Friday 31 August 2018

HACKNEY LONDON

Ultra low emission streets

We are launching 2 zones in the City Fringe that, during peak hours, will be restricted to walking, cycling and low emissions vehicles only (vehicles that emit less than 75g/km of CO2). Petrol, diesel and older hybrid vehicles will not be permitted on the streets during these hours.

These zones, known as ultra low emissions streets, or ULEV streets, will prioritise low pollution transport, reducing the harmful effects of pollution in the City Fringe during commuting hours, making it easier and safer to walk and cycle and improving the character of the area for residents and businesses.

To minimise the disruption to residents and businesses, access to the streets will be maintained outside peak hours.

From Monday 3 September 2018, ULEV streets will be in operation Monday to Friday, 7-10am and 4-7pm.
The ultra low emission streets zones  

Do I need to apply for an exemption?

Existing on-street parking permit holders are exempt

Your vehicle will automatically be added to our list of exempted vehicles and you won't need to apply for an exemption. If you change your vehicle, it's your responsibility to tell us and register a new number plate for the exemption.

If you park off-street or have a motorbike you need to apply for an exemption

You don't need to apply for a parking permit, but you will need to apply free of charge for an exemption for the vehicles registered at your address. This will allow you to drive in the ULEV streets zone when it's closed to other traffic.

https://www.hackney.gov.uk/ulev-streets



Types of traffic exempted from the scheme:
 

* local residents and businesses with on-street car parking permits or an off-street parking space

*   essential vehicles such as police or waste collection vehicles

 *  blue badge holders who need to park at a property within the ULEV Streets Zone



Types of vehicles not exempted from the scheme:

    delivery and service vehicles

    visitor transport, taxis and private hire vehicles

    construction traffic

    general through-traffic

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Comment: If you live in a Major City in the UK and you think this will not happen to you......

You need your Bumps felt. !
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Thursday 30 August 2018

Derby taxi firm 'shocked' at reports cabbies flee city when inspections happen

A Derby taxi firm says it urges its drivers to be open with Derbyshire police and not leave the city when inspections are carried out.

Chads Cars commented after police claimed some city cabbies flee the area when they find out checks are being made.

Officers have said "very serious problems" were found when they inspected taxis in the city on Tuesday night.

As part of their monthly checks on the city's Hackney Carriage and private hire vehicles, Derbyshire Roads Policing Unit stops vehicles at random and assesses their condition.

How we covered the story of last night's Derby taxi inspections

Officers said that, once drivers were aware checks were taking place, there were only a "few cabs left in the city".

A spokesman for Chads Cars, a private hire firm based in Mansfield Road, which operates across the city, said he found that information shocking.

The spokesman said: "I was not aware drivers in Derby are leaving the city and avoiding the area once they are aware inspections are taking place.

"It shocks me to hear that and we are absolutely clear that our drivers should not do that and I don't believe they do.

"My message to our drivers would be 'don't be afraid to get checked'. As long as the checks are being carried out correctly there should not be anything to be worried about."

https://goo.gl/K14QZB

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 TOKYO

 A pilot project has been launched in Tokyo, operating the city’s first autonomous taxi on public roads.

The vehicle has been developed by Tokyo-based robot maker ZMP and is being operated by taxi company Hinomaru Kotsu.

Running on a fixed 5.3km route, starting near Tokyo Station and finishing in the Roppongi entertainment district, the autonomous taxi makes four return trips per day which have to be booked online through a smartphone app. A one-way journey costs 1,500 yen ($13.5).

Tokyo Metropolitan Government is partly financing the project, which will run until 8 September 2018.

The two companies are aiming to begin full commercial operations in 2020; in time for the Tokyo Summer Olympics. There are also plans to operate test drives on a second route later in 2018, connecting the Haneda Airport and central Tokyo.

The vehicles, equipped with sensors, operates under full autonomy – turning, changing lanes and stopping on its own – however a driver is present behind the wheel in case of emergency.

A passenger on the first test run told Kyodo News: “It was such a natural ride that I almost forgot it was a self-driving car.”

It is hoped that autonomous mobility services will help address Tokyo’s shortage of drivers and the increasing demand for taxis. Self-driving vehicles will require the need for a driver, reduce the operating costs associated with taxi services and ease the shortage of public transport services in remote areas.

https://goo.gl/yfqojW


BURY

A TAXI driver was refused a private hire licence after it came to light he had been accused of sexual assault — despite the fact he was later found not guilty of the allegations.

Bury Council chiefs heard how the applicant had been taken to court charged with two counts of sexual assault against a female passenger, who claimed he had touched her intimately without her consent.

The jury at the first trial, held at Manchester Crown Court, could not reach a verdict and the following year he was found not guilty on both counts.

But Bury Council’s licensing and and safety panel found that he was not a fit and proper person to hold a private hire licence.

The details — held by the police — came to light following an enhanced DBS check carried out when the applicant applied to Bury Council for a private hire licence.

Minutes from the meeting state: “Although not convicted, the panel was satisfied that the version of the events provided by Greater Manchester Police was on balance the version that it would accept.

“The complainant had gone through the investigation and two trials and there was no basis upon which to doubt her version of events."

The panel had heard how, in 2015, the applicant had allegedly grabbed the 31-year-old while she was sitting in the back of his taxi, pulled her towards him and touching her intimately without her consent.

She then moved into the front of the vehicle due to feeling scared, but did not go along with the driver’s suggestion of buying some alcohol.

The woman alleged that the driver then tried to kiss and touch her intimately, while telling her she didn’t have to pay for the journey.

And that after persuading him to take her to a fast-food restaurant, she then called a friend to pick her up, and subsequently the reported the incident to the police and taxi firm.

Addressing the licensing panel the applicant admitted agreeing to a £10 fare despite no pre-booking being in place, which is mandatory for private hire drivers.

But he said the woman passenger had jumped into the taxi without waiting for it to stop first, then asked to be taken to the fast-food restaurant so she could use the toilet. Upon arrival her friend appeared.

He then received a phone call from the police the following day regarding the allegations.

The applicant went on to tell the panel that he has been a full-time taxi driver with Manchester Council since 2010 and never had any complaints against him.

He added that he had lived in the UK since 1974 and was hard working with four children and grandchildren to support and it had been “a very stressful time for the whole family”.

He also brought a number of character references to the meeting.

https://goo.gl/9ra4AV
 



Wednesday 29 August 2018

 PAISLEY

 An OAP cabbie who mowed down a man in Paisley town centre after a row at a taxi rank has been banned from driving.

Jim Corbett mounted the kerb in a pink hackney and ran over Christopher Flannigan.

Corbett, 73, denied a charge of dangerous driving but was convicted yesterday following a trial at Paisley Sheriff Court .

Prosecutors claimed he hit Flannigan after the pair began rowing and he “lost the rag.”

Blair Dalgleish, 24, said he climbed into the back of the hackney after a night out with pals – and watched as Corbett hit Flannigan while he was in the car.

He explained: “There was an argument between a taxi driver and a boy.

“As we approached to get in the taxi, we were refused because he thought we were with that boy.

“He let us in when he realised we weren’t. We were sitting in the back and the argument continued between the driver and the boy.

“The driver put his foot on the accelerator.

“The boy jumped out the way.

“He went to drive away, and the boy kicked the passenger side door.

“The taxi mounted the kerb and hit the boy. He hit the ground.

“The taxi reversed and the boy got up. I could see he was hobbling.”

The incident was captured on CCTV and the footage was played to the court, showing the pink cab with Paisley 2021 branding veering towards the lad.

It then circled around and mounted the pavement next to the shelter shortly before 2am on August 28 last year.

https://goo.gl/GLnDZv 

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STOCKPORT

Fifty Stockport licensed private hire vehicles driven by Lynx drivers are being fitted with telematic devices which measure emissions from the vehicles. The devices will also record routes driven which will help identify the best location for the future installation of electric charging points across the borough.

It is hoped that the initiative will show drivers and the taxi operator the potential financial and environmental benefits of converting their cars to less polluting electric vehicles.

