A COMPANY which acts as a ‘digital handshake’ between taxi drivers and passengers is starting to recruit drivers in Portsmouth.

But private taxi operators are outraged by the move as the firm only works with Hackney carriage drivers licensed by Portsmouth City Council.
The news follows the council giving rival firm Uber the green light to operate in the city.

Gett chief executive Remo Gerber said he was delighted about the expansion.

He said: ‘We’ve been in London for four years and it’s been fantastic to see how we have connected passengers to drivers.

‘After the successful launch across six UK cities including Manchester and Edinburgh where we have had an amazing response both from consumers and drivers, we have now decided to expand even further across the country.’

If a passenger orders a taxi via the Gett app on their mobile phones, the company takes a 10 per cent fee on the ride.

Private taxi driver Stuart Youldon, 46, of Horndean, said the app created an unfair playing field. He said: ‘I think it’s wrong. Hackney cabs shouldn’t be allowed to get people from phones.

‘As private hire we’re not allowed to pick them up so its unfair on us.’

Another private taxi driver, Tony Hannack, 63, of Hilsea, also said the system was unfair.

He said: ‘We’ve got far too many cars already. We have more taxis in this town than ships. The council let them all in but all they want is to get money.’

Taxi driver Viv Young, 60, of Swanwick, said there was already too much competition without more taxi services coming in.

He said: ‘There’s not enough work for the amount of taxi companies. There’s too many cars and the council should put a cap on it. More cars doesn’t mean a better service as the better drivers get less business.’

Gett head of growth Chris Lamontagne said the app worked like a ‘digital handshake’ between user and driver.

He said: ‘Our idea is that travel needs to be seamless between cities. One of my biggest frustrations with technology is when it sits in geographical silos, and Gett provides a solution to that.’

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/travel/gett-taxi-app-firm-seeks-drivers-in-portsmouth-1-6784881
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I man is suing a taxi motorcycle rider in Shanghai after he broke his penis by falling off the back of the bike - which watching pornography on his phone.

The man had been on the back of the motorcycle in Shanghai with another customer and the driver in front of him when they went over a speed bump.

He had been watching pornography on his phone at the time and was unable to keep balance so fell off the back of the vehicle.
And when he fell, it's believed that he damaged the tissue around his penis and has suffered erectile dysfunction, reports The Shanghiist.

He is now trying to sue the driver for $65,000 (£42,000), according to a TOMO News report, above.

The man, identified by his surname, Yu, was taking a ride with another passenger when he pulled out his phone to keep himself entertained. 

It's believed he was watching an adult movie at the time of the fall which is why he couldn't brace himself. 

Initially he told doctors that his penis was broken but they re-assured him by explaining there were no bones in his anatomy, reports TOMO News.

But severe impact can crush the tissue in the penis, which is what Yu suffered. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3118857/Man-breaks-penis-falling-Chinese-taxi-motorbike-watching-pornography-phone-sat-driver-passenger.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
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BRISTOL

The technology is in place and 30,000 Bristol customers have downloaded the Uber app to get quick, cashless and cheap taxis.

But following the company's launch in the city, there seems to be one big problem – not enough cars.

Uber came to Bristol on Friday and it was hailed as the global company 'getting serious in the UK'.

But already people have taken to Twitter, frustrated with the lack of drivers picking up in the city.

Jonny McCormick wrote: "Uber in Bristol needs wayyy more drivers stat."

Nigel Groom posted a picture of the company's website stating 'no cars available' and added: "C'mon @Uber Bristol!!! First ride was fine, but this is getting a joke now."

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Uber-hit-Bristol-customers-taxis-proving-harder/story-26664517-detail/story.html#ixzz3cguE4xzz

A FORMER Redruth taxi driver has had licences for two of his vehicles revoked after authorities discovered them working in Birmingham as private hire cars.

Cornwall Council's Miscellaneous Licensing Committee has cancelled two Hackney Carriage Licences held by Nadeem Ahmed for breach of the Council's hackney carriage licence conditions.

At a meeting in May the Committee heard that earlier that month Cornwall Council's Licensing Compliance team were notified by licensing enforcement for Birmingham City Council that two hackney carriages licensed with Cornwall Council were operating in the city.

Bob Mears, senior licensing compliance officer with Cornwall Council said: "We found that two Fiat Scudos which were licensed to operate within the Kerrier zone in Cornwall and the proprietor was Mr Nadeem Ahmed.

