80 Year Old London Cabbie dies in Horror smash

A man in his 80’s has died following a horror crash in North London. The horrific scene shows a mangled London taxi following a collision.between the taxi and a minibus.

The collision took place on the Hyde Estate Rd, #Colindale NW9 on Saturday evening,

A man who is understood to be the driver the taxi in his 80s, has died at the scene. No arrest have been made and an investigation and enquiries continue to establish circumstances.

https://www.uknip.co.uk/2020/03/01/breaking/80-year-old-pensioner-dies-in-london-taxi-horror-crash-in-north-london/

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STOKE

A woman has told how she needed major surgery on her face after jumping out of a moving taxi when the driver allegedly refused to stop.

Shannon Wiwczaryk, 20, had been out clubbing in Hanley, Staffordshire when she decided to get a cab home.

The waitress, who was with her cousin, Arlom Spillane, 19, and another friend, ended up leaping out of the moving vehicle after she claimed she feared for her life.

It started when a row erupted over the fare and the driver of the vehicle got out and confronted Arlom.

Seconds later the pair became embroiled in a 'scrap' on the floor of the minibus.

When Arlom managed to break free and climb out, the driver got back behind the wheel and drove off with Shannon and her friend still inside.

It was at that moment Shannon 'acted on instinct' and hurled herself through the open door, hitting her chin on the ground close to Jubilee 2 gym in Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre shortly after 4am on Sunday, February 23.

She was discharged from the Royal Stoke University Hospital four days later after undergoing surgery to fix her mouth.

And she is now asking for the public's help to find witnesses or CCTV of the terrifying incident.
 

Shannon said she acted on instinct when she decided to jump out of the cab.

 

Shannon, from Newcastle, said: "Me, my cousin and a friend got in the taxi outside Pink at about 4am. We got the money out to pay as I know some drivers like proof.

"We handed over £10 but it doesn't usually cost that much so we checked we'd be getting change.
"Partway through the journey my friend noticed the meter wasn't running and that's when the driver started shouting.

"We asked to get out. There was a lot of back and forth with us demanding he stop.
"He eventually pulled over but then he opened the side door and got in Arlom's face.

"Arlom went to push him away but the driver got on top of him and they ended up scrapping on the minibus floor. They both fell on top of me.

"Arlom managed to get out and hold the door open so me and my friend could get out. But the taxi driver got back in the front and started driving off.
"Arlom was running alongside but he had to let go of the handle as the driver sped up.

"I saw the panic in his face and just jumped out. It was complete instinct. My feet went underneath and my face smashed into the ground.

"The driver then slammed the brakes on and my friend was able to get out.

"If I didn't jump out of the taxi I dread to think what could have happened. I think he would have just kept going with me and my friend inside. I was scared for my life.

"I picked up my phone and immediately knew something was wrong with my face. I was having to hold my chin.

"The police eventually came and then dropped me off at hospital."

An X-ray revealed Shannon's jaw had broken in two places and required an operation to insert titanium plates and pins.

She also needed 15 stitches on the outside of her chin and 20 inside her mouth.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/woman-shatters-jaw-jumping-moving-21603746

A Blackpool taxi driver, who 'persistently failed' to keep his vehicles in a good condition, has lost his appeal to keep his licences.

Steven Lewis, of Plymouth Road in Blackpool, had his Hackney carriage licences revoked by Blackpool Council's public protection committee between February and April 2019.

The 64-year-old appealed the decision at the magistrates' court but on August 21 later that year, his appeal was formally dismissed.

Mr Lewis, not satisfied with the decision, then appealed to the crown court, saying that the committee and the magistrates were wrong and asking the crown court to give him a lesser sanction.

However, on Friday last week (February 21) the Court dismissed his appeal, confirming that the licensing committee and later Magistrates’ decisions were correct.

https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/blackpool-taxi-driver-loses-appeal-17813700


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The London Mayor has announced that the 9,000 electric taxi target by the end of the year is ‘no longer relevant’.

The minimum 9,000 Zero Emissions Capable (ZEC) taxi marker was seen as the goal for officials at City Hall, when the first electric taxi entered the market in January 2018.The London Mayor has announced that the 9,000 electric taxi target by the end of the year is ‘no longer relevant’.

Two years on, over 3,000 drivers have invested more than £180million to make the move to the greener vehicles.

Since the launch of the London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) TX electric taxi, cabbies have been making a significant contribution to improving the air quality in the capital and other UK cities.

According to LEVC, 30,000 tonnes of CO2 has been prevented from entering the atmosphere – the same as 1,785 return flights from London to Melbourne.

A further pure electric taxi option, the Nissan Dynamo, has recently been introduced to the travelling public.

It is however, extremely unlikely sales will reach 9,000 by the end of 2020.

In response to a question put forward by Florence Eshalomi AM, the London Mayor blamed the previous administration for setting the 9,000 target. He later labelled the target ‘no longer relevant’ since Transport for London (TfL) reduced the age limits on older diesel taxis.

The reduction in age limits, dropping to twelve years from the original fifteen, has caused residual values of the London taxi fleet to drop by an estimated £50million.

Florence Eshalomi, a Labour London Assembly Member, asked the London Mayor whether he expected to meet his target of 9,000 ZEC taxis in London by the end of 2020.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, responded to the written question on 14 February, saying: “The target of 9,000 Zero Emissions Capable (ZEC) taxis by 2020 was set by the previous administration to reduce emissions from taxis.

“It is no longer relevant because TfL has consulted on and is implementing changes to the age limit for Euro 3, 4 and 5 diesel taxis.

“I am delighted there are now two ZEC taxi models following the launch of the new all-electric Dynamo Taxi in October. As of 6 November 2019, TfL had licensed 3,215 ZEC taxis and I am determined to help more black cab drivers make the switch. This includes providing rapid charge points, delicensing payments of up to £10,000 and supporting a £7,500 grant towards the purchase of a new ZEC taxi.”

SRC- Taxipoint
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A taxi licensing shake-up was signed off by North Tyneside Council on Monday with changes to encourage zero-emission vehicles

Would-be taxi drivers will have to scrap ageing vehicles and face up to mandatory criminal record checks as a proposed licensing shake-up was given the green light.