Councillor Tom McGee, Stockport Council’s Cabinet Member for Health said:

“We are delighted that Lynx Taxis has shown such enthusiasm for this project and hope that it is a first step on the way to an electric powered taxi fleet in Stockport. Air pollution is an urgent public health issue resulting in the premature deaths of around 2000 people in Greater Manchester alone. Only by working in partnership with business can this serious problem be addressed. ”

Ed Carman from Electric Blue UK said:

“Our EVolve fleet analysis demonstrates the real world economic and environmental benefits of going electric to both drivers and fleet operators, as well as the feasibility of converting to an electric vehicle. We are delighted to be working with Stockport Council and Lynx taxis on this initiative."

Nicola Marshall Account Manager at Lynx Taxis said:

“Lynx Taxis are thrilled to be involved with this project and we are very aware of air pollution issues. Working alongside Electric Blue UK and Stockport Council this situation can be addressed. The interest of our drivers in this initiative has been overwhelming, and we are looking forward to being at the forefront of future change.”

https://goo.gl/tFS7kJ
 


Tuesday 28 August 2018

    New York gig economy under threat as city cracks down on app-based services

    The gig economy is having a bad summer in New York City. New York this month became the first major city to cap the number of cars that companies like Uber and Lyft are allowed to put on the road.


 Just weeks earlier, the city council approved and New York’s mayor, Bill de Blasio, signed a law to crack down on Airbnb, requiring the company to hand over the names and addresses of all its hosts to an enforcement office.

    With the one-two punch, New York has jumped to the forefront of a push in cities around the world to clamp down on the app-based companies that are now among the biggest players in the transportation and lodging markets. “What we did should at least make it clear to other cities that commonsense regulation is possible,” said Corey Johnson, the city council speaker who made the tech company crackdowns among his first high-profile legislative pushes.

    Each app presented its own set of challenges for city officials in New York – and each mounted a fierce but failed bid to stop the new rules. Uber flexed its political muscle in 2015 and was able to beat back a similar effort to impose a cap, which collapsed after a public lobbying blitz by the company.


 This time around, the company again argued that a cap would drive up prices and make it harder to get a ride in the city’s outer boroughs where transportation options are more sparse than in Manhattan – asking its customers to contact their representatives with the message: “URGENT: Your ride is at risk.” And it enlisted civil rights leaders to make the case that ride hailing was essential for black New Yorkers, who have faced discrimination from the city’s yellow cabs. The legislation, which puts a cap in place for one year, quickly passed anyway.

    The number of cars plying the congested streets has exploded – to 113,000 licensed for hire vehicles as of 14 August, when the cap took effect, up from fewer than 47,000 at the beginning of 2014.


 The turn to e-hailing clobbered the city’s well-known yellow cabs, with some drivers buried in debt from medallions which have plunged in value. Six drivers have killed themselves in less than a year. “You don’t understand how bad it is,” said yellow cab driver Abraham Lobe, a member of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. He said that once, a driver could make $200 in a single morning or evening rush hour. Now, it’s less than $50.

    In addition to the cap on licenses for hire vehicles, another law will establish minimum earnings for app drivers – requiring the companies to make up the difference if drivers don’t make enough from fares.

https://goo.gl/A9mwPy

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 NEWCASTLE

   Another taxi driver demonstration caused congestion in Newcastle city centre

Motorists in Newcastle city centre faced disruption after a second day of action by some taxi drivers.

Taxis descended on the same rank between Haymarket and Eldon Square on Tuesday, creating congestion in the area, with buses struggling to access the bus station.

The disruption follows Thursday’s widespread traffic chaos, organised by the newly-formed Newcastle Hackney Carriage Driver Association (NHCDA) which intends to raise awareness about a number of issues for drivers in the city.

 According to organisers, who dubbed it a ‘Go to Work Day’, the action is being arranged to highlight the lack of rank spaces in Newcastle .

On Thursday buses were stuck in traffic for an hour and at one point all services were told to avoid the area altogether, throwing timetables into disarray and leaving passengers lining up.

Speaking after last week’s action, Newcastle councillor Arlene Ainsley, cabinet member for transport and air quality, said: “We have been working closely with representatives from the newly formed Newcastle Hackney Drivers Association to identify new rank spaces across the city, along with improved signage.

“It is unfortunate that rather than continuing to engage with us through this new representative group they have instead resorted to an unofficial protest causing disruption to the city centre impacting on the journey of hundreds of road users.

“I recognise the Hackney carriage drivers are concerned by the number of licenses being granted to private hire operators but this has been seen in cities across the country because by law, local authorities are not able to impose a cap on the number of licences we issue.

“The council regards taxis to be an essential part of our public transport offer in the city.

“We are keen to work with the taxi trade to develop locations that work in the best interests of all road users and the city’s plans to improve air quality.

“We would encourage the association to continue to engage with us and take productive steps to improve the situation.”

https://goo.gl/5LveBn 

 





Monday 27 August 2018

MyTaxi Launch in Oxford

PASSENGERS will be able to hail black cabs in the city via an app for the first time from today.

The rapidly expanding mytaxi service has picked Oxford as its latest launch destination as the local transport system increasingly moves online.

But the world's most popular taxi-hailing app, Uber, has abandoned plans to set up in the city - despite widespread interest from residents.

And existing taxi firms have cast doubt on the ability of an online-only service to be successful, saying customers still value having someone at the end of the phone.

Mytaxi bills itself as 'Europe's largest taxi app' and says it works with existing black cab drivers to provide pick-ups within five minutes of hailing.

It is designed so drivers can balance online work while also still being available to be hailed from the road-side.

Oxford is the sixth UK city this year where the firm has launched and initially it will work with 100 drivers.

Spokesman David Savage said interest from residents and support from Oxford City Council convinced bosses the time was right.

He believes the app has the potential to transform the way people in Oxford take black cabs. It follows on the back of the launch of Oxford Bus Company's 'Pick-me-up' app earlier this year.

He said: "Licensed taxi drivers are often self-employed and this is about supporting them so they can compete.

"With our app they can go from one job to another, rather than wasting petrol trying to find work.

"We work very closely with our drivers and within the rules and regulations of a city.

"It's a very very different approach to the likes of Uber and we have actually been around for longer than them.

"What has been most heartening is the feedback from drivers - we want to help build their business, not cannibalise it."

Oxford's taxi firms have long feared that the introduction of an app-based cab service with its own fleet of drivers, such as Uber, could decimate business as it has done in other parts of the UK.

The Silicon Valley giant now has more than three million drivers worldwide and had applied for a licence to operate in Oxford after 50,000 people in the city tried to use its app.

After this application lapsed in July 2016, the city was still said to be on the company's agenda late last year.

But when asked by the Oxford Mail, a spokesman said it now has 'no plans' to operate here in the near future.

Some taxi drivers have welcomed the introduction of mytaxi, saying it represents much-needed investment in the industry.

Majahid Butt, who has driven cabs in Oxford for five years and has become an ambassador for the app, said he saw it as an 'exciting prospect'.

He added: "Not only does it give us the opportunity to continue to operate with street hails, it also gives us access to a readily available customers base who can book on demand.

"It’s brilliant to still see such an investment in the local knowledge and skills of licensed taxi drivers within Oxford .”

But the secretary of The City of Oxford Licensed Taxicab Association (COLTA), Sajad Khan, said he wouldn't be signing up just yet.

He said: "We all recognise the need to modernise and clearly an app-based system is the way to go to make it as easy as possible for customers.

"But this is a national app and we would like to see something more specifically geared to the needs of Oxford's drivers that we can have more control over."

Oz Khan, the business development director for Royal Cars, said he welcomed the competition but questioned whether an app-only service would find success in the city.

He said: "We have offered our customers an option to book via an app for a long time and now around 50 per cent of our business comes in through our automated booking services.

"But we will always have people on the end of the phone in Oxford to be there when our customers need us.

"Lots of people still want to talk to someone at the end of the phone and, as a local company, we like to build those relationships.

"We want people to be able to use our service in whatever way suits them."

The mytaxi app is now available to download and customers can use it to hail taxis from today.

The company is offering 50 per cent off all trips in Oxford until the end of September.

