LONDON 'FREENOW'
Taxi ride-hailing app FREE NOW have faced criticism from drivers after increasing commission fees by 50% on all jobs.
From 1 August, FREE NOW, formally known as mytaxi, will increase its commission in London to 15%.
The firm say the increase is a “necessary change” which will “help the taxi trade to have a sustainable and bright future”.
FREE NOW is a leading ‘mobility provider’ which currently operates in 100 cities across Europe, with 14 million passengers and more than 100,000 drivers. In the UK, the service is available in London, Manchester, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Brighton, Reading, Oxford, Derby and Leicester.
A spokesperson from FREE NOW said in a message delivered to its drivers: “London is one of the most competitive cities in the world and the taxi sector here has changed almost beyond recognition over the last 10 years. Technology and weak regulation have strengthened the competition, giving passengers more choice than ever before.
“We now need to make some changes in order for us to be able to continue to help you fight the competition and for us to be able to support the long term sustainability of the trade.”
“When we launched in 2011, we were able to charge a low commission rate and have kept the lowest rate in the industry for as long as possible, while others have increased theirs. We have invested some £200m to support the trade, developing a cutting edge app and running big advertising campaigns. We want to continue to attract new passengers, ensure current passengers are satisfied and to help black cabs stay relevant.”
Src= Taxipoint
-----------------------------------
Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (PHV)
As outlined in the First Minister’s legislative statement, we will not be pursuing legislation in relation to taxi and private hire vehicles in this Bill. Addressing the outdated taxi and private hire vehicle legislation remains a key priority. However, it has become very clear that there is a considerable amount of work still required before we can bring forward legislation that addresses the improvements needed. Responses to the White Paper consultation highlighted the wide range of stakeholder views about how the legislation underpinning the operation of the taxi and PHV industry should be improved and those views are not consistent across the industry.
Furthermore, the Department for Transport is proposing to introduce new guidance relating to measures for the protection of children and vulnerable adults when using taxis and private hire vehicles, which would apply in Wales. The Department for Transport is also looking at introducing national minimum standards; national enforcement powers; a national database and some form of out-of-area restrictions. These would be England only provisions, unless the Welsh Government wanted them extended to Wales and secured the necessary legislative consent motion. The steps being considered by the Department of Transport has also given us cause to reconsider the proposals.
The Welsh Government is still committed to working with the industry to legislate to bring Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle regulation into the 21st Century. However, rather than hold up introduction of our important bus proposals in order to strengthen the taxi elements, the First Minister yesterday announced that we will now decouple the 2 parts of the proposed Bill for this term and work to bring forward a separate bill on taxis early in the next term.
In the meantime I have asked officials to develop a package of short-term measures, using existing legislative powers, to begin to address some of the concerns local authorities, drivers, unions and others have raised. Officials are already working in partnership with the Welsh Local Government Association to develop and deliver these short-term arrangements. A plan, for future delivery of new measures will be developed by late autumn.
https://gov.wales
--------------------------------------
AYRSHIRE
A Kilwinning businessman has launched Ayrshire’s first Uber-style taxi app.
Colin Boyd says his new Ayrshire Taxi App will connect passengers with licensed taxi drivers across the county.
The meter started running on the service this week following a ‘soft launch’ in Irvine, Kilwinning, Beith and Kilbirnie.
Now Colin, chairman of Junior football club Kilwinning Rangers, is looking for taxi companies and drivers in all three local authorities to get on board and make the service fully-Ayrshire wide. He said: “The aim is to provide a single taxi booking service to cover the 380,000 people that live in Ayrshire.
“We want to work with all local, independent taxi owners in every town. I’ve got meetings lined up this week to expand into other areas.
“Ayrshire’s taxi services have been fragmented for a long time and I believe there’s a market there for an app like this.
“It pulls everything together. There will be no need to make six or seven phone calls any more just to get a taxi.”
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk
Thursday 25 July 2019
Tuesday 23 July 2019
Taxi firm advertised for drivers stating we 'do not want Pakistanis'
The firm blamed customers saying: 'My experience is that most customers prefer white, British drivers'
A taxi firm that posted on Facebook stating it did not "want Pakistanis" driving for it has denied being racist.
The owner of Sandfields-based Cardy Cabs in Port Talbot said he won't employ "foreign drivers", claiming customers do not like them.
Janet Cardy posted an advertisement for new drivers on Facebook on Sunday.
Later, when she was engaging with some of the responses she got, Mrs Cardy wrote: "No p***s"
Instead she told the applicant to try another firm who have "all foreign drivers."
She added: "They like dark ones."
The conversation where Ms Cardy made the comment
The Facebook post has since been deleted but a screenshot was taken and has been widely shared since.
In one response Mrs Cardy wrote: "I got one working with me now I get on with him but the customers moan a bit.
"I have had a lot of them they good work but they could say don’t send him."
Mrs Cardy's husband, firm owner Howard Cardy said the fallout had been blown out of proportion.
Mr Cardy said he often picks up the taxi service's phone and claimed his customers tell him: "Do not send a p***."
"It is something older people used to say - they do not like them," he added.
"They prefer to get in other drivers' cars.
"My experience is that most customers prefer white, British drivers.
"We had a foreign driver before, from Croatia, but people didn't like him because of his accent.
"I am reluctant to employ foreign drivers but the one I have is good as gold."
Mr Cardy said they were not racist, adding in the past they had employed two men from Bangladesh.
He said the drivers were good but the problem were his customers, who he claimed they said not to send them.
Writing on social media, Sarah Miller wrote: "Wow this is unbelievable Janet Cardy you are absolutely shocking.
"I personally have always rung your company when in need of a taxi but after this disgrace of a post I shall never
"I personally have always rung your company when in need of a taxi but after this disgrace of a post I shall never use your firm again.
"Hang your head in shame for the utter foul that comes from your mouth and secondly please learn to spell."
Julie Evans wrote it was disgusting, adding she always used to use the firm but wouldn't anymore.
Saera Cole wrote it made no difference what the customer wants.
She added: "It’s what’s legal and what’s not and last time I checked it was a criminal offence to discriminate based on race!"
South Wales Police has said the local neighbourhood policing and community safety team were aware of the posts and were reviewing the matter.
A spokeswoman said: "People are reminded that every social media site has terms of use and to adhere to these."
A Neath Port Talbot Council spokesman said: "The council condemns the unacceptable racist and discriminatory comments made as part of this social media post.
"The individual in question does not hold any licences with this authority, hence we are unable to take formal action.
"We have however been in discussions with the Police Licensing Officer (of South Wales Police), who has advised that any person wishing to make a complaint should do so by calling 101.”
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/taxi-firm-advertising-drivers-do-16630384
--------------------------------
DUNDEE
A new dominant player has emerged in Dundee’s taxi market after two of the city’s largest cab firms agreed a merger, seeing 12 jobs lost.
Staff and drivers were called to a meeting on Monday morning where a deal that will see City Cabs 505050 and Tele Taxis join forces, to create Dundee’s largest taxi company, was confirmed for the first time.
The move will also mean City Cabs’ 12 office employees, four of whom are part-time, will lose their jobs with immediate effect after being told their roles will not transfer to the new firm.
City Cabs director Jimmy Marr, who will work as a consultant for around six months before leaving the business entirely, said he has already secured employment for six of the staff and is working on finding work for the rest within his businesses.
Mr Marr said: “This deal just makes sense in light of changing technology. I’ve spoken to everyone in the office one-to-one and I think they are happy enough after we were able to find work for them.
“Going forward, we’re just going to be getting everything into place and I think this will mean we can provide a better service for our corporate customers.”
In a joint statement released on Monday, management said the deal would also mean a better facility for local residents.
They said: “The directors of City Cabs 505050 and Tele Taxis are pleased to announce the merger of both companies to form Dundee’s largest taxi company.
“The merger takes place with immediate effect and will provide an enhanced level of taxi services to the public of Dundee.”
“Using state-of-the-art technology and systems, the merged company will continue to deliver tailored solutions to both corporate and private customers alike.”
It is understood no decision has yet been made on whether a new name will be used for the merged business or if it will continue under one of the existing brands.
https://www.thecourier.co.uk
---------------------------
OLA CARDIFF
A tuk-tuk private hire firm has been given the go ahead to operate in Cardiff.
Customers will be able to use a ride-hailing app to book the electric vehicles, also known as rickshaws, which seat two passengers.
Cardiff councillors gave their backing to the plans at a special meeting on Tuesday.
A report said the vehicles, called Zbees, would be used for short distances in the city and Cardiff Bay.
The firm said its vehicles had zero emissions as they operated on battery power.
Private hire firm Ola has been given the green light to operate tuk-tuks in Cardiff.
Passengers using the app, originating from India, will be able to e-hail an electric rickshaw called a Zbee. The vehicles will be able to accommodate two passengers, travelling short distances in the city and around Cardiff Bay.
Cardiff councillors gave Ola the green light and created special conditions for private hire licensed Tuk tuks at a meeting on Tuesday.
In the report, Ola plan to run a fleet of 20 Zbees each operating 80 hours a week. A total of 30 drivers will be hired on contract each expected to work 50 hours per week.
Ola say Cardiff will benefit from being the first city in the UK to host a completely zero emission shuttle run service and will help in achieving the city’s aim of 100% zero emission transport vehicles by 2022.
---------------------------------------
TEESIDE
A killer taxi driver hid incriminating dashcam footage after mowing down a beloved grandad.
Mohammed Naeem threw the camera into the glove compartment of his Skoda Octavia after hitting William John Joseph Byrne as he crossed Ormesby Road.
Analysis of the camera's recordings found Naeem had committed 70 speeding offences during the six-hour shift leading up to the 69-year-old's death and was speeding when he hit him.
The 29-year-old was jailed at Teesside Crown Court on Monday as the distraught family of Mr Byrne - known locally as Irish John - looked on.
Mohammed Naeem who has been jailed for three years for death by dangerous driving - which killed William John Joseph Byrne
Rachel Masters, prosecuting, said the taxi driver had picked up two passengers from the Pig Iron, in Corporation Road , Middlesbrough, at around 10pm on May 26 last year.
The father-of-three hurtled down the A66 at 70mph, before turning onto the Trunk Road and accelerating down Ormesby Road - a 30mph zone - at 49mph.
An eyewitness travelling behind Naeem said she saw him "pulling away from her quickly" and was "doing something in the roof area" moments before he collided with Mr Byrne at a pelican crossing which had been on green for motorists.
She said Naeem "didn't slow down at all" and in her opinion "hadn't even noticed" the grandad as he crossed the road.
Mr Byrne was taken to James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, where he sadly died as a result of injuries
www.gazettelive.co.uk
........................................
YORK
A FAKE “taxi driver” has been jailed for seven years for sexually assaulting a woman passenger.
The 24-year-old victim told York Crown Court she believed her drink had been spiked during a night out in the city centre with friends.
She said she felt “mangy” and “totally out of it” as she left Vudu.
Dominic Spiteri, 53, came up to her, said he was a taxi driver and offered to take her home on “mates rates”.
Once they were alone in his vehicle, he started molesting her and took her to a lonely layby in the countryside, where he sexually assaulted her so hard, she was in pain for days afterwards.
She said she couldn’t stop him because of the state she was in but kept saying “no”.
Spiteri, who worked as a doorman on city centre clubs, denied claiming to be a taxi driver or spiking her drink.
He claimed from the witness box that she had introduced him to her friends inside Vudu. In the car, she had flirted with him and initiated sexual contact.
He denied witness statements that the victim had vomited when they reached the hotel where her friends were staying.
The jury convicted Spiteri , of Parliament Street, Norton, of sexual assault after four hours in retirement.
“The victim was particularly vulnerable due to her personal circumstances,” Judge Simon Batiste told Spiteri. “She was alone in a “taxi” with you, late at night where she was obviously clearly incapable due to her intoxicated state.You took advantage of that.
“You have not shown one shred of remorse for your behaviour.
“This was a horrible attack.”
He jailed Spiteri for seven years, made a lifelong sexual harm prevention order forbidding him to have a woman alone with him in a car or contacting the victim in any way and put him on the sex offenders’ register for life.
https://www.yorkpress.co.uk
-------------------------------
The firm blamed customers saying: 'My experience is that most customers prefer white, British drivers'
A taxi firm that posted on Facebook stating it did not "want Pakistanis" driving for it has denied being racist.
The owner of Sandfields-based Cardy Cabs in Port Talbot said he won't employ "foreign drivers", claiming customers do not like them.
Janet Cardy posted an advertisement for new drivers on Facebook on Sunday.
Later, when she was engaging with some of the responses she got, Mrs Cardy wrote: "No p***s"
Instead she told the applicant to try another firm who have "all foreign drivers."
She added: "They like dark ones."
The conversation where Ms Cardy made the comment
The Facebook post has since been deleted but a screenshot was taken and has been widely shared since.
In one response Mrs Cardy wrote: "I got one working with me now I get on with him but the customers moan a bit.
"I have had a lot of them they good work but they could say don’t send him."
Mrs Cardy's husband, firm owner Howard Cardy said the fallout had been blown out of proportion.
Mr Cardy said he often picks up the taxi service's phone and claimed his customers tell him: "Do not send a p***."
"It is something older people used to say - they do not like them," he added.
"They prefer to get in other drivers' cars.
"My experience is that most customers prefer white, British drivers.
"We had a foreign driver before, from Croatia, but people didn't like him because of his accent.
"I am reluctant to employ foreign drivers but the one I have is good as gold."
Mr Cardy said they were not racist, adding in the past they had employed two men from Bangladesh.
He said the drivers were good but the problem were his customers, who he claimed they said not to send them.
Writing on social media, Sarah Miller wrote: "Wow this is unbelievable Janet Cardy you are absolutely shocking.
"I personally have always rung your company when in need of a taxi but after this disgrace of a post I shall never
"I personally have always rung your company when in need of a taxi but after this disgrace of a post I shall never use your firm again.
"Hang your head in shame for the utter foul that comes from your mouth and secondly please learn to spell."
Julie Evans wrote it was disgusting, adding she always used to use the firm but wouldn't anymore.
Saera Cole wrote it made no difference what the customer wants.
She added: "It’s what’s legal and what’s not and last time I checked it was a criminal offence to discriminate based on race!"
South Wales Police has said the local neighbourhood policing and community safety team were aware of the posts and were reviewing the matter.
A spokeswoman said: "People are reminded that every social media site has terms of use and to adhere to these."
A Neath Port Talbot Council spokesman said: "The council condemns the unacceptable racist and discriminatory comments made as part of this social media post.
"The individual in question does not hold any licences with this authority, hence we are unable to take formal action.
"We have however been in discussions with the Police Licensing Officer (of South Wales Police), who has advised that any person wishing to make a complaint should do so by calling 101.”
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/taxi-firm-advertising-drivers-do-16630384
--------------------------------
DUNDEE
A new dominant player has emerged in Dundee’s taxi market after two of the city’s largest cab firms agreed a merger, seeing 12 jobs lost.
Staff and drivers were called to a meeting on Monday morning where a deal that will see City Cabs 505050 and Tele Taxis join forces, to create Dundee’s largest taxi company, was confirmed for the first time.
The move will also mean City Cabs’ 12 office employees, four of whom are part-time, will lose their jobs with immediate effect after being told their roles will not transfer to the new firm.
City Cabs director Jimmy Marr, who will work as a consultant for around six months before leaving the business entirely, said he has already secured employment for six of the staff and is working on finding work for the rest within his businesses.
Mr Marr said: “This deal just makes sense in light of changing technology. I’ve spoken to everyone in the office one-to-one and I think they are happy enough after we were able to find work for them.
