COVENTRY
All taxis and private hire vehicles in Coventry will be obliged to take card payments under new policies set to be agreed by the council.
Coventry City Council said it wants to “move with the times” by updating its policies due to the rise in card payments across the country.
Currently some taxis and other private hire vehicles already accept card payments, but they are not obliged to under existing council policy.
New rules, set to be passed next Monday, October 21, state “functioning cashless facilities must be carried and cashless payments cannot be refused and must not incur the passenger additional costs”.
Councillor Patricia Hetherton, cabinet member for city services, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Black cabs and private hire provide a great service here in Coventry but it’s important that we move with the times.
“Lots already provide the option to pay on a card but if approved this move will mean that all providers have to take cashless payment by the end of the year.
“The trade have been consulted on this move and it has real support.
“Moving towards the City of Culture in 2021, we are expecting an increase in visitors to our city, it is therefore important that taxis are offering a warm welcome to make getting around easy and trouble-free.”
Tuk-tuks and pedicabs will also be obliged to accept card payments.
The city council agreed in November 2018 to introduce tuk-tuks and pedicabs and hopes to have them ready to use for the City of Culture 2021 year.
http://bit.ly/36jLxq4
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
The LGA is calling on the Government to strengthen taxi and private hire legislation - some of which dates back to 1847 and horse-drawn hackney carriages - to improve passenger safety in light of the proliferation of app-based taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) companies and increased out-of-area working.
It comes as the latest figures show:
The total number of licensed taxi and PHVs in England increased to 291,800 in 2019, an increase of 58 per cent on the 184,500 licensed vehicles in 2005 when comparable records were first collected.
These figures have largely been driven by a surge in licensed PHVs, which have risen to 221,200 in 2019, a staggering increase of 83 per cent on the 120,400 PHVs in 2005.
The number of people licensed to drive taxis and PHVs also increased substantially over the same period, rising by 50 per cent, from 242,000 people to 362,000.
The LGA is warning that due to outdated legislation and new technology, councils cannot take enforcement action against the rising numbers of unlicensed drivers operating in their area.
Councils argue that revamped taxi laws could make enforcement easier through introducing a common set of licensing standards and be updated to reflect new technology which would help reduce the risk of child sexual exploitation, improve passenger safety, and create a level playing field for drivers by tackling out-of-area working.
The LGA is also calling for national minimum licensing standards for drivers of taxis and PHVs, and a mandatory national database of all licensed taxi and PHV drivers.
In order to strengthen licensing processes, the LGA last year launched its own national register of taxi and PHV licences which have been refused or revoked so councils can check new applicants against the database and update it with their own information.
But whilst updated statutory guidance for councils around taxi licensing is a positive step, it says ultimately the best way to strengthen safeguarding measures and ensure a level playing field for all drivers is for government to update taxi laws.
Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said:
“Updating outdated and flawed taxi licensing laws has never been more urgent to provide safer journeys for the public and fairer business for drivers.
“The Government must stick to the commitment that was made earlier this year to reform taxi legislation.
“Reforms are needed to reflect the increasing use of mobile phone apps to book taxis and private hire vehicles and to give councils national enforcement powers so they can take action against any vehicles operating in their areas irrespective of where they are licensed.
“Safeguarding legislation needs to be strengthened following well-documented child exploitation cases where taxi and PHV drivers have abused the trust placed in them.
“Undue delay risks public safety.”
http://bit.ly/2WxGbD8
The boss of Wolverhampton’s Private Hire Taxi Association has given his backing to the requirement for drivers to undergo random drug and alcohol testing, as a way to improve safety measures for passengers.
Mr Raheel Shah, the association’s chairman and founder, also said that business for many firms and individual drivers in the city had not been good since around 2015, and called for a firmer course of action to improve conditions for drivers.
He said that too many drivers were not up the strict standards of the job, and endorsed the legislation from the council’s licensing chiefs.
“It is also incredibly important that any new drivers inform the council if they are ever arrested for anything or have any work or alterations carried out on their vehicles,” said Mr Shah, who is the association’s chairman and founder.
In recent months, the council has been in consultation with the local private hire trade group over proposed alterations in the way companies conduct business in terms of base, driver and vehicle procedures.
“Any assistance we can get from the council will be greatly appreciated,” said Mr Shah.
“These days it is a lot simpler and cheaper for drivers to get a licence, and unfortunately this has resulted in a lot of non-professional drivers taking up work.
“This is problematic for us and can give a lot of us a bad name as private hire drivers. A lot of the new drivers don’t know the roads, the correct health and safety procedures, and haven’t taken a proper practical test.
“Also, with self-employment rights, drivers can now work for more than one firm, meaning a lot of drivers in the city don’t make a decent living because there simply isn’t enough work to go round. There are more private hire cars on the roads than ever before,” he added.
Licensing chiefs say amendments are necessary due to new technology being taken up by many businesses, alongside the introduction of cross-border hiring with neighbouring counties.
A spokesman for Wolverhampton Council’s Licensing Services said: “Although there is no legal requirement to consult with the private hire trade groups, we are doing this in the interest of positive working relationships in the city.
“The onset of technology within the trade and also the intricacy of cross-border hiring means that several changes are necessary.
“Base operators will now need to provide drivers with each customer’s contact details to enable them to have immediate access to satellite offices and systems, as well as being able to use interactive voice response.”
Private hire taxis differ from the black Hackney cabs at the city centre ranks in that they must be pre-booked by telephone in advance and cannot be flagged down or picked up on the street.
http://bit.ly/36iHSJd
EDINBURGH
Warring taxi firms could be for the history books after Edinburgh Airport announced a £6m project for a new taxi rank and drop-off area.
The investment and construction is part of a wider £20m transport improvement scheme at the airport which includes a new road from Gogar to ease congestion on Eastfield Road.
It comes after historic frustrations from taxi firms and private hire companies about touting from rogue firms in the current drop-off area at the airport, sparking a move from the airport in November last year to tell drivers to stay in their cars to stop arguments breaking out.
The new East Terminus will have a horseshoe design where vehicles dropping off customers must rejoin the back of a taxi rank away from the terminal exit, reducing the opportunity for touting to take place.
Cameras had been installed in the drop-off points to track taxis or private hires contravening bylaws by picking up passengers in the wrong area in June this year, and could be moved to the new terminus if problems persist.
The £6m new terminus should be completed by May next year and will also see a new passenger bridge, a new passenger with reduced mobility waiting area for those who may need special assistance, and a self-service kiosk for booking private taxis.
The current rank will move from the ground floor of the multi-storey car park to the east side of the airport, adjacent to the tram stop.
Taxis will be able to access the facility by using the road over the old runway, reducing congestion on Eastfield Road at peak times.
Gordon Dewar, chief executive of Edinburgh Airport pledged that the new terminus would make it easier and for people to find licensed taxis when leaving the airport.
He said: “As an airport, we provide quick and easy travel to destinations all over the world – that trip starts and ends here, so making it easier for people to get to and from the airport is important to us.
“As well as making it easier for licensed taxis to drop off and pick up passengers, this multi-million pound project will also see the construction of a new access road, helping to ease the congestion we currently see on Eastfield Road at peak times.
http://bit.ly/2po8ckh
GOOGLE MAPS
There are many reasons why Apple's overhauled web mapping service still has a long way to go before challenging the popularity of Google Maps and Waze, with a big one perfectly illustrated by a new feature that appears to be rolling out across a number of different global markets as we speak.