This means from April 2022 no new licences will be granted in North Tyneside for vehicles more than four years old.

Meanwhile, existing licences will require a vehicle less than eight years old for any future renewals in 2024

Electric and zero-emission vehicles will be exempt from these age standards.

Other key changes will see the introduction of online applications and mandatory sign ups to the DBS update service.

The authority currently licenses around 183 taxis, 1,030 Private Hire Vehicles, 1,097 drivers and 23 operators in the borough.

North Tyneside Council says the proposals aim to ensure the safety and welfare of the public, encourage environmental sustainability and ensure efficient taxi and private hire services in the borough.

Following an eight-week consultation where almost 100 local drivers, residents and businesses shared their views on the revised policy, the plans were approved by cabinet on Monday.

This comes after North Tyneside Council voted to join Newcastle, Northumberland, Gateshead and Sunderland in declaring a climate emergency in July.

The authority is currently pressing on with its commitment to half its carbon footprint by 2027 and aims to be carbon neutral by 2050.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/taxi-licensing-north-tyneside-drivers-17819209
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A Northampton taxi firm is being taken to court by two of its drivers arguing for cabbies to take home a minimum wage and holiday pay.

A court date has been set for Bounds Taxis to dispute whether its drivers should be paid a minimum wage and earn rights as self-employed workers.

The firm will appear for a three-day hearing at Huntingdon County Court, in Cambridgeshire, on April 22.

The two drivers, Mr Shafqat Shah and Mr Samuel Adjei, are suing the company for worker's rights and say the firm's cabbies are working on-average 12 hour days seven-days-a-week to earn a minimum wage.

On average, drivers also have to pay £30-a-day for fuel and insurance while also paying £175-per-week "radio rent" fees to work for Bounds in the first place.

It comes after around 40 drivers protested outside the company's offices in Bradshaw Street in December, which called for a £5 minimum fare on jobs, a freeze on hiring more drivers and for Bounds to instead collect fees on a 15 per cent commission basis instead of a flat fee for drivers.

Now, Mr Shah and Mr Adjei are arguing they are entitled to a guaranteed minimum wage, holiday pay, pension contributions, and collective bargaining rights, among others.

When the Chronicle & Echo first reported on the legal action in July this year, a spokesperson for the company said there were systems in place to achieve a high level of service.

The men are being supported in their claim against taxi firm Bounds by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which has taken successful legal action against Uber and Addison Lee.

The Bounds spokesperson said: "We, like every firm in the country, charge a fixed fee and supply the driver bookings. We do not stipulate what time they start or finish, the agreement allows them to come and go as they wish and there are no restrictions on the number of hours they can work or the number of bookings they can receive.

"We must stress that each and every driver is self-employed and has the choice to move to another company any time they wish.

"The majority stay with us as we have, being the largest fleet, the ability to provide a far quicker service than most and consequently have secured a much larger percentage of the work within the town.

"It, therefore, follows that they have the potential to increase their earnings."

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/people/court-date-set-union-suing-northamptons-bounds-taxis-workers-rights-1889457

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WAKEFIELD

The local authority was deemed to be overcharging cabbies for a trade licence by the High Court in December 2018, in what was viewed as a landmark case.

That ruling was upheld by the Court of Appeal a year later after the council argued against the verdict.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act have revealed £11,250 of taxpayer's money, plus £2,250 worth of VAT, was spent on legal fees for the case.

After a conclusion was reached in December, the council accused the High Court of not offering enough "clarity" during the original ruling and suggested they had cost the council "time and money" as a result.

Its defence was backed by the Local Government Association, which represents councils all over the country, many of whom regulated taxi licences in the same way as Wakefield.

The local authority was charging £384 for a licence, a fee which included costs for punishing drivers who break the rules.

But judges said that approach is unlawful and will have to change.

Asked for comment on the size of the legal bill, the council said it had nothing further to add beyond its statement about the case conclusion in December.

The Wakefield and District Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Association, which represents drivers, claimed the verdict would cost the council £1m in payments to drivers dating back to 2004.

The council disputes that figure, however.

What the council said when the case concluded in December

Glynn Humphries, service director for environment, said: “The legal position as to where enforcement costs could be attributed was unclear and today’s judgement has clarified that the costs of enforcement should be met by the taxi trade through fees and should not be subsidised by the council tax payer.

“We very much welcome the clarity from today’s judgement but are disappointed we didn’t get this in the High Court last year, which would have saved everyone involved time and money.

“The council will now review our position in light of the judgement and set up a process to enable drivers to log any claims as easily as possible and try and ensure we assess the claims as quickly as we can.

"We strongly believe that the £1million figure quoted by the taxi trade association does not apply to Wakefield at all. The fees were only applied to vehicles in January 2018 and charges were paused as we sought clarity from the court, which means that no drivers have been charged for this activity from December 2018.

"Going forward we will ensure that all charges are set against the criteria confirmed by the court today."

https://www.pontefractandcastlefordexpress.co.uk/news/politics/revealed-wakefield-councils-legal-bill-high-court-taxi-case-1891045

LIVERPOOL

More than 1,400 taxi and private hire drivers in Liverpool fell foul of the city’s licensing enforcement team in 2019, new figures show.

Enforcement officers took action for offences including driving without insurance, charging too much for fares and plying for hire.

 Not all drivers were from Liverpool. Some were from Sefton, Knowsley and Wirral and others as far afield as Manchester, Rossendale and Wolverhampton.

Officers prosecuted 56 drivers private hire drivers for playing for hire, which is when they  agree to take passengers who have not booked the journey in advance. They issued a further 279 written warnings to drivers who had been found to have defective tyres or other parts or who were not displaying their badge or taxi plate.

Working with the city’s taxi trade, officers also issued 863 fines – the majority of these to private motorists who had illegally parked on the city’s taxi ranks. This is an ongoing concern for Liverpool’s taxi drivers.

Throughout the year, the team also took part in Operation Topaz, which aims to identify cabbies flouting the rules during the city’s match days.

Undercover licensing officers patrol popular taxi spots outside the football grounds, often posing as football fans looking for a ride home.