"We then confirmed with a private hire company in Birmingham that the vehicles had been operating for them."

 http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Redruth-taxi-driver-license-revoked/story-26662421-detail/story.html#ixzz3caLi7hHN 
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Dilruba Ramzan sentenced to four years after sexually assaulting passenger who wanted to be taken home after a night out in Leamington

A taxi driver is starting a four year jail sentence for sexually abusing a female passenger as he was taking her home after a night out.

Dilruba Ramzan, 41, of Haddon Road, Lillington, Leamington, already had a caution for soliciting in his taxi.

He was jailed after a jury at Warwick Crown Court had found him guilty of sexually assaulting the young woman.
Sentencing Ramzan, who the court heard continues to protest his innocence, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano also ordered him to register as a sex offender for life.

His victim had told the court that in January last year, after finishing work at around midnight, she and some of her colleagues had gone to a bar in Leamington town centre.

When the bar closed, she got a taxi outside for her and a friend who was drunk.

The driver, Ramzan, first took them to Leamington railway station and then to her friend’s home.

She told the jury she followed her friend inside, but left some time later and was again picked up by Ramzan – but thought the route he was taking to her home was unfamiliar.

He pulled up in an area which was later identified as near the junction of Gresham Road and Valley Road in Lillington.

She said it was then that he sexually assaulted her.

John Edwards, defending, put to her: “What I suggest is that as far as any sexual contact is concerned with the taxi driver, you not he instigated it.” She replied: “Absolutely not.”

Following an adjournment for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on Ramzan, the court heard that in an impact statement his victim ‘says she feels this man has ruined her life’ and has been in a state of shock since the incident.

Mr Edwards said there were a number of references for Ramzan, a family man who has lost the job he held dear after 23 years.

But the judge pointed out that many of them were from people who think he is not guilty and wrongly believe him to be the victim of a miscarriage of justice.

Mr Edwards conceded: “There is scant mitigation after a trial. Young women have a right to travel unmolested in a taxi. I have told him there can only be one sentence.”

Jailing Ramzan, Judge de Bertodano told him: “In January last year, while you were working as a minicab driver, you sexually assaulted a female passenger in your taxi.

“It is perfectly clear when she delivered her friend back to her friend’s house you stayed waiting outside for over half an hour so you could be sure to be the one taking her back home alone.

“When this happened as a result of your planning, you stopped in a layby and activated the central locking and sexually abused her.

“You were arrested and you lied about what happened, your lies being tailored as each new piece of evidence emerged.

“Women have a right to expect they can trust taxi drivers not to use their position in this way. It was a form of abduction, taking her to a layby and locking the doors.

“You are still in complete denial of what happened, and you still blame her for putting you in this position; but I have no doubt whatsoever that the jury reached the right verdict.

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/local-news/taxi-driver-jailed-sexually-abusing-9420504
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Uber import some new 'Night Driver's'

Squeezed into a taxi with several other migrants – some of whom are in the boot – two Sudanese migrants rescued by the Royal Navy yesterday headed for Britain.

Less than 24 hours after stepping off HMS Bulwark, and after only the most basic of security checks, they simply strolled out of an Italian refugee camp.

Hamad Said and his friend Abdul Fatah, both 26, were among 1,100 rescued migrants who received food and water aboard the British assault ship before being taken to the Sicilian port of Catania on Monday.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3117496/Next-stop-Britain-Med-migrants-hopped-taxi-Saved-Navy-clothed-fed-Sudanese-men-stroll-camp-leg-journey-here.html#ixzz3cdRXMYv4 
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A Request from our London Colleagues.

London Taxi Drivers Forum admin@londontaxiforum.co.uk.proboards.com via prbrds.com	01:16 (5 hours ago)
to me

Ladies & Gentlemen, fellow Taxi drivers,

After the recent Windsor House demonstration a small number of taxi drivers started receiving letters from a character called Andrea Shaw at Transport for London with regards to displaying 'Illegal Signage' in their vehicles during the demo.

The 'Illegal Signage' in question was a 'Totally Failing London' sign, which I might stress DID NOT contain the copywritten TfL logo.

The drivers singled out have been told that they have 14 days to send in a photo of their vehicle with the offending material removed or face the full wrath of TfL's mighty legal department.

Make no mistake about it... This is nothing but victimisation and intimidation of good honest hardworking taxi drivers who are giving up their time to fight for their jobs.

Some of you might have seen their officers dressed up to the nines hanging around Palace Street area writing down driver's details.

Utterly despicable by TfL's senior management, though not suprising after they used the same dirty tactics to try and intimidate us during the Olympic demos. Back then 5 drivers were singled out at Parliament Sq and summonsed to answer the heinous charge of stepping outside of their taxis on a blistering hot day in the middle of a demonstration that hadn't moved an inch in hours.

