WEST MIDLANDS
This the astonishing picture of a taxi parked so badly, pedestrians were forced to go into the road.
The taxi driver plonked his car diagonally in a narrow space leaving the boot touching a garden wall and the noise sticking out into road.
The inconsiderate action meant pedestrians, including the elderly and young, were forced into the road which has cars parked on both sides.
The photograph was taken by dad-of-four Sami Ali as he went to see his mother on Malmesbury Road, just off Coventry Road, in Small Heath, on Christmas Eve.
He branded the driver as ‘unprofessional’ and said he had to walk the width of three cars to avoid the obstruction.
Mr Ali, 36, said: “I was walking down the road just before 10am to visit my mother and I saw the taxi parked like that. It was very bad. I had to go into the road.
“People couldn’t walk on the pavement and that’s why I sent the picture to Birmingham Live and Birmingham City Council.
“They should respect the rules of the road.”
https://goo.gl/hjCLeK
TAXI drivers in Bolton claim app-based service Uber is being given an easier ride in the town.
They have accused Bolton Council of operating a “two-tier system” with regard to ensuring strict licensing terms are met.
Private-hire operators are required to have a licensed premises within the borough and say the council strictly enforces this.
The ride-hailing firm has been operating in Bolton since 2015, but private-hire drivers claim the office at Flexspace in Manchester Road has been vacant for several months.
One driver, who asked not to be named, said: “Many exceptions have been made. There have been no inspections that are in any way similar to what other private-hire operators undergo.
“None of the documents that private-hire operators have to keep in their office are at Uber’s office. So the question is, why are the other operators in the borough not treated similarly?”
He claimed that his operator, PAL Cars, spends a couple of hours every week making sure the necessary documentation meets council requirements in preparation for an inspection.
The council would not disclose how many times Uber’s office has been inspected in the past year.
In addition, Uber drivers in Bolton also want the company to operate its local office, according to trade representatives. This is because they now have to travel to Manchester in order to complete some paperwork.
A spokesman for Bolton Private Hire Association said: “We want the council to get Uber to man the office so the drivers can do their paperwork. It’s better to have some one face-to-face. That’s what the members want.”
However, Uber claims that it still maintains an office in Bolton, consistent with the address on its licence.
An Uber spokesman said: “We primarily support our Bolton partners face to face through our main hub in Manchester, although we do very much retain a licensed office in Bolton and are able to serve our partners there should the need arise.”
When Uber obtained its licence three years ago, local operators threatened strike action because they claimed Uber cars did not adhere to rules set for other private-hire vehicles.
Before the company was granted a licence, a report outlining Uber’s differing business model was approved by the licensing and environmental regulations committee.
This allowed the company to forgo conditions regarding telephone lines and hiring at the licensed premises.
An Uber spokesman added: “We offer many support options for licensed drivers including directly through the app and recently through our 24hr phone line.”
Farnworth councillor Maureen Flitcroft has taken up the issue with council chief executive Tony Oakman after it was raised by a resident.
She said: “Everybody should be on a level playing field. It’s unfair if one has got an unfair advantage over others.”
A council spokesman said: “We have received a complaint raising a number of concerns in relation to Uber’s operator practices, which we are currently investigating.”
https://bit.ly/2EZdwAW
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WEST MIDLANDS
A man was taken to hospital after a taxi driver and Audi collided.
The crash happened at the junction of Palace Road and Bordesley Green, in Bordesley Green, just after 9.50pm on Thursday.
A man suffered multiple injuries and was taken by paramedics to Heartlands Hospital. His injuries are not said to be serious.
Footage taken from the scene show the silver saloon type taxi with heavy damage to the bonnet and driver’s side.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We were called to the junction of Palace Road and Bordesley Green to reports of a two-car collision.
“Two ambulances attended. The driver of one of the cars, a man, was treated for multiple injuries and taken to Heartlands Hospital.
“He was the only patient.”
A West Midlands Police spokeswoman confirmed officers were called to the incident and there were no serious injuries.
The fire service sent two crews from Highgate Station.
Hours earlier, a man was taken to hospital after a police van crashed and toppled over on the crossing at the Fox and Goose on Washwood Heath Road, Ward End.
Footage taken from the scene showed the van lying in the middle of road with the bonnet open.
Several other damaged vehicles were at the scene and a crowd had gathered behind the railings.
The incident happened close to Tesco, the shopping centre.
The lights from the Pure Gym at Beaufort Park could be seen in the distance.
A police spokeswoman said: “Police are investigating a collision between a police van and a car last night (27 December) at around 6pm in Washwood Heath Road in Ward End.
“There were minor injuries only and the driver of the car remained at the scene to assist police with their enquiries.”
A spokesman from West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “We were called to reports of a van and car in collision. One ambulance attended. There was one patient - a male- who was taken to Heartlands Hospital.”
The incident sparked long queues as the dual carriageway was closed off for a number of hours while an investigation was underway.
Two appliances from Ward End stations attended.
https://bit.ly/2QYW323
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LEICESTER
A taxi driver is in hospital after being seriously injured in an attack in the early hours of Christmas Day.
The driver was assaulted at around 1am on the A47, in Houghton on the Hill, outside the Rose and Crown pub.
The 38-year-old victim, who suffered a serious injury to an eye, remains in hospital.
It’s believed a number of people were in the road at the time and may have witnessed the assault.
The suspect has been described as a white man, aged 19 to 20, about 5ft 9ins tall, of skinny build with dark brown hair.
DC Mike Archer, who is investigating the incident, said: “We know there were a number of people out celebrating on Christmas Eve into the early hours of Christmas Day, we are sure the incident was witnessed by those in the area.
“The victim was in his taxi and had just dropped off a fare when he was punched in the face.
“If you witnessed the assault or have any information about the person responsible we would urge you to get in touch.
"Any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, could help us identify the suspect.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact DC 535 Archer on 101.
https://bit.ly/2Avdkpp
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GLASGOW
A TAXI driver caught with £35,000 of cannabis in his car has been jailed for a year.
John Thomson, 48, was snared when police, who had been monitoring him, swooped on his taxi.
They watched him go into a house in Glasgow’s Parkhead, empty handed, and return to his car with a bag.
Thomson, from Dumbarton Road, Yoker, Glasgow, pled guilty at the city’s sheriff court to being concerned in the supply of cannabis on February 14.
Sheriff Norman Ritchie QC jailed him for 12 months for his crime.
The court heard officers had “authorised surveillance” and at around 5.50pm they watched Thomson go in to a house on Canmore Street.
Procurator fiscal depute Lynne Reilly said: “He entered the address empty handed, he was then seen to exit around two minutes later in possession of a large bag.
“He placed the bag in the boot and drove away.”
She said police “kept observations” on Thomson for around 25 minutes, then detained him at an Asda petrol station near Helen Street in Glasgow’s south side.
He was taken to the nearby police office and both he and his car were searched.
Miss Reilly added that six vacuum bags with cannabis were found in the car weighing 4.5kg.
The court heard that if sold wholesale, the drugs were worth around £15,000 but could reach up to £35,000 if split into street deals.
The prosecutor added: “In addition to the cannabis a Betfred slip with names and numbers was found on the passenger seat of the vehicle.”
She said it had the “hallmarks of a tick list”.
Officers also found £985 on Thomson, who was unable to give an explanation for carrying such a large amount of cash.
Miss Reilly said: “As he was within his taxi enquiries were carried out in that regard.”
His last job was around 12.30pm that day and he wasn’t working at the time when carrying out the offence.
Thomson was interviewed and made no comment before being cautioned and charged.
Defence lawyer Peter Malone said Thomson is a dad-of-two and is now unemployed.
Mr Malone added: “He pled guilty on the basis that his role was the courier.”
https://bit.ly/2VoaFGO
TORONTO
A woman is dead and one a man is in hospital with serious injuries after the two were pinned by a ride-sharing vehicle in Yorkville early Saturday.
Toronto police said two people were loading some belongings into a black Ford that was parked on Davenport Road, near Hazelton Avenue, at around 6:20 a.m. when a ride-sharing vehicle headed their way lost control.
“The white GMC then came westbound on Davenport and for unknown reasons at this time lost control and collided with the back of the Ford motor vehicle, pinning the two individuals between the two motor vehicles,” Sgt. Orang Momeni told CP24.
The woman was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries via emergency run. However she succumbed to her injuries in hospital a short time later, police said.
“The male individual sustained some injuries, was transported to hospital and is expected to survive,” Momeni said.
The driver of the GMC was not carrying any passengers at the time of the collision.