 In one recent case, private hire driver Tariq Ahmed, who is licensed with Sefton Council, was caught by officers following the Liverpool vs Napoli match in December. Ahmed, of Rodney Street, Birkenhead, was seen agreeing to carry three fans who had not pre-booked the journey. Ahmed admitted plying for hire and driving without insurance when facing the city’s magistrates. He was ordered to £487 in fines and costs and given six penalty points.

Operation Topaz and other enforcement initiatives will continue throughout this year. Chair of Liverpool City Council’s Licensing Committee, Cllr Christine Banks said: “The licensing enforcement team has been extremely active during the past year.

“Team members are out at all times of the day and night ensuring that taxi and private hire drivers are playing by the rules in the interests of the safety and security of members of the public.

“Residents and visitors to our city have the right to travel safe in the knowledge that they are not being ripped off or driven illegally. Over the past year, we have introduced many new initiatives to make travelling by taxi even easier. These have included random drug testing for drivers, the introduction of a new knowledge test for drivers and giving passengers the ability to pay by card in Hackney Cabs.”

https://lbndaily.co.uk/1400-taxi-private-hire-drivers-fall-foul-licensing-team/
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HUDDERSFIELD

A furious taxi driver says a man who refused to get out of his cab for hours then verbally abused him, threw a rock at him, vandalised the taxi and urinated inside.

Hackney Carriage driver Muhammed Naeem, 52, picked up the man at 6am today outside McDonald's in John William Street - but says the man would not tell him where he wanted to go and refused to get out of the cab.

Eventually Mr Naeem, from Bradley, took three passengers to Skelmanthorpe, who said the man could travel with them.

But he says when they left the man still refused to get out, pretended to be asleep on the back seat and then chased him and threw a rock at him before pulling the taxi door off and urinating in the cab.

Mr Naeem filmed most of the ordeal on his phone and footage shows the man telling the group going to Skelmanthorpe: 'I was going to get a hotel but this is cheaper."

In Skelmanthorpe he is heard to say to Mr Naeem: "You f***ing j*****i motherf***ers, f***ing b*****d, scumbag motherf***er."

After getting back inside the man is heard to say: "Taxi's fallen apart man. You need to get the f***ing AA out. It's not f***ing going well, is it? That dream of that business you are going to build in the UK? It's not going well, is it?"

Mr Naeem said the man eventually ran off towards Huddersfield in the direction of Shelley College.

A person living nearby who had seen what the man did helped Mr Naeem secure his door he said.
Mr Naeem said he called 999 three times but says he was told nobody would be able to attend.

 He said he was disappointed with the police's response and has asked them to call him back after 6pm.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/abusive-passenger-trashed-taxi-says-17798464

LEEDS

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Our electric vehicle offering to our customers and our drivers has become one of our main objectives for 2020 and beyond.

The service will launch in Leeds at the end of March this year and at our Bristol Airport site in June.

Q1 2021 will see a further extension of the rollout in Leeds and Bristol along with the launch of the service into Birmingham and Newcastle.

Our extensive and stylish Tesla vehicles will provide the First Class Experience and ensure passengers are transported safely and in style.

We are committed to the ongoing sustainability and future-proofing of our communities and we believe in investing and improving.

Sustainability is at the top of our agenda for 2020.

This is only the first small step in our journey to a zero-emissions fleet.

Keep an eye out for further details in the coming weeks and please email gotesla@arrowcars.co.uk for more information and corporate account enquires.

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OXFORD

A Taxi drop-off zone in Gloucester Green has been blocked off because passengers kept getting hit and injured by coaches.

Oxford City Council said on one occasion, a pregnant woman became 'wedged between a taxi and a bus', such was the extent of the conflict for space.

The authority has now installed bollards across the drop-off bay just off George Street, rendering it useless.

Oxford resident and keen cyclist Tony Brett criticised the move on Twitter, questioning how passengers would cope if they are disabled or have lots of luggage.

He added: "Isn't the coach driver responsible for the tail swing, or are we blaming the victim now?"

Oxford Bus Company's managing director Phil Southall, responding to his tweet, said: "The reason for this is pedestrians getting out of taxis coming into contact with the tail swing of larger coaches.

"There have been a number of personal injuries and any further injuries can now be avoided."

He said people who cannot access the bus station via public transport will simply have to 'get dropped off in a nearby street or car park'.

Mr Southall added: "[The] issue is folks getting out of taxis not looking.

"This is a perfectly acceptable solution under the circumstances."

Another woman branded the move 'ridiculous' adding: "It’s really hard to get to the bus station anyhow, [especially] from outside of town.

"This just making it worse."

Oxford City Council confirmed that it has closed the bays on a six-month trial, having consulted with taxi drivers.

A spokesperson for the authority tweeted: "The area is drop-off only, but there was a high level of non-compliance.

"There had been several accidents between cars and buses - one incident involved a pregnant woman being wedged between a taxi and a bus."

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/18248376.gloucester-green-taxi-drop-off-closed-passengers-injured/

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PENDLE

Taxi drivers were reminded of their responsibility in spotting the signs of and reporting child sexual and criminal exploitation as police and council licensing staff cracked down on unsafe vehicles in the borough.

Pendle Borough Council taxi licensing staff and the Pendle police taskforce led the operation last night, which saw 12 of the 18 vehicles checked taken off the road. 

They were joined by neighbourhood policing teams officers, police specials and officers from the Engage Team, who spearheaded the sixth part of the Operation Latimer into proactively tackling child exploitation. 

Sgt Sheralyn Melton, from the Engage Team, said: “The operation has been a massive success.

 Working with partner agencies we have been able to speak to and educate taxi drivers about CSE and their roles in spotting the signs and reporting it.

 

“Taxi drivers are in a unique position where they see all sorts of behaviour - whether suspicious or otherwise - and they need to know what to look out for and have the confidence to then report it to the police. By the very nature of their role they can often be used to transport both perpetrators and victims.

“We’ve been able to speak to taxi drivers while their vehicles were being checked, put scenarios to them and ensure they are aware of their responsibility in helping to prevent child sexual exploitation.” 

No arrests were made as a result of the operation.

www.burnleyexpress

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GETT (NO ARABS)

Human rights lawyers in Jerusalem have sued Gett, an Israeli taxi-hailing app, for providing a service they allege was designed to give customers the option to practically guarantee they would not get an Arab driver.

