LONDON

A taxi driver is in hospital fighting for his life after having a heart attack at the wheel and ploughing into a cab on Wapping High Street, east London this morning.

The cabbie is thought to be in his 40s and suffered a heart attack while driving, according to the London Ambulance Service.

An ambulance arrived at Wapping Station around 7.50am, treated the cabbie and took him to St Bartholomew’s Hospital “as a priority”.

Scotland Yard told London24: “We were called to reports of a road traffic collision between two vehicles. One was a black taxi and the other was a grey taxi.

“The man remains in a critical condition in an east London hospital. No one else was injured in the collision.”

Tanya Valdez, also a London taxi driver, came across the scene minutes later.

“A man was lying on the floor not moving, and a colour I’ve never seen before,” she told the Evening Standard.

“The other cabbie said he must have had a heart attack. He was coming towards him one way and just smashed into him.

“The Vito (the other taxi) must have carried on, because the cab was smashed into a building. The passenger who was in the Vito got in my taxi.

“She said, thank god for the vigilance of the Vito driver - he saw what was coming and he swerved out of the way, so it could have been worse.

“It wasn’t nice to see that first thing in the morning.”

http://www.london24.com/news/taxi_driver_fighting_for_life_after_crash_in_east_london_1_4132698

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Dundee taxi drivers claim ‘scam’ after marshals scheme descends into farce

Fourteen months ago, Dundee City Council demanded £30 from every one of Dundee’s 1,300 taxi drivers to bankroll a marshal scheme.

It has emerged, however, that not a single member of staff has ever been hired, with the estimated £40,000 collected languishing in a bank account ever since.

Taxi drivers have now hit out at council chiefs and criticised them for taking the cash before they knew the plan would work, demanding that the money be refunded.

The council has been desperately trying to hire the right calibre of staff to run the taxi marshal initiative, targeting ex-police officers with the skills required to keep people safe on the city’s streets.

Licensing committee convener Stewart Hunter told The Courier he had real hopes for the scheme and admitted he was hugely disappointed at how things have worked out.

On paper, the introduction of taxi marshals to key city centre locations at weekends looked to be a sound idea.

It was hoped they could protect worse-for-wear drinkers who risk their lives on a weekly basis by crossing roads in the face of traffic – with the area outside the casino on the city’s Marketgait particularly worrisome.

They could also have helped to quell trouble at certain taxi ranks, giving drivers the confidence to stop for passengers in areas some have been avoiding.

Taxi driver Gregor Ross, 47, from Carnoustie, however, said he was angry that the council had demanded payment up front for a scheme it has been unable to deliver.

“Every tax driver in Dundee had to pay £30 to cover the cost of the introduction of taxi marshals – which must mean that they took around £40,000 of revenue out of the taxi trade,” he said.

“Fourteen months later the scheme has completely failed to materialise and our money is still sitting in a council bank account and there are a number of drivers who are extremely angry about this.”

Mr Hunter said he would be meeting members of the taxi trade to discuss the way forward.

“It is extremely unfortunate and disappointing that we have not been able to deliver the taxi marshals we need,” he added.

“I think this was an excellent idea as there are safety issues in the city centre at weekends and we believe they could make a big difference, but unfortunately we’ve just struggled to attract people with the right credentials and the appropriate experience to take on these roles.

“We will make one last attempt to make it happen, but if we cannot deliver the marshals then we will have to look at refunds.”

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Rotherham taxi drivers strike in demand for further talks

TAXI drivers will go on strike from tomorrow morning to demand further talks with the council over licensing policy changes.

Protesting cabbies will withdraw services from 6am and are planning slow drives through Rotherham during both rush hours.

The new licensing policy, set for approval on Monday, will require CCTV in all taxis and drivers to use vehicles less than ten years old.

Rotherham Private Hire Association and Rotherham Hackney Carriage Association voted to act on Monday night.

They say more details are needed about how the video and audio recording will be implemented and have complained that the “fit and proper person” criteria is too vague.

RPHA chaiman Abdul Tariq said: “Because there’s only a five-day grace period before this comes in, the drivers want the council to sit down with us again before that ends.

“It’s not just about the CCTV, that’s one thing that’s been picked out. It’s meant we haven’t had time to discuss other things in our meetings.

“We only got the full draft document yesterday. When we met last night, pretty much everyone was in favour of going on strike.”

Rotherham Borough Council says the new measures will drive up standards in the trade, which the Jay report mentioned as playing a “prominent” role in child sexual exploitation.

http://rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/news/98843/rotherham-taxi-drivers-strike-in-demand-for-further-talks.aspx

Uber Technologies Inc. is telling prospective investors that it generates $470 million in operating losses on $415 million in revenue, according to a document provided to prospective investors.

The term sheet viewed by Bloomberg News, which is being used to sell $1 billion to $1.2 billion in convertible bonds, doesn’t make clear the time period for those results. The document also touts 300 percent year-over-year growth.

The figures show the heavy losses that Uber is accruing as it expands its global car-booking operation amid fierce local competition. Uber is already operating in more than 300 cities worldwide and is raising money at a $50 billion valuation, a person familiar with the situation said last month. Uber is spending aggressively especially in China and as it experiments with its carpooling service uberPOOL.

“These are substantially old numbers that do not reflect business activities today,” Uber spokeswoman Nairi Hourdajian said in an e-mail. Hourdajian declined to say why the numbers are being used to promote a current funding round.

The ride-sharing company co-founded by Travis Kalanick remains fiercely secretive about its financial performance, even with prospective investors.

Hillhouse Capital Management is leading the convertible bond deal, a person with knowledge of the matter said June 23. The bonds can be converted to shares at a discount if Uber goes public.