I'm pleased to say my trade org, the UCG, told TfL to go and do one and that was the last we heard of it. I was reliably informed that Surface Transport Manager Leon Daniels was the person responsible for those letters, and i'm led to believe his intention was to make the Parly Sq 5 sit on the Palestra naughty step all day and then tell them to clear off.

What a despicable way to treat us, and shows the utter contempt this man holds us in. I don't doubt that Mr Daniels will be a happy man when we are gone!

And that's where this email campaign begins... This was a tactic we used effectively a few years ago, and one that John Mason certainly hated. It did however change his position of ignoring us to one of which he was forced to respond to us every time. Believe me this will give them loads of grief!

If TfL want to start intimidating and victimising us for trying to save our jobs then fine... Let them crack on!

But we can play their games too, and a few of our own!

Please copy & paste the notice at the bottom into your email and send it to the 4 email addresses below.

Send it as many times as you can and get all your friends and family to do it, and if their email system crashes under the strain then what a shame that would be!

If we all stand together on this they will think twice about victimising us again, so please take a few minutes to send this, and play your part in the fightback!

Also, if anyone has any other great ways to retaliate to TfL then please feel free to email me. We've also got a few of our own wink wink!

Remember... Its not illegal to demonstrate... It's your right to complain... And its certainly not against the law to send emails.

Fire away chaps!



PLEASE SEND THIS EMAIL TO...


andreashaw@tfl.gov.uk


PLEASE CC COPY THESE 3 INTO IT TOO...

peterhendy@tfl.gov.uk

LeonDaniels@tfl.gov.uk

garrettemmerson@tfl.gov.uk


PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FOLLOWING TEXT INTO THE BODY OF YOUR EMAIL....


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Dear Sir/Madam

I am sending you this email to register my disgust at the way you and your organisation have, and continue to treat London's taxi drivers whilst they are fighting to save their jobs. A job that you 'Transport for London' are destroying with your catastrophic decisions towards our industry.

The letters recently sent out to taxi drivers for displaying illegal signage on the Windsor House demonstration were petty, and show nothing but the utter contempt with which you hold us in.

I would like to remind you that the London Taxi trade has been in existence for over 360 years and if you think you can eradicate us on a whim you are sadly mistaken!

'WE' are the "Gold Standard"... Not Transport for London!

If you continue to victimise London taxi drivers whilst they are demonstrating, as you also did during the Olympic demonstrations, then I will continue to send you emails of complaint!

Yours Sincerely

A Disgruntled Taxi driver!

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Its that simple. If anyone needs any help with this then please feel free to ask.

ok...Let's see how they like it?

Cheers Dizzy.

disgruntled@sky.com   @DizzyCab

Ban on Denbighshire taxi drivers wearing shorts could be withdrawn at meeting

A controversial ban on the wearing of shorts by taxi drivers in Denbighshire is to be reconsidered.

In March the county council introduced a dress code aimed at projecting “a more professional image” among the county’s 400 licensed taxi drivers, 70 of whom work in Rhyl.

The ban on the wearing of shorts came into force on May 1 but drivers have raised a petition containing 500 signatures protesting against the move. They say that shorts are practical in hot weather and that they can be just as smart as full-length trousers.

In response to the petition the matter has been placed on the agenda for next week’s (June 10) meeting of the licensing committee .

In his report Emlyn Jones, the authority’s public protection manager, points out that all six drivers who attended a workshop as part of a consultation exercise prior to the police being introduced had been in favour of the ban.

But he says that members may now wish to reconsider the matter, with the options being to stick to the ban, to allow tailored shorts to the knee, to allow tailored shorts to the knee but to be more prescriptive by, for example, not allowing denim or sports shorts, or to have further consultation with the drivers.

http://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/148853/ban-on-denbighshire-taxi-drivers-wearing-shorts-could-be-withdrawn-at-meeting.aspx
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DURHAM

Drivers and passengers to be consulted about changing taxi rules

TAXI drivers and passengers are being asked their opinions on potential changes to licensing rules.

Durham County Council is holding a 12-week consultation as part of a review of its Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.

The consultation, which ends on August 26, will ask opinions on a range of potential changes to rules on roof-top signs, more stringent safeguarding measures, vehicle age and emission standards and numeracy and literacy tests for drivers.

Joanne Waller, the council’s head of environment, health and consumer protection, said: “Our current policy was introduced in 2011 and is now due for review.

“This review will make sure the policy continues to support both the taxi trade and passengers in the county.

“We would encourage anyone with an interest to have their say on the proposals.” 

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/13318958.Drivers_and_passengers_to_be_consulted_about_changing_taxi_rules/?ref=rss
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Taxi passengers in South Tyneside could soon be facing a fare hike of 3%, it has been revealed.

