A taxi drivers union claims Uber has “failed” to deliver on coronavirus sick pay promise to drivers.
For infected drivers to qualify for sick leave payments from Uber they would need to provide either documentation from a licensed medical provider or public health authority with a diagnosis of COVID-19; or an order by a licensed medical provider or public health authority requiring you to self-isolate.
The NHS advise that those experiencing symptoms should self-isolate immediately and should not contact already overburdened GPS, NHS 111, hospital or pharmacy services.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced measures in this year’s budget to support the NHS during the spread of Covid-19. Part of the £30 billion package was the automation of sick notes for patients who are self-isolating with a system now being designed.
United Private Hire Drivers said the new scheme from Uber is offered to ‘top up’ its existing driver sickness insurance scheme administered by Axa, which only kicks in after seven days of sickness.
https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/taxi-drivers-say-uber-failed-3965484
--------------------------------------------
The union Unite is calling for the Scottish and UK Government to give urgent clarification on financial aid given to taxi and private hire trades
Unite represents thousands of taxi drivers across Scotland and today has called for clarity on the Scottish Governments emergency funding due to the COVID-19.
The government has announced a new £50m ‘hardship fund’ though it is unclear as yet whether taxi drivers will be eligible.
Unite Scottish Secretary, Pat Rafferty, called on the Government, local authorities and the owners of taxi companies to keep drivers on the road by providing immediate relief saying: ‘It’s clear that there is an unfolding threat to the existence of the trade unless immediate financial relief is provided.
‘As the vast majority of taxi drivers fall into the self-employed category, we are deeply concerned that the various government schemes including the Scottish Government’s £50m hardship fund don’t cover taxi drivers.
‘Also, there is little clarity on the applicability of the UK Government’s loan and credit schemes to drivers.
‘It’s incumbent upon licensing authorities and private cab firms who rent their radio sets from offices for as much as £100 per week to offer what relief they can.
‘This must include measures such as the suspension or dramatic reduction in license plate fees and rental fees associated with private cars including radios.
‘If these measures are not adopted there won’t be a trade in existence next month.’
https://www.scotsman.com/health/taxi-drivers-union-call-government-support-during-coronavirus-pandemic-250329
---------------------------------------------
TRANSPORT union RMT called on the government today to mobilise 75,000 taxi drivers as an emergency service helping isolated families during the coronavirus outbreak.
Public transport is being wound down due to the crisis, and the public is being urged not to travel.
RMT said older and vulnerable people are struggling to get to shops, while pharmacies face difficulties in delivering the volume of prescriptions needed.
Licenced taxi drivers could be used to create a “high quality ‘drop off’ service able to connect people from their front doors to shops, pharmacies and other critical services,” RMT said.
RMT said drivers should be put on the government’s payroll, which would “throw a vital economic lifeline to more than 75,000 self-employed taxi drivers who are facing the collapse of their trade.”
The union’s general secretary Mick Cash said: “This is a win-win idea for the government.
“At this time of crisis, we have increasingly isolated communities and families needing door-to-door contact with shops and critical services, being advised not to use public transport, and we have more than 75,000 highly skilled, trusted licenced taxi drivers who need a lifeline to survive.
“This is a time for government to show imagination and resolve and match a highly skilled resource to an increasingly desperate need.
“Public transport operators have started slashing services due to the coronavirus.”
RMT also called on the government to introduce emergency powers enabling local authorities to take over bus services to ensure communities and the most vulnerable do not become isolated.
-------------------------------------
Saturday 21 March 2020
Tuesday 17 March 2020
NATIONAL
Forced to decide between nursing mild cold and flu symptoms at home without earning anything or sucking it up, going out to work and paying the bills, self-employed workers face a stark yet not uncommon choice.
“Concerts, football matches, exhibitions, parades. These were our livelihoods and now they’re all gone. Our industry is dying and we have no certainty when it will revive and what state it will be in.”
She said events companies faced a perilous future: “Unless something is done we are soon going to struggle to pay our bills. It feels like the government has completely overlooked our situation and abandoned us.”
The 4.7 million gig economy workers in the UK have been told by the government to claim benefits, which can take five weeks to come through, if they need to self-isolate. However, this is not an option for those who live hand-to-mouth.
However, many are going out to work each day to hail the fares that they can find. “I’ll take a paracetamol if I have a temperature and pull myself up because I don’t have any other means of earning and this is my livelihood,” a 42-year-old driver in London said.
“This is not only me, but many others in the gig economy who will be doing the same. Who would pay me if I stay at home?”
But other private-hire drivers do not have this option. “My husband and myself are self-employed private-hire taxi drivers but we both have suppressed immune systems due to chemo and radiotherapy,” said a 65-year-old woman in Portsmouth.
“He has incurable lung cancer. He had his Pip stopped last May. I had breast cancer last year. We are choosing to stay at home, mainly for my husband’s protection. We’re OK for the minute but not if it goes on for too much longer. I don’t know what we’re going to do. We are entitled to nothing, and still have bills to pay.”
Last week, the prime minister told those experiencing even mild symptoms to stay at home, but this was met with derision by some.
“I have had a virus for the past four weeks, I just keep sniffling. I have been to the doctors and they said it’s nothing to worry about and haven’t advised me to stay at home. They just said it’s been going round.”
www.theguardian.com
------------------------------------------------
SANDWELL
Taxi driver refused to carry disabled passenger's wheelchair but keeps licence
He said believed he was unable to lift the wheelchair which was heavy and more like a scooter
A taxi driver who said he could not take a disabled passenger because their wheelchair was too heavy has been told he can keep his licence.
Sandwell Council agreed to allow the unnamed man to continue working at its October meeting of the borough’s Licensing Sub Committee.
Referring to the driver only as Mr S S, the minutes of the meeting - which was closed to the public and press - revealed councillors were asked to review the driver’s licence after the passenger complained to the council.
In a submission to committee members, he said believed he was unable to lift the wheelchair which he said was heavy and more like a scooter.
He added that he called his base to ask for another driver to help transport it.
In making their decision, the minutes recorded councillors decided not revoke or suspended his licence, noting: “The Sub Committee considered the period of time Mr S S had been a taxi driver and deemed Mr S S to be a fit and proper person.
www.birminghammail.co.uk
--------------------------------------------
SHEFFIELD
Cabbies were due to gather en masse outside the Town Hall at 1pm on Wednesday, March 18 ahead of a cabinet meeting.
But following the government's current advice to avoid all mass gatherings, they have had to put it off.
Ibrar Hussain, GMB union representative, said: "We have no choice but to postpone the demonstration until a later date. We will keep you all posted."
The clean air zone is due to be enforced this year. It will charge high polluting buses, taxis, vans, lorries and coaches for driving on the inner ring road and city centre, including Park Square and the A61/Parkway junction.
A two month consultation on the plans found taxi drivers were very concerned, with 95 percent having to upgrade their cars. Previously, more than 100 taxi drivers said they quit their job because of the incoming changes.
Councillor Bob Johnson, cabinet member for transport and sustainability, said: “The survey results show people want to see action taken – but if we’re going to be successful in reducing pollution we need to help taxi drivers and local small businesses move to cleaner vehicles.
"While the risks of transmitting the disease at mass gatherings are relatively low, these steps will also allow emergency services that would have been deployed for these events to be prioritised in alleviating pressure on public services."
The government has also encouraged members of the public to avoid unnecessary social contact and to work from home where possible.
www.thestar.co.uk
------------------------------------------------
BRUSSELS
“The coronavirus’s impact has hit us very violently,” with sales “collapsing beyond 50%,” Belgian Federation of Taxis (FEBET) President Sam Bouchal said on Monday.
The FEBET is consulting with other federations to see what can be implemented in the coming days.
The Brussels Times
Forced to decide between nursing mild cold and flu symptoms at home without earning anything or sucking it up, going out to work and paying the bills, self-employed workers face a stark yet not uncommon choice.