Investors in this round will be able to convert the notes at a compounded 11.5 percent discount if the company sells shares on the public market, the document shows. The bonds mature in 2022, with an 8 percent annual return if held through maturity. Uber aims to complete the deal by Tuesday, according to the document.

The car-booking startup has been on a spree to raise cash. Uber is negotiating a $2 billion credit line from a group of Wall Street banks, a person with knowledge of the situation said last week. Earlier this year, it raised $1.6 billion in convertible debt from Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s wealth-management clients, which valued the company at $40 billion.

Two Uber managers have been arrested in Paris and will be questioned over "illicit activity" linked to the ride-sharing smartphone application.

The news comes just days after Paris was paralysed by a taxi driver strike which saw cabbies outraged by Uber set fire to tyres and block main roads leading to the city's main airport and train station. Their protest was sparked by claims the ride-sharing app was taking away their business by offering lower prices and not complying with local taxi licensing laws.

Uber, which operates as UberPOP in Europe, calls itself a ride-sharing platform instead of a taxi-hailing application.

A spokesperson for the Paris prosecutor did not name the Uber managers taken into custody.

Taxi drivers protested in Paris – and several other cities across the country – by blocking roads and setting fire to tyres, preventing traffic from accessing Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport and Gare du Nord train station. They argue that UberPop is illegal and takes business away from traditional taxi drivers.

Serious disturbances

France's interior minister has since asked for a nationwide ban of the UberPop ride-sharing application.

Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said last week: "I have instructed, given the serious disturbances of public order and development of this illegal activity, the Paris Prefect of Police to take this day an order prohibiting UberPop activity."

Uber said it will continue as normal until the country's top court issues a ruling on whether its business is legal or not.

Travellers trying to reach France's major airports and train stations were forced to abandon their cars and walk along motorway hard shoulders.

Aeroports de Paris, which operates the city's Charles de Gaulle airport, said on its website: "Access by road is completely blocked. The only way to get to CDG is by train."

Photos published by the Reuters news agency show piles of burning tyres and upturned cars blocking major roads.

UberPop continues to operate in France, despite a new law coming into force on 1 January forcing all paid drivers to carry the relevant licence and insurance.

French officials claim Uber is now illegal under the new law, but courts have allowed it to continue operating in the country for now, pending a ruling on its legality from a constitutional court; Uber's case there began on 23 June.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/two-uber-bosses-arrested-france-running-illicit-taxi-service-1508468

http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/06/29/top-french-uber-executives-arrested-over-illegal-taxi-operations/

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ISTANBUL UBER BOAT

Uber has already dabbled in air transportation with private jet and helicopter services, and now the firm is turning its attention to the seas.

The app-based taxi operator has teamed up with Istanbul mariners to ferry customers across the Turkish city's central Bosporus strait.

UberBOAT appears on the company's smartphone app when customers stand near the coastline of Istanbul's central waterway.

Local company Navette-Tezman Holding will transport Uber's customers in Beneteau boats, competing with pleasure cruisers and tankers.

The central Bosporus strait forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia, and is used by millions of intercontinental commuters each day.

Uber's water-taxi service starts at 50 liras (£11.80) and each boat has a capacity for between seven and ten passengers.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a655470/uber-goes-intercontinental-with-water-taxi-service.html#ixzz3eTCrGyYM

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Five Rotherham taxi drivers have licenses revoked in relation to child abuse investigations

Commissioner Mary Ney said that of the seven licenses that have recently been revoked by the council, ‘five of these arose due to information from the police concerning investigations related to child sexual exploitation’.

A further 20 drivers have been refused license renewals since commissioners arrived at the authority in February.

It follows the role of taxi drivers in the grooming scandal being highlighted in the recent Alexis Jay and Louise Casey reports.

In a report made ahead to a public meeting last week, Commissioner Ney said just five of the 25 applications for taxi driver licence renewals have been accepted.

She said: “The key reasons for refusal have concerned not being a fit and proper person due to levels of and persistent criminality and dishonesty.”

Commissioner Ney said there are currently six appeals from taxi drivers against the decisions awaiting hearings at the Magistrates Court.

It comes ahead of a decision being made on introducing tougher taxi licensing standards in the town today, affecting the 1,200 people who hold licenses as taxi drivers in the town.

The measures, which are set to include all drivers having to install CCTV in their vehicles, are to be decided by Commissioner Ney.

Commissioner Ney said in a report ahead of the decision that she has already met with officials from the town’s Magistrates Court to brief them the new policy may result in them dealing with a greater number of appeals from drivers over revoked and non-renewed licenses.

She said: “The new policy strengthens the requirements in terms of criminality, clarifies that other information will be taken into account in judging fitness, requires the availability and proscribes the use of in-cab CCTV recording, raises the bar on accountability of taxi operators, improves requirements on safety of vehicles , and sets out requirements for training including training in safeguarding, working with vulnerable people and CSE.

“An implementation plan is being drawn up to take forward the new policy.

“This will include phased implementation where appropriate but will provide for application of the standards on ‘fit and proper’ to be undertaken immediately over a three-month period and to be applied to all existing licence holders.

“At the end of that period both the Council and the Trade will be able to say that all licence holders are at the new standard.

“I have also met with the Magistrates Court to brief them on the policy and alert them to the potential for an impact on their workload if the number of appeals rises.

“The implementation will be accompanied by a Communications Strategy in order to keep the public informed as part of rebuilding confidence.”


http://www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk/news/local/five-rotherham-taxi-drivers-have-licenses-revoked-in-relation-to-child-abuse-investigations-1-7329546

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MEXICO CITY (AP) — Times are tough for Uber in many parts of the world, from a recent California ruling that its drivers cannot be classified as contractors to a Paris taxi protest that became a riot and led France's president to promise a crackdown.

But the smartphone-based ridesharing app may soon get some good news in Mexico City.