Gett, a global firm that also works with black cabs in the UK, offers users in the holy city the choice to request a taxi that is not driven on the Sabbath, the weekly Jewish day of rest, and some Jewish holidays.

In addition to its “express” and “premium” offers, the unique service is labelled as “Mehadrin”, referring to the most stringent levels of Jewish regulations. Unlike observant Jews, Palestinian Arab drivers in Jerusalem are generally Muslim or Christian and often work during the Sabbath.

Gett says drivers of any religion can register to provide this service if they confirm that their vehicle meets the requirements.

However, according to a class-action lawsuit filed this week, Gett Mehadrin is accused of being a cover for a discriminatory service.

“They give it a religious title. But, in fact, this is a proxy for a racist service that provides taxis with Jewish drivers,” said Asaf Pink, a lawyer working on the case. “Of course, they can’t just say ‘we don’t want Arabs’.”

The case seeks 150m shekels (around £37m) in damages for what it says are discriminated-against Arab taxi drivers and tens of thousands of Jerusalem residents, Arab, Christian and Jewish, who find it racist. The suit was filed against Gett, its CEO and founder, Dave Waiser, and Mark Oun, the head of Gett Israel.

Before submitting the case, Pink and a local rights group, the Israel Religious Action Center, commissioned a private investigation that they said proved the service was tailored to be discriminatory.

In October 2018, two people posing as aspiring drivers met Gett’s Jerusalem representative, Herzl Moshe, according to the investigation’s report.

Moshe allegedly said he would never sign an Arab driver to the Mehadrin service, even if they agreed to Gett’s terms. “Let me tell you a secret,” he said in recorded comments. “Gett Mehadrin is not for religious [Jews]. It is for people who don’t want an Arab driver. When my daughter wants to travel, I order her a Gett Mehadrin. She doesn’t care if the driver is religious or not because what she wants is a Jewish driver.”

The private investigation firm later sent an Arab man to ask if he could join the service, and he was refused, it said in the report. “I have 1,500 Arab drivers, and not even one of them works for Mehadrin; nor will they,” Moshe allegedly said.

Separately, the case will argue there is no religious requirement, as Gett claims, for such a service. Many observant Jews only take issue with other Jewish people, and not Christians or Muslims, working on the Sabbath.

Some Jewish people even arrange for a non-Jew, called a “shabbos goy”, to do certain tasks for them on Shabbat, such as turning on the heating or driving to a hospital if needed.

Anat Hoffman, executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center, said Gett Mehadrin masked racial discrimination with Jewish practice.

 “Using Judaism to justify racism is not Jewish.

 Racism by any other name smells just as foul.”

A spokesperson for Gett did not provide details on how many Arab-driven taxis, if any, were registered for Gett Mehadrin. “Any driver, regardless of religious belief, can drive in this fleet. We believe this service is in line with relevant Israeli laws and regulations,” they said.

Rules based on religious custom for Israeli transport have a controversial past. In 2011, a public bus service, also titled Mehadrin but unrelated, was ruled unlawful by the high court. The buses, which operated between ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighbourhoods, required women to wear modest clothing and sit at the back.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/21/gett-israeli-taxi-app-sued-for-service-used-to-avoid-arab-drivers

A taxi driver has lost his fight for life more than two weeks after he was seriously injured in a collision involving a stolen car.

The 42-year-old died at Salford Royal Hospital on Tuesday.

The private hire driver was behind the wheel of a Toyota Avensis when it was involved in a collision with a stolen Ford Focus on Higginshaw Lane outside the Laurel Trading estate in Royton, Oldham, near to the Blue Tiffin restaurant.

Emergency services raced to the scene at around 9.45pm on February 1 and the road was cordoned off.

The man was taken to hospital with serious injuries, where he sadly died on Tuesday.
His passengers suffered more minor injuries, police said at the time.

Four people were seen fleeing from the stolen vehicle in the aftermath.

Greater Manchester Police say a number of arrests have been made in connection with the incident but no further details about these have yet been released.

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
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ST HELENS

Cocaine was hidden inside a can of Lynx Africa and cannabis stuffed within a can of de-icer by two suspected drug dealers.

Police officers on patrol made the innovative discovery when they stopped a taxi on Tuesday evening in St Helens.

During the search, on Garswood Road, they found bags of the Class B drug and quantities of the Class A white powder.

Tests will be carried out on the substances to confirm their authenticity.
Also in the cab was a quantity of cash and a number of mobile phones.

The driver, a 38-year old man, from Newton-Le-Willows, was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs and drug driving.
His passenger, 25, from Haydock, was also arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs.

Both men were taken to custody for questioning and St Helens Council was contacted about the driver's taxi licence.

Superintendent Tami Garvey-Jones said: “Taxi drivers have a duty of care to those they are driving around the region and being under the influence of drugs heavily effects their judgement and driving ability and puts passengers and other road users in huge danger.

“If you know someone taking drugs, supplying them or carrying them, then let us know

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk
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GT YARMOUTH

A woman who sexually assaulted a taxi driver has been ordered to sign the sex offenders register.
Kandy Rowland left the driver fearing a sexually-transmitted disease after the incident.

The 35-year-old, of Betterton Street, London, had visited the Norfolk coast with a friend to recover from a cosmetic operation earlier that day, despite being advised to remain in hospital.

Appearing at Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, Rowland admitted sexually assaulting the man on August 2, as well as assaulting a member of pub staff after hitting him with her shoe.

Rowland and her friend were seen getting into a taxi shortly before 10pm, but immediately began arguing, the court heard.

Victoria Bastock, prosecuting, said: "She became verbally abusive after being asked to leave the pub, and police were called when she began moving and throwing furniture."

Rowland then moved to the passenger seat, before touching an intimate part of her body and then wiping her hand on the driver's face.

The taxi driver left the car and asked her friend to remove her from the vehicle.

In a victim impact statement, the driver said: "It was horrendous. I didn't know what diseases she could have and I was worried I might have contracted something.

"I had to explain it to my wife and avoided contact with her which put a strain on our relationship.

"I became concerned she would make a false allegation against me because we had been alone in the car and I have realised I was in a vulnerable position."