The prime minister, Boris Johnson, has urged people to work from home if they can, but many gig economy workers such as taxi and delivery drivers, cleaners and events staff who do not receive company sick pay are seeing their work drain away.
“The majority of our shifts have been cancelled,” said a 29-year-old woman who works for an events company in Birmingham. “I’m on a zero-hours contract, like many of my co-workers, and we are effectively out of work right now.
She said events companies faced a perilous future: “Unless something is done we are soon going to struggle to pay our bills. It feels like the government has completely overlooked our situation and abandoned us.”
The 4.7 million gig economy workers in the UK have been told by the government to claim benefits, which can take five weeks to come through, if they need to self-isolate. However, this is not an option for those who live hand-to-mouth.
Uber drivers say they are having to stay out for longer since there is much less work because many people are not going out, and some do not trust the ride-hailing app’s pledge to provide 14-day support to anyone who self-isolates.
“This is not only me, but many others in the gig economy who will be doing the same. Who would pay me if I stay at home?”
But other private-hire drivers do not have this option. “My husband and myself are self-employed private-hire taxi drivers but we both have suppressed immune systems due to chemo and radiotherapy,” said a 65-year-old woman in Portsmouth.
“He has incurable lung cancer. He had his Pip stopped last May. I had breast cancer last year. We are choosing to stay at home, mainly for my husband’s protection. We’re OK for the minute but not if it goes on for too much longer. I don’t know what we’re going to do. We are entitled to nothing, and still have bills to pay.”
Elsewhere, with schools remaining open but some teachers self-isolating, demand for supply teachers remains.
“If I don’t work, I don’t get paid,” a 48-year-old supply teacher in north-east England said. “Asking us to self-isolate on the basis we may or may not be unwell is basically making us give up £1,000.”
“We don’t get statutory sick pay [£94 a week] or anything, we’d have to go through the benefit system,” the teacher said. “I don’t expect my electricity supplier to be understanding.
“I would not want to spread coronavirus but asking people to self-isolate even if they’re not feeling particularly unwell is unrealistic. We need something similar to compensation for jury service.”
Others, such as sign-language interpreters who work in hospitals, GP surgeries and schools every day have no one checking up on their health since their work is contracted through agencies.
“The council used to do emergency planning, but that’s just gone all out the window,” said a freelance sign-language interpreter in London.
www.theguardian.com
------------------------------------------------
SANDWELL
Taxi driver refused to carry disabled passenger's wheelchair but keeps licence
He said believed he was unable to lift the wheelchair which was heavy and more like a scooter
A taxi driver who said he could not take a disabled passenger because their wheelchair was too heavy has been told he can keep his licence.
Sandwell Council agreed to allow the unnamed man to continue working at its October meeting of the borough’s Licensing Sub Committee.
Referring to the driver only as Mr S S, the minutes of the meeting - which was closed to the public and press - revealed councillors were asked to review the driver’s licence after the passenger complained to the council.
In a submission to committee members, he said believed he was unable to lift the wheelchair which he said was heavy and more like a scooter.
He added that he called his base to ask for another driver to help transport it.
In making their decision, the minutes recorded councillors decided not revoke or suspended his licence, noting: “The Sub Committee considered the period of time Mr S S had been a taxi driver and deemed Mr S S to be a fit and proper person.
www.birminghammail.co.uk
--------------------------------------------
SHEFFIELD
Cabbies were due to gather en masse outside the Town Hall at 1pm on Wednesday, March 18 ahead of a cabinet meeting.
But following the government's current advice to avoid all mass gatherings, they have had to put it off.
Ibrar Hussain, GMB union representative, said: "We have no choice but to postpone the demonstration until a later date. We will keep you all posted."
The clean air zone is due to be enforced this year. It will charge high polluting buses, taxis, vans, lorries and coaches for driving on the inner ring road and city centre, including Park Square and the A61/Parkway junction.
For taxis and large goods vehicles the charge will be £10 a day. For coaches, buses and heavy goods vehicles it will be £50 a day.
Sheffield Council said they hope it will encourage drivers to upgrade to more environmentally-friendly vehicles to avoid the charges.
Councillor Bob Johnson, cabinet member for transport and sustainability, said: “The survey results show people want to see action taken – but if we’re going to be successful in reducing pollution we need to help taxi drivers and local small businesses move to cleaner vehicles.
“It’s vital that we get investment from central government to assist local businesses and taxis to upgrade their fleets.”
The government's current advice on mass gatherings is: "In line with the social distancing guidance it is advised that large gatherings should not take place.
The government has also encouraged members of the public to avoid unnecessary social contact and to work from home where possible.
www.thestar.co.uk
------------------------------------------------
BRUSSELS
“The coronavirus’s impact has hit us very violently,” with sales “collapsing beyond 50%,” Belgian Federation of Taxis (FEBET) President Sam Bouchal said on Monday.
The FEBET is consulting with other federations to see what can be implemented in the coming days.
A series of safety instructions has already been passed on to taxi drivers, including offering alcohol gel and disinfecting taxis after each client.
Clients, however, are few and far between.
In Brussels, except for a few customers going to the supermarket, there are hardly any rides. “We are trying to see how we can encourage people to take a taxi rather than public transport,” Bouchal said. One solution could be to agree on a price policy, “especially for those over 65.”
FEBET will hold a meeting on Tuesday to determine whether to also initiate procedures for economic unemployment with the Social Security office.
Saturday 14 March 2020
BRADFORD
Three people were taken to hospital after a taxi and a car collided at a crossroads in Bradford .
The crash happened at around 0.46am at the junction of Horton Grange Road and Legrams Lane.
Two people from the white Seat Toledo taxi, including the driver, and one person from a white Nissan Duke car were rushed to Bradford Royal Infirmary by ambulance for treatment.
The seriousness of their injuries is not known at this time.
Photos from the scene showed evidence of a devastating impact.
The co-founder of Noir Taxi, Peter Schive said, “Companies that provide public service vehicles have a heightened duty of care for their passengers and drivers. The Covid-19 virus is highly contagious and because all public service vehicle drivers have the capacity to inadvertently spread this infection, every effort should be made to help contain it.”
Noir Taxi’s new measures include drivers sanitising their hands, vehicle handles, card payment machines and also disinfecting the passenger compartment after each ride.
Noir Taxi is a pre-book only service concentrating on London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and City Airport) and the business sector.
If you intend travelling to London in the coming days/weeks/months, or if you are a key worker requiring a fully sanitised taxi to and from your place of work(e.g. hospitals/GP surgeries/schools), please visit www.noirtaxi.com or download the app from the App Store or Google Play.
Use the code CORONA to receive a 10% discount on your first sanitised Noir Taxi journey.
On Thursday, Public Health England (PHE) has said the total number of people across the UK with coronavirus has risen to 590 confirmed cases, an increase of 134 in 24 hours across the UK. Ten people have now been confirmed to have died.
--------------------------------------------
Three people were taken to hospital after a taxi and a car collided at a crossroads in Bradford .
The crash happened at around 0.46am at the junction of Horton Grange Road and Legrams Lane.
Two people from the white Seat Toledo taxi, including the driver, and one person from a white Nissan Duke car were rushed to Bradford Royal Infirmary by ambulance for treatment.
The seriousness of their injuries is not known at this time.
Photos from the scene showed evidence of a devastating impact.
The two cars had come to a rest about 15 metres away from each other and the front ends of both were mangled wrecks.
------------------------------------------
LONDON
A start-up consortium of Licensed London Taxi drivers is waging war on coronavirus by sanitising their hands and vehicles every time a ride has been completed, making the Noir Taxi service one of the safest forms of public transport when travelling in London.
The co-founder of Noir Taxi, Peter Schive said, “Companies that provide public service vehicles have a heightened duty of care for their passengers and drivers. The Covid-19 virus is highly contagious and because all public service vehicle drivers have the capacity to inadvertently spread this infection, every effort should be made to help contain it.”