“Going forward, we’re just going to be getting everything into place and I think this will mean we can provide a better service for our corporate customers.”
In a joint statement released on Monday, management said the deal would also mean a better facility for local residents.
They said: “The directors of City Cabs 505050 and Tele Taxis are pleased to announce the merger of both companies to form Dundee’s largest taxi company.
“The merger takes place with immediate effect and will provide an enhanced level of taxi services to the public of Dundee.”
“Using state-of-the-art technology and systems, the merged company will continue to deliver tailored solutions to both corporate and private customers alike.”
It is understood no decision has yet been made on whether a new name will be used for the merged business or if it will continue under one of the existing brands.
https://www.thecourier.co.uk
---------------------------
OLA CARDIFF
A tuk-tuk private hire firm has been given the go ahead to operate in Cardiff.
Customers will be able to use a ride-hailing app to book the electric vehicles, also known as rickshaws, which seat two passengers.
Cardiff councillors gave their backing to the plans at a special meeting on Tuesday.
A report said the vehicles, called Zbees, would be used for short distances in the city and Cardiff Bay.
The firm said its vehicles had zero emissions as they operated on battery power.
Private hire firm Ola has been given the green light to operate tuk-tuks in Cardiff.
Passengers using the app, originating from India, will be able to e-hail an electric rickshaw called a Zbee. The vehicles will be able to accommodate two passengers, travelling short distances in the city and around Cardiff Bay.
Cardiff councillors gave Ola the green light and created special conditions for private hire licensed Tuk tuks at a meeting on Tuesday.
In the report, Ola plan to run a fleet of 20 Zbees each operating 80 hours a week. A total of 30 drivers will be hired on contract each expected to work 50 hours per week.
Ola say Cardiff will benefit from being the first city in the UK to host a completely zero emission shuttle run service and will help in achieving the city’s aim of 100% zero emission transport vehicles by 2022.
---------------------------------------
TEESIDE
A killer taxi driver hid incriminating dashcam footage after mowing down a beloved grandad.
Mohammed Naeem threw the camera into the glove compartment of his Skoda Octavia after hitting William John Joseph Byrne as he crossed Ormesby Road.
Analysis of the camera's recordings found Naeem had committed 70 speeding offences during the six-hour shift leading up to the 69-year-old's death and was speeding when he hit him.
The 29-year-old was jailed at Teesside Crown Court on Monday as the distraught family of Mr Byrne - known locally as Irish John - looked on.
Mohammed Naeem who has been jailed for three years for death by dangerous driving - which killed William John Joseph Byrne
Rachel Masters, prosecuting, said the taxi driver had picked up two passengers from the Pig Iron, in Corporation Road , Middlesbrough, at around 10pm on May 26 last year.
The father-of-three hurtled down the A66 at 70mph, before turning onto the Trunk Road and accelerating down Ormesby Road - a 30mph zone - at 49mph.
An eyewitness travelling behind Naeem said she saw him "pulling away from her quickly" and was "doing something in the roof area" moments before he collided with Mr Byrne at a pelican crossing which had been on green for motorists.
She said Naeem "didn't slow down at all" and in her opinion "hadn't even noticed" the grandad as he crossed the road.
Mr Byrne was taken to James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, where he sadly died as a result of injuries
www.gazettelive.co.uk
........................................
YORK
A FAKE “taxi driver” has been jailed for seven years for sexually assaulting a woman passenger.
The 24-year-old victim told York Crown Court she believed her drink had been spiked during a night out in the city centre with friends.
She said she felt “mangy” and “totally out of it” as she left Vudu.
Dominic Spiteri, 53, came up to her, said he was a taxi driver and offered to take her home on “mates rates”.
Once they were alone in his vehicle, he started molesting her and took her to a lonely layby in the countryside, where he sexually assaulted her so hard, she was in pain for days afterwards.
She said she couldn’t stop him because of the state she was in but kept saying “no”.
Spiteri, who worked as a doorman on city centre clubs, denied claiming to be a taxi driver or spiking her drink.
He claimed from the witness box that she had introduced him to her friends inside Vudu. In the car, she had flirted with him and initiated sexual contact.
He denied witness statements that the victim had vomited when they reached the hotel where her friends were staying.
The jury convicted Spiteri , of Parliament Street, Norton, of sexual assault after four hours in retirement.
“The victim was particularly vulnerable due to her personal circumstances,” Judge Simon Batiste told Spiteri. “She was alone in a “taxi” with you, late at night where she was obviously clearly incapable due to her intoxicated state.You took advantage of that.
“You have not shown one shred of remorse for your behaviour.
“This was a horrible attack.”
He jailed Spiteri for seven years, made a lifelong sexual harm prevention order forbidding him to have a woman alone with him in a car or contacting the victim in any way and put him on the sex offenders’ register for life.
https://www.yorkpress.co.uk
-------------------------------
Saturday 20 July 2019
Taxi drivers are not happy with Dublin City Council’s plan to start rolling out the pedestrianisation of College Green, and are concerned that it will negatively affect their business.
Dublin taxi driver Damian Tisdall said closing off College Green is “like closing off the M50 for the city centre”.
“It’s the main thoroughfare of the city – the main artery and they want to block it off. So you block its blood and it’s got nowhere to go, what happens? The city dies.”
Parked in the Foster Place taxi rank is taxi driver Christopher Fox, also from Dublin. “They’re breaking the ruling of An Bord Pleanála. An Bord Pleanála said it’s a danger to people,” he said.
“And [Dublin City Council chief executive] Owen Keegan is still doing this. This man, he’s a law unto himself. He doesn’t respect other authorities. That’s his problem. He can carte blanche what he wants to do.”
Despite An Bord Pleanála’s refusal of the plan to pedestrianise the area, the council are testing it out over three dates this Summer. College Green will be pedestrianised between 7am and 7pm this Sunday, July 21st, July 28st, and August 4th.
“There’s one single lane going around there,” said Mr Fox, gesturing to the road passing Trinity College. “The other lane is dedicated to the cyclists. There used to be two lanes and the traffic flowed freely in through that there.” He said traffic no longer flows freely because of the cycle lane “the same size as the bus corridor,” so more road space is needed.
Bus driver Michael Ryan has been with Big Bus Tours for eight years. He doesn’t know where his route will be diverted on Sunday.
“It’s going to cause a lot of problems for us because it’s a main artery to a lot of the main attractions here – Trinity College is one of our stops. This stop here actually serves Trinity College, the Grafton Street area, Book of Kells, and the next stop on just down the end of the road here is Dublin Castle,” said Mr Ryan. “Another vital piece of our tour is now affected.”
https://bit.ly/2xW8D6e
------------------------------------
With Edinburgh City Council proposing to set up a low emission zone (LEZ) in the Scottish capital to improve air quality, the public took to Facebook to discuss the issue.
Tam Maccathie said on the platform: "Seems Edinburgh is heading toward a London type economic plan. Whilst no one can criticise clean air, folk may well find there is a price to be paid in higher charges for everything including food and rent.
"I wonder how many commercial vehicles registered in Edinburgh actually qualified to enter Edinburgh without penalty and how many have special exemption from the penalty. Do the car and van dealerships have a little deal with the government or Council? Most vehicles that don't reach Euro 6, even the ones bought yesterday will be worth peanuts. Very worrying future..... clean but worrying."
While Heather Henderson said: "What about people like myself who have disabilities, who need their cars to get around and have blue badges. I definitely can't afford a new car."
George O'Toole commented: "Absolutely barmy, is Edinburgh now only for the rich."
www.taxi-point.co.uk
-------------------------------
Update on Welsh taxi law reform proposals: Expect delays
The main aspects of responses include to its improving public transport consultation shows a resounding no for its proposal to consolidate taxi licensing under a single authority.
The Welsh Government consulted, amongst other matters, on its preferred proposal “to redirect all of the existing taxi and PHV licensing functions away from local authorities and into a national licensing authority”.
There was however a resounding negative response to this proposal with 83% of respondents saying no.
According to the response report: “Most responses from local authorities disagreed with this proposal. They commented that further clarification is a required on how the JTA would work and felt that insufficient research had been undertaken. Many also commented that such a proposal would mean the potential loss of local knowledge.
“Responses from taxi operators including the Cardiff Hackney Alliance also disagreed with this proposal and commented that local knowledge is important and centralised administration could cause unnecessary delays. However, there was some support for the proposal from the industry”.
Other proposals included:
99% support for the introduction of national standards which will apply to all taxis and PHVs in Wales
96% support for the proposal that a local authority be able to revoke or suspend a licence relating to any vehicle operating in its area, even if it did not issue the original licence
99% agreement with the proposal to create a database or make other arrangements for relevant safeguarding information to be shared
The report’s publication comes in the same week however in which the Welsh Assembly confirmed that there will be a delay until the next Assembly elections in 2021.
The Assembly said: “we will introduce a public transport Bill in this Assembly term, building on the proposals in the ‘Improving public transport’ White Paper…The White Paper also sought people’s views about a series of proposals to modernise the licensing system for taxis and private hire vehicles to respond to this rapidly changing market. Aspects of those proposals received clear support, but they also produced ideas, from the industry, from trade unions, from local authorities, to go further in addressing the challenges faced by the industry. These further ideas, coupled with developments at a UK level, have led us to conclude that more time should be taken to finalise our approach to taxis and private hire vehicles. Legislation on these aspects of the White Paper will now be brought forward the other side of the next Assembly elections”.
https://www.taxidefencebarristers.co.uk/2019/07/18/update-on-welsh-taxi-law-reform-proposals-expect-delays/
Dublin taxi driver Damian Tisdall said closing off College Green is “like closing off the M50 for the city centre”.
“It’s the main thoroughfare of the city – the main artery and they want to block it off. So you block its blood and it’s got nowhere to go, what happens? The city dies.”
Parked in the Foster Place taxi rank is taxi driver Christopher Fox, also from Dublin. “They’re breaking the ruling of An Bord Pleanála. An Bord Pleanála said it’s a danger to people,” he said.
“And [Dublin City Council chief executive] Owen Keegan is still doing this. This man, he’s a law unto himself. He doesn’t respect other authorities. That’s his problem. He can carte blanche what he wants to do.”
Despite An Bord Pleanála’s refusal of the plan to pedestrianise the area, the council are testing it out over three dates this Summer. College Green will be pedestrianised between 7am and 7pm this Sunday, July 21st, July 28st, and August 4th.
“There’s one single lane going around there,” said Mr Fox, gesturing to the road passing Trinity College. “The other lane is dedicated to the cyclists. There used to be two lanes and the traffic flowed freely in through that there.” He said traffic no longer flows freely because of the cycle lane “the same size as the bus corridor,” so more road space is needed.
Bus driver Michael Ryan has been with Big Bus Tours for eight years. He doesn’t know where his route will be diverted on Sunday.
“It’s going to cause a lot of problems for us because it’s a main artery to a lot of the main attractions here – Trinity College is one of our stops. This stop here actually serves Trinity College, the Grafton Street area, Book of Kells, and the next stop on just down the end of the road here is Dublin Castle,” said Mr Ryan. “Another vital piece of our tour is now affected.”
https://bit.ly/2xW8D6e
------------------------------------
With Edinburgh City Council proposing to set up a low emission zone (LEZ) in the Scottish capital to improve air quality, the public took to Facebook to discuss the issue.
Tam Maccathie said on the platform: "Seems Edinburgh is heading toward a London type economic plan. Whilst no one can criticise clean air, folk may well find there is a price to be paid in higher charges for everything including food and rent.
"I wonder how many commercial vehicles registered in Edinburgh actually qualified to enter Edinburgh without penalty and how many have special exemption from the penalty. Do the car and van dealerships have a little deal with the government or Council? Most vehicles that don't reach Euro 6, even the ones bought yesterday will be worth peanuts. Very worrying future..... clean but worrying."
While Heather Henderson said: "What about people like myself who have disabilities, who need their cars to get around and have blue badges. I definitely can't afford a new car."
George O'Toole commented: "Absolutely barmy, is Edinburgh now only for the rich."
www.taxi-point.co.uk
-------------------------------
Update on Welsh taxi law reform proposals: Expect delays
The main aspects of responses include to its improving public transport consultation shows a resounding no for its proposal to consolidate taxi licensing under a single authority.
The Welsh Government consulted, amongst other matters, on its preferred proposal “to redirect all of the existing taxi and PHV licensing functions away from local authorities and into a national licensing authority”.
There was however a resounding negative response to this proposal with 83% of respondents saying no.
According to the response report: “Most responses from local authorities disagreed with this proposal. They commented that further clarification is a required on how the JTA would work and felt that insufficient research had been undertaken. Many also commented that such a proposal would mean the potential loss of local knowledge.
“Responses from taxi operators including the Cardiff Hackney Alliance also disagreed with this proposal and commented that local knowledge is important and centralised administration could cause unnecessary delays. However, there was some support for the proposal from the industry”.
Other proposals included:
99% support for the introduction of national standards which will apply to all taxis and PHVs in Wales
96% support for the proposal that a local authority be able to revoke or suspend a licence relating to any vehicle operating in its area, even if it did not issue the original licence
99% agreement with the proposal to create a database or make other arrangements for relevant safeguarding information to be shared
The report’s publication comes in the same week however in which the Welsh Assembly confirmed that there will be a delay until the next Assembly elections in 2021.
The Assembly said: “we will introduce a public transport Bill in this Assembly term, building on the proposals in the ‘Improving public transport’ White Paper…The White Paper also sought people’s views about a series of proposals to modernise the licensing system for taxis and private hire vehicles to respond to this rapidly changing market. Aspects of those proposals received clear support, but they also produced ideas, from the industry, from trade unions, from local authorities, to go further in addressing the challenges faced by the industry. These further ideas, coupled with developments at a UK level, have led us to conclude that more time should be taken to finalise our approach to taxis and private hire vehicles. Legislation on these aspects of the White Paper will now be brought forward the other side of the next Assembly elections”.
https://www.taxidefencebarristers.co.uk/2019/07/18/update-on-welsh-taxi-law-reform-proposals-expect-delays/
Thursday 18 July 2019
https://bit.ly/2YaQvUY
----------------------------------------------
BOLTON
DOZENS of taxis were taken off Bolton’s roads last month after spot checks revealed a catalogue of licensing and safety breaches.
Bolton Council teamed up with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency for the operation which took place over two weekends in June.
In total, 59 vehicles were stopped with 27 being handed a vehicle suspension notice for a variety of faults.
These included not having a fire extinguisher on board, insecure data systems, not having a fare card, various issues with lights or broken bulbs and illegal tyres.
Of these vehicles, one was a Hackney carriage and the rest were private hire vehicles.
A further six vehicles were given advisory notices for less serious issues.
Police also issued £100 penalty notices to 13 drivers for not wearing a seatbelt.
Cllr Anne Galloway, Bolton Council’s executive cabinet member for environmental regulatory services, said: “Passengers in Bolton should have every confidence that our private hire vehicles and Hackney carriages meet all the required safety standards.
“We continue to work with our partners in other agencies to enforce these regulations and ensure the minority of drivers who choose to break the rules are held to account.”
Sgt Paul Lenarcic from the Greater Manchester Police Safer Roads Targeting Team added: “The main aim of operation is for public safety and to reassure the public that the vehicles they get into are road legal, safe and are being driven by licensed drivers.
“Officers from the Safer Roads Targeting Team assisted Bolton Council in a multi-agency approach to achieve this.
“We will continue to work with the local authorities to ensure that people of Greater Manchester, are being kept safe on the roads.”