Then again, Big G didn't make a lot of noise when moving the feature out of testing and into the wild in India in the first place, as Google Maps just so happened to be in the midst of a wider update process back in June as well. In any case, if you notice the option being added to the wildly popular mapping and navigation app on your Android handset, you should definitely take it for a test drive the next time you hop into a cab.
Basically, you can track your trip to make sure your taxi driver doesn't go off route for some shady reason, and in case that happens, your phone will buzz with a prominent notification to warn you of a possible danger to your wellbeing or just the risk of getting fleeced. This way, you can quickly tell if you're about to be overcharged (or worse) without having to keep an eye on your route from the beginning to the end of a suspicious trip. And don't worry, false alarms shouldn't be a problem, as Google Maps will only alert you if your driver deviates from the best available route by more than 500 meters (546 yards).
It's honestly surprising that this incredibly useful Stay Safer tool is still not available for Google Maps users worldwide, but it's certainly nice to hear it's rolling out in more places, including the US.
https://citylodge.org/google/google-maps-feature-stay-safer-cab-rides-28842842
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THAMES VALLEY
People travelling by taxi as the nights draw in are advised that the council has been spot-checking drivers to make sure they are hitting high standards.
Cherwell District Council licensing officers and Thames Valley Police traffic officers stopped 18 cars in Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington on October 9. Two thirds of the drivers were fully compliant with the conditions of their licences.
It compares well with the results of previous spot-checks which had seen drivers suspended over safety issues.
Six drivers were issued with improvement notices for minor infringements, such as display of tariff cards and standards of upholstery, none of which would have affected public safety.
Cllr Andrew McHugh, Cherwell’s executive member with responsibility for licensing, said: “In the two and a half years since we launched our new taxi policy we have been consistently training and checking taxi drivers, to make sure they offer a safe, reliable and pleasant experience.
“We can’t be complacent about safety and the experience of taxi customers, but this operation shows a big improvement, with no need to suspend drivers’ licences, which had happened in the past.”
The Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Licensing Policy came into effect in January 2017, introducing a penalty points scheme to keep track of infringements and strengthening the council’s power to revoke licences in cases of serious or repeated offences.
Council officers checked that the vehicles’ plates matched the drivers’ registration documents and that the latter were up to date. They also ensured that hackney meters were sealed, and roof lights switched on.
During the same week, the team investigated a complaint against a vehicle trading from a layby near Caversfield. It was found to be untaxed, uninsured, unroadworthy and not registered with the DVLA. It was seized by the police and the driver will face prosecution.
The council plans to run further taxi spot-checking operations at regular intervals over the coming months.
http://bit.ly/2NcY6uq
BIRMINGHAM
An idiotic banned driver was caught behind the wheel - after illegally parking in a taxi rank... at a probation appointment.
Officers have hit out after the motorist who had been jailed for causing serious injury through dangerous driving was spotted behind the wheel of a motor in Birmingham – despite being banned.
West Midlands Police said the motorist – who was released having served half his 22-month sentence for causing serious injury – was caught driving the Black Vauxhall Astra while visiting his probation officer.
The car was also parked in a taxi rank in Theatre Approach in Birmingham City Centre, a spokesman said.
They took to social media to say: "A male who has just been released from prison having served half his 22-month sentence for causing serious injury by dangerous driving and disqualified driving is back in the cells.
"He drove this cloned vehicle to probation and parked in a taxi rank. #neverlearn #tooleanient.
http://bit.ly/2ohLMkk
LONDON
It can travel 187miles on one charge, so even longer fares shouldn’t be a problem for the new all-electric black cab.
The Dynamo taxi has been given the green light by Transport for London as part of an attempt to slash carbon emissions in the city.
The capital’s 21,000 black cabs account for 16 per cent of all vehicle nitrogen oxide emissions in central London.
TfL began adding hybrid taxis to the fleet in 2017, but these have a 1.5-litre petrol engine to extend their range.
The £55,495 Dynamo, which is based on a Nissan e-NV200, is solely electric.
Fully electric cabs first appeared in London in 1897. However, the firm behind the the 10mph Bersey taxis collapsed just two years later.
The Dynamo will be unveiled today at the International Clean Air Conference in London.
https://dailym.ai/33TpPHh
LONDON
Regulators Transport for London (TfL), have recognised that there have been delays with LPG conversions being completed prior to the November deadline through no fault of vehicle owners.
Sources are suggesting that TfL will now consider applications for a 20 year exemption on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants providing evidence that they made a booking and paid a deposit for a conversion the 1 November, WOULD now qualify for a 20 year age limit exemption. Drivers must then have the conversion completed within a 3 month period following the 1 November deadline.
According to Autogas Limited, a UK wide company that specialises in turning diesel taxis into LPG green machines, the fuel helps reduce Particulate Matter by 99% and cut NOx by 80%. Whilst LPG offers less drastic changes to CO2 emissions, a reduction of 7% respectively, the taxis converted to LPG would meet Euro 6 vehicle standards. This would mean all taxis would meet the current strict emission rulings despite their age.
Further benefits highlighted by the firm include a low initial investment (it costs roughly £10,000 to convert) as taxi drivers can keep their existing vehicle, lower maintenance costs compared to the diesel, and also substantial 20-30% lower fuel costs.
Autogas also claim that transition from diesel to LPG is made easier by the robust existing refuelling infrastructure and offers a 300 – 400 mile driving range.
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Liverpool’s taxi and private hire licensing officers had a busy Saturday night clamping down on several rogue minicabs.
Licensing Enforcement Officers dealt with a number of private hire issues ranging from parking on taxi ranks, incorrect licence plate fittings and illegally worn tyres.
According to Liverpool City Council (LCC) Licensing, a Sefton minicab driver was found parked on a Liverpool taxi rank, with its licence plate not fixed to the vehicle correctly.
A Liverpool private hire vehicle (PHV) was found working in the early hours with two illegal front tyres. The minicab was suspended and the driver is to be reported.
Two further PHV’s were stopped for issues surrounding the display of their licence plate.
Last month it was revealed that LCC have issued in excess of 1,800 parking fines to vehicles that have blocked taxi ranks in less than two years.
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ROCHDALE
An initiative in the borough of Rochdale has shown huge cost savings await taxi firms that switch to electric vehicles.
Rochdale Borough Council’s licensing team engaged the services of Electric Blue to understand the practical and financial impact of introducing electric vehicles to the private hire and taxi trade.
Drivers at three private hire operators and five independent taxi proprietors took part in the EVolve project. Their vehicles were fitted with telematics devices for one month which captured their routes and stopping points and calculated the running costs of their current vehicles.
The results showed that drivers would save almost 66% on their current running costs by converting to an electric vehicle. On average their costs would reduce from £6,188 to £2,201 if they switched to an electric vehicle and the saving would generate an extra £45,000 income across 21 vehicles.
The results also showed that 99.9% of all shifts could be completed in an electric vehicle with just one rapid charge top up for less than 30 minutes needed.
Michael Hare, owner of Middleton Cars and participant in the project, said: “The industry is going towards electric so we were keen to take this opportunity to find out what the future might look like for us and the reductions in running costs look really promising.
“We’ve got 38 cars so the cost of purchasing electric vehicles is a current barrier. We’ve already got a few hybrids and we need the whole industry to get on board with electric so the range of vehicles improves and vehicle prices come down.”