The borough council has received a request from the borough’s Hackney Carriage Association to increase its scale of charges.
If agreed, it would mean that on Tariff One, for journeys taken between 7am and 10pm, the cost of the 
first two miles of a passenger’s journey would rise by 20p from £5 to £5.20, with the cost of a five-mile journey increasing by 40p to £10.80.

 When compared to the cost of taxi journeys in neighbouring authorities, the proposed hike would still put charges behind the highest charging area – Newcastle – where the first two miles cost £5.60.

But it would be costlier to travel in South compared to North Tyneside, where comparable charges are at £3.20 for one mile and £10.60 for five miles.

The council’s Licensing and Regulatory Committee is to be asked to endorse or reject the changes when it meets on Friday.

Taxi driver David Gill, who has worked in the trade for three decades, believes the proposed increase “doesn’t go far enough”.

He said: “It costs me £40 a day and £200 a week to keep my cab on the road because of the licensing, and the fuel 
and the repairs are horrendous.

“We are not making any money.

“Last week I did six jobs and five of them made £20, an average of £4 each.

“Three per cent is not enough, I think we are miles behind.”

A report to the committee says: “Whilst the council is entitled to fix the table of fares, it has been customary for many years in South Tyneside and in neighbouring areas for the Hackney Carriage trade itself to request a variation on the basis that the charge for their service is principally a commercial consideration.

“The council, of course, must also consider the likely effect any increase may have on the travelling public.” 

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/business/a-fair-fare-taxi-prices-set-to-rise-in-south-tyneside-1-7297977
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NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Hundreds of taxi-drivers working for Uber and other online cab-hailing companies protested in Delhi on Monday, saying the government's latest crackdown on their business had disrupted operations.

With the Delhi government determined to step up pressure on the companies after they defied a state-wide ban for six months, police officers have been using the taxi-hailing apps to book vehicles and impound them as they arrive.

"The police are treating us like terrorists," said Sakil Ahmad Khan, 42, whose car was impounded last week. Without a job, he said, he did not know how he would repay a 500,000-rupee loan he had taken on his car.

The taxi companies were banned in December, after a driver contracted with Uber was charged with raping a woman passenger in a case that sparked national uproar and highlighted the absence of screening of drivers by the U.S.-based company.

Uber resumed operations in January even though the ban remained in place.

Police have impounded more than 600 cars belonging to their drivers since the Delhi government last week rejected licence applications from the taxi-hailing companies, saying they had not complied with the ban.

The taxi companies must comply with the law, said Muktesh Chander, Delhi's special commissioner of police.

"They are arrogant and don't want to run by the law," he added. "If they think the law is unreasonable, they can challenge the law."

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/delhi-uber-drivers-protest-government-121203528.html
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A STONE cabbie is more than £1,200 out of pocket after being caught illegally plying for hire.

K Cabs driver Philip Lockley was caught during a joint operation run by Staffordshire Police and Stafford Borough Council.

Cannock magistrates heard on Wednesday that Lockley, 58, of Newcastle Road, Stone, agreed to take undercover police and borough council officers to the Darlaston Inn in Stone. He was also convicted of not having insurance.

The officers were in Station Road, Stone when they asked the driver of a vehicle displaying the K Cabs logo to take them to the pub. They were told it would be a £5 fare.

http://www.staffordshirenewsletter.co.uk/Stone-taxi-driver-pays-hefty-fare-illegally/story-26657258-detail/story.html
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A Southport man denied carrying out a sex attack on a woman who thought his car was a taxi.

Ian Grassick, 59, of Staveley Road, is accused of sexually assaulting a 30-year-old woman after she got in the back of a vehicle she thought was a cab.

The woman and her friend got into the car after leaving the Fox and Goose pub on Cable Street in the resort at about 2.05am on Wednesday, February 4.

She was allegedly assaulted after the friend had been dropped off at her home.

Grassick appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today, where he pleaded not guilty to sexual assault. A two-day trial was fixed for July 20.

Grassick was released on conditional bail, not to approach his alleged victim and to abide by the terms of a curfew.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/southport-man-appears-court-accused-9410715

A TWISTED rapist who fled Glasgow may be on the run in Turkey, the Evening Times can reveal.
Rezgar Zengana brutally raped a 25-year-old woman on a night out in the city centre by posing as a taxi driver.

Today - exactly seven years since he went on the run - we can reveal he may be hiding out in a Turkish bolthole.

Rather than face sentence after being convicted of rape in June, 2008, Zengana fled the country.