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/17776575.taxis-taken-off-road-safety-clampdown/
--------------------------------------
DUNDEE
A taxi boss who sent headhunting letters to “hundreds” of city drivers has defended his actions, saying he has not broken the law.
Qaiser Habib, operator of Dundee City Taxis, was criticised by union chiefs and licence holders after he posted letters to the homes of the city’s cabbies asking them to join his firm.
Mr Habib, a taxi driver by trade who started his own firm in 2017, told the Tele he obtained the list of drivers directly from the council after explaining why he wanted it.
It is understood that a full list of the city’s taxi drivers, complete with name and addresses, can be purchased from the licensing board for £40.
Mr Habib said: “The list of names and addresses has been published – my side of this story is very simple.
“If you go to the council and ask for the taxi information they ask why. They checked I was credible and asked for a written consent from me. Then I paid and got the information.”
Despite concerns from local Unite taxi rep boss Chris Elder and some drivers, Mr Habib claims to have had few complaints from the city cabbies.
“I’ve had a couple of calls asking me to take names off the list if I do this again and I said that is no problem,” he added.
“But most of them are happy and have not said anything. It’s not a big deal – you can’t please everybody.
“It’s a normal business practice and compliant with the Data Protection Act.”
https://bit.ly/2Lt7UCg
--------------------------------------
WAKEFIELD
Tight new rules for the taxi industry in Wakefield, including automatic bans for drivers convicted of certain offences, will come into force in September.
The move is designed to bring councils across West Yorkshire and York in line with each other on standards, in a bid to dissuade drivers getting their licence from one authority and then working in another area.
A local group representing around 600 taxi drivers was concerned about the bans, and likened the proposals to treating "sweet-stealing children" the same as "career criminals".
They said there should be more focus on rehabilitating offending drivers and that each case should be treated on its individual merits.
But public consultations in other parts of the region indicated a more favourable view to the proposals.
And Wakefield Council said that the proposals still offered flexibility when considering sanctions against convicted drivers.
On Wednesday the authority's licensing committee was told that the new rules were in line with guidance published by the Institute of Licensing last year.
Council officer Helen Earnshaw said: "If we didn't adopt this, we'd have to show our reasons why to the government.
"I think it's recognised that there needs to be more harmonisation on taxi policy across the country, so drivers won't just go to one authority (for a licence) that might have lesser standards.
"The new policy categorises offences. The more offences you try to list you often find there's one that's not been listed, and that can cause problems."
Cabbies who've spent more than three months out of the UK in the past three years will now also need to produce a "certificate of good conduct" from the country they've lived in to obtain or keep a licence.
In one change from the original proposals, drivers convicted of a minor road offence would have to wait three years before reapplying for their licence, rather than five.
Those who use a mobile phone while driving however, will still be banned for five years.
Ms Earnshaw added: "We would take action if someone had seven points or more on their driving licence.
"So if they've been caught speeding twice and got six points, they wouldn't be caught out."
Councillors voted to approve the new measures but agreed to delay implementing them until September 1 to allow time for the changes to be communicated.
https://bit.ly/2Y4DxnG
Wednesday 17 July 2019
MANCHESTER "PLAY FAIR FOR CLEAN AIR"
The government's failure to back Greater Manchester's clean air proposals with fair funding could put jobs and businesses at risk, according to the city region's mayor and leaders.
Earlier this year, detailed plans for a Clean Air Zone covering all ten boroughs were submitted and requested partnership funding to help taxi companies and small businesses switch to cleaner vehicles.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority has noted that the authorities have instead received a ministerial instruction to accelerate – by two years – proposals to include vans in the Clean Air Zone.
A total of £116m of clean vehicle funding had been requested. However, government has instead offered £36m ring-fenced to create a network of cameras that would issue fines to those in breach.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Greater Manchester Green City-region lead councillor Andrew Western are now calling for an urgent meeting with the secretary of state for the environment.
"Greater Manchester stands ready to move at pace to clean up our polluted air and work in partnership with the government," said Burnham. "But it would be unfair to ask Greater Manchester to do this alone and to fund the change by fines on small businesses.
"Taxi drivers in the city have been calling on us to play fair on clean air. We hear that call and want to help people switch. We don't want to see a single job or business threatened by the process of cleaning up our air but we can't guarantee this without help from the government.
"Our message to the government is clear: give Greater Manchester the funds we need to clean up our air and don't impose a clean air tax on our businesses. Give Greater Manchester the same support as London and play fair on clean air."
Western added: "Poor air quality is the largest environmental public health issue facing the UK, with air pollution estimated to contribute to the equivalent of 1,200 deaths in Greater Manchester each year.
"We received thousands of responses to our clean air conversation in May and June which shows that people and businesses in Greater Manchester care a lot about cleaning up our air and want to work with councils to get the right final plan for the city region.
"We've asked government for an unprecedented £116m of clean vehicle funding which would go directly to businesses using vans, taxi and private hire drivers, freight and bus operators to upgrade their fleets in the next two-to-four years. But the government has committed no clean air plan funding at all to help Greater Manchester businesses deal with air pollution from their vehicles."
https://bit.ly/2Y7i817
-----------------------------
Transport for London has granted major ride-hailing company Viavan a licence despite it offering contracts that include a clause which forces its 20,000 drivers in London to pay for any tax imposed by HMRC or the government, instead of the company itself.
This implies that drivers are liable to pay for their own tax in the case that they are recognised as employees, for example; and could be liable for wider penalties relating to London's congestion charge if they are set out by the High Court later this year.
Gig economy workers will face Uber in the Supreme Court in a case that could force ride-hailing companies to recognise their drivers as employees instead of self-employed workers and gain rights like holiday and sick pay.
But this clause could stop Viavan drivers from launching claims against the company for back-taxes should their employment status change.
Mohamed Ali, 48, a driver for Viavan and its major rival Uber, claimed that TfL "doesn't care" about what is happening to drivers and is failing to protect them from unfair contracts that could harm them in the future.
"Anybody can come into the market and they [TfL] don't ask any questions. They are supposed to say this is not possible," he said.
Mahamud, 58, a Viavan driver based in London, said he was not aware and “not happy” about the clause in the contract and will now likely leave the service.
A Viavan spokesman said: "We are committed to treating our drivers with respect, giving them flexibility in how they partner with us, and offering them competitive earning opportunities. We also take driver feedback extremely seriously and respond to any concerns based on the individual circumstances of the claim. We regularly reach out to driver partners for feedback to ensure we're creating a service that works for them.”
James Farrar, chairman of the United Private Hire Drivers branch of the IWGB union, warned that drivers will be forced out of service in London if ride-hailing operators continue to push drivers' rights aside.
"More and more precarious workers are being enticed into the industry responding to the short term incentives these entrants are offering to they can grab market share from Uber," he said. "There will be a blood bath and I don't think all these operators can survive."
A TfL spokesperson said: “If there is evidence that an operator is working illegally then we will take the appropriate action.” There is no suggestion that Viavan's current contracts break the law.
https://bit.ly/2LX5wTB
----------------------------------------
BATH
Taxi firms have urged council leaders to clamp down on Uber drivers who contribute “absolutely zero” to the local economy.
Bath Taxi Association chairman Bob Hollingdale called for their privilege to use bus lanes and bus gates to be revoked after the app “broke its promise” to use local drivers.
He claimed Uber drivers from outside the city were abusing licences to operate in Bath and in some cases, acting illegally.
He said a number of other towns across the country had brought in tighter controls and argued it would cut pollution and congestion in the city.
Speaking at Thursday’s full council meeting, Mr Hollingdale said: “A few years ago, when Uber were granted their licence to operate in Bath, they promised to use mainly local cars.
"When I say local cars, I mean cars licensed by Bath and North East Somerset Council.
“They have not kept that promise. Today, I’m asking you to restrict the use of bus lanes and bus gates to local taxis, private hire and buses only.
“A lot of towns have already done this.
“There would be less congestion and pollution.
"If they’ve had a job, they should drive back to their own area and not clog up the city.
“Most just drive here on the off-chance of getting a job, or take one illegally, which I’ve personally seen many times."
Mr Hollingdale said two of the city's biggest taxi firms have dramatically reduced the number of cabs they operate.
“A few years ago Abbey and V Cars had over 400 cars. Now they’ve got less than 200 between them," he said.
“We have the clean air zone being introduced shortly.
"Restricting these cars will have a major positive impact on the city.
“Quite often a tourist’s first point of contact is a taxi.
"They can advise the tourist of the history and other local knowledge. Out of town cars cannot.
“The contribution to the city by out-of-town cars is absolutely zero.”
Mr Hollingdale said the council had lost thousands in licensing fees from private hire vehicles being registered elsewhere, and claimed the drivers were “technically uninsured”.
Private hire taxi driver Paul Roles reminded councillors that he and his colleagues voted for them, but those from Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire did not.
https://bit.ly/2Y3QfqI
The government's failure to back Greater Manchester's clean air proposals with fair funding could put jobs and businesses at risk, according to the city region's mayor and leaders.
Earlier this year, detailed plans for a Clean Air Zone covering all ten boroughs were submitted and requested partnership funding to help taxi companies and small businesses switch to cleaner vehicles.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority has noted that the authorities have instead received a ministerial instruction to accelerate – by two years – proposals to include vans in the Clean Air Zone.
A total of £116m of clean vehicle funding had been requested. However, government has instead offered £36m ring-fenced to create a network of cameras that would issue fines to those in breach.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Greater Manchester Green City-region lead councillor Andrew Western are now calling for an urgent meeting with the secretary of state for the environment.
"Greater Manchester stands ready to move at pace to clean up our polluted air and work in partnership with the government," said Burnham. "But it would be unfair to ask Greater Manchester to do this alone and to fund the change by fines on small businesses.
"Taxi drivers in the city have been calling on us to play fair on clean air. We hear that call and want to help people switch. We don't want to see a single job or business threatened by the process of cleaning up our air but we can't guarantee this without help from the government.
"Our message to the government is clear: give Greater Manchester the funds we need to clean up our air and don't impose a clean air tax on our businesses. Give Greater Manchester the same support as London and play fair on clean air."
Western added: "Poor air quality is the largest environmental public health issue facing the UK, with air pollution estimated to contribute to the equivalent of 1,200 deaths in Greater Manchester each year.
"We received thousands of responses to our clean air conversation in May and June which shows that people and businesses in Greater Manchester care a lot about cleaning up our air and want to work with councils to get the right final plan for the city region.
"We've asked government for an unprecedented £116m of clean vehicle funding which would go directly to businesses using vans, taxi and private hire drivers, freight and bus operators to upgrade their fleets in the next two-to-four years. But the government has committed no clean air plan funding at all to help Greater Manchester businesses deal with air pollution from their vehicles."
https://bit.ly/2Y7i817
-----------------------------
Transport for London has granted major ride-hailing company Viavan a licence despite it offering contracts that include a clause which forces its 20,000 drivers in London to pay for any tax imposed by HMRC or the government, instead of the company itself.
This implies that drivers are liable to pay for their own tax in the case that they are recognised as employees, for example; and could be liable for wider penalties relating to London's congestion charge if they are set out by the High Court later this year.
Gig economy workers will face Uber in the Supreme Court in a case that could force ride-hailing companies to recognise their drivers as employees instead of self-employed workers and gain rights like holiday and sick pay.
But this clause could stop Viavan drivers from launching claims against the company for back-taxes should their employment status change.
Mohamed Ali, 48, a driver for Viavan and its major rival Uber, claimed that TfL "doesn't care" about what is happening to drivers and is failing to protect them from unfair contracts that could harm them in the future.
"Anybody can come into the market and they [TfL] don't ask any questions. They are supposed to say this is not possible," he said.
Mahamud, 58, a Viavan driver based in London, said he was not aware and “not happy” about the clause in the contract and will now likely leave the service.
A Viavan spokesman said: "We are committed to treating our drivers with respect, giving them flexibility in how they partner with us, and offering them competitive earning opportunities. We also take driver feedback extremely seriously and respond to any concerns based on the individual circumstances of the claim. We regularly reach out to driver partners for feedback to ensure we're creating a service that works for them.”
James Farrar, chairman of the United Private Hire Drivers branch of the IWGB union, warned that drivers will be forced out of service in London if ride-hailing operators continue to push drivers' rights aside.
"More and more precarious workers are being enticed into the industry responding to the short term incentives these entrants are offering to they can grab market share from Uber," he said. "There will be a blood bath and I don't think all these operators can survive."
A TfL spokesperson said: “If there is evidence that an operator is working illegally then we will take the appropriate action.” There is no suggestion that Viavan's current contracts break the law.
https://bit.ly/2LX5wTB
----------------------------------------
BATH
Taxi firms have urged council leaders to clamp down on Uber drivers who contribute “absolutely zero” to the local economy.
Bath Taxi Association chairman Bob Hollingdale called for their privilege to use bus lanes and bus gates to be revoked after the app “broke its promise” to use local drivers.
He claimed Uber drivers from outside the city were abusing licences to operate in Bath and in some cases, acting illegally.
He said a number of other towns across the country had brought in tighter controls and argued it would cut pollution and congestion in the city.
Speaking at Thursday’s full council meeting, Mr Hollingdale said: “A few years ago, when Uber were granted their licence to operate in Bath, they promised to use mainly local cars.
"When I say local cars, I mean cars licensed by Bath and North East Somerset Council.
“They have not kept that promise. Today, I’m asking you to restrict the use of bus lanes and bus gates to local taxis, private hire and buses only.
“A lot of towns have already done this.
“There would be less congestion and pollution.
"If they’ve had a job, they should drive back to their own area and not clog up the city.
“Most just drive here on the off-chance of getting a job, or take one illegally, which I’ve personally seen many times."
Mr Hollingdale said two of the city's biggest taxi firms have dramatically reduced the number of cabs they operate.
“A few years ago Abbey and V Cars had over 400 cars. Now they’ve got less than 200 between them," he said.
“We have the clean air zone being introduced shortly.
"Restricting these cars will have a major positive impact on the city.
“Quite often a tourist’s first point of contact is a taxi.
"They can advise the tourist of the history and other local knowledge. Out of town cars cannot.
“The contribution to the city by out-of-town cars is absolutely zero.”
Mr Hollingdale said the council had lost thousands in licensing fees from private hire vehicles being registered elsewhere, and claimed the drivers were “technically uninsured”.
Private hire taxi driver Paul Roles reminded councillors that he and his colleagues voted for them, but those from Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire did not.
https://bit.ly/2Y3QfqI
Tuesday 16 July 2019
Dublin’s taxi problem: ‘There’s as many cabs here as New York’
Parked at the end of a long queue of taxis that spill over into the adjacent lane near St Stephen’s Green, taxi driver Adidemi Lugboso (51) says there is one glaring problem he faces as a cab driver in the city.
“There’s too many taxis,” he says. “There’s as many taxis here as New York.”
Several taxi drivers who spoke to The Irish Times said the number of cabs on the street can be overwhelming and oversight was not enough to regulate unlicensed drivers.
“Nobody’s listening,” says David Heavey (57), waiting for a fare outside Dublin Castle. “If you report someone you never hear back.”
“It just goes flying around in the cloud,” agreed Sean (53), who declined to give his last name. “Nobody ever acts on it. The punishment doesn’t fit the crime.”
Waiting in line outside the Westbury Hotel on Grafton Street, he says he couldn’t remember the last time the enforcement team came to him to check on his details.
He maintains that customers focus too much on Friday and Saturday night when taxis are in high demand, but don’t care about the rest of the time when the streets are flooded with cabs.
“Where are you on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, you know?” he says.