Ahead of a city government decision on its future, Uber recently got a ringing, though nonbinding, endorsement from the influential Federal Commission on Economic Competition. Even Mexico City's Human Rights Commission has weighed in favoring the service.

While Uber has faced legal hurdles that forced it off the road in some places, officials have signaled it may be allowed to remain in this megalopolis of 20 million-plus inhabitants.

"Generally speaking, the more options consumers have, the better off they are," competition commission chairwoman Alejandra Palacios Prieto told The Associated Press. "They will receive better services and pay better prices for those services."

That's not to say it hasn't been a bumpy road.

Licensed cabbies have staged protests demanding authorities arrest Uber drivers and seize their cars. Some vowed to "hunt down" Uber vehicles and in one case cabbies bashed doors and a windshield with baseball bats while a terrified client sat inside. A large taxi union has vowed not to obey cab regulations if Uber isn't required to do the same.

Legal approval would amount to recognition that despite complaints of unfair competition, app-based services like Uber and the smaller Cabify have become widely popular here, in part because much old-school cab service is terrible.

Mexico City street cabs were once practically synonymous with assaults and kidnappings, and it seemed everyone had at least one taxi-related tale of woe. The green-and-white Volkswagen Beetle taxis with the front passenger seats removed made it easy for armed accomplices to hop aboard and rob trapped passengers.

The city has since improved licensing enforcement and decommissioned old-model cabs. Today, the Beetles known locally as "vochos" are extinct, and cab crime has fallen somewhat, according to official statistics.

But it's hard to shake taxis' ignoble place in the popular imagination. It's also still common to hail a street cab only to find beer cans rattling in the back, a driver unwilling to go anywhere he considers inconvenient, blaring music he won't turn down, and a cigarette-and-sweat stench that sticks to your clothing.

"Honestly it's frightful," said Hugo Castellon, a financial worker who uses Uber up to 10 times a week. With traditional cabs, "the service is terrible — so many bad experiences."

Contrast that with the fresh-smelling sedan driven by Cesar Hernandez, a clean-cut Uber driver who opens the door for customers and uses the polite "usted" form of address. He washes the car every two days, scrubbing the exterior and brushing the upholstery.

"You should feel comfortable, no?" said Hernandez. "We try to make the car feel like it belongs to the customer. ... Have a seat, put on the music you like and, if you want, we can turn on the air conditioning."

Uber's dynamic pricing system results in fares generally higher than street taxis, but competitive with local radio and base cabs that usually offer decent service. There are also at least two apps, Easy Taxi and Yaxi, which summon licensed cabs.

Incidents elsewhere have raised security concerns about Uber — sexual harassment complaints in the U.S., a customer raped in India. But it's widely seen as the safe option in Mexico, where people of all classes worry about being abducted.

The sense of safety comes from having the name and license number of drivers who undergo background checks. Many families send Uber cars to pick up their kids, then monitor the app to ensure they stay on course. Parents who restricted teens from going out at night now say it's OK if they use Uber.

"In my case, as a woman, I think we demand more security and respect," said Bethzabe Zavala Martinez, an occasional rideshare user. "I'm afraid to take just any old taxi."

City prosecutors say at least two rapes are reported in cabs each month. Taxi union officials contend most violent crimes occur in the estimated tens of thousands of unlicensed and illegal "pirate" taxis.

Cabbies are also robbery targets, and Uber drivers feel safer with a record of their clients' identities and knowing they're affluent enough to have a credit card and smartphone. Plus, drivers don't have to carry cash because payments are made electronically.

Mexico City's Transportation Department says a decision is expected around month's end that favors "modernity and the experience of travel." At least some regulation seems likely, and Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said Saturday that talks with cabbies aim to support them and level the playing field.

But the drivers vow lawsuits and further protests if they don't like the outcome.

The Organized Taxi Drivers of Mexico City contend they're losing up to 24 million pesos ($1.5 million) a day and it's unfair that Uber and Cabify drivers avoid costly licensing and inspections. They say the government fixes fares artificially low for "political" reasons and they need to charge more if people want better cabs.

"Mexican law is very clear and it defines this as a crime, as an illegal provision of a service," union spokesman Daniel Medina said. "For us, Uber and Cabify are nothing but criminals."

Taxi protests have done little to sway public opinion. When cabbies recently snarled a major thoroughfare, Uber offered users free rides and reported an 800 percent spike in downloads.

The company says greater Mexico City is its 10th largest market worldwide with 300,000 users, just two years after launching. It also operates in Guadalajara, Monterey, Queretaro and Tijuana, with plans to expand to Puebla.

"Obviously technology is moving forward," Uber spokesman Luis de Uriarte said, "and what the law needs to do is adjust and accommodate all those advances that benefit the people."

Taxi drivers in Rotherham have gone on strike over new regulations requiring them to install CCTV equipment.

The council said it was "disappointed" by the decision.

The new rules come after the Jay report into child sexual exploitation (CSE) in the town, which said taxis had been used by abusers to traffic victims.

The strike action by both private hire and hackney carriage drivers will run from 18:00 BST on Saturday until 06:00 on Sunday.

The town has around 50 hackney carriage taxis and 800 private hire vehicles.

Drivers are concerned about the costs of the rule change and the impact on their personal lives when many also use their vehicles as private cars.

Abdul Tariq, chair of the Rotherham Private Hire Association, said: "Why is the majority being penalised for the actions of a minority?

"We appreciate what has happened and we can't imagine how the victims [of child sexual exploitation] are feeling but that doesn't mean the trade is corrupt."

Commissioner Mary Ney, who is responsible for licensing for Rotherham Council, said: "By making these changes the council is ensuring the protection and safety of the public and rebuilding public confidence in the taxi trade, which currently has a poor reputation.