Alex Hollingsworth, board member for planning and transport at Oxford City Council, said the council had been working with mytaxi to ensure it complies with all licensing criteria and processes.

https://goo.gl/2g6pRJ

Thursday 23 August 2018

LIVERPOOL ANOTHER DELTA SEX OFFENDER

Terrified female student cried silently while being sexually assaulted by Delta taxi driver who filmed attack

"She was petrified and believed she was going to be raped... the only thing she could think of doing was pretending she was still asleep"

Terrified female student cried silently while being sexually assaulted by Delta taxi driver who filmed attack

"She was petrified and believed she was going to be raped... the only thing she could think of doing was pretending she was still asleep"

A terrified female student told how she cried silently and pretended to be asleep while she was being sexually assaulted by a depraved taxi driver.

Delta private hire worker Felix Chan, 35, thought he had got away with groping one young woman when he wasn't charged by police.

The married dad-of-two then targeted a second victim, taking sickening video and pictures of her naked body before she woke up and pretended to be asleep.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Chan first struck after picking up three young students in Liverpool city centre one night last year.

The 19-year-old victim was sick and he demanded £70 for cleaning his car, before arriving at her shared accommodation.

He followed her into the building and up a staircase, then suddenly put a hand up her skirt, when she was not wearing underwear.

Terrified female student cried silently while being sexually assaulted by Delta taxi driver who filmed attack

"She was petrified and believed she was going to be raped... the only thing she could think of doing was pretending she was still asleep"

A terrified female student told how she cried silently and pretended to be asleep while she was being sexually assaulted by a depraved taxi driver.

Delta private hire worker Felix Chan, 35, thought he had got away with groping one young woman when he wasn't charged by police.

The married dad-of-two then targeted a second victim, taking sickening video and pictures of her naked body before she woke up and pretended to be asleep.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Chan first struck after picking up three young students in Liverpool city centre one night last year.

The 19-year-old victim was sick and he demanded £70 for cleaning his car, before arriving at her shared accommodation.

He followed her into the building and up a staircase, then suddenly put a hand up her skirt, when she was not wearing underwear.

The woman feared for her friend still in his car, so ran outside and took photos of the taxi on her mobile phone, before calling police.

When arrested the next day, Chan claimed his hand may have gone up her skirt when she went to fall and he tried to stop her.

He was not charged until after a second incident this year, when he targeted a 20-year-old woman, who was "very drunk".

The student became separated from her friends on a night out in Liverpool, who went back to Warrington without her.

She was upset and got in Chan's taxi while messaging friends on WhatsApp and asked him to take her to a location.

Chan did not do this and she messaged her friends saying "he is feeling me up" and "what the F am I supposed to do".

He demanded money up front to take her home and took her to two cashpoints, before turning off her GPS for 47 minutes.

Terrified female student cried silently while being sexually assaulted by Delta taxi driver who filmed attack

"She was petrified and believed she was going to be raped... the only thing she could think of doing was pretending she was still asleep"

A terrified female student told how she cried silently and pretended to be asleep while she was being sexually assaulted by a depraved taxi driver.

Delta private hire worker Felix Chan, 35, thought he had got away with groping one young woman when he wasn't charged by police.

The married dad-of-two then targeted a second victim, taking sickening video and pictures of her naked body before she woke up and pretended to be asleep.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Chan first struck after picking up three young students in Liverpool city centre one night last year.

The 19-year-old victim was sick and he demanded £70 for cleaning his car, before arriving at her shared accommodation.

He followed her into the building and up a staircase, then suddenly put a hand up her skirt, when she was not wearing underwear.

The woman feared for her friend still in his car, so ran outside and took photos of the taxi on her mobile phone, before calling police.

When arrested the next day, Chan claimed his hand may have gone up her skirt when she went to fall and he tried to stop her.

He was not charged until after a second incident this year, when he targeted a 20-year-old woman, who was "very drunk".

The student became separated from her friends on a night out in Liverpool, who went back to Warrington without her.

She was upset and got in Chan's taxi while messaging friends on WhatsApp and asked him to take her to a location.

Chan did not do this and she messaged her friends saying "he is feeling me up" and "what the F am I supposed to do".

He demanded money up front to take her home and took her to two cashpoints, before turning off her GPS for 47 minutes.

The victim sent further messages saying "he won't stop touching me up" and "he says I can't pay so he has to".

A friend rang the victim who said Chan was touching her, before he took the phone and said "don't worry I will take care of her".

Deborah Gould, prosecuting, said the woman fell asleep and Chan's GPS showed he took her to .

She said: "That was the opportunity he took to sexually assault her and take footage of her on his mobile phone."

The woman woke up while being assaulted but was "too terrified to say or do anything, froze and pretended to be asleep".

He asked if she was okay but the woman said she didn't respond and was "crying silently with tears rolling down her face".

Chan took her home, but stopped again at a bus stop nearby, where he molested her and filmed her genitalia.

Ms Gould said: "She was petrified and believed she was going to be raped.

Terrified female student cried silently while being sexually assaulted by Delta taxi driver who filmed attack

"She was petrified and believed she was going to be raped... the only thing she could think of doing was pretending she was still asleep"

A terrified female student told how she cried silently and pretended to be asleep while she was being sexually assaulted by a depraved taxi driver.

Delta private hire worker Felix Chan, 35, thought he had got away with groping one young woman when he wasn't charged by police.

The married dad-of-two then targeted a second victim, taking sickening video and pictures of her naked body before she woke up and pretended to be asleep.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Chan first struck after picking up three young students in Liverpool city centre one night last year.

The 19-year-old victim was sick and he demanded £70 for cleaning his car, before arriving at her shared accommodation.

He followed her into the building and up a staircase, then suddenly put a hand up her skirt, when she was not wearing underwear.

The woman feared for her friend still in his car, so ran outside and took photos of the taxi on her mobile phone, before calling police.

When arrested the next day, Chan claimed his hand may have gone up her skirt when she went to fall and he tried to stop her.

He was not charged until after a second incident this year, when he targeted a 20-year-old woman, who was "very drunk".

The student became separated from her friends on a night out in Liverpool, who went back to Warrington without her.

She was upset and got in Chan's taxi while messaging friends on WhatsApp and asked him to take her to a location.

Chan did not do this and she messaged her friends saying "he is feeling me up" and "what the F am I supposed to do".

He demanded money up front to take her home and took her to two cashpoints, before turning off her GPS for 47 minutes.

The victim sent further messages saying "he won't stop touching me up" and "he says I can't pay so he has to".

A friend rang the victim who said Chan was touching her, before he took the phone and said "don't worry I will take care of her".

Deborah Gould, prosecuting, said the woman fell asleep and Chan's GPS showed he took her to .

She said: "That was the opportunity he took to sexually assault her and take footage of her on his mobile phone."

The woman woke up while being assaulted but was "too terrified to say or do anything, froze and pretended to be asleep".

He asked if she was okay but the woman said she didn't respond and was "crying silently with tears rolling down her face".

Chan took her home, but stopped again at a bus stop nearby, where he molested her and filmed her genitalia.

Ms Gould said: "She was petrified and believed she was going to be raped.

"The only thing she could think of doing was pretending she was still asleep."

The victim gave a neighbour's address because Chan insisted on walking her to the door.

Her parents found her distraught and called police, who later identified Chan on CCTV from the ATMs.

Officers arrested him at his home in Maidstone Close, Hunts Cross, where they recovered his mobile phone.

The first woman had mental health problems and said the ordeal made them even worse, leading to suicidal thoughts.

She could not walk in public or use public transport for fear of Chan seeing her and received medication and counselling.

The second woman suffered panic attacks and sleepless nights, was too scared to apply for a job in Liverpool and had counselling.

Chan, of no fixed address, admitted three counts of sexual assault and one of assault by penetration.

https://goo.gl/KUqaPF 

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Newcastle taxi drivers brought roads to a standstill on Thursday, August 23 when they launched a protest in the city centre.

A huge amount of cars descended on the same rank between Haymarket and Eldon Square at the same time, creating serious congestion in the area.

It was organised by the newly-formed Newcastle Hackney Carriage Driver Association (NHCDA) and intended to raise awareness about a number of issues for drivers in the city.

This is an issue which looks set to run and run with the possibility of further disruption so, for full transparency, here’s why drivers say they are angry.

