TROWBRIDGE

 Five people, including a taxi driver with serious injuries, were taken to hospital following a crash involving three vehicles outside the entrance to St John's RC Primary School in Trowbridge this afternoon.

One woman was cut free from a blue Honda Accord and a black Ford Galaxy taxi containing a driver and his passengers is understood to have overturned.

It is understood the taxi driver has been taken by land ambulance to Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

It is not known how badly his passengers - believed to be a family - have been hurt in the crash.

A South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said: “We were called at 2.24pm about a road traffic incident on Wingfield Road, Trowbridge.

"Our crews treated and conveyed five patients by land ambulances to hospital. None were thought to be too seriously injured.”

It is understood the driver works for Eagle Taxis based in Silver Street, Trowbridge. The company's vehicles operate mostly from Trowbridge Railway Station.

A spokesman for the company confirmed one of their drivers was involved but could not give more details.

Crews from Bradford on Avon and Trowbridge fire stations are at the accident scene and Wiltshire Police have closed the road.

Delays along the A366 Wingfield Road are likely. Drivers are being warned to avoid the area if possible.

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said: "We're currently dealing with a three-vehicle road traffic collision on the A366 Wingfield Road in Trowbridge.

"It happened close to the entrance of St John's RC Primary School and the road is currently blocked.

"Please could motorists avoid the area and find alternative routes."

St John's School staff contacted parents just after lunchtime today asking them to delay picking up their children.

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 LEVC

The Warwickshire-headquartered company famous for its London black taxis has appointed a new communications director.

Andrea Baker will be responsible for PR, marketing communications and product marketing at LEVC and will report to chief executive Joerg Hofmann.

With more than 20 years of communications experience in the automotive industry, Baker joins LEVC from Bentley Motors where she has led the media communications team since 2012.

Prior to Bentley, she worked as head of PR for Porsche Cars GB and head of PR, events and sponsorship for Volvo Cars UK.

Hofmann said​: "Andrea brings with her a wealth of experience and a track record of success in building a brand profile.

"She will be working closely with Leighton King, our commercial director, to spearhead LEVC’s export strategy across Europe for the iconic electric TX Taxi and TX Shuttle as well as preparing markets for the launch of the new electric LCV urban delivery van next year."

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 SHEFFIELD

Former councillor Ibrar Hussain, speaking on behalf of taxi drivers, told a council meeting that a new electric black cab costs £58,000.

He presented a petition with 178 signatures from taxi drivers worried about plans for a Clean Air Zone around the city centre and said almost 80 per cent of taxi drivers took part in a recent consultation on the plans.

“I set up this petition online in the last few days and what a fantastic response from the taxi trade,” he said.

“The biggest concern is Euro 6 vehicles. The trade is 3,000 drivers – 1,900 private hire and 857 black cabs but 100-plus have surrendered their licence because they can’t afford to buy new vehicles or continue.

“If Euro 6 diesel vehicles are not allowed, the black cab trade will be decimated because the new electric vehicles are £58,000 onwards. Private hire will also be very badly affected.”

The zone, around the ring road and inner ring road, would see a charge of £50 a day for buses and £10 a day for taxis, lorries, vans and coaches.

It’s an attempt to slash the levels of nitrogen dioxide amid pressure from the Government but the council needs £50m to go ahead with it.

Mr Hussain added: “This petition is asking the scrutiny board to look at the detail and breakdown of the responses and, as a trade, we want to put our representation and ideas before a submission is made to the government in December.

“We need to work together in true partnership because this is about people’s livelihoods not politics. Lessons need to be learned from other zones in other cities which are allowing Euro 6 vehicles.

“This has to be phased in, has to be worked on together and has to be done in a true partnership.

“With the shenanigans in Westminster we don’t even know if the zone will go ahead because it’s a proposal so let’s not have a knee jerk reaction but a collective decision making that will result in us pulling together so decisions that affect people are done properly.”

Coun Bob Johnson, cabinet member for transport, said there had been an “amazing” response to the consultation, which will now be analysed.

“This is the end of the official consultation but I have a commitment to continue to meet with the taxi trade and small businesses affected with vans. I have a continued commitment to work with them up to our submission.

“We want to reduce pollution rather than just collect fines. If we collected nothing from the zone I would consider that a success. It’s not about taxing people it’s about tackling the vehicles creating the most pollution.”

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