Noir Taxi’s new measures include drivers sanitising their hands, vehicle handles, card payment machines and also disinfecting the passenger compartment after each ride.
Unlike private hire cars (mini cabs), London Taxis also offer the added protection of privacy glass separating drivers from passengers, which helps to minimise airborne contact and reduce the risk of coronavirus being passed on.
Noir Taxi is a pre-book only service concentrating on London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and City Airport) and the business sector.
If you intend travelling to London in the coming days/weeks/months, or if you are a key worker requiring a fully sanitised taxi to and from your place of work(e.g. hospitals/GP surgeries/schools), please visit www.noirtaxi.com or download the app from the App Store or Google Play.
Use the code CORONA to receive a 10% discount on your first sanitised Noir Taxi journey.
On Thursday, Public Health England (PHE) has said the total number of people across the UK with coronavirus has risen to 590 confirmed cases, an increase of 134 in 24 hours across the UK. Ten people have now been confirmed to have died.
--------------------------------------------
Wednesday 11 March 2020
Taxi drivers in Bury have been at loggerheads with the Labour-run council for months. Local Democracy Reporter JOSEPH TIMAN looks at how decisive their lobbying was at the General Election last year.
'HUNDREDS' of taxi drivers helped swing the General Election result in Bury North where the Conservatives won by the tightest margin in Great Britain, trade representatives claim.
Members of Bury Private Hire Drivers' Association (PHDA) rallied behind the Tories saying they were fed up of Labour who were "not listening" to them.
Labour-run Bury Council has now taken steps to address the drivers' concerns over safety, "onerous" vehicle inspections and "unfair" fees.
Bury Council has now changed its policy requiring a smaller taxi licence plate on the front of vehicles in the hope that they cannot be spotted from a distance.
The Bradley Fold taxi testing station also reopened in January after a devastating fire left cabbies having to travel to Bolton for their vehicles to be tested.
Bury PHDA secretary Muhammad Sajjad told the Bury Times that "hundreds" of taxis drivers and their families switched their votes to the Tories after a targeted campaign aimed predominantly at the Asian community in Labour strongholds of Redvales and East ward.
Shaf Mahmood, a former UKIP candidate who also belongs to the association, claims the number of those who switched their votes as a result of their efforts is between 1,400 and 1,700.
He said: “With taxi drivers not treated fairly by the Bury Labour-run Council, the taxi drivers decided to go to somebody that will actually look after them because at the end of the day, it’s our safety and the customer’s safety. We think we will get help from the Conservatives for the safety issues of the taxi drivers.
“As an MP he will lobby the council for us hopefully and get these safety issues installed. Because the safety of any customer or a driver is very, very important to us taxi drivers in Bury because passenger safety comes first. So we are hoping James Daly can help us in providing us those facilities where we can help the customer be safe in our cars in the night.
He said: “I have promised to be an advocate for the profession and to campaign for improvements, allowing drivers to have the best chance to make a decent living and support their families. The same promise I made to all Bury North residents and businesses, that I would do everything possible to help them to thrive and succeed. I have no idea how many taxi drivers voted for me but they may have been motivated by the fact they have been ignored by Labour politicians in Bury for many years and wanted change, like many other voters in Bury North.”
Ex-MP James Frith, who lost Labour's seat in Bury North, was contacted for comment.
“Bury licensing committee only in January passed a number of measures, to help and support the trade given they had been raising concerns with us over some time. This includes smaller plates, and rule changes around tinted windows. I find it quite hypocritical for members of the Conservatives to talk cheaply at election time around taxi driver issues, but it is the Conservative Party who have decided not to attend licensing committee now for a number of months and as I understand will continue not to attend. Talk is cheap, deeds and actions say far more."
Bury Council licensing officers have said that Bury PHDA has not provided evidence of who it represents and on what terms.
This came after the group submitted a representation about the council's new vehicle inspection policy claiming the comments were made on behalf of 647 members of the association.
Licensing unit manager Angela Lomax told the secretary of PHDA that the council does not require personal details of individuals, just numbers and the terms and conditions in which the association acts for its members.
But Charles Oakes, chairman of the Hackney Drivers' Association, told the licensing safety panel that his organisation is responsible for the private hire drivers too.
He said: “These gentlemen are under my umbrella. I’m not being told who I can and can’t have in my association. I have many across the North West association. I take single membership. I have 2,000 in Preston, Chorley, Wigan, all over. I will take any association on. It’s totally legal, it’s totally above board and I won’t have the chair of this committee telling me who I can’t have."
https://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/18300045.taxi-drivers-swing-bury-north-general-election-vote/
------------------------------------------------
EDINBURGH AIRPORT
‘Horrendous’ pick-up fees at Edinburgh Airport will now be paid for by customers rather than taxi drivers after changes to taxi fares were confirmed at a council meeting on Monday.
The move followed a blistering attack by a representative from Central Taxis who labelled the Airport’s decision to charge £5 to pick-up a passenger as “profiteering”.
Jonny Nisbett, who represented Central Taxis at the Regulatory Committee meeting, said the taxi firm viewed the charges as “appalling” and that the Airport’s chief executive Gordon Dewar was driven solely by profit.
Speaking during a deputation to the committee, Mr Nisbett said: “I think most of my taxi clients and I am clear that management in Central Taxis think it is appalling that the Airport think they can act in this manner.
“It is extremely disappointing to see that Edinburgh Airport has decided to charge £5. It is difficult to see that as anything other than profiteering.”
Following a question from the committee, Mr Nisbett added: “The thing that drives Edinburgh Airport and indeed Mr Dewar is profit. If he is able to clothe his profiteering within more moral objectives he is in a good position to do that.
“Do I believe that they [the charges] are about environmental and congestion concerns?
Absolutely not.”
Taxi drivers are forced to charge a maximum fare to customers of £2.90 for picking up or dropping off in the Airport which is lower than the actual charge of £5 for picking up from the Airport without a decrement card which provides access to the official taxi rank at a reduced cost.
Chair of the Unite Edinburgh cab branch, Scott Blair, said black cab drivers were in effect “collecting a tax” for the Airport.
He said: “Edinburgh Airport have a history of changing it and we are left out of pocket yet again.
“This is about how much we are going to lose.”
Green councillor Susan Rae branded the charges “horrendous”.
She said: “I find it very difficult to understand that they charge these fees to help the environment. It is a bizarre argument that I really can’t understand.
“The majority of people who have commented on the consultation have said that the £5 charge should not be covered by the drivers and it is unfair for the workforce to pick up the cost.”
However, following an amendment by Liberal Democrat councillor Neil Ross which was passed six votes to three, the additional cost which was being picked up by taxi drivers - £2.10 - will now be picked up by the customer.
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/council/edinburgh-airport-boss-blasted-profiteering-over-ps5-pick-charges-2442631
-------------------------------------------------
GLASGOW
A union of private hire drivers is calling for operators to implement sick pay amid the coronavirus outbreak.
United Private Hire Drivers (UPHD) is urging the likes of Uber, Network Private Hire, Hampden Cars and Glasgow Private Hire to protect workers rights, while they have also written to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon regarding their concerns.
It is feared poor working conditions within the private hire industry in Scotland could lead to an increase in coronavirus cases.
UPHD say: "Drivers demand immediate implementation of sick pay provision, minimum wage and the right to cancel high risk work at operators including Uber, Network Private Hire, Hampden Cars, Glasgow Private Hire and others.
"Poor working conditions in the Scottish private hire industry risk escalation of Covid-19 infection rates.
"Poor working conditions in the UK’s app dominated private hire driver industry present a significant risk to public health during the current coronavirus crisis unless urgent action is taken by the government, local authorities and operators such as Uber, Network Private Hire, Hampden Cars and Glasgow Private Hire.
"UPHD calls on the First Minister of Scotland and Glasgow City Council to support their call for large operators to take urgent action."
Meanwhile it is claimed by the union, drivers may 'not be able to afford to stop working', even if infected.