Images from the scene showed some of the belongings strewn on the ground at the back of the Ford, the car’s trunk still open.
A traffic reconstruction team is investigating the fatal collision. Momeni said it is still too early to say what may have caused the deadly crash and whether charges could be laid.
“The investigation is ongoing right now. It’s too early to speculate about charges,” Momeni said.
Davenport Road was closed from Avenue Road to Belmont Street for most of the morning, but has since reopened.
https://bit.ly/2V5E48u
A TAXI firm in York is offering a Christmas gift to York Hospital workers.
York Cars Taxis, based in Blossom Street, will provide free travel to and from York Hospital to hospital staff up to the value of £10 throughout Christmas Day.
Tony Loftus from the firm said: "The offer is open to doctors and nurses from midnight on Christmas Eve to midnight on Christmas Day, so long as they can show us their NHS pass and are going to or from the hospital.
"We were just sat talking and said people have to work Christmas Day, including ourselves, and to the best of our knowledge, no-one has done this in York before, so we wanted to do something for the NHS staff. I hope we find ourselves swamped."
https://bit.ly/2T4wRDG
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The Schiphol airport, Amsterdam’s international airport, announced today that they completed their one-millionth taxi ride this year and an impressive 70% of those rides were done by their large fleet of Tesla vehicles.
BIOS-groep, a taxi company operating in Amsterdam, was an early adopter of electric vehicles and built the largest fleet of Tesla taxis (167 Model S sedans) back in 2014.
Stef Hesselink, Managing Director of BIOS-groep, said about the use of the vehicles:
The Model S have held up beautifully since they’ve been put to work in 2014, having an average of over 250,000-300,000 km on each odometer by the end of 2017.
They say that “taxis and other commercial vehicles have a very different usage pattern and could drive up to over 100.000 km per year.”
The company announced today that the fleet has been responsible for 70% of the 1 million taxi rides from the airport this year:
“Today marked the one-millionth taxi ride to leave the Schiphol taxi stand in 2018. Of these journeys, around 70% were driven in a Tesla: electric and no emissions. As a celebration, we treated the passengers who went on the one-millionth ride, as well as all of the taxi drivers.”
They covered the cost of the ride for two travelers from the United Kingdom who were the one-millionth customers and they were given “a souvenir model Tesla.”
https://bit.ly/2BxuceC
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EDINBURGH
The concerned father of a disabled schoolgirl has branded the city council’s taxi service “absolutely disgusting” after claiming his daughter was left stranded in the cold for more than hour.
Broughton High School pupil Shannon Reiss has cerebral palsy and relies on an electric wheelchair for her mobility.
With dad, Aiden, working in Livingston, Shannon gets transport to and from school by a driver provided by Central Taxis through the city council.
But on Thursday night, Mr Reiss claims his daughter was left stranded waiting outside school for more than an hour waiting for her pre-booked taxi to arrive. He says this is the seventh occasion this academic year that the fifth year’s lift has not arrived on time, leaving her vulnerable.
Mr Reiss said: “In today’s society, anything can happen. I think it is absolutely disgusting. I work in Livingston so I can’t help. She had been outside for around 40 minutes on Thursday, no-one at the school reception and it was a tutor who noticed her sat outside in the cold and let her back in and phoned me to let me know she was OK. She didn’t get home until 6pm. Considering college finished at 4pm it’s utterly unacceptable.”
He claims his daughter’s education is being affected by the punctuality of Central Taxis after occasions when drivers have been late picking her up to take her to school.
He added: “It’s only a five to 10-minute drive down the road. I go to work at 6am and don’t get back until 5pm to 6pm. Shannon’s mum died earlier this year and so I’m essentially having to be mum and dad and have to provide for us both.
“My concern is who else is this happening to in Edinburgh? I want an apology and reassurances that this will not happen again.”
The council said there have been occasions when a taxi has arrived for Shannon, but she has not been at the designated pick-up point. On Thursday, Central Taxis say a driver arrived seven minutes early and waited 20 minutes for Shannon outside reception before leaving.
Tony Kenmuir, director of Central Taxis said: “We always endeavour to be on time. However, we live in the real world in a Capital city where there can be a number of reasons for one of our drivers being late. If anyone is kept waiting then I apologise. We always look at our service and we will see what we can do to improve.
“I am going to contact Mr Reiss directly and give him my details so if he has any issues in the future then he can call me.”
A City of Edinburgh Council spokesman said: “We are aware of the transport issues Shannon has been experiencing and have apologised. We have discussed with the family about giving Shannon her own pin number and are waiting for their response to this solution. The benefits include allowing her to track the booked transport if it was late, giving her control by changing her agreed pick up times and providing her with additional independence.”
https://bit.ly/2Cvw3CD
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DUBLIN
My Taxi will not be taking pre bookings in Dublin on two of the busiest nights of the year.
The popular taxi app said that due to increased demand they will be unable to do the pre-booking service on both Christmas Day and on New Year's Eve.
The service said: "To ensure the best experience possible over Christmas, mytaxi prebook will be unavailable on the following dates/times;
"Christmas is the busiest time of year for taxis. Like you, lots of drivers will be spending quality time with their loved ones."
Christmas is traditionally a hugely tough time for getting taxis such is the massive demand with people out celebrating the festive season.
https://bit.ly/2AeN6ah
CANTERBURY
Dramatic footage shows the moment a car salesman loses control and has a head-on crash - in a vehicle he had just sold.
The hapless Toyota worker had refueled the newly-sold car at a garage next door when he bungled a right turn and wrote off a £35,000 taxi.
The clip recorded by taxi driver Nicholas Carey shows the Toyota Yaris turn right in front of him before veering into the wrong lane.
The footage captures the moment the cars collide, causing the airbags in the Volkswagon taxi to deploy.
The bizarre incident happened in Canterbury, Kent, this April but Nicholas decided to release the footage after learning the salesman would not face any motoring charges.
Nicholas, 34, said today: 'I think they had just sold the car and they were filling it up with petrol from the station next door.
'I was just surprised and shocked as I couldn't too much about it. You certainly don't see too many videos like this.
'No one was prosecuted, it certainly looked like careless driving to me. You wouldn't do that normally.
'The car was a write-off, £35,000 and I had only got the van a few months before.'
Motorline Toyota Canterbury said they did everything to help Nicholas at the time
A spokesman said: 'It was an unfortunate accident that happened on a very busy stretch of road and has since been taken care of by our insurance company.
'The driver, who no longer works for us, reported losing control of the vehicle, and whilst any accident is unwelcome, we are pleased to say that no one was hurt in the incident.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6516363/Bizarre-moment-car-salesman-swerves-Toyota-just-sold-head-collision-taxi.html#v-1516531452044198774--------------------------------------------
BOLTON
WE have carried reports in the past about the council clamping down on rogue taxi drivers.
This is absolutely right because they are in a position of trust and can be responsible for vulnerable people — whether it is women on their own, or passengers worse for wear after a a night out.
But taxi drivers themselves are also at risk, on their own with up to four passengers they don’t know, in their vehicles.
They have reported verbal and physical abuse and now the police and council have joined them to launch the No Excuse for Abuse campaign.
On a daily basis, drivers in the town are suffering verbal abuse — which includes racism — and damage to vehicles, all of which will now be immediately reported to the police.
As with emergency services personnel, council and hospital staff, etc, taxi drivers should be safe at their place of work and earn a living without being threatened or attacked.
This is especially important in the busy festive period when there is a surge in demand for taxis — and those who responsible for aggression are relying on the same drivers to get them where they want to go.
Just as passengers expect to be kept safe during their journeys, the drivers taking them deserve the same protection.
While drink may play a part in some instances of aggression, there is no excuse for racist abuse and offenders should face the full force of the law.
https://goo.gl/V5iw8H
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INVERNESS
City Taxis driver Nigel Nicholson with NHS staff members at Raigmore Hospital.
Nurses, doctors and other NHS staff who have to work on Christmas Day and Boxing Day , have been given an early festive present by an Inverness taxi firm.
City Taxis has announced that the mercy workers will only have to pay the much cheaper Tariff 1 fare instead of Tariff 3 which should apply on national holidays.
This special arrangement will mean, for example, that a nurse travelling across town from Kinmylies will pay around £10.10 to get to Raigmore Hospital instead of £17.50 which the Tariff 3 holiday rate would cost.
Boss Kevin Clark said: “This is really a big thank you to NHS staff because they can’t stop caring for people just because it is Christmas.
“All NHS staff will qualify for the reduced fares to and from work. All they have to do is show their NHS ID card to the driver before the journey starts and they will only pay the normal standard daily fare rate.”
