Jim Cunningham Labour, Coventry South

The Minister has previously indicated that the Government will bring forward legislation to improve the safety and regulation of the taxi trade when time allows. Can the Minister tell us when exactly that legislation will be brought before the House, or are we faced with another legislative crash—for want of a better term?

        (Citation: HC Deb, 13 June 2019, c820)

Nusrat Ghani Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport), Assistant Whip (HM Treasury)

I am just as eager as the hon. Gentleman to legislate in this area, considering the amount of work done by the task and finish group. Our commitment is to make sure that standards are raised, security is dealt with and that national enforcement officers ensure, regardless of where people are in the country, that they are getting into a cab with a driver who has had a standardised background check and has met the threshold for safety and security.

 I cannot give any more detail right now, but I am pleased that so many Members are as eager as I am to legislate on this issue.
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 DERBY

A yob who smashed a taxi window while on a suspended sentence for another crime has been spared jail.
Stephen Newton had been arguing with a woman in the vehicle after being picked up near Walkabout in Derby city centre.

Derby Crown Court heard how no payment was going to be made and the driver drove them to the taxi base in Stockbrook Street.
When they arrived he broke one of the windows of the vehicle before climbing out.

During the hearing it was revealed he was on a suspended sentence which was imposed in July last year.
Drinking
Judge Jonathan Bennett, who presided over the case, chose not to activate Newton's suspended sentence and handed him unpaid work.


He said: "You are 28 years of age and have something of a record.
"You came before St Alban's Crown Court for a serious matter of dangerous driving, drink driving and racially aggravated behaviour.
"The common theme is drink. The magistrates court sent you to this court as you were subject to the crown court suspended sentence.
"I have to decided whether to activate the suspended sentence, but I don't think it would be proportionate.
"I don't seek to minimise it (the criminal damage)."

https://bit.ly/2WLOI8Y 
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SWINDON

Wiltshire Police are appealing for witnesses after a taxi driver was assaulted in Swindon.

The incident took place on the morning of 15 June, on Dawlish Road in the town.

A taxi driver had picked up two men and a woman from the Suji nightclub in Old Town shortly before 5.30am and was directed to take them to the Park North area.

As the vehicle drove along Dawlish Road, the three suspects became abusive to the driver and he ended the fare.

Following an argument, one of the men stabbed the driver before all three ran off in the direction of Radstock Avenue.

The taxi driver was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol but was released the same day. He suffered minor slash wound injuries.

DS Adrian Bray said: "This was an unprovoked attack on someone who was simply doing his job. Luckily, the injuries he sustained were not serious - it could have been very different due to the violent nature of the attack.

"I would like to reassure our communities that we believe we know who the offenders are and our enquiries to locate them are continuing.

"I would appeal for anyone who was in the Dawlish Road area of Swindon yesterday morning who may have seen this incident or anyone who might have any further information, to contact us immediately."

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 now and quote crime reference number 54190057409.

https://bit.ly/2WOgahe
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 BIRMINGHAM

A man was trapped and had to be cut free from a car after a severe crash outside a city McDonald's.

Two fire crews, paramedics and police officers were called to the smash near to St Andrew's, home of Birmingham City Football Club .

The taxi driver suffered a neck injury with firefighters using cutting equipment to extricate him safely out of the vehicle.

It happened on Coventry Road, close to the junction of Mount Pleasant outside McDonald's in Small Heath

A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said: "We were called at 3.57pm to reports of a two-car road traffic collision on Coventry Road.

"One of the drivers involved complained of neck pain and couldn't move. Two crews from Highgate attended and used hydraulic cutters.

"The man complaining of pain was trapped as a result of his injuries. It's thought he'll be OK. Crews are still on-scene [4.30pm]."

https://bit.ly/2KmsHXI