They say: "With drivers working as much as 30 hours per week to cover vehicle rental and other costs just to break even, and without access to worker rights such as minimum wage and sick pay, drivers who are infected may simply not be able to afford to stop working.
https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/private-hire-drivers-call-sick-17890850
'HUNDREDS' of taxi drivers helped swing the General Election result in Bury North where the Conservatives won by the tightest margin in Great Britain, trade representatives claim.
Members of Bury Private Hire Drivers' Association (PHDA) rallied behind the Tories saying they were fed up of Labour who were "not listening" to them.
Labour-run Bury Council has now taken steps to address the drivers' concerns over safety, "onerous" vehicle inspections and "unfair" fees.
Concerned cabbies have been attending council meetings for months telling councillors about their concerns including targeted attacks such as one case in which stones were thrown through a window, narrowly missing a man's head.
The Bradley Fold taxi testing station also reopened in January after a devastating fire left cabbies having to travel to Bolton for their vehicles to be tested.
But these measures may have come too late for Labour who lost the marginal Bury North seat which the Conservatives clinched by just 105 votes.
Shaf Mahmood, a former UKIP candidate who also belongs to the association, claims the number of those who switched their votes as a result of their efforts is between 1,400 and 1,700.
He said: “With taxi drivers not treated fairly by the Bury Labour-run Council, the taxi drivers decided to go to somebody that will actually look after them because at the end of the day, it’s our safety and the customer’s safety. We think we will get help from the Conservatives for the safety issues of the taxi drivers.
“As an MP he will lobby the council for us hopefully and get these safety issues installed. Because the safety of any customer or a driver is very, very important to us taxi drivers in Bury because passenger safety comes first. So we are hoping James Daly can help us in providing us those facilities where we can help the customer be safe in our cars in the night.
"Most of us taxi drivers will be voting for the Conservative Party. And it’s the same for the local elections.”
James Daly, who won the seat in Bury North, pledged to be a proactive MP who supports cabbies' calls for MOT stations in Bury, including approved private sector testing centres.
The newly-elected MP, who is still a councillor for North Manor, also said Transport for Greater Manchester should provide funding for all taxi drivers to upgrade their vehicles to meet the incoming Clean Air Zone requirements.
Ex-MP James Frith, who lost Labour's seat in Bury North, was contacted for comment.
Labour councillor Tamoor Tariq, first deputy leader of the council, accused Bury PHDA of "political point scoring".
He said: "The general election was close fought as it was in many constituencies across the country. For individuals to claim without concrete and hard evidence they influenced the result one way or the other is unwise, unless they were directly involved in intimidation and manipulation as some people reported to use during the General Election.
"The taxi driver trade is one that I respect immensely and they make a significant contribution to our borough, however I know many people from the taxi trade including family friends who made their own choices and decisions at election time.
Bury Council licensing officers have said that Bury PHDA has not provided evidence of who it represents and on what terms.
This came after the group submitted a representation about the council's new vehicle inspection policy claiming the comments were made on behalf of 647 members of the association.
Licensing unit manager Angela Lomax told the secretary of PHDA that the council does not require personal details of individuals, just numbers and the terms and conditions in which the association acts for its members.
But Charles Oakes, chairman of the Hackney Drivers' Association, told the licensing safety panel that his organisation is responsible for the private hire drivers too.
He said: “These gentlemen are under my umbrella. I’m not being told who I can and can’t have in my association. I have many across the North West association. I take single membership. I have 2,000 in Preston, Chorley, Wigan, all over. I will take any association on. It’s totally legal, it’s totally above board and I won’t have the chair of this committee telling me who I can’t have."
https://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/18300045.taxi-drivers-swing-bury-north-general-election-vote/
------------------------------------------------
EDINBURGH AIRPORT
‘Horrendous’ pick-up fees at Edinburgh Airport will now be paid for by customers rather than taxi drivers after changes to taxi fares were confirmed at a council meeting on Monday.
The move followed a blistering attack by a representative from Central Taxis who labelled the Airport’s decision to charge £5 to pick-up a passenger as “profiteering”.
Jonny Nisbett, who represented Central Taxis at the Regulatory Committee meeting, said the taxi firm viewed the charges as “appalling” and that the Airport’s chief executive Gordon Dewar was driven solely by profit.
Speaking during a deputation to the committee, Mr Nisbett said: “I think most of my taxi clients and I am clear that management in Central Taxis think it is appalling that the Airport think they can act in this manner.
“It is extremely disappointing to see that Edinburgh Airport has decided to charge £5. It is difficult to see that as anything other than profiteering.”
Following a question from the committee, Mr Nisbett added: “The thing that drives Edinburgh Airport and indeed Mr Dewar is profit. If he is able to clothe his profiteering within more moral objectives he is in a good position to do that.
“Do I believe that they [the charges] are about environmental and congestion concerns?
Absolutely not.”
Taxi drivers are forced to charge a maximum fare to customers of £2.90 for picking up or dropping off in the Airport which is lower than the actual charge of £5 for picking up from the Airport without a decrement card which provides access to the official taxi rank at a reduced cost.
Chair of the Unite Edinburgh cab branch, Scott Blair, said black cab drivers were in effect “collecting a tax” for the Airport.
He said: “Edinburgh Airport have a history of changing it and we are left out of pocket yet again.
“This is about how much we are going to lose.”
Green councillor Susan Rae branded the charges “horrendous”.
She said: “I find it very difficult to understand that they charge these fees to help the environment. It is a bizarre argument that I really can’t understand.
“The majority of people who have commented on the consultation have said that the £5 charge should not be covered by the drivers and it is unfair for the workforce to pick up the cost.”
However, following an amendment by Liberal Democrat councillor Neil Ross which was passed six votes to three, the additional cost which was being picked up by taxi drivers - £2.10 - will now be picked up by the customer.
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/council/edinburgh-airport-boss-blasted-profiteering-over-ps5-pick-charges-2442631
-------------------------------------------------
GLASGOW
A union of private hire drivers is calling for operators to implement sick pay amid the coronavirus outbreak.
United Private Hire Drivers (UPHD) is urging the likes of Uber, Network Private Hire, Hampden Cars and Glasgow Private Hire to protect workers rights, while they have also written to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon regarding their concerns.
It is feared poor working conditions within the private hire industry in Scotland could lead to an increase in coronavirus cases.
UPHD say: "Drivers demand immediate implementation of sick pay provision, minimum wage and the right to cancel high risk work at operators including Uber, Network Private Hire, Hampden Cars, Glasgow Private Hire and others.
"Poor working conditions in the Scottish private hire industry risk escalation of Covid-19 infection rates.
"Poor working conditions in the UK’s app dominated private hire driver industry present a significant risk to public health during the current coronavirus crisis unless urgent action is taken by the government, local authorities and operators such as Uber, Network Private Hire, Hampden Cars and Glasgow Private Hire.
"UPHD calls on the First Minister of Scotland and Glasgow City Council to support their call for large operators to take urgent action."
Meanwhile it is claimed by the union, drivers may 'not be able to afford to stop working', even if infected.
They say: "With drivers working as much as 30 hours per week to cover vehicle rental and other costs just to break even, and without access to worker rights such as minimum wage and sick pay, drivers who are infected may simply not be able to afford to stop working.
https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/private-hire-drivers-call-sick-17890850
Tuesday 10 March 2020
TEESIDE
ViaVan, the joint venture between the global on-demand shared transport firm Via and Mercedes-Benz Vans, has announced a new demand responsive transport system in Tees Valley in partnership with Stagecoach Group, the public transport provider in the United Kingdom.
Called Tees Flex, the new service aims to provide a new form of public transport focused on comfort, flexibility, and affordability, while reducing traffic congestion and pollution caused by carbon emissions.
Tees Flex is powered by nine new Mercedes-Benz Sprinters, funded by the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority. The on-demand service aims to provide reliable, convenient transport for residents in more isolated communities across the region, with some rides costing 50p – or free for some residents.