A spokeswoman for the NHS said: “Thanks to City Taxis for their kind and thoughtful gesture. It’s good of them to think of staff at this time of year.”
City Taxis volunteers also helped forces veterans with free runs for those wishing to attend down town Remembrance Day events this year.
https://goo.gl/YicJMm
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COVENTRY
An app-based private hire firm has been granted a licence to operate in Coventry - prompting strong claims of a council U-turn.
Coventry City Council have been strongly opposed to the licensing of app-based private hire firms such as Uber, but have this week granted eCars a licence to operate in the city.
The decision was a unanimous one at a Licensing Committee meeting on Tuesday,December 18.
It is believed that the decision has been a long time coming, with an application for a private hire operators' licence first coming before the committee on August 14.
However, the decision was paused, as the conditions of a licence did not reflect on operators using mobile apps.
Last month, the Cabinet approved the updated conditions of the operators' licence.
Though a number of Coventry's existing operators use app-based technology, it is believed that eCars is the first to solely operate using an app-based booking system.
Claims of a council U-turn
Following news that eCars have been granted a licence to operate in the city, the Coventry Conservatives have claimed that it comes as a result of a council U-turn.
Cllr Tim Mayer said: "What appears to be critical is that this decision has been made possible by the recent departure of the former Cabinet Member responsible, Cllr Jayne Innes, who was blocking progress in the taxi industry, and updated conditions to the private hires operator’s licence that now reflect an operator using mobile apps.
"This has opened the door to more companies like Uber and Ola being allowed to apply for a private hire operator’s licence in the city.
“I am really pleased that the ruling group have finally performed this welcome but embarrassing U-turn on their previously confused position. It is fantastic news that local consumers can now start to experience a seamless door-to-door journey just from the touch of a button.
“This is a good move that may encourage more people to leave their cars at home.
"It is great to see that Coventry is finally now showing we are open for business, giving residents greater choice, better value for money and giving enterprise a chance to flourish.”
Council response
Coventry City Council has been quick to refute Cllr Mayer's claims, saying that there has been no U-turn.
Cllr Christine Thomas said that the council changed its licensing policies earlier this year to enable it to embrace new technology.
She said: "We were delighted to approve the application from eCars. They had applied for a licence earlier this year which we could not approve until we had updated our policy to allow approval of app-based private hire companies.
“We were very impressed by eCars who already operate out of Birmingham Airport. As a committee we all wish to see new technology embraced, and that’s why the licensing policies were updated.”
https://goo.gl/tbRzic
Transport for London's (TfL) announcement that it will lift the exemption on congestion charge for private hire vehicles will hit minicab drivers on poverty wages while doing little to address London's air pollution problem.
This policy will see below minimum wage precarious workers, already denied their worker rights, now lose as much as 25%, according to an analysis by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain's (IWGB) United Private Hire Drivers (UPHD) branch.
TfL's own impact analysis showed a disproportionate impact on poor and BME workers with 71% of TfL licensed minicab drivers hailing from designated deprived areas and 94% identifying as BME. Len Duvall, Leader of the Labour Group in the London Assembly blasted the policy as discriminatory before the London Assembly voted to reject this policy by a margin of 16-3.
A better alternative to this policy would have been to levy the congestion charge tax directly on the consumer or the operator who can pass on the charge to the consumer. But in its current form, drivers have no option to pass on the charge and operators like Addison Lee have already indicatedthat they will pass the charge to the driver but not the consumer.
The only effective way to reduce the impact of private hire vehicles on the environment is for TfL to stop runaway licensing and follow the lead of New York City, where the number of minicabs were capped while setting a minimum wage target for operators like Uber.
In a meeting in October with Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling, Dara Khosrowshahi indicated that he would prefer to see a congestion charge, even if had a regressive impact on poor drivers, than a cap which he said was: “the wrong way to regulate the market and an inappropriate market intervention by the government”
Abdura Razzak Hadi, chair of the London committee of the IWGB's UPHD branch said: "It's time for the Mayor of London to stop putting the vested interests of global mega-corporations and wealthy London consumers ahead of precarious workers suffering sweatshop conditions. The only solution to London's congestion is to cap and reduce private hire vehicles and to protect the worker rights of minicab drivers. The Mayor has done little for the former and nothing of the latter.”
Source; Taxipoint.co.uk
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COVENTRY council granting a licence to an app-based taxi service is a welcome change of direction after leaders’ long campaign against Uber, opposition councillors claim.
The council’s licensing and regulatory committee yesterday granted a private hire licence to eCars – which can be booked on apps on people’s mobile phones.
Committee member Councillor Tim Mayer (Conservative) said it was a departure from the Labour-run council “blocking progress in the taxi industry”.
Labour councillors have campaigned against the out-of-town licensing of app-based Uber taxis seen on Coventry streets – mainly by Wolverhampton council – which they accuse of undercutting Coventry council-licensed black cabs.
Uber has long contested claims it cuts corners on passenger safety, training, driver checks and other regulation, and it has proved a popular cheaper service with customers across the country.
The campaign was until recently spearheaded by former city services cabinet member, Councilllor Jayne Innes.
Coun Tim Mayer said: “This has opened the door to more companies like Uber and Ola being allowed to apply for a private hire operator’s licence in the city.
“I am really pleased that the ruling group have finally performed this welcome but embarrassing u-turn on their previously confused position.
“This is a good move that may encourage more people to leave their cars at home.”
The chair of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee, Labour councillor Christine Thomas, said the council changed its licensing policies earlier this year to enable it to embrace new technology.
She added: “We were delighted to approve the application from eCars. They had applied for a licence earlier this year which we could not approve until we had updated our policy to allow approval of app-based private hire companies.
“We were very impressed by eCars who already operate out of Birmingham Airport.
“As a committee we all wish to see new technology embraced, and that’s why the licensing policies were updated.”
Under new changes, passengers can also pay fares using contactless and card payments.
https://goo.gl/tJ2iMZ
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Detroit Flying Cars is one of the many hopefuls aiming to fly a car. The group suffered a setback as its owner and designer, Sanjay Dhall, tested its high-speed taxi and crashed in the early afternoon on December 14, 2018, at the Willow Run Airport (KYIP).
The aircraft crashed with a hard impact, ripping off the front section. He was transported to the University of Michigan. There is no news as to his condition.
So far, we know that Sanjay wasn’t trying take-off with the WD1. He was only testing a high-speed taxi test and only planning on lifting the front two wheels off the ground. Unfortunately, the WD-1 became airborne and hard crashed soon after.
https://goo.gl/NfgV29
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The Mayor and TfL have unveiled a package of measures to reduce air pollution and congestion in central London, with the aim of protecting Londoners' health and giving them the air quality they deserve.
The package confirms that private hire vehicles will no longer be exempt from the Congestion Charge. This change will help reduce congestion and, combined with the start of the Ultra Low Emission Zone next April, will ensure further action is taken to clean up this fleet.
Following a public consultation that received more than 10,000 responses, the changes to the Congestion Charge include the replacement of the Ultra Low Emission Discount with a new phased Cleaner Vehicle Discount (CVD) that will incentivise only the cleanest vehicles to drive in central London.
In the first phase, only zero emission-capable vehicles will be exempt from the Congestion Charge from 8 April 2019.
The restrictions will tighten further in October 2021 to support the Mayor's ambition for zero-emission road transport by 2050, with only pure electric vehicles qualifying for the discount. The discount will expire in December 2025.
The Mayor has also announced that PHVs that do not meet the CVD standard or are not wheelchair accessible will also be discouraged from driving in central London with the removal of their exemption from the Congestion Charge.
Only the cleanest
The changes affecting PHVs will help tackle congestion and its associated problems, such as poor air quality, and are expected to reduce the number of PHVs circulating in the Congestion Charging Zone by up to 8,000 a day. The proposal was supported by the majority of respondents to the consultation.
Since the start of this year new diesel taxis have been banned from being licensed to operate on London's streets but further measures are required to deliver vital improvements in air quality to protect public health.
Recent analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation shows that real-world emissions from London taxis are seven times laboratory limits, far exceeding passenger diesel cars.
Taxis are currently responsible for 20% of harmful NOx emissions and by 2020 they will be the biggest source of transport pollution in central London.