After the protest, the NHCDA sent a statement to ChronicleLive which we are publishing below in full.

“The Newcastle Hackney carriage Drivers Association, the main body representing the city’s hackney carriage trade, has decided to exercise the right of all hackney carriage drivers by having a Go to Work Day to highlight the difficulties of having insufficient rank spaces within the city centre.

“The hackney carriage trade has suffered serious setbacks as a direct result of Newcastle City Council removing ranks without prior consultation or involvement from drivers.

“The recent closure of the taxi rank at The Gate, in particular, has created substantial difficulties for hackney carriage vehicles to move around the city and this is further exacerbated by limited or restricted access through bus lanes and gates.

“This, together with the historic closure of ranks, has caused an accumulation of problems and the hackney carriage industry feels that essential driving routes, whilst transporting members of the public, have become complicated and with increased fares, and therefore not in the interests of public safety or convenience.

“Hackney carriage drivers are keen to address the problems of insufficient rank spaces provided by Newcastle City Council.

“The difficulties of finding spaces which are accessible to members of the public, particularly at weekends, has a direct effect on traffic congestion and traffic flow.

“This is also impacted by the numbers of private hire vehicles which illegally park up and ply for hire preventing the hackney carriage trade from legally working.

“The numbers of private hire licences issued by the Licensing Department have increased threefold in as many years due to reductions in the criteria for issuing private hire licences.

“The city centre, at weekends, is flooded with private hire drivers accepting non pre-booked work and whilst there may be difficulties managing and policing this, the hackney carriage industry firmly believe it is the responsibility of the local authority to prevent this from occurring.

“The resulting issues with traffic congestion, public safety, air quality and pollution, which are known agendas for Newcastle City Council, should be tied in with their licensing policies and practices, otherwise their members are being counter-productive.

“Whilst the hackney carriage industry recognises and welcomes Newcastle City Council’s plan to further pedestrianise the city centre and increase access to shopping, leisure and tourism, drivers want members of the public to be aware of and able to use a Black Cab as an official emblem of the city and an integral part of the city centre’s transport system.”
Newcastle City Council statement

Councillor Arlene Ainsley, cabinet member for transport and air quality, said: “We have been working closely with representatives from the newly formed Newcastle Hackney Drivers Association to identify new rank spaces across the city, along with improved signage.

“It is unfortunate that rather than continuing to engage with us through this new representative group they have instead resorted to an unofficial protest causing disruption to the city centre impacting on the journey of hundreds of road users.

https://goo.gl/5BtDLy 

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Wednesday 22 August 2018

WIGAN

A representative of Wigan drivers says a proposed major shake-up of taxi services “sounds good on paper” but has urged authority bosses to deliver on the detail.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham recently revealed plans to make taxis safer, greener and subject to more consistent licensing regulations.

A public consultation is under way with proposals including a suggestion to make vehicles more distinctive, with New York’s yellow cabs as a blueprint.

Charles Oakes, borough representative for the Hackney Drivers Association, said colleagues would welcome the principles behind the move but will wait for further details on how it would be implemented.

He said: “I don’t think you’ll find a taxi driver that is against it in terms of the big objectives but there are concerns about it.

“The issue from the trade here is from town to town and city to city there’s a vast gap with the policies and drivers come to us and say ‘why can’t we have that, and they can?’ In that sense it’s good.”

“But are we getting all 10 councils to sign up to it? Are we going to have the odd one not supporting it? There’s a lot of questions that need answering,” he added.

The reforms could see standardised rules for drivers themselves, as well as operators, vehicles and enforcement practices.

This could include tougher thresholds around driver qualifications and prior convictions, as well as on the age and emissions levels of individual vehicles.

Mr Burnham said he is calling on ministers to close a loophole which currently allows private hire drivers to operate in GM despite being licensed in other areas with ‘less stringent standards’.

Each council in GM’s 10 districts will consult with taxi and private hire operators and drivers later this year on the introduction of region-wide minimum standards.

And members of the public are being urged to take part in a Transport for Greater Manchester survey about current services.

Mr Oakes said: “My position is we’ll support anything on the grounds of safety. If that’s what they want, we’ll support that and make it fair for everybody.

“There is a proportion of drivers in this trade that shouldn’t be in this trade as they’re just here for what they can get and spoil it for the vast majority who are there to give a good service and earn a living.

“The proof of the pudding is in the eating, let’s see what they come up with. We don’t think it should be different across different authorities.”

On the prospect of common livery for vehicles across GM to make them more distinctive, Mr Oakes – a taxi driver of more than 30 years experience – voiced concerns about the cost.

He said: “I can understand it but don’t forget black or white is a premium colour and you pay dearly for that.

“I hope they’re sensible about it because it could put a lot of cost on drivers.

“I think, if they want that, and existing drivers have to change then (the authorities) pay for it. New applications are different.”

https://goo.gl/kTsTVX 

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

 EIRE ..."Let Him Eat His Toast"

 Bus Éireann has been ordered to pay €5,000 to an autistic teenager who was barred from eating toast in his taxi to school.

The Workplace Relations Commission found that the company discriminated against the 16-year-old pupil on the grounds of his disability.

Gerry Rooney, a commission adjudication officer, ordered Bus Éireann to pay the compensation and consult his family about his transport needs.

The boy has autism with severely impaired social interaction and communication skills.

The parents said that their son would have his breakfast in the taxi to school due to his dietary requirements. The meal consisted of a slice of toast, a banana and fruit juice.

https://goo.gl/SXgzXA 





 LONDON 'ELECTRIC AVENUES'

Petrol and diesel cars will be fined on city centre streets for the first time as part of the toughest restrictions yet on polluting vehicles.

Within the next two weeks, motorists will have to pay £130 for driving any car other than electric and hybrid models on nine streets in London during peak times. The measures are being introduced by Hackney and Islington councils on September 3, just as the school year starts.

The City of London Corporation is considering imposing similar measures in the Square Mile, the main financial district. Access to one street will be limited to ultra-low emission vehicles from April next year as part of a trial scheme which could then be expanded, it was announced.

The measures are a step up from the tough approach of Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, who introduced a £10-a-day “toxicity charge” for owners of older petrol and diesel vehicles driving into the centre of the capital earlier this year.

Last night, motoring groups welcomed policies to improve air quality but warned that “ad hoc” measures could confuse drivers and lead to more and more fines.

There are serious concerns about the damage caused by polluting vehicles to air quality in built-up areas. An estimated 40,000 premature deaths a year in the UK are caused by air pollution, including emissions from diesel and petrol vehicles.

Councils in several areas have introduced fines for leaving engines running unnecessarily by the roadside and others charge motorists to drive to work. Some London councils charge diesel car owners more for residential parking permits and others have imposed higher diesel fees for on-street parking bays.

The nine roads in London that are becoming ultra-low emission zones are all close to the busy Old Street roundabout. Any car that emits more than 75g of CO2 per kilometre — all petrol and diesel models — will be banned between 7am and 10am and then between 4pm and 7pm during week days.

Streets will be policed by automatic number plate recognition cameras and owners of non-compliant cars spotted driving in the area during peak times will be handed a £130 penalty notice, which will be reduced if paid early.

Feryal Demirci, Hackney council’s cabinet member for transport, said that the policy would “reclaim the streets from polluting petrol and diesel vehicles, and improve the area for thousands of people every day”.

The City of London will test similar measures at the southern end of Moor Lane in the Square Mile from April. A spokesman said there would be a feasibility study and public consultation before the test. “We will carefully consider the results of the pilot scheme and use the outcomes to inform any future proposals for other areas of the Square Mile,” he said.

Edmund King, president of the AA, said the number of different pollution measures being introduced across the country risked causing mass confusion for drivers, meaning that many would get fined.

“There needs to be leadership on this issue,” he said. “This is going to be incredibly confusing for drivers who will be charged different amounts for driving in different parts of the country. We must have a more concerted policy rather than the ad hoc measures we’re currently seeing.”

Source: The Times
.





Saturday 18 August 2018

 GREATER MANCHESTER CHARGING CLEAN AIR ZONE

Greater Manchester is expected to bring forward its proposals for addressing air pollution in the city region in the coming weeks, elected members heard yesterday (16 August).

