Mallorca

 Uber are calling on authorities in the Balearics to prevent an "escalation" of aggression by taxi drivers towards their drivers.

This follows an incident in Paguera when an Uber driver was stopped by a group of taxi drivers who demanded to see his service route. One of the taxi drivers was heard to say: "This is going to end badly, it's going to end very badly. We're going to burn cars."

Mallorca taxi representatives meeting to discuss Uber "illegality"

In a statement, Uber say: "We are saddened that a part of the taxi sector in Mallorca is resorting to harassment of VTC* drivers who use our platform. We ask for the collaboration of the local authorities to prevent escalation of this type of intolerable action."

The National Police and Guardia Civil are said to be closely monitoring the situation, tensions having been evident since Uber started operations in four Mallorca municipalities last week. Taxi driver associations maintain that Uber are not observing a regulation which requires a minimum thirty minutes advance booking. The associations are themselves calling for action to be taken by the Balearic ministry for mobility.

https://www.majorcadailybulletin.com/news/local/2023/06/15/114053/uber-mallorca-call-for-protection-from-taxi-driver-harassment.html

Taxis in Newcastle could get black and white makeovers to try to stop unlicensed drivers preying on vulnerable people.

The council is expected to sign off the idea next week, which would see hackney cabs feature the famous monochrome colours of Newcastle United.

A report showed 96% of drivers surveyed were against the proposal because of concerns over costs.

The council said the rebranding was to keep residents and visitors safe.

The move was taken amid concerns of criminals posing as taxi drivers to target victims - particularly lone women - after a night out.

The council said it was aware of "a number of recent police investigations" into sexual assault allegations relating to unlicensed vehicles.

It is also carrying out 11 prosecutions following an undercover operation in December 2022 where unlicensed vehicles picked up passengers.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-65887562

 TAXI drivers in Glasgow will protest in the city centre this week due to being 'left behind' by the government.

Drivers of private hire and taxis will 'sit in' around George Square on December 29 as restrictions come back into force in Scotland.

The demonstration will be operated by the App Drivers and Couriers Union (ADCU) and will start from around 10am following a short convoy starting in Townhead.

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/19810897.glasgow-taxi-drivers-stage-sit-in-protest-bid-support-pandemic/

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TAMESIDE

This is the unbelievable moment a taxi driver was seen walking along a Greater Manchester motorway.

Police spotted the driver avoiding traffic on the M67 motorway in Tameside.

After being clocked risking his life by walking along the road, officers stopped to find out what was going on.

And they were left in disbelief by the taxi driver's 'stupidity' as they discovered the reason why he had been on his feet along the carriageway.

The driver explained that he had been trying to retrieve the magnetic sign from his taxi, which had ended up at the central reservation.

It was as he was on his way to pick it up that police saw him trying to pull off the dangerous move, while other vehicles were using the motorway.

Officers issued the taxi driver with a traffic offence report.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/ridiculous-reason-taxi-driver-risks-22581100

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IPSWICH.

Taxi drivers and firms have said the industry needs urgent support for those facing financial hardship.

Tighter Covid restrictions and fears about the Omicron variant have meant a sharp drop in trade for many firms.

Ian Fountain, of Cab Smart in Ipswich, said: "Independent cab companies need to remain and flourish but at the moment [they are] not and won't if we don't get the support that's needed."

The Treasury said a range of support measures were already in place.

Cab Smart said the number of its vehicles working each day had fallen from 88 before the pandemic to just 10.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-59764039

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BOLTON

NEW controversial Clean Air Zone costs have led to fears that taxi drivers in Bolton could be driven off the roads.

Now bosses at some of the town's biggest taxi firms are calling for more financial support ahead of new licensing standards that could mean their drivers having to buy newer cars.

It comes as discussions are expected to take place in January to decide if taxi organisations across Greater Manchester have to purchase a car no older than five years – to avoid a charge.

If the licensing standards are agreed, they would apply to taxi services from May, 2023.

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/19810517.bolton-taxi-bosses-call-support-change-vehicles-light-clean-air-zone/

LEEDS

 A Muslim cab driver tried to sue a taxi company after he was banned from wearing traditional garments and had to wear 'smart western' clothing under its dress code. 