The analysis was conducted as part of the council’s commitment to improving the environment and air quality, making the borough a cleaner place to work and live. The borough is working with other Greater Manchester local authorities to reduce air pollution and emissions from transport through the development of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan.
Councillor Sara Rowbotham, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “We know that switching to electric vehicles will have a huge impact on our air quality and wider environment.
“It’s great that this analysis has shown substantial benefits for businesses in making the switch and that the long term benefits will be felt by those in the trade for years to come. Our region now needs to see the right financial support from central government to support all taxi drivers to make changes in the coming years.”
Individual reports have been provided to the firms that took part to demonstrate the feasibility of converting to electric and ultra-low emission vehicles.
To find out more about Greater Manchester’s proposals to clean up the air, and how the public and businesses can play their part, visit:
PARLIAMENT
An Early Day Motion (EDM) has been tabled calling for the reform of taxi and private hire legislation to be brought forward as a matter of public safety.
The EDM supported by Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner urges other MPs to sign the motion. The calls for new legislation aim to provide a safer and more robust system.
The motion comes as Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, yesterday admitted there were no plans for new taxi licensing laws.
During a recent Transport Select Committee session, Shapps went up against the cross-party scrutiny body for the first time and was quizzed by the Cambridge MP.
According to sources, he focused instead on “updating guidance“.
As a result, today’s motion states: “That this House notes the hard work of the taxi and private hire trade, and that some of the legislation which governs licensing in the industry is dated back to 1847; recognises that new technology and changing transport needs mean than the UK desperately needs updated legislation; notes that the Government's taxi and private hire Task and Finish Group report from 2018, steps towards a safer and more robust system calls for new legislation, and that the report's introduction by its Chair, Professor Mohammed Abdel-Haq, states that undue delay would risk public safety and that the onus falls on the Government to improve legislation; notes that the Queen's Speech omitted any mention of a taxi or private hire Bill; and calls on the Government to introduce new legislation as soon as possible to improve safety in the sector.”
Steve McNamara, General Secretary of Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, said: “We are extremely disappointed that this current government have backed away from introducing the legislation that we were promised and that is so urgently needed.”
The LTDA are urging taxi drivers nationwide to contact their local MP asking them to sign EDM 46, in support of the trade and to ensure the safety of the public whilst using taxi or private hire services anywhere in the country.
Daniel Zeichner MP said yesterday after the Transport Select Committee meeting: “Taxi licensing laws are not fit for purpose and need updating to close the loopholes that currently can be exploited and have led to some passengers being unsafe. I think it’s neglectful that the Government are now refusing to act on the recommendations from the Task and Finish Group Report on reforming legislation – especially when they previously said they’d act.“
Wes Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North and APPG Chair on Taxis, said yesterday: “The statement by Grant Shapps that the Government will not be bringing forward urgently-needed legislation on taxi and private hire licensing is extremely disappointing, given the cross-party support across the House. The statutory guidance he plans to issue will not substitute for updating out-of-date legislation which puts passengers in danger.
“Less than a fortnight ago, a minister in his own department admitted in the House of Commons that existing legislation needs reform and hinted strongly that it could be included in the Queen’s Speech. The Government has promised more than 20 times this year to bring in such legislation “when time allows”. Such a U-turn will damage the taxi and private hire trades and the public’s confidence in this Government to keep them safe.”
BELGRADE (Reuters) - Taxi drivers in the Serbian capital Belgrade blocked the city centre on Tuesday to protest the impact of a ride-sharing service on their business and to call on the government to ban it.
They later cleared their blockade after talks with Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic, who convinced them to “have faith in [state] institutions,” according to a protest leader.
The taxi drivers want the government to ban Car:Go, a local version of Uber, arguing its drivers are not legally registered to transport people and they do not meet strict regulations set for taxis.
Car:Go has used legal loopholes to operate such as registering as an NGO where some users of its app are passenger members who “compensate” driver members for their services.
“They are looking at us as if we are some sort of garbage in this city ... we want to work,” said 50-year-old taxi driver Dragan Glisovic.
Car:Go was launched in 2015 and now has about 1,000 drivers and 120,000 registered clients. Their fares are often cheaper than those of regular taxis.
In a statement, Car:Go’s director Vuk Guberinic said the company will continue to operate and asked for an overhaul of existing laws to allow ride-sharing services.
“If the state regulates bakeries the way it regulates taxis we would be eating stale bread every day. Just as stale bread cannot be eaten, so obsolete laws cannot be used, “ Guberinic said.
https://reut.rs/2OVxIYO
TAXI FARES from Royal Ascot will be hiked up by...
50 per cent during race week to help cab drivers with ‘nightmare’ journeys.
This comes after bosses at the Royal Borough of Windsor of Maidenhead (RBWM) introduced a trial run for the new price formula earlier this year.
During race week 2019, which ran from June 18 to June 22, taxi drivers were allowed to charge 50 per cent more for journeys from Ascot to within the Royal Borough.
Greg Nelson, licensing officer at RBWM, said the feedback from drivers was that it was “very helpful.”
He added: “It was good for drivers.
“Nobody else seemed to have any comments for or against it.”
The move, which was given the green light by councillors at a RBWM meeting on Tuesday, October 8, means a fare from the event to Windsor increases by more than £10.
Initial plans for the new prices came about after taxi drivers complained to the council about the ‘45 minute to an hour’ drive to get back to Ascot Racecourse taxi rank after returning from another journey at a meeting in April.
One taxi driver, who has been taking racegoers back and forth from Ascot for ten years, told councillors in April that the current rates drivers are allowed to charge were “not sufficient enough”.
All councillors but one backed the price hike, after Cllr John Davey said: “Drivers have to earn a reasonable living and getting in and out of Ascot is a nightmare.”
http://bit.ly/32lyOR9
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NORTH TYNESIDE
Would-be taxi drivers could have to scrap ageing vehicles and face up to mandatory criminal record checks if a proposed licensing shake-up is given the green-light.
North Tyneside Council will launch a public consultation at the end of the month over proposed changes to the way the borough’s taxis and private hire cars are licensed.
Cabinet members agreed on Monday to seek the views of local drivers, residents, and businesses on a revised policy which aims to ensure the safety and welfare of the public, encourage environmental sustainability, and ensure efficient taxi and private hire services in the borough.
Under the draft proposals, no new licences would be granted for vehicles more than four years old. Other key amendments would see the introduction of online applications and mandatory criminal checks.
Coun Carl Johnson, who is responsible for environment and transport, said the proposals were would make sure residents got a good service from local firms.
He said: “This is very important when you consider our fleet is very old, this is important to make sure residents get the best possible service from taxis as well as reducing emissions.”
Coun Gary Bell added: “Historically North Tyneside residents use taxis more than other boroughs around the country.”
A range of stakeholders will be asked for their views on the introduction of a new vehicle age requirement, as part of a plan to improve air quality as outlined in the council’s transport strategy.
This comes after the council’s declaration of a climate emergency in July, when councillors pledged to fast-track the authority’s Low Carbon Plan 2016- 2027 to achieve a 50% carbon reduction four years ahead of schedule.
The public will also be asked their views on things like tinted windows, in- car digital advertisements, and changes to the knowledge test.
The authority licenses around 183 taxis, 1030 private hire vehicles and there is 1097 drivers and 23 operators in the borough. The consultation period will start on October 28 and last for eight weeks.