The sexual predator - who has as many as four aliases - was ordered to return to court for sentencing the following month, but he then vanished.

Senior detectives fear the 32-year-old may have fled to Turkey, which has become a popular haven for criminals looking to keep out of the reach of the law.

Police said in 2011 that they feared he had gone to the Netherlands, but now, the net has been widened to Turkey.

Zengana is around 6ft tall, of slim build, with black hair and brown eyes. He is described as being of "Middle Eastern appearance" and was born in Iraq in 1983.

He has been known to use various aliases, including Abdul Qadar, Rusheer Ahmed, Syed Waq and Ali Kermin.
Zengana picked up his victim in Argyle Street in December, 2006, while posing as a private hire driver.

She was going home from a Christmas party.

But, instead, Zengana took her to a property in Cessnock, where he carried out the attack.

He was convicted but was bailed while awaiting sentence, and disappeared. Zengana recently featured on Police Scotland's Most Wanted list and officers have appealed for information.

A statement read: "Police Scotland is appealing to the public for any information they have which could help trace him.

"If you have seen him, or know someone who may have information of his whereabouts, please contact Police Scotland on 101. Alternatively, if you wish to pass information anonymously you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."


http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/u/taxi-driver-rapist-suspected-to-be-on-the-run-in-turkey.1433490140
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Bristol has become the first city in the South West to get cashless taxi service Uber, which sees users download a free app to the their phone, order a cab to their exact location and watch in real time as their driver makes their way across the city to their pick-up point.

Uber markets itself as a cheaper, more convenient and safer way to travel. It says its prices can be up to 20 per cent lower than private hire firms or Hackney cabs, with a journey from Bristol Temple Meads to Cabot Circus priced at around £3.60, and from UWE to Park Street costing £10.80.

The app also eliminates the need for passengers to carry cash, with payments being made through the app.

Hundreds of drivers in Bristol have registered to become Uber "partners". Unlike private hire companies, drivers for Uber do not work set shifts, and can fit their hours around their own schedule, as well as meeting demand during busier periods.

The way Uber, which describes itself as an "online platform" connecting riders and drivers rather than a transport provider, operates has caused some controversy, with claims drivers are not put through strenuous enough checks and the company is not accountable.

This has caused the app to be banned in some countries, including India.

But Uber Bristol's general manager, Fred Jones, said Uber's drivers are no different to other taxi drivers in the city. All Uber drivers in the UK have passed an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

"People seem to think that Uber has a different way of operating when it comes to drivers being regulated, but it doesn't," Fred explained. "Drivers are subject to the same checks by the local authority, and all of our Bristol drivers have worked closely with the city council. And are insured as private hire cars in exactly the same way as other taxis."

From 4pm this afternoon, Uber drivers will be operating in Bristol. In the initial stages of the company's launch, drivers will focus on central areas of the city.

Mr Jones said: "We are all really excited to be launching in Bristol. We chose it as the first location in the South West as we were seeing a huge amount of interest from both drivers and people wanting to use the service. Plus, Bristol is a very important city in the west.

"We have had a really positive response from drivers. And the most important thing for us is that all of our drivers love their jobs and are really passionate about customer service."

The company, which launched in San Francisco in 2009, already operates in hundreds of cities across the globe, including London and Manchester in the UK. It is currently focusing on a huge expansion in Europe, which it claims could create 50,000 new jobs.

The service being launched in Bristol today is UberX - the company's most basic transport offering. The service is described as "cheap, fast and reliable", and users can request a licensed driver in a "Toyota Prius or equivalent".

UberX is also launching in a number of other UK cities including Leeds, Birmingham, Wakefield and Newcastle. If the service is well received across the city, some of Uber's more luxury transport options could launch.

To celebrate the launch, Uber is offering anyone who uses the service today a free journey up to the value of £15. It also allows users to refer a friend and if they do , both parties will receive a free journey.

Mr Jones added: "Uber has been embraced by riders and drivers in every city it has opened in, and we're sure Bristol will be no different.

"There is a lot of cool stuff you can do on the app; you can send your journey information to someone else who can then track your whereabouts and you can split the cost of a fare between you and your friends.

"We are confident that everyone will enjoy using Uber, and if they do we want them to spread the Uber love. Everyone at Uber Bristol is very excited."

The arrival of Uber in Bristol may not be good news for everyone. The news that the global company will be launching in the city has been met with mixed reviews by taxi drivers.

Some drivers have expressed concerns at being "under cut" by Uber, who claim to be cheaper, safer and more convenient than traditional taxi companies.

Tim Lloyd, 54, is the former chairman of the Bristol branch of the National Taxi Association and has been a Hackney cab driver in the city for 20 years.