The DriverCheck app allows users to enter the number located on the side of the taxi and compare the photo and name to the person driving the car. If no information comes up, the driver is probably not licensed. The problem, according to the drivers, is there is little enforcement.
Pulling on a cigarette next to his taxi parked in the line along the quays, Seán Nolan (44) agrees with the claim of a lack of oversight and response to illegal taxi drivers.
Checking on drivers
“We can’t complain,” he says. “If we find a taxi on the rank that is illegitimate, or not on the driver check, we can’t report them. It has to be a customer [who reports them]. What use is that because not all customers will check the system to see if that driver is legit.”
Nolan, like many other drivers, does not see the introduction of Uber as contributing to their problems. Unlike in many other countries, Uber drivers in Ireland must be licensed in the same way as taxi drivers.
“That’s about the one good oversight that government does have on a taxi,” says Nolan. “That Uber can’t come into the country and just send anybody. I had to be vetted. Every man here had to be vetted. Uber can’t vet the way our police force can vet.”
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/dublin-s-taxi-problem-there-s-as-many-cabs-here-as-new-york-1.3958513
Parked at the end of a long queue of taxis that spill over into the adjacent lane near St Stephen’s Green, taxi driver Adidemi Lugboso (51) says there is one glaring problem he faces as a cab driver in the city.
“There’s too many taxis,” he says. “There’s as many taxis here as New York.”
Several taxi drivers who spoke to The Irish Times said the number of cabs on the street can be overwhelming and oversight was not enough to regulate unlicensed drivers.
“Nobody’s listening,” says David Heavey (57), waiting for a fare outside Dublin Castle. “If you report someone you never hear back.”
“It just goes flying around in the cloud,” agreed Sean (53), who declined to give his last name. “Nobody ever acts on it. The punishment doesn’t fit the crime.”
Waiting in line outside the Westbury Hotel on Grafton Street, he says he couldn’t remember the last time the enforcement team came to him to check on his details.
He maintains that customers focus too much on Friday and Saturday night when taxis are in high demand, but don’t care about the rest of the time when the streets are flooded with cabs.
“Where are you on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, you know?” he says.
The DriverCheck app allows users to enter the number located on the side of the taxi and compare the photo and name to the person driving the car. If no information comes up, the driver is probably not licensed. The problem, according to the drivers, is there is little enforcement.
Pulling on a cigarette next to his taxi parked in the line along the quays, Seán Nolan (44) agrees with the claim of a lack of oversight and response to illegal taxi drivers.
Checking on drivers
“We can’t complain,” he says. “If we find a taxi on the rank that is illegitimate, or not on the driver check, we can’t report them. It has to be a customer [who reports them]. What use is that because not all customers will check the system to see if that driver is legit.”
Nolan, like many other drivers, does not see the introduction of Uber as contributing to their problems. Unlike in many other countries, Uber drivers in Ireland must be licensed in the same way as taxi drivers.
“That’s about the one good oversight that government does have on a taxi,” says Nolan. “That Uber can’t come into the country and just send anybody. I had to be vetted. Every man here had to be vetted. Uber can’t vet the way our police force can vet.”
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/dublin-s-taxi-problem-there-s-as-many-cabs-here-as-new-york-1.3958513
FRODSHAM & DISTRICT
The Crown Court has overturned a decision by Halton Borough Council to refuse 13 hackney carriage (taxi) licences and remitted the matter back to the council with “strong” recommendation to undertake unmet demand survey.
The owner of Frodsham & District Taxis applied to Halton Borough Council for 13 new taxi licences to operate in the area.
Halton Borough Council operates a policy of restricting the number of taxi licences issued by the council. This policy, according to the council, was informed by an unmet demand survey conducted several years ago. The council was neither able to produce any evidence of when this unmet demand survey was undertaken nor any justification that the number set by it was justified.
In November 2018 the council’s Regulatory Committee met to determine the applications. It was argued before the committee that that council had no grounds for refusing the applications for the additional taxi licences because it has no evidence of any significant demand for taxis that are unmet. The committee’s attention was drawn to the fact that the only discretion they had in the matter was evidence that there was no significant demand for taxis that are unmet. In the absence of any such evidence, it was argued that the committee could not exercise its discretion to refuse the additional taxi licences.
Despite this the Regulatory Committee, on legal advice from officers, decided that there was no evidence before it that would justify them deviating from their policy of restricting the number of taxi licences. It consequently refused all 13 applications.
On appeal to the Crown Court, the council sought to persuade the court of its position. In the absence of any evidence derived from an unmet demand survey (which is national best practice), the council argued, amongst other things, that the number of taxis in its area per head exceeds that of neighbouring authorities, the local taxi trade presented the council with a petition arguing against additional licences and that unmet demand surveys are prohibitively expensive.
The court disagreed with the council agreeing with submissions made by District Taxi’s counsel who argued that assumptions made by the council were not evidence based and the only way to be confident would be to conduct a survey as is the requirement in Government guidance on the matter. The judge in the case stated that the Halton Borough Council has not taken sufficient steps to ensure that such a cap is justified or that that is the appropriate number.
The judge in allowing the appeal remitted the matter back to the council for reconsideration but with a “strong” recommendation that the Halton Borough Council immediately undertake an unmet demand survey so that allocations of taxi licence be done fairly and based on evidence not assumptions.
Frodsham & District Taxis was represented by Stephen McCaffrey, head of Kings View Chambers and Taxi Defence Barristers.
https://bit.ly/2Slrl0q
The Crown Court has overturned a decision by Halton Borough Council to refuse 13 hackney carriage (taxi) licences and remitted the matter back to the council with “strong” recommendation to undertake unmet demand survey.
The owner of Frodsham & District Taxis applied to Halton Borough Council for 13 new taxi licences to operate in the area.
Halton Borough Council operates a policy of restricting the number of taxi licences issued by the council. This policy, according to the council, was informed by an unmet demand survey conducted several years ago. The council was neither able to produce any evidence of when this unmet demand survey was undertaken nor any justification that the number set by it was justified.
In November 2018 the council’s Regulatory Committee met to determine the applications. It was argued before the committee that that council had no grounds for refusing the applications for the additional taxi licences because it has no evidence of any significant demand for taxis that are unmet. The committee’s attention was drawn to the fact that the only discretion they had in the matter was evidence that there was no significant demand for taxis that are unmet. In the absence of any such evidence, it was argued that the committee could not exercise its discretion to refuse the additional taxi licences.
Despite this the Regulatory Committee, on legal advice from officers, decided that there was no evidence before it that would justify them deviating from their policy of restricting the number of taxi licences. It consequently refused all 13 applications.
On appeal to the Crown Court, the council sought to persuade the court of its position. In the absence of any evidence derived from an unmet demand survey (which is national best practice), the council argued, amongst other things, that the number of taxis in its area per head exceeds that of neighbouring authorities, the local taxi trade presented the council with a petition arguing against additional licences and that unmet demand surveys are prohibitively expensive.
The court disagreed with the council agreeing with submissions made by District Taxi’s counsel who argued that assumptions made by the council were not evidence based and the only way to be confident would be to conduct a survey as is the requirement in Government guidance on the matter. The judge in the case stated that the Halton Borough Council has not taken sufficient steps to ensure that such a cap is justified or that that is the appropriate number.
The judge in allowing the appeal remitted the matter back to the council for reconsideration but with a “strong” recommendation that the Halton Borough Council immediately undertake an unmet demand survey so that allocations of taxi licence be done fairly and based on evidence not assumptions.
Frodsham & District Taxis was represented by Stephen McCaffrey, head of Kings View Chambers and Taxi Defence Barristers.
https://bit.ly/2Slrl0q
Monday 15 July 2019
NEW YORK
A veteran yellow cab driver has died after he was fatally injured by his own car while trying to chase-down a passenger who had stolen his bag.
Mohammad Zafrullah, 65, had dropped-off the rider at around 11.45pm on Sunday between Seward and Rosedale Avenues in the Bronx, New York, when the incident occurred.
As he got ready to pull-away, the rider walked around to the passenger-side of the car, reached into the open window and grabbed the driver's backpack.
Veteran taxi driver Mohammad Zafrullah, 65, of Brooklyn, died of his injuries on Monday after being struck by his own cab while in pursuit of a thief who stole his bag
Zafrullah dropped his passenger off between Seward and Rosedale Avenues, in the Bronx, when the thief stole his bag
Zafrullah raced after the thief, but had not put his vehicle into the 'parked' position and instead left it in 'reverse,' according to the New York Post.
As he chased around the back of his car it rolled into him, knocking Zalfrullah to the ground and then continuing to run over him, before hitting a parked vehicle.
First responders attending the scene confirmed that Zafrullah was unresponsive and lying in the middle of the street when they found him.
The Brooklyn resident was rushed to Jacobi Medical Center, according to NYPost, where he died of his injuries shortly after 7.35am on Monday.
A 911 caller initially believed Zafrullah had been stabbed until a gruesome video was discovered revealing the cause of his death, New York Daily News reported.
Police are on the lookout for the thief, who was wearing a white shirt, but have not made clear whether the suspect will face charges beyond snatching the bag.
Zafrullah had been a cab driver since at least 1997, the Daily News were told by the Taxi and Limousine Commission.
https://dailym.ai/30CGNIt
------------------------------
Capital Cars, in Edinburgh, is one of the largest fully-licensed private hire taxi companies in the capital.
It provides a range of services from airport transfers to luxury chauffeur trips and exclusive tours of Scotland. Capital Cars now has a fleet of four Teslas – two Model X and two Model S cars – all of which are available to customers by special request.
Ross Pickburn, regional sales manager at Simply, said: “Capital Cars is one of the first taxi companies in Edinburgh to start replacing its fleet with electric vehicles – which not only helps the environment but also brings down the cost per mile of journeys. It’s a pleasure to deal with such a progressive and green company.”
Stephen Rose, director, Capital Cars, said: “We consider ourselves to be a very versatile taxi firm. We know that our customers have a wide range of interests, and the different services – and the different cars – we offer certainly reflect that.
The Tesla has proven hugely popular with the executive market, but also for special occasions where people like the idea that they are reducing their carbon footprint, compared to hiring traditional vehicles.
https://bit.ly/2SgfPn4
-----------------------------------
Cheadle technology company Autocab has surpassed an aggregated three billion bookings via its cloud-based software as it continues to provide taxi firms across the UK with the tech to transform themselves into global booking platforms.
This number comprises a recent milestone of one billion bookings through Autocab’s automated call-handling system, Phantom 3, since its launch in 2014, as well as web and app-based bookings.
In total, the company’s technology now powers 52% of the private hire and taxi market in the UK.
https://bit.ly/2Y7u42P
------------------------------------
LEVC
Marketing agency Palmer Hargreaves, in Waterloo Place, has been appointed by electric taxi company LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company).
The agency has been tasked with finding suitable candidates to test drive LEVC’s electric taxis in Birmingham, Manchester and London.
The campaign will be carried out over the next 12 months with scope for the agency to take LEVC’s electric taxi proposition overseas with the support of its offices in Germany, Russia and China.
https://bit.ly/30AL3Z4
-----------------------------------
Electric Car-Owners Shocked: New Study Confirms EVs Considerably Worse For Climate Than Diesel Cars
The Brussel Times reports that a new German study exposes how electric vehicles will hardly decrease CO2 emissions in Europe over the coming years, as the introduction of electric vehicles won't lead to a reduction in CO2 emissions from highway traffic.
According to the study directed by Christoph Buchal of the University of Cologne, published by the Ifo Institute in Munich last week, electric vehicles have "significantly higher CO2 emissions than diesel cars." That is due to the significant amount of energy used in the mining and processing of lithium, cobalt, and manganese, which are critical raw materials for the production of electric car batteries.
A battery pack for a Tesla Model 3 pollutes the climate with 11 to 15 tonnes of CO2. Each battery pack has a lifespan of approximately ten years and total mileage of 94,000, would mean 73 to 98 grams of CO2 per kilometer (116 to 156 grams of CO2 per mile), Buchal said. Add to this the CO2 emissions of the electricity from powerplants that power such vehicles, and the actual Tesla emissions could be between 156 to 180 grams of CO2 per kilometer (249 and 289 grams of CO2 per mile).
German researchers criticized the fact that EU legislation classifies electric cars as zero-emission cars; they call it a deception because electric cars, like the Model 3, with all the factors, included, produce more emissions than diesel vehicles by Mercedes.
They further wrote that the EU target of 59 grams of CO2 per kilometer by 2030 is "technically unrealistic."
The reality is, in addition to the CO2 emissions generated in mining the raw materials for the production of electric vehicles, all EU countries generate significant CO2 emissions from charging the vehicles’ batteries using dirty power plants.
For true emission reductions, researchers concluded the study by saying methane-powered gasoline engines or hydrogen motors could cut CO2 emissions by a third and possibly eliminate the need for diesel motors.
https://bit.ly/2YPykBb
A veteran yellow cab driver has died after he was fatally injured by his own car while trying to chase-down a passenger who had stolen his bag.
Mohammad Zafrullah, 65, had dropped-off the rider at around 11.45pm on Sunday between Seward and Rosedale Avenues in the Bronx, New York, when the incident occurred.
As he got ready to pull-away, the rider walked around to the passenger-side of the car, reached into the open window and grabbed the driver's backpack.
Veteran taxi driver Mohammad Zafrullah, 65, of Brooklyn, died of his injuries on Monday after being struck by his own cab while in pursuit of a thief who stole his bag
Zafrullah dropped his passenger off between Seward and Rosedale Avenues, in the Bronx, when the thief stole his bag
Zafrullah raced after the thief, but had not put his vehicle into the 'parked' position and instead left it in 'reverse,' according to the New York Post.
As he chased around the back of his car it rolled into him, knocking Zalfrullah to the ground and then continuing to run over him, before hitting a parked vehicle.
First responders attending the scene confirmed that Zafrullah was unresponsive and lying in the middle of the street when they found him.
The Brooklyn resident was rushed to Jacobi Medical Center, according to NYPost, where he died of his injuries shortly after 7.35am on Monday.
A 911 caller initially believed Zafrullah had been stabbed until a gruesome video was discovered revealing the cause of his death, New York Daily News reported.
Police are on the lookout for the thief, who was wearing a white shirt, but have not made clear whether the suspect will face charges beyond snatching the bag.
Zafrullah had been a cab driver since at least 1997, the Daily News were told by the Taxi and Limousine Commission.
https://dailym.ai/30CGNIt
------------------------------
Capital Cars, in Edinburgh, is one of the largest fully-licensed private hire taxi companies in the capital.
It provides a range of services from airport transfers to luxury chauffeur trips and exclusive tours of Scotland. Capital Cars now has a fleet of four Teslas – two Model X and two Model S cars – all of which are available to customers by special request.
Ross Pickburn, regional sales manager at Simply, said: “Capital Cars is one of the first taxi companies in Edinburgh to start replacing its fleet with electric vehicles – which not only helps the environment but also brings down the cost per mile of journeys. It’s a pleasure to deal with such a progressive and green company.”
Stephen Rose, director, Capital Cars, said: “We consider ourselves to be a very versatile taxi firm. We know that our customers have a wide range of interests, and the different services – and the different cars – we offer certainly reflect that.
The Tesla has proven hugely popular with the executive market, but also for special occasions where people like the idea that they are reducing their carbon footprint, compared to hiring traditional vehicles.
https://bit.ly/2SgfPn4
-----------------------------------
Cheadle technology company Autocab has surpassed an aggregated three billion bookings via its cloud-based software as it continues to provide taxi firms across the UK with the tech to transform themselves into global booking platforms.