Zulquarnain Ali alleged he was discriminated on the grounds of his religion because he was not allowed to wear his shalwar kameez - a traditional dress worn in South Asian countries  - which would allow him to conveniently visit a mosque and pray.

Leeds Taxi Owners Ltd temporarily suspended the veteran hackney carriage driver from its customer booking system when it emerged he was breaching the dress policy by wearing the traditional garments while working. 

The taxi firm's customers 'object to drivers in shalwar kameez and want them to be in smart western dress', a tribunal heard. 

The shalwar kameez - which is the national dress of Pakistan - consists of loose-fitting trousers and a tunic. 

t an employment tribunal in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Mr Ali tried to sue Leeds Taxi Owners Ltd for religion or belief discrimination.     

However, his case was thrown out as a judge ruled he was technically self-employed despite being a driver for the member-owned company.  

Mr Ali, an experienced taxi driver who is licenced by Leeds City Council, was able to pick up customers from the street but could also access Leeds Taxi Owners booking system to get customers.

The tribunal heard he was involved in the dress code dispute in 2019.

A tribunal report said: 'Leeds Taxi Owners had a dress code and it is that in part that gives rise to these proceedings, because Mr Ali wanted to wear his shalwar kameez so that he could conveniently go to the mosque and pray.

'There is no dispute that Leeds Taxi Ownert had a written policy that its drivers should wear smart western dress and not shalwar kameez.

'An issue arose in 2019 when it was obviously brought to somebody's attention that Mr Ali was wearing shalwar kameez and he was removed from the system for a period.

'He was reinstated after a couple of weeks. There were various discussions and he ended up having a meeting with the directors.'

The report added 'some of Leeds Taxi Owners' clients object to drivers in shalwar kameez and want them to be in smart western dress'.

Arguing that he was an employee of the company, Mr Ali told the tribunal he worked up to 83 hours a week.

But, it was heard just a third of Mr Ali's fares came from Leeds Taxi Owners and 'fundamentally' he was a self-employed driver who signed up to Leeds Taxi Owners.

As a result, Judge Davies ruled Mr Ali cannot proceed with his claim as he was not an employee.

Judge Davies said: 'I find that Mr Ali falls on the side of the line of being in business on his own account.

'He is a hackney carriage driver plying his trade. 

'He can choose at any time simply to pick up street fares. He can go down to the station and pick up passengers there, join a taxi rank or stop if somebody flags him down.

'He chose to sign up with Leeds Taxi Owners... Having regard to the context of the way he works, I find that was in the nature of a business decision taken by him.

'He thought it was in his benefit to pay £60 a month so as to have access to a whole different source of work, namely Leeds Taxi Owners' system work.

'He does not have any obligation to log on and do that work at any time... He is essentially choosing between different available sources of work throughout his working time.'

Judge Davies added: 'Mr Ali is also bound by the rule about dress code.

'That is one factor pointing towards a degree of subordination and integration into a business... but I find that it is outweighed by the other factors that point more towards true self-employment.' 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9888413/Muslim-cab-driver-loses-legal-case-against-taxi-firm-banned-wearing-traditional-dress.html

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BRIDLINGTON

A hard-up taxi driver delivered food supplies to two Vietnamese illegal immigrants locked in a £650,000 cannabis farm inside an industrial unit.

Police working on the drug-busting Operation Galaxy found 1,400 cannabis plants inside the "sophisticated" factory at Carnaby, near Bridlington.

The father-of-five made fortnightly journeys from Birmingham to deliver the supplies and was paid £250 a time.

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/taxi-driver-supplied-food-illegal-5779031

July 22 (Reuters) - Chinese regulators are considering serious penalties for Didi Global Inc (DIDI.N) after the ride-hailing giant's New York initial public offering last month, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.

Regulators view Didi's decision to go public despite pushback from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) as a challenge to Beijing's authority, the report quoted sources as saying.

Didi did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Its shares dropped 7% on Thursday.

The CAC last week said officials from at least seven departments sent on-site teams to conduct a cybersecurity review of Didi.

Regulators are weighing a range of potential punishments, including a fine, suspension of certain operations or the introduction of a state-owned investor for Didi, according to Bloomberg News.

Earlier this month, the CAC launched a data-related cybersecurity probe into Didi just two days after the company raised $4.4 billion from its New York initial public offering.