The new package of measures being proposed by the Mayor and TfL to tackle taxi emissions and support drivers switching to new zero emission capable taxis includes:
An enhanced delicensing fund, providing up to £10,000 for drivers who trade in their older, dirtier vehicles early
A £2.5 million fund to help drivers of newer Euro 5 taxis to convert to much cleaner LPG fuel
A consultation early next year on a phased reduction in maximum taxi age limits for the dirtiest vehicles from 15 years to 12 years by 2022
These moves will help ensure the Mayor is on track for reducing taxi emissions by 65% in 2025 to protect the health of Londoners.
This work coincides with the delivery of 150 rapid-charge points and generous grants of £7,500 to help taxi drivers to switch to electric as soon as possible. There are now nearly 1,000 zero-emission-capable taxis in the fleet.
Generous grants
The take-up of existing support to delicense dirty diesels has been low, with only around £450,000 of a multimillion pound fund used.
TfL has restructured this funding to make it more attractive, with £18m of payments available for taxi drivers who delicense their vehicles.
Top payments of £10,000 are available to the first 250 applicants, with tiered payment levels available at significantly higher levels than the current scheme.
A limited number of LPG conversion grants will also be available to drivers of Euro 5 taxis to support the shift of those vehicles with the worst NOx emissions to cleaner vehicles. The new delicensing payments and LPG grants will be open to applicants in January 2019.
TfL will consult on proposals to reduce the taxi age limit for the dirtiest vehicles to 12 years by 2022. The 15-year age limit would be strictly mandated in 2019, with a proposed reduction in the age limit each year until a 12 year age limit is reached. The age limit for Euro 6, LPG and ZEC taxis is proposed to remain at 15 years.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: 'Toxic air pollution in London is a major public health crisis that is stunting the lung development of our children and leads to thousands of premature deaths and increases the risk of asthma and dementia.
'We have to make tough decisions to protect the health and wellbeing of Londoners and tackle harmful emissions from the most polluting vehicles.
'We've prioritised cleaning up our bus fleet and the early introduction of the 24-hour Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London. Now we need private hire vehicles and taxis to play their part and help us clean up our filthy air.'
Alex Williams, TfL's Director of City Planning, said: 'Bold action is required to tackle London's public health crisis. The taxi and private hire trades are central to reducing the filthy fumes circulating in our city.
'This package of measures will contribute to fewer vehicles driving where pollution is most concentrated and encourage the switch from diesel to electric.'
Tanya Braun, Head of Policy and Communications at Living Streets, said: 'Given the exponential growth of private hire vehicles in London, TfL has taken an important step in removing the Congestion Charge exemption for PHVs across the city.'
Dr Jonathan Grigg, Professor of Paediatric Respiratory and Environmental Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, said: 'Unfortunately older black cabs produce very high levels of toxic emissions. It is therefore reasonable that the GLA removes this fleet from London's roads as soon as possible.
'This is an effective way of protecting Londoner's health - especially the health of vulnerable young children.'
Drew Kodjak, Executive Director of the International Council on Clean Transportation, said 'The TRUE initiative has been working closely with London's Mayor's Office to investigate the real world emissions of vehicles driving on London's roads.
'Our analysis has found that the policies that have been put in place to reduce harmful emissions from London's bus fleet have resulted in significant decreases over the past five years.
'Over the same time period emissions from London's black taxi cab fleet have been on the rise. We commend Mayor Khan and his staff for taking action to address harmful emissions from taxi cabs in the city.'
Notes to editors:
The measures confirmed or announced today to address congestion and air quality are:
The replacement of the ULED with the more stringent CVD on 8 April
The removal of the PHV Congestion Charge exemption for non-wheelchair accessible vehicles on 8 April
The enhancement of the delicensing support for those who delicense the dirtiest vehicles early from January
The intention to propose phased changes to the maximum age of Euro 3, 4 and 5 black cabs over time to a 12 year age limit in 2022
The creation of a new financial package to support taxi drivers converting from diesel to cleaner liquid petroleum gas
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TEESIDE
A taxi firm is giving a helping hand to NHS staff who commute to work this Christmas by giving them free travel.
Thornaby firm, Royal Cars will be showing its appreciation to our hard working nurses and doctors by offering free travel on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
The initiative aims to help out staff who would normally have to fork out extra money over the festive season to get to work.
Royal Cars General Manager, Imran Khan, said: “So many of our generous NHS staff give up their holidays to care for patients, we just want to give something back to thank them and let them know what they do for us is appreciated.
"When others are with their family enjoying Christmas our NHS staff are working to help look after us.
"As a gesture for all their hard work and dedication, NHS staff travelling between their home address and their place of work will get free travel over the Christmas period up to the cost of £10 - they must also show their ID to the driver."
He added: "This will help massively for them when public transport is either closed or limited on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day and higher tariffs are charged.
"We would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas from all of the Royal Cars Team."
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/taxi-firm-offers-free-travel-15567129
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TX4 EURO 5, MORE TOXIC THAN EARLIER MODELS
Some of the most common models of London’s world-famous black cabs are emitting up to 30 times as much pollution as personal cars the same age, research has found.
Measurements of nitrogen oxide (NOx), particulate matter and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from over 100,000 vehicles in London have revealed the “disproportionate impact of black cabs on London’s streets”, The Real Urban Emissions (True) initiative report said.
Some newer models of the black cabs were found to emit even more pollution than older models.
The Chinese-owned London Electric Vehicle Company, formerly known as the London Taxi Company, based near Coventry, was the maker of the TX4 Euro 5 model which was found to produce at least 50 per cent more NOx than either of the company’s earlier Euro 3 or Euro 4 models.
https://ind.pn/2R7K2X6
Hundreds of Amsterdam taxi drivers are trading Uber accounts online. As a result, it is often difficult to confirm the identity of your Uber driver, AT5 reports after infiltrating the social networks where the accounts are sold.
The drivers trade login data for Uber accounts among themselves and through apps like Telegram, according to the Amsterdam broadcaster. These transactions involve amounts of between 75 euros and 125 euros per week. It is hard to say how many accounts are involved, but dozens of accounts were traded during the two months AT5 investigated this phenomenon, the broadcaster said.
By buying the account of an Uber driver, people can drive for the ride hailing service without going through Uber's inspection process and without having the necessary papers. According to AT5, the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate is aware of this problem, but not of how big it is. Uber told the broadcaster that the company acts strictly against fraud.
https://bit.ly/2QBgVfr
KARHOO LONDON
The taxi and private-hire vehicle (PHV) industry in London is “enduring systemic adverse impacts”, according to one of the country’s major electronic platforms.
London-based Karhoo, in its submission to the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) investigation into taxis and private-hire vehicles (PHVs), has claimed that taxis are likely to dwindle and potentially disappear.
The headlines of large increases in PHVs in London, and claims of this causing congestion, have obscured what is really happening, the company said.
With drivers’ wages continuing to decline and the number of PHV operators reducing, Karhoo stated that more needs to be done to ensure the system works better for drivers, passengers and operators – most of whom are smaller companies. This could include expanding the role of taxis and PHV through technology.
Karhoo, which has connected with over 1 million licensed taxis and cars worldwide, called on Transport for London (TfL) to develop objective measures for what ‘good’ looks like in the industry, and to identify the causes of decline.
The company argued the transport body should also introduce a regular survey to monitor the health of the industry in areas such as driver pay, journey volumes, growth in demand and profitability. This could then be used to identify the root causes of the problems and intervene.
Citing statistics from TfL, Karhoo warned applications for the Knowledge of London are reducing significantly. The number of PHV driver licence renewals has also moved from steady growth to a noticeable decline.
The submission calls for greater collaboration across the industry from PHV fleets, their representative organisations, the taxi industry and the involvement of technology companies, disability representative groups and consumer and safety groups.
Karhoo’s response said: “The inability to thrive appears to be impacting all sizes of business in all geographies across London. Widespread reports from operators in all sectors concerning the difficulty of recruiting PHV drivers underlines this notion.
“The reduction in the number of Knowledge of London candidates suggests that the hardly discernible reduction in Licensed London Taxi Drivers over recent times is likely to accelerate as less people enter the industry given the demographics of this sector.”
Karhoo co-CEO, Boris Pilichowski, said: “It’s no secret that there is massive potential for the taxi and PHV sectors to grow. However, changes need to be made to ensure the industry as a whole thrives. That can only be done by upholding standards and making sure that certain groups aren’t being exploited. Technology will also have an important part to play. That’s why we’ve put forward our submission – to help authorities help drivers, passengers and smaller firms.”
Source= Inelligent transport. com
Uber’s primary rival in Europe, Taxify, has rebranded to Hopp in a bid to appease London’s transport regulator and win again its working licence in the British capital.
Taxify is hoping the name change will ease its path to a relaunch in London after it was pressured to droop operations final September. Taxify notified drivers concerning the change in early December.
