Manchester.

Oxford Road remains closed following serious crash

The road was shut following the crash between a car and a taxi which happened outside the Kilburn university building just after 10.30am

A city centre road remains closed this afternoon following a serious crash between a car and a taxi.

Two men had to be cut out of their vehicles following the crash which caused Oxford Road to shut.

The crash, which involved a red Lexus and silver Toyota Avensis, took place just outside the Kilburn university building just after 10.30am.

The red Lexus had overturned onto its roof.  

Two men, believed to be in their 30s, were taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary for further treatment.

There is no further update on the nature of their injuries.

Crews from Moss Side, Salford and Ashton stations attended the scene.

Watch manager Ian Melville from Moss Side station, who was in charge of the incident, said: “The crews did a really good job to cut the two men from their vehicles.

“We were faced with a collision involving two cars one was a taxi, which was upright and the other car was on its roof.

“Two men, both in their thirties, were trapped - one in each car.

"The man in the overturned vehicle was unconscious and in a bad way, so we had to cut him out very quickly.

“The man in the taxi was trapped by his steering wheel.

"Both casualties have gone to the Manchester Royal Infirmary.”

Fire crews left the scene at around 11.30am but police are still at the scene while the road is cleared.

Oxford Road is closed between the junctions of Brook Street West and Brunswick Street.

It is expected to remain shut until later this afternoon.

Transport for Greater Manchester said the crash has caused heavy congestion around the town centre and has affected bus services which use the road.

Buses and cars have been using a diversion route along Booth Street West and Lloyd Street.

IT WAS A TRAFFORD PH CAR. NOT A TAXI !!!
-----------------------------------
Stockport

An angry taxi driver says he has been told to stop wearing his favourite peaked driving cap – or risk losing his job.

Maurice Ross, 52, has been a cabbie for four years and always worn his favourite black flat cap behind the wheel.

Although he is a self-employed private hire driver, he works through Metro Taxis, which provides a black shirt with a company logo on it to be worn on duty.

And Maurice says he has been told the only headgear he can wear is a black beanie hat the company has given him, otherwise he can no longer operate under the Metro name.

He said: “It is unbelievable, you would have thought there are much more important issues in what makes a good taxi driver than what type of hat someone wears while behind the wheel.

“Mine is perfectly smart and appropriate and I always like to have it on, yet I’ve been told I can’t wear it. I don’t understand, I represent the company in the proper way – I’m warm and friendly, that’s what matters.

“I’ve worn this hat for years and no customers have ever complained to me.”

Maurice, who lives on Tamworth Green, Portwood, has only been working with Metro for just over two weeks and has previously driven a black cab for most of his taxi career.

He says he wears black trousers and shoes with the provided shirt so always looks smart while on duty.

When contacted, no one from Metro Taxis was available for comment.

If Metro are so Professional, why do they have West Lindsay vehicles working there ??
------------------------------------------
Milngarvie (somewhere up north)

Taxi driver Patrick Cullen jailed for sex attack

Cullen claimed he had "consenting" sex with the terrified woman
A taxi driver has been jailed for 18 months for sexually assaulting a young woman after being linked to the crime through a relative's DNA sample.

Patrick Cullen, 44, forced his 24-year-old victim to perform a sex act in a lane in Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, in February 2011.

Despite a police e-fit appeal, Cullen was only traced when a relative appeared on the national DNA database.

He was also placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

At the High Court in Glasgow, judge Lord Matthews said the assault was "serious" adding: "The aggravating feature was that you were a taxi driver - your job was to take the woman home."

A smiling Cullen gave a thumbs-up to his wife in court as he was led handcuffed to the cells.

During his trial, Cullen insisted that the woman agreed to what happened in his car and that she "enjoyed" it.

He said: "It was two consenting adults performing a sex act."

Cullen also claimed - despite media appeals and the e-fit - that he had never been asked about the incident until police came to his door.

'Rude questions'
The trial heard how Cullen, of Moodiesburn, North Lanarkshire, had been working for the former Strathclyde Radio Cars at the time of the attack.

He picked up his victim in Glassford Street, Glasgow, in the early hours of 19 February 2011.

Soon into the journey, Cullen - who claimed his name was Gary - began quizzing his passenger on her sexuality and asking "rude questions".

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court: "He was going about how girls have sex, things like that. I felt uncomfortable - I don't like when people ask questions like that."

Cullen then told the worried woman that he was "feeling horny". He soon drove his private hire Chrysler vehicle into a quiet area in Finlay Rise, Milngavie, before halting the vehicle.

Victim 'scared'
Recalling her ordeal, the woman said: "He told me to get into the back of the car. I was scared, but I did it."

Cullen then indecently assaulted his victim and made her perform a sex act on him while ignoring her loud sobs.

She only escaped when he dropped her home and demanded she hand over the £7 fare.

The victim called police and a hunt began to catch Cullen.

DNA was found near the scene and the woman was also able to help construct an e-fit of her attacker - which bore a resemblance to Cullen.

He went undetected until more than 18 months after the attack when a relative - for a reason unstated in court - had a DNA check.


It is thought the DNA had similarities to that discovered at the scene and police eventually arrested Cullen in September 2012.
-------------------------------------
CARLISLE TAXI DRIVER DENIES RAPE CHARGE

A Carlisle taxi driver has appeared before a judge at the city's crown court accused of rape.

Darius Kowalczyk, 47, is alleged to have committed the offence against a female student.

Kowalczyk, who came to this country from his native Poland six years ago, was assisted in court by a female interpreter.

He pleaded not guilty and was remanded on bail on condition that he lives at his home in Esther Street, Carlisle, and does not contact his alleged victim.


He will go on trial on July 14.