Stakeholders will be able to provide feedback online as well as in writing. The draft policy will then come back to Cabinet on February 24 2020 and, it is anticipated, the revised policy would be implemented on April 1 2020.
The draft policy can be viewed in the ‘decision making’ section of the council’s website.
http://bit.ly/2nL23hg
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ANOTHER UBERK PERV
An Uber driver who groped a female passenger while she vomited out of the door of his cab has been convicted of sexual assault.
Temur Shah, 45, assaulted a 27-year-old old woman in his car in the early hours of January 15 2018, after collecting her from an address in the West End.
Isleworth Crown Court heard his passenger said she felt unwell and during the journey, Shah stopped the car and insisted she sat in the front seat.
When the woman said she was going to be sick a short while later, Shah stopped the vehicle again and leaned over her to open the door, sexually touching her as he did so.
Shah continued to sexually assault the vulnerable woman as she leaned out of the car vomiting.
After the assault, the passenger told Shah not to touch her again but had to stay in the car as she had no money or battery on her phone in order to call for help.
She reported the incident to police after she was dropped off near her home.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police's Taxi and Private Hire Policing Team used CCTV and GPS data from Uber to identify Shah as the suspect.
Shah, of Park Crescent, Harrow, was arrested over the sexual assault on February 2 2018, and released under investigation.
He was charged with sexual assault on January 19 this year and was convicted on Monday after a one-week trial.
Shah will now be sentenced on November 12 and has had his private hire licence revoked by Transport for London (TfL).
Detective Superintendent Andy Cox, from the Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: "Shah despicably took advantage of his position as a trusted licensed driver and sexually assaulted a passenger in a vulnerable state. His conviction was down to a meticulous investigation which left the jury in no doubt as to his guilt."
Mandy McGregor, head of transport policing and community safety at TfL, said: "This attack on a vulnerable passenger was predatory and disgusting, and we are pleased to see that Shah has been convicted.
"I would like to thank the young woman for coming forward and reporting this so TfL and the police could investigate and take action against the driver. We expect the highest standards from TfL licensed taxi and private hire drivers."
Last month TfL granted Uber a two-month temporary extension to its licence after refusing to grant the firm a full-five year permit over concerns including worries about passenger welfare.
http://bit.ly/2VJ035I
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LONDON
A taxi driver has told a jury that he panicked and made 'a massive mistake' by throwing both of his mobile phones into a river after his ex-girlfriend was allegedly murdered.
Ben Lacomba, 39, said he thought police might believe he was involved with mother-of-five Sarah Wellgreen's disappearance.
So, he dumped the phones into the River Thames at Greenhithe, Kent, on October 14 2018, before officers could download any data from them.
Today, he told London's Woolwich Crown Court: 'It was stupid. I made a mistake, a massive mistake.
'Now I am not tired and panicky. They could have downloaded everything and I may be not sitting here today.'
Lacomba denies murdering Ms Wellgreen, 46, on October 9, 2018, and claims he was in bed asleep all night before waking at 7am to find her missing.
The beautician has not been seen since disappearing from the home she shared with Lacomba, in New Ash Green, Kent, in October last year.
Despite extensive searches by Kent Police, Ms Wellgreen's body has not been found.
The prosecution say Lacomba murdered her in a 'premeditated and calculated act' and may have been motivated by the potential loss of his property and his children.
He then dumped her body in an unknown location, it is alleged.
There was a flurry of unanswered calls and messages from Ms Wellgreen's worried family to her phone, and Lacomba reported her missing to police.
Detectives searched for thousands of man hours for Ms Wellgreen's body after she went missing in New Ash Green, Kent, last October - but it has never been found
It led to extensive police searches at Lacomba's home and a request by them to look at his mobile phones, including the deleted material on it.
Lacomba, who described himself as 'tired and stressed' at that time, told the jury that the continued police presence had led to 'bickering' and 'upheaval' in his home.
He said he wanted to help the police because 'the priority was to try to find Sarah and if they (the police) felt it was necessary - that was their job'.
Lacomba and Ms Wellgreen, who were no longer a couple, had been living under the same roof since May 2018.
He told the court he panicked when police asked to see the deleted telephone information because he had previously written 'nasty' tit-for-tat messages in draft to Ms Wellgreen.
These were unsent but dated back to an 'acrimonious' period after they had split as a couple, the court heard.
The prosecution allege that 'compelling evidence' points to Lacomba's guilt, including the switching off of CCTV at his home and deliberately parking out of view of his neighbour's security cameras.
The jury has also been shown footage of what the prosecution say was his taxi driving along country lanes in the early hours of October 10 to dispose of Sarah's body.
But Lacomba maintained during cross-examination that he was asleep in bed all night, and denied throwing his phones in the river so police could not discover what he had been up to.
He also claimed that an occupant at the house who told police that they had woken to find neither he nor Sarah were in the house had been 'confused'.
But Miss Morgan said the witness, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had 'got it spot on', and that Lacomba had 'the shock of his life' when he returned home from getting rid of Sarah's body to find the occupant downstairs.
Lacomba replied however: 'That's not true because I was asleep in my bedroom.'
The trial continues.
https://dailym.ai/32hqJgA
DERBY
An angry taxi driver thinks that a leading city councillor should resign from his position on the authority's licensing committee after remarks he made about the safety of Derby's yellow cabs.
Mohammed Saghir claims that comments made by Councillor Mick Barker earlier this week - when he said he was not personally prepared to use the city's yellow cabs "because of the dangerous state of the fleet" - have cost him and other drivers business.
Mr Barker spoke out after Derby City Council's licensing committee failed to back a policy to modernise yellow cabs so they would have lower emissions by January 2021.
The council also wanted to limit taxis to a maximum age of 10 years for diesel and 12 for what are known as ZEC ULEV vehicles, which are "ultra-low emission".
Instead, members of the licensing committee voted to introduce cleaner vehicles by 2025 and to make the maximum age of taxis 15 years. Some are already at least 12 years old.
Labour councillors have since said that they took the decision to oppose the proposed policy "to support drivers' livelihoods and avoid them and their families falling into financial difficulties".
Mr Barker said last week: "It is the dangerous state of the hackney fleet, defective upon inspection, that leads me to speak out as an individual in my refusal to use a hackney carriage in Derby - until modernisation of the fleet is accepted by both the owners, drivers and the city's licensing committee."
But Mr Saghir accused Mr Barker of having "biased and extremely one-sided opinions" as a licensing committee member.
He said: "Mr Barker has quite clearly politically-motivated opinions. He has caused me and many of my colleagues to lose a lot of business.
"He should resign as a taxi licensing committee member as we cannot possibly get a fair hearing as a trade with a councillor that holds such malicious and calculated views."
https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/taxi-driver-calls-derby-councillor-3418434
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MANCHESTER
A gunman fired a shot at a taxi with the driver and a passenger inside, police have revealed.
Detectives have launched a major investigation and are appealing for witnesses.
No one was injured.
Police have described the gun attack in Newton Heath on Sunday as 'an isolated incident' and said they 'believe there is no wider threat to the community'.
The taxi - which hasn't been described by police - was shot at as it pulled out of Harmer Close, a cul-de-sac off busy Oldham Road.
Police said the gunman then got into what witnesses described as a light-coloured Audi car and began to pursue the taxi.
The Audi hit the taxi on Oldham Road before both vehicles continued on towards Manchester city centre after the collision.
No further details have been released by GMP.