He said: "Taxi drivers have a bad opinion of Uber because of safety. We are all monitored by the council, are fully traceable and are CRB checked, so there is someone accountable for us, but in some places the rules for Uber have not been as strict."

Mr Lloyd added that drivers in Bristol were aware Uber was planning on launching in the city, and were concerned about what Ubers arrival in the city could mean for business.

He said: "In terms of business, I don't really know what it would mean for us, but it's more competition. I haven't got a problem with competition, but it's a concern for people who have spent a lot of money of vehicles to accommodate disabled people.

"You've got to have a level playing field but I think Uber would come in and undercut both us and private hire firms. It's a concern for drivers in Bristol. It's also taking away from local companies and drivers keeping money in the local economy."

What is Uber?

Using the app, you can see who your driver will be and track where they are while you wait. To use the service, you need to download the Uber app on iTunes or the Google Play store. You sign up, and enter a credit card number.

You then book your cab - your location is pinpointed with the GPS on your phone. You choose what kind of car you need, check the estimated price of the journey, and then you are told how long you will need to wait for your car to arrive. You can even see where it is on a map. You see a photo of your driver, their name, and a contact phone number.

When you arrive at your destination you won't need to hand over cash as the company has your credit card details and you get an email the next day with a breakdown of the costs. You are also not expected to tip your driver. You can also split the fare between you and your friends.


http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Cashless-taxi-app-Uber-launch-Bristol-today-city/story-26641698-detail/story.html

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LONDON

A 52-year-old taxi driver has died and a 24-year-old man has been arrested following a crash in Chislehurst this morning (June 5).

Police were called to Royal Parade with the junction of Bromley Road at around 3.30am to reports of a crash between a car and a taxi.

The taxi driver suffered critical injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by doctors from London Air Ambulance.

His next-of-kin have been informed and a formal identification and a post-mortem is due to take place at a later date.

The driver of the car, a man aged 24, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by careless driving.


http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/13315120._/

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The boss of Sheffield’s new Uber taxi service – which has proved controversial in other cities – says ‘competition is a good thing’ as it launches today.

The service allows people to order and pay for a taxi from an app on their mobile phone which sends the closest licensed private hire driver signed up to the scheme to each customer.


http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/local/competition-is-a-good-thing-says-taxi-boss-as-sheffield-uber-launches-tonight-1-7294275

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New Delhi: Delhi Police has prosecuted 450 cabs of banned app-based taxi services including Uber in the past three days in its latest crackdown on these service providers.

In a bid to beat banned these taxi services in their own game, Delhi Traffic Police has asked its officials to download their apps and book cabs so as to challan and impound the cars when they arrives.

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/450-cabs-of-banned-app-based-taxi-services-prosecuted-in-three-days-1002144.html

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A DECISION not to grant a taxi licence to a Langley Green driver has been upheld in court.

Crawley Borough Council refused to give a private hire licence to Touseef Ulfat because he had not mentioned a conviction for dishonesty in his application.

He was also deemed to not be a "fit and proper person" but appealed the decision and took it to Horsham Magistrates' Court, where a hearing was held on Thursday last week (May 28).

Ulfat, of Maiden Lane, Langley Green, was told he must pay £250 towards the costs of the court case.

http://www.crawleynews.co.uk/Decision-grant-taxi-licence-dishonest-Langley/story-26642134-detail/story.html

Rossendale 

Rossendale Borough are to include a 'Intended Use' policy when issuing and RENEWING Hackney Carriage Operators Licenses.

This come around 3 years to late to stop the infestation of Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire with hackneys registering  in Rossendale but working on private hire circuits elsewhere.

The good news is that a renewal is considered a grant under current law and many of the vehicles currently used elsewhere may not be renewed next time around.

Read pages 54 to 60 of the file attached.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3fvcfu1mf0zez5y/Proposed%20policy%202015.pdf?dl=0
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A taxi driver has been permanently banned from driving cabs in Colchester after he was spotted reading a book while behind the wheel.

Syed Khabbab had his private hire licence revoked by members of Colchester Borough Council (CBC) following a hearing of the authority’s licensing sub-committee.

Khabbab lost an appeal hearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court against the decision.

Magistrates found that he was not a fit and proper person to hold a license.

Council officials revealed there had been a number of infringements on the licence conditions.

These included a failure to report damage to his vehicle, and failing to report a series of driving offences for which he was given points on his licence by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

Khabbab was also filmed from another vehicle driving while reading his book.

The footage was then sent on to the council.

There were no passengers in the taxi at the time of the reading offence.