Claire Edgeler, mitigating, said: "She is extremely ashamed, embarrassed and humiliated by her behaviour that night.

"Since the age of 14 she has had gender dysphoria, had gender reassignment surgery in 2002 and has been living as a woman ever since.

"She has undergone a huge amount of torment and ridicule and had her home set on fire, where she lost everything and became homeless.

"She used alcohol as a crutch for her PTSD, depression and anxiety, but on the day she had general anaesthetic and it was the perfect storm.

www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk

BARROW

A Taxi driver with a serious health condition has supported calls for the local authority to reverse its policy on three-year licences.
 

John McDonald is among drivers in Barrow who say they are angered at having to pay for new three-year licences when they only plan on staying in the trade for one year before they retire. 

The 65-year-old has lung condition Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and says his health will not be up to driving his taxi for more than a year. 

The A1 driver said: “I’m not going to be driving until I’m 69.

“I want a 12-month licence, not a three-year one.

“My health is going to get worse and I’m not going to be well enough for taxiing - it would be a risk to me and a risk to the public.

 

“What if something happens while I’m driving with someone in the car? 

“I can’t guarantee that I’m going to be fit enough.”
Mr McDonald, who lives in Ocean Road on Walney, said he has had COPD for eight years.
“I can’t face another winter driving my taxi," he said.

Barrow Council has addressed concerns over the three-year licence which has become standard issue for many authorities across the country.

A three-year licence also works out cheaper than for just one year. 

Councillor Tony Callister, spokesman for licensing and public protection, said: “It is a legal requirement for all drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles to obtain a licence to operate. This is to ensure the safety of passengers and other road users. 

“Since 2015, licenses are granted for a period of three years which is not only good value for drivers, but offers them a more streamlined and efficient application and approval process.

“A phased implementation was introduced and our current policy is to issue three year licences, in the absence of any other limitation that would cause the Council to issue a shorter duration licence.

 

“It is also in line with many other local authorities across the country which have already adopted this process.”

www.nwemail.co.uk
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BRISTOL

Taxi drivers who serve Temple Meads on a daily basis have been left unimpressed by the new road layout around the station, and claim the near three years of roadworks have cost them hundreds of loyal customers.
Work to transform the road network around Temple Gate – a £17million Bristol City Council project – officially ended in December.
But the work, which started back in June 2017, was plagued by delays - thanks to the weather, a Victorian cellar and uncharted utility pipes - meaning it has taken more than a year longer than it was supposed to.
As a result the road network around Temple Meads has spent the past three years littered with roadworks, traffic and diversions.
And some of the taxi drivers who are on the road all day in and out of the railway station say the changes to the road layout have been a waste of time and money and actually cost them customers.
Bristol City Council has apologised for any confusion motorists have experienced, and said it plans to install new signs.
But for Steve, who has been a taxi driver in Bristol for 27 years, said after “£17m and three years of traffic chaos nothing has changed”.
He added: “The council has spent all this money and we have had three years of constant congestion and it’s just the same old problems.
“We still can’t turn right into the station if we’re coming from the Bedminster side. And now thanks to the new layout we have to go all the way to Redcliffe Hill or up to Old Market to turn around and come back on ourselves.
“I just don’t understand how this helps cut pollution?

www.bristolpost.co.uk
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BRIGHTON

A Taxi business has pulled out of Brighton and Hove before it even took its first booking.

Ola – a “ride-hailing app” considered a rival to Uber – was granted an operator’s licence for one year in May last year by Brighton and Hove City Council. 

But the Indian firm, which already operates in Merseyside, Reading, South Wales, the South West and the West Midlands, has told the council that it now has no plans to operate in Brighton. 

Ola UK Private director Karl Lutzow, 41, made the case for the newcomer at a council licensing panel hearing. 

And the company even took an office in Queen’s Road, Brighton. 

But Labour councillor Jackie O’Quinn, who chairs the council’s Licensing Committee, said: “The market is too full.” 

She said that Brighton and Hove was “overwhelmed” with drivers from Lewes which has had the highest increase in applications in the whole country. 

Councillor O’Quinn added: “They are all Ubers because it’s easier to get a Lewes licence.” 

In Brighton and Hove all licensed drivers must follow the council’s stringent regulations – known as the Blue Book – when operating as a taxi or private hire driver.
 

One of the conditions that Councillor O’Quinn pushed for was to ensure that all Ola drivers were licensed in Brighton and Hove.

 

She also insisted on tight restriction to prevent Ola drivers from outside Brighton and Hove picking up fares and competing unfairly with local drivers.

www.theargus.co.uk
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LEEDS

Debra Tingey, who runs 001 Cars in Hemsworth, pleaded guilty to three charges at Leeds Magistrates Court last week.

The firm, which also trades under the name Tingey Cars, had employed 53 year-old Keith Walker as a driver, even though he did not have a private hire licence.

Wakefield Council said Walker, of Lodge Street in Hemsworth, was seen driving a private hire vehicle with passengers from Kinsley to South Kirkby.

Tingey, of Woodmoor Road in Hemsworth, pleaded guilty to operated a vehicle with an unlicensed driver, employing an unlicensed driver and allowing the use of an unlicensed vehicle when no insurance was in force.

She was fined £460, ordered to pay costs and banned from driving for six months.

Walker pleaded guilty by post and will be sentenced later this month.

Speaking after the case, Councillor Maureen Cummings, portfolio holder for the environment, said: "The court said these were very serious offences.

"Mrs Tingey holds a position of responsibility within the company and the behaviour involved breaches public safety by allowing Mr Walker, an unlicensed and uninsured driver, to operate within the business.

"Our priority, as a council, is to keep the public safe and this case should send out a firm message to everyone that this behaviour will never be tolerated.”

Coun Cummings said the local authority's licensing committee would now decide whether or not to revoke the company's operator licence.

www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk

 

The first person diagnosed with coronavirus in London turned up unannounced at a hospital in an Uber taxi after falling ill.

Two staff from Lewisham hospital in south London are now in isolation at home after coming into contact with the woman, a Chinese national who had recently arrived in the city from China.

Lewisham hospital on Thursday confirmed the unnamed patient had not followed public health officials’ advice and had simply “self-presented” at its A&E unit on Sunday afternoon.

