out.”

About 15 minutes later, Naveed saw the other man who had been chased by the group arrive at the hospital in an ambulance.

Naveed waited for three hours at the hospital and assisted the police with their investigations, including giving up his vehicle for forensic tests.

Naveed added: “I am a tough guy, but to go through something like this, it doesn’t matter how tough you are, it affects you. It’s always in the back of my mind that I was so close to this man, I was inches away from him, I could have been next.

“I had a few weeks off to recover, but I’m back at work now and I’m doing fine. The whole thing has definitely left a mark on my brain, I won’t ever forget it.”

Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: “Naveed was put in such a difficult position, wanting to help his injured passenger but at the same time not wanting to put himself in danger, there is no knowing how a situation like this is going to turn out, thank goodness he wasn’t injured too.

“Naveed’s actions helped to save this man’s life, not many people would have kept their calm the way he did. Well done Naveed.”

Unfortunately no victims were willing to support the police and no persons were arrested for this crime.

http://manchestergazette.co.uk/hero-taxi-drivers-quick-actions-help-save-life-multiple-stab-victim-3420/