Epping Forest.

A hit and run which left a taxi driver with serious injuries followed an argument between his colleagues and an unlicensed cabbie, it has been claimed.

Paramedics were called to Epping High Street shortly after 1am on Saturday after reports of a hit and run.

The victim, 36-year-old Saeid Chaudhari, was taken to hospital with injuries to his neck and arm.

Taxi drivers are claiming he was intentionally mowed down.

Chairman of the Epping Forest Taxi Association, Azid Sanu, 26, said an argument broke out after an unlicensed driver was seen working outside Club 195 and asked to move on.

Mr Sanu added: "This unlicensed driver did not take this advice kindly, which led to him raising his voice and threatening the licensed driver who went to advise him.

"At this time, other Epping Forest taxi drivers saw what was going on and they started to approach them

"When the unlicensed driver noticed other drivers are approaching towards him he decided to leave and headed towards Loughton.

"At this time there happened to be another licensed taxi driver who was crossing the road, who was not involved.

The driver was then hit by the side of the car.

Mr Sanu, who lives in Poplar, claims that as many as five unlicensed cabbies work the Epping area each night.

He said: "If you go on to Epping High Street when the clubs kick out you will see the problem, there are cars everywhere.

"Because there is no taxi rank people cannot tell the difference between drivers with or without a licence.

"It is so dangerous to get into a taxi without a licence.

"Even the police cannot enforce it because there are cars everywhere and it is hard to tell the difference."

Loughton councillor Ken Angold-Stephens said that although taxi ranks are needed in Loughton and Epping, it is taking time to find an appropriate location for them.

He said: "Action will be taken against any unlicensed driver that is brought to the attention of the council or the police.

"The police and licensing officers did a thorough check in Loughton on a Friday evening last January, but no unlicensed taxis were identified.

"We are aware, however, that this does happen from time to time and we would advise anyone seeing such a vehicle to take a note of its number plate and report it to the police and the licensing office. 

"The police and the council enforcement team are planning similar checks on a Friday or Saturday evening in Epping shortly."

Police have confirmed that there was a disagreement between cab drivers before the incident.

A spokeswoman said that the men involved are "believed to be known to each other".

Thirty-six-year-old Saeid Choudhari from East Ham suffered injuries to his neck and arm after being hit by a car.
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Dacorum, Hetfordshire.

Taxi fares in the borough have gone up, which means a typical daytime two-mile journey has risen by 42p to £6.30.

At night the increase is 56p, so that the same two-mile distance will now set travellers back £9.38. This new rate applies from midnight to 7am, Sundays, bank holidays and between 6pm and midnight on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

A premium tariff that applies on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day has gone up by 84p, which means a two-mile journey would cost £12.60.

Local taxi drivers requested the price rises last year in reaction to rising running costs such as fuel, insurance and MOTs.

The changes, which were consulted on last year, came into force last week after being signed off by Dacorum Borough Council’s cabinet in February.

It’s the first rise to the borough’s taxi fares since 2011 but Dacorum’s revised fares still remain cheaper than those in several other Hertfordshire districts.


The charge for the fouling of a vehicle requiring it to be taken out of service to be cleaned has risen from £40 to £55.
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Sick Aussie.

A PERTH taxi driver accused of sexually assaulting a woman with cerebral palsy in the back of his cab has had further charges laid against him over another two alleged victims.

The 58-year-old man has already been charged with three counts of aggravated sexual penetration without consent and one count of aggravated indecent assault.

He was driving a 29-year-old wheelchair-bound woman from respite care to her home when he allegedly assaulted her in a car park.

Police said today they had charged the man with further offences against two more wheelchair-bound women, aged in their 30s and 50s, who were passengers in his taxi at separate times in January and February.

The taxi driver, from Dianella, has been charged with 12 counts of indecently dealing with an incapable person.

He is due to appear in Perth Magistrates Court tomorrow.