At a meeting of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Planning, Housing & Environment Committee, officials were presented with an update on the Greater Manchester Clean Air plan, which is being overseen by Transport for Greater Manchester.

TfGM is leading the development of the plan on behalf of seven of the ten Greater Manchester authorities who were named within the government’s NO2 plan as being required to act to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions. A finalised Clean Air Plans is due to be presented before the end of the year.

Papers released ahead of yesterday’s meeting indicate that options under consideration for the city region include the potential for a charging Clean Air Zone.

But, any potential charges would only to apply to private-hire vehicles, buses and HGVs, with the Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, having previously ruled out a charge for private car drivers (see airqualitynews.com story).





Other measures included in a shortlist shown to members include the potential for a workplace parking levy to encourage commuters to use public transport, increased public transport capacity, retrofit of the existing public transport and local authority fleets and incentivising an increased uptake of electric vehicles in the region.

In the update to members yesterday, TfGM noted that initial data of NO2 exceedances across the local authority areas has been submitted to Defra, which will shortly report back with specific requirements for emissions reductions required across the region.

Once this ‘target determination’ has been completed – likely to be this month – the Greater Manchester air quality steering group, will assess which options are likely to bring about the required reduction in NO2 levels demanded by government.

The papers note: “As government has identified charge-based Clean Air Zones as the benchmark measure, the modelling process used to identify a preferred option to achieve compliance in the shortest possible time in GM is required to focus on this measure first. The Steering Group members will brief senior officers and elected members within their organisations on the options for achieving compliance.”

Officers will model which of these measures is likely to bring about compliance within the shortest possible time, before submitting a business case to government later this year. The proposals will be subject to the ‘relevant GM-level governance’, the papers indicate.
Public awareness

Members also heard that a programme of public awareness around air quality issues affecting the region is also under development.

This is expected commence during early autumn 2018 to ‘build greater public awareness and understanding of the GM air quality issue and associated impacts’.

Under the identity of ‘Clean Air Greater Manchester’, “this would build on past public engagement activity – e.g. Clean Air Day – and aim to educate key audiences about air pollution, the health impacts, and what they can do to make a difference,” members were told.

https://goo.gl/5V8WdW 


 

Wednesday 15 August 2018

 SUNDERLAND SSSSSNAKE !




https://goo.gl/xvK7Qh

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

 The London mayor is seeking powers to limit the number of Uber drivers operating in the capital, blaming a surge in private hire drivers for the city’s increasing congestion and pollution.

Sadiq Khan said a cap on new licences was an urgent and necessary step. But unlike New York, which announced a cap last week, he is unable to impose restrictions.

Khan urged the government to grant him powers to limit the “unsustainable rise” in drivers to “enable Londoners, like New Yorkers, to breathe better air and live in a less congested city”.

On Tuesday, New York City – Uber’s largest American market – signed into law a one-year moratorium on new licences for vehicles used for ride-hailing services, effectively capping the number of Uber drivers in the city, and also setting a minimum wage for app-based drivers.

The number of licensed private hire drivers in London has almost doubled in less than a decade, from 59,000 in 2009-10 to 114,000 in 2017-18, while the number of black-cab drivers has fallen from 25,000 to just under 24,000.

About 45,000 drivers work for Uber in London, according to the company. Khan said drivers’ livelihoods had also been affected by the rise in numbers.

Uber recently won a 15-month licence to continue operating in London, after its attempt to renew a five-year licence was refused by Transport for London last September.

https://goo.gl/cNy4o2 

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

UBERK CUT LOSSES TO A MERE $300 MILLION A MONTH

Just over a year after Travis Kalanick was ousted as chief executive of Uber, the ride-hailing company released new financial results that showed continued growth and narrowing losses as it advances toward an initial public offering.

On Wednesday, Uber posted a loss of $891 million for the second quarter, compared with a loss of more than $1 billion during the same period a year earlier. The company took in $12.01 billion in gross bookings in the quarter — or the amount of passenger fares and food delivery fees — up 41 percent from a year ago. After paying out fees to drivers, revenue was $2.7 billion. When Uber turned a profit last quarter because it offloaded businesses in Russia and Southeast Asia, it cautioned that that bump would not last because it planned to reinvest the money.

Uber is not required to disclose earnings because it is privately held, but it has made a habit of publicly releasing its numbers. Investors are closely scrutinizing Uber’s financials because the company is one of the world’s most highly valued private firms, at $62 billion, and is preparing to go public by the end of 2019. Its I.P.O. is expected to be one of the biggest ever for a tech company.

https://goo.gl/kPvLhE 

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

 SUNDERLAND 

  A TAXI driver jailed for sexually assaulting a child has been told he can continue working – at a meeting held behind closed doors.

Sandwell councillors allowed the unnamed man to continue driving despite guidelines recommending people convicted for sex offences be barred from holding a private hire licence.

Members of the licensing subcommittee made the decision at its meeting in July from which the public and press were excluded.

Minutes of the meeting released this week only refer to the driver as ‘Mr S G’ and exclude any information which identifies him.

The secrecy surrounding the decision has been criticised by the chairman of the West Midlands Private Hire Drivers Association (WPHDA), who called for committees to be open to the public.

The conviction for sexual assault was revealed when councillors reviewed Mr S G’s license.

They were told in November 1999, he was convicted of indecent assault on a female under 14 and was jailed for three months by Warley Magistrates.

Speaking at the committee, Mr S G said he was at a fun fair and had sat next to a young girl.

Denying he touched her, he said the child reported him to the police and he was charged.

After adjourning to take legal advice, councillors decided to allow him to keep his licence and “warn Mr S G in respect of his conduct and the effect any further problems may have on his licence”.
More articles

The minutes also show the committee’s decision to depart from guidelines on sexual offences was “due to the length of time that had lapsed since the conviction, his good driving record and good character”.

Adding: “Mr S G had held a licence for 12 years and had not received any further convictions.”

But Raheel Shah, chairman of WPHDA, has criticised the decision and the secrecy surrounding it.

“No one with a conviction for sexual assault should be given a taxi licence, “ he said.

“I think meetings of this kind should be open so the public can see what is going on.”

In a statement, Sandwell Council admitted it knew of Mr S G’s conviction when they originally issued him a licence in 2007.

Explaining it’s decision, a spokesman said:  “Sandwell’s private hire and hackney carriage licensing policy, introduced in October 2017, requires existing licence holders who committed a serious offence in the past who have been previously licensed by the committee or officers or court to appear before the committee to consider whether or not their licence should be revoked.

“The licensing committee will consider each case on its merits and take into account the length of time that has elapsed since the conviction and the drivers conduct and the length of time the licence holder has held a licence.

“The public and press are excluded from the hearing of individual cases. This is to avoid the possible disclosure of exempt information under Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, relating to an individual and or information relating to any action taken or to be taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime.

“The private hire and hackney carriage licensing regime, governed by the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, does not provide the public with any opportunity to object to the licensing of a driver upon application or review of a licence and it does not provide the licensing authority with the power to consider such objections.

“The licensing authority can and does consider complaints about individual drivers and operators from any member of the public about the service that they have received or any other reasonable concerns and will take action where appropriate.”

https://goo.gl/JChfQh 






 


 

Tuesday 14 August 2018

 STOKE

Taxi driver Shakeel Abbas has been jailed after he stole £13,000 from a vulnerable customer.

The 37-year-old befriended his victim after collecting him from hospital and taking him to his Uttoxeter home.

He became the man’s regular taxi driver and the victim divulged that his parents had died and left him a lot of money.

During the next three months the defendant persuaded his victim to lend him various amounts of money which totalled £13,000.

Now Abbas has been jailed for 14 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

Prosecutor Nigel Stelling said the victim was vulnerable and suffered from depression and other mental health difficulties after his parents died.

He was admitted to hospital after taking an overdose and he called a taxi when he was discharged.

Mr Stelling said: “The defendant was the driver. It seems the man continued to use the defendant for his journeys thereafter.

“At one point, possibly on the first journey, he divulged his parents had died and he had inherited a substantial amount of money. The defendant took advantage of the situation and asked the man to lend him various amounts of money."