She did not arrive by ambulance or her own private vehicle and went straight to the A&E reception desk to report her symptoms – both clear breaches of guidance aimed at stopping the spread of the virus.

No other patients were exposed to the risk of infection by the manner of her arrival, the hospital said.

The woman was then sent home pending the results of her tests. On Wednesday she was taken to another London hospital, St Thomas’, for treatment.

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CLYDEBANK

A man was repeatedly stabbed in front of a horrified taxi driver yesterday outside the shop where Paige Doherty was murdered.

The victim is understood to have been knifed in the neck in a cab in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, after a passenger from another vehicle attacked him in the early hours of the morning. 

A source close to the taxi driver, who works for Clydebank Private Hire, said the inside of the cab was left splattered in blood when the passenger was stabbed several times around the head on Fleming Avenue - just yards from the abandoned deli where 15-year-old Paige was killed in 2016.
Police Scotland said they were investigating the incident yesterday and a 27-year-old man had been arrested in connection with a road traffic matter.

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 Uber is going back to the future in Arizona, with an “innovation” that will allow customers to book a ride over the telephone. On Thursday, the company that triggered the collapse of untold numbers of traditional taxi companies will acknowledge that not everyone finds its smartphone app more convenient.

 It is piloting “a new phone booking feature that lets you request a ride without the Uber app” in all the cities in Arizona it currently serves, with a view to rolling it out across the US.

 The feature involves calling a human being, requesting a car, and waiting to be picked up at the side of the road.“This new feature combines the efficiency of Uber’s matching technology with the convenience and additional support of a live team member,” the company said.

 “It was designed with older adults in mind, though our hope is anyone preferring conversational support will benefit from this pilot.”The “live team members” will be based in the US and overseas, Uber said, and will speak Spanish as well as English.

 Riders will not need to be preregistered on Uber to use the service — they can set up an account over the phone in “minutes” — but they will need a mobile device capable of receiving a text message that confirms the booking and alerts when the driver has arrived.

The move could help Uber increase its customer base at a time when its goal of future profitability relies on eking out added value from its presence in more than 800 cities globally. But the similarities with long-existing services was not lost on transportation experts.

“It seems a little strange to me, honestly,” said Professor Genevieve Giuliano, director of the METRANS Transportation Center at the University of Southern California. “My first reaction is: so Uber is becoming a taxi system.”

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WILTSHIRE

Angry taxi drivers in north Wiltshire are threatening to stop working on a Sunday if new fares are introduced. They say it won’t be worth their while working at the new tariff fares proposed by Wiltshire Council.
Currently, drivers can charge a higher rage of £7.20 a mile all day on Sunday, higher than the £5.20 Monday to Saturday day rate.

But the proposed new tariffs mean that would be cut to £5.50 a mile.

There are further changes proposed affecting fares in the early hours.

The current second tariff tier (£7.20 a mile), which runs from 10.30pm to 2.29am, would start at 10pm and be extended to 5.59am and the previous third tier (£8.50 a mile) removed.

Under the new proposals, it will start earlier at 10pm instead of 10.30pm and last until 5.59am at a flat rate of £7.50 per mile.

Vivienne Pepler, the representative for more than 330 north Wiltshire taxi drivers, said: “The changes mean they want us to work all through the week at tariff one, which is a much lower fare rate.

“Our taxi drivers in north Wiltshire say they will refuse to work all day Sunday if they don’t get tariff two. They are not willing to work for nothing.”

www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk

VERY BUSY in Parliament last 3 days. Too much for me to edit and paste, Help Yourselves.


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SOUTH TYNESIDE

A proposed change to licensing policy, which would mean vehicles entering the taxi trade could be no more than four years old, will be considered by the council’s cabinet next week.

They will be asked to give the go ahead to begin consultation about the introduction of an age restriction policy which would help cut emissions and promote a cleaner fleet.

The policy comes as part of a drive towards a regional emissions standard for taxis and private hire vehicles, which the 12 North East local authorities agreed should be pursued in 2018.

If adopted, the ‘Euro 6’ standard would apply from July 1, 2020 – meaning that any new vehicle wanting to enter the taxi trade could be no more than four years old and from July 1, 2023, existing vehicles could be a maximum of eight years old.

Fully electric and zero emission vehicles would be exempt.

Last year South Tyneside council declared a climate emergency and pledged to take all necessary steps to become carbon neutral by 2030, including producing a climate change strategy, supported by a five-year action plan, by March 31, 2020.

Coun Mark Walsh, lead member for housing and transport, said: “The introduction of these changes would help us move towards our goal of a carbon neutral future as well as having a significant impact on air quality and improving public health.

“Taxis are an important part of the transport mix in the borough and it’s important that we get the trade’s views on this. No decisions have been made and we’re keen for them to engage in the consultation and tell us what they think.

“This is about looking to the future and as a council, we are committed to creating a transport network that allows us to travel in a healthy, efficient and sustainable way.”

If given the go ahead, changes to the council’s existing tint policy, which specifies the minimum amount of light transmittance permitted through windows of taxis, will also be considered.
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WALSALL

A taxi driver says he fears for his family's safety, after his car was set on fire outside his home in Walsall.

CCTV captured the moment a man poured petrol over the vehicle before setting it alight.
Mohammed Basharat was at home with his family when the arson attack took place.

The taxi driver, who uses the vehicle for work, says he has no idea why he was targeted and is even considering moving house to protect his family.

The attack, which happened in the early hours of Friday (7 February), also damaged a nearby home which caused the front door to melt.

West Midlands Police is investigating the incident and appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

https://www.itv.com/news/central/2020-02-12/taxi-driver-s-car-set-on-fire-in-walsall/
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CHESHIRE WEST

A TAXI driver broke the law by accepting an immediate booking in his private hire vehicle.

Mohamed Darda, 44, of Cromwell Road, Ellesmere Port, attended Chester Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to all charges. 

He was fined £261 and received six penalty points for invalidating his insurance, and ordered to pay £85 costs and a victim surcharge of £32. 

Only licensed hackney vehicles can accept an immediate booking by either being hailed in the street or by working from a rank. Private hire vehicles cannot work in the same way and can only accept a booking through their licensed private hire operator. 