This number comprises a recent milestone of one billion bookings through Autocab’s automated call-handling system, Phantom 3, since its launch in 2014, as well as web and app-based bookings.
In total, the company’s technology now powers 52% of the private hire and taxi market in the UK.
https://bit.ly/2Y7u42P
------------------------------------
LEVC
Marketing agency Palmer Hargreaves, in Waterloo Place, has been appointed by electric taxi company LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company).
The agency has been tasked with finding suitable candidates to test drive LEVC’s electric taxis in Birmingham, Manchester and London.
The campaign will be carried out over the next 12 months with scope for the agency to take LEVC’s electric taxi proposition overseas with the support of its offices in Germany, Russia and China.
https://bit.ly/30AL3Z4
-----------------------------------
Electric Car-Owners Shocked: New Study Confirms EVs Considerably Worse For Climate Than Diesel Cars
The Brussel Times reports that a new German study exposes how electric vehicles will hardly decrease CO2 emissions in Europe over the coming years, as the introduction of electric vehicles won't lead to a reduction in CO2 emissions from highway traffic.
According to the study directed by Christoph Buchal of the University of Cologne, published by the Ifo Institute in Munich last week, electric vehicles have "significantly higher CO2 emissions than diesel cars." That is due to the significant amount of energy used in the mining and processing of lithium, cobalt, and manganese, which are critical raw materials for the production of electric car batteries.
A battery pack for a Tesla Model 3 pollutes the climate with 11 to 15 tonnes of CO2. Each battery pack has a lifespan of approximately ten years and total mileage of 94,000, would mean 73 to 98 grams of CO2 per kilometer (116 to 156 grams of CO2 per mile), Buchal said. Add to this the CO2 emissions of the electricity from powerplants that power such vehicles, and the actual Tesla emissions could be between 156 to 180 grams of CO2 per kilometer (249 and 289 grams of CO2 per mile).
German researchers criticized the fact that EU legislation classifies electric cars as zero-emission cars; they call it a deception because electric cars, like the Model 3, with all the factors, included, produce more emissions than diesel vehicles by Mercedes.
They further wrote that the EU target of 59 grams of CO2 per kilometer by 2030 is "technically unrealistic."
The reality is, in addition to the CO2 emissions generated in mining the raw materials for the production of electric vehicles, all EU countries generate significant CO2 emissions from charging the vehicles’ batteries using dirty power plants.
For true emission reductions, researchers concluded the study by saying methane-powered gasoline engines or hydrogen motors could cut CO2 emissions by a third and possibly eliminate the need for diesel motors.
https://bit.ly/2YPykBb
Saturday 13 July 2019
LONDON
New cab sales of TXE's are at record levels, with 154 joining the ranks in June
I keep thinking the used cab market cannot get any crazier and then every single week it does. The wilding fluctuating market may look like a textbook lesson in economics, but it’s actually an accurate detail of the roller coaster that cab prices have been riding over the past six months.
Back in December, before the proposal to reduce vehicle age limits to 12 years was first mooted, Euro 5 cabs were unwanted and un- loved; early ones were changing hands in the early £20,000s. After the age limit announcement, the prices shot up, in some case by 40%, fuelled by short supply and increased demand.
Euro 5 values were suppressed by the fear that they would only get 12 years. Oversupply and re- duced demand forced these prices down dramati- cally. At one-point early EU 5's were only fetching £11- £13k. Then came the decommissioning scramble. Thousands of older TXIIs and early TX4's disappeared from the ranks in exchange for a £10k pay-out from the mayor.
Many of these owners saw this as an opportunity to then buy a cheap EU V cab for not a lot more than the £10k (plus whatever they got for the cab on eBay) they had received for their TXII or early TX4. Very quickly this demand kicked in and prices for EU5's started to rocket, in some cases by 50%!
As some of the drivers who had decommis- sioned their own cabs returned to renting, demand for rental cabs, and thus rents, started
to go up. This became the perfect storm, with fleets also taking the opportunity to get rid of older cabs and decommissioning hundreds of vehicles themselves. The result of this is that it’s now extremely difficult to find a cab to rent, and the few that are available are now more expensive.
It’s now coming full circle, as the shortage of cabs for sale and rent is forcing up the price of older cabs to above that of their decommissioning value (currently at £8k). Many owners are now pulling out of the decommissioning in favour of a quick cash sale to a fleet with a waiting list of drivers.
Things have got so bad that some of the traders have resorted to hanging around outside Brewery Road and approaching drivers going into the showroom offering to beat any trade-in price for their cab against a new one; this has not happened since the 1960s.
On the new cab front sales of TXE's are still at record levels, with 154 joining the ranks in June. It means we are on target to have 2,000 on street by mid-July which is just over 10% of the entire cab fleet in London.
If market force economics, which have dictated second-hand cab prices over the past six months, continue to apply it will be at least a year before the supply of new cabs coming in at the top of the market catches up with, and then overtakes, the loss of cabs from the bottom of the market.
This means that second-hand prices will stay at their current levels and we will finally see an end to the prices roller coaster and we will get some stability in the market again, I certainly hope so.
LTDA
https://bit.ly/2LTgR7g
-------------------------------------
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
TAXI and private hire drivers are receiving training to identify signs that a young or vulnerable person is at risk of exploitation.
The free training is being delivered by the Gloucestershire Child Sexual Exploitation team on behalf of Cotswold District Council and is mandatory for all drivers licensed by the authority.
Cllr Mark MacKenzie-Charrington, the CDC cabinet member responsible for licensing, said: "Taxi drivers have an excellent opportunity to help prevent young people from exploitation.
"They know their communities well and, given this new training, they will be better able to spot – and report – issues which could put vulnerable children and adults at risk."
CDC senior licensing officer Michelle Bignell, added: "We recently started these briefings for taxi drivers and they will continue through to early October.
"The drivers learn to look out for warning signals when they are out and about, and the reports they make should help to create a safer environment for vulnerable people across the district.”
“Taxi drivers are ideally placed to be the ‘eyes and ears’ in the fight to protect our young people against exploitation.
“They are in a privileged position of knowing a lot about the communities that they work in and sometimes they by the authority.
Cllr Mark MacKenzie-Charrington, the CDC cabinet member responsible for licensing, said: "Taxi drivers have an excellent opportunity to help prevent young people from exploitation.
"They know their communities well and, given this new training, they will be better able to spot – and report – issues which could put vulnerable children and adults at risk."
CDC senior licensing officer Michelle Bignell, added: "We recently started these briefings for taxi drivers and they will continue through to early October.
"The drivers learn to look out for warning signals when they are out and about, and the reports they make should help to create a safer environment for vulnerable people across the district.”
“Taxi drivers are ideally placed to be the ‘eyes and ears’ in the fight to protect our young people against exploitation.
“They are in a privileged position of knowing a lot about the communities that they work in and sometimes they are witness to issues relating to vulnerable children and adults.
“With this training they’re able to spot the signs and report any issues.”
Any taxi or private hire driver who needs to book a place, call the licensing team on 01285 623000 or email licensing@cotswold.gov.uk
https://bit.ly/2LV404r
---------------------------------
DEWSBURY
Taxi driver finds man's body in car park
A town centre car park was taped off after a man's body was discovered .
The man's body was found in a car park, off South Street, in Dewsbury town centre , this morning.
The car park to the rear of Fultons Foods is across the road from Dewsbury Bus Station.
The incident was attended by uniformed police, detectives and paramedics while the scene was sealed off.
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "Police were called to South Street, Dewsbury, at about 8.16am today after a male’s body was found by a member of the public.
"Emergency services attended and initial enquiries into the circumstances are underway, but the death is not being treated as suspicious at this time."
The car park was reopened to the public at around 10am.
https://bit.ly/2YO0f4A
-------------------------------------
POLICE SCOTLAND
Scammers sent a taxi to take a Tayside pensioner to his bank in an attempt to steal a four figure sum of cash from him and his wife.
The fraudsters had already lured the Angus couple in on the phone and had asked the elderly woman to go to a TSB branch in Dundee as well.
Quick thinking staff at the TSB in Forfar realised something was amiss when the local man showed up and they alerted the police before any funds were transferred.
Now officers are warning the public and taxi drivers to be vigilant.
Sergeant Andy Sheppard, of Police Scotland’s Tayside Division said the incident would spread fear among the community.
“This demonstrates the lengths fraudsters will go to,” he added.
The couple, who live near Forfar, were targeted by a man who claimed to be from the bank and said their account had been compromised.
The caller urged them to use the 1471 facility to call the bank back immediately.
This directed them to another man, claiming to be from the fraud section of the business.
He asked them to transfer their money to a “safe account” with another bank and urged the couple not to disclose any of the information.
The fraudsters then ordered a taxi to take the man to the bank to carry out the function.
Wendy Boath of the Forfar Taxi Company, took the call from the scammer who booked the ride on behalf of the elderly couple.
https://www.thecourier.co.uk
New cab sales of TXE's are at record levels, with 154 joining the ranks in June
I keep thinking the used cab market cannot get any crazier and then every single week it does. The wilding fluctuating market may look like a textbook lesson in economics, but it’s actually an accurate detail of the roller coaster that cab prices have been riding over the past six months.
Back in December, before the proposal to reduce vehicle age limits to 12 years was first mooted, Euro 5 cabs were unwanted and un- loved; early ones were changing hands in the early £20,000s. After the age limit announcement, the prices shot up, in some case by 40%, fuelled by short supply and increased demand.
Euro 5 values were suppressed by the fear that they would only get 12 years. Oversupply and re- duced demand forced these prices down dramati- cally. At one-point early EU 5's were only fetching £11- £13k. Then came the decommissioning scramble. Thousands of older TXIIs and early TX4's disappeared from the ranks in exchange for a £10k pay-out from the mayor.
Many of these owners saw this as an opportunity to then buy a cheap EU V cab for not a lot more than the £10k (plus whatever they got for the cab on eBay) they had received for their TXII or early TX4. Very quickly this demand kicked in and prices for EU5's started to rocket, in some cases by 50%!
As some of the drivers who had decommis- sioned their own cabs returned to renting, demand for rental cabs, and thus rents, started
to go up. This became the perfect storm, with fleets also taking the opportunity to get rid of older cabs and decommissioning hundreds of vehicles themselves. The result of this is that it’s now extremely difficult to find a cab to rent, and the few that are available are now more expensive.
It’s now coming full circle, as the shortage of cabs for sale and rent is forcing up the price of older cabs to above that of their decommissioning value (currently at £8k). Many owners are now pulling out of the decommissioning in favour of a quick cash sale to a fleet with a waiting list of drivers.
Things have got so bad that some of the traders have resorted to hanging around outside Brewery Road and approaching drivers going into the showroom offering to beat any trade-in price for their cab against a new one; this has not happened since the 1960s.
On the new cab front sales of TXE's are still at record levels, with 154 joining the ranks in June. It means we are on target to have 2,000 on street by mid-July which is just over 10% of the entire cab fleet in London.
If market force economics, which have dictated second-hand cab prices over the past six months, continue to apply it will be at least a year before the supply of new cabs coming in at the top of the market catches up with, and then overtakes, the loss of cabs from the bottom of the market.
This means that second-hand prices will stay at their current levels and we will finally see an end to the prices roller coaster and we will get some stability in the market again, I certainly hope so.
LTDA
https://bit.ly/2LTgR7g
-------------------------------------
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
TAXI and private hire drivers are receiving training to identify signs that a young or vulnerable person is at risk of exploitation.
The free training is being delivered by the Gloucestershire Child Sexual Exploitation team on behalf of Cotswold District Council and is mandatory for all drivers licensed by the authority.
Cllr Mark MacKenzie-Charrington, the CDC cabinet member responsible for licensing, said: "Taxi drivers have an excellent opportunity to help prevent young people from exploitation.
"They know their communities well and, given this new training, they will be better able to spot – and report – issues which could put vulnerable children and adults at risk."
CDC senior licensing officer Michelle Bignell, added: "We recently started these briefings for taxi drivers and they will continue through to early October.
"The drivers learn to look out for warning signals when they are out and about, and the reports they make should help to create a safer environment for vulnerable people across the district.”
“Taxi drivers are ideally placed to be the ‘eyes and ears’ in the fight to protect our young people against exploitation.
“They are in a privileged position of knowing a lot about the communities that they work in and sometimes they by the authority.
Cllr Mark MacKenzie-Charrington, the CDC cabinet member responsible for licensing, said: "Taxi drivers have an excellent opportunity to help prevent young people from exploitation.
"They know their communities well and, given this new training, they will be better able to spot – and report – issues which could put vulnerable children and adults at risk."
CDC senior licensing officer Michelle Bignell, added: "We recently started these briefings for taxi drivers and they will continue through to early October.
"The drivers learn to look out for warning signals when they are out and about, and the reports they make should help to create a safer environment for vulnerable people across the district.”
“Taxi drivers are ideally placed to be the ‘eyes and ears’ in the fight to protect our young people against exploitation.
“They are in a privileged position of knowing a lot about the communities that they work in and sometimes they are witness to issues relating to vulnerable children and adults.
“With this training they’re able to spot the signs and report any issues.”
Any taxi or private hire driver who needs to book a place, call the licensing team on 01285 623000 or email licensing@cotswold.gov.uk
https://bit.ly/2LV404r
---------------------------------
DEWSBURY
Taxi driver finds man's body in car park
A town centre car park was taped off after a man's body was discovered .
The man's body was found in a car park, off South Street, in Dewsbury town centre , this morning.
The car park to the rear of Fultons Foods is across the road from Dewsbury Bus Station.
The incident was attended by uniformed police, detectives and paramedics while the scene was sealed off.
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "Police were called to South Street, Dewsbury, at about 8.16am today after a male’s body was found by a member of the public.
"Emergency services attended and initial enquiries into the circumstances are underway, but the death is not being treated as suspicious at this time."
The car park was reopened to the public at around 10am.
https://bit.ly/2YO0f4A
-------------------------------------
POLICE SCOTLAND
Scammers sent a taxi to take a Tayside pensioner to his bank in an attempt to steal a four figure sum of cash from him and his wife.
The fraudsters had already lured the Angus couple in on the phone and had asked the elderly woman to go to a TSB branch in Dundee as well.
Quick thinking staff at the TSB in Forfar realised something was amiss when the local man showed up and they alerted the police before any funds were transferred.
Now officers are warning the public and taxi drivers to be vigilant.
Sergeant Andy Sheppard, of Police Scotland’s Tayside Division said the incident would spread fear among the community.
“This demonstrates the lengths fraudsters will go to,” he added.
The couple, who live near Forfar, were targeted by a man who claimed to be from the bank and said their account had been compromised.
The caller urged them to use the 1471 facility to call the bank back immediately.
This directed them to another man, claiming to be from the fraud section of the business.
He asked them to transfer their money to a “safe account” with another bank and urged the couple not to disclose any of the information.
The fraudsters then ordered a taxi to take the man to the bank to carry out the function.
Wendy Boath of the Forfar Taxi Company, took the call from the scammer who booked the ride on behalf of the elderly couple.
https://www.thecourier.co.uk
Thursday 11 July 2019
NEW YORK
Eight people were injured after a taxi crashed into a restaurant in Manhattan.
The taxi ploughed into a building on 54th Street and Ninth Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen, which houses the Westville Hell’s Kitchen restaurant on the ground floor, and apartments above.
In photos of the incident, which occurred shortly after 12.30pm on Thursday, firefighters can be seen working to remove the front of the yellow cab from the restaurant.
The crash left behind debris including what appears to be part of the front bumper of the taxi.