The technology will direct passengers to a nearby virtual bus stop within a short walking distance for pick up and drop off, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips without lengthy detours, or inconvenient fixed routes and schedules.
https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/96685/viavan-and-stagecoach-launch-on-demand-transport-service-in-tees-valley/
---------------------------------------------
EDINBURGH
A bitter dispute between private hire drivers and the black cab trade continued as the lack of a cap on the number of private hire licences was described as “decimating” the taxi trade.
Following pressure from critics within the taxi trade, Edinburgh City Council’s Regulatory Committee voted for a survey to be undertaken on potential overprovision.
Jacqueline Dunn, speaking on behalf of the Edinburgh Cab Branch of Unite, labelled uncontrolled growth in the number of private hire drivers as “hypocritical” alongside the council’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030.
Addressing the committee, she said: “This is decimating the taxi trade and it is limiting the ability for us to compete due to predatory pricing and surging, and is not ensuring the needs of the customer from safety to price.
“We are seeing a drop in the number of taxi drivers not renewing their licence with a loss of 185 drivers in the last year due to increasing private hire car numbers and the extortionate running costs of putting a taxi on the circuit.”
Ms Dunn also accused Uber for wanting to rid the city of the black cab trade.
She said: “This wilful act of systematic decimation of a long established taxi trade in Edinburgh is happening by allowing an unprecedented number of private hire cars to work for Uber.
“We have our own language, rituals and code of conduct but we have always served the city, it’s citizens and visitors.”
Kevin Woodburn, who spoke for the Private Hire Drivers’ Association, said: “We have a view coming from a particular element of the taxi trade, not the entire taxi trade, and it seems to be focusing on a situation where we have too much competition in the marketplace for their liking.
“That, to me, is how this has all panned out. Is this so-called allegation going on because there are too many private hire cars or indeed it is because there are not enough black taxis out there working the streets when they should be.”
Matthew Eastwood, of Uber Scotland, added: “Our experience is that the private hire car market in Edinburgh is significantly undersupplied for the demand that we see for.
“Uber’s view is that the council should not restrict numbers as such a restriction would be bad for the city’s residents and visitors, bad for competition, and could potentially have significant safety implications.”
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/council/private-hire-cars-decimating-taxi-trade-edinburgh-bitter-row-continues-2445410
---------------------------------------
MERSEYSIDE
ComfortDelGro spends £7million to acquire third largest taxi and private hire firm in Merseyside
ComfortDelGro Corporation has announced its expansion in the United Kingdom through a £7million acquisition of the third largest taxi and private hire operator in the Liverpool City Region.
The purchase of Argyle Satellite Ltd and Argyle Satellite Contract Services Ltd (collectively known as AST) will be conducted through the Group’s wholly-owned subsidiary, CityFleet Networks Limited.
AST, which manages more than 700 self-employed drivers on its circuit and handles about 200 active corporate accounts, will complement CityFleet’s existing 400-strong taxi operation in Liverpool.
ComfortDelGro Managing Director/Group CEO, Mr Yang Ban Seng, said: “This acquisition is line with our intention to grow our operations in the UK outside of London.
“It will expand, synergise and consolidate our position as the leading point-to-point passenger transport operator in Liverpool through an expansion of the customer base and driver pool.”
Besides taxi and private hire operations in Liverpool, the Group operates a fleet of about 3,000 radio taxis in London and Aberdeen.
In the lead-up to the purchase, Argyle Satellite has seen success after its foundation in 2017, overseeing a 40% growth in fleet size over the last three years, servicing 4million journeys in the process.
Argyle Satellite sources say they will continue to provide the best possible service under the new ownership, with the aim to enhance its reputation as the Wirral’s 'largest and most trusted' taxi company.
https://www.taxi-point.co.uk/post/comfortdelgro-spends-7million-to-acquire-third-largest-taxi-and-private-hire-firm-in-merseyside
------------------------------------------
Saturday 7 March 2020
How worried should taxi drivers be about the spread of coronavirus? Is there anything that can be done to protect yourself while driving?
Everybody who frequently encounters other members of the public is likely to be more at risk of contracting contagious illnesses. And while the novel coronavirus CoVid-19 hasn’t collectively gripped the UK yet, all the talk is that it’s only a matter of time before it does.
CORONA VIRUS ADVICE FOR TAXI DRIVERS
Taxi drivers are often the first people travellers see after walking through the doors of an airport or stepping out of a train station. It’s perhaps most alarming that the first reported death as a result of coronavirus in Thailand was that of a taxi driver, with reported cases of tourists infecting both taxi and bus drivers.
Is it possible to avoid the risk of contracting illness when you’re dealing with members of the public day in, day out?
Will the self-employed suffer the most?
You never know who you are picking up when you take a fare.
As coronavirus spreads, it could be passed from person to person anytime, anywhere in the UK. No longer will it be just drivers on airport runs who are prone to infection. You’ll need to protect yourself wherever you’re working.
Can you do anything about it?
The government have been advising ‘self-isolation’. This seems sensible, but not so much for taxi drivers, as many of you are self-employed. Even though the government are rushing through legislation to allow statutory sick pay from day 1 for employees, that won’t help you to keep income coming in if you’re self-employed and fall ill.
Responsible drivers who fall ill will want to stay away from other people – but as things stand, you will be out of pocket until you return to work.
Good hygiene – and not touching your face
Wearing a face mask might seem extreme, and it won’t necessarily help healthy people to avoid illness. So, what can you do to protect yourself from passengers who may be carrying the virus – and to protect them picking up illnesses from you?
Avoid direct contact with other people and their belongings. Not the easiest thing to do when you’re ferrying people around. However, try to position passengers as far away from direct contact as possible during your journey. If you must handle bags or goods, use a tissue when picking up handles, and make sure you wipe your hands with a clean wipe or tissue afterwards.
Wash your hands. The most widely promoted thing to do to avoid the virus spreading is to thoroughly wash your hands, for at least 20 seconds, on a frequent basis. However, when you’re in a cab all day, this isn’t so easy to do – and you’ll be handling money, too… If possible, carry antibacterial gel and wipes in your taxi. Use them before and after handling change. Dispose of wipes carefully whenever possible, in-between journeys.
Have a supply of tissues in your cab. They are useful for you and your passengers, to catch coughs and sneezes.
Sneeze into your elbow – not your hands. It’s easier to spread the virus touching your own face and other people with your hands.
Don’t touch your face. When you’re driving a taxi, this is easier to practice than it might be for office workers, for example. You’ll have your hands on the wheel and be concentrating on the road, so you’re less likely to be engaged in compulsive, unnecessary touching of your face. However, if you need to adjust your glasses or contain an itch, grab a tissue before doing so.
Be friendly but forceful with passengers. If a passenger shows signs of illness, make sure they follow basic hygiene rules in place for everybody. Hand them tissues and wipes if needed. Ask them to contain coughs and sneezes. The last thing you want is to become ill and possibly spread illness to other passengers – so make sure they know that.
These are all straightforward, sensible precautions. Think about them and don’t forget to do them where possible.
Sadly, for workers in the public space, there’s no magic bullet to stop illness from spreading. We can only hope that the virus is contained as much as possible, and a vaccine is found sooner rather than later. Until then, taxi drivers will need to take the usual precautions to avoid becoming ill and missing out on valuable income.
https://www.choicequote.co.uk/news/taxi-drivers-and-coronavirus/
-----------------------------------------------
Police in Fife are probing allegations a taxi driver who managed to avoid striking a pedestrian involved in a fatal road accident at the weekend subsequently shared photographs of the dead man’s body.
Relatives of Robert Walker, who was from the Levenmouth area, have branded the alleged behaviour as “sick” and “disgusting” as they try to come to terms with his tragic passing in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Mr Walker, 59, was pronounced dead at the scene of a collision on the A915 Largo Road, near Scoonie Brae in Leven, at around 2.20am.
Witnesses revealed a taxi had taken evasive action to avoid Mr Walker, with the driver staying behind to offer assistance while awaiting emergency services.