Part of the rationale for the rebrand is a 20-year-old law in the UK which suggests solely conventional black cabs or hackney carriages can name themselves taxis. Private rent automobiles, resembling these you’d rent via Uber or Taxify, cannot name themselves taxis.
A Taxify spokesman confirmed the name change and informed Business Insider: “[As] a requirement by [London regulator Transport for London], we have utilized for a licence with the intention of buying and selling beneath a special model in the UK to keep away from any confusion with conventional taxi providers.
“We’re working very intently with TfL in the intervening time and are optimistic about having excellent news for Londoners quickly.”
Transport for London didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Taxify was based by 24-year-previous Estonian Markus Villig and has raised funding from Daimler and Chinese journey-hailing big Didi Chuxing.
It had a brief-lived presence in the UK final yr, launching on September 4, 2017 however suspending its service just four days later thanks to irregularities over its licence.
Cab companies like Uber and Taxify want working licenses to do enterprise in the UK, and Taxify had taken a shortcut to a licence by acquiring a small, local firm.
Regulators, it turned out, disliked the association.
Taxify appointed a new UK chief in November, ex-Gett CMO Rich Pleeth, and has been making an attempt to win approval for a licence since.
Villig, Taxify’s founder, informed Business Insider in a November interview at Web Summit that the agency had prioritised including security options to its app in order to appease London’s regulator.
“I have been working for round 13 months with TfL going by means of all types of procedures to present we’re the most effective operator in phrases of security, operational high quality, establishing a name centre, SOS patterns in the app… a tonne of various necessities to present we’re actually the perfect operator we might be,” he stated.
Read also Taxify launch scooter service in Paris
https://goo.gl/EqS1Zm
Leeds-based Arrow Cars, the official private hire partner of Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Bristol and East Midlands airports, has expanded into its fifth region after landing a five-year contract with Birmingham Airport.
With turnover this year forecast to hit £20m, Arrow Cars is the second largest taxi/private hire company in the UK, excluding Uber.
The expansion into Birmingham will see 14 jobs created for full-time administration staff along with more than 100 additional drivers.
Arrow Cars was founded in 2004 by David Richmond when he purchased a group of small private hire companies – one of which was Arrow Cars.
Since 2004, the business has grown from strength to strength, employing more than 120 full-time employees, excluding the 750plus drivers based across the country.
Richmond said: “We are delighted to undertake this partnership with Birmingham Airport. Our shared ethos and vision of outstanding client work, corporate social responsibility and global growth makes this a match made in heaven. We will be investing over £1,000,000 in a large fleet from day one to deliver this unique service to millions of passengers flying in and out of the major hub.”
Richard Gill, acting commercial director at Birmingham Airport, added: “We are pleased to be introducing an official private hire service at Birmingham Airport. Providing our passengers with ease of travel is important – the new private hire service will enable passengers to pre-book and pay in advance for their onward and return journeys to and from the airport.
“This premium private hire service will be a valued addition for our growing airport and we are looking forward to working together to expand our complete passenger offering.”
source; Bdaily.co.uk
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SCOTLAND
Hundreds of taxis are being banned from the roads every year for failing routine council safety checks.
In some parts of the north of Scotland, as many as 40% of the vehicles tested have been pulled from service until they have undergone repair work.
Yet a large discrepancy has emerged as the figures, obtained by The Press and Journal, have revealed that pass rates of 100% have been recorded in other locations.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) stipulates that taxis and other private hire vehicles must be subjected to more rigorous testing than other vehicles, meaning that a car could pass an MOT but still fail a council check.
However, the ways in which these tests are conducted vary between local authorities.
For example, Aberdeen City Council will pull vehicles off the road immediately for failing to meet certain criteria, ranging from mechanical issues to customer-facing concerns such as incorrect meter clocks or broken taxi signs.
Meanwhile Highland Council uses a penalty points system operated by its trading standards team, with more points leading to more frequent inspections and even licences being revoked.
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As a result, road safety campaigners have called for more consistency between local authorities, resulting in a fairer system for taxi drivers in the process.
Neil Greig, director of policy and search at road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, said: “Very few councils insist on driver training or even customer care knowledge when they issue a licence.”
“Councils and taxi firms must realise that if they can make their customers feel safe, comfortable and wanted, they will come back time and time again.”
He added: “We support the highest possible standards of training and vehicle safety for taxi drivers.
“Anyone applying for hire should expect to be closely scrutinised.”
An Aberdeen City Council spokesman said the rigorous local authority tests carried out across the country are designed to ensure each vehicle is safe for use.
He said: “The council, as the licensing authority, has a duty in relation to public safety and to the convenience and travelling needs of the public – therefore vehicles are required to meet a higher standard than those set down in the separate MOT test.
“All operators and drivers have access to a comprehensive taxi testing manual which has been created by the council to support the preparation of each vehicle for testing.”
Aberdeenshire Council said its fluctuations in pass rate were likely down to circumstance, as there have been no changes to how it checks taxis or what staff look for in recent years.
Penalty points
Since 2006, Highland Council has operated a somewhat unusual penalty points system to ensure the safety of its taxis and public hire vehicles.
During each examination, the local authority’s trading standards team will assign points based on failures to meet certain criteria relating to safety, documentation and driver behaviour.
As a driver acquires more points, they will be subject to more frequent inspections.
The council says that this promotes self-regulation and also stops resources from being wasted chasing taxi owners with faulty vehicles.
Once someone acquires 10 points they will be given a written warning, while reaching 20 points within two years will mean they are reported to a licencing committee or manager and formal action to remove their licence could take place.
Points are awarded for a multitude of reasons. For example, high-risk or obvious tyre faults warrant seven points, while a missing ID card earns a driver five.
Three points will be awarded for a missing or broken taxi sign, and sanctions can also be issued under the categories of external and internal cleanliness, licensee behaviour and driver’s appearance.
Trading standards team leader Mark McGinty said: “Should too many points be accumulated we report the matter to the licensing committee alleging the licence conditions are not being met, this may result in an a licence being revoked, or more commonly an increased inspection frequency is given.
“Over time we feel this keeps standards high but gives licence holders ample opportunity to correct the things they have failed on and to put something in place to prevent them failing again.”
https://goo.gl/YAD1pv
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A taxi company in Levenmouth which has a school contract with Fife Council has had a licence suspended.
Alice Beveridge, Philip Brown and Elaine Shields, of 2 Grieve Grove, East Wemyss were called in front of the Regulation and Licensing committee on Tuesday after a car failed its MOT.
While one taxi was put off the road for three months, it will continue to operate under the terms of its other licences which were unaffected.
The owners attended the regulation and licensing committee on Tuesday to fight their case.
Tom Henderson, service manager (fleet operations) said: “The car failed on a number of items and there was also two advisories, including the handbrake.
“The failure included nearside brake light was faulty, and there was an exhaust leak.”
Mr Brown, however, said that he had the car checked at an independent garage before taking it to the test centre.
He said: “I was quite surprised it had failed because I was told there were no problems.”
But convener of the committee, Co uncillor Carol Lindsay, SNP for Kirkcaldy North, expressed frustration that this had been an ongoing issue for almost two years.
She said: “We’ve had you in a few times in regards to failures in the past and your maintenance procedures. The last time was for the school transport, and we more or less put on the line to you at that point that it was of the utmost importance to take care of the maintenance so what have you put in place since then?”
Mrs Beveridge told the committee: “One of our drivers has come on full time. I wasn’t able to give the same level of support I said I could, but come January, that should change.
Cllr David MacDiarmid, SNP for Howe of Fife and Tay Coast, said he was “exasperated” by their constant appearances at committee, adding: “You’re continually in front of us and don’t seem to learn your lessons from last time. We’re asking the same questions and you’re giving us the same answers.”
Cllr Richard Watt, Conservative for Kirkcaldy East, agreed that the actions were unsuitable for them to continue with the licence for the failed taxi. He made a further motion that the licence be suspended for three months, which was seconded by Cllr Lindsay.
https://goo.gl/yT1NAf
Taxi drivers in Wigan are furious after it emerged the mayor is being ferried around in a private hire vehicle licensed near Blackpool.
Cabbies from the town say it sends out completely the wrong impression for the first citizen’s car to have a badge in the front windscreen with Wyre Council’s name on it.
They are also unhappy that £20,000 is being paid out each year by the town hall for a company to provide the car and its drivers for the mayor’s attendance at functions.
The local authority said the arrangement is cost effective and was put in place following a tendering process.
But that has failed to placate the hackney carriage drivers who have a long list of questions about how the situation arose.