"The proposals within the new policy are all geared to raising the bar in terms of the standards expected by the public and to ensure the public and particularly young people can feel safe using the service"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-33285373
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NEWBURY

THERE were raucous scenes at a packed council meeting this week as councillors reversed a decision which taxi drivers argued would have increased fares.

In March, West Berkshire Council approved changes to the maximum tariffs that could be set by a driver while using a meter, from a three-tariff system to five-tariff.

Three letters of objection were then sent to the council, together with a petition signed by 46 drivers opposed to the measure, out of a taxi population of 173.

As a result of the objections, the council then had to reconsider the matter at a licensing committee meeting held in Newbury on Tuesday.

At the meeting, council officers said there were a wide range of options available, including setting a different tariff, maintaining the proposal passed in March or, having heard all the arguments, keeping the status quo.

The officers’ new recommendation was to not set a tariff at all and let market forces prevail.

Council officer Brian Leahy said: “This recommendation didn’t come easily. I looked at the problems of enforcement, the problems for the trade, and the problems for the customers.”

Four objectors from a large assembly of drivers from Newbury and Thatcham then argued their case.

Paul Westbrook, of Westbrook Cars, said: “The new tariff will discriminate against the people it is supposed to help. The elderly who can’t go very far and can’t carry their shopping ... will be discouraged from coming into town.

“It will lead to active competition and bad feelings at all times of the day because people will come up and ask ‘what tariff are you using’.

“The driver will be at risk of attack because people will say ‘are you robbing me?’

“It will lead to bad feeling across the trade, and if people don’t understand three tariffs they have no chance of understanding five tariffs.”

One independent taxi driver, Mohammed Hussain, highlighted the dangers of the job, and said: “I work most of the night and I have had so many problems in the last five years.

“I have been attacked, both racially and physically so many times just because of the fare. People get into the cab and they ask about the fare and I try to explain it to them.

“We are really concerned about our safety. If you are going to change the tariff you are going to have to think about our safety.”

The room then burst into spontaneous applause from the assembled drivers.

On debating the issue, Paul Bryant (Con, Speen) said: “I find myself very reluctant to support the new tariff because it’s not supported the way we thought it was.”

He then said to loud applause from the crowd: “I would like to formally propose that we keep the status quo.

“It’s well understood by people and the trade, it’s reasonable, it has been in place for quite some time and I think it’s got the support of what seems to be a fairly large number of the trade.”

The issue went to a vote which was passed unanimously by councillors, to the delight of the taxi drivers present.

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/14922/Taxi-drivers-force-West-Berkshire-Council.html

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Controversial taxi app Uber has held preliminary discussions about launching a Nottingham operation, it can be revealed.

The private hire firm has brought other cities to a standstill after protests against its introduction.

The app works by allowing people to order a cab and with customers able to find out how much their journey will cost and how long their taxi will take to arrive.

But retired cabbie Bryan Doherty, 70, of Bakersfield, said he was concerned about the impact of the app on his former colleagues.

 Azure waters, white sands and elegant dining – a holiday in the Waldorf Astoria in Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah can’t be beaten. And with 30% off, what better time to book than now? T&Cs apply.

Mr Doherty, who was on the roads for 15 years, said: "You've seen protests elsewhere when they've put this Uber on and I don't think anyone who drives taxis for a living is going to be happy with this.

"If they are going to come in and drive the prices down, it's going to do some serious damage to the people who drive taxis for a living.

"The system works well now – hackney cabs for when you want a taxi straight away and private hire for when you book one. Why are they trying to change this?"

But Daniel Harrington, a 22-year-old student from Dunkirk, said he would "love" Uber to start in the city.

He said: "I know people in London who couldn't do without Uber and it would be great for people round here when they are getting taxis.

"It's about time they set up in Nottingham – other big cities are getting it and it's good that we're getting a slice of that too.

"I just hope it isn't too long before it's up and running."

Richard Antcliff, of Nottingham City Council, said: "They have not yet formally applied for an operator's license but did have a preliminary meeting with us.

"We had a number of questions and issues to discuss with them with regards their operation and were pleased with their response.

"Should they apply it is likely that the decision will then rest with the licensing committee."

The app is currently operational in 57 countries worldwide, with Birmingham, Manchester and London already covered.

A spokesman for Uber added: "Uber's ambition is to be in every major city in the UK, this includes Nottingham.

"At this stage we don't have any fixed plans or a timeline, but we believe we can add value to the existing transportation network in the city."

http://www.nottinghampost.com/Controversial-taxi-app-Uber-talks-launch/story-26788648-detail/story.html
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BRIGHTON

Detectives are trying to trace the driver of a car who could provide vital information in the murder of a University of Brighton student.

German national Janet Müller's body was found in a burning car in Ifield on March 13.

Officers launched a murder investigation and days later arrested a man in connection with her death.

But now they need to trace the driver of a car, believed to be a Ford Mondeo taxi, to help them with their investigation.

It is thought the driver may have been approached by Janet on the Kingsway, Hove, near the junction with Medina Villas at 1.12am on March 13.

Detective Chief Inspector Karen Mizzi, who is leading the investigation for the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said: "We urgently need to identify the driver of this car, as they may be able to provide vital information to the investigation.

"We have released images of Janet after she left Millview Hospital of her walking in Portslade - in a subway at 10.33pm on Thursday, March 12; the second in Station Road at 12.28am and the final one walking east towards Brighton and crossing Sackville Gardens near the BP garage at 12.55am.

"This new information places her just a few streets away near to Medina Villas.

"If you are that driver, please get in touch. Equally if you saw her in the area around those times or perhaps a little later, please contact me.

"Even if you think you may have seen her or that your sighting was only brief, please do call as your information could prove very important to us."

Anyone with information is asked to email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101, quoting Operation Madeira

    Christopher Jeffrey-Shaw, 26, of Lakeside, Beckenham, London, has been charged with her murder. He will next appear at Guildford Crown Court on Friday July 3.