Police were called to the scene shortly before 3.05pm on Sunday.
A GMP spokesman said: "Early enquiries suggest that the offender shot at the taxi, which had the driver as well as a passenger in it as it left Harmer Close.
Read more of today's top stories here
"The offender then got into what witnesses described as a light coloured Audi and began to pursue the taxi.
"The taxi made its way down Oldham Road as the Audi collided with it, before both cars continued towards Manchester."
Detective Inspector Mark Davis said the driver and passenger were left 'understandably shaken'.
Making a direct appeal to anyone who was in the area at the time and saw anything suspicious to come forward, he said: "Thankfully no one was injured in this incident.
"However that doesn’t mean to say that we are not treating it extremely seriously.
"We have a dedicated team of detectives working hard to establish the facts and trace those responsible, however I would like to stress that we cannot do this alone and often vital evidence lies with witnesses and members of the public.
"I'm particularly keen to speak to anyone that was on or around Oldham Road at the time of the collision between the Audi and the taxi and may have seen something that didn't seem quite right.
"Do you have dash-cam footage or CCTV that could assist us?
"No matter how insignificant it may seem- any information could prove invaluable.
"I feel it is also important to take this opportunity to stress that we are treating this as an isolated incident and believe there is no wider threat to the community."
http://bit.ly/2oIKEpV
WOLVERHAMPTON
Angry taxi drivers claim Wolverhampton railway station's "poorly designed" access road will lead to fatalities unless the council urgently acts.
Drivers are reporting that collisions, heated exchanges and long queues are a regular occurrence due to congestion caused by the road layout.
The station's access road, which features a taxi drop-off and collection point, was redesigned two-years-ago as part of an ongoing £130 million revamp of the station.
But despite raising concerns back then, Wolverhampton councillor Paul Singh said: "These problems are still happening now.
"They are caused by a bad road layout which is a clear design fault.
"Passengers in taxis open out doors into the road, and doors get knocked off every other day. There is an accident here every other day. And the drivers will back that up."
The concerns are that the access road is too narrow, it has sharp and hazardous edges on curbstones, and the drop-off point and collection point endangers passengers and drivers.
The new road entrance is accessed through Corn Hill and it opened on January 8, 2017. The former access road was Railway Drive which closed to the public.
Drivers claim to have raised the matter with Wolverhampton Council bosses but they say no-one is listening to them.
Taxi driver Parminder Singh, who is chairman of Wolverhampton's taxi association, said: "The volume of traffic far exceeds what the access road can handle. Whoever planned it didn't do the job properly.
"When the congestion takes place, everyone gets irate and it kicks off. No one can get in and no one can get out.
"Taxi drivers get abuse. Three or four weeks ago, a traffic marshall from the council got attacked by an irate member of the public.
"The system also makes it dangerous for passengers and pedestrians using the access road. This needs urgently looking at before someone gets seriously injured or killed."
The congestion takes place during rush hour. It can also mean an increase in fares for taxi passengers, as the meter rises while taxis are unable to move in the congested traffic.
Mr Singh claims neither West Midlands Railway nor Wolverhampton Council are interested in listening to the concerns.
He added: "Passengers keep asking us 'when is the access road going to be finished?' And we keep saying 'it is finished'. But they don't believe us."
Construction is still underway on other parts of the train station.
The £130m project, called Wolverhampton Interchange, will see the Midland Metro extended from St George's and brought through to the train station.
The work, which has seen roadworks in place to lay the tracks, is set for completion in 2020.
Wolverhampton Council spokesman Oliver Bhurrut said: “We are aware of some concerns relating to how the railway station turnaround space currently operates.
“The Wolverhampton One Interchange working group – made up of representatives from West Midlands Railway, who operate the space, Transport for West Midlands and City of Wolverhampton Council - has been established to consider these issues and what action might be appropriate to ensure the wider station area operates as safely and efficiently as possible both now and in the future.
“Work is continuing on the development of the new station building and Metro extension, and discussions are ongoing about any additional physical works and alterations that might be necessary to improve operations in the turnaround area, so they can be timetabled to coincide with the wider development programme.”
http://bit.ly/324Iu2r
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LIVERPOOL
New measures will see Liverpool taxi drivers made to pass a new 'street knowledge' test - as well as examinations in conversational English and numeracy.
The bold new plan is expected to be signed off at a meeting of the council's licensing committee tomorrow - and comes as the authority ramps up its moves to improve the licensed trade in Liverpool.
Last week, Mayor Joe Anderson said he wanted action after a taxi driver did not know how to get take him the short distance from Edge Lane to his home in Old Swan.
Under the new review of driver training - which has been out for consultation over the summer - there will be new tests in city knowledge, basic English and numeracy, amongst other things.
Street knowledge test
The new proposals for driver training have been recommended by the council's city manager.
The most striking concerns the administering of the 'street knowledge' test taken by drivers.
Currently, the testing is outsourced to a private company - but the council plans to now bring this in house.
If approved, there will be a fee charged to applicants for the street knowledge test.
Taxi drivers in Liverpool city centre
The fee proposed is £65.00. After two failed tests, a further resit fee of £30.00 will be charged to the applicant. This resit fee will cover another 3 attempts at the test.
The council report states: "The requirement for licensed drivers to pass the Street Knowledge test is a crucial part of ensuring drivers licensed by the City Council have the necessary topographical knowledge and basic skills to work efficiently in the streets of Liverpool.
"To absolutely ensure this Test is delivered, invigilated and marked in a way which is 100% to the satisfaction of the City Council in terms of integrity, it is proposed that the City Council’s officers resume responsibility for the administration of the Test."
Maths and English skills
Another proposal that is expected to be given the green light at tomorrow's licensing meeting concerns a new 'essential skills' test for prospective drivers.
The proposed test will include additional numerical and English tests.
The report states: "There is currently no external process by training providers generically to assess the standard of an applicant’s numeracy and English language prior to the issue of a licence.
"The ability of a driver to properly calculate change to be given to a customer and converse with them on a basic level is as important as having a reasonable degree of knowledge of the City streets, landmarks and neighbourhoods.
"These are all matters which often give rise to complaints from the public."
"It is therefore proposed that, in order to ensure a uniform standard of English and Numeracy skills, during the street knowledge test a basic assessment will be carried out.
"This would include a section involving basic conversational English. The test will seek to ensure a candidate has a fundamental ability to answer simple questions, write receipts and calculate problems around change given to the customer."
Other proposals
As well as the above new testing plans - there are some other areas around driver training that form part of the new measures expected to get the green light tomorrow.
This will include adding new modules to the standard driver training - including those related to customers with wheelchairs, autism and age related issues like Dementia and Alzheimer's.
The new training package will also include a refresher on issues relating to Child Sexual Exploitation - which will be refreshed as part of the licence renewal process.
http://bit.ly/2LWueDf
---------------------------------------
Barrow Eats was set up last year by entrepreneurs Scott Beckman and Sam Cunningham in a bid to offer a more reasonably-priced, and local, version of Just Eat.
Following on from the success with a recently-updated Barrow Eats app the pair have now launched a new business - an Uber-style taxi booking system for Barrow.
The Ubaro app allows customers to select their location and drop-off point on a map using the phone's location and customers can also pay for their journey on the app itself.
The launch follows the rebranding of taxi firm Barrow Cars to Street Cars after Mr Beckman and Mr Cunningham joined the firm as directors.