Anger rose in the black cab community after a large black Volvo saloon with the distinctive number plate AEK1 was spotted bearing the badge at the Leigh Sports Village (LSV).
Eddie Earley, a hackney carriage driver and former local RMT union rep, said: “I think it is totally unacceptable. The lads have been talking about it and they think it is disgraceful too.
“I was unaware it had been put out to tender and I cannot understand why it is being run like this.
“The council can come out with stuff about it being cost effective all it wants but there’s a private hire badge on the front windscreen and our crest on the front of the car. It doesn’t look right.
“I would like to know who tendered for this job and if the council asked Wigan firms if they wanted to take it on.
“If the council has sold its vehicle and that car doesn’t belong to them then it shouldn’t have the mayor’s crest on it.
“At the very least it should be executive travel with the badge being carried in the boot.
“This has caused a lot of ill-feeling among the lads. They think it just seems wrong.”
https://goo.gl/7ASwEx
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ROMNEY MARSH
A video showing a taxi driver running from his car seconds after arsonists set fire to it on a petrol station forecourt has been released.
The driver had collected Warren Hearne and Danny Frost from the Romney Marsh exactly a year ago on December 15 last year.
They had called the cab following a night out in the area and asked him to stop at a nearby petrol station, the BP Garage in Seabrook Road, Hythe, to pick up more beer.
The car pulled into the garage at around 11pm - but neither passengers went into the shop for their alcohol.
Instead Hearne, 36, opened the back door of the taxi and started acting suspiciously.
The incident was captured on CCTV, which showed Hearne loitering outside the taxi before stumbling into a petrol pump.
He then took the pump and pointed it into the back seat of the car.
A small amount of petrol was poured onto the seats before the driver realised what was happening and got out of the car.
Moments later the seat was ablaze and both Hearne and Frost, 27, ran off.
It took a matter of minutes for the flames to spread across the vehicle.
The video shows the driver returning to his car briefly to grab his belongings before he too fled.
The fire service was called to service station, which is between Folkestone and Hythe, and the forecourt and the road was shut while the flames were extinguished.
Hearne from Dymchurch Road in Hythe and Frost from Hever Gardens in Ashford were identified from the CCTV footage and arrested soon after the incident.
They both pleaded guilty to arson that was reckless and were sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on today (Friday, December 14).
Herne received six years and four months in prison. Frost was sentenced to five years and seven months.
Investigating officer Det Cons Kay Brown said: "This was an extremely dangerous thing to do, which could have caused significant harm to anyone nearby at the time. Luckily the driver escaped the incident without injury but his vehicle, which is his livelihood, was destroyed in the fire.
https://goo.gl/qQ3979
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WAKEFIELD
Millions of pounds could be paid out to taxi drivers after a ‘landmark’ court ruling found Wakefield Council has been overcharging for licensing fees for years.
The High Court in Leeds found that the amount of money the council had demanded from drivers were unlawful, and now face a massive bill to reimburse them all, backdated to 2004.
The judicial review was brought by the Wakefield District Private Hire and Hackney Association after the council hiked up the cost of a licensing badge this year by 60 per cent to £384.
Wajid Ali, co-chairman of the association, says the ruling could now have a knock-on affect across the country.
He said: “This is a landmark judgement and the other 383 authorities across the country will be looking at this.
“Whilst we understand why the council wanted this matter to be decided by the court, as it helps to clarify the law, we very much hope the council will now engage with us in the hope that further court proceedings can be avoided.
“We are only asking the council to refund money it was never entitled to charge in the first place. All those past and current members of the association who have been overcharged should be repaid.”
His Honour Judge Saffman, sitting as a deputy judge of the High Court in Leeds, said Wakefield Council had misinterpreted the wording of Local Government Act of 1976.
He also refused Wakefield Council permission to appeal, but the council can make an application to the Court of Appeal.
While the refunded payment would be in excess of £1 million, if the council is unsuccessful in an appeal, the Express understands the figure could be much more.
Liz Ogden, interim city solicitor at Wakefield Council confirmed they were seeking permission to appeal the court decision, adding: “The High Court has ordered that new taxi licence fees are set by March 5 2019.
“We will continue to issue taxi licences, although until the new fees have been set, we cannot charge vehicle fees.
“Once the fees have been re-set, the appropriate fee for vehicle licences and inspections will be due and payable by vehicle owners.”
https://goo.gl/jRsc6d
All taxis across Shropshire will have to be wheelchair accessible by 2021.
The taxis - hackney carriages - have to conform with the access or the owners re-licence their vehicles as private hire vehicles.
Councillors voted through the changes at a meeting of Shropshire Council on Thursday.
Councillor Robert Macey said that if existing taxi proprietors upgrade their vehicles, the number of wheelchair accessible vehicle would increase. The owners now had two years to make the transition, he said.
Customers will also be able to hail taxis to take them across the whole of Shropshire from 2021 after councillors voted to remove the five existing hackney carriage zones.
Councillor Macey said the zones were an almost 10-year old legacy from pre-unitary days and said there should be a single taxi regime across the whole of Shropshire.
"The increase in ‘cross-border hiring’ ,brought about by the Deregulation Act 2015, has increased the risk to public safety and adversely impacted on the available business for taxi proprietors.
"Removal of the zones will put taxi proprietors in a better position to retain business as they will be able to pick up passengers throughout Shropshire without the need for pre-bookings; this increases passenger choice."
https://goo.gl/82pmbu
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OLA UK
A ride-hailing app which advised UK women "to use their own prudence in offering or accepting a ride" has been described as "disturbing" by the chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee.
Veteran MP Frank Field also called for reform of the licensing system for ride-hailing, after two councils which licensed the app disclaimed responsibility, saying they did not check terms and conditions.
Ola, an Indian taxi-hailing giant which staged a high-profile UK launch in August, included the warning to women in a set of terms and conditions on its UK website.
The same terms and conditions also advised women passengers "to share the ride details with family, friends, relatives".
After being alerted to the presence of the clauses, Ola changed the text of its terms and conditions, blaming a "technical error".
An Ola spokesperson told Sky News the text was accidentally copied and pasted from a separate set of terms and conditions, which applied "to a specific car-pool service that was previously offered only in India".
The firm stressed that the warning to women had never been part of its official UK terms and conditions, and that they were "not in any of our current global T&Cs".
However, their inclusion has raised questions about the licensing process for ride-hailing services, which vets apps such as Ola to ensure they are safe and suitable for use by the public.
Ola offers ride-hailing services in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and South Wales, so it must seek approval from the local councils in these areas.
Two of the councils involved, Cardiff City Council and Bristol Council, told Sky News it did not check terms and conditions - which lay out the rules for what is permitted on apps - as part of its vetting process.
"Terms and conditions that are entered into as part of signing up for the app are not part of the application process," said a spokesperson for Cardiff City Council, which granted Ola a five-year license on 22 May 2018.
"The Council do have an overarching requirement to assess whether the applicant satisfies the 'fitness and propriety test' and the Council are satisfied Ola fulfil this requirement."
Bristol City Council, which granted Ola a five-year licence in September 2018, confirmed it had not checked Ola's app.
"As the licensing authority, we are responsible for licensing the company but not a related app,” a spokesperson told Sky News. "The content of this is controlled by the operator."
Neither council said it would be taking action against Ola as a result of its "accident".
https://goo.gl/bmk4nk
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A consultation has been launched for residents in the Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury districts ahead of the borough council merger in May.
The creation of the new West Suffolk Council has made it necessary to align the two current licensing districts.
The cost of a running mile was aligned for each district in June without increasing the overall fare.
Alignment in June also introduced 12am as the crossover time from tariff one to tariff two for both authorities – the time was previously 11pm in St Edmundsbury.
This has now been reconsidered with a proposed change back to 11pm for both authorities.
Lance Stanbury and Susan Glossop, cabinet members for planning and growth at Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury councils, said: “The level of increase mainly depends on the time and distance of the journey. We carefully weighed the deterrent a fare increase may have on making a journey with the disincentive to drivers to make longer journeys.”
The council says the fares rise, planned to come into effect from January 8, would be the first increase for St Edmundsbury drivers since 2015, and the first for Forest Heath cabbies since 2014.
Mr Stanbury and Mrs Glossop added: “West Suffolk is predominantly rural so many trips are above the Department for Transport national average of two-five miles.
“A 10-mile journey on tariff three currently costs £39.73 in Forest Heath and £40.49 in St Edmundsbury but in the newly formed West Suffolk Council from May 2019 the charge anywhere in the district will be £41.74.
