BIRMINGHAM

A total of 20 taxis have reportedly brought the whole of Birmingham city centre to a standstill - by parking under Smallbrook Queensway.

West Midlands Police has been made aware of the protest, but has not been called out as it is not a police matter.

A spokeswoman for the force said:

    We are aware of the protests - we have just been made aware of the fact that it’s happening.

    Around 20 have parked under Smallbrook Queensway tunnel.

A taxi protest in the heart of Birmingham has sparked huge delays, according to bus service National Express.

Bus services were held back by 60 minutes due to the congestion caused by the protests.

Witnesses have alleged that Smallbrook Queensway exits have been blocked as part of the protest over the proposed congestion charge.

National Express said: "Due to the taxi protest currently taking place, there is heavy congestion in Birmingham City Centre.

"Services are being delayed up to 60 minutes unfortunately."

This is a breaking news story.

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 Newcastle Borough Council

Taxi drivers are planning a mass protest against licensing changes they say will drive cabbies out of town and leave customers forking out more per ride.

Newcastle Borough Council has been consulting on a new licensing policy for two years - but drivers say they weren't invited into the process for 13 months.

And even when they were invited, they were offered just a single two-hour meeting. They were told to put their issues with the 91-page document in writing to council bosses within six weeks.

After drivers then asked Newcastle MP Paul Farrelly to join the debate, they were offered two more meetings, lasting two hours each.

Now taxi drivers say they'll stage a mass protest outside the council's offices after March 14 if they are not listened to.

Newcastle-under-Lyme taxi drivers Murtaza Alam, Tariq Mahmood, Shahraz Yaqub, Mark Beardmore, Sam Hashmi, Paul Wilkes, Abid Hussain and Glyn Cross. (Image: Joe Burn)

Drivers also claim the changes will reduce levels of service and safety for passengers.

The new proposals include asking drivers to switch to electric cars, a move they say is too expensive and will see their hard-earned cash lost to charging times.

They've taken issue with the age vehicles are allowed to be licensed from too.
Newcastle taxi drivers' issues with the new policy

Taxi drivers claim to have the following issues with Newcastle Borough Council's new taxi licensing policy for 2019/20:

    Operators claim they will have to keep logbooks of service history for self-employed drivers - at a great cost of time and effort to their businesses;

    Vehicles can't be licensed past four years old for their first time and beyond seven years in total;

    Switching to electric vehicles is too expensive and they'll lose money when charging;

    A new type of testing system won't be as efficient as the Stoke-on-Trent College BTEC qualification they already have;

    They don't like the penalty points scheme;
    They say they'll have to wait between five and eight weeks for an appointment to renew their licences;

    It'll cost customers more;
    It will reduce service and safety standards;
    It will send drivers out of the borough for licences.

Previously, an eight-year-old vehicle could be licensed. Now, the council have 'moved the goalposts' to seven years - but will allow electric vehicles to be licensed that are up to 10 years old.

A vehicle cannot be older than four years before its first licensed either - it used to be five.

They also claim the council want operators to start keeping service history details for self-employed drivers - a task they say would be a mammoth effort and extra cost to their business.

Trevor Colclough, of Sid's Private Hire taxi firm, said: "This is ridiculous as cars are getting better, not worse. Even the Government want to bring the MOT down from every four to every three years.

From left, Trevor Colclough of Sid's Private Hire and Odgy Hammond, owner of Sid's Private Hire (Image: Joe Burn)

"It's not been a true discussion and we've not had enough time."

Mr Colclough added the new policy says drivers must complete a new kind of test - but there isn't any detail as to what kind of test - and drivers already have to complete a BTEC qualification with Stoke-on-Trent College.

He said: "This is the ancient borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme - it's not 1984. It's not some Orwellian borough, it's the ancient borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme and it'll never be 'Victory Cars' - it'll always be Sid's."


Drivers have also taken issue with a new penalty points scheme and the way appointments are made.

They say they'll have to wait for between five and eight weeks - which potentially leaves drivers off the road for months waiting to get their licences renewed - although the council say they'll be notified three months in advance.

Shahraz Yaqub, who represents the Stoke-on-Trent Private Hire Drivers' Association, said:

 "This is not London, this is not Birmingham, this is not Manchester. They really need to think about what they're doing.

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PARIS

A Manchester United fan has been left fighting for life after allegedly being stabbed in the chest by a furious taxi driver in Paris.

The 44-year-old man, who has not been identified, underwent emergency surgery at the Georges Pompidou hospital on Thursday, following his side’s dramatic European Champions League win.

The United fan had been with a group of friends travelling away from the Parc de Princes on Wednesday night after their side beat Paris St Germain 3-1 to knock the home side out of the league.

According to Sky Sports News ‘the driver took offence to them singing in celebration of United’s dramatic late winner.’

The outlet added that ‘the driver pulled over to get them out of his taxi, before pulling out a knife and threatening the female passenger in the group.

A source said: ‘The victim tried to intervene to protect her, but the driver then turned the knife on him, stabbing him in the chest with what’s been described as a large blade.

‘He was left lying on the pavement fighting for his life, when one of the group was able to flag down a passing car and rush him to hospital.’

It is understood that that a suspect has since been arrested, and that the fan has had lung surgery.

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THE Deputy Lord Mayor of Oxford could have his licence to drive taxis in the city revoked after he was given an order for domestic violence.

Taxi driver Sajjad Malik, 50, will be referred to a council committee that will decide whether he remains a ‘fit and proper person’.

Malik was given a 28-day domestic violence protection order (DVPO) at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Councillors urged him to resign as Deputy Lord Mayor and as a councillor.

The DVPO means he must not ‘threaten’ two people with violence, ‘behave in a way that would cause any other person to fear that violence would be used’ towards those two people or go within 50 metres of Emperor Gardens, Greater Leys, where he lives.

A city council spokesman said: “The city council, following liaison with Thames Valley Police, has considered the facts of the case and a referral will be made to the general purposes licensing sub-committee to determine Councillor Malik’s ‘fit and proper’ status.”

Andrew Gant, the leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: "It is not appropriate for him to continue representing our city or his ward residents."

He has asked the city council's leader, Susan Brown, to expel Malik and to strip him of the title of Deputy Lord Mayor before the council's next meeting on April 29.

He added: "I ask councillors of all parties and groups to join me in these calls, for the sake of the reputation and good governance of the city and community we share."

While he attacked Labour's handling, saying its decision to suspend him indefinitely rather than expelling him as 'weak and insufficient'.

Malik is currently an independent councillor following his suspension from Labour.

Independent councillor Mick Haines said Malik remaining a councillor and Deputy Lord Mayor was 'absolutely scandalous'.

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