Lord Blencathra Chair, Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee 12:28 pm, 24th November 2017

I pay tribute to my noble friend Lord Borwick for the wonderful work that he has done in ensuring that London black cabs are accessible.

Frankly, I dread the idea of what I regard as the criminal and vile company Uber putting London black cabs out of business, because wheelchair users would never travel in a taxi again. Uber has no responsibility for providing wheelchair-accessible taxis.

I agree that more training is necessary. In my little chariot, I carry a short, stubby screwdriver, because half the cabbies cannot find the screwdriver to undo the ramp.

He also stressed the additional cost of disability, including the whisky; I agree entirely with that. He is also right that the Bill would benefit up to 4 million people using pushchairs, prams and baby buggies in addition to wheelchairs.
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UBERK NIGERIA

Two drivers, Oladayo Olatunji and Daniel John have maintained a class action representing themselves and other Uber Drivers against the Uber Technologies System Nigeria limited who happen to be their employer.

The claimants brought the before the National Industrial Court in Lagos in a case with suit number NICN/LA/546/2017, an originating summons claiming for the following:

A declaration that the claimant and members of their class are employees of the defendant; that by virtue of the nature of the defendant’s control over the claimants and members of their class, they are not meant to be classified as independent contractors;

that the defendant is liable for the acts of the claimants and other members of their class while acting in the course of their employment with the defendant; an order mandating the defendant to provide all relevant benefits including but not limited to health insurance, pensions and other benefits to the claimants and members of their class and a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, its officers, from further denying liability for the claimants’ acts done in the course of their employment with the defendant.

http://bit.ly/2Azx3WB
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BOLTON

 THE taxi driver involved in a 'heart-breaking' crash which has left a woman fighting for her life has spoken of his shock and anger.

Sajid Butt was taking three women home from a night out in Bolton when his Peugeot collided with another car in Bradford Street as he was driving on to the St Peter's Way slip road.

The force of the collision flung two of the passengers through the taxi window and the driver of the other car, a blue Ford Focus, fled the scene.
In the moments after the crash in the early hours of Sunday morning Mr Butt called the police and passers-by came running to help.

 The 45-year-old hackney cab driver from Great Lever said: "It was very, very scary. Everything changed in a minute.

"I had seen the car far away and the filter light came on and I drove out. With high speed he hit the back passenger side.

"It happened so quickly. I remember hitting my head on the side of the door.

 "The first thing I thought was we needed help and phoned the police and said bring an ambulance.
"I also asked someone to check my passengers, but he said 'there's one girl here'.

"Two of the girls had gone through the window when the car spun. I don't know how it happened.
"They had been on a nice night out and were just going back home. I hope they are okay."

Mr Butt, who has been working as a taxi driver in Bolton for the past 14 years, was on his last job of the night when he picked up the women, who are in their early 30s, from Bradshawgate.

They asked to be dropped off in Farnworth and Stoneclough, and his white Peugeot Expert E7 was turning on to the slip road towards St Peter's Way at 3.10am.

Shortly before the collision, at around 3am the Ford was seen driving erratically around Trinity Way and Bridgeman Street area in Bolton.

The force of the crash caused the taxi to spin around, finishing up in the wrong direction on the slip road, while the front of the Ford was crushed.

http://bit.ly/2AafJ9V