One of the first changes to the taxi firm, following on from the new name, is to fit all cabs with a card payment service so customers no longer have to stop off at a cash machine on the way.
Mr Beckman said: "The name of the app is Ubaro and is available to download now from the IOS and Android Stores.
"The UBARO app allows customers to book a taxi in just a few taps and you can pay via card for your journey directly in the app.
"The app also has live driver tracking, driver ratings and instant notifications so customers can quickly see who their driver is and where they currently are.
"The idea itself originally came from a few taxi drivers asking us to create an app for them on the back of the success of Barrow Eats.
"The app offers great flexibility and financial benefits to the drivers whilst giving the customers a convenient service.
"The fares will be at no extra cost than other local taxi firms including our own Street Cars.
"Unlike Uber we will only be using council registered drivers so customers can rest safe in the knowledge that all of our drivers have passed all the current requirements to be a local taxi driver.
"We already have over 30 drivers using UBARO and are looking to increase that amount over the next weeks and months."
http://bit.ly/2Iyn4mL
-------------------------------
PAYPAL LOOSE £170 Million betting on UBERK
(Bloomberg) -- PayPal Holdings Inc. will report a $228 million loss on investments before taxes in the third quarter, driven in large part by a bad bet on Uber Technologies Inc. just before it went public.
The San Jose, California-based payments company said the investment in Uber, for $500 million at the initial public offering price, had declined 34%. Another investment, in Latin American online retailer MercadoLibre Inc., had declined 10%, PayPal said.
PayPal’s stake in the world’s largest ride-hailing business was tied to what the companies described as a closer collaboration on payments technology. Uber is the most prominent app to use PayPal’s nascent Pay With Venmo feature. But Uber’s stock has under-performed due to a combination of slowing growth and accelerated losses.
In an email, a PayPal spokeswoman cited the “inherent difficulty” in predicting the stock market for the mismatch between its previous forecast and the reality. The company will report financial results on Oct. 23.
To contact the reporter on this story: Julie Verhage in New York at jverhage2@bloomberg.net
----------------------------------
New measures will see Liverpool taxi drivers made to pass a new 'street knowledge' test - as well as examinations in conversational English and numeracy.
The bold new plan is expected to be signed off at a meeting of the council's licensing committee tomorrow - and comes as the authority ramps up its moves to improve the licensed trade in Liverpool.
Last week, Mayor Joe Anderson said he wanted action after a taxi driver did not know how to get take him the short distance from Edge Lane to his home in Old Swan.
Under the new review of driver training - which has been out for consultation over the summer - there will be new tests in city knowledge, basic English and numeracy, amongst other things.
Street knowledge test
The new proposals for driver training have been recommended by the council's city manager.
The most striking concerns the administering of the 'street knowledge' test taken by drivers.
Currently, the testing is outsourced to a private company - but the council plans to now bring this in house.
If approved, there will be a fee charged to applicants for the street knowledge test.
Taxi drivers in Liverpool city centre
The fee proposed is £65.00. After two failed tests, a further resit fee of £30.00 will be charged to the applicant. This resit fee will cover another 3 attempts at the test.
The council report states: "The requirement for licensed drivers to pass the Street Knowledge test is a crucial part of ensuring drivers licensed by the City Council have the necessary topographical knowledge and basic skills to work efficiently in the streets of Liverpool.
"To absolutely ensure this Test is delivered, invigilated and marked in a way which is 100% to the satisfaction of the City Council in terms of integrity, it is proposed that the City Council’s officers resume responsibility for the administration of the Test."
Maths and English skills
Another proposal that is expected to be given the green light at tomorrow's licensing meeting concerns a new 'essential skills' test for prospective drivers.
The proposed test will include additional numerical and English tests.
The report states: "There is currently no external process by training providers generically to assess the standard of an applicant’s numeracy and English language prior to the issue of a licence.
"The ability of a driver to properly calculate change to be given to a customer and converse with them on a basic level is as important as having a reasonable degree of knowledge of the City streets, landmarks and neighbourhoods.
"These are all matters which often give rise to complaints from the public."
"It is therefore proposed that, in order to ensure a uniform standard of English and Numeracy skills, during the street knowledge test a basic assessment will be carried out.
"This would include a section involving basic conversational English. The test will seek to ensure a candidate has a fundamental ability to answer simple questions, write receipts and calculate problems around change given to the customer."
As well as the above new testing plans - there are some other areas around driver training that form part of the new measures expected to get the green light tomorrow.
This will include adding new modules to the standard driver training - including those related to customers with wheelchairs, autism and age related issues like Dementia and Alzheimer's.
The new training package will also include a refresher on issues relating to Child Sexual Exploitation - which will be refreshed as part of the licence renewal process.
http://bit.ly/2LWueDf
The rank outside Brighton Station will be relocated to the back of it, in Stroudley Road, on November 11.
Stroudley Road is the northern entrance to the station.
Taxi drivers expressed their outrage at the decision with one dubbing it “the most bizarre idea I have ever heard”.
But since then members of the Green Party and several residents from the area have voiced their support for the move.
St Peter’s and North Laine city councillor Lizzie Dean said she “welcomed the news” and urged train company Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which is responsible for the move, to also tackle the problems of “engine idling, traffic fumes, noise and late night disturbance”.
She said: “Residents will be pleased that GTR has finally taken the decision to relocate the taxi rank to the rear of the train station, freeing up the narrow residential streets they live on from traffic fumes, congestion and noise.
“This news will be particularly welcomed by people living on Surrey Street and Upper Gloucester Road where day-long traffic queues have become commonplace.
“Greens repeatedly urged the railway company to acknowledge residents’ concerns, arranging public meetings and also raising this at council committees.
“The existing arrangement has been far from ideal, even for car drivers as Surrey Street in particular has become overly congested.
“Buses also find it hard to get through to the station.”
Reacting to the news that the taxi rank would be moving, cabbie Gavin Castle, 48, from Patcham, raised concerns over the likely increase in journey times to the seafront – as taxis would have to leave the station travelling in the opposite direction.
He said: “In New England Road (where taxis will exit the new rank) at peak times, it can be murder to even move.
“If you have got to go from the back of the station to the seafront it will probably add on 20 minutes to your journey and add another 50 per cent on to many passengers’ fares.
“I feel so sorry for the people who will have to queue up for the cabs and whose journeys will take longer.”
But Cllr Dean responded to this claim.
She said: “It is also hoped that any longer journeys southbound will be counterbalanced by shorter journeys to other parts of the city.
“Overall, I believe there will be benefits for everyone with this new arrangement, and I encourage GTR to reach out to as many groups as possible in order to make sure their plans for the new rank are as accessible and user-friendly as possible.”
This praise was matched by Surrey Street resident Zimran Samuel who said: “This is a positive change that will benefit the immediate area.
“Residents are hugely grateful to their dedicated representatives such as Caroline Lucas MP and Councillor Lizzie Deane for advocating for the strength of the views held by their constituents.”
http://bit.ly/31XIEIL
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Drivers are exposed to the highest levels of harmful air pollution – and taxi drivers are most at risk
There’s overwhelming evidence that air pollution has a significant impact on human health. It’s been shown to cause a number of respiratory conditions, such as pneumonia, bronchitis and asthma.
And recently, it’s even been linked to dementia, cognitive decline and delayed lung development in children. Not only that, but there’s also evidence that traffic-related air pollution causes greater adverse health effects compared to other sources.