According to the FDNY, five people were taken to the hospital following the crash, with photos showing one patron being transported in a wheelchair by emergency responders.
https://www.independent.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LINCOLNSHIRE
A taxi driver was seriously injured after a crash near a caravan park in Sutton on Sea on Wednesday morning.
Police and an air ambulance were called to the scene near to Lakeside caravan park on Alford Road after a crash involving a black hackney taxi shortly after 11am on Wednesday, July 10.
The driver who was the only occupant of the vehicle has been taken to Queens Medical Centre.
Alford & Mablthorpe Police said a road closure is expected to be in place for a number of hours.
Emergency services are currently dealing with the crash.
A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “Incident 127 reported at 11.08am refers to a serious RTC on Alford Road, Sutton on Sea, Mablethorpe. One vehicle is involved.
“The Air Ambulance is on scene, the driver and single occupant of the vehicle has been seriously injured.”
A spokesperson for EMAS said: “We received a call at 11.04am this morning to Alford Rd, Sutton on Sea. The caller reported an RTC.
“We sent a LIVES responder, doctor, paramedic in an ambulance car, crewed ambulance and the air ambulance. We transported one patient to Queen’s Medical Centre.”
https://lincolnshirereporter.co.uk
Eight people were injured after a taxi crashed into a restaurant in Manhattan.
The taxi ploughed into a building on 54th Street and Ninth Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen, which houses the Westville Hell’s Kitchen restaurant on the ground floor, and apartments above.
In photos of the incident, which occurred shortly after 12.30pm on Thursday, firefighters can be seen working to remove the front of the yellow cab from the restaurant.
The crash left behind debris including what appears to be part of the front bumper of the taxi.
According to the FDNY, five people were taken to the hospital following the crash, with photos showing one patron being transported in a wheelchair by emergency responders.
https://www.independent.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LINCOLNSHIRE
A taxi driver was seriously injured after a crash near a caravan park in Sutton on Sea on Wednesday morning.
Police and an air ambulance were called to the scene near to Lakeside caravan park on Alford Road after a crash involving a black hackney taxi shortly after 11am on Wednesday, July 10.
The driver who was the only occupant of the vehicle has been taken to Queens Medical Centre.
Alford & Mablthorpe Police said a road closure is expected to be in place for a number of hours.
Emergency services are currently dealing with the crash.
A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “Incident 127 reported at 11.08am refers to a serious RTC on Alford Road, Sutton on Sea, Mablethorpe. One vehicle is involved.
“The Air Ambulance is on scene, the driver and single occupant of the vehicle has been seriously injured.”
A spokesperson for EMAS said: “We received a call at 11.04am this morning to Alford Rd, Sutton on Sea. The caller reported an RTC.
“We sent a LIVES responder, doctor, paramedic in an ambulance car, crewed ambulance and the air ambulance. We transported one patient to Queen’s Medical Centre.”
https://lincolnshirereporter.co.uk
Wednesday 10 July 2019
Black cab drivers in Liverpool will now have to accept payment by debit and credit cards.
It comes after Liverpool City Council backed a proposal at a meeting this morning.
The move means Liverpool will follow in the footsteps of cab drivers in London, who already accept card payments.
The proposal originally came before the city council’s Licensing Committee in April of this year.
Members deferred a decision on the plan, following concerns from drivers about where the card payment reader should be located in the cab.
It was originally proposed that the reader would be placed in the passenger compartment but drivers feared this could lead to it being damaged.
A revised report to the committee now recommends that the reader be placed in a plastic holder in the partition between the driver and passenger.
The card payment readers cost about £60, and the drivers will have to meet the cost of the installation. Drivers now have six months to make sure their cab is fitted with a card reader.
SRC= https://www.itv.com
---------------------------------
South Cambridgeshire District Council has published a draft new licensing policy for consultation which would, if adopted, make the Council’s licensed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles greener.
The draft policy would build on the existing policy, implemented in early 2018 in a bid to ensure passengers’ and drivers’ safety and thought of as “one of the most stringent taxi licensing policies in the country”.
If adopted, the proposed policy changes would see drivers and operators making the move to zero and ultra-low emission vehicles, in line with South Cambridgeshire District Council’s pledge to support an ambitious target of cutting local carbon emissions to zero well before 2050.
To support the transition to an electric fleet, South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council have secured joint Government funding to establish new electric car charging points across the district by the end of 2019 for exclusive use by taxis.
In addition to new licences no longer being granted to vehicles older than four years, the policy would see licences no longer renewed for: petrol or diesel vehicles older than seven years; ultra-low emissions vehicles older than 12 years; or zero emissions vehicles older than 15 years.
New conditions have also been added that would see all first-time vehicle applications be zero or ultra-low emission by December 2021, and all licence applications be zero or ultra-low emission by December 2028.
SRC=www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk
-------------------------------------
LONDON
All 1,250 payments of £10,000 for taxi drivers to take their diesel vehicles off the road have been awarded.
It means around £30m of the wider £42m delicensing fund has been spent.
Taxis are currently responsible for 25% of harmful NOx emissions and next year they will be the biggest source of transport pollution in central London. TfL has a target to reduce emissions from taxis by 65% by 2025.
Black cabs are exempt from London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
An electric taxi costs between £50,000 and £100,000, though running costs are around £100 per week lower than diesel.
Alex Williams, TfL’s Director of City Planning, said: ‘The air quality crisis means it is imperative to reduce the maximum age limit for taxis.
‘We will continue to support taxi drivers in making the transition to zero-emission with a range of grants and an ever-expanding rapid charge point network.’
In January, The Mayor of London increased the size of the green fund to £42m, meaning that £10,000 payments were available to the first 1,250 taxi drivers to sign up.
Payments to encourage the uptake of zero-emission capable cabs will continue on a sliding scale and are made on a first come, first served basis, with payments at the £8,000 threshold still available.
https://airqualitynews.com
---------------------------------------
It comes after Liverpool City Council backed a proposal at a meeting this morning.
The move means Liverpool will follow in the footsteps of cab drivers in London, who already accept card payments.
The proposal originally came before the city council’s Licensing Committee in April of this year.
Members deferred a decision on the plan, following concerns from drivers about where the card payment reader should be located in the cab.
It was originally proposed that the reader would be placed in the passenger compartment but drivers feared this could lead to it being damaged.
A revised report to the committee now recommends that the reader be placed in a plastic holder in the partition between the driver and passenger.
The card payment readers cost about £60, and the drivers will have to meet the cost of the installation. Drivers now have six months to make sure their cab is fitted with a card reader.
SRC= https://www.itv.com
---------------------------------
South Cambridgeshire District Council has published a draft new licensing policy for consultation which would, if adopted, make the Council’s licensed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles greener.
The draft policy would build on the existing policy, implemented in early 2018 in a bid to ensure passengers’ and drivers’ safety and thought of as “one of the most stringent taxi licensing policies in the country”.
If adopted, the proposed policy changes would see drivers and operators making the move to zero and ultra-low emission vehicles, in line with South Cambridgeshire District Council’s pledge to support an ambitious target of cutting local carbon emissions to zero well before 2050.
To support the transition to an electric fleet, South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council have secured joint Government funding to establish new electric car charging points across the district by the end of 2019 for exclusive use by taxis.
In addition to new licences no longer being granted to vehicles older than four years, the policy would see licences no longer renewed for: petrol or diesel vehicles older than seven years; ultra-low emissions vehicles older than 12 years; or zero emissions vehicles older than 15 years.
New conditions have also been added that would see all first-time vehicle applications be zero or ultra-low emission by December 2021, and all licence applications be zero or ultra-low emission by December 2028.
SRC=www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk
-------------------------------------
LONDON
All 1,250 payments of £10,000 for taxi drivers to take their diesel vehicles off the road have been awarded.
It means around £30m of the wider £42m delicensing fund has been spent.
Taxis are currently responsible for 25% of harmful NOx emissions and next year they will be the biggest source of transport pollution in central London. TfL has a target to reduce emissions from taxis by 65% by 2025.
Black cabs are exempt from London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
An electric taxi costs between £50,000 and £100,000, though running costs are around £100 per week lower than diesel.
Alex Williams, TfL’s Director of City Planning, said: ‘The air quality crisis means it is imperative to reduce the maximum age limit for taxis.
‘We will continue to support taxi drivers in making the transition to zero-emission with a range of grants and an ever-expanding rapid charge point network.’
In January, The Mayor of London increased the size of the green fund to £42m, meaning that £10,000 payments were available to the first 1,250 taxi drivers to sign up.
Payments to encourage the uptake of zero-emission capable cabs will continue on a sliding scale and are made on a first come, first served basis, with payments at the £8,000 threshold still available.
https://airqualitynews.com
---------------------------------------
Tuesday 9 July 2019
Licensing warning after Uber is spotted in Tunbridge Wells
THE council has warned members of the public not to get into unlicensed taxis after Ubers were reported to be operating in Tunbridge Wells.
Uber, the app-based taxi operator that lets you book taxis on your mobile phone, is not licensed to operate in the town, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council [TWBC] has warned.
The council say they have received reports of Ubers operating illegally in the area, and want to make clear the taxi-app company is not licensed to operate in the town.
Councillor Bob Backhouse, chair of the licensing committee added: “Uber is not licensed in the borough and has not made an application to the council’s licensing service.
“There is a clear safety message here and that is that taxi and private hire users should make sure they only use licensed vehicles.”
Uber was founded in 2009 and arrived in the UK in 2012 but not without controversy.
The company has fought off allegations of sexual harassment which led to the ride-hailing app being stripped of its operating licence in London in 2017. This ban was, however, overturned last year.
It currently operates in around 40 towns and cities across the UK, but Tunbridge Wells is not one of them.
Licensed taxi drivers in Tunbridge Wells said if Uber were allowed to operate in the borough, it could lead to a number of licensed taxi drivers going out of business.
Chairman of Tunbridge Wells Hackney Carriages, Shujaullah Baraki said: “Nobody should get in a taxi that is unlicensed, and if Uber were allowed to operate here they would not be good for the taxi business.
“I am against Uber coming to Tunbridge Wells, as are a lot of taxi drivers as it will lose us our jobs.”
He said taxi operators in the borough have to pay around £360 a year for a taxi licence and £370 for a badge, along with other required payments such as DVLA and criminal record checks, a MOT every six months, and medical examinations.
Uber said they have recently taken measures that should prevent drivers from operating across boundaries.
A spokesperson for the Sanf Francisco app company said: “We recognise there have been concerns about private hire journeys crossing jurisdictional boundaries.
“Last year we introduced changes that means drivers are only able to use our app within the region where they are licensed as a private hire driver.
“We continue to work closely with local councils on this issue.”
https://bit.ly/2LKbqaL
----------------------------------
The government has announced it is investing £37 million in UK electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
The money is to be spread across twelve different projects, including solar-powered forecourts, underground charging systems and wireless chargers.
Other projects to receive funding include the installation of chargers in car parks for overnight use, a project using Virgin Media infrastructure to help manage charging, and a project to deliver semi-rapid charging using a low power grid connection, minimising the need for substation upgrades.
The news comes on the one year anniversary of the government's Road to Zero strategy.
Future of mobility minister Michael Ellis said: "We're charging up the transport revolution and investing in technologies to transform the experience for electric vehicle drivers.
"Ensuring the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is reliable and innovative is encouraging more people to join the record numbers of ultra-low emission vehicle users already on UK roads."
The announcement has been welcomed by the BVRLA, which is also marking a year since it launched its own Plug-in Pledge, which committed the vehicle leasing, rental and car club industry to making 300,000 plug-in vehicle registrations per year in 2025.
Director of external relations Toby Poston said: "The pledge we launched last July saw us commit to increase the BVRLA's combined plug-in fleet from 50,000 vehicles to 720,000 in 2025. We are pleased to report that we are on track, with growth of 40% taking the combined fleet to 70,000 plug-in vehicles by the end of 2018.
"The government acknowledges the vital role our industry plays in delivering cleaner road transport. BVRLA members are currently responsible for around 35% of the UK's plug-in electric vehicles, but this figure can be far greater with the right incentives and support for fleets.
"Our recent Road to Zero Report Card report set out a number of recommendations to government on charging infrastructure. These included providing more funding and support to eliminate the UK's rapid public charge point 'blackspots' and the need to mandate universal methods of access and payment."
https://bit.ly/2XWAhyC
THE council has warned members of the public not to get into unlicensed taxis after Ubers were reported to be operating in Tunbridge Wells.
Uber, the app-based taxi operator that lets you book taxis on your mobile phone, is not licensed to operate in the town, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council [TWBC] has warned.
The council say they have received reports of Ubers operating illegally in the area, and want to make clear the taxi-app company is not licensed to operate in the town.
Councillor Bob Backhouse, chair of the licensing committee added: “Uber is not licensed in the borough and has not made an application to the council’s licensing service.
“There is a clear safety message here and that is that taxi and private hire users should make sure they only use licensed vehicles.”
Uber was founded in 2009 and arrived in the UK in 2012 but not without controversy.
The company has fought off allegations of sexual harassment which led to the ride-hailing app being stripped of its operating licence in London in 2017. This ban was, however, overturned last year.
It currently operates in around 40 towns and cities across the UK, but Tunbridge Wells is not one of them.
Licensed taxi drivers in Tunbridge Wells said if Uber were allowed to operate in the borough, it could lead to a number of licensed taxi drivers going out of business.
Chairman of Tunbridge Wells Hackney Carriages, Shujaullah Baraki said: “Nobody should get in a taxi that is unlicensed, and if Uber were allowed to operate here they would not be good for the taxi business.
“I am against Uber coming to Tunbridge Wells, as are a lot of taxi drivers as it will lose us our jobs.”
He said taxi operators in the borough have to pay around £360 a year for a taxi licence and £370 for a badge, along with other required payments such as DVLA and criminal record checks, a MOT every six months, and medical examinations.
Uber said they have recently taken measures that should prevent drivers from operating across boundaries.
A spokesperson for the Sanf Francisco app company said: “We recognise there have been concerns about private hire journeys crossing jurisdictional boundaries.
“Last year we introduced changes that means drivers are only able to use our app within the region where they are licensed as a private hire driver.
“We continue to work closely with local councils on this issue.”
https://bit.ly/2LKbqaL
----------------------------------
The government has announced it is investing £37 million in UK electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
The money is to be spread across twelve different projects, including solar-powered forecourts, underground charging systems and wireless chargers.
Other projects to receive funding include the installation of chargers in car parks for overnight use, a project using Virgin Media infrastructure to help manage charging, and a project to deliver semi-rapid charging using a low power grid connection, minimising the need for substation upgrades.
The news comes on the one year anniversary of the government's Road to Zero strategy.
Future of mobility minister Michael Ellis said: "We're charging up the transport revolution and investing in technologies to transform the experience for electric vehicle drivers.
"Ensuring the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is reliable and innovative is encouraging more people to join the record numbers of ultra-low emission vehicle users already on UK roads."
The announcement has been welcomed by the BVRLA, which is also marking a year since it launched its own Plug-in Pledge, which committed the vehicle leasing, rental and car club industry to making 300,000 plug-in vehicle registrations per year in 2025.
Director of external relations Toby Poston said: "The pledge we launched last July saw us commit to increase the BVRLA's combined plug-in fleet from 50,000 vehicles to 720,000 in 2025. We are pleased to report that we are on track, with growth of 40% taking the combined fleet to 70,000 plug-in vehicles by the end of 2018.
"The government acknowledges the vital role our industry plays in delivering cleaner road transport. BVRLA members are currently responsible for around 35% of the UK's plug-in electric vehicles, but this figure can be far greater with the right incentives and support for fleets.