In a private hire vehicle, the driver cannot pick-up passengers without a prior booking (called plying for hire); this is illegal and also invalidates any insurance in place. 

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Licensing Team launched an investigation following a report that on the evening of Saturday, July 27, 2019 on Egerton Street, Chester, Mr Darda had picked up two members of the public off the street in his Toyota Avensis and had then transported them to Daresbury. 

It was later found that there was no prior booking in place when checks were made with his private hire operator.

The court heard how Mr Darda initially lied when being interviewed.

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BOLTON

A  Taxi driver has admitted causing the death of a pensioner as he tried to cross a busy Farnworth Road. 

Fred Whitworth, aged 84, had visited the Betfred shop on Market Street and was crossing the road when he was struck by Jean Mpwaba's Toyota Corolla. 

Mr Whitworth suffered serious head injuries in the collision on September 5 last year and an air ambulance was called, but he was eventually taken to Salford Royal hospital by road and died the following day. 

At Bolton Magistrates' Court today private hire driver Mpwaba, aged 47, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving.

Shazia Aslam, prosecuting, told the court how Mr Whitworth had left the betting shop at 1.30pm and walked towards the kerb. 

"He then began to wait for a break in the flow of traffic," she said, adding that CCTV cameras had captured the pensioner's movements which showed him waiting for 34 seconds before starting to cross the road diagonally. 

At the same time Mpwaba dropped off a passenger and reversed into nearby Church Street.
"He then began a right turn into Market Street when there was a gap in the traffic," said Miss Aslam. 

"Also recognising a gap in the traffic, the complainant began to cross Market Street.
"As the defendant was turning right he collided with the complainant who was around three feet from the central white lines. 

"The force of the impact lifted the complainant off his feet and onto the bonnet of the defendant's vehicle before falling to the ground." 

An Audi driver was heading along Market Street and told police that Mpwaba had been looking at his oncoming car and not at the pedestrian when turning into the busy main road. 

Another woman saw the collision

"I thought the taxi would stop at any moment but it never did," she told police.

 

The court head that Mpwaba, of Raikes Road, Bolton, has no previous convictions and was not speeding. 

Imran Rashid, defending, said Mpwaba has "shown genuine remorse right from the outset".

"It has been a very unfortunate set of circumstances for all parties concerned, especially the victim and he has asked to express his apologies. 

"This is a set of circumstances which is entirely out of character for him." 

Mpwaba has been banned from driving and will be sentenced at Bolton Crown Court on March 9. He was granted bail in the meantime.

www.theboltonnews.co.uk
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European high-speed rail operator Thalys has added a ride-booking option to its website and app.

The “My Driver by Thalys” service allows passengers to choose between 50 local taxi fleets to start and complete their journey in France, Germany, Belgium or the Netherlands when they book their train ticket.

Bookings can be made up to 45 minutes in advance of the journey.

The technology is an add-on to the existing Thalys website and app and was created by UK-based “mobility exchange” company Karhoo.

Around 7.8 million passengers take Thalys trains across 26 stations each year.

“Offering travel to and from the station to simplify our passenger’s door-to-door journeys felt like a natural extension of our customer relationships,” commented Bruno Dierickx, marketing and commercial director at Thalys.

“However, customer expectations around e-hailing and mobility have risen so high that we knew if we wanted to compete, we needed to get the digital user experience just right.

“Karhoo is the engine that runs our new My Driver by Thalys service.  It enables us to offer greater choice and flexibility to our customers in each of our four countries while delivering the first-class digital experience that users today are so used to.

“Karhoo’s brandable booker portal coupled with the instant access to an extensive network of vehicles meant a lot of the hard work was done for us.” 

www.businesstraveller.com

Uber's licence to operate in Birmingham has been renewed, it has been revealed.

The city's council had said renewal was "likely" after questions were raised over its future, because the ride-hailing app firm has not been granted a new licence to operate in London.

Transport for London (TfL) told Uber in November it had made the decision after repeated safety failures.

Uber's general manager said she was "delighted" at the council's decision in Birmingham.

TfL rejected Uber's application after it found a change to its systems allowed unauthorised people to upload their photographs to legitimate driver accounts, enabling them to pick up passengers.

This resulted in 43 drivers making at least 14,000 uninsured trips and some of these drivers were unlicensed, TfL said.

One had received a police caution for distributing indecent images of children, it added.

Uber is appealing against the decision and is allowed to continue operating in London until that process is complete.

Latest news from the West Midlands
It has operated in Birmingham since 2015.

Following Birmingham City Council's decision, Melinda Roylett, UK and Ireland general manager, said: "There is nothing more important than the safety of the riders and drivers who use the Uber app, and we know that when it comes to safety, our work is never done."

A Birmingham City Council spokesman said: "We can confirm we have issued a 12-month licence."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-51445360
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LONDON

Indian ride-hailing app Ola has launched in London, where Uber faces the threat of being banned, as it aims to topple the Silicon Valley giant as market leader in the U.K. capital.

The company, which shares tech investing juggernaut SoftBank as an investor with Uber, rolls out its taxi-booking service in the city on Monday. The firm’s app is similar in many ways to Uber’s but has a few safety-focused features it says make it stand out.

For instance, when a passenger gets into a car, they have to give a unique four-digit code before the driver can start the trip. It also comes packed with an artificial intelligence-powered system called Guardian, which picks up on deviations in route patterns and gets Ola to check with the driver or customer that “nothing untoward” is happening.

“We aspire to be the market leader in London,” Simon Smith, Ola’s head of international, told CNBC in an interview. “We believe that, with our proposition around quality and safety, offering a great experience not only for customers but drivers as well, there is no reason why we can’t be market leader in this market.”


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WAKEFIELD

Proposed strike action by a group of taxi drivers, which was due to take place throughout this week, has been called off.
A cohort of drivers calling themselves Wakefield United had planned to stay at home between 7pm and 9am every night this week, after falling out with the local council over a number of licensing rules.

The move threatened to cause disruption for parents who rely on taxis to get their children to school, and for Wakefield's night-time economy.

But taxi driver Wajid Ali, who was leading the proposed strike, said he'd postponed action after he was offered a meeting with council leader Denise Jeffery and the leader of the Conservative opposition.