This is particularly the case for diesel engine exhaust emissions, which are cancerous to humans, a special concern in Europe as 42.5% of registered vehicles are diesel (compared to only 4% in the US). While commuting, people may spend one to two hours a day being exposed to diesel emissions. These levels of exposure are even higher for people who are required to drive as part of their job.
My colleagues and I recently investigated how much air pollution professional drivers are exposed to. We measured the pollution levels experienced by 141 professional drivers from different sectors, including taxi, truck, waste removal and emergency services drivers, in London for a continuous 96-hour period.
Our study found that professional drivers were exposed to four times higher pollution levels when driving than when at home – 4.1 micrograms of black carbon per cubic metre of air (4.1 µg/m³). While this amount may sound low, studies have found significant respiratory health effects, such as asthma and impaired lung function, with changes in black carbon exposure for values as small as 1 µg/m³.
There are over 1m professional drivers in the UK alone. Despite knowing how harmful high levels of pollution can be to human health, there have been very few studies looking at the risks professional drivers face.
The pollutant we measured was black carbon (commonly referred to as soot or elemental carbon), which is often used as an overall representation for diesel emissions in the urban environment. We found that the level of pollution drivers were exposed to (4.1 µg/m³) was a third higher than measurements recorded at one of the busiest roads in London (3.1 µg/m³). This exposure is higher than if you worked at a desk that was literally sat on a road frequented by 90,000 vehicles each day.
We also found that taxi drivers were exposed to the highest levels of pollution (6.5 µg/m³), which is twice the level of the least-exposed drivers, those in emergency services vehicles.
This is largely due to the fact that taxi drivers spend the majority of their working day in central London, dropping off and picking up passengers in congested areas.
http://bit.ly/2MhWBLa
-----------------------------------
HONG KONG
Enraged protesters beat and kicked a taxi driver who had ploughed into a Hong Kong demonstration as thousands of others marched wearing banned face masks amid new clashes with police.
The unnamed taxi driver rammed into protesters and knocked them down. At least two needed medical care.
Protesters then immediately circled the man's car and dragged him out on to the street before beating him to a bloody pulp.
Shocking footage shows masked protesters stamping on his face and kicking him during the struggle while he lies helpless and unable to move.
First aid was eventually called and the man was treated on the scene while other protesters cleared a circle around him to protect him.
https://dailym.ai/2LXyXo4
------------------------------------
SANDWELL
A taxi driver who mounted the pavement outside a school causing a mother to fear she and her child would be run over has been stripped of his licence.
The unnamed man was one of two drivers who had their permits revoked by councillors at a closed meeting of Sandwell’s Council’s licensing sub committee.
They had appeared before a private meeting, which was held to decide if they should be allowed to keep their licences after breaking traffic laws.
The decisions were revealed in minutes of the committee’s meeting held on September 2 where one, only identified as Mr M I, admitted he had mounted the pavement and partially parked on double yellow lines outside a primary school as parents and children were arriving.
In a witness statement given to councillors, the mother said the vehicle almost drove into her and her child leaving her shocked and fearful.
She added she had felt intimidated by Mr M I’s driving and his attitude when she challenged him.
Explaining his actions to the committee, Mr M I said a passenger had requested him to park near to the school gates and wait for them to return and he had only mounted the pavement because it was a narrow road.
But in revoking his licence the committee said he had exhibited unacceptable behaviour as a professional driver and a disregard for public safety and was therefore was not fit and proper to hold one.
In a second case heard by councillors, a driver identified as Mr I H admitted he had been convicted by magistrates for driving on a defective tyre and not wearing his seat belt after police investigated an accident when his car had hit a brick wall.
He told the committee the accident had happened as he was driving his taxi in snowy, icy conditions and had skidded on black ice.
He explained he had purchased a tyre two weeks before the accident and had assumed that it was safe.
But revoking his licence councillors said drivers should be clear of major road traffic offences for a period of three years and the committee had no reason to depart from guidelines.
http://bit.ly/2Vx3P2h
--------------------------------------
NOTTINGHAM
It sounded like a wild goose chase, but police in Nottinghamshire really did find the bird in the back of a taxi after it smashed through its window.
The force said they received a call about a goose flying into a car in the Radford area, a few miles from Nottingham.
In a post on Twitter, Radford Road Police said: "When a colleague asked if a call had been received about a goose flying into a taxi over the radio, we had to see it to believe it."
The force joked on social media that the bird may have been heading to the Nottingham Goose Fair, an annual event which takes place in the area in the first week of October.
When a colleague asked if a call had been received about a goose flying into a taxi over the radio, we had to see it to believe it. Goose was taken to the vets & unfortunately the taxi had to repair the damage.
https://bit.ly/2mDcZgn
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CAMBRIDGE
New taxis on the streets of Cambridge must adhere to ultra-low emissions from April next year, after a failed attempt by taxi drivers to delay the change.
Cambridge City Council’s licensing committee voted unanimously today (September 30) to uphold the rule change which takes affect in April and requires all new saloon taxis to be at least “ultra-low emissions” – effectively electric or plug-in hybrid.
Council officers had recommended the committee delay the policy starting until April 2021, with representatives of the city’s taxi trade arguing the market is “still in its infancy” and the change is not feasible.
More than 125 people signed a petition against the change, with many raising concerns in a public consultation, including the headteacher of St Matthew’s Primary School.
Chair of Cambridge City Licensed Taxis Ltd, Alaur Rahman, said the mileage on electric cars has not been as good as advertised, damaged parts take a long time to replace, and the infrastructure is not ready – with cases of drivers either having to refuse a journeys or getting stuck out of the city without charging points.
“As taxis they are proving to be impractical,” he said, arguing the better models are too expensive.
He said he could not guarantee the industry would not have to ask for a further extension next year.
“We agree that we need to move forward with electric vehicles, but at this moment in time the infrastructure is not there,” he said.
If the changes go ahead next year, he said, “it will put a lot of drivers under pressure.”
He added: “I’m not against electric cars, but it’s in its infancy and at this moment it’s not feasible for us.”
The drivers present also argued taxi drivers are being discriminated against, with private cars and buses not subject to such strict rules.
But councillor Richard Johnson raised concerns of further and further delays if the city does not commit to a deadline. He said: “I’m concerned we could just bogged down in constant deferrals.”
Three representatives for resident groups in Petersfield argued streets near to the station act as “taxi rat-runs” and suffer the consequences of poor air quality and taxi emissions disproportionately.
“There is no safe limit [of vehicle emissions],” argued the secretary of the South Petersfield Residents’ Association, Frank Gawthrop. He said he recognised that other authorities may license taxis, collecting a fee and not upholding the same standards.
The meeting heard taxis can be licensed by other authorities, with lower standards, and then pick up in Cambridge.
“There is no safe limit [of vehicle emissions],” argued the secretary of the South Petersfield Residents’ Association, Frank Gawthrop. “You must not give up on this matter. You must be resolute, you may be thwarted by taxi drivers who don’t want to do this. But you must have a clear conscience.”
Councillor Kelley Green said: “We have evidence to show that recently there have been numbers approaching 200 deaths per year in Cambridge related to air pollution. We regularly see protests around climate change and the environment.
“We are not in a position where we can afford to pull any punches on this – we have to attack this issue.”
https://bit.ly/2ped2QR
---------------------------------
NATIONAL
Professional drivers working in congested cities are exposed to black carbon levels that are on average a third higher than would be experienced at a busy roadside, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.
