Barcelona taxi drivers have blockaded areas of the city over the weekend as they take strike action into a fourth day on Monday over what they consider to be insufficient government plans to rein in competition from ride-hailing companies such as Uber.

The taxi drivers rejected proposals tabled by Catalonia’s regional government under which ride-sharing drivers would have to wait 15 minutes before attending to a passenger request.

As taxi drivers blocked off Barcelona’s central Gran Via avenue on Friday, tension flared with one ride-sharing driver requiring medical assistance for an anxiety attack after a group of striking taxi drivers or sympathisers smashed his car’s windows and mirrors while he was in the vehicle.

Ride-sharing drivers parked their cars along another of Barcelona’s main thoroughfares, Diagonal, in protest at what their representatives described as taxi drivers’ “mafia-like behaviour”.

Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz tweeted a video allegedly showing the aftermath of an attack against an Uber vehicle that his sister was using in Madrid, its interior showered with shattered glass after a stone was thrown at the car.

Madrid’s taxi drivers plan to strike on Monday as they also seek stricter controls on how and when ride-hailing companies can operate.

Under the plan unveiled by Catalonia’s infrastructure minister, Damià Calvet, ride-sharing drivers would be obliged to return to their designated base after each service and customers would not be able to track the car they hire via GPS on the company app.

But taxi drivers voted to reject the plan, mainly on the basis that the 15-minute delay between the contracting of a private service and the start of the ride would be too short to make any noticeable difference.

Taxi driver unions have asked for a built-in delay of 12 or even 24 hours, effectively meaning that traditional taxis would have a monopoly on immediate services.

On Sunday Mr Calvet unsuccessfully offered to negotiate a new minimum waiting time for ride-hailing services if the taxi drivers agreed to call off their strike.

Tito Álvarez, leader of the Élite Taxi association, said Barcelona’s city taxi drivers wanted to end the conflict, adding that violence was unacceptable and that he would step aside if any more attacks against ride-sharing drivers took place.

“We want the politicians to hold a crisis cabinet meeting. Otherwise they will find us here on the street because we are not going to give up.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/20/barcelona-taxi-drivers-blockade-roads-uber-protest/
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Glasgow Taxis and Defib Machines have pledged to roll out more of the devices if the initiative is successful.

Scotland’s biggest taxi firm has installed defibrillators in 15 of their Glasgow cabs and trained drivers how to help people having heart attacks.

Drivers for Glasgow Taxis will be able to use the devices to assist with any incidents of cardiac arrest in or near to their cabs as they travel around the city.

Working in partnership with Defib Machines, the company said it will roll out more defibrillators to further vehicles if the initiative is successful.

    It’s a modest outlay which we have committed to over a three-year period and if even one machine helps one person in that time, it will have been worth it many times over

https://bit.ly/2MkMHYS
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 BRISTOL

A free drop off and taxi waiting area is to be introduced at Bristol Airport following calls for action from residents.

Locals had raised concerns about the volume of cars waiting in nearby roads, lanes and lay-bys in order to avoid paying for parking.

In response, an on-site waiting area for taxis will be opened alongside a drop off zone for private vehicles.

The latter will replace the Express Drop Off, which currently charges £1 for 10 minutes.

The move is part of the airport's plans to increased the number of passengers that pass through the Lulsgate Bottom site annually.

The figure is currently capped at 10 million, although North Somerset Council is consulting a planning application for facilities required to handle 12 million passengers a year by the mid-2020s.

Simon Earles, Planning & Sustainability Director at Bristol Airport, said: “We have listened to feedback from our neighbours and this commitment to introduce an on-site waiting area for taxis and a free drop-off facility for private vehicles shows we are taking the issues they have raised seriously. 

“By accommodating waiting taxis on site and providing a free alternative for private vehicles dropping off passengers, we aim to reduce the impact of growth on local villages.

"Work is now underway to find the right location for the proposed facility and set appropriate time limits in consultation with private hire operators.”

The council's consultation on the planning application to increase capacity of the airport closes on 26 January.

https://bit.ly/2RU7iZ8 
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 WARRINGTON

A TAXI driver acquitted of sexual assault is battling to get his licence back after his life was ‘turned upside down’.