The theft came to light when social services visited the man and he said he could not afford cleaners.

Abbas, of Park Street, Burton, pleaded guilty to theft.

Stephen Hennessey, mitigating, said the defendant had a gambling addiction but has now registered himself on a national database and signed documentation so he is subject to a lifetime ban in all casinos and gambling establishments in the UK.

Mr Hennessey asked for Abbas to be given a suspended sentence so he can continue to address his gambling addiction and be in a position to pay compensation.

But Judge David Fletcher said the offending had to be met with an immediate jail sentence.


Judge Fletcher told Abbas: “This was a deeply unattractive offence of theft because it appears you deliberately utilised your status as a taxi driver and involved yourself with someone who was vulnerable.

"Over the period of about three months, in the knowledge he had lost his parents and been left their life savings, you systematically divested him of all that money. Not a brass farthing has been paid back to him.

“There is no doubt this was targeting of a victim. You abused your position as a taxi driver appallingly.”

https://goo.gl/X5P4bT 


-------------------------------------------
LEEDS

Taxi drivers have warned they could boycott picking passengers up from Leeds Festival after they were left queuing in traffic jams last year.

The festival is again being held in Bramham Park from 24-26 August, about 11 miles (18km) from the city centre.

Taxis now have to use the public entrance and face heavier traffic after new plans were introduced last year.

Melvin Benn, of organisers Festival Republic, said: "We are very comfortable with the transport plan."

Leeds city councillors discussed traffic and parking arrangements for the music festival at a meeting, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Between 2008 and 2016, taxis picked up festival-goers using a public transport entrance, accessible via the A1, said taxi drivers.

Now taxis and private hire vehicles access the site via the red gate, only accessible on the A64 York Road.

Mike Utting, from the Leeds Hackney Carriage Association, said: "We have a living to earn, and we don't want to be stuck in a traffic jam for three hours.

"We are not happy about it at all."

Andy Howard, from Streamline Telecabs, said: "We may find that a lot of drivers just won't go up."

In a letter to councillors, the association stated some drivers took up to 90 minutes to leave the festival grounds and journeys back into Leeds ended up costing £40, about double the normal fare.

A report said some delays in 2017 were due to poor communications between organisers and drivers.

Mr Benn told the meeting: "We have built on last year's traffic plan - there is a change around the taxis so we get a drop off for parents and family members, and a pick up more or less in the same area as the taxis."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-45186661
 


MyTaxi Sacks Whistleblower


Earlier this year, the flaws in the MyTaxi app passed before my inspection: it was possible for someone with multiple convictions to get on to their system, to the point of receiving a statement of earnings. But, it seems, MyTaxi is not for listening to those pointing out problems with this app. And one cabby found recently that his insistence on observing regulations meant being sacked from the platform altogether.

Chris Johnson pointed out that MyTaxi was offering app jobs to drivers outside the Greater London area - drivers could lose their licence if TfL concluded that the driver was plying for hire using the app. He asked if drivers were plying for hire on the app, or if an instant hire was a pre-booking (drivers can accept a pre-booking anywhere in England and Wales, but can only ply in their licensed area). He received no reply.

His TfL Taxi licence expired on the MyTaxi system, although he had renewed with TfL. But MyTaxi were sending him instant app jobs on an expired licence, so he complained that this was a public safety risk, as revoked drivers could still operate on MyTaxi on a potential expired TfL licence. No word from MyTaxi.

These are basic safety and regulation issues. And it gets worse.

MyTaxi tells the driver to charge a minimum fare of £10 at certain times of the day, but taxi drivers are not allowed to charge more than the metered fare - as it is an offence. Johnson explained to MyTaxi that MyTaxi could charge the customer more than the metered fare but that would mean that they are the principal in the contract, making him potentially a worker for them. Still no word from MyTaxi.

Johnson blew the whistle on MyTaxi after they persistently declined to engage with him. As he points out, MyTaxi could be benefitting from the proceeds of crime, if drivers were illegally plying on the app outside of their licensed area. After all, MyTaxi would have been facilitating that - so not only would drivers be committing an offence, but MyTaxi would have facilitated the offence and benefited from the proceeds of crime - as they charge a 10% procurement fee. These are all questions that need answering.

But instead of answering and engaging, MyTaxi terminated Johnson’s presence on their platform - allegedly for whistleblowing. The thought enters that the difference between MyTaxi and driver and rider matching service Uber is not so great. Chris Johnson is therefore taking action, and taking out an employment tribunal case.

Playing by the rules, and observing regulations put in place for the protection of both drivers and passengers, should not be a matter for dispute. Not doing so is, after all, what caused TfL to revoke Uber’s London operating licence. And knowing that everyone is playing by the rules is all that Chris Johnson is looking to do.

He is now looking for a pro bono lawyer to support him. And he is not alone in expressing concern at MyTaxi’s behaviour. We all want to see a safe taxi service, that operates in accordance with the law. And for TfL to do its job. That is all.


Source: Zelo Street

Monday 13 August 2018






CLAIM LAUNCHED AGAINST MYTAXI LONDON




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

OXFORD

 A WOMAN was sexually assaulted by a ‘taxi driver’ as he drove her home through Oxford in the early morning.

The 25-year-old got into the car – which she thought was a taxi – with a man in Speedwell Street between 3am and 4am on Sunday, August 5.

The man who accompanied her for the first part of the journey got out of the car near Morrell Avenue, before the woman continued on alone with the driver, who then sexually assaulted over her clothing.

The vehicle had travelled through St Clements, Morrell Avenue, and onto Cowley Road.

The offender is a white man with olive skin, approximately 5ft 5ins, of medium build and bald. He was wearing a blue T-shirt.

 The vehicle is described as a dark-coloured five-door saloon car.

Thames Valley Police is trying to trace the male who accompanied the woman in the car Investigating officer PC Sarah Williams, based at Cowley police station, added: “I would also like to speak to anyone who saw the woman get in to the vehicle in Speedwell Street in the early hours of Sunday, August 5.

"We are working to establish whether the vehicle, which appeared to be a taxi, was indeed a taxi and are keeping an open mind.

“We are also offering support to the victim following this distressing incident.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the 24-hour Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101 quoting the reference 43180239217 or call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

 The vehicle is described as a dark-coloured five-door saloon car.

Thames Valley Police is trying to trace the male who accompanied the woman in the car Investigating officer PC Sarah Williams, based at Cowley police station, added: “I would also like to speak to anyone who saw the woman get in to the vehicle in Speedwell Street in the early hours of Sunday, August 5.

"We are working to establish whether the vehicle, which appeared to be a taxi, was indeed a taxi and are keeping an open mind.

“We are also offering support to the victim following this distressing incident.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the 24-hour Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101 quoting the reference 43180239217 or call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

https://goo.gl/FN3jsT 

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

GLASGOW




 CONCERNS about congestion, illegal parking and noise nuisance are leading to plans for a code of conduct for taxi drivers.

Councillors in Glasgow are being asked to approve plans for a new code covering drivers using taxi stances throughout the city.

There are concerns over too many taxis queueing up at busy ranks causing congestion and blocking roads for other motorists.

Illegal parking while waiting in a long queue of cabs, a small minority of drivers carrying out illegal manoeuvres, taxis sitting with their engines running at ranks causing pollution and noise from waiting passengers disturbing residents late at night at busy ranks have all been cited as reasons for a new code to be established.

Council officials say they want to work with representatives from the city’s taxi drivers to adopt a code.

It would involve the first two drivers at a rank staying inside their vehicles at all times and available for immediate hire.

Drivers will not be allowed to congregate or obstruct the pavements or road and not cause any annoyance to residents.

 Only the permitted number of taxis should be at a stance at any one time and engines must be turned off and not breach idling laws.

In a report to councillors, Carole Forrest, the solicitor to the council, said: “ Given these issues, there is an identifiable need to look at some degree of regulation around the use of taxi stances in order to ensure the actions of a small minority of taxi drivers do not unduly compromise the ongoing operation of particular taxi stances to the detriment of both members of the public and the vast majority of responsible taxi drivers and operators.”

Stephen Flynn, Chairman of Glasgow Taxis Ltd said: “We will take time to review the final recommendations of the report and will attend a meeting with the council on Wednesday.”