Tim Young, councillor for community safety and licensing at Colchester Borough Council, said: “We’re pleased with the result of the hearing at the magistrates’ court to back the decision made by our sub-committee.

“I think this sends out a strong message to drivers that they must stick to the law otherwise we will take action.”

Colchester Borough Council said its licensing enforcement officers pro-actively enforce the standards set by the authority on taxi drivers with spot checks and scheduled and reactive visits.

In addition, the council issues points for infringements of its conditions with action taken when certain thresholds are reached.

The penalty point scheme applies to all private hire and hackney carriage drivers and operators.

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/colchester_man_banned_as_taxi_driver_for_reading_at_the_wheel_1_4098747
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STOKE

TAXI driver Ahmed Ali grew cannabis with a potential yield of more than £10,000 at a house he rented.

The 21-year-old set up the growing operation at an address in Dresden after researching how to do it 
on the internet.

But police raided the property and discovered the plants which were about four to six weeks away from maturity.

Now the defendant has been sentenced to a community order with 200 hours unpaid work.


http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Police-discover-10k-cannabis-factory-raiding-home/story-26626175-detail/story.html#ixzz3c4PpvosZ 

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An Indian woman has accused a driver contracted with online taxi company Uber Technologies of trying to sexually harass her after she hailed his cab, prompting the U.S.-based firm to suspend the driver and launch an internal investigation.

Uber was banned in New Delhi in December after a woman passenger accused one of its drivers of rape. The company resumed its services in January after applying for a radio taxi licence, which it still awaits.

The latest accusation surfaced on social media on Sunday when the woman's brother, Ankush Pathania, posted a picture of Uber's response to the complaint and urged the company to take swift action. A police complaint was registered late on Monday.

"My sister will now share her part of the story with the police," Pathania said. "We want the driver to be punished."

Pathania's sister, a 21-year-old professional dancer, told Reuters by telephone the Uber driver kissed her hand after dropping her in Gurgaon city, near New Delhi, on Saturday night. She ran away when the driver tried to kiss her on the mouth.

Indian law generally prohibits the identification of victims of sex crimes. The law is intended to protect victims' privacy and keep them from the media glare in a country where the social stigma associated with such crimes can be devastating.

Authorities in New Delhi have maintained that Uber is banned in the capital and is operating without permission. However, India's federal transport ministry said in April such companies should be better regulated but not banned.

Uber offers taxi services using its mobile application. In recent weeks, it has launched new safety features including stricter background screening of its drivers and an in-app SOS button that connects to the police.

Police official Amit Kumar said both the woman and the Uber driver will be questioned. Uber's general manager for Delhi, Gagan Bhatia, said the company was willing to share the necessary information with authorities.

"Uber has a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate behaviour," Bhatia said in a statement.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/indian-woman-accuses-uber-driver-sexual-harassment-073510627.html#A8eyCn9
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TORONTO (Reuters) - Taxi drivers packed a courtroom in Canada's largest city on Monday as Toronto stated its case for the Uber ride-sharing service to be regulated like the traditional cab companies with which it competes.

Toronto is seeking an injunction to halt Uber's operations unless the San Francisco-based company and all its drivers are licensed.

Uber is fighting for legal status worldwide, one jurisdiction at a time, as authorities weigh the legality of its phone-based app, and Uber drivers argue they should be treated as employees, not independent contractors.

Outside city hall, taxi drivers parked three-deep and beeped their horns, while others moved in a slow procession through downtown, clogging much of the business district. The protesters fear the threat that Uber represents to their livelihood.

Akhbar Banijamaat, who left Iran in the 1980s with his family and has driven taxis in Toronto for 17 years, said the upstart company should abide by the law.

"Some people support Uber, the mayor supports Uber," Banijamaat said. "I don't mind Uber, I think it's a beautiful idea, to whoever did it, very nice. But do it legal."

Despite Toronto's legal bid to regulate Uber, the city's mayor, John Tory, says he accepts ride-hailing apps as part of the contemporary landscape.

On Monday he said he hoped the parties could reach a negotiated settlement ahead of the judge's ruling.

"Both (Uber and the taxi industry) are going to have to adapt themselves to the reality of a fair and fairly-regulated industry that focuses on serving the public better as opposed to suiting themselves," Tory told Reuters.

The Toronto taxi-driving protesters focused their ire on UberX, a budget option in which drivers use their personal vehicles, as a threat to public safety. Uber's other service uses licensed drivers.

Uber, which is valued at $40 billion, says it simply provides technology allowing drivers and passengers to find each other and should not be treated as a broker. It said the taxi protest was counter-productive.