“We want to see better business for all, and our role in regulating fares is to protect the public interest as well as allowing taxi companies reasonable inflationary increases.
“We have worked closely with the trade to understand how we can together make life easier for the customer and the driver. We think this is a good recommendation and we invite the public to give us their comments.”
Consultation is open until Friday, December 21. Residents can visit
www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/consultation to submit comments online, email licensing@westsuffolk.gov.uk
or write to West Suffolk Licensing Team, West Suffolk House, Western Way, Bury St Edmunds IP33 3YU.
https://goo.gl/16RXaG
NEWCASTLE TOXIC CHARGE
More than 1,000 people have backed by petition by taxi drivers to stop a clean air toll being imposed on Newcastle's roads.
The Newcastle Hackney Carriage Drivers Association fears that council bosses are set to impose a charge of up to £12.50 a day for vehicles entering the city centre, in a bid to cut pollution levels.
Drivers say that any such move would force a hike in bus and taxi fares, and have urged resident to "fight against the injustice".
Newcastle, Gateshead, and North Tyneside councils have until December 31 to put forward proposals for tackling emissions in three hotspots - the Central Motorway between the Tyne Bridge and the Swan House roundabout, stretches of the A1 past Swalwell, Whickham and Blaydon, and the Coast Road near Wallsend.
Newcastle City Council's cabinet member for transport has reiterated that no decisions have been made over whether a charging zone is needed, how much would be charged, or which vehicles would affected.
Any alternative plans the councils put forward must be as quick and effective in addressing the pollution problem as a charging zone, which would only target the most-polluting vehicles - likely to include taxis - and not newer cars.
A change.org petition, started by Hackney Carriage driver John Hirst after the council wrote to all of the city's drivers about the plans, states: "If you enter the city centre by vehicle we have been informed you will pay between £9/ £12.50 per day.
"Bus companies will also be charged for entering the congestion charge area too but this will be at a greater rate. This will mean it's extremely likely there will be an increase in bus fares.
"Taxi and Private Hire vehicles will also pay the congestion charge - drivers who are already struggling to make a living in Newcastle will then be expected to pay a further £350 per month. This cannot be justified and fares will increase. The public will, therefore, pay for the increase in fares.
"Lorries will also be charged at much higher rate. This means an increase in food supplies costs meaning the public pay more."
Mr Hirst added that the taxi and private hire industry "cannot justify paying ridiculous amounts" to purchase new emission-free vehicles.
Coun Arlene Ainsley, cabinet member for transport and air quality at Newcastle City Council, said: "At this stage we do not yet know whether we will need to introduce a charging clean air zone, how much it would be or which types of vehicles would be hit by the charges.
"We do know that Government does not expect a potential charge to be implemented before 2021.
"This will cause concern for many private hire and hackney drivers whose vehicles are so closely linked to their livelihood. With that in mind we took the decision to write to every single licensed driver in Newcastle, to make sure they are aware of what Government is making us look at. We will continue to keep private hire and hackney drivers informed.
https://goo.gl/D4pLiv
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BANBURY
THREE taxi drivers had their licences suspended as part of an operation designed to keep members of the public safe on festive nights out.
Cherwell District Council and Thames Valley Police carried out 38 checks on taxis in Banbury and Bicester last weekend to ensure they were following the conditions of their licences.
The suspensions were for a non-roadworthy tyre, incorrect display of a licence plate and a missing roof light.
Andrew McHugh, Cherwell’s executive member with responsibility for licensing, said: “We are pleased that the vast majority of our taxi drivers are offering a safe and accountable service to their passengers.
"However, the fact that we have just suspended three licences shows that we take breaches of conditions extremely seriously and will take enforcement action wherever necessary.
“We advise people travelling by taxi in our district to check that the vehicle is carrying a white or green council plate to the rear and that the driver is displaying his photo ID inside the car.
"They can then enjoy their journey in the knowledge that their driver has been through our rigorous checks and training.”
The operation was part of the Departure Zone campaign which advises revellers how to stay safe while out on the town, addressing topics such as illegal tobacco, drinks spiking, and the dangers of underage drinking.
Council licensing officers checked vehicles' plates matched drivers' registration documents, while ensuring the latter were up to date.
They also checked hackney meters were sealed and roof lights switched on and offered advice on other faults including no-smoking signs, a faulty front bumper and minor faults with indicator lights.
The council is planning to run further spot-checking operations at regular intervals over the coming months.
Police and council representatives will station themselves at hubs in Banbury and Bicester again this weekend as part of the campaign, which is using the hashtag #PartySafeHomeSafe.
The first hub is in Sheep Street, Bicester, on Friday, December 14, with the second at Banbury's Parsons Street and Market Place on Saturday, December 15.
They will be offering freebies and tips on topics such as illegal tobacco, drinks spiking, and the dangers of underage drinking.
https://goo.gl/YKRQng
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UBERK NATIONAL
NHS nurses in England will be able to access free taxi rides to and from work over the festive period.
Using an official NHS email address, nurses can register to claim two £10 Uber codes to use when public transport is either closed or limited on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
The offer will be available to all NHS staff as part of Uber’s initiative to ensure they spend less time travelling and more time with their loved ones during the festive season.
Uber is expecting the demand to be high as NHS England 2017 figures revealed 350,000 NHS staff went to work on Christmas Day last year.
This included 97,000 nurses, 53,000 nursing assistants, 176,000 care workers, 12,000 ambulance drivers and 12,000 midwives.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said: “Everyone wants to be home with their families for Christmas Day but so many of our selfless NHS staff give up their holidays to care for those who need it most.
“It’s great that Uber have agreed to step in and offer a free ride home this Christmas and I hope this makes life a little easier for our dedicated NHS workers,” he added.
Jamie Heywood, Uber’s general manager for Northern and Eastern Europe, said: “NHS staff will have enough to worry about this Christmas, so we’d like to at least try to take care of their travel.
“During a time when it isn’t always easy to get from A to B, we hope that this offer will help them get home to their families sooner,” he added.
NHS staff can claim their two free Uber trips by visiting www.uber.com/nhs and entering their official email address by 9am on 24 December.
The codes can be redeemed from 24 December to 26 December.
https://goo.gl/sxunp7
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LEICESTERSHIRE
A taxi driver who left two passengers in ‘grave danger’ has lost his licence to operate in North West Leicestershire.
The two women were left on an unlit stretch of the A46 dual carriageway near Glenfield in poor weather at 1am following a dispute in the taxi about the fare.
The passengers reported the incident to North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) and the driver was called to appear in front of its licensing committee on Tuesday 20 November.
The committee members advised they were ‘deeply concerned’ about the driver’s actions, which had left the two people in ‘grave danger’ by the side of a busy road in the dark with no safe way getting home. They found that, regardless of any dispute about the fare, drivers have a duty to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of the customers.
The driver’s licence to operate in North West Leicestershire was revoked.
NWLDC is currently working with partner organisations to promote the Celebrate Safely campaign in the lead up to Christmas. This campaign promotes the public’s use of licensed taxis as a means of getting home safely as opposed to using unlicensed vehicles or drink-driving.
This case underlines NWLDC’s commitment in ensuring that the licensed taxi drivers in the district are fit and proper, and are prioritising public safety.
Councillor Robert Ashman, Chairman of the Licensing Committee, said: “This was an alarming case where two intoxicated passengers were left in darkness by a busy stretch of road in very real danger of being hurt by another vehicle.
“We accept there may have been a dispute over the fare but there is no circumstance where a licensed driver should abandon passengers in a situation that potentially puts their lives in danger.
“We acknowledge drivers can encounter difficult passengers, but as licensed drivers they are aware of how they can deal with issues that arise. The actions of this driver clearly did not meet this standard and as a result we have revoked the licence.”
Councillor Alison Smith MBE, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Community Services at NWLDC, said: “While we encourage people to use licensed taxis as part of our Celebrate Safely Campaign, we also need to make sure customers are safe. We also ask that both our taxi drivers and customers respect each other.
“Our licensing team has an important duty to ensure that licensed drivers understand their responsibilities in getting customers home safely and this case sends a strong message.
“I would like to encourage people to be respectful of our taxi drivers this Christmas – they do a great job and don’t deserve under any circumstances to be harassed or abused. Drivers are well aware that a police station can be the perfect place to drop off these kinds of customers!”
https://goo.gl/PMeGdh
SOS ( Secretary of State) for Transport. Licks UBERK's Ar*e.
Uber used a private meeting with the transport secretary to push for congestion charges that a senior civil servant warned would hit poorer drivers hardest, records have revealed.