"Our recent Road to Zero Report Card report set out a number of recommendations to government on charging infrastructure. These included providing more funding and support to eliminate the UK's rapid public charge point 'blackspots' and the need to mandate universal methods of access and payment."
https://bit.ly/2XWAhyC
Monday 8 July 2019
Leeds City Council has begun to install the camera infrastructure required to monitor and enforce the Clean Air Charging Zone (CAZ).
When live the zone will tackle air pollution in Leeds by encouraging businesses to transition to cleaner, less polluting vehicles to avoid daily charges.
The council has now begun to install a network of around 300 new, purpose-built cameras equipped with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology at over a hundred junctions around the perimeter of the zone as planned.
The cameras will only be used to enforce the Clean Air Charging Zone; they will not be able to detect the speed of vehicles and can’t be used to issue speeding or parking fines.
By recognising registration numbers and comparing them with a national government database, the camera network system will be able to identify non-compliant vehicles driving within the CAZ boundary when the zone is live.
The network will be designed, supplied, installed, operated and maintained by Siemens Mobility Limited. The company have previously delivered similar solutions to monitor the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London.
Cllr. James Lewis, Leeds City Council’s Executive Member for Resources and Sustainability, said:
“Like most residents, Leeds City Council believes that tackling air pollution to protect the health of everyone in the city is a priority.
“Whilst it is disappointing that the council has been forced to postpone the Clean Air Charging Zone’s introduction because of delays to government systems, the council is doing everything it can to ensure that we are ready to implement the zone within the shortest possible timescale.
“We are still waiting for the government to outline new timescales for their systems that they are confident can be delivered before we can finalise a new date for the charging zone’s introduction.
“Despite the government's delays, we are already taking a range of actions that will support the reduction of air pollution prior to the introduction of the CAZ. We are also continuing to financially support owners of affected vehicles switching to less polluting models that won't be charged as doing so is the best way to improve air quality before the zone goes live.
"Money raised from CAZ charges will only be used to cover the costs of operating the zone itself, to support owners of affected vehicles, and for other schemes to improve air quality."
Owner of affected vehicles meeting the council’s eligibility criteria are in the process of receiving financial support worth a collective £23 million to help cover the costs of transitioning to cleaner vehicles.
Wilke Reints, Managing Director at Siemens Mobility’s Intelligent Traffic Systems business, said:
“Having worked with the team in Leeds on a number of earlier projects, we are delighted to be working with the council on this programme and to build on the work that we have already undertaken to deliver Transport for London’s Congestion Charging and Ultra Low Emission Zones.
“At the heart of the zone will be the company’s proven Sicore II automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. Sicore is proven in applications worldwide, with the ability to provide three-lane coverage with just a single camera, industry-leading image quality and number plate read accuracy.
“These cameras will not only monitor the Clean Air Charging Zone, but could potentially also provide the highways team with a wealth of data both to help inform policy and aid tactical traffic management decisions to improve the road user’s experience."
The Clean Air Charging Zone plans came after the government instructed the council to tackle air pollution in the city as soon as possible after predicting that parts of the city would likely fail legal air quality levels by 2020.
Air pollution has been shown to cause or worsen a range of lung and heart conditions including asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic heart disease and stroke.
The zone will charge owners of the worst polluting HGVs, buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles. Private cars, light good vehicles, and motorcycles will not be charged.
Residents and businesses are encouraged to find out more about the Clean Air Charging Zone at:
www.leeds.gov.uk/cleanairzone.
--------------------------------
FIFE
Horrified revellers travelling to Fife Pride at the weekend were asked by a taxi driver if they were going to the “p***s party”.
The group said they were furious at being subjected to homophobic language as they were being ferried to the celebration of diversity in Kirkcaldy town square on Saturday.
One of the passengers told The Courier: “These derogatory terms are a relic of the homophobia we have faced for centuries.”
The remark was made by a driver from local firm Treble Twenty Taxis, as thousands of members of the LGBT community from across Scotland gathered in Kirkcaldy, for a day of festivities aimed at promoting equality and dignity.
The taxi company has since issued a profuse apology and made it clear it would not tolerate the actions of the individual driver.
https://bit.ly/2XzZf7j
------------------------------------
OXFORDSHIRE
A driver had used cocaine and drank a significant amount of alcohol before causing a crash that killed him and another man, an inquest has heard.
Richard Lock, 39, drove into the opposing lane on the A424 near Burford, Oxfordshire, on 9 December.
The window and door fitter had been at a wedding, where family members pleaded with him not to get into his car.
Taxi driver Khayelihle Gwala died 10 days later in the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
In a statement read at Oxford Coroner's Court, Mr Lock's widow Emma said the couple had an argument at the wedding at the Bay Tree Hotel in Burford.
She assumed her husband had gone for a walk or to their room, but he had instead got into his Volkswagen Tiguan.
His brother, cousin and son had pleaded with him not to drive. She wrote: "I in no way think that Richard would've done this on purpose."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-48870401
When live the zone will tackle air pollution in Leeds by encouraging businesses to transition to cleaner, less polluting vehicles to avoid daily charges.
The council has now begun to install a network of around 300 new, purpose-built cameras equipped with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology at over a hundred junctions around the perimeter of the zone as planned.
The cameras will only be used to enforce the Clean Air Charging Zone; they will not be able to detect the speed of vehicles and can’t be used to issue speeding or parking fines.
By recognising registration numbers and comparing them with a national government database, the camera network system will be able to identify non-compliant vehicles driving within the CAZ boundary when the zone is live.
The network will be designed, supplied, installed, operated and maintained by Siemens Mobility Limited. The company have previously delivered similar solutions to monitor the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London.
Cllr. James Lewis, Leeds City Council’s Executive Member for Resources and Sustainability, said:
“Like most residents, Leeds City Council believes that tackling air pollution to protect the health of everyone in the city is a priority.
“Whilst it is disappointing that the council has been forced to postpone the Clean Air Charging Zone’s introduction because of delays to government systems, the council is doing everything it can to ensure that we are ready to implement the zone within the shortest possible timescale.
“We are still waiting for the government to outline new timescales for their systems that they are confident can be delivered before we can finalise a new date for the charging zone’s introduction.
“Despite the government's delays, we are already taking a range of actions that will support the reduction of air pollution prior to the introduction of the CAZ. We are also continuing to financially support owners of affected vehicles switching to less polluting models that won't be charged as doing so is the best way to improve air quality before the zone goes live.
"Money raised from CAZ charges will only be used to cover the costs of operating the zone itself, to support owners of affected vehicles, and for other schemes to improve air quality."
Owner of affected vehicles meeting the council’s eligibility criteria are in the process of receiving financial support worth a collective £23 million to help cover the costs of transitioning to cleaner vehicles.
Wilke Reints, Managing Director at Siemens Mobility’s Intelligent Traffic Systems business, said:
“Having worked with the team in Leeds on a number of earlier projects, we are delighted to be working with the council on this programme and to build on the work that we have already undertaken to deliver Transport for London’s Congestion Charging and Ultra Low Emission Zones.
“At the heart of the zone will be the company’s proven Sicore II automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. Sicore is proven in applications worldwide, with the ability to provide three-lane coverage with just a single camera, industry-leading image quality and number plate read accuracy.
“These cameras will not only monitor the Clean Air Charging Zone, but could potentially also provide the highways team with a wealth of data both to help inform policy and aid tactical traffic management decisions to improve the road user’s experience."
The Clean Air Charging Zone plans came after the government instructed the council to tackle air pollution in the city as soon as possible after predicting that parts of the city would likely fail legal air quality levels by 2020.
Air pollution has been shown to cause or worsen a range of lung and heart conditions including asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic heart disease and stroke.
The zone will charge owners of the worst polluting HGVs, buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles. Private cars, light good vehicles, and motorcycles will not be charged.
Residents and businesses are encouraged to find out more about the Clean Air Charging Zone at:
www.leeds.gov.uk/cleanairzone.
--------------------------------
FIFE
Horrified revellers travelling to Fife Pride at the weekend were asked by a taxi driver if they were going to the “p***s party”.
The group said they were furious at being subjected to homophobic language as they were being ferried to the celebration of diversity in Kirkcaldy town square on Saturday.
One of the passengers told The Courier: “These derogatory terms are a relic of the homophobia we have faced for centuries.”
The remark was made by a driver from local firm Treble Twenty Taxis, as thousands of members of the LGBT community from across Scotland gathered in Kirkcaldy, for a day of festivities aimed at promoting equality and dignity.
The taxi company has since issued a profuse apology and made it clear it would not tolerate the actions of the individual driver.
https://bit.ly/2XzZf7j
------------------------------------
OXFORDSHIRE
A driver had used cocaine and drank a significant amount of alcohol before causing a crash that killed him and another man, an inquest has heard.
Richard Lock, 39, drove into the opposing lane on the A424 near Burford, Oxfordshire, on 9 December.
The window and door fitter had been at a wedding, where family members pleaded with him not to get into his car.
Taxi driver Khayelihle Gwala died 10 days later in the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
In a statement read at Oxford Coroner's Court, Mr Lock's widow Emma said the couple had an argument at the wedding at the Bay Tree Hotel in Burford.
She assumed her husband had gone for a walk or to their room, but he had instead got into his Volkswagen Tiguan.
His brother, cousin and son had pleaded with him not to drive. She wrote: "I in no way think that Richard would've done this on purpose."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-48870401
Statutory Instruments
2019 No. 1071
Road Traffic
The Vehicle Excise Duty (Taxi Capable of Zero Emissions) Regulations 2019
Made
1st July 2019
Laid before Parliament
5th July 2019
Coming into force
29th July 2019
The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred by paragraph 1GG(1) and (3) to (6) of Part 1AA of Schedule 1 to the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994(1), makes the following Regulations.
Citation, commencement and effect
1. These Regulations—
(a)may be cited as the Vehicle Excise Duty (Taxi Capable of Zero Emissions) Regulations 2019;
(b)come into force on 29th July 2019; and
(c)have effect in relation to vehicle licences taken out on or after 1st April 2019.
Taxi capable of zero emissions
2.—(1) For the purposes of paragraph 1GE(2) of Part 1AA of Schedule 1 to the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994, a taxi capable of zero emissions is a vehicle—
(a)which satisfies the eligibility criteria for receipt of the plug-in taxi grant specified in the plug-in taxi grant vehicle application form and guidance notes published by the Secretary of State, as amended from time to time, or, if replaced, the replacement document(3); or
(b)of a model in the list maintained under paragraph (2)(a)(i) of models of vehicles specified as a taxi capable of zero emissions.
(2) The Secretary of State —
(a)(i)may maintain a list which specifies models of vehicle as a taxi capable of zero emissions, and
(ii)may include models of vehicle in the list with backdated effect, from a date not before 1st April 2019.
(b)must publish the list referred to in paragraph (2)(a)(i) in such manner as appears appropriate to the Secretary of State from time to time.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport
Michael Ellis
Minister of State
Department for Transport
1st July 2019
2019 No. 1071
Road Traffic
The Vehicle Excise Duty (Taxi Capable of Zero Emissions) Regulations 2019
Made
1st July 2019
Laid before Parliament
5th July 2019
Coming into force
29th July 2019
The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred by paragraph 1GG(1) and (3) to (6) of Part 1AA of Schedule 1 to the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994(1), makes the following Regulations.
Citation, commencement and effect
1. These Regulations—
(a)may be cited as the Vehicle Excise Duty (Taxi Capable of Zero Emissions) Regulations 2019;
(b)come into force on 29th July 2019; and
(c)have effect in relation to vehicle licences taken out on or after 1st April 2019.
Taxi capable of zero emissions
2.—(1) For the purposes of paragraph 1GE(2) of Part 1AA of Schedule 1 to the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994, a taxi capable of zero emissions is a vehicle—
(a)which satisfies the eligibility criteria for receipt of the plug-in taxi grant specified in the plug-in taxi grant vehicle application form and guidance notes published by the Secretary of State, as amended from time to time, or, if replaced, the replacement document(3); or
(b)of a model in the list maintained under paragraph (2)(a)(i) of models of vehicles specified as a taxi capable of zero emissions.
(2) The Secretary of State —
(a)(i)may maintain a list which specifies models of vehicle as a taxi capable of zero emissions, and
(ii)may include models of vehicle in the list with backdated effect, from a date not before 1st April 2019.
(b)must publish the list referred to in paragraph (2)(a)(i) in such manner as appears appropriate to the Secretary of State from time to time.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport
Michael Ellis
Minister of State
Department for Transport
1st July 2019
CLIENT EARTH THREATEN MANCHESTER
Environmentalists are warning Greater Manchester could be breaking the law if it pushes ahead with its current plans to improve air quality - arguing leaders are doing too little to meet legal targets.
ClientEarth, the campaign group that has already won three high court judgments against the government on the issue, says there are ‘major flaws’ in the proposals drawn up by the mayor and town halls.
Those would see the dirtiest - mainly diesel - vans and HGVs charged to drive in Greater Manchester, but not private motorists.
The group says that falls short of what is required and would result in councils breaking the law.
Its clean air lawyer Katie Nield said: “Despite the scale of the problem, time and again we are seeing the most timid efforts made by councils to clean up the air. It isn’t good enough.
“All the while, central government is not stepping in to make sure authorities are taking their legal obligations seriously.
“The courts have made it perfectly clear – people’s health comes first.”
https://bit.ly/2L8B9u2
Environmentalists are warning Greater Manchester could be breaking the law if it pushes ahead with its current plans to improve air quality - arguing leaders are doing too little to meet legal targets.
ClientEarth, the campaign group that has already won three high court judgments against the government on the issue, says there are ‘major flaws’ in the proposals drawn up by the mayor and town halls.
Those would see the dirtiest - mainly diesel - vans and HGVs charged to drive in Greater Manchester, but not private motorists.
The group says that falls short of what is required and would result in councils breaking the law.
Its clean air lawyer Katie Nield said: “Despite the scale of the problem, time and again we are seeing the most timid efforts made by councils to clean up the air. It isn’t good enough.
“All the while, central government is not stepping in to make sure authorities are taking their legal obligations seriously.
“The courts have made it perfectly clear – people’s health comes first.”
https://bit.ly/2L8B9u2
Sunday 7 July 2019
LONDON
The age limit of black cabs in London is to be cut from 15 to 12 years to reduce toxic emissions.
Transport for London today confirmed that older, more-polluting vehicles would not be licensed, with rules toughening from next year until 2022.
It emerged that cabbies have so far claimed £30 million from a £42 million subsidy scheme set up by Mayor Sadiq Khan to encourage a switch to “zero emission-capable” cabs.
Mr Khan also abandoned plans to ban taxis from Duke Street Hill and Tooley Street.
Alex Williams, TfL’s Director of City Planning, said: “The air quality crisis means it is imperative to reduce the age limit for taxis.”
https://bit.ly/2XqTUuk
--------------------------------------
The age limit of black cabs in London is to be cut from 15 to 12 years to reduce toxic emissions.
Transport for London today confirmed that older, more-polluting vehicles would not be licensed, with rules toughening from next year until 2022.
It emerged that cabbies have so far claimed £30 million from a £42 million subsidy scheme set up by Mayor Sadiq Khan to encourage a switch to “zero emission-capable” cabs.
Mr Khan also abandoned plans to ban taxis from Duke Street Hill and Tooley Street.
Alex Williams, TfL’s Director of City Planning, said: “The air quality crisis means it is imperative to reduce the age limit for taxis.”
https://bit.ly/2XqTUuk
--------------------------------------
The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) will be arguing at the High Court on 10 and 11 July that Mayor of London Sadiq Khan's decision to introduce a congestion charge on minicabs discriminates against and breaches the human rights of a mainly BAME workforce.