It has emerged Police Scotland has since received formal complaints about the taxi driver’s alleged conduct.
Liz Moir, Mr Walker’s sister, described the alleged behaviour as “very inappropriate”, and took to social media to suggest photos had been shared with immediate family members and other taxi drivers.
Magnum Taxis, which operates the vehicle seen at the scene on Sunday morning, released a statement to clarify its position and it is understood the company has taken steps to address the allegations.
It read: “The owners and staff of Magnum Taxis would like to express our deepest condolences to the family of Rab Walker who sadly lost his life in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“As many people seem to be aware, one of our drivers was a witness to the incident.
“Although it was late and dark and the weather conditions weren’t great, he managed to avoid Mr Walker and subsequently stopped (along with the driver and passengers of another vehicle that was following close behind) to attend to Mr Walker and call the police.
“The police have since been able to access the CCTV cameras that are installed in our vehicles and were clearly able to see that Mr Walker was sadly already lying in the road on our driver’s approach and that our driver clearly avoided him.
“We would ask you all to please pass on this information to anyone who has been led to believe anything other than the facts.
“We sincerely hope this does not distract from the sad situation that the family of Mr Walker find themselves in.”
Mr Walker’s daughter responded to the statement, stressing the family does not want to “destroy anybody’s company” but has issues with the individual driver’s alleged conduct.
Police are still appealing for witnesses to the accident, including anyone that may have seen Mr Walker on Saturday night or Sunday morning, or who might have passed him while he was walking from the direction of Leven High Street towards Blacketyside some time after 1.30pm.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland refused to confirm or deny complaints had been made, but simply noted: “Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing and we are liaising with the family.”
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/fife/1174247/police-probe-claims-taxi-driver-shared-photos-of-dead-mans-body-after-fife-crash/
-------------------------------------------------
BLACKBURN
A SERVING soldier who had been to the pub with her partner could not explain why she decided to drive home.
Blackburn magistrates heard Rebecca Laing ran into the back of a taxi waiting at a red light and gave a breathalyser reading nearly three times the legal limit.
Laing, 30, of Rewe Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.
She was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 60 hours’ unpaid work, ordered to pay £85 costs and £90 victim surcharge and banned from driving for 23 months.
Damian Pickup, defending, said his client had been in the army for 13 years and was on leave at the time of the offence.
She had been to the pub with her partner and the plan was to stay at her house which was just around the corner.
“For some reason — which she can’t explain — she decided to drive back to her house in Blackburn,” said Mr Pickup.
“She will be subjected to military discipline when she returns to the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, he added.”
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/18288426.blackburn-drink-drive-soldier-crashed-car-taxi-red-light/
------------------------------------------------
Everybody who frequently encounters other members of the public is likely to be more at risk of contracting contagious illnesses. And while the novel coronavirus CoVid-19 hasn’t collectively gripped the UK yet, all the talk is that it’s only a matter of time before it does.
CORONA VIRUS ADVICE FOR TAXI DRIVERS
Taxi drivers are often the first people travellers see after walking through the doors of an airport or stepping out of a train station. It’s perhaps most alarming that the first reported death as a result of coronavirus in Thailand was that of a taxi driver, with reported cases of tourists infecting both taxi and bus drivers.
Is it possible to avoid the risk of contracting illness when you’re dealing with members of the public day in, day out?
Will the self-employed suffer the most?
You never know who you are picking up when you take a fare.
As coronavirus spreads, it could be passed from person to person anytime, anywhere in the UK. No longer will it be just drivers on airport runs who are prone to infection. You’ll need to protect yourself wherever you’re working.
Can you do anything about it?
The government have been advising ‘self-isolation’. This seems sensible, but not so much for taxi drivers, as many of you are self-employed. Even though the government are rushing through legislation to allow statutory sick pay from day 1 for employees, that won’t help you to keep income coming in if you’re self-employed and fall ill.
Responsible drivers who fall ill will want to stay away from other people – but as things stand, you will be out of pocket until you return to work.
Good hygiene – and not touching your face
Wearing a face mask might seem extreme, and it won’t necessarily help healthy people to avoid illness. So, what can you do to protect yourself from passengers who may be carrying the virus – and to protect them picking up illnesses from you?
Avoid direct contact with other people and their belongings. Not the easiest thing to do when you’re ferrying people around. However, try to position passengers as far away from direct contact as possible during your journey. If you must handle bags or goods, use a tissue when picking up handles, and make sure you wipe your hands with a clean wipe or tissue afterwards.
Wash your hands. The most widely promoted thing to do to avoid the virus spreading is to thoroughly wash your hands, for at least 20 seconds, on a frequent basis. However, when you’re in a cab all day, this isn’t so easy to do – and you’ll be handling money, too… If possible, carry antibacterial gel and wipes in your taxi. Use them before and after handling change. Dispose of wipes carefully whenever possible, in-between journeys.
Have a supply of tissues in your cab. They are useful for you and your passengers, to catch coughs and sneezes.
Sneeze into your elbow – not your hands. It’s easier to spread the virus touching your own face and other people with your hands.
Don’t touch your face. When you’re driving a taxi, this is easier to practice than it might be for office workers, for example. You’ll have your hands on the wheel and be concentrating on the road, so you’re less likely to be engaged in compulsive, unnecessary touching of your face. However, if you need to adjust your glasses or contain an itch, grab a tissue before doing so.
Be friendly but forceful with passengers. If a passenger shows signs of illness, make sure they follow basic hygiene rules in place for everybody. Hand them tissues and wipes if needed. Ask them to contain coughs and sneezes. The last thing you want is to become ill and possibly spread illness to other passengers – so make sure they know that.
These are all straightforward, sensible precautions. Think about them and don’t forget to do them where possible.
Sadly, for workers in the public space, there’s no magic bullet to stop illness from spreading. We can only hope that the virus is contained as much as possible, and a vaccine is found sooner rather than later. Until then, taxi drivers will need to take the usual precautions to avoid becoming ill and missing out on valuable income.
https://www.choicequote.co.uk/news/taxi-drivers-and-coronavirus/
-----------------------------------------------
Police in Fife are probing allegations a taxi driver who managed to avoid striking a pedestrian involved in a fatal road accident at the weekend subsequently shared photographs of the dead man’s body.
Relatives of Robert Walker, who was from the Levenmouth area, have branded the alleged behaviour as “sick” and “disgusting” as they try to come to terms with his tragic passing in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Mr Walker, 59, was pronounced dead at the scene of a collision on the A915 Largo Road, near Scoonie Brae in Leven, at around 2.20am.
Witnesses revealed a taxi had taken evasive action to avoid Mr Walker, with the driver staying behind to offer assistance while awaiting emergency services.
It has emerged Police Scotland has since received formal complaints about the taxi driver’s alleged conduct.
Liz Moir, Mr Walker’s sister, described the alleged behaviour as “very inappropriate”, and took to social media to suggest photos had been shared with immediate family members and other taxi drivers.
Magnum Taxis, which operates the vehicle seen at the scene on Sunday morning, released a statement to clarify its position and it is understood the company has taken steps to address the allegations.
It read: “The owners and staff of Magnum Taxis would like to express our deepest condolences to the family of Rab Walker who sadly lost his life in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“As many people seem to be aware, one of our drivers was a witness to the incident.
“Although it was late and dark and the weather conditions weren’t great, he managed to avoid Mr Walker and subsequently stopped (along with the driver and passengers of another vehicle that was following close behind) to attend to Mr Walker and call the police.
“The police have since been able to access the CCTV cameras that are installed in our vehicles and were clearly able to see that Mr Walker was sadly already lying in the road on our driver’s approach and that our driver clearly avoided him.
“We would ask you all to please pass on this information to anyone who has been led to believe anything other than the facts.
“We sincerely hope this does not distract from the sad situation that the family of Mr Walker find themselves in.”