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/13357444._/

 Taxi drivers claim they could be forced out of business after they were banned from picking up passengers at the front of Belfast's busiest train station.

In a move that has been branded a shambles, public hire cabs can no longer collect people at the entrance to Central Station.

It follows a clampdown on drivers using the bus lane that passes the front of the busy station. A taxi must encroach the lane to collect a fare - landing its driver with a £90 fine.

The move has angered public hire companies and led to warnings that it could force drivers out of business.

Gerry Maxwell from the Belfast Public Hire Taxi Association said it was a shambles.

"There is nowhere else for our drivers to go - basically, Central Station is now off limits for public hire taxis," he said.

Central Station is Belfast's main railway station. It is the starting point for the cross-border Enterprise rail service connecting Belfast and Dublin and carries thousands of passengers a day.

It is also the arrival point for many visitors to the city.

Now, however, passengers will not be able to access public hire taxis at the front door. Instead, they have to walk to a less obvious pick-up point at Mays Meadows, which is accessed through a side entrance.

Mr Maxwell said the issue was confusing passengers. "The black taxis always parked there because that's where people come to - they don't walk downstairs," he said. "People are arriving from Dublin, or maybe they are coming from abroad via Dublin. They come to the front door, but then they can't hail a public hire taxi."

Value Cabs, which is Translink's "recommended partner", has a free telephone ordering system on the way out of the station.

Mr Maxwell said public hire taxis were at a serious disadvantage. He warned some drivers could go out of business.

"This is the death-knell for the public hire taxis at Central Station," he said.

"It's the only place in the UK where public hire taxis don't have a rank at the bus or train station.

"There is a lot of anger among drivers. For many drivers that is their main source of income."

The issue has been taken up by DUP MLA Lord Morrow, who has submitted a series of questions to Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy.

"It is vitally important that we provide the best transport service," Lord Morrow said.

"In relation to Central Station, we want to make sure that it's as convenient for commuters as possible. The fact that they can't now come out at the front and get a public hire taxi is a step in the wrong direction."

Mr Kennedy said: "The bus lane legislation for East Bridge Street does not permit taxis to enter this bus lane. Therefore, it would be an offence if a taxi entered the bus lane to pick up a passenger."

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/taxi-drivers-enraged-at-pickup-ban-from-outside-belfasts-central-station-31327948.html
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 ALBANY — The so-called Taxi of Tomorrow cleared a major legal roadblock Thursday.

The state's highest court, in a unanimous decision, ruled the Taxi & Limousine Commission did not overstep its authority in 2012 when it ordered medallion owners to use Nissan's specially designed cab.

"The City Council granted the TLC extremely broad authority to enact rules, including the ToT rules," Court of Appeals Judge Leslie Stein wrote in the decision.

Stein's decision delivered a stinging defeat to the Greater New York Taxi Association, which had argued that the TLC did not have the power to compel medallion owners to purchase the Nissan.

A lawyer for the association did not immediately return a call for comment.

The "Taxi of Tomorrow" was a major initiative of former Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration.

The TLC, after a design competition, selected the Nissan NV200 and in 2012 issued ruled requiring medallion owners to purchase the Nissan NV200 for their fleets.

The tall, boxy cabs debuted in 2013 and include many rider-friendly features like iPhone charging ports, large windows and a see-through roof.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-high-court-nissan-taxi-tomorrow-requirement-article-1.2270986
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Two police officers based in Westminster licensing unit have been arrested this morning in connection with an anti-corruption investigation.

The PC and sergeant were held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office following claims of corrupt practices between licensing officers and local business owners.

Two men, both aged 48, were also arrested at addresses in Camden and Slough.

All are being questioned by detectives from the Met’s anti-corruption command.

A total of nine residential, business and police premises were raided by officers and searches of them all are ongoing.

DCI Tom Whorwood, investigating officer, said: “These arrests are part of a long running intelligence operation, led by our anti-corruption command.

“It was started in response to allegations of corruption by Westminster Licensing Officers and inappropriate relationships between the police officers and people running local businesses.

“At this stage it would be inappropriate to comment further on the specific intelligence that we have investigated.”

http://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/crime-court/police_officers_from_westminster_licensing_unit_among_four_arrested_in_corruption_probe_1_4125021

LONDON

Major change to taxi fare payments 

We have launched a consultation and, if endorsed, could see contactless payments and other card payment methods accepted across the taxi trade.

Currently only around half of taxi drivers take card payments. The scheme has the backing of the Deputy Mayor for Transport, senior taxi trade representatives and card providers and, subject to the outcome, all parties have agreed to work together to find a payment solution that will work for both drivers and customers.

The current contactless card payment limit is £20, but this will increase to £30 in September 2015 - which would allow passengers to pay for most journeys, with the average taxi fare being £19.50.

The consultation is another step in our continuing efforts, together with trade representatives, to develop the industry and ensure that taxis remain an essential part of life for people living in, working in or visiting London.

Have your say at consultations.tfl.gov.uk/taxis/card-payment by Friday 24 July.
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ROSSENDALE

Cabbies strike threat 'off the table' after decision over taxi licensing rules delayed

Council bosses have delayed a decision over changes to taxi licencing rules.

The decision to extend a consultation over a new taxi licencing policy was made after cabbies threatened strike action and picketed the council offices at Futures Park in Bacup.

Drivers fear that Rossendale council’s revised licensing policy ‘will impact on jobs’ if introduced.

David Lawrie, Rossendale Taxi Association chairman, has welcomed the council’s decision to extend the consultation period. He said: “Since the protest we have been having full and frank discussions with the council and they have left us feeling very positive. We have been pointing out the problems with the current draft policy and they have been listening.

David did however add that if an acceptable compromise was not reached ‘strike action would be back on the table’.

