Salford.

Drunk driver crashes into PH Car.

Police were pursuing a Volkswagen Polo when it went through a red light and crashed into a Vauxhall Astra private hire car on the Regent Road roundabout at 3.40am.

Police were pursuing a Volkswagen Polo when it went through a red light and crashed into a Vauxhall Astra private hire car on the Regent Road roundabout at 3.40am on Sunday.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving after seven people were injured when a car and a taxi crashed early today.

Police were pursuing a Volkswagen Polo when it went through a red light and crashed into a Vauxhall Astra private hire car on the Regent Road roundabout at 3.40am.

The taxi driver and three passengers were injured in the crash, which happened at the roundabout's junction with the M602.

They were all taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Police began pursuing the car after it was seen being driven erratically on Albion Way. It went through a red light and crashed almost immediately.

Part of the roundabout was closed while emergency services dealt with the scene but reopened shortly after 10am.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "In line with procedure, the patrol driver was automatically suspended from duties but following a review has now been reinstated."

Chief Inspector Mark Dexter said "This is yet another reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving, thankfully the injuries were not serious, the outcome could have been much worse."

A man, 30, has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving and has been released on police bail.
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Shropshire

Council blunder over taxi licence fee e-mail

Hundreds of correction notifications have been sent to Shropshire’s taxi drivers after they were given wrong information about licensing fees.

The blunder has prompted one veteran county cabbie to describe Shropshire Council’s taxi licensing system as a “farce”.

Members of the licensing and safety sub-committee agreed on November 28 to various new fees. But an e-mail giving wrong information on the changes was sent out on Monday to taxi firms and drivers.

A council spokeswoman said: “The list of charges that was sent out was the wrong list, it was an administrative error. As soon as the mistake was discovered staff sent about 600 notifications out to taxi drivers apologising and including the correct figure and an apology.”

One error flagged up on the e-mail by Oswestry driver Henry Pugh was the cost of a driver’s badge three-year renewal fee.

Councillors agreed the cost should be £156 from December 2. But the email said it was £172.

Mr Pugh said the mistake was another example of the poor communication between Shropshire Council and the taxi trade.

The 65-year-old, who has been a taxi driver for 21 years, said: “It is just another example of the service given by the licencing authority.

“We all need the correct information. I would describe it as a farce.

“That fee is wrong on the e-mail and I think others may be wrong as well. The e-mail goes out to all the firms and drivers to update us on the fees and it needs to be correct.

“Things have definitely got worse since the unitary authority came into power in 2009.”

Nicholas Cox, from Oswestry Cabs, also criticised the level of service given by the licensing bosses. He said he had driven round with a void external plate for a week before he noticed he had been issued with it.

Mr Cox said: “It included two trips to Manchester Airport. If I had been stopped with a void plate I could have been in all kinds of trouble.”

And Oswestry taxi driver, Mark Higgins, said: “It seems that all the senior, experienced council officers are leaving. We used to be able to access a licensing officer Monday to Friday in Oswestry.

“Now we have to make an appointment between 10am and 1pm on Thursdays only.”

But Richard Price, from the Shrewsbury Drivers’ Action Group, said he was not aware of the error. He said: “I have not heard anything about it and no drivers at the ranks have brought it up.


“Drivers in Shrewsbury think communication from them has massively improved in recent months. It is still an issue but they are much better at keeping us in the loop now. I am aware of the fee changes but I don’t know of any problem with the information which has been given out.”