Regulators also ordered Didi to remove its apps in China, which Didi said might hurt its revenue.

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EDINBURGH

A callous taxi driver put the lives of his passengers at risk by picking up fares despite being diagnosed with Covid-19.

Gordon Leadbetter accepted fares from pensioners including a 91-year-old woman, an 82-year-old man and care home workers after testing positive last December.

Leadbetter, 59, also ferried desperately ill passengers to and from Edinburgh Royal Infirmary who were attending for dialysis treatment while failing to wear a protective mask.

The cabbie tested positive for coronavirus the day after his wife was diagnosed with the killer disease and had been rushed into hospital for urgent treatment.

Leadbetter, from Musselburgh, East Lothian, was caught out after a neighbour heard of his positive test result and phoned his employers to air their concerns.

He was suspended from the Edinburgh taxi company following a board meeting on December 26 last year and was subsequently arrested and charged by police two weeks later.

Leadbetter pleaded guilty to culpably and recklessly accepting vulnerable passengers into his taxi between December 17 and 26 last year after he had been tested positive for the virus when he appeared at the capital's sheriff court last month.

He was back in the dock for sentencing today where Sheriff Chris Dickson said he had carried out "a very serious offence" and had put "a number of patients at risk."

Leadbetter was spared a jail term and instead was placed on a 12-month supervision order and told he must complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

He will also be electronically tagged and must stay within his home for the next eight months between the hours of 9pm and 5am.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/taxi-driver-worked-despite-coronavirus-24577382

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DYNAMO TAXI

The following press release is aimed to promote the Nissan Van Conversion. The press release claims the vehicle is a working Hackney in Manchester and other large Cities. I can assure that is not the case.

When a press release contains deliberate errors, I suggest it is a con.

What I do know is that London's leading Cab rental Garage, COLTSCABS, purchased 20 of them.

The Cab has been so successful (sic) the owner has put them up for sale and expects to have to wipe his mouth over the loss.

I think we owe a huge thanks to Colts Cab to warn the Trade of their error.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alistaircharlton/2021/07/22/uk-electric-taxi-firm-dynamo-reveals-ambitious-growth-plan/

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LEEDS

  A protest has been held against Leeds City Council's plans to pedestrianise Leeds Station and its surrounding area as part of a £39.5 million investment scheme in the area.

Cars and buses will no longer be able to use New Station Street, meaning the taxi rank and bus stops will be moved.

The taxi services will then be relocated to Bishopgate Street.

Members of the LCC AUAG & Disability Hub protested in Millennium Square on Monday, July 19 to voice concerns about the accessibility of the plans.

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/people/protest-in-millennium-square-following-plans-to-move-taxi-rank-at-leeds-station-3315857

  CROSBY

'Taxi driver' and man filmed punching and biting each other in street fight

The men were captured rolling around on the road as traffic had to swerve to avoid them

A man and another who appears to be a taxi driver have been caught on camera fighting in the middle of a busy Merseyside street.

Mobile phone footage has emerged showing the two men punching, kicking and biting each other.

The fight is believed to have took place yesterday (Monday) evening on Crosby Road North in Crosby, and was filmed by a passing driver who stopped at the scene.

At one point both men fell in the middle of the road as cars passed by. The two men then tried to wrestle as a woman attempted to separate the pair.

https_www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/?rl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.liverpoolecho.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fliverpool-news%2Ftaxi-driver-man-filmed-punching-20929547

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PETERBOROUGH

Angry hackney carriage drivers descended on the council’s offices at Fletton Quays to protest against an application from Gujjar Investments Limited, to set up a minicab office in Westgate, at the site of the former Maplin store, opposite Beales, which had been recommended for approval by planning officers.

But after a dramatic day, which saw dozens of hackney carriages outside the authority’s Sand Martin House offices given parking tickets, councillors on the planning committee voted to turn down the plans.

The proposed new development would be a booking office and waiting area for people booking a private hire vehicle through the Autocab app.

The application had been recommended for approval despite 41 objections being received and the council’s own licensing team highlighting its opposition.

But councilors at the meeting refused the application by majority vote.

https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/politics/council/100-peterborough-taxi-drivers-who-protested-at-council-offices-celebrate-after-plans-for-private-hire-cab-business-refused-3290687

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BILBOROUGH

Taxi drivers warn that they are ‘always very vulnerable’, after a driver was threatened with metal pole in an attempted robbery.