The IWGB is seeking a judicial review of Khan's decision to introduce the £11.50 charge on the grounds that it is a case of indirect discrimination under the Equality Act. The charge is being imposed on a workforce that is mainly BAME (94% of London's 107,000 minicab drivers are BAME according to TFL), while black cab drivers, who are mostly white, continue to be exempt.
This policy is also in breach of a number of articles of the European Convention on Human Rights that cover discrimination, property rights, right to a family life and ability to carry out a profession.
The IWGB has assembled a legal team which includes renowned discrimination barristers Ben Collins QC,Nadia Motraghi and Tara O'Halloran of Old Square Chambers, and TMP Solicitors founding partner Jacqueline McGuigan.
The IWGB has proposed a number of alternatives to this policy, including a cap on the total number minicab driver licenses, a levy on minicab operators such as Uber and Viavan, and the enforcement of worker rights by Transport for London (TfL).
Discrimination also runs throughout London's enforcement regime. The most recent figures released by TfL show minicabs are almost three times as likely to be stopped by enforcement officers as black cabs, despite the fact that TfL's own statistics show that on average minicabs are more compliant than black cabs.
IWGB United Private Hire Drivers branch secretary Yaseen Aslam said: “We know who created the congestion mess in London. It was operators like Uber flooding the streets with cars while Transport for London was asleep at the wheel. Now, instead of capping the total number minicab licenses or making Uber pay, Mayor Sadiq Khan is chosing to punish BAME drivers who are only trying to make an honest living in one of the most expensive cities in the world. This is discriminatory, cruel and regressive, and we will not stop until we get justice.”
Minicab driver and IWGB BAME officer Muhumed Ali said: “For years we have been asking Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London to do their job and regulate rogue minicab operators such as Uber. Instead of challenging these multinational companies, the Mayor has decided to lay the cost of out of control licensing on precarious drivers on poverty pay. Now it is up to us to make sure this discriminatory policy is scrapped.”
The legal action follows seven weeks of protests earlier this year by minicab drivers that are demanding that the congestion charge be scrapped, as it represents an unfair burden on their already stretched budgets. The protests have seen hundreds of drivers block a number of major roads and bridges in the capital.
The IWGB is the leading union for precarious workers. It has taken legal action against Uber, Deliveroo, Addison Lee and several other so-called gig economy employers. Last year it organised the first nation-wide strike of Uber drivers and the biggest strike of outsourced workers in the UK higher-education history.
For more information:
Emiliano Mellino, press officer
https://iwgb.org.uk/post/5d1daca070ef7/london-congestion-charge-discr
--------------------------------------------
New legislation will exempt zero-emission capable taxis from higher rate vehicle excise duty.
The move is designed to push forward the government’s ambition for net zero emissions by 2050 by reducing costs for taxi drivers and companies who purchase zero-emission capable taxis over conventional petrol or diesel models.
Michael Ellis, roads minister, said: ‘Taxis are an iconic feature of our streets and by introducing financial incentives for the most environmentally friendly taxis and improving air quality in city centres, we are proudly putting our money where our mouth is.’
The legislation is one of a number of government measures to encourage the uptake of zero-emission vehicles, including providing some £20m to 27 local authorities to install over 900 dedicated electric taxi chargepoints. The government continues to offer up to £7,500 off the price of zero-emission capable taxis through a £50m grant.
Brendan O’Toole, managing director of British electric taxi supplier Dynamo Motor Company, said: ‘We welcome the government’s decision to exempt electric taxis from higher vehicle excise duty. This move will make it easier and more beneficial for drivers and fleet owners to go green and drive electric vehicles.
‘To support this, we will be launching the world’s first fully electric, wheelchair accessible taxi in the autumn, which will not only be a greener choice for drivers, but a more cost-effective one too.’
The government has also announced that the first ultra-low emission heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) are now eligible for the plug-in van grant. The British made Paneltex Z75 7.5 tonne truck and the BD Auto e-Ducato 4.25 tonne van are now eligible for the grant. The first 200 eligible HGVs will benefit from a higher grant rate of up to £20,000 per vehicle.
Nick Gardner, tax partner at law firm Ashurst, said: ‘The exemption for zero-emission taxis from higher vehicle excise duty should provide a small step towards increasing the uptake of zero emission taxis. However, the government needs to develop a consistent long-term strategy to achieve its ambition for net zero emissions in 2050.
‘The withdrawal of grants for plug in hybrid vehicles announced in October last year and the consequent reduction in sales figures recently announced for the half year to June 2019 is a demonstration of this. Environmental tax policies and incentives need to be consistent and long term, not just a short term headline grabbing measure.’
https://www.accountancydaily.co/tax-push-turn-taxi-cabs-green
---------------------------------------------------------
A taxi driver on a shift in Tenby has been told by magistrates this week that he demonstrated a breach of trust for someone in his profession after he attempted to sell a gold watch online worth £390 that he found left in the backseat of his vehicle by a passenger.
Thirty-four-year-old Mark Ian Powell, of Jameston, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a Cloggau gold wrist watch on September 15 of last year, when he appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that a female passenger reported that her watch must have fallen off in the taxi she had been in and been left in the backseat of the vehicle.
“Mr. Powell who was the next driver to take over taxi duties for this vehicle, must have found the watch and instead of handing it into the firm’s control, he kept it.
“He attempted to give it to his wife as a gift but she didn’t like it, so he then tried to sell it on eBay to make some money off it.
“The complainant saw the item for sale online and recognised it, then got a family member to contact the seller and once they got Mr. Powell’s details, they passed them onto the police.
“Initially Mr. Powell denied the offence and said that he had bought the watch legitimately himself and that it was just a coincidence.
“This case is aggravated as it is a breach of trust from someone in his position. Quite often things are left in the back of a taxi by mistake - but customers don’t expect the drivers to pocket such items for themselves,” added Mr. Pritchard-Jones.
Defence solicitor Mike Kelleher said that his client had made a ‘huge mistake’ by not handing the valuable item in and taking it home.
“This has been hanging over his head for some time and caused him some considerable grief. The watch has been returned unharmed. He has pleaded guilty to the matter which is made rather more serious by the breach of trust aspect,” he added.
Magistrates handed Mr. Powell a 12 month community order, to include 150 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and an £85 victim surcharge.
https://bit.ly/2JjQAgH
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LONDON
Ola, a ride-hailing firm based in India, said Thursday that's its received a license to operate in London, one of the world's largest markets for app-based taxi companies.
The company is targeting a launch this September in the British capital city, a company spokesperson told Business Insider:
Ola's been targeting London, where traditional taxi cab drivers are still angry as ever at the ride-hailing industry's effect on their business, since at least 2018. News of its license comes as Uber attempts to shore up its lead in many international markets where it has struggled.
In 2017, London officials revoked Uber's license to operate in the city because of instances where the company acted like it was 'above the law,' as a judge put it at the time. The company won back its right to operate in June 2018, but the court has an option to revisit that after a 15-month conditional period.
Ola, meanwhile, is already operating in many cities throughout the UK, with a total of 110 cities total across four countries. The company has racked up a valuation of more than $5 billion, according to PitchBook data, with backers including Softbank (also an Uber investor), Hyundai, Kia, and more.
The fact that it's so easy for a fledgling company to begin providing app-based taxi rides is a risk for Uber, according to Wall Street analysts.
"We view barriers to entry as fairly low for major technology providers and auto manufacturers, posing the biggest threat for existing ridesharing providers," CFRA analyst Angelo Zino said in a recent note to clients. "Ridesharing companies will need to increasingly compete with certain non-ridesharing transportation-asa-service network companies and taxi companies as well as traditional automotive manufacturers, such as BMW and Tesla, which have entered or plan to enter market."
Other ride-hailing competitors in London include Gett, ViaVan, Addison Lee, and a handful of others.
https://bit.ly/2xxKbYB
The IWGB is seeking a judicial review of Khan's decision to introduce the £11.50 charge on the grounds that it is a case of indirect discrimination under the Equality Act. The charge is being imposed on a workforce that is mainly BAME (94% of London's 107,000 minicab drivers are BAME according to TFL), while black cab drivers, who are mostly white, continue to be exempt.
This policy is also in breach of a number of articles of the European Convention on Human Rights that cover discrimination, property rights, right to a family life and ability to carry out a profession.
The IWGB has assembled a legal team which includes renowned discrimination barristers Ben Collins QC,Nadia Motraghi and Tara O'Halloran of Old Square Chambers, and TMP Solicitors founding partner Jacqueline McGuigan.
The IWGB has proposed a number of alternatives to this policy, including a cap on the total number minicab driver licenses, a levy on minicab operators such as Uber and Viavan, and the enforcement of worker rights by Transport for London (TfL).
Discrimination also runs throughout London's enforcement regime. The most recent figures released by TfL show minicabs are almost three times as likely to be stopped by enforcement officers as black cabs, despite the fact that TfL's own statistics show that on average minicabs are more compliant than black cabs.
IWGB United Private Hire Drivers branch secretary Yaseen Aslam said: “We know who created the congestion mess in London. It was operators like Uber flooding the streets with cars while Transport for London was asleep at the wheel. Now, instead of capping the total number minicab licenses or making Uber pay, Mayor Sadiq Khan is chosing to punish BAME drivers who are only trying to make an honest living in one of the most expensive cities in the world. This is discriminatory, cruel and regressive, and we will not stop until we get justice.”
Minicab driver and IWGB BAME officer Muhumed Ali said: “For years we have been asking Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London to do their job and regulate rogue minicab operators such as Uber. Instead of challenging these multinational companies, the Mayor has decided to lay the cost of out of control licensing on precarious drivers on poverty pay. Now it is up to us to make sure this discriminatory policy is scrapped.”
The legal action follows seven weeks of protests earlier this year by minicab drivers that are demanding that the congestion charge be scrapped, as it represents an unfair burden on their already stretched budgets. The protests have seen hundreds of drivers block a number of major roads and bridges in the capital.
The IWGB is the leading union for precarious workers. It has taken legal action against Uber, Deliveroo, Addison Lee and several other so-called gig economy employers. Last year it organised the first nation-wide strike of Uber drivers and the biggest strike of outsourced workers in the UK higher-education history.
For more information:
Emiliano Mellino, press officer
https://iwgb.org.uk/post/5d1daca070ef7/london-congestion-charge-discr
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New legislation will exempt zero-emission capable taxis from higher rate vehicle excise duty.
The move is designed to push forward the government’s ambition for net zero emissions by 2050 by reducing costs for taxi drivers and companies who purchase zero-emission capable taxis over conventional petrol or diesel models.
Michael Ellis, roads minister, said: ‘Taxis are an iconic feature of our streets and by introducing financial incentives for the most environmentally friendly taxis and improving air quality in city centres, we are proudly putting our money where our mouth is.’
The legislation is one of a number of government measures to encourage the uptake of zero-emission vehicles, including providing some £20m to 27 local authorities to install over 900 dedicated electric taxi chargepoints. The government continues to offer up to £7,500 off the price of zero-emission capable taxis through a £50m grant.
Brendan O’Toole, managing director of British electric taxi supplier Dynamo Motor Company, said: ‘We welcome the government’s decision to exempt electric taxis from higher vehicle excise duty. This move will make it easier and more beneficial for drivers and fleet owners to go green and drive electric vehicles.
‘To support this, we will be launching the world’s first fully electric, wheelchair accessible taxi in the autumn, which will not only be a greener choice for drivers, but a more cost-effective one too.’
The government has also announced that the first ultra-low emission heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) are now eligible for the plug-in van grant. The British made Paneltex Z75 7.5 tonne truck and the BD Auto e-Ducato 4.25 tonne van are now eligible for the grant. The first 200 eligible HGVs will benefit from a higher grant rate of up to £20,000 per vehicle.
Nick Gardner, tax partner at law firm Ashurst, said: ‘The exemption for zero-emission taxis from higher vehicle excise duty should provide a small step towards increasing the uptake of zero emission taxis. However, the government needs to develop a consistent long-term strategy to achieve its ambition for net zero emissions in 2050.
‘The withdrawal of grants for plug in hybrid vehicles announced in October last year and the consequent reduction in sales figures recently announced for the half year to June 2019 is a demonstration of this. Environmental tax policies and incentives need to be consistent and long term, not just a short term headline grabbing measure.’
https://www.accountancydaily.co/tax-push-turn-taxi-cabs-green
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A taxi driver on a shift in Tenby has been told by magistrates this week that he demonstrated a breach of trust for someone in his profession after he attempted to sell a gold watch online worth £390 that he found left in the backseat of his vehicle by a passenger.
Thirty-four-year-old Mark Ian Powell, of Jameston, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a Cloggau gold wrist watch on September 15 of last year, when he appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that a female passenger reported that her watch must have fallen off in the taxi she had been in and been left in the backseat of the vehicle.
“Mr. Powell who was the next driver to take over taxi duties for this vehicle, must have found the watch and instead of handing it into the firm’s control, he kept it.
“He attempted to give it to his wife as a gift but she didn’t like it, so he then tried to sell it on eBay to make some money off it.
“The complainant saw the item for sale online and recognised it, then got a family member to contact the seller and once they got Mr. Powell’s details, they passed them onto the police.
“Initially Mr. Powell denied the offence and said that he had bought the watch legitimately himself and that it was just a coincidence.
“This case is aggravated as it is a breach of trust from someone in his position. Quite often things are left in the back of a taxi by mistake - but customers don’t expect the drivers to pocket such items for themselves,” added Mr. Pritchard-Jones.
Defence solicitor Mike Kelleher said that his client had made a ‘huge mistake’ by not handing the valuable item in and taking it home.
“This has been hanging over his head for some time and caused him some considerable grief. The watch has been returned unharmed. He has pleaded guilty to the matter which is made rather more serious by the breach of trust aspect,” he added.
Magistrates handed Mr. Powell a 12 month community order, to include 150 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and an £85 victim surcharge.
https://bit.ly/2JjQAgH
------------------------------------------------------------
LONDON
Ola, a ride-hailing firm based in India, said Thursday that's its received a license to operate in London, one of the world's largest markets for app-based taxi companies.
The company is targeting a launch this September in the British capital city, a company spokesperson told Business Insider:
Ola's been targeting London, where traditional taxi cab drivers are still angry as ever at the ride-hailing industry's effect on their business, since at least 2018. News of its license comes as Uber attempts to shore up its lead in many international markets where it has struggled.
In 2017, London officials revoked Uber's license to operate in the city because of instances where the company acted like it was 'above the law,' as a judge put it at the time. The company won back its right to operate in June 2018, but the court has an option to revisit that after a 15-month conditional period.
Ola, meanwhile, is already operating in many cities throughout the UK, with a total of 110 cities total across four countries. The company has racked up a valuation of more than $5 billion, according to PitchBook data, with backers including Softbank (also an Uber investor), Hyundai, Kia, and more.
The fact that it's so easy for a fledgling company to begin providing app-based taxi rides is a risk for Uber, according to Wall Street analysts.
"We view barriers to entry as fairly low for major technology providers and auto manufacturers, posing the biggest threat for existing ridesharing providers," CFRA analyst Angelo Zino said in a recent note to clients. "Ridesharing companies will need to increasingly compete with certain non-ridesharing transportation-asa-service network companies and taxi companies as well as traditional automotive manufacturers, such as BMW and Tesla, which have entered or plan to enter market."
Other ride-hailing competitors in London include Gett, ViaVan, Addison Lee, and a handful of others.
https://bit.ly/2xxKbYB
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