Mr Walker’s daughter responded to the statement, stressing the family does not want to “destroy anybody’s company” but has issues with the individual driver’s alleged conduct.
Police are still appealing for witnesses to the accident, including anyone that may have seen Mr Walker on Saturday night or Sunday morning, or who might have passed him while he was walking from the direction of Leven High Street towards Blacketyside some time after 1.30pm.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland refused to confirm or deny complaints had been made, but simply noted: “Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing and we are liaising with the family.”
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/fife/1174247/police-probe-claims-taxi-driver-shared-photos-of-dead-mans-body-after-fife-crash/
-------------------------------------------------
BLACKBURN
A SERVING soldier who had been to the pub with her partner could not explain why she decided to drive home.
Blackburn magistrates heard Rebecca Laing ran into the back of a taxi waiting at a red light and gave a breathalyser reading nearly three times the legal limit.
Laing, 30, of Rewe Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.
She was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 60 hours’ unpaid work, ordered to pay £85 costs and £90 victim surcharge and banned from driving for 23 months.
Damian Pickup, defending, said his client had been in the army for 13 years and was on leave at the time of the offence.
She had been to the pub with her partner and the plan was to stay at her house which was just around the corner.
“For some reason — which she can’t explain — she decided to drive back to her house in Blackburn,” said Mr Pickup.
“She will be subjected to military discipline when she returns to the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, he added.”
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/18288426.blackburn-drink-drive-soldier-crashed-car-taxi-red-light/
------------------------------------------------
Friday 6 March 2020
LAST WEEK IN PARLIAMENT
Theresa Villiers Conservative, Chipping Barnet
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding has been allocated to the Mayor of London for reducing emissions from transport in each of the last 10 years.
(Citation: HC Deb, 5 March 2020, cW)
Rachel Maclean Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has provided the following amounts to help reduce emissions from transport in London since 2011:
TfL also received £5.7bn over the period 2016 to 2021 for general transport funding, which included funding to cover the implementation of measures to address air quality.
BURY
A taxi driver who made inappropriate comments to a young woman, turned of his fare meter and offered her a “free ride” has had his licence revoked.
Bury Council took immediate action against the driver after the licensing authority found that he was being investigated by the police for another incident.
The unnamed driver was also known to Rochdale Council which revoked his licence following similar allegations last year.
Licensing unit manager Michael Bridge told councillors last night about the decision which was taken on January 29 – a day after the young woman’s complaint was received.
He said: “The decision was taken, in consultation with the chairman of the licensing and safety panel, to revoke his licence with immediate effect on the grounds of public safety.”
Cllr Steve Wright said he was “shocked” about the incident and asked why information was not being shared between licensing departments across council boundaries.
He said: “The incident with the Bury driver could have been avoided if we had the information from Rochdale.”
Mr Bridge explained that there is a national register of refusals and revocations which local authorities have started using.
The system, known as NR3, is being actively promoted in Greater Manchester.
But Mr Bridge said it may be a while until this new way of working takes full effect.
He said: “Unfortunately, at the moment there’s a slow uptake across authorities.
“The idea is that we put five years’ backlog on the register. But there’s a process to go through. The people on the register will have to receive a letter to tell them that they are going on and then there’s a process which I won’t go into now. The intention is that everyone is registered on that in Greater Manchester.
“But we can’t go on a fishing expedition.”
Bury Council’s head of trading standards and licensing Angela Lomax added: “As soon as that information came to light, we had a discussion and took that decision.”
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/taxi-driver-who-offered-young-17879430
---------------------------------------------------
BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT
This is the moment a former Rolls-Royce engineer recovered at the back of a taxi during a dramatic evacuation of Birmingham Airport.
William Jelfs, 83, and Pacita Minshull, 73, had just returned to the county following a flight from Dubai after enjoying a holiday in the Phillipines.
But shortly after landing the couple were evacuated from the airport along with hundreds of passengers after an alarm went off at 12.10pm, reports BirminghamLive.
William, who suffers with problems with his knees and severe arthritis, was left dithering in the freezing cold for nearly half an hour as the pair had to wait to reclaim their luggage.
Waheed Ahmed, from Arrow Cars, offered William and Pacita shelter until they found out when they could go into the building to pick up their suitcases.
Pacita, 73, from Coventry, said: "We were evacuated outside and we did our best to get out as quickly as possible. He was shook up after trying to be as quick as he could. William isn't in the best of health and then when he was outside he was really suffering with the cold. We needed to get him into the warmth.
"One of the taxi drivers called Waheed was kind enough to let us both seek shelter in the warmth of the taxi. William had to lie down in the back of the taxi at first while he recovered. We are just so grateful to the taxi driver and to other people who really helped us."
William, who was a former soldier in the parachute regiment and Rolls Royce engineer, added: "The kindness of people trying to help me was amazing. I was suffering at first but after Waheed was kind enough to let me in the taxi and I soon warmed up. We just need to get our suitcases now so we can go home. It is not ideal to have to go through this after a long flight but it can't be helped."
https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/taxi-driver-offers-shelter-former-3920736
-----------------------------------------------
Councils in East Staffordshire, North West Leicestershire and South Derbyshire are teaming up to crack down on rule-breaking cabbies.
Current legislation governing taxis leaves councils extremely restricted when stopping drivers in their jurisdiction that have been licensed elsewhere.
For councils where drivers often cross between district boundaries such as through East Staffordshire, North West Leicestershire and South Derbyshire this is a frequent issue.
A licensing officer for South Derbyshire stopping a taxi licensed in East Staffordshire, for example, has “no authority” other than to refer them back to their licensing authority.
But now, the three district and borough councils are signing a joint agreement to delegate powers to each other.
It will mean that each of the three councils could stop drivers from each of the three authority areas and: inspect their licences, test their vehicles and suspend their licences if the vehicles do not pass the required tests.
A report written by South Derbyshire District Council on the plan says: “These proposals will continue to demonstrate to members of the public that the council takes the protection of local residents, children, and vulnerable adults from the potential harms of private hire licensing seriously, which contributes to the value of taking pride in our place and striving for excellence in all we do.”
It says it has become “increasingly difficult to regulate drivers and vehicles operating within South Derbyshire licensed by other authorities, in particular North West Leicestershire District Council and East Staffordshire Borough Council”.
https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/burton/big-crack-down-taxi-drivers-3913590
A taxi driver who made inappropriate comments to a young woman, turned of his fare meter and offered her a “free ride” has had his licence revoked.
Bury Council took immediate action against the driver after the licensing authority found that he was being investigated by the police for another incident.
The unnamed driver was also known to Rochdale Council which revoked his licence following similar allegations last year.
Licensing unit manager Michael Bridge told councillors last night about the decision which was taken on January 29 – a day after the young woman’s complaint was received.
He said: “The decision was taken, in consultation with the chairman of the licensing and safety panel, to revoke his licence with immediate effect on the grounds of public safety.”
Cllr Steve Wright said he was “shocked” about the incident and asked why information was not being shared between licensing departments across council boundaries.
He said: “The incident with the Bury driver could have been avoided if we had the information from Rochdale.”
Mr Bridge explained that there is a national register of refusals and revocations which local authorities have started using.
The system, known as NR3, is being actively promoted in Greater Manchester.
But Mr Bridge said it may be a while until this new way of working takes full effect.
He said: “Unfortunately, at the moment there’s a slow uptake across authorities.
“The idea is that we put five years’ backlog on the register. But there’s a process to go through. The people on the register will have to receive a letter to tell them that they are going on and then there’s a process which I won’t go into now. The intention is that everyone is registered on that in Greater Manchester.
“But we can’t go on a fishing expedition.”
Bury Council’s head of trading standards and licensing Angela Lomax added: “As soon as that information came to light, we had a discussion and took that decision.”
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/taxi-driver-who-offered-young-17879430
---------------------------------------------------
BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT
This is the moment a former Rolls-Royce engineer recovered at the back of a taxi during a dramatic evacuation of Birmingham Airport.