Council leader Alyson Barnes said: “It was a really positive meeting. I am very clear that we as a Council need to we listen to concerns and issues in a positive fashion and see how we can address them.

“We do need to revise our current policies but we have agreed to extend the consultation to give everyone more time to have their say.”


http://www.rossendalefreepress.co.uk/news/local-news/cabbies-strike-threat-off-table-9516118

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ROSSENDALE AGAIN

A taxi driver has been found guilty of a sex attack a teenager from Rossendale.

Azhar Ikhlaq had denied two counts of sexual touching during a journey to Rawtenstall in 2013.

However a jury at Burnley Crown Count found the 38-year-old guilty on both counts following a two-day trial.

He has now been bailed to attend the court on August 3 for sentence. Burnley Crown Court heard Ikhlaq ‘groped’ the victim who was ‘very drunk’ before later being ‘strong and forceful’ in getting him to reciprocate.

Timothy Storrie, prosecuting, said Ikhlaq was responsible for ‘acts of sexual misconduct against a young man’.

He told the court how the teenager was ‘drunk’ at the time but he still knew what Ikhlaq ‘was about’.

He said: “He took a cab at that time to Rawtenstall. The driver who offered him the lift was the defendant.

“During the journey events took an unexpected turn when he began to make a series of unwelcome and surprising sexual overtures towards his passenger.

“He was ‘coming on’ to him. As the drive continued he attempted to engage him in conversations, the nature of which were explicitly sexual and [the teenager] didn’t want any part of such conversations with a stranger he met in a cab.

“But this didn’t prevent the defendant from going further.”

Mr Storrie told the jury that during the journey Ikhlaq ‘reached over and groped him’ and then made the teenager do the same to him.

He said that by the time they got to Rawtenstall [the teenager] devised an excuse to get out.

“He was distressed immediately.”

Mr Storrie told the jury that the teenager later told police how Ikhlaq’s ‘command of English was sufficient to allow him to have a conversation about his topics of choice on the journey’.

The court heard how, following an investigation by police, Mr Ikhlaq, of Albert Street, Burnley, confirmed he was the driver and the teenager was his passenger, but ‘suggested nothing of the sort had occurred’.

Mr Storrie said he told police the teenager was ‘very drunk’ and Ikhlaq ‘denied being able to speak to him in English’. Mr Storrie told the jury there were ‘two diverging accounts of the same journey’.

He said: “[The teenager] said it was an alarming incident. The defendant said nothing happened at all.”

http://www.rossendalefreepress.co.uk/news/taxi-driver-found-guilty-sexually-9514198

Livery-cab passengers hailing rides through smartphone apps in New York City will get estimated fares for so-called surge pricing and itemized receipts, under rules passed Monday by the Taxi and Limousine Commission as it tries to keep pace with rapid changes in technology.

The rules package also requires that drivers’ ride-hailing apps be locked while the vehicles are in motion, to prevent drivers from becoming distracted when summoned for new fares. But one-touch or voice-activated acceptance of fares will be allowed.

The rules were meant to address the growing presence of ride-hailing apps, especially Uber, which has clashed with regulators in cities and countries around the world and fiercely protested the commission’s new rules when they were proposed this year.

The company was particularly worried about a rule that could have been read to mean that it had to seek the commission’s approval for any software changes, which Uber said could stifle innovation. Though the commission said that was not its intent, it modified the proposal to say it required notification of software updates, not approval.

The chairwoman, Meera Joshi, said the commission’s goal was to make the rules “tech agnostic,” so they could be relevant throughout technological advances.

“Our point is not to go after one particular technology,” Ms. Joshi said. “It’s to provide baseline consumer protection and driver safety requirements that are in place regardless of what the latest and greatest technology being used in the cars is.”

The new rules, which will go into effect in 30 days, require companies to report any data breaches to the commission. The companies must also inform customers of their right to complain to the commission, which can suspend or revoke a livery driver’s license.

The rule change most apparent to passengers, however, was the one regarding surge pricing, which is the companies’ practice of charging more for rides during times of high demand. Passengers will have to be given fair estimates of how much they are about to spend on rides.

Both Uber and Lyft, another ride-hailing app, applauded the commission for modifying its proposal. “A big part of the rules were just codifying what we were already doing,” said Josh Mohrer, Uber N.Y.C.’s general manager.

But Michael Woloz, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade, which represents taxi medallion owners, who have felt pressure from the growth of Uber, said requiring approval of software updates was “a perfectly reasonable thing for a regulatory agency to ask for.”

“Uber threw a giant temper tantrum like the spoiled child they are,” Mr. Woloz said. “At the end of the day, they’re still going to be regulated the way New York City wants to regulate them, not the way they want to regulate themselves.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/23/nyregion/new-york-taxi-agency-passes-rules-on-price-estimates-for-ride-hailing-apps.html?_r=1
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Taxi customers in Stockton were left utterly confused by a sign saying the rank was moving to a nonexistent street - on a nonexistent date!

The yellow works sign at the southern end of Stockton High Street said: “Taxi rank relocated to Bridge Street, Thursday 21st June, 1400-1600.”

One bemused cabbie emailed the Gazette today saying: “Asked where is Bridge St.? Sorry says the taxi driver there isn’t one, but don’t worry the 21st does not fall on a Thursday until 2018.

“That will give our council time to build one.”

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/stockton-taxi-customers-confused-sign-9512452

Uber's headquarters in San Francisco was the scene of a commotion on Monday. As police escorted dozens of US mayors into the ride-hailing service's luxury offices for a tour, tens of protesters shouted "shame" at the lawmakers. Meanwhile, a line of taxis slowly drove by honking their horns in support of the protesters.

The mayors were in San Francisco for the four-day US Conference of Mayors, which brought together nearly 300 mayors to discuss local policies and politics. The protesters were mostly members the San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance, a local cabbie union, who were there to demand ride-hailing companies be regulated the same way as taxis.