Chris Grayling was also lobbied by the Uber CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, about opening up opportunities in Britain’s public transport network, according to the minutes of a meeting in October, revealed after a freedom of Information request by the Guardian.
The details – which have prompted opposition parties and drivers embroiled in a high-profile legal battle with Uber over workers’ rights to voice concern – have emerged at a time when Uber is preparing the ground for a long awaited initial public offering (IPO).
Under the heading “Future of Uber in the UK”, the minutes reveal that Khosrowshahi lobbied Grayling against the introduction of legal licensed private hire vehicle (PHV) quotas, especially in London, which he described as “an inappropriate market intervention by government”.
He pushed instead for “comprehensive congestion planning” so that vehicles with “less utility” would be “disincentivised” to travel privately. At this point, the minutes state, an official whose name was redacted questioned whether Uber’s preferred model “wouldn’t be regressive and lead to higher costs for the less wealthy”.
The official’s concerns echo those of TfL’s own impact analysis of such a change in congestion planning, which found that private-hire cab drivers would probably end up paying it and that 71% come from designated deprived London neighbourhoods and 94% are from minority ethnic backgrounds.
James Farrar, branch chair of the IWGB United Private Hire Drivers branch and one of the drivers who won an employment tribunal ruling against the company, said: “Uber is cynically proposing a congestion charge knowing full well that drivers on below minimum wage will end up paying it while Uber and its passengers continue to get a free ride.”
Caroline Russell, national transport spokesperson for the Green party and a member of the London assembly’s transport committee, said city streets were more congested as a result of Uber deliberately keeping prices so low that passengers could use the service for “trivial local journeys”.
“There has to be a cap on private hire licences but I also think that congestion charging should not be paid by the driver but by the operator, who can pass it on to passengers if they wish,” she said.
The minutes also state that the transport secretary invited Uber to test new technology in to the UK and was lobbied by the Khosrowshahi about opening up public transport opportunities.
Khosrowshahi, who had flown to London in October to unveil an initiative designed to help Uber drivers buy electric cars, met Grayling and officers from the department on 23 October, days before Uber launched a court challenge to an employment tribunal finding that drivers should be treated as workers rather than self-employed.
The Uber chief, who was identified in the minutes as DK, “spoke about his vision for Uber as a full-scope transport platform, integrating public transport, with dynamic pricing and real-time travel info”.
On the government side, the minutes state, “SoS [the secretary of state, Grayling] expressed excitement for the future of mobility across the UK, and said he was particularly interested in exploring how operators like Uber can open up transport opportunities for smaller towns and rural areas that are less well served by regular public transport. SoS encouraged DK to explore this.
“DK spoke about Uber’s expansion in developing markets, and alternative solutions it is trialling. He said some of these solutions might work in rural UK markets. SoS expressed strong interest in this.”
The shadow transport secretary, Andy McDonald, said: “Chris Grayling’s secret meeting with Uber is concerning given the company’s appalling record on tax, workers’ rights and passenger safety.
“The transport secretary has thrown public transport into crisis and now wants to allow companies like Uber to profit from the chaos, hitting the poorest in society hardest. Successful public transport networks are publicly owned, accountable and run in the public interest – the complete antithesis of Uber.”
Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat chair of the London assembly transport committee, said: “For too long Uber executives have had easy access to 10 Downing Street and government ministers. When they wish to lobby it seems the door to Whitehall is always open to them.”
“I am seriously concerned that at these meetings Uber are seeking to deny the excessive hours that many Uber drivers are forced to work, which put drivers, passengers and other road users at serious risk.”
An Uber spokesperson said: “We want to be a partner to the cities we serve. Over time it’s our goal to help people replace their car with their phone by offering a range of mobility options - whether cars, bikes, or public transport - all in the Uber app.”
A DfT spokesperson said: “The transport secretary met Uber as a significant stakeholder to discuss a number of transport issues – just one of which was the government’s work on the future of mobility grand challenge.
“During this discussion, the transport secretary made it clear that major transport organisations like Uber should be exploring how future technology can benefit and better connect people right across the country.”
source: The Guardian
LONDON
The taxi and private hire (PH) industry in London is ‘enduring systemic adverse impacts’ according to one of the country’s major electronic platforms.
London-based Karhoo makes the claim that taxis are likely to dwindle and potentially disappear in its submission to the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) investigation into taxis and PH.
The headline figures of a large increase in PH numbers in London and claims of being the cause of congestion have obscured what is really happening, the company claims.
With drivers’ wages continuing to decline and the number of PH operators reducing, Karhoo says more needs to be done to ensure the system works better for drivers, passengers and operators most of whom are smaller companies. This could include expanding the role of taxis and PH through technology, the firm suggests.
Karhoo, which has connected with over one million licensed taxis and cars worldwide, called on Transport for London (TfL) to develop objective measures for what “good” looks like in the industry and to identify the causes of decline.
The company argues the transport body should also introduce a regular survey to monitor the health of the industry in areas such as driver pay, journey volumes, growth in demand and profitability. This could then be used to identify the root causes of the problems and make interventions, says Karhoo.
Citing statistics from TfL Karhoo warns applications for the Knowledge of London are reducing significantly. The number of PH driver licence renewals has also moved from steady growth to a noticeable decline.
The submission also calls for greater collaboration across the industry from PH fleets, their representative organisations and the taxi industry and the involvement of technology companies, disability representative groups and consumer and safety groups.
Karhoo’s response said: “The inability to thrive appears to be impacting all sizes of business in all geographies across London……Widespread reports from operators in all sectors concerning the difficulty of recruiting PH drivers underlines this notion.”
“The reduction in the number of candidates to the Knowledge of London candidates suggests that the hardly discernible reduction in Licensed London Taxi Drivers over recent times is likely to accelerate as less people enter the industry given the demographics of this sector.”
“In summary, the taxi and private hire industry appears not to be thriving and is in fact enduring systemic adverse impacts.”
Karhoo Co-CEO Boris Pilichowski said: “It’s no secret that there is massive potential for the taxi and PH sectors to grow. However, changes need to be made to ensure the industry as a whole thrives.
“That can only be done by upholding standards and making sure that certain groups aren’t being exploited. Technology will also have an important part to play.
“That’s why we’ve put forward our submission – to help authorities help drivers, passengers, and smaller firms.”
https://goo.gl/zVazWK
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WAKEFIELD
The High Court has handed down an important ruling relating to the extent to which licensing authorities can include the cost of enforcement activities.
In this case the Wakefield District Private Hire and Hackney Association challenged the fees set by Wakefield City Council in respect of taxi and private hire fees.
Kings Chambers reporting on the case stated: “Mr Rehman brought a claim for Judicial Review against Wakefield’s decision to set licensing fees for the next two years. Following the case of R (on the application of Cummings) v Cardiff City Council [2014] EWHC 2544 (Admin) it is well known that Councils ought to separate out the five streams of taxi licensing (comprising vehicles, drivers and operators), when collecting their licence fees. It is also settled law that there must be no cross subsidy within these streams. Councils must not use the licensing fees as an income generating scheme.
“Against this background, Mr Rehman took issue with the Council’s assignment of enforcement costs relating to drivers to private hire vehicle licence fees which he said did not constitute costs associated with the “control and supervision of vehicles”. This definition is taken from s.70 (2) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. The difficulty confronting all Councils is that the fees for driver’s licences are set pursuant to s.53 of the Act which allows for “such a fee as they consider reasonable with a view to recovering the costs of issue and administration” in relation to the grant of the licence. The conundrum has always been whether the driver’s licence fee covers ongoing driver enforcement.”
The claim for Judicial Review in this case was made in such a way that restricted the Court to an interpretation of s.70(2) only. This approach was resisted by the council seeking a comprehensive resolution to the issue of statutory construction instead however the High Court preferred a narrow approach.
Francis Taylor Building, who represented the taxi association, stated that “His Honour Judge Saffman, sitting as a deputy judge of the High Court, held that the fees charged by Wakefield were unlawful. In particular, the Council had wrongly interpreted section 70 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and had erroneously charged the costs of enforcement against drivers (for speeding, bad parking, dressing inappropriately and a miscellany of uncivil or illegal conduct) to the control and supervision of vehicles. Wakefield’s case had been that the costs were properly accounted for against vehicles because the errant drivers were driving vehicles. The learned judge described that as ‘stretching beyond breaking point’ the language of the section.”
As reported, the case is of wider importance as it dispels any suggestion that there is a general principle of law that licensing regimes should be self-financing.
https://goo.gl/gvNZkD