William Jelfs, 83, and Pacita Minshull, 73, had just returned to the county following a flight from Dubai after enjoying a holiday in the Phillipines.
But shortly after landing the couple were evacuated from the airport along with hundreds of passengers after an alarm went off at 12.10pm, reports BirminghamLive.
William, who suffers with problems with his knees and severe arthritis, was left dithering in the freezing cold for nearly half an hour as the pair had to wait to reclaim their luggage.
Waheed Ahmed, from Arrow Cars, offered William and Pacita shelter until they found out when they could go into the building to pick up their suitcases.
Pacita, 73, from Coventry, said: "We were evacuated outside and we did our best to get out as quickly as possible. He was shook up after trying to be as quick as he could. William isn't in the best of health and then when he was outside he was really suffering with the cold. We needed to get him into the warmth.
"One of the taxi drivers called Waheed was kind enough to let us both seek shelter in the warmth of the taxi. William had to lie down in the back of the taxi at first while he recovered. We are just so grateful to the taxi driver and to other people who really helped us."
William, who was a former soldier in the parachute regiment and Rolls Royce engineer, added: "The kindness of people trying to help me was amazing. I was suffering at first but after Waheed was kind enough to let me in the taxi and I soon warmed up. We just need to get our suitcases now so we can go home. It is not ideal to have to go through this after a long flight but it can't be helped."
https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/taxi-driver-offers-shelter-former-3920736
-----------------------------------------------
Councils in East Staffordshire, North West Leicestershire and South Derbyshire are teaming up to crack down on rule-breaking cabbies.
Current legislation governing taxis leaves councils extremely restricted when stopping drivers in their jurisdiction that have been licensed elsewhere.
For councils where drivers often cross between district boundaries such as through East Staffordshire, North West Leicestershire and South Derbyshire this is a frequent issue.
A licensing officer for South Derbyshire stopping a taxi licensed in East Staffordshire, for example, has “no authority” other than to refer them back to their licensing authority.
But now, the three district and borough councils are signing a joint agreement to delegate powers to each other.
It will mean that each of the three councils could stop drivers from each of the three authority areas and: inspect their licences, test their vehicles and suspend their licences if the vehicles do not pass the required tests.
A report written by South Derbyshire District Council on the plan says: “These proposals will continue to demonstrate to members of the public that the council takes the protection of local residents, children, and vulnerable adults from the potential harms of private hire licensing seriously, which contributes to the value of taking pride in our place and striving for excellence in all we do.”
It says it has become “increasingly difficult to regulate drivers and vehicles operating within South Derbyshire licensed by other authorities, in particular North West Leicestershire District Council and East Staffordshire Borough Council”.
https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/burton/big-crack-down-taxi-drivers-3913590
Wednesday 4 March 2020
SALFORD
A taxi driver gave a bizarre excuse to officers after he was caught running a red light in Salford.
The cabby told police that 'you can do that in France' when he was spotted ignoring the light to turn left in Eccles.
Officers said they explained to the driver that 'Eccles is not in France'.
The Facebook post, put up at 7.30am on Wednesday, said: "Taxi driver witnessed deliberately driving through traffic light on red to turn left in Eccles.
"Officers explained Eccles is not in France and TOR issued (in English)."
https://tinyurl.com/rmbodfe
-------------------------------
WINCHESTER
Two more schools have also been caught up in the spread of the virus over the last 24 hours.
www.thesun.co.uk
The new handbook to help landlords and taxi drivers identify human trafficking and sexual exploitation victims
Victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation could be identified and helped faster thanks to new guidance.
A new handbook to help taxi drivers and pub licensees identify victims has been released by Trafford Council, developed by Trafford Strategic Safeguarding Partnership.
The partnerhip is a joint endeavour between Trafford Clinical Commissioning Group, the council and Greater Manchester Police to safeguard children and vulnerable adults.
The handbook contains guidance on issues such as human trafficking, child sexual exploitation, domestic abuse and drugs trafficking.
It also advises what people can do when suspicions arise, as well as how to report concerns and key information.
Coun Mike Freeman, Trafford Council's cabinet member for public safety said: “Pub landlords and taxi drivers can act as the eyes and ears of our community.
"Therefore it’s important that licensees are able to recognise signs of abuse and know what to do if they become suspicious of anything.
https://tinyurl.com/vs2xknm
A taxi driver gave a bizarre excuse to officers after he was caught running a red light in Salford.
The cabby told police that 'you can do that in France' when he was spotted ignoring the light to turn left in Eccles.
Officers said they explained to the driver that 'Eccles is not in France'.
Police posted about the incident on the GMP Eccles Facebook page.
A traffic offence report was issued to the offender, they said.
"When stopped his excuse was 'You can do that in France....'
https://tinyurl.com/rmbodfe
-------------------------------
WINCHESTER
TWO primary school pupils are feared to have caught coronavirus after travelling in a taxi an infected patient had travelled in.
The children have been asked to self-isolate for two weeks after their family was contacted by health bosses.
Oliver Battery Primary School in Winchester confirmed the two pupils will stay at home for a fortnight but the chances they have been infected are 'very low'.
In a letter to parents, headteacher Carly Redfern said: "As the pupils have not had direct contract, they are at a very low risk of contracting the virus. However, as a precautionary measure, the children have been sent home and will be in quarantine for the advised 14 days."
Meanwhile, an NHS worker and her boyfriend in Cumbria have also been struck down by the killer virus after returning from a holiday in Italy.
NHS North Cumbria today confirmed the positive tests but said the staff member had not come into contact with any patients since her return.
www.thesun.co.uk
----------------------------------------------
TRAFFORD
Victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation could be identified and helped faster thanks to new guidance.
A new handbook to help taxi drivers and pub licensees identify victims has been released by Trafford Council, developed by Trafford Strategic Safeguarding Partnership.
The partnerhip is a joint endeavour between Trafford Clinical Commissioning Group, the council and Greater Manchester Police to safeguard children and vulnerable adults.
The handbook contains guidance on issues such as human trafficking, child sexual exploitation, domestic abuse and drugs trafficking.
It also advises what people can do when suspicions arise, as well as how to report concerns and key information.
Coun Mike Freeman, Trafford Council's cabinet member for public safety said: “Pub landlords and taxi drivers can act as the eyes and ears of our community.
"Therefore it’s important that licensees are able to recognise signs of abuse and know what to do if they become suspicious of anything.
https://tinyurl.com/vs2xknm
Tuesday 3 March 2020
A West London taxi firm is taking extraordinary steps to try and prevent coronavirus spreading among passengers.
Drivers at Redwoods of Heathrow are spraying all parts of their vehicles which passengers touch with anti-bacterial spray after every journey.
The company, based in West Drayton, says all 50 of its drivers have been provided with the spray to carry out regular cleaning.
Simon Field, customer service manager at Redwoods of Heathrow, said: "Obviously [coronavirus] is a big story at the moment and as a public transport provider we are picking up a lot of customers and we want to play our part in order to keep the virus under control.
"It's important. Everyone can play a part in helping to prevent coronavirus [from spreading] and anything that we can do as a mini cab company is great.
"The potential for the virus to spread is great for a mini cab company and we are just trying to play our part."
https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/london-coronavirus-heathrow-taxi-firm-17856799
Drivers at Redwoods of Heathrow are spraying all parts of their vehicles which passengers touch with anti-bacterial spray after every journey.
The company, based in West Drayton, says all 50 of its drivers have been provided with the spray to carry out regular cleaning.
Simon Field, customer service manager at Redwoods of Heathrow, said: "Obviously [coronavirus] is a big story at the moment and as a public transport provider we are picking up a lot of customers and we want to play our part in order to keep the virus under control.
"It's important. Everyone can play a part in helping to prevent coronavirus [from spreading] and anything that we can do as a mini cab company is great.
"The potential for the virus to spread is great for a mini cab company and we are just trying to play our part."
https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/london-coronavirus-heathrow-taxi-firm-17856799
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