A 41-year-old man was intimidated by a group of men with a metal pole on Bracebridge Drive, Bilborough in the early hours of June 29, after he refused to let them into his taxi.

The group demanded money from the driver after he suggested that they should call for a bigger taxi to take them to Long Eaton.

Fearing for his safety the man drove off just before the group threw the metal pole, which missed his vehicle.

Azeem Hanuf, chairman of Nottingham United Private Hire Drivers, said: “Unfortunately, we are always very vulnerable as taxi and mini cab drivers.

“I’m sure it’s been a very traumatic experience for the driver.

“It could have been worse; it could have been a knife or something so my heart goes out to him.”

A survey conducted by Nottingham United Private Hire Driver found that 80 per cent of drivers had suffered abuse or threats of some kind.

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/cabbies-always-feel-vulnerable-after-5593784

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NUNEATON

New taxi drivers will be forced to take an English and safeguarding test to work in Nuneaton and Bedworth.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council wants to introduce the tests for those who are want a taxi drivers' licence.

It will cost £35 and all new applicants will have to undertake training and testing to get their licence to operate across the borough.

Councillor Kyle Evans, cabinet member for public services, explained why they were bringing in the tests.

"We want to ensure that residents in this borough, who use taxi drivers, are safe," he said.

"We have had nunerous incidents in other local authorities, particularly councils like Rotherham where we have had some really bad cases of child sexual exploitation and I am not going to accuse taxi drivers in Nuneaton and Bedworth of anything like that, we have some great taxi drivers and I know that as a member of the licensing committee,

"But I do think it is really important that we have those safeguards in place within the system to make sure that our tax drivers are fit to serve the pubic and that is going out to a public consultation."

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/local-news/new-taxi-drivers-forced-take-20945193

ST HELENS

 A Taxi driver was found to have two defective front tyres and an unlicensed car was caught operating illegally as late night-checks were made on vehicles in St Helens.

Licensing officers from the council and police were involved with the operation to check taxi driver standards as people returned to the town's nightspots.

The checks took place last weekend in St Helens town centre and across the borough.

In total 43 vehicles and their drivers were checked over Friday and Saturday night.

https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/19337789.police-take-action-action-defective-unlicensed-taxis/

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REDCAR

The driver who was behind the wheel of the taxi which hit Liam Hibbins will not be charged with any offence, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has confirmed.

The 26-year-old landscape gardener died after being hit by a car, driven by Colin Clarke, on an unlit section of the Coast Road in Redcar.

Liam, who had spent the day at the races with friends, was believed to have been attempting to flag down a taxi as he made his way home to Skelton.

He was rushed to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough where he passed away as a result of head and neck injuries on October 8, 2017.

During his inquest, held at Teesside Coroner's Court this week, Coroner Clare Bailey ruled that Mr Clarke was, on the basis of probability, speeding at the time.

Mr Clarke told the hearing, sitting at Teesside Magistrates' Court, that he was completing his final job, transporting two passengers, and travelling with his dipped beam headlights on the lowest setting.

He said he began to accelerate when the speed limit on the Coast Road changed from 30mph to 40mph and saw what he described as a "silhouette" around 16m ahead of him.

Mr Clarke said he did not realise it was Mr Hibbins, who was wearing dark clothes and had his back to him, until he was was five metres away and it was too late to stop.

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/taxi-driver-tragic-case-liam-20691195

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LONDON

The British Transport Police (BTP) are appealing for help in identifying two men who attacked and robbed a taxi driver in Beckenham.

The violent attack, in which the driver was repeatedly punched in the head, took place at Beckenham Station last Friday (May 21).

Officers have today released an image of one man in connection with the assault, who they are asking the public to help identify.

At around 4.20pm last Friday (May 21), the taxi driver picked up the two men from Bromley High Street.

The BTP said the men became "verbally aggressive and threatening" towards the victim during their journey in his taxi.

Their behaviour caused the taxi driver to stop at Beckenham Station and get out of his car, at which point one of the men followed the driver and punched him several times in the head.

Meanwhile, the other man robbed the driver’s car, taking his ID card and other belongings, before joining his companion in the attack.

https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/taxi-driver-punched-head-robbed-20699666