The taxi trade has raised concerns there is not enough stances in the city centre and some stances are no longer in the right place to meet the needs of the public.

The council said new stances have been designated including on St Vincent Place for four taxis 24 hours a day seven days a week.

Other stances and Osborne Street and Holland Street have been put in place. while several others across the city centre have had the number of spaces increased to allow more drivers to be available for hire.


https://goo.gl/ryp23Y



 

Saturday 11 August 2018

TELFORD

A private hire driver has been found guilty of illegally plying for hire.

Mihai-Ionut Borodea, of Wrockwardine Wood in Telford, was licensed by City of Wolverhampton Council.

He was sentenced at Telford Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to illegally collecting members of the public at Shrewsbury railway station in the early hours of December 17 last year.

The passengers had not booked through a licensed operator but instead approached the driver who had pulled up at the station and then agreed to undertake the requested journey from Shrewsbury to Broseley – an activity known as plying for hire.

As a result it was also held that Borodea’s motor insurance was invalid for the journey.

He was ordered by the court, to pay a fine and costs totalling £320 and received six penalty points on his driving licence.

Frances Darling, Shropshire Council’s trading standards and licensing operations manager said: “Shropshire Council takes illegal private hire activities extremely seriously.

"Our advice to the trade is clear – private hire vehicles are not permitted to ply for hire and where we identify such cases we will investigate them fully, including cases where the driver is licensed by another local authority.

"Not only is this activity illegal it will invalidate a drivers insurance putting customers at risk.”

Joyce Barrow, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for communities, waste and regulatory services, said: “We will continue to crack down on unsafe private hire vehicles and taxis and we encourage members of the public to report illegal activity to us.

"We can use this information to help determine the council’s enforcement priorities and activities.

"Our officers carry out vehicle and driver licensing checks across Shropshire to stamp out illegal activity and ensure the safety of the public.

"Officers work closely with the police to carry out evening patrols and undertake plying for hire operations using plain clothed officers.

“This case has seen effective partnership working between officers from both Shropshire Council and the City of Wolverhampton Council to ensure public safety and I am confident that this will continue.”

Councillor Alan Bolshaw, chair of the City of Wolverhampton Council’s licensing committee said: “Plying for hire is a serious offence that places members of the public in danger.

"Private hire journeys must be pre-booked otherwise they may not be insured.

"City of Wolverhampton Council officers assisted Shropshire Council with their enquiries to bring about the successful prosecution.

"The driver’s private hire licence will now be reviewed by officers.”

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/crime/2018/08/11/private-hire-driver-prosecuted/

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

RUGBY

A TAXI driver who overcharged passengers after failing to switch on his cab’s meter has been hit with fines and costs totalling nearly £900.

Junedhai Motorwala was working in Rugby town centre on New Year’s Day when he picked up a couple near The Squirrel pub in Church Street.

The couple wanted to be be taken to The Crown pub in Newbold, but a dispute over the fare started.

The passengers’ account of the dispute differed to Mr Motorwala’s, but both parties accepted the cab’s meter was switched off for the duration of the journey and Motorwala took a fare of £10.

On making a complaint to the council about the incident, one of the passengers said Motorwala had insisted the fare was a fixed rate of £15 before starting the journey and refused to switch on the meter.

The passenger said Motorwala then took the cab’s tariff card – which should have been on display – from behind the sun visor, waved it at the couple and said: “I don’t need the meter on. It’s a fixed price all night.”

On arriving in Newbold, the passenger said Motorwala again asked for £15 but, after being challenged over the meter being switched off, said: “Give me a tenner.”

When interviewed by a licensing officer, Motorwala said when he was first asked about the cost of the journey, he had told the passengers the fare was approximately £11, to which one of the passengers offered to pay £10.

During the journey, Motorwala said one of the passengers started arguing about the fare but, on arrival in Newbold, reluctantly paid the £10.

However, Motorwala accepted he had failed to switch the meter on and had overcharged the passengers – an offence under the terms of his taxi licence.

He insisted he had never switched off the meter while carrying passengers before, but also accepted the cab’s tariff card should have been on display for passengers – another condition of the licence.

Motorwala, of Lowther Street, Coventry, pleaded guilty at Nuneaton’s Warwickshire Justice Centre on Tuesday July 31 to breaching the conditions of his taxi licence, an offence under section 58 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847.

Magistrates fined the 31-year-old £100 and ordered him to pay the council’s costs, £758, and a £30 victim surcharge.

Speaking after the hearing, Rugby Borough Council’s environment and public realm spokeswoman Coun Lisa Parker said she hoped the prosecution of Mr Motorwala served as a warning to the town’s taxi drivers to abide by the licence conditions.

She said: “The majority of our taxi drivers deliver a high quality service, but we need the public’s help to stop the minority who breach the taxi licence conditions.

“The conditions protect both drivers and passengers, ensuring fair competition between drivers and offering passengers set standards of service.

“We often receive reports of taxi drivers breaching conditions, but rarely with sufficient information to compile satisfactory evidence for prosecution.

“In this case, the passengers made a note of the driver’s taxi plate number, which allowed us to identify and, ultimately, prosecute him.

“I’d encourage any passengers who feel a taxi driver has breached the conditions of the taxi licence to make a note of the plate number, vehicle registration or details of the make and model of the vehicle so we can take appropriate action.”

https://coventryobserver.co.uk/news/overcharging-taxi-driver-pays-900-penalty/

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

LEICESTER BOGUS PH INSURER

  University friends from Newham were given almost 57 months of suspended sentences for an insurance scam against minicab drivers.

Ajay Haque, 35, from Salisbury Road in Forest Gate, Anik Dixit, 34, from Browning Road in East Ham, and Mohammed Nur Ahmed, 33, from Walton Road in Manor Park, met while studying at Westminster University.

After they’d left, they created a ghost-broking scheme where they made money by selling fake insurance policies, mainly targeted at minicab drivers.

They were sentenced on August 7 for conspiracy to commit fraud. Ahmed pleaded guilty at a pre-trial hearing, while Dixit and Haque pleaded not guilty.

Between June 2012 and August 2013, the men ran AHD Solutions, a scam company which offered hire and reward insurance policies (a policy which allows you to carry goods or passengers for money), and added drivers onto trade policies. This meant the drivers wouldn’t flag up as uninsured to the police, even though they were.

To make the company seem legitimate, they issued fake policy documents, set up a website, and employed a work experience intern with no knowledge of the scam.

They used insurer Esure’s name on their website to try and appear authentic, but when Esure found out, they took legal action. They set up Kab Insure instead, continuing the scam based out of a new address in Leicester.

The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) found 65 vehicles with invalid policies linked to the scam.

Haque was given a two year custodial sentence, suspended for 21 months and a nine hour curfew lasting for six months.

Dixit received a 20 month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, and 260 hours unpaid work.

Ahmed received a 17 month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, and 220 hours unpaid work.

Jason Potter, head of investigations at the IFB, said: “This is a complex case that demonstrates just how far ghost brokers will go to in order to manipulate the system and make money through deception. The victims of this case were trying to make an honest, law-abiding living and these criminals did not hesitate to take advantage of that.

“This sentencing should serve as a stark warning to anyone that may consider orchestrating an insurance fraud scam. Ghost broking is an issue that we take extremely seriously.”

http://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/news/crime-court/newham-men-sentenced-for-insurance-policy-scam-1-5646242

Friday 10 August 2018

 LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL STING

Taxi drivers have been snared in undercover stings attempting to rip off Liverpool fans after matches at Anfield.

A black cab driver and a private hire driver have both been ordered to pay hundreds of pounds after being found guilty of illegal practices including cherry picking and attempting to rip off Reds fans by charging extortionate fares before journeys.

Last year, the ECHO ran a number of reports of issues around taxi and private hire drivers attempting to rip off matchgoing fans - with some drivers coming forward to say such actions were taking place every time Liverpool played at Anfield.

Cherry picking is where unscrupulous black cab drivers wait outside the match with their ‘for hire’ sign not lit. They claim to be unavailable but when a potential fare comes along they are suddenly ready to go. The snag is, they keep the meter off and end up charging the passenger well over the odds.