"We are trying to make our voices heard by the mayors," said Chakib Ayadi, a SFTWA board member who helped organize the protest. "I just want [ride-hailing companies] to be regulated and on the same playing field as us. I'd be very happy to compete with them that way."

Taxi drivers have long had beef with Uber dipping into their customer base. Over the past couple of years, cabbie protests have erupted in major cities across the world -- from London to New York to Mexico City. Taxi drivers say that not only are ride-hailing companies stealing their business, but the companies also don't play by the same rules with the driver insurance and background checks they require.

Uber is a service that lets passengers in need of a ride hail a driver with a smartphone app. Since the company was founded in 2009, it's gone from operating just in San Francisco to being in hundreds of cities in 57 countries. It's also become the second-highest valued venture-backed company in the world with a valuation of $41.2 billion.

http://www.cnet.com/news/taxi-drivers-demand-us-mayors-regulate-uber/
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NEWCASTLE

A taxi driver drove his car at a frustrated passenger who slammed the door and kicked his cab when told it was booked by somebody else.

Abdul Aziz, described as a model taxi driver, turned the customer away, telling him he couldn’t take the fare as he was booked.

A court heard the man became angry and slammed the cab door and is said to have kicked the vehicle before walking away.

Aziz then saw red, mounting the pavement in South Tyneside and driving towards the man, coming so close he stumbled forwards onto the bonnet.

Now Aziz, 44, has been given a community order and unpaid work after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Newcastle Crown Court.

The victim did not want to take part in the prosecution but the incident was caught on CCTV in Smithy Street, South Shields, in the early hours of February 1.

Aziz, who had been a taxi driver for eight years, drove off afterwards but was arrested when CCTV operators reported what they had seen.

Sentencing him, Recorder Duncan Smith told Aziz: “Testimonials reveal to me you were the model taxi driver.

“It is a great sadness to see someone of that character riled so sufficiently to change character and use his vehicle as a weapon to scare someone.

“I feel for people in your situation, having to tolerate abuse from people, no doubt who let drink get the better of them and become abusive, either personally or racially or both.

“It is a sad reflection of our society.”

Aziz, of Pentworth Close, South Shields, was sentenced to a community order for 12 months with 150 hours unpaid work, £200 costs, and a 12 month driving ban with an extended test requirement.

Vic Laffey, defending, said racial slurs and other taunts had become the norm for the taxi driver, who would always just ignore it.

Mr Laffey added: “This night, there was an exchange inside the car, then the man got out, slammed the door and kicked the vehicle.

“It was heat of the moment. He acted in a manner he has never acted. He deeply regrets it.”

Mr Laffey said Aziz’s behaviour is likely to have cost him his career as a taxi driver.

He said: “The chances of him ever getting a licence to drive a taxi again will be remote, if not nil.”

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/south-shields-cabbie-drove-man-9507131

France's Taxi Unions Threaten Huge Strike Unless Uber Crackdown Happens

Uber is bracing for a political storm in France that adds to the turmoil it already faces across Europe.

The country’s taxi unions have called for a nationwide, unlimited strike starting June 25, demanding that the French government crack down on the app-based ride service’s use of unlicensed chauffeurs. The San Francisco-based company’s UberPop application is already opposed by the government.

Companies like Uber “continue to sell applications that promote undeclared labor,” the unions said in a statement, adding that they “support all targeted actions, organized from this day on against Uber.”

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve on Wednesday asked the country’s police and the tax fraud office to step up monitoring UberPop chauffeurs. The special police unit, dubbed “Les Boers,” has already made 420 legal filings against what they say are clandestine taxis using UberPop and similar services, Cazeneuve said.

The latest twist in France further complicates Uber’s operations, which have faced issues in practically every European country where it is present, including Portugal, Belgium and Germany. It is also being challenged at home with California’s labor commissioner saying on Wednesday that drivers connecting with clients through its app must be considered as employees, with a minimum wage, mileage compensation and social security.

The decision strikes at the heart of Uber’s business model. Investors last year valued the startup at $40 billion, partly based on its growth prospects worldwide. Uber, like other “sharing economy” startups, has built a business around a flexible car fleet piloted by people it contends are independent contractors.

French Woes

In Europe, obstacles range from slow adoption and protesting taxi drivers to outright bans. In France, the company says it has signed up a million users — including 250,000 for UberPop — in just over three years.

Police in the cities of Strasbourg, Marseille and Nantes have prohibited Uber’s Pop service. In Lyon, Uberpop was banned on Thursday after taxis planned similar actions, newspapers said.

Uber spokesman in France, Thomas Meister, said the French interior ministry’s attitude “is leading to a strong increase in the acts of violence everywhere in France, perpetrated by a small minority of taxi drivers, who’ve decided to take law into their own hands.” Uber is offering legal support to drivers in trouble, he said.

The company’s drivers have been threatened with violence.

After Marseille and Nice in recent days, taxi drivers chased Uber drivers in Strasbourg and Lille on Thursday, according to media reports. In Strasbourg, at least one driver was ambushed by taxis who threw flour at him and let down his tires. In Lille, taxis captured an Uber driver and took him to the police, La Voix du Nord reported.

Court Decision

French police in January started handing out fines to Uber drivers, enforcing a law voted in October that bans practices including some used by UberPop, such as cruising in search of clients. Uber has said the rule leaves room for interpretation. Police officers raided Uber’s Paris office earlier in March.

A Paris judge who studied the taxi law ruled in December not to block the service. The ruling was appealed by taxi drivers and a new court decision is expected in September.

The company has scrapped with regulators from Houston to Berlin on issues from whether Uber is required to follow existing taxi laws to how it handles rider data and even whether its cars can pick riders up at airports.