The driver, who wishes to remain anonymous, was found not guilty of sexual assault on a female at Chester Crown Court in November.

Since June 2016, cabbies across the town have been required to have cameras fitted in their vehicles to improve the safety of passengers and drivers.

Vehicle CCTV footage is kept for 14 days before being automatically overwritten.

The alleged sexual assault incident took place in 2017 but police, based in another local authority, failed to analyse the CCTV footage as they were unaware taxis in Warrington were fitted with cameras.

The driver, who had his licence revoked by Warrington Borough Council in March last year, has criticised the authority for not reinstating it following the acquittal.

He says: “I have not been working for more than nine months now and I have got a family to support.

“I have lost my livelihood. It has turned my life upside down.

“I want to get back to working as soon as possible.

“I have had a lot of support from the community and, in particular, our taxi trade representative through this ordeal – they have provided crucial emotional and financial support.”

Police insist there was enough evidence to charge the driver but have admitted that they have ‘learned’ from the incident.

Det Sgt John Lyons said: “A full case file of evidence was presented to the Crown Prosecution Service, which determined there was sufficient evidence to charge the suspect with sexual assault even with the missed CCTV opportunity.

“The investigating officers were based in another local authority and were unaware that taxis in Warrington are all fitted with CCTV cameras.

“By the time they became aware of its existence, the footage had been deleted.

“However, we have learned from this case and will ensure that officers across the county will be made aware that Warrington taxis are fitted with cameras, which could assist future investigations.”

DS Lyons, who says all reports of sexual assault are treated extremely seriously, has reassured victims that they should feel confident of receiving the help and support needed from specialist officers and support agencies.

He added: “Rape and sexual assault are two of the most serious of all criminal offences, which can inflict lasting trauma on victims and have a devastating effect on their families.

“All victims will be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve and any allegations will be thoroughly investigated, with the wishes and the needs of the victim as our main priority.”

Afthkar Quayyum, a spokesman for Warrington’s hackney carriage and private hire drivers, labelled the council’s decision to revoke the driver’s licence as ‘premature’.

Furthermore, he issued a plea to the police force.

He said: “The council must adopt a flexible approach to this matter to ensure an innocent man can get his licence back.

“This can’t happen again. This is a dangerous precedent to have.

“The council have to realise what they have actually done.

“From the police, I want assurances that the communication around CCTV in Warrington taxis is clear within Cheshire Police and neighbouring police forces.

“It is really important that we get assurances from the council and police.”

The council says it has made arrangements for its licensing sub-committee to determine the licence application at the ‘earliest opportunity’.

A spokesman said: “We are unable to comment on specific ongoing cases but we are mindful of justice and the right of individuals to earn a living.

“We also acknowledge the important contribution of the taxi trade across the borough.

“As the licensing authority, we have a duty to protect the public, to detect crime and to keep children and vulnerable adults safe.

“We are determined to work closely with our partners and the trade to achieve this. CCTV continues to form part of this policy.”

The spokesman also insists the authority will continue to work with the trade to ensure procedures are of a high standard to protect drivers and the public.

He added: “Any decision to revoke a licence is made having regard to the evidence available at the time.

“Any person can apply for a licence but it is not possible to simply reinstate a licence that has been formally revoked.

“We are governed by a statutory process and must act in a fair and consistent way to all applicants, in accordance with our policy.”

https://bit.ly/2Dij8nM
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 DERBY

Taxi drivers have been given more time to introduce clean air proposals which could see them have to fork out thousands of pounds.

Up to 300 drivers from across the city held a mass protest over the proposals on Thursday night.

They stood holding placards and banners urging the council to rethink how it plans to cut pollution and give them more time to "go green".

The rally took place just before member of the authority's licencing committee met to discuss some of the biggest changes to Derby's taxis since "horse-drawn carriages".

But after seeing the protest, members of the committee agreed to lengthen the consultation process on the proposals.

Committee chairman Mick Barker said more time would be given for the issue to be debated, with nothing concrete decided until at least June.

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/mass-protest-derby-taxi-drivers-2441204