The research also found that taxi drivers experience the highest exposures to black carbon, an indicator of diesel engine fumes, compared to couriers, truck drivers, waste removal and emergency service workers.
However, the study suggests that professional drivers can take simple steps to protect themselves from pollution, such as driving with their windows closed.
The research was presented by Shanon Lim, a research assistant and PhD candidate at King's College London, UK. It was a collaboration between researchers at King's and researchers at Queen Mary University of London.
The researchers recruited 140 professional drivers from a range of occupations working in central London. The drivers were asked to carry black carbon monitors, which were linked with GPS trackers, for a period of 96 hours. The monitors measured exposure levels once every minute. Drivers were also asked about the type of vehicle they drive, their working hours and whether they drive with their windows or air vents open.
The results showed that, on average, professional drivers were exposed to 4.1 micrograms of black carbon per cubic metre of air (μg/m3) while driving, which was around four times higher than their exposure at home (1.1 μg/m3). Researchers say the levels recorded at home are similar to levels experienced by office workers at their desks. Professional drivers also experienced extremely high spikes in exposure to black carbon, often exceeding 100 μg/m3 and lasting as long as half an hour.
During the same period of time, researchers found that pollution levels at a busy London roadside (Marylebone Road) were 3.1 μg/m3 on average and, away from the roadside, the average level in London was 0.9 μg/m3.
Taxi drivers had the highest levels of exposure on average (6.5μg/m3). Emergency services workers had the lowest levels of exposure on average (2.8 μg/m3).
https://bit.ly/2m6IWNT
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Pissed Chelsea Player Tries to Bilk Liverpool Taxi Driver
England star Ross Barkley was escorted to a cashpoint by two police officers to withdraw money to pay a taxi driver after a late night row.
The Chelsea midfielder became embroiled in a blazing argument with the driver after chips were spilled in the back of his cab.
Police were called to the incident in Liverpool and talked to 25-year-old Barkley for several minutes.
Eye-witnesses taunted him as he was spoken to by officers before finally agreeing to pay the driver.
One joked: “The Chelsea player can't pay the taxi.”
An eye-witness told the Mirror: “It was just after 11pm on Sunday night and I was having a cigarette outside Hannah's bar.
“I saw a taxi pull up and there was a row between the driver and the passenger who was Ross Barkley.
“It looked like Barkley had spilled his chips on the floor in the back of the cab.
“He was refusing to pick them up and then refusing to pay. He appeared to be very drunk and was unsteady on his feet.
https://bit.ly/2otGiT5
Uber has announced a slew of updates to its app – including consolidating its food delivery and ride-hailing services, and a new feature highlighting local public transportation options – in a bid to create “an operating system for everyday life”.
Uber announced the more than 25 changes to its platform at a launch event in San Francisco on Thursday. Among the tech company’s most significant moves will be merging its ride-hailing app and food-delivery app Uber Eats, and offering users alternative travel information including bikes, scooters, public transportation, and even helicopters in some locations.
“We recognize that becoming an integral part of people’s lives comes with real responsibility,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said. “That’s why we are working to make sure every customer is treated like a VIP, every driver and courier feels like a valued partner, and every city feels like we’re a good citizen.”
When riders search for a destination, they will see travel options listed in order of price, including public transit as well as electric bikes and scooters. This means cheaper options such as subway and bus schedules may appear at the top of the list, and riders can request notifications when trains or buses they track are delayed. The new transit feature is live in Denver and London and will soon be operational in San Francisco, Mexico City, and Paris.
It might seem unexpected for Uber to be guiding users away from taking a car, but the company has long harbored ambitions to become an all-encompassing transit platform.
“To some extent, we’re competing against ourselves,” Khosrowshahi told the Verge of adding public transit options. “But we have the philosophy that if there’s a better product out there for the user, and we think an integrated movement solution is better for the user, we should be the ones competing against ourselves versus others doing it.”
Uber Eats will also open more “digital-only restaurants” – businesses with no brick-and-mortar outlet where customers can only order food from on the app. One digital restaurant comes through a partnership with the celebrity chef Rachael Ray and will be available in 10 cities for 10 weeks exclusively on Uber Eats.
Uber’s big changes come as the company struggles to turn a profit months after it went public in May. In August, Uber cut 400 jobs as it attempted to rein in excessive spending and losses. In August the company reported its largest-ever quarterly loss: $5bn in three months.
Meanwhile, new regulatory hurdles threaten to raise the company’s operating costs by changing how drivers are paid. In the two-hour event, Uber did not mention Assembly Bill 5, a new law passed in September that will upend the way gig economy workers in California, including drivers, are remunerated, as well as the benefits they are entitled to. Uber, its competitor Lyft, and other gig economy startups have announced a plan to fight the bill with a 2020 ballot measure.
In addition to platform integrations and Uber Eats changes, Uber made a number of safety updates to the app. Riders will now use a four-digit PIN to verify they are entering the correct car. Uber said it is developing an “ultrasound wave” technology so in the future the app can automatically verify riders are in the right car without a PIN number.
In the app, riders will now have a “Report Safety Incident” option and the ability to text 911 in case of emergency. The company updated its “real-time ID check” feature introduced in 2016, requiring drivers to take selfies to verify identities. The changes come after Uber was sued for $10m in April by a woman who was sexually assaulted by her driver. A number of women announced last week they were bringing lawsuits against Lyft over drivers sexually assaulting them. The victim in the case against Uber alleges that the company failed to “warn her of the risk its services posed to women”. A CNN report last year found at least 103 Uber drivers in the US had been accused of sexually assaulting or abusing their passengers over a period of four years.
Uber also announced an expansion of its Uber Rewards program, which allows customers to redeem points when taking an Uber ride, ordering Uber Eats, or spending with partner restaurants.
https://bit.ly/2nqj3sw
------------------------------------
Professional drivers working in congested cities are exposed to black carbon levels that are on average a third higher than would be experienced at a busy roadside, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.
The research also found that taxi drivers experience the highest exposures to black carbon, an indicator of diesel engine fumes, compared to couriers, truck drivers, waste removal and emergency service workers.
However, the study suggests that professional drivers can take simple steps to protect themselves from pollution, such as driving with their windows closed.
The research was presented by Shanon Lim, a research assistant and PhD candidate at King's College London, UK. It was a collaboration between researchers at King's and researchers at Queen Mary University of London.
The researchers recruited 140 professional drivers from a range of occupations working in central London. The drivers were asked to carry black carbon monitors, which were linked with GPS trackers, for a period of 96 hours. The monitors measured exposure levels once every minute. Drivers were also asked about the type of vehicle they drive, their working hours and whether they drive with their windows or air vents open.
The results showed that, on average, professional drivers were exposed to 4.1 micrograms of black carbon per cubic metre of air (μg/m3) while driving, which was around four times higher than their exposure at home (1.1 μg/m3). Researchers say the levels recorded at home are similar to levels experienced by office workers at their desks. Professional drivers also experienced extremely high spikes in exposure to black carbon, often exceeding 100 μg/m3 and lasting as long as half an hour.
During the same period of time, researchers found that pollution levels at a busy London roadside (Marylebone Road) were 3.1 μg/m3 on average and, away from the roadside, the average level in London was 0.9 μg/m3.
Taxi drivers had the highest levels of exposure on average (6.5μg/m3). Emergency services workers had the lowest levels of exposure on average (2.8 μg/m3).
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