Drivers in Brussels risk having their cars confiscated after the city’s police tribunal last month ruled they offer a taxi service and should abide by the same rules as cabbies. Germany has probably had the toughest stance. A German court banned commercial transportation services without a license. Uber’s UberPop discount service was the main target.

http://skift.com/2015/06/20/frances-taxi-unions-threaten-huge-strike-unless-uber-crackdown-happens/
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GRIMSBY

Taxi drivers to undergo training to spot child sex exploitation

LOCAL cabbies are set to be given training to help spot and report child sexual exploitation.

North East Lincolnshire Council officers have drawn up plans for all licensed hackney carriage and private hire trader drivers to be required to undertake the instruction and to display approved information about the campaign in their vehicles.

The Say Something If You See Something campaign would require cabbies to provide evidence that they have attended a briefing as soon as possible.

Council officers said a similar scheme had successfully been developed and delivered in Sheffield and provides advice, support and training to a number of industries.

A briefing note relating to the campaign stated: "The message is clear. If you see something that you are not happy with report it, and with training, here is how you do it."

Alongside the campaign runs a police authorised trigger plan, providing support to police call-takers in relation to what action is needed, when and by which officer.

All 628 existing holders of private hire and hackney carriage drivers' licences have passed a knowledge test, which examines their geographical knowledge of the area and have obtained a BTEC level 2 qualifications relating to their trade. They will now be required to complete the new course to retain their licence. New applicants will also be required to undertake the training.

Council papers said: "Due to the nature of their work, hackney carriage and private hire drivers have the potential to observe the signs of child sex exploitation (CSE) in a wide range of individuals.

"All drivers licensed by North East Lincolnshire Council currently have to achieve a specific BTEC level 2 qualification, which includes a general safeguarding module.

"However, to make best use of this potential, a plan has been developed to provide briefing sessions specifically related to CSE to all existing drivers licensed by North East Lincolnshire Council."

The council's Safeguarding Children's Board would organise a number of two-hour sessions free of charge in July and August under the new proposals.

It is proposed that all existing licensed drivers attend one of the sessions by September 30.

And from October, all taxi drivers will have to provide certified evidence that they have attended a session in order to renew their licence.

Portfolio holder for Safer and Stronger Communities, Councillor Hazel Chase said: "Our taxi drivers are in a unique position in that they travel around North East Lincolnshire daily.


"They could see something that makes them feel uneasy, that might be a child in the wrong company or a vulnerable adult, and this training is designed to make sure that taxi drivers know how to report anything which causes them concern.

"Safeguarding is everyone's business and this piece of work is part of a much wider CSE Strategy and awareness campaign which will be launched officially next month."

The council's Licensing And Community Protection Committee will decide upon the proposal at its next meeting on Wednesday, June 24.

http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Taxi-drivers-undergo-training-spot-child-sex/story-26729302-detail/story.html
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A TAXI driver from Walsall who unlawfully plied for trade in a private hire vehicle while he was uninsured has been ordered to pay out more than £1,700.

Naveed Mohammed, of Derby Street, Walsall was caught out in Walsall Street, Willenhall by Walsall Council's licensing enforcement team.

The 24-year-old was found to have no insurance and was not wearing an ID badge when he was caught during a spot check on October 31 last year.

Legal proceedings were taken against Mr Mohammed and he was fined £300 for the offence of plying for hire during a hearing at Walsall Magistrates' Court.

He was also fined a further £300 for the offence of using a vehicle without insurance and ordered to pay £1,089.02 costs, along with a victim surcharge of £30.

Councillor Adrian Andrew, portfolio holder for economy, infrastructure and development at Walsall Council, said: "We need to maintain public confidence in the safety of the private hire and hackney carriage trades in the borough.

"Drivers are responsible for making sure they comply with the requirements of their licence. As in this case, carrying out illegal journeys often invalidates their insurance.

"Officers will always give advice to drivers to help them understand the rules but when they flout them as in this case, then we will have no hesitation in taking them to court."

http://www.walsalladvertiser.co.uk/Uninsured-Walsall-taxi-driver-ordered-pay-1-700/story-26729263-detail/story.html#ixzz3dg1ILJ61
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ILFRACOMBE

Taxi driver left without job following knuckle duster discovery

A FORMER taxi driver has been left without an income after police discovered a knuckle duster in his vehicle, a court has heard.

Pauls Marks, of Littlefield Close, Barnstaple, was approached by officers in Ilfracombe during the evening of May 3 after parking on the zig zagged lines of a pedestrian crossing.

Lyndsey Baker, for the prosecution, said that after officers asked the 27-year-old to move his taxi, they became concerned after smelling cannabis and so decided to carry out a search of his vehicle.

"He admitted to smoking cannabis about 20 minutes before going out in the car," Mrs Baker said. "Officers found a knuckle duster in the driver's side door compartment as well as a small bag of cannabis.

"He told officers he found the knuckle duster in the back of the cab a few weeks before and had placed it in the door and forgotten about it."

Mrs Baker added that despite the discovery there was no indication that Marks intended to use the weapon.

Lawrence Overend, for the defence, told the court that the offence relating to the knuckle duster "seems to have occurred against a rather unfortunate twist of fate".

He said: "What he should have done was taken steps to dispose or hand in the item, but probably without giving it any degree of thought at all he just put it in the door compartment."

Mr Overend added that as a result of the discovery Marks had already been significantly punished as he had decided not to renew his taxi drivers' licence.

Marks pleaded guilty to possessing 3.08g of cannabis and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

He was ordered to carry out 80 hours' unpaid work and fined £70. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £60 and a criminal courts charge of £180.

http://www.northdevonjournal.co.uk/Taxi-driver-left-job-following-knuckle-duster/story-26734411-detail/story.html

Early Day Motion N0 142