Among drivers' grievances is a recent council ruling for all private hire vehicles to have licensing stickers on the front and back of their cars.

They've also opposed a policy designed to encourage cabbies to buy electric vehicles, which they say are too expensive and contradict other rules banning taxis from having tinted windows.

But Mr Ali said: "Despite trying to discuss matters with the licensing department to no avail earlier (last) week, there has been some developments in talks with councillors who are proposing to help in the matter.

"I have a meeting arranged with the leader of the council, Denise Jeffery, the leader of the Conservative Party, Councillor Ahmed, and other senior delegates.

"Therefore in view of this, the proposed strikes have been postponed until further notice."

It's understood no date has yet been arranged for the meetings.

Some drivers did stay at home last Monday in protest at council policy, but this week's proposed action had been expected to cause more problems for the travelling public.

The Wakefield and District Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Association, which represents a large number of local cabbies, had distanced themselves from the strike, however.

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NOTTINGHAM

Taxi drivers are finishing early or not working their shifts after spending hours stuck in gridlocked Nottingham due to part of the A52 being closed.

A defect was discovered on the underside of the Clifton Bridge and repair teams have been working to fix the 'damaged steelwork' since Thursday, February 6.

The A52 is closed eastbound carriageway between A453 Clifton Lane and A453 Queens Drive, a lane is closed westbound heading into Nottingham, and the A52 eastbound entry slip from the A6005 near Queen's Medical Centre is also closed.

Highways England confirmed the closure will be in place until at least Wednesday.

Hackney taxi drivers said some of their colleagues packed up and went home as driving through the city became too difficult while one driver said his customer got out and walked instead.

Shahzad Ali, who has been a Hackney taxi driver in the city for 12 years, said: "It was very bad on Friday.

"I dropped off someone at Lenton Boulevard and it took me 45 minutes to get back. All taxi drivers are fed up.

"One job I picked up at the Victoria Centre and went to Wollaton. He paid me £11 and said 'I will walk'. We had not got far.

"Taxi drivers are not coming out because there is too much traffic."

https://www.nottinghampost.com

An Edinburgh taxi driver has walked free, following a "bizarre" confrontation with an Edinburgh Airport boss.

Iain Hunter, 60, was called to appear in court following an incident that took place last May involving Edinburgh Airport's Chief Executive, Gordon Dewar. 

The court heard how Mr Dewar “sprinted” the entire length of the airport car park to confront Mr Hunter, who was allegedly parked in a prohibited area.

Mr Dewar is said to have then sat on the bonnet of Mr Hunter’s car and began videoing the cabbie's licence plates.   

According to the defence, the taxi driver became concerned for his safety, prompting him to attempt to drive away from the scene.

Sheriff Flinn heard how Mr Hunter started driving “slowly” towards Mr Dewar and then struck him - but didn’t cause him any injuries.

Following the incident, Mr Hunter allegedly called Mr Dewar a “p***k” and drove off. 

Defence solicitor Paul Dunne insisted that the incident would not have happened were it not for Mr Dewar's "bizarre behaviour".

He said: “This incident would not have occurred if it wasn’t for the bizarre behaviour of Mr Dewar. His behaviour caused the entire incident to escalate out of control. 

“I would ask your lordship to deal with this matter by way of absolute discharge. He has no previous convictions and no outstanding cases.

“If the matter cannot be dealt by way of absolute discharge then Mr Hunter will have to appear before the taxi licensing committee of Edinburgh City Council.”

“His vehicle has slight contact but not so much as to cause Mr Dewar to take a step back. It is the merest of touches”, he said. 

Mr Dunne said that if Mr Dewar was concerned that the taxi driver was parked in a prohibited area, he could have check CCTV cameras to establish his identity. 

He added: “None of this would have taken place if it were not for a chief executive who it would appear has nothing better to do than to enforce taxi parking regulations. 

“I think it is fair to say that none of this would have happened if it wasn’t for Mr Dewar’s behaviour.”

Mr Dunne also raised concerns after police and the Crown weren’t able to disclose CCTV footage of the full incident, stating that no footage recovered captured the entire confrontation. 

Mr Dunne added: “I find it impossible to believe that there’s not a square inch of Edinburgh Airport not covered by CCTV. 

“It seems a little odd.”

While Mr Hunter pleaded guilty to a breach of the peace charge, Sheriff Flinn granted him absolute discharge - enabling him to continue work as a taxi driver as he will not have a criminal record.

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WAKEFIELD

Minimum maths and English standards needed by aspiring Wakefield taxi drivers to enter the trade will be lowered, following concerns their current exams are too hard.

Until now, drivers wanting a private hire licence from Wakefield Council had to pass Level 1 tests in maths and English - the equivalent of an old fashioned D or E grade at GCSE.

But the council's licensing committee was told on Wednesday that cabbies were being forced to answer exam questions that are "too difficult", irrelevant to the job and that the first-time pass rate is low.

One councillor told the meeting a taxi driver had asked him why he needed to learn to "bake a cake" after taking the exams, in reference to questions about imperial units.

They also have to learn about prefixes and homophones - words which have more than one meaning - to pass the English exam.

For the next six months at least, drivers will now have to pass Entry Level 3 exams, which are slightly easier than Level 1 exams.

After completing those, they then have to pass a knowledge test before they can get a licence.

Committee chair, Councillor Martyn Johnson said: "I've met some of the people who've taken the test and at the moment, it's like a nurse having to pass a doctor's exam.

Coun Dick Taylor added: "This change is something I've been arguing for.

"I remember being accosted by a taxi driver who wanted to know why he needed to bake a cake to be a taxi driver. He'd been asked about how many ounces, grams and currants in a cake

"It's something that's been on my mind for a while and I welcome it."

But Coun Elaine Blezard raised concerns that lowering standards would lead to problems in the trade.

She said: "I fought long and hard to get these exams (to be compulsory), because we were getting anybody and everybody applying to Wakefield Council for a licence.

"I agree maybe some of these questions are a little bit over the top.

"But I can't agree to this in full."

The committee decided to approve the new policy, but to review it after six months.


www.pontefractandcastlefordexpress.co.uk