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
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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
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