 In some examples passengers have been charged £20 or more for a journey that would have cost as little as £5 if the meter was on.

Plying for hire is where private hire drivers attempt to pick up passengers who have not booked in advance – meaning the journey is illegal and the driver is uninsured.
The council is clamping down on those ripping fans off at matches (Image: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Following these reports, Mayor Joe Anderson vowed to tackle the issue - and launched undercover operations after a number of matches in order to catch dodgy drivers in the act.

This involved council officers posing as passengers to see if they could identify those not playing by the rules.

And on the day the new Premier League season kicks off - it has been revealed that those undercover stings have been successful.

 This week some of the drivers snared in the operation faced their day in court.

This included Liverpool-based Hackney Carriage driver Alan Duringer, who admitted cherry picking when facing the city’s magistrates.

The court heard that Duringer was parked on Walton Breck Road close to Anfield at the end of Liverpool’s clash with West Brom in January.
Taxi and private hire drivers have been in court for a number of offences after Anfield matches (Image: Bristol Live)

The undercover officers asked if he could take them to Lime Street. Durringer said he had a £20 fare booked but if they could cover it, he would take them.

He was ordered to pay £280 in fines and costs by the court.

At the same match, Wirral-based private hire driver Musleh Uddin was caught plying for hire when he again agreed to take two undercover officers to Lime Street for £20 despite the journey not being booked in advance.

Uddin admitted plying for hire and driving without insurance and was ordered to pay £375 and given six penalty points.

Ahead of Liverpool's Anfield curtain raiser with West Ham on Sunday afternoon, Mayor Anderson has warned that further undercover opertations will be taking place.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: “This kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable. Football fans in the city have the right to enjoy the match without the fear that they might be getting ripped off or taking an uninsured ride on the way home.

“We have listened to the fans who complained about this last season and have taken action. The vast majority of cabbies and private hire drivers in our city are honest and decent and will not try and overcharge people. However, for those who are not, we will be carrying out similar operations this season with a view to prosecuting all those who are caught..”

https://goo.gl/Vncf2C

Thursday 9 August 2018

 WEST MIDLANDS

Taxi drivers are urgently needed across the Black Country as two companies prepare to merge together in a bid to take on Uber.

It was recently revealed that 24 7 Cars and ABC Cars plan to join together to create a 'super firm' of 700 taxis.

And as preparations get underway, 24 7 Cars has planned a recruitment day to sign up 100 new drivers for the firm.

Company director Shahzad Ali said there was a 'greater need and demand' for efficient and reliable taxi service across the Black Country.

He said: "Taxi drivers play a fundamental role in their community, they take the public to their hospital appointments, the school run and everything in-between. It is a rewarding and fulfilling job where you are your own boss.

"As a company we are investing in the training and development of our drivers and are striving to achieve professional levels.

"We have also invested in our customer service centre and technology systems to achieve and deliver a world class customer service.

"We are currently doing about 50,000 journeys a week all around the West Midlands, there is enough demand to double that if we get enough drivers."

24 7 Cars is an independently-owned company but if it merged with ABC Cars would operate under a new name and base, serving Willenhall, Darlaston, Bilston, Wolverhampton, Bloxwich and Walsall.

If the merger goes ahead it is thought that the new business would be one of the biggest 20 private hire firms in the country.

Bosses have said the move would involve a ‘total revamp’ of both companies, with new purpose-built offices under consideration. Both 24 7 and ABC currently have around 300 licensed cars each on the road.

Uber, which allows people to use a mobile phone app to book a taxi, launched in Wolverhampton, Dudley and Walsall in 2016.

All applicants must be 25 years old or above, have had a driving licence for two years, pass police checks and medical, while also having a good knowledge of the area.

The recruitment day will be on Wednesday, August 15 from 10am to 5pm at the Village Hotel, Tempus Drive in Walsall.

https://goo.gl/hDS5mF 


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 TYNEMOUTH

This is the moment a taxi ended up stuck on a beach.



A Blueline driver was pictured next to his beached vehicle in the sand at Tynemouth on Sunday morning.

The picture shows the front tyres lodged deep with sand covering the bonnet of the car.

It is believed after accepting a job, the driver drove down the slope off Beverley Terrace and ended up trapped on the seafront.

The taxi firm blamed “inconsiderate” drivers for the mishap and said no customers were affected.

A bystander, who pictured the incident opposite St George’s Church at about 1.30am, says the driver attempted to turn around on the beach after making the wrong turn.

The member of the public said: “The driver got a job and took a wrong turn down the slope to the seafront. They thought it would be fine to turn around on the beach.

“Luckily he got pulled out without any damage, it would have been a different story if the tide had been coming in.”

It is believed the taxi was pulled out of the sand a short time later by a 4x4 vehicle.

https://goo.gl/Shg9D3   


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 A Hull taxi driver says he has been fined nine times for using bus lanes in two weeks - despite being allowed to use them.

Borhin Uddin has been working as a taxi driver in the city for almost three years, making the switch from a private hire firm to driving a Hackney carriage cab one year ago.

In just two years, he has been fined more than 10 times for using bus penalties. But nine of those fines have taken place within just a two week period, meaning the council has billed him for up to two bus lane fines per day.

“I have tried calling Hull City Council but they say they can’t find any information about my vehicle on their bus lane penalty log,” said the 33-year-old.

“They have just said there is nothing there, but I keep getting this letters telling me I have been fined.

“I have paid the £142 to be licensed with Hull City Council, it says that on my taxi, but they’re just not listening.”

Mr Uddin says he was also fined for entering bus lane just before Christmas, and he appealed the fine with a letter evidencing his valid taxi licence. Now however, he says the council are not accepting his licence as valid.

“Of course my licence is valid, I have it all here,” he said. “I have every right to drive in the bus lane as a Hackney carriage, but instead I’m being fined every time.

“The council just will not listen to me.”

Mr Uddin has been fined twice on July 19 and July 23, as well as fines on July 21, July 24, July 25, July 28 and July 30, totalling nine fines altogether.

With bus lane fines costing £30 each if they are paid within a certain time period, usually two weeks, these fines would cost a total of £270. Fines are doubled to £60 if they are paid any later than the stated time frame.

A spokeswoman for Hull City Council said: "In this case, there has been a problem with the updating of the system which informs enforcement of the vehicles which are able to use the bus lanes.

“The fines in relation to this taxi have consequently been revoked.”

 https://goo.gl/t84FdD

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Monday 6 August 2018

A group of London black cab drivers has planned legal action against Uber in an effort to claim "millions of pounds in lost earnings".

The Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association (LTDA) and 11 other organisations hired solicitors to determine if they have a case against the ride-hailing app.

The LTDA claims its drivers, who have average annual earnings of £50,000, have each lost £10,000 a year since Uber began operating in London in 2012.

Uber declined to comment.

It said it would not provide a response as it was "not at all clear what the basis for any legal action would be".

The group, named Cabbie Group Action, also includes members from Unite, United Cabbies Group and London Cab Drivers Club.

It plans to bring a claim in the High Court against Uber for loss of income on the basis that it "has operated unlawfully between 2012-2017".

LTDA said it is working with economists and expect damages could be in excess of £500m.

David Barda, a senior litigation lawyer at Slater and Gordon said the group had "no obvious cause of action" against Uber and that they were "essentially complaining about competition".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-45084314 

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Carlisle

Detectives investigating an alleged rape in a village near Carlisle are appealing for a taxi driver who may be a potential witness to come forward.

Police received a report in the early hours of last Monday morning that a rape had taken place at an address in Wetheral.

Officers would like to speak to the driver of a dark-coloured minibus-style taxi which left the A69 at Warwick Bridge in the direction of the Co-op store at approximately 2am that morning.

They believe the driver could hold key information.

A spokesman for Cumbria Police said: "The driver is asked to contact police on 101 and ask to speak to an officer from the North Cumbria Crime and Safeguarding Team."

Paul Fuller, 36, from Greenhill, Brampton, was charged with rape, three counts of sexual assault and possession of an offensive weapon.

He appeared at Carlisle's magistrates’ court on Tuesday where he denied the offences and was remanded in custody.

His next court appearance is scheduled for August 28.

Source: News and Star