"Rather than blocking roads and preventing people from getting where they need to be, we're focused on meeting the needs of Toronto's riders and drivers, who are all too often left out of the debate," said Uber Canada spokeswoman Susie

Heath, adding that Uber wants to help "create a sensible regulatory framework for ridesharing."

The hearing continues. The case is court file no. CV-14-516288.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/uber-targeted-canadas-largest-city-195257626.html
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A TAXI driver in Bolton has been stripped of his licence after allegedly punching a passenger who fell and broke his leg in a fare dispute.

Bolton Council deemed the private hire driver to no longer be a "fit and proper" person at a licensing committee meeting.

The incident which led to the licence revocation took place in Belmont Road, Sharples, on March 8 at about 2am.

The council ruled that the driver did assault the customer — despite police having never brought charges.

An argument over a fare had broken out between the driver and three passengers, which led to two of them getting out of the car.

One man was still in the vehicle, however, when the taxi drove away.

A member of the licensing committee said the passenger jumped out of the car while it was still moving, which is when the driver is accused of alighting from the vehicle and attacking him.

Police said a 49-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident but was released without charge.

A report from the licensing committee said: "In coming to its decision the committee was mindful of its duty to protect the public and the complaint of misconduct related to a serious assault by a private hire driver on a customer while acting as a taxi driver.

"Following consideration of all the evidence the committee found that on the balance of probabilities the driver did assault the customer causing him to fall and suffer serious injury to his leg.

"Drivers are placed in a position of trust and have a duty to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times and the driver concerned should not have retaliated with violence when a dispute over a fare had ensued."

A police spokesman said: "An assault took place at 2am on Sunday, March 8 in Belmont Road, Sharples where the passenger was punched in the face and fell over and broke his leg.

"A 49-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a section 20 assault but was later released without charge."

The committee did not accept the driver’s explanation that he was acting in self defence and found that even if the customer had provoked the driver, he should not have acted in a violent manner.

A committee source said: "Our main consideration is the safety of the people of Bolton using taxis.

"We consider whether we would want somebody to get into that vehicle with the driver and run the risk of having problems."

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/crime/13218260._/
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Stand-off between bus and taxi blocks bridge in Glasgow as motorists face stormy conditions on Scotland's roads

SOME bridges are closed due to high winds and major routes have been hit by flooding as June arrives in Scotland with weather more akin to the winter.

Chaos on the Squinty Bridge in Glasgow this morning as drivers struggle to know new road layout
MOTORISTS across Scotland were facing weather conditions more akin to mid winter than the beginning of summer today.

High winds, heavy rain and surface water made for difficult driving conditions in various oparts of the country.

The A90 Forth road bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles, while the A1 - A6093 Haddington to Thistly Cross saw lane closures caused by surface water.

Surface water was also a problem in the south, on the A74 (M) and the M74 on-ramp at Hamilton, junction six.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/stand-off-between-bus-taxi-blocks-5806170
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Uber, the taxi-ordering app, can use more sophisticated technology to track people than the police, according to Britain’s top officer.

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan police commissioner, said the company could use technology to locate people in real time, which the police are forbidden from doing.

Uber monitors a user’s position via a mobile phone app and then finds the nearest taxi to pick them up. “But when people ring the police, we haven’t got a clue where that phone is,” Sir Bernard told

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/crime/article4457661.ece

EDINBURGH

A SURGE in the number of applications for private hire licences in the Capital has been linked to the launch of a controversial new company.

Web-based Uber, which has swept the globe in the past three years, is set to begin operating in the city soon.

The multi-billion-pound US company connects passengers to a background-checked driver via a smartphone app, with the firm taking a 20 per cent cut of the fare.

Private hire permit costs have been slashed by two-thirds, prompting a rush of applications.

With the promise of cheaper fares, Uber’s arrival in Edinburgh is set to spark fierce competition for business.

Black cab drivers say the reduction in licence costs will disproportionately benefit anyone signing on with Uber.

And the boss of one major taxi firm insisted there was no unmet demand for hire drivers in the city.

Central Taxis director Tony Kenmuir said there had been an increase in applications from private hire drivers since the reduced fees were put in place.
He said: “The number of private hire cars has been fairly static for some time but we believe there has been some additional take-up recently since the council substantially reduced the cost of new licences.

“That doesn’t benefit the trade because a regular, independent survey has concluded that there was no significant unmet demand for taxis and no new licences are being issued.

“Cheaper licences for new private hire cars could potentially benefit any private hire company looking to grow its business and that would include Uber if they start trading here.”

Fees are being cut from £1614 for 2015-16, with new private hire licences just £500 and new black cab licences costing £600.

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/uber-taxi-app-boosts-private-